Thread: Hi - New Owner of a Series 1 - a 1952 80

I don't think I have ever seen something like that, but I suggest it could be a sort of socket fora board supported by the bumper, with a block on the bottom to stop it moving forward, and used either as a a seat, or perhaps as a work platform to be high enough to reach something, or used for a specific purpose such as cleaning fish.

But I am only guessing.

Hi all
While I am keen to keep it original and the aged 72 yr patina of the body intact
I am keen to start to repaint and protect the chassis

attached is a few photos - it is surface dust - not too bad.
Ideally I would remove body and repaint it all completely
how much work/time is it to remove or raise the body up enough?

otherwise I will section by section - sand back with a flap disc, use rust converter/remover, acid etch undercoat and then a rust preventative paint like Killrust etc


According to the 'LandRover Series One Club' The Knowledge - my chassis paint is Bronze Green HCC/LRC1 00428 2651 - I assume a satin finish would be best

Any thoughts or comments greatly appreciated

Cheers Nobby!

Originally Posted by NobbyTD5

Hi all
While I am keen to keep it original and the aged 72 yr patina of the body intact
I am keen to start to repaint and protect the chassis

I went though much the same thought pattern, even painted some areas as I worked on mine.
After taking it to Cooma for the 60th I decided against it.

If you're using it as a daily driver maybe but if it spends most time in the shed and only goes out on dry days it won't get any worse.

Lifting the body/bulkhead/wings etc. sounds easy but is quite involved, then you have to bolt it back together and get the door gaps right !

Over 12 years later the chassis on mine isn't any worse.
1956 Series 1 with PTO welder (home made)


Colin

Gromit
Thanks - I would like to do that - just ignore it
but I am based by the sea, we do get a bit of salt spray and we are allowed to drive on the beach here (I would never drive in the water!)
it is properly garaged - sealed roller door etc

so .. thanks worth me thinking about!

cheers

Nobby

Originally Posted by gromit

I went though much the same thought pattern, even painted some areas as I worked on mine.
After taking it to Cooma for the 60th I decided against it.

If you're using it as a daily driver maybe but if it spends most time in the shed and only goes out on dry days it won't get any worse.

Lifting the body/bulkhead/wings etc. sounds easy but is quite involved, then you have to bolt it back together and get the door gaps right !

Over 12 years later the chassis on mine isn't any worse.
1956 Series 1 with PTO welder (home made)


Colin

Depends how deep you want to go. I am just doing the same with mine. Based on your photos I think you may find there are some areas that are worse than first appear.

I completely removed all body parts in a few hours. There is actually not much to it, what slows it down is stuck bolts and how much you want to preserve them (I am trying to keep as much as possible).

With the body off it is much easier to see what you've got, clean it up, and repaint.

Are any of the outriggers rusted through?

Getting the body off is easy, especially with the early Series One, gets a bit more complicated later with more electrics etc.

However! Putting it back together is not quite as easy. The bolted body joints are invariably fitted with large washers and holes that are much bigger than the bolts, to allow for manufacturing tolerance in the panel size and shape and in the positioning of attachment points on the chassis. These can add up to substantial amounts, and when reassembling you need to ensure that slop is put in the right places, or you will find bits just don't fit! (And this can be exacerbated by chassis or panel damage in the last seventy plus years.)

In particular, if I remember correctly (someone will pop in I hope if I am wrong) the first bit to be attached to the chassis should be the tub, and at least some of these on early ones used more or less ad hoc packing to fit the attachments to the chassis. Note and preserve these when disassembling (there may be some elsewhere, but don't assume they are bodges made during repairs - they could be factory). This is followed by the firewall or bulkhead which must be adjusted so the doors fit.

Originally Posted by JDNSW

Getting the body off is easy, especially with the early Series One, gets a bit more complicated later with more electrics etc.

However! Putting it back together is not quite as easy. The bolted body joints are invariably fitted with large washers and holes that are much bigger than the bolts, to allow for manufacturing tolerance in the panel size and shape and in the positioning of attachment points on the chassis. These can add up to substantial amounts, and when reassembling you need to ensure that slop is put in the right places, or you will find bits just don't fit! (And this can be exacerbated by chassis or panel damage in the last seventy plus years.)

In particular, if I remember correctly (someone will pop in I hope if I am wrong) the first bit to be attached to the chassis should be the tub, and at least some of these on early ones used more or less ad hoc packing to fit the attachments to the chassis. Note and preserve these when disassembling (there may be some elsewhere, but don't assume they are bodges made during repairs - they could be factory). This is followed by the firewall or bulkhead which must be adjusted so the doors fit.

John, you speak the truth. The tub is fixed to the chassis with next to no adjustment, so goes on first. Everything else comes afterwards, with adjustments to "try" to make everything line up....

Dear all
The Chassis seems alright looking from underneath - paint and surface rust but no deep rust oo perforations - I need to have a really good crawl around.
Sounds like taking off the Tub is fairly easy (noting/preserving the packing etc)and will give me more info on the overall chassis condition.
might start there!
Thanks for the guidance

Originally Posted by cjc_td5

John, you speak the truth. The tub is fixed to the chassis with next to no adjustment, so goes on first. Everything else comes afterwards, with adjustments to "try" to make everything line up....