Second Dumb Iron Rebuild

I've finished rebuilding the other dumb iron. As with the first, I learnt a lot and appreciated the welding experience, but in future I think I'd look to replace the whole thing if I suspected it needed anymore than a local repair or two - and I'm now a better judge of what the job will turn into based on how it looks from the outside..

This one was worse than the first. I replace the main underside, the 'bridge' section that 'holds up' the inner floor, the inner floor, the sides, top, and front, and crush brace. The underside and sides were all double welded from both sides. The bumper fits. The dumb irons are level when the front cross-member is level. Glad to have this complete. I do have a repair on the underside of the first dumb iron to make at some point when I go to the passenger side, but I'm going to carry on with the driver's side now with some bulkhead repairs.. that's another story.

New underisde and sides, welded both sides, replaced back to good metal.

New bridge welded in under here already, new floor lined up.

New inner floor welded in.

Crush brace welded in at bottom, bumper bolt holes drilled, top laid in place.

All welded and painted inside, top and front welded on.

Alternator

I've replaced the old Ford alternator that was not very well secured and would not align well enough with the other pulleys for my liking.

There is no "correct" alternator for a Series 2A that was not fitted with a Lucas ACR 11 as an option at the factory (they have voltmeters on the dash). There are alternators that are suitable in terms of current and voltage, and that fit, and there are alternators that are not, or don't (e.g. alternators suitable for Defender 2.5 and 200 TDI engines would be suitable if they didn't foul the engine mount on a Series petrol engine..).

My late 2A has a 2.25 petrol engine, suffix A. I have fit an alternator that is "correct" for S3 vehicles starting from engine suffix B. I replaced the dynamo bracket with the S3 alternator bracket, that fits in its place, and I also swapped my S2 dynamo tensioner for a S3 alternator tensioner, which is slightly narrower and shorter, and I felt cleared the alternator blades a little better. Other than that, a 1075mm x 10mm wide x 8mm deep fan belt fits perfectly, giving good clearance between the tensioner and alternator blades, and alternator casing and engine mount. I'm really happy with the fit.

S2 dynamo tensioner alongside an S3 alternator tensioner

Use spacers (washers) to align the belt with the cam and crank pulleys

Alternator:
https://bearmach.com/alternator-suitable-for-series-iii-suffix-b-engine-range-rover-classic-v8-carb-vehicles-br-3551

Drive belt:
https://simplybearings.co.uk/shop/p20079562/AVX10x1075-Major-Brand-AVX-Section-Cogged-V-Belt/product_info.html

The drive belt specified in the S3 parts book is 1050mm in length. If you are fitting an alternator to a late 2A don't be surprised if you need a slightly longer drive belt. Whether the cam or crank pulleys changed diameter, or there's another slight difference in the blocks between A and B, I don't know. I needed another 25mm.

There is no "correct" alternator for a 2A with no voltmeter on the dash from the factory. You just have to find one that is suitable, that fits, and that can be aligned.

Bonnet Tidy

With a lot of places closed as part of the Covid-19 restrictions, and all the uncertainty, I've been looking for progress I can make at low cost.

I was pressure washing the wings and other bits in the garden and the underside of the bonnet came up so nicely and showed all the original overspray that I decided I could touch up the black paint on the steel frame of it too.

I've included some original shots (after the cup brush) to show the green overspray originally went as far as covering the two horizontal parts of the frame, including the small bracket the spring-latch is threaded into. I haven't re-produced that when I've painted the steel frame, but if and when I spray the bonnet as part of a re-spray in the future I will!

Note this is a blade bonnet but it does not have a full size bonnet "strike" bracket that bolts onto the frame like other S2 bonnets do, just a small one welded to the frame under the spring latch.

After a pressure wash and cup brush on the steel frame the original overspray is clear

Over spray went straight over the some of the frame bottom sides and centre

Over spray went right along the top of the frame too

Tidy!

I think it looks tidy now, and I took the spring latch apart and degreased that and straightened it out so the bonnet latches nice and tight now too.

I've also cleaned up and am painting the mudshields but I'll just show those when the wings eventually go back on.

Next job is the other dumb iron rebuild.