The REAL cost of restoring a Series Land Rover

went over to the photos and this truck looks wonderful.
Thanks for taking us along on your journey

JC

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Originally Posted by gromit

OK, I agree with these comments.

I think the 'problem' is that a lot of people want to strip them to the bare bones, paint the chassis (or galvanise !) and build it back up better than new. The fact that it's like a Meccano set makes them take it on because it seems easy.
Often a vehicle is 'taken on' whereas a few years ago the same vehicle would have been scrapped. Great that another vehicle is saved but at what cost ?

Maybe I've been lucky but all of mine have no serious rust issues, bulkheads didn't need repairing and chassis are intact. Mind you I've turned a few down in recent years and also parted out a couple that with $$$'s could have been put back on the road.
I took one on that needed a flywheel made, luckily the previous owned had an SG iron blank cast and I was able to get it machined at work.

My Series I was re-commissioned under a tarp on the driveway until I built a shed for it. One corner at a time stripped, overhauled & replaced.

Maybe there should be a thread somewhere giving an overview of the pitfalls and costs of early Land Rover ownership ?


Colin

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Your LR under the Tarp image ponders the question "Are Series LRs really built like a brick ****house?" [bigrolf]


I was fortunate that the place we moved into during "my Land Rover Years" had not one, but two, large sheds from the days of Market Gardening by the former owners. One was the old Stables (dirt floor with red bricks underneath) & the other was the Packing shed & Plant Repairs with a lovely concrete floor,& both with a very high roof & Joists to hang/lift stuff off, although that was normally done using the heavily timber framed doorways with the Chain Hoist.

There is a property near here I expect to come on the market soon. Not much of a house, but has a very large shed - suitable for housing 13,000 pot plants, and at least one other house. I expect it to be sold in a police auction!

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Originally Posted by 4bee

Your LR under the Tarp image ponders the question "Are Series LRs really built like a brick ****house?" [bigrolf]

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It has ended up with it's own shed, which then got an extension then another extension, although I still have to wall in a couple of sides.

https://live.staticflickr.com/1777/4...497e152b_c.jpgDSCF8924 by Colin Radley, on Flickr

One still stands in the open but is used regularly.

Back to costs.....

By doing almost everything myself the cost has been quite low for each vehicle. Plus if something expensive needs doing I move on to another project for a while until I have the spare cash or can find a secondhand part. I've been lucky (or choosy when buying) that bulkheads & chassis have been almost rust free plus I'm not into refinishing the body better than new.
Parting out a couple have provided parts, made some money but take up a lot of time that could be spent fixing one of the others. Plus SWMBO isn't happy when a wreck is on the driveway for too long.

Series I was on the road for about $1,500, unrestored but new tyres, brakes, seals etc. Engine & gearbox untouched and still OK 13 years later.

Wallit (Series III Isuzu) was a bit more expensive at about $2,000. Secondhand tyres but it came with a lot of new parts. Seats, windscreen and getting the brake servo rebuilt were the most expensive items.

I'm still working slowly on three others


Colin

Quote:

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Originally Posted by gromit

It has ended up with it's own shed, which then got an extension then another extension, although I still have to wall in a couple of sides.

https://live.staticflickr.com/1777/4...497e152b_c.jpgDSCF8924 by Colin Radley, on Flickr

One still stands in the open but is used regularly.

Back to costs.....

By doing almost everything myself the cost has been quite low for each vehicle. Plus if something expensive needs doing I move on to another project for a while until I have the spare cash or can find a secondhand part. I've been lucky (or choosy when buying) that bulkheads & chassis have been almost rust free plus I'm not into refinishing the body better than new.
Parting out a couple have provided parts, made some money but take up a lot of time that could be spent fixing one of the others. Plus SWMBO isn't happy when a wreck is on the driveway for too long.

Series I was on the road for about $1,500, unrestored but new tyres, brakes, seals etc. Engine & gearbox untouched and still OK 13 years later.

Wallit (Series III Isuzu) was a bit more expensive at about $2,000. Secondhand tyres but it came with a lot of new parts. Seats, windscreen and getting the brake servo rebuilt were the most expensive items.

I'm still working slowly on three others


Colin

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Yep, that wheelbarrow really does need it's own home.