Thread: Potential Stage 1 purchase - help?

Originally Posted by ashhhhh

Hey all,

I'm looking at a Stage 1.
Seems to be in reasonable nick but I am yet to see it in person.

He says the chassis had has some rust, which he has fixed.
The windows tracks are toast, rubbers gone etc.
The running gear is apparently very good although the motor has a Holley carb on it, instead of the Strombergs.

Body wise is looks tidy enough.

Any thoughts on what its worth?

I currently own a Series 3 109 and would be looking to move all the best parts onto the Stage 1. (interior, rear tub etc)
How much of the S3 is transferable? (my other thread already established the springs are the same)

Any advise appreciated.

Cheers
Ash

My window tracks are rubbish - new ones aren't hard to get - I have just been too lazy to swap them over.

Mine also has the Holley. Every other Stage 1 owner I have spoken to tells me to ditch the Holley and go back to the twins - one day I'll get to it.

The vehicle sucks fuel like you wouldn't believe. 12mpg is a good day. I have been running mine now as a daily driver since the start of February and am well pleased overall.

The body was in reasonable nick - it needs new front guards sometime but what's there works fine.

I have replaced the seats and exhaust. New tyres and wheels. I added things like a second battery and dual battery monitor. Added a tacho. New brakes and brake drums. New front wheel cylinders. New external mirrors, tie-rod ends, heater hoses, radiator hoses, fuel hoses. All new lamps and lights. Many other minor things.

I paid a grand for an unregistered vehicle and was at 4k on the road.

Personally, I think it's reasonable - I like it and I'm not selling it any time soon so I am not after cost recovery.

Hope this helps.

Cheers drifter, it does help.

How much of that poor fuel consumption is the holley? I had one on my old Holden and it was the worst thing I ever did to that car.

I really can't sell my 109, I'm too attached to it.. Lol
My plan is to make it more usable through the magic of V8 power.
I will transfer as much of it as a can to the stage 1 chassis.
That's why I ask what fits and what doesn't.

85 views and one comment.. Come on guys, help a brother out.

Spotted this one on ebay.
Land Rover Series 3 Stage 1 V8 | eBay

Keep an eye on it to see what it sells for. That should give you an idea what the one you're looking at is worth.


If you want to buy mine, an offer of million dollars would start a process of negotiation.

well - I suspect the Holley doesn't help. Other owners I have spoken to suggest a well tuned vehicle with the original carbs in good condition should give 15 or 16 MPG

Not a huge improvement but I'll take anything I can get - I have most of the bits here to put the old carbs back on but, when I do that, I'll be putting a 3.9 cam in, new timing gear, etc

I haven't driven a 2.25 so I really don't know how much difference the V8 makes but I can get up to 95k pretty easily (any more than that and it wanders a bit in cross winds). Taking off in 2nd gear is easy. The CDL is a nice feature.

Front running gear is getting hard to find (read expensive) and the front half shafts are unique to this vehicle so they are as rare as rocking horse poop - and as expensive...

If I was doing it again, because of parts availability, I would possibly reach for a County... but in saying that, I am happy with the Stage 1

As drifter says, the Stage 1 is getting to be a rare vehicle. There have been many that have been heavily modified or just worn out and disposed of.
An original Stage 1 is a treasured item.
If you're concerned about fuel economy, why not look for a diesel one?

Speed-wise the v8 would have to be miles better, my 4 banger is gradually getting slower (still 100% reliable though) and I'm down to 50k's on any reasonable length incline.. Lol

Hmm good point about the half shafts. Are the swivel balls also unique?

Fuel economy doesn't worry me too much, my 2.25p is pretty poor anyway. (Never worked out the figures)

A Stage 1 with a good motor will pull 140-150 Km/h but you dont really want to drive them at more than 105 Km/h.
Fuel economy is around 15 Mpg on petrol driven sensibly.

The unique parts are front axle housing including swivels the CVs and the front axles.
The front output housing on the LT95 is also different.
The steering boxes have different ratios than a standard 109 to my knowledge.
The steering relay is unique as are the air filters and exhaust manifolds
The radiator is unique.
I have a good one that I dont use and would sell to an enthusiast but the main issue is its in Karratha in Western Australia.

I have a couple of grands worth of parts (ALL the unique stage 1 stuff and service items for years to come)

It has Maxi axles all round a very nice LT95 a detroit locker in the back a nice 4 pinion military diff in the front.
A high compression Range Rover 3.5 rebuilt by Andrew Richmond with only 50 K on it.
The chassis is perfect it has an LPG conversion that could be removed
The bonnet has a piece of Aluminum on it if you wanted to make it original you could just replace it.
All springs are NT Spring works springs that are about 8 years old with 50K on them.
Its had a huge amount of mechanical work done on it but I have never worried about the body one outer guard needs to be replaced to make perfect.

It owes me 25K but I know I will never get my money back so would sell it with the spares for $7K

Hope this helps with your assessment of the one you are looking at

Originally Posted by ashhhhh

Cheers drifter, it does help.

How much of that poor fuel consumption is the holley? I had one on my old Holden and it was the worst thing I ever did to that car.

I really can't sell my 109, I'm too attached to it.. Lol
My plan is to make it more usable through the magic of V8 power.
I will transfer as much of it as a can to the stage 1 chassis.
That's why I ask what fits and what doesn't.

85 views and one comment.. Come on guys, help a brother out.

G'day Ash,

I would comment if I knew anything about Stage 1 Land Rovers.

I hope others out there can be more useful for you - there is a Stage 1 branch of AULRO isn't there?

Kind Regards
Lionel