It looks like she started off life in Gloucestershire in 1969, where I also bought her from her fourth owner in 2017 (via a trader based in Surrey). I have submitted a V888 to the DVLA in hope of finding out where she spent her time in-between.
Friday 29 September 2017
BMI Heritage Certificate
I applied to the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust for Sandy's certificate of origin. The certificate confirms the chassis number logged in the factory ledger at Solihull, her original colour, marque and a few other things.
It looks like she started off life in Gloucestershire in 1969, where I also bought her from her fourth owner in 2017 (via a trader based in Surrey). I have submitted a V888 to the DVLA in hope of finding out where she spent her time in-between.
It looks like she started off life in Gloucestershire in 1969, where I also bought her from her fourth owner in 2017 (via a trader based in Surrey). I have submitted a V888 to the DVLA in hope of finding out where she spent her time in-between.
Draw Bar
I moved Sandy in and out of the garage today with a new draw bar I made up with my Dad while visiting him in France. We made it from a cheap(ish) tow hitch, a small length of box section and a C-clip. It can rotate on both vertical and horizontal axes, so works at an angle and on small gradients. It fits between my Astra's front offside towing eye and the Land Rover's front nearside tow ball.
When I push her back in, the small amount of slack is taken up by the rounded front of the towing eye setting into the end of the box section, where it is still able to rotate if the vehicles are moving at a slight angle.
Problem solved!
When I push her back in, the small amount of slack is taken up by the rounded front of the towing eye setting into the end of the box section, where it is still able to rotate if the vehicles are moving at a slight angle.
Problem solved!
Friday 8 September 2017
Vehicle Numbers
Sandy is an 'H' plate, first registered 15th September 1969.
Chassis: 241*****G - Began April 1969; headlamps moved into wings; cross-shaped grille; number plate to centre of bumper.
Engine: 241*****A - From January 1969, the 4-cylinder petrol engine moved to an 8:1 Compression Ratio, giving a slight boost to bhp.
Gearbox: 254*****E - 'for 2.25-litre petrol models..'; In December 1968 gearboxes began 253*****E, so this tallies with a September 1969 registration date.
Front Axle: 241*****B ((88 RHD '2A' Axle)
Rear Axle: 243*****B (88 RHD 'from December 1966', '2A' axle)
Looking at the numbers then, there's a very good chance she still has the engine and gearbox she came off the line with.
Chassis: 241*****G - Began April 1969; headlamps moved into wings; cross-shaped grille; number plate to centre of bumper.
Engine: 241*****A - From January 1969, the 4-cylinder petrol engine moved to an 8:1 Compression Ratio, giving a slight boost to bhp.
Gearbox: 254*****E - 'for 2.25-litre petrol models..'; In December 1968 gearboxes began 253*****E, so this tallies with a September 1969 registration date.
Front Axle: 241*****B ((88 RHD '2A' Axle)
Rear Axle: 243*****B (88 RHD 'from December 1966', '2A' axle)
Looking at the numbers then, there's a very good chance she still has the engine and gearbox she came off the line with.
Wednesday 6 September 2017
Into the Garage
On Sunday 3rd September I moved Sandy into my small garage. The up-and-over door meant I had to remove the hard top first. I took the cat flap, doors, and bonnet off at the same time and put them in storage. I won't be needing them for a while and they don't need repairing.
It's a tight fit, but it's lockable, out of the elements, and has power. There's enough room at the back for some narrow racking to keep tools and parts on. I will build that out of wood and metal as and when it turns up.
I could not push her in by myself (front brakes likely seized as the back were) so had to use my Astra, bumper to bumper, to push and pull her in and out as I lined her up. This is clearly no solution for moving her about on a regular basis. I had to put wood between her front tow hook and the Astra's bumper when I was pushing, and use a tow rope to pull.
I see two main options here. One is to make up a rigid drawbar that I can use to both pull her out and push her back in. This would be quick and easy once I'd made it. Or, I can get a pair of mobile axle stands and push her from one side of the garage to the other depending what side I'm working. This would mean I can have the wheels off and out the way and also work inside during the more inclement weather that's on its way..
I'll probably persevere with the tight fit for a while. The first actual job is now looming, which will be to remove the wings and start on cleaning up and painting the chassis. I only need room to scrawp about with a power tool and paintbrush for this, and I could even replace the brakes with the little room I have now. Ultimately, I'll want to get her in and out the garage for welding, and move her around inside to do other things when the weather's bad - but I don't need to do either just yet so I'll make do for a while. With the days getting shorter I will need to upgrade the single light bulb at some point to a strip light, and acquire a hand lamp or two, but again, I'll probably wait until my hand is forced.
It's a tight fit, but it's lockable, out of the elements, and has power. There's enough room at the back for some narrow racking to keep tools and parts on. I will build that out of wood and metal as and when it turns up.
I could not push her in by myself (front brakes likely seized as the back were) so had to use my Astra, bumper to bumper, to push and pull her in and out as I lined her up. This is clearly no solution for moving her about on a regular basis. I had to put wood between her front tow hook and the Astra's bumper when I was pushing, and use a tow rope to pull.
I see two main options here. One is to make up a rigid drawbar that I can use to both pull her out and push her back in. This would be quick and easy once I'd made it. Or, I can get a pair of mobile axle stands and push her from one side of the garage to the other depending what side I'm working. This would mean I can have the wheels off and out the way and also work inside during the more inclement weather that's on its way..
