| Author | Message | ||
     Garrett (Rover7592) Senior Member Username: Rover7592 Post Number: 282 Registered: 03-2003 |
2 years ago i bought a 98 Discovery Series I. I'm very much into rovers and love my disco. Today i drove a good friends series IIA rover up the road and i'm hooked. what a hawg! I've shopped around and found several series rovers at a lot in my area, but i believe he's asking a bit too much for them. My question is where do i start? Should i start with one that is in good condition and keep on working with it? Should i get a frame and build it up? Best year to get? Series I,II,IIA or III? I found one that's been sitting for 15 years, body is straight as an arrow, but frame is rusted pretty badly, so i'm trying to figure how hard it would be to convert it to another frame. If anybody's got something i can start with for sale please let me know as soon as possible. | ||
| Leslie N. Bright (Leslie) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Leslie Post Number: 2453 Registered: 02-2002 |
You're in Asheville? First, go to Keith Miller's place in Hendersonville, called J&T's Auto Mart. http://www.angelfire.com/nc/jandtautomart/lr.html If nothing strikes your fancy or fits your wallet there, get on I-26 and drive up to Kingsport and visit David Gage at the Thatched Roof Garage. http://www.thatchedroofgarage.com As to what to get: I would suggest saving up and getting the best vehicle you can. It's a lot of dirty, long, slow, work to rebuild one into what you would want one to be. A solid Series will probably be in the $5-$10k range, to get something not rusted up and drivable. Under $5k, you're gonna have to do a lot of shopping, get lucky, find a deal, or end up with something that will need a new major part (frame, bulkhead, engine, transmission, or something). Over $10k, in that $10k-$20k range, you'll start looking at nice Rovers, ones that don't need a thing at all. If you look at ones over $20k, you should be looking at either something very rare, or something that has been well rebuilt into being essentially a brand-new Series. It's possible to grab a new chassis, and swap the body from the one you found, and I suppose it's "easy" enough (ie, it's not brain sugery, you can do it, it's just a lot of simple, dirty work), but you'll probably have to pay too much to get the rusty one in the first place. If you've never had a Series before, don't start with a Series I. Series II would be about the same as a IIa but a bit more rare; those Rovers, the II/IIa ones, are what most folks think of as a "proper" Series, with the headlights on the breakfast and the gages in the center of a metal dash. A SIII, though, is basically a leaf-sprung Defender, and can be had for less money usually. It's really just a matter of preference. Good luck! -L | ||
| eric johnson (Eric2) Member Username: Eric2 Post Number: 86 Registered: 05-2003 |
Late model 2A in good shape. | ||
| Garrett (Rover7592) Senior Member Username: Rover7592 Post Number: 283 Registered: 03-2003 |
Leslie, I've been to J&T a couple of times, i shopped around there before i got my Discovery. He does have some great vehicles, but nothing in my price range. He had a cream-white fully restored with an ARB, winch, lights, OME lift, and a snorkel for 13k that i wish i would have gotten but didn't have the money. I've also found a great place called Blue Ridge Rover Works that specializes in Series Rovers, and the owner is a great guy and knows what he's doing. I was told the '67 is the vehicle of choice and recommended by many. He also told me that if he had to drive across the continent, he would rather have a rebuilt/restored series rover over a hummer HI, HII, Land Cruiser, Jeep or anything. That's what caught my attention to the series rovers. There is one series rover being driven in my county and it's owned by a local camp. You seem to know more about these vehicles than I do so i've got one more question: How would a '67 Land Rover compare to a '77 Land Cruiser 6 Cylinder with air conditioning and heating? How about as far as restoring? | ||
| David Woo (Davidwoo) New Member Username: Davidwoo Post Number: 27 Registered: 01-2003 |
Lol. Garrett, I have a 1967 series 2a 88" and just sold a 1989 FJ62 with the straight six, air, auto trans etc..! How do they compare? Hard to say, depends what is important to you. The series is an on-going project and the FJ was my daily driver. As that, the FJ was fine, dependable, holds the kids and all their junk, fine for easy trail trips. The series is being restored, mostly done with only modifications in the future, sliders, disk brakes, new diffs etc... It will be the trail truck. Fj's are generally still in good shape (at least here in socal) and don't need much as far as restoring, at least not my '89. See www.tlc4x4.com for more info. Bottom line, the fj was no substitute for the series: I had sold a D90 a few years back in order to get the series, the d90 was too modern. While I enjoyed the fj, the six cylinder was just too small for today's driving and it was sold. Now I have a '91 RRC for a daily driver, and the series truck for weekend trips. DW ps: see Art's website "our rovers" for some shots of the 2a. | ||
