Thread: Rebuilding Sid

Steering dampers are different to shock absorbers. Don't put a shocky on there

The steering damper fitting shown on your vehicle is an early type. It is not listed in my optional equipment book, but is in my 1965 optional equipment catalogue. The damper you show is for the fittings listed in the parts books - you can fit this by replacing the drag link with the later type that has a fitting for the damper.

Note that the steering damper was never standard equipment on any Series Landrovers (except possibly FCs and Stage 1), although it fitted to most if not all Australian built ones from the late 1960s, probably as customers and dealers realised they were standard on Jap competitors. Series Landrovers rely for steering damping on the frictional damping in the swivels and relay, and the hydraulic damper should not be necessary except when used on very rough surfaces. Worth noting that one of the early modifications to the 80" was to increase the frictional damping in the relay - I think the frictional damping in the swivels was introduced even before actual production began.

Thanks.

Changing out the drag link is a possibility, but there is the same bracket arrangement welded to the chassis. It does sound as though this will be hard to find.

In rebuilding all of the swivels and relay I have achieved the resistances specified in the manual so omitting the damper should not be a big issue (given the manual doesn’t have it in there).

It will just look a bit odd if I leave the bracket assembly on for now.

Cheers all!

Finally getting back to Sid after travelling for work. Tested the baggage allowance somewhat but was able to buy parts over the counter at craddocks.

Exciting times ahead



Engine is back from the machine shop and looking amazing. Fair bit still to do as I was keen to rebuild as much as I can myself, but quality of work looks great and cost was surprisingly good.

Also managed to get some time in the garage to start on the body

Engine block cleanup today, getting the outside derusted and wire brushed back before the block gets washed.

These two welsh plugs were left in by the machine shop (they removed all the others) they are seized tight just not sure whether I should be trying to remove them.

Welding finished on the rad panel,




I’ve patched in a couple of holes, and removed the inner reinforcing angle (cutting out the spot welds). Local steel shop made me up a piece of 2.0mm angle that slipped straight in and could then be plug welded.

All turned out ok, but some distortion around the plug welds that I can’t dress out due to the double layer of steel so some filler work to do.

I don’t think they are welsh plugs, but rather heater/water outlets for the cabin heating system.
I could well be wrong, but I thought that welsh plugs were “push in”, not screw in.

Originally Posted by Chops

I don’t think they are welsh plugs, but rather heater/water outlets for the cabin heating system.
I could well be wrong, but I thought that welsh plugs were “push in”, not screw in.

Of course, that makes sense. Probably worth trying to remove them and refit while the engine is out. A heater would be a nice accessory down the track and I wouldn’t fancy shifting these with the engine in situation.

Originally Posted by Chops

I don’t think they are welsh plugs, but rather heater/water outlets for the cabin heating system.
I could well be wrong, but I thought that welsh plugs were “push in”, not screw in.

They are screw plugs, but they are not for the heater - it connects to the head and thermostat housing. But I don't know why they are threaded rather than welch plugs, perhaps because there is not enough metal there. The lower threaded one that does not have a plug in it is, I think, for a block heater - at least on the early engines it has some weird thread.