Thread: The REAL cost of restoring a Series Land Rover

Because they were classified as a "goods carrying vehicle", which is the meaning of "truck" in Australian English. And most of them were, even if that is not what they were used for. Landrovers as a passenger vehicle were very much in the minority until at least the mid 1980s, and the few that were passenger vehicles were clearly closely derived from the goods carrying vehicles.

Originally Posted by JDNSW

Because they were classified as a "goods carrying vehicle", which is the meaning of "truck" in Australian English. And most of them were, even if that is not what they were used for. Landrovers as a passenger vehicle were very much in the minority until at least the mid 1980s, and the few that were passenger vehicles were clearly closely derived from the goods carrying vehicles.

Yup, I had a series 3 shorty in the early 80's and that had truck (or light truck??) on the rego papers.

Originally Posted by strangy

an SUV🤣

I much prefer "Truck" to "SUV"

K

SUV sounds like a like a plastic soccer mum car.

I'm still working on my 1975 Series 3 SWB. I went into it knowing that the engine was cactus and that it needed some work, I was getting it as a hobby and something to do for a few years while i fixed it. Budget was considered but as with most people probably not very accurate.

I bought it for $2k. + $120 trailer hire and probably that much again in fuel to get it.
Then grabbed a 200tdi for it - $2000. + $500 in freight.
Ended up with a LT230/R380 conversion - $6000.
Disco axles with new discs, calipers, HD centres, lockers, axles, bearings etc - probably $4000 bought and fixed. - but was silly enough to rebuild the original units first.....
Power steering conversion - $200 for the P38 box, $200 for the other bits. (engineering yet to be done)
Paint - $1000 ish
Seats - $200
Home made exhaust - $600
Windscreen frame - $100 - but then needed soft top bits and pieces so that was $700 and a bikini top for $200ish
Enless air - $1000 by the time I got an air tank, hose, tyre gauge, and fabbed custom mounts and blah blah blah
HD rims - $250
33's - $2000
Parabolic springs - $1400
New Shocks - $yet to be bought
Plus new lights, seals, bolts, bibs bobs and every other conceivable bit that may move or shouldn't move. $HEAPS
Engineering on the engine/gearbox/seat conversion was $500ish which I thought was pretty reasonable.

I did do a half decent count of the price.... I don't actually like to admit it but it was over $30k. And I'm still counting....

Advice to others????

- If you want a cheap 4x4 buy a registered defender.
- If you love playing in the shed and don't care that you will end up with a 30-40 year old car that is loud and lots of work to drive then go for it.

I look at what I have and think to myself "you should have bought a defender! you idiot" but then I think "gee wasn't it fun building this thing....."

I'm currently upgrading my dormobile to 200 tdi diesel power and range rover power steering, the biggest headache on mine is going to be sorting out the electrics. They were a mess before I even started and had been vandalised at some stage

I'm not bothered about keeping to originality, I want to use it for what it was intended and have some adventures with it.


Out with the old and trial fit the new, have test drove with the 200tdi fitted and was impressed All taken back out now to clean and paint everything before final fitting.

Same here, mine is for me to enjoy! I preferred not to hack another crossmember so went with the P38 power steering box - mounted on the outside of the chassis rail.

Agreed, the 200tdi makes the SWB move nicely. O, and I thew out the old wiring harness - didn't even try to get it cleaned up! I got a new one from the UK, then proceeded to hack it up to fit the 200tdi, defender wiper motor with intermittent and 2 speeds..... and... and... and.... hahahaha.....

I think that the Mrs has had enough of my spending money on it now hahaha

Landy's 1st restoration 29 years cost me $3000 that was for parts & machining only as I did all the work my self. This time I have almost spent $8000 on parts . Rubber parts I bought last time that cost me $10 last time now cost $60 & I dought the quality is the same..
When I restored my MGBGT a few years back I didn't look at the receipts untill it came time to sell it 8 years later , I had receits for over $35,000 & that was just for the ones I kept .
ALL FOR THE LOVE & ENJOYMENT OF CARS.

I'm hiding this thread from my other half - although I think she is on to me ..... I keep ' finding ' cheap LR in obscure places .
it is then mentioned that they are ,
a) a long way away
b) pretty crappy
c) ' no brakes or clutch '
d) was running when parked
e) no rwc
f) I have enough cars , ranging in ages from 7 - 49 yrs which require maintenance of sorts .

However I am going to buy a Series LR !

Coz I WANT one ! !

Any car , project or not requires some effort and actually the chase for the right one , then the right bits is all part of the fun , then meeting like minded froot loops and doing "stuff " with the chosen vehicle .
there are some Series Landies doing a desert crossing at present - that would be fun , not necessarily fast but a trip to remember . Plus it's what they were designed to do .


anyhoo back to my searching