Thread: "Doc" '59 SII 88"

The deliberations start.



the story so far:

I think I've stumbled onto something really special here.

I'll get some pics up soon, card reader is playing up and I don't have time to mess with it

Very straight 7 seat 88", dead brakes, dead clutch, told it starts with petrol down the carb. some rust in the right rear cross member and inner guards. Doors and firewall look really good. Still some mud caked outriggers to inspect

it has the original british (cast aluminum) rego plates and paperwork to match.

Only reg'd for one year in england then privately imported by the original owner when he immigrated to oz.

This was a doctors car and appears to have been appropriately appointed.
Smiths heater, demister to the windscreen. Door linings with incorporated arm rests, shiny fire extinguisher in passenger footwell. and oddly a rear PTO as the previous owner told me "well, he was going to the colonies"

the second owner was a nurse who worked along side the original owner in western victoria.

I don't think the doctor or the nurse really gave it a hard time. Minor incidents here and there, but the factory sills don't look like they have seen any serious 4wd action.

The last 15 years, it has served as a farm hack but looks to have suffered very little in that role. it sat eight of those in an open shed

I bought the little bus from the nurses daughter in outer eastern melbourne.

That'll make me the 3rd registered owner in 50 yrs.

My daughters have named him "Doc" in deference to the original owner.

Now, seeing that I think he is a special unit, I want to be very careful to maintain his authenticity. I plan on only fixing what needs fixing and leaving as much as I can as found.

It'll need springs, lots of body rubbers, those cacky rectangle indicators removed, tyres, clutch and brakes sorted, motor running...

I'll start a project thread soon.

In the mean time, what advice can you guys give me about restoring series II landies?

more pic here
lhttp://www.aulro.com/afvb/series-2-2...ies-landy.html

Originally Posted by procrastination inc

I am currently thinking a complete tear down and rebuild is the way to go.

Find all the little faults and fix them before they get big.

Good idea, but be warned, you will find a lot more things to fix than you planned!

If I strip and paint the firewall, then the mating panels won't match. To me , that'd mean a total respray. that'd mean reworking panel damage and the loss of "character"

Not necessarily - If you cut and polish the rest of the paintwork, you can get paint mixed to match it and use it for the firewall, and the difference will be hardly noticeable.

what is more important, preservation of metal or historical defects?

What is more important? Up to you, after all you own it. But these early 2as are getting to be quite rare in anything like as original condition as this one, and I would be inclined to keep it original, or at least with period modifications, even if you do do it up completely.

One point that may influence you - I agree you need to replace the square blinkers - but note that having the blinkers inboard of the parking lights may not be legal as they cannot be seen from the side. If you have to move them to below the parking lights as is normal for later 2as this will leave holes that it is hard to see you dealing with without repainting the front panels of the guards. And once you do this, where do you stop?

John