I'll probably persevere with the tight fit for a while. The first actual job is now looming, which will be to remove the wings and start on cleaning up and painting the chassis. I only need room to scrawp about with a power tool and paintbrush for this, and I could even replace the brakes with the little room I have now. Ultimately, I'll want to get her in and out the garage for welding, and move her around inside to do other things when the weather's bad - but I don't need to do either just yet so I'll make do for a while. With the days getting shorter I will need to upgrade the single light bulb at some point to a strip light, and acquire a hand lamp or two, but again, I'll probably wait until my hand is forced.
Hard Top Removal
Removing the hard top was straightforward. But I did learn something. :)
I found there was almost none of the sealing rubber left between the windscreen and roof. The remains of this seal was evident though, so I know it had been there at one time. There was no seal at all, and no sign there had ever been any, between the roof and sides though..
When I popped the back of the hard top up I found it was not fixed in any way to the cab section above the cat flap. I expected this "cab roof assembly" to be one part once unbolted from the hard top sides - and to need to remove the cat flap separately.
On closer inspection I decided it looked like a LWB roof had been cut down to size and a lip hammered down over the back. I thought it looked rough and not completely sealed when I went to view it but wasn't sure what exactly was wrong and went back to checking more important things like the chassis and bulkhead. Now I know (well, I'm 80% sure), and still, it's no big deal. These old Land Rovers have all sorts of "history", it's partly why we like them so much.
Originally, Sandy might have been a truck cab or half canvas. This might explain the ancient remnants of a seal above the windscreen and complete lack of any over the sides.
Next time I get to look around a few at a show in detail I will be looking closely at cab roof and canvas assemblies. I think I know mine was not originally a hard top now, which has me wondering what I want to restore it to eventually. Land Rover can tell me what colour it was originally, maybe they can also tell me what roof it had?
Anyway, it's off now, and along with the doors and bonnet and cat flap, safely stowed elsewhere to free up room for moving around her in the garage while I work..
I found there was almost none of the sealing rubber left between the windscreen and roof. The remains of this seal was evident though, so I know it had been there at one time. There was no seal at all, and no sign there had ever been any, between the roof and sides though..
When I popped the back of the hard top up I found it was not fixed in any way to the cab section above the cat flap. I expected this "cab roof assembly" to be one part once unbolted from the hard top sides - and to need to remove the cat flap separately.
On closer inspection I decided it looked like a LWB roof had been cut down to size and a lip hammered down over the back. I thought it looked rough and not completely sealed when I went to view it but wasn't sure what exactly was wrong and went back to checking more important things like the chassis and bulkhead. Now I know (well, I'm 80% sure), and still, it's no big deal. These old Land Rovers have all sorts of "history", it's partly why we like them so much.
Originally, Sandy might have been a truck cab or half canvas. This might explain the ancient remnants of a seal above the windscreen and complete lack of any over the sides.
Next time I get to look around a few at a show in detail I will be looking closely at cab roof and canvas assemblies. I think I know mine was not originally a hard top now, which has me wondering what I want to restore it to eventually. Land Rover can tell me what colour it was originally, maybe they can also tell me what roof it had?
Anyway, it's off now, and along with the doors and bonnet and cat flap, safely stowed elsewhere to free up room for moving around her in the garage while I work..
Saturday 2 September 2017
Rear Brakes Seized
For the rest of August I spent a few evenings checking her over and compiling a list of everything I think I need to get a new MOT. I also took those hideous seats out!
I'm halfway through the close inspection and haven't found anything truly shocking (yet). When I strip her down to start work on the chassis I'm sure I'll find more than the outrigger or two and single patch weld I'm aware of..
I found out why it was so hard to push. The rear brakes were seized solid (OS also badly contaminated). I couldn't even get the drums back on without removing the shoes first. I've no reason to think the front are any better so I'll need shoes and wheel cylinders all round. Most likely drums too, which aren't expensive. One of the rear ones was very badly scored.
Wheel bearings seem good, and there were a used pair in the box of bits that came with her so I expect they were changed not long before she was SORN'd.
Engine needs a service obviously, fuel and oil change, plugs, points etc. but she didn't smoke when we got her running initially so I'm hoping there's nothing seriously wrong under the bonnet.
Axles will get oil and clean breather holes and new seals all round but nothing internal - it's all about the MOT first. I did pull the rear half-shafts out for a look and they seemed ok. I didn't measure the spline wear but they looked well defined and reasonably equal.
Most of the electrics work with some bulbs gone and maybe a faulty earth here and there.
I've been finishing a garden shed to house everything that was in the garage. Now that's done I can take the top off and roll her back into her new accommodation, get her on axle stands, and hopefully start to make some progress.
I'm halfway through the close inspection and haven't found anything truly shocking (yet). When I strip her down to start work on the chassis I'm sure I'll find more than the outrigger or two and single patch weld I'm aware of..
I found out why it was so hard to push. The rear brakes were seized solid (OS also badly contaminated). I couldn't even get the drums back on without removing the shoes first. I've no reason to think the front are any better so I'll need shoes and wheel cylinders all round. Most likely drums too, which aren't expensive. One of the rear ones was very badly scored.
 |
| Removing one of the seized brake drums. |
 |
| Badly scored, but cheap to replace. |
 |
| Contamination to OSR. Hub seal in bits. |
 |
| Nothing worth saving here.. |
Engine needs a service obviously, fuel and oil change, plugs, points etc. but she didn't smoke when we got her running initially so I'm hoping there's nothing seriously wrong under the bonnet.
Most of the electrics work with some bulbs gone and maybe a faulty earth here and there.
I've been finishing a garden shed to house everything that was in the garage. Now that's done I can take the top off and roll her back into her new accommodation, get her on axle stands, and hopefully start to make some progress.
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