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Thread: Project Serenity

  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2011
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    Project Serenity

    Hi all,

    It's about time I posted what I've been up to with Serenity, my '62 109". As I'm currently on holidays from Uni (I'm studying mechanical engineering) and quit my job, I've found a lot of free time, so getting Serenity back on the road seems like a good task. Finishing Serenity also means I can move onto Kaylee, my '53 Series 1 80"...

    Some before shots...





    I've mostly been stripping her off so far, I'm intending to take her back to the chassis to make sure she survives a while longer.

    I'm getting sick of the flat head screwdriver heads on the bolts, that combined with rust and square nuts is just painful. As much as I like originality, I'm not nut counter, so they'll most likely be replaced with hex heads. The angle grinder has been getting a bit much of a workout for my liking. The previous owner also liked silicone and paintbrushes. From what we can tell Serenity was orignally white with a pair of red pinstripes down each side, but later in life was brushed green and then somebody added the hideous black camo effect. While I'm OK with people painting things when they start to rust, I'd have preferred it if he'd bothered to treat the rust before painting! It appears they've just gone straight over the rusty parts without doing anything. Suffice to say, it didn't help much, the door tops are completely shot as is the bulkhead. I'm also guessing he had some leaks in the passenger floor at some point, because there's a layer of silicone on EVERYTHING!

    The intent is to do her up as a tourer/camper with a bed in the back plus storage space for camping gear. I'd also like to fit a thermofan (I doubt the current fan does anything), dual batteries, a winch, and, if the budget streches far enough (it won't), diff lockers.

    When I bought her back in May I was wearing some fancy rose coloured glasses... I completely missed the rust in the bulkhead, something I still regret to this day.





    The good news is the chassis is far better than I ever imagined, with only minor surface rust that I've seen so far. (Needless to say I've got the roof and tub off so far) These were taken after I took her out and washed her with the Karcher.






    The other good news is the engine seems to be in really nice shape. It starts easily and runs really nice and smooth. I still intend to do some work on it while it's out of the car, but it shouldn't require a full rebuild.

    We took a video of her final movements before I completely disable her, it makes for a nice record of how she sounds right now.

    [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5nU1XfHPdQ"]Serenity's Last Drive (Before Restoration) - YouTube[/ame]

    My mate Rob (Jawapro) is holding the petrol can for me while I drive. He owns 4 G60 Patrols which he intends to restore, so it's sort of a time swap thing with him working on Serenity and me working on his Patrols once he gets to them.

    Serenity has no brakes, with the pedal sitting on the floor full time and the handbrake doing nothing. Last time I drove her I rolled out of control into the clothesline, so I get a bit worried when it comes to rolling backwards and things. It explains the terrible driving displayed here, I swear I'm not normally this bad!

    I'll try to keep this thread updated as I do things. Inevitably I'll have plenty of questions to ask too, as I progress. (Mods, would you prefer I keep all my questions in the one thread, or make a seperate one each time?)

    Speaking of which, is there any easy way to get a wheel off when a stud has come free and won't pull out? On the front left wheel one of the studs is free spinning and wobbling around (the nut is still holding fast on the stud), but it won't pull free. I can't get my trusty grinder in there to chop off the nut without damaging the rim, but I'm not sure what else to do. Any suggestions?

    Oh, there's some more photos in a gallery on my website, turkeybrain's photography. There's also some of Kaylee hiding on there.

    Cheers,

    Martin

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
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    G'day All,
    I would start by removing the axle cap, remove split pin from castellated nut, undo the 6 bolts that hold the drive flange (depending on whether it is on the front axle, if it's on the rear, leave axle cap insitu just undo 6 bolts and remove axle etc complete)
    now back on track, once you have removed the the drive flange, (jack the vehicle up so the wheel spins freely, make it (the Land Rover) safe by chocking the wheels and use a body stand,) loosen the other wheel nuts.
    Bend the tab back on the large hex/nut (stub axle) remove the hex nut and locking tab, undo the other hex/nut, remove it, and if your brakes are not dragging on the brake drums, if so back off the cam adjusters, and by wriggling the road wheel it should come free from the stub axle, bringing brake drum and hub all in one go. Don't allow wheel bearings to drop on the concrete, place a potato sack or something to help catch them or have some else help you, no point in making extra work by having to clean n repack the bearings LOL.
    I would then try to get the offending wheel stud back into place, and put a heavy tack weld on it, also soak the wheel nut in penetrating oil, use heat from Oxy/acetylene to break the rust grip, hope thats reasonably clear enough for you to understand, cheers mate Dennis
    ps If this is successfull in removing the wheel nut/s, you will need the then get the brake drum off the hub, the screws (Csk 3/8"Whitworth thread) are a P.I.A, you might have to center dot them and drill them out, to separate the hub from the drum,,.

  3. #3
    Join Date
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    No power in the 'Verse will stop you from restoring this vehicle.
    Its a gorram good one.

    Top name for you Landy. Treat her right and she'll keep flying.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 2011
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    Good to find another Browncoat on here!

    In regards to the stuck stud, it's the front left wheel. It has Warn free wheeling hubs fitted. I'll take a look at them tomorrow and give it a go. Thanks for the advice, it all seems to make sense.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
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    Devonport, Tasmania
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    I'm new to AuLRO and making the required post so my account doesnt get deleted.

    I've helped Turkey find, transport, and now strip down Serenity - so I'm very keen to watch this thread as it develops. Sadly I'm at the wrong end of the state to help consistantly, but I do what I can (that's me in the video holding the temporary fuel tank) when I can get down there.

    And just to keep on topic, here are some photos of when we picked Serenity up the day Turkey bought her.



    110km down the highway - possibly the fastest she's ever gone.



    She'll be awesome when she's finished.

    Browncoats forever!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
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    G'day jawapro,
    Where in the state did Serenity come from?
    You know your not too far from Land Rover heaven at Loongana? Any parts required for this vehicle are available there.

    Keep it shiny.

  7. #7
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    Oct 2011
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    Devonport, Tasmania
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    Serenity came from Launceston.

    What's at Loongana?

  8. #8
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    May 2011
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    She originated up the back of Ravenswood, Launceston. I suspect that may explain her old war wound...



    I've heard rumours of a place with 50 odd Land Rovers laying dormant, but haven't managed to track it down just yet. Would that be the place at Loongana?

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
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    http://www.aulro.com/afvb/1262076-post48.html
    I bought my 2a from him. A real gentleman.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2011
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    A small progress update...

    I've been a bit busy with running around to different social occasions over the past couple of weeks, so I haven't managed to get much done. I did manage to get that wheel bearing apart, thanks very much for the clear instructions, Dinty. Other than that not much has happened until today.

    I conned Dad into giving me a hand (he wants his shed back eventually as he's got grand plans to restore his '27 Chev 4 truck) and we managed to pull off the front wings.


    Note the rust holes visible in the footwells! It's a worry how much dirt has found a home stuck between joins over the years.

    A few more photos of the damage - but I'm not sure they do it justice sadly.





    I had a look through your thread Korg, it's a nice looking machine you've got there! It's also nice to see a thread with a conclusion for once, too. I've also had a chat to David (thanks for filling in his last name for me) and he's invited me up to have a look for some parts some time in the new year. I'm certainly looking forward to that trip!

    Cheers,

    Martin

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