more questions.
should i or shouldn't i?
need some advice on whether to buy the seriesIII or not. I have been looking around the area here in northern california nad i have only found a few or sale. one had a low asking price,$2500 which was due to the fact tht it was a garbage pile and the frame was rusted through. another was in too much disarray for me and the asking price was $4800. the last one i looked at, whihc is the one i am asking about has an asking price of $5000. the owner has been direct and seemingly open and honest. he has a list of all that he has done on it over the last 14 years that he has owned it. he is the second owner and he personally knew the original owners, whom ordered this rover form the factory with a bunch of special options like a dual battery set up, igntion lock, dual gas tanks, a pto winch etc.... so hes the 2nd owner. i called the folks at British pacific where had oreder all his parts to ask them about what he had bought and when etc.. and the parts guy new the owner and procedded to tell me that he had realy taken care of the rover and he had done most of the work himself and that it was a nice little series.
here: is the list of what he has replaced since owning it:
Engine is a four cylinder gasoline poweplant and has 15000 miles since rebuild. This was a total rebuild; pistons, head, timing chain, valves, seals, bearings, transmission was rebuilt, takeoff gear rebuilt, new front drive shaft. It has a new radiator, new master brakecylinder, new brake lines, new vacuum booster. all wheel bearings are new, axle seal new, ring and pinion is new, axle seals are new, rear axle shafts are new and four new leaf springs. There are also four new shock absorbers, new steering wheel, new gearshift, all new weather stripping with the exception of the front window. The heater fan is new, gas tank neck is new, carburetor is new, passenger side window frame is new, side mirrors are new, fuel pump is new and I have a spare. I did not touch any of the original wiring. All parts are Land Rover parts, as opposed to some after market supplier. These parts were purchased from British Pacific.
this is what i now it needs based on looking it over and form what the owner told me.
new cylinder head, there is a small crack in it. rear crossmember as discussed above., front righ shock is going, so new shocks on front. new mufler, as the old one got bent up going and he straightend it back out but should be replaced. needs a new steering dampner. and i can figure on a bunch of other normal maintenance tune up things like plugs, wires, points etc....
the one last thing is that the front drivers side frame has a repainr done to it. i am not sure if it was rust or if it was damaged. there are some sizeable plates welded around the frame at that point. the welds looked good and it had been painted over to prevent rusting. i drive it and it was a sold runner. the synchros seemed worn since i had to double clutch it to keep from grinding but it didn't slip put of gear at all when i drove it. the interiro was in decent shape, there seemed to be a little bit of rust on the bottom of the bulkhead drivers side but it really looked like surface rust. the interior rails on the bottom of the drivers door was in great shape, no rust, the passenger side had a rusted out spot and the bottom corner hinge side about the size of a quarter.
the body was in decent shape all original light green paint. the front fender had been damaged inteh fornt top corner where all the three fender surface planes meet and it had ben bumped back out into as close a shape to orignal as you could probably get it.
so what do you guys think? is it worth the 5k?
thanks for your help.
