Thread: My 1955 86" rebuild.

Well the chain was the first piece that I could lay my hands on without shifting meters of air hose LOL.
This morning I went out to get things ready in preparation to fit the new canvas, but not to be outdone I checked the hoodsticks for any areas that I may have missed, I knew I should have got the good wife to check it over, I had missed so many small spots that the hoodsticks looked like a leopard LOL,

the new canvas

so again I had to re-spray most of the bits again, so the fitting is off for another day, cheers Dennis

The paint dried quicker than I expected, so I have fitted it all to the tub

the horizontal tie bars were missing 2 Countersunk screws, I knew that I had ordered some from the UK some years ago, I managed to find them, but I needed 2 square nuts, so I pinched 2 from the spire nuts (new) that I have in the shed, they are 1/4"UNF not BSF, as I couldn't source any 1/4"BSF Countersunk screws in Oz

the hoodstick clamps insitu

now I need to check my stock of 1.6mm aluminium sheet so I can cut some strips to refit the door rubbers etc, anyway that's enough fun for one day, cheers Dennis

So she's got her new dress but can't wear it because you've got the wrong buttons

I have moved a lot of gear around this morning to get the Series 1 out of it's hibernation, and move it out so as I could fit some of the extra hardware to accommodate the soft top

then with the good wife helping we rolled the top into place

and the view from the rear

the top looks really good, the ropes were long enough, I just didn't have the strength to pull it through, Mark came along and did the job for me (Thanks Mark) I'm also not familiar with the Series 1 soft top either, anyway I' still happy with it, cheers Dennis

Looks real good mate... and just in time for summer where you won't want it up
Seriously, can you roll up the sides to give shade protection with plenty of airflow? Or don't you need to do this?

The sides are able to be rolled up if you desire, but it's not registered as yet and most likely won't be till after the new year, as I have 9 registrations on Land Rovers, 1 next month (110) and 8 series in December + 2 military trailers, I will be skint LOL cheers Dennis

Looking good, now you've got it just about finished what's the next project .

Well another couple of daze and I have inched closer to completing the Land Rover, I put the door tops on just to reduce the amount of items that I have hanging in the shed, even with no glass/Perspex it looks good

but Saturday was spent divided between Series 1 & cleaning out the opposite side of the shed where this has sat for more than 6 years without seeing daylight

it has all the sundry items needed to assemble the work area between Land Rover n trailer, it also has a Gen/set in there as well.
While cleaning up flood debris and after mice etc, I had to disturb the 'tender' off my 5" gauge P class,

I was able (just) to get it down without any injury to self or tender, clean the area up and put it all back.
With the shed being 'cleaned' this morning after watching the start of the Bathurst, I smeared some never-sieze on the splines of the steering shaft, insert a thin blade screwdriver into the split on the S/wheel boss, then carefully lined the wheel where I wanted it, pinch bolt in the hole, soft faced mallet in right hand, hit the steering wheel boss with the mallet (I hit it down inside the hollow of the wheel) no damage done to any painted surfaces, until I felt the pinch bolt locate in the groove, it is home (hopefully forever)

then I sourced a suitable length of wire that I could feed down through the hollow shaft, I rolled the end of the wire back onto itself so it would go over the bushes etc that are in the shaft to support the tube with the wires etc, then attach the wire to the electrical wires by rolling/twisting the wire along the length of the electrical wires and bind it all with electrical tape, making sure that none of it is too large for the internal diameter of the hollow shaft.
With some help from the good wife the job was over in around a minute

the wires all hanging out the bottom of the steering box

now I have to find the clamp that goes on the end of the shaft with the wires to stop it moving up/down in the steering shaft, I did have that part about 2 weeks ago, but ATM I haven't a clue as to where I've put it LOL, anyway that's enough excitement for one day, cheers Dennis
ps Steve, I have no inclination to do another Land Rover as the 10 that I have will keep me occupied, and you are not alone in asking 'what's the next project on the horizon mate' NONE is my reply,,.
pps I have found the brass keep n gasket it's fitted,,.