Thread: Late S3 SWB wheels

Hi mate, I may have some rims to swap but I’m not at home at the moment so can’t remember how many of what I have, have borrowed or need, but I’m pretty sure I need at least 2 more 309’s. Will report back when I’m home. 👍

My 88 is also Spanish Olive, 76 build. It came standard with the smaller rims in silver. Still have the car but sadly not the rims so can't confirm the number.

Interesting that you mention a part number for the speedo as being for an 88 as I had been told years ago that they use the same for both 88 & 109 and just a different sender at the gearbox end. Looks like I'll need to chase a replacement instrument if I go to the larger rims.

The wider rims were standard on the 109 and optional on the 88 from the start of Series 2 production. It is difficult to say for sure that the original wheels should match speedo, unless you can be certain the speedo is original!

Most 88s in Australia by late Series 3 production would have been delivered with the wider rims and 7.50 tyres, but some very likely had narrow rims fitted (by the dealer) with 750 tyres - people were not as fussy about that sort of thing in the seventies!

I think it very unlikely though that the vehicle would have been delivered with mismatched spare. More likely it has been at some point in its life owned by someone who had more than one vehicle with Landrover wheels, and the wheels just got mixed up, or a wheel has been damaged and replaced by whatever the owner could get, quite likely not realising that there was more than one 'Landrover wheel'.

Lakey and John,
Thanks for your inputs. Good to know that Spanish Olive and Silver were a factory combination and I suspect the 5" rim is the ring-in. The vehicle came off a farm and you are almost certainly right John - whatever was available got thrown on the car.

Lakey, I run a variety of tyres on my Disco 1, with enough variation in size to have a meaningful effect on the speedo. I've fitted a GPS "head up display" as a solution - much cheaper than sourcing a new speedo or having the existing unit recalibrated.

John, re your post in GC, I hope you find your dog. I have a 15+ y.o. Border in similar condition; I'm always surprised (and happy!) when she wakes up at the end of a sleep...
Regards,
Alan

Originally Posted by aussearcher

Happy Easter everyone. I acquired a late S3 SWB a while ago and am just starting on the refurbishment (refurbishment as in "start with new chassis and go from there"). It has come with 4 x 272309 wheels and 1 x 231601 wheel. I understand that the wider 272309 wheels were an option on the 88", but would Leyland Australia have left the spare as a 601 if the original buyer had optioned the 309s? The 309s are silver and this appears to be their original colour. The 601 has I think been sprayed silver over Limestone. All the wheels are wearing 7.50 tyres. The speedo is a 6209, which suggests the car came from the factory with smaller tyres. As it is Spanish Olive I'm thinking that the 601 in Limestone is a more likely colour combination?

What are your thoughts as to whether the 309 or the 601 is the original fitment? Does anyone in Melbourne have a spare 309 rim they'd like to swap for a 601, or four 601s for four 309s? And any views on powder coating rims versus painting?
Regards,
Alan

The number 6209 is irrelevant What matters is the last 3 or 4 digit number, the speedo cable revs. per kilometer / ( mile) 940/ (1500) for 6.00/7.00x16 tyres, 880/(14o8) for 7.50 x16 tyres. These are the most common ones for Series vehicles. There are others depending on rim and tyre size. The 1408 is quoted from memory, I don't have a speedo at hand to check.
.W.

1408 for 7.50 x 16 tyres.

Aaron

Originally Posted by aussearcher

......

John, re your post in GC, I hope you find your dog. I have a 15+ y.o. Border in similar condition; I'm always surprised (and happy!) when she wakes up at the end of a sleep...
Regards,
Alan

Did another search of the bush around the house this morning, no luck. But the bush and the dog match well in colour (brown) and I think you could go within a metre of her without seeing her if not moving.

John,
I hope you find her.
Alan