Thread: JUST PURCHASED SERIES 1: 1958 109 UTE

Hi everyone,
Newbie just got registered to the forum. I have purchased a 1958 109 LR. It is in very good running order, the main thing I would like to do is remove the rear tray and fit an original 'tub'. I'm sure these will be hard to locate, but that will bring the body up to original.
I noticed when I first went to look, it didn't have a side valve engine, but thought that the year being close to the series 2 there might have been some 2 litre ohv engines fitted in CKD kits to Oz. however, this is not the case and I have found from the engine serial number, it is a 1970's series 3 engine. so for now I will get this running properly and source a 2 ltr side valve down the track.

Q: does anyone know the whereabouts of a 107/109 tub?
I'm WA based.

TinTin

Originally Posted by TinTin

Hi everyone,
Newbie just got registered to the forum. I have purchased a 1958 109 LR. It is in very good running order, the main thing I would like to do is remove the rear tray and fit an original 'tub'. I'm sure these will be hard to locate, but that will bring the body up to original.
I noticed when I first went to look, it didn't have a side valve engine, but thought that the year being close to the series 2 there might have been some 2 litre ohv engines fitted in CKD kits to Oz. however, this is not the case and I have found from the engine serial number, it is a 1970's series 3 engine. so for now I will get this running properly and source a 2 ltr side valve down the track.

Q: does anyone know the whereabouts of a 107/109 tub?
I'm WA based.

TinTin

This would have originally had either a 2.0 litre overhead inlet/side exhaust (IOE) petrol engine, or a 2.0 litre overhead valve diesel. Rover never made a 2.0 litre overhead valve petrol. And I don't think Rover has made a side valve engine since the 1920s, although the IOE engine is sometimes incorrectly referred to as such.

The IOE engine continued in 1958 Series 2 88s, with 109s getting the new 2.25 litre overhead valve petrol engine, which was also in the 88s for 1959. Both wheelbases had the option of the same diesel as Series 1. This was enlarged to 2.25 litres with the Series 2a in 1961.

These engines continued through Series 3, with the 2.6 litre IOE six introduced in 1967 as an option, and the 3.5 litre V8 as an additional option in 1979 (with continual changes to the engines, mostly fairly minor and parts interchangeable until the fours went to five main bearings in late Series 3 production.)

Many Series 1 lwbs (107 & 109) had the tubs replaced with flat trays, basically because, to put it bluntly, they were far too flimsy. Your odds of finding one in restorable condition would be pretty slim, but you never know until you try!

Hope this helps,

John