| Art Bitterman (Aardvark) Member Username: Aardvark Post Number: 51 Registered: 05-2003 |
All- Here is the URL for Davids pics: http://pub145.ezboard.com/fgunsandroversfrm7.showMessage?topicID=11.topic It's a looker! Damn nice Rover! Art Bitterman 1060 SII "Aardvark" | ||
| eric johnson (Eric2) Member Username: Eric2 Post Number: 91 Registered: 05-2003 |
Garrett, How would a '67 Land Rover compare to a '77 Land Cruiser 6 Cylinder with air conditioning and heating? How about as far as restoring? The Fj's were constantly improved. Weak spots were strengthened, good stuff was left alone and Toyota listeded to their customers, unlike a certain British company. Hence, Toyota has the reputation for excellence, unlike a certain British co. Too bad, cuz' Rover had all the ingrediants for making a bullet-proof rig,i.e. strong four-speed gearbox, the one that went in the early RR's - not the 1930's vintage Series g'box, (at least they got the transfer-case right - it can take the torque and h.p. of small block Chevys no problem),Salsbury or ENV diff's and axels, Rover 6 cyl - not the one they put in the 109 - P-6 engine?. They have an excellent base from which to build, but it was not taken advantage of by the factory. The Spanish, believe it or not, really developed and evolved the Series into the vehicle Solihull should have made. Santana did it and still does. The bean counters ruled at Rover, unlike a certain Japanese company. The engine, gearbox and diff/axel combo are the big mechanical weakspots - if your really gonna' use it as a trail rig. The four banger is an old design and really doesn't have sufficient power, the gearbox is from the '30's and the diff's - well... Of course, the Toyota will rust much sooner and it has birefild(sp) joints in the axels that seem to break at the worst part of the trail. | ||
| Aaron Richardet (Draaronr) Member Username: Draaronr Post Number: 224 Registered: 09-2002 |
Sweet Rover David! I have always wanted a series, just wanted it a little more modern and nice. Yours seems to be kinda what I am hoping for. Good luck | ||
| David Morin (Sporin) Member Username: Sporin Post Number: 51 Registered: 02-2003 |
If you can find someone who isn't trying to get rich quick, eBay can have some nice options. Here's one I'm drooling over right now... http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=6296&item=2427 511128 If I had the money, I'd be all over. | ||
| David Gage (Davidg) Member Username: Davidg Post Number: 151 Registered: 02-2002 |
Hey Garret, call me, we can talk all the various options. 423-578-6887 David | ||
| Garrett (Rover7592) Senior Member Username: Rover7592 Post Number: 288 Registered: 03-2003 |
David, Just called and left you a message at 11:55. Please return my call whenever you have time. I appreciate it. Your in knoxville correct? I just talked to Keith at J&T Auto Mart and he recommended for me to ride up there and check out the place. Call back when you have time, i left my # on your machine. | ||
| Dan Ratcliffe (Dan_ratcliffe) New Member Username: Dan_ratcliffe Post Number: 10 Registered: 07-2003 |
Garrett: I have been driving my 1960 series II since late '96 as my daily driver, with the exception of a nine month period when I did a frame up. I drove it from Raleigh, NC to Tecate Mexico, to Vancouver, BC and back to Raleigh in a little over 2 weeks. Until I put in the Ashcroft transfer case last summer it was straight stock. I drive 75 -90 miles a day in it. It is a great ride, but I don't mind hard seats, noise hot summers, leaks, waiting for the next 43 year old part to fall apart at the worst possible time, staying on the maintenace schedule, and all those benefits of ownership. I do love looking out of the office/house and seeing it in the parking lot/drive way. Good luck, and welcome to the madness. Dan | ||
| Discosaurus (Jurassicdisco) New Member Username: Jurassicdisco Post Number: 8 Registered: 08-2003 |
In the classifieds today; 1972 Land Rover Series III, 59k mi, No Rust, runs great! $9900 (812)469-7810/473-8997 | ||
| Michael Noe (Noee) Senior Member Username: Noee Post Number: 741 Registered: 03-2002 |
Garret: If you're still looking, I just found out today, there is a '69 IIa here that is for sale. I think it's ex-MOD, it has no top and I mean no top soft or hard, but has the hoop set, needs a new rear x-member and has some minor rust on the frame and bulkhead. Just had an new clutch put in and is in need of a good home. Would be a great project car that is in running condition right now. I think he's asking like 3-4K, I'm gonna call him on Sat to get more info. | ||
| Sean Grauer (Spgrauer) New Member Username: Spgrauer Post Number: 5 Registered: 03-2003 |
Michael, If you could post any information (especially location) you find I would also appreciate it if Garret is not interested. Thanks, Sean |
