Thread: Series 2 Advice !!

In my rarely humble opinion, if you are going to get a Series body and change all the underpinnings, you might as well buy a Defender. There isn't that much difference in the bodies between a late 50s Series 2 and a 2011 Defender: bonnet, radiator position, windscreen and flares. The classic look is alive and well. But ute/truck cabs with a tub are hard to come across with coil sprung Landies.

How about picking up the best, most original one you can find within your price range. Then start adding things to customise it to what you want but never making any irreversible change. Just "bolt on" stuff.

Keep all the standard "bolt off" stuff you removed, treat it to prevent rust and corrosion, wrap it well, label it and store it. One day, when you become older and wiser, you'll realise the value of the old girl in original trim and have everything you need to either restore it or sell all the original bits with it for someone else to restore.

In the mean time you get the enjoyment of learning all about the modifications (and the fact that the more mod's you make the more things break!), enjoy driving the modified rig (and get frustrated when someone does better and goes further in a standard rig) and all secure in the knowledge you haven't made a mistake in the long term. It will restrict you a little, but really the modifications you can't make you probably don't really need. Remember these old girls in standard trim were cutting through uncharted territory, true bush-bashing, all over the outback, long before ABS, A/C, P/W, HDC, ESC, EFI, ETC, DOHC, 5VH, etc, etc came out.

Just my 2c worth.
Cheers
John B

The only thing that worries me a little is the skinny tyres. It looks as though the car would tip over if you acidentally shut the door too hard !!!

Are air lockers a reversible change?

As you say JayBoRover, I will become older and wiser (hopefully ) and then i will want an original. And they were meant and made for the toughest environments

I've been looking around carsales.com but there isn't much fro sale there. Know any other good websites?

Thanks

Qwopper

(P.S. What do you guys think about a SWB vs a LWB ---> any advantages/disadvantages to either?)

Re the swb v lwb off road the swb is better but if you want to carry all your gear then you cant go past a 109. A rear locker can be installed and no one will know but it will improve the off road capability heaps means less snatches from other on trips
Where to but a series? you will be hard up to find one in a car yard look in the markets section of the forum and ebay/trading post there are some good deals out there

i wouldn't restrict yourself to landrover forums and ebay while looking for your motor

my first was bought off ebay and was a £350 wreck, i spent time,money and effort building it up to a usable scruffy rattley daily driver and have used it for everything for the last two years

my second is a 1965 109 that i found on RetroRides almost 2 years ago which is a general custom and classic car forum, i've spent the last 6 months or so assembling it the way i want it

my third was a lucky and unusual field find that one of my brothers spotted and put me onto, after a little research this turned out to be a 1970/71 New Zealand ex-military 88" 2a, cut wings etc (almost unheard of here in England), this is now awaiting my attentions with the welder when i've finished my 109 (i also got it really cheap as the owner and myself didn't realise what he had at the time)

my fourth was only really bought because it had an overdrive in it but when i looked at it closely it turned out the chassis is almost beyond saving so it has turned into spare parts only and most of it has been sold off or shelved

i also know where there is a late Series1, i think it is a 1956/57 sat in someones garden rotting away, i really must go back sometime and chat with the owner again to see if i can rescue it as it hasn't moved in the two years i've known it to be sat there

anyway put out feelers all around your family and friends as they may spot something somewhere, i've found at least six 88" Series2's sat in folks gardens since i've started tinkering with them and looked at a few that really are only good for spare parts (one had a chassis that collapsed if you gripped it too hard all that was left was the welded corners really)

finally, if you don't know what you are looking at i'd suggest you get someone local that does to come inspect it with you as it's really easy to get caught out with garden/field finds even if they do run/drive, take a big screwdriver and stab the chassis in all the corners underneath and don't be shy as one little hole could be the beginnings of major surgery

pictures of my 88" bitsa and the work carried out
Zebedee pictures by NiteMare_08 - Photobucket

and pictures of my 109 and the surgery required to put back together
My 1965 109 pictures by NiteMare_08 - Photobucket

i hope these might give you a few clues as to what you might be letting yourself in for if you're not careful

good luck with your search, there's nothing i've found funnier or more enjoyable to drive than my old leafsprung land rover

Cheers
Pete

Originally Posted by QWOPPER

The only thing that worries me a little is the skinny tyres. It looks as though the car would tip over if you acidentally shut the door too hard !!!

Those "skinny tyres" are a heck of a lot easier to turn when you don't have power steering!!! There are many occasions where the skinny tyres perform better than the same pattern wide tyres. It's just they're not as fashionable. I recently changed from 31x10.5R15 tyres to the standard 7.50x16 tyres and removed the power steering system that a previous owner had grafted on. Putting power steering on is possible but difficult or impossible to do in a "bolt on" manner to retain ease of restoring back to original later.

235/85 16's look good on a Series 2. (Standard Defender Tyres). Only slightly bigger than 7.50's. Anything bigger and you will snap axles, break expensive bits or need to upgrade them all $$$$$

Without drifting into a tyre thread, your length of tire contact is more important than the width - in most occassions. - (doning flame proof suit)

I think, as mentioned, if you want a modified vehicle then get a Defender and you will have a more capabable/comfortable vehicle with plenty of Land Rover "spirit". However if you get a Series 2, I would go for the late Series 2A and leave it pretty much standard. Parabolic springs will improve the ride. A heater is a nice extra. Then just enjoy it.

Originally Posted by Sleepy

235/85 16's look good on a Series 2. (Standard Defender Tyres). Only slightly bigger than 7.50's. Anything bigger and you will snap axles, break expensive bits or need to upgrade them all $$$$$

Without drifting into a tyre thread, your length of tire contact is more important than the width - in most occassions. - (doning flame proof suit)

I think, as mentioned, if you want a modified vehicle then get a Defender and you will have a more capabable/comfortable vehicle with plenty of Land Rover "spirit". However if you get a Series 2, I would go for the late Series 2A and leave it pretty much standard. Parabolic springs will improve the ride. A heater is a nice extra. Then just enjoy it.

What about power steering..My old series is good with 31s on it but harry getting atleast 33 inch...