1972 Landrover

This early winter has some what caught me out this year…. I'm usually ready for the snow with my winter toy…….



Its a 1972 Series 3 rocking a Ford 3.0V6 essex engine from a Granada.

I've owned it for 10 years and have slowly modified it from a worn out farm hack to what it is today - a worn out farm hack!

I probably should have put my efforts into a coil sprung 90 to get a far more capable vehicle far less hassle but I have a soft spot for the leaf sprung landys.

Apart from the non standard engine it has various other mods necessary so not to embaress yourself at off road events.

The trump cards are the front and rear hydraulic winches which are original Landrover items from the 1960's. They have a 4 tonne pull and will pull the landy out of anything. Not the fastest but when all the other electric winches around have over heated these will just keep pulling.

A couple of years ago I converted it to Fuel injection using a megasquirt ecu and other parts salvaged from various cars including the throttle body off a MK1 GTI!

The reason for going this route was finding that winching up near vertical surfaces caused the carb to flood and cut the engine which left you dangling on the winch cable.

Early stages of fuel injection conversion including a full rewire of the whole vehicle and a new exhaust fabricated by yours truly!- (There was over 35hrs put into those stainless exhaust manifolds alone!)



New wiring being fitted into custom dash….



Its been a bit of a trial and error type of mod and unfortunatly my last experiment went wrong.

I wanted to restrict the amount of air flow into the 2 middle pots as the outer cylinders were getting starved so I made a baffle which fitted inside the inlet manifold. Unfortunatly the baffle broke up and went through the engine destroying a piston, and damaging a valve seat. This was back in the summer.

Last month I finally decided I needed to sort it out ready for the winter so off came the heads and sump to see what was going on.

Fubared piston….



The bores were fine so I have re-ringed the engine along with fitting a good replacement piston.

The heads are back on and now I'm waiting on my fabrication man to make me a better manifold.

Whilst this is going on I have also stripped the front axle and am replacing the diff and various bearings as years of flooding it with muddy pond water has taken its toll.

So no playing in the snow for now..  


Anyway a couple of action shots to be going on with! I don't have many as its not on the top of your list whilst trying to navigate various obstacles!

In deepest South Wales….




Billing offroad course 2006…



The next big mod maybe to fit power steering, but i have a MK1 to restore first…. :wink:

Awesome…I want one  :tank:

mintcustard said

Awesome…I want one  :tank:

Just thinking that myself! That would be great in Southaram Woods…

mintcustard said

Awesome…I want one  :tank:

Me too, Love the ol Landys

However the Landcruisers are the Kings of off roaders as what i have heard. :dontknow:

allana13 said

However the Landcruisers are the Kings of off roaders as what i have heard. :dontknow:

 

Nothing will touch a landrover…
Landcruisers are just that - over engineered cruisers!

Been a Landrover gueek for 30 years heres my series 1 hybrid its a total bitsa 2A chassis/running gear S111 box/2.5 N/A diesel with home built bulkhead.

Looks cool.

OH yes! if I ever stop all the drafts comin in above 30mph to keep warm thats why the truck cab is on now    

Always have loved the Series 1 Landy Diesels

Hmmm an original series one 2 litre diesel is rare sight today,not that common in service when they were produced in 1957/58.Its rare to find a series two diesel still running.The 2 1/4 diesel fitted in the series 2A still found working away today quite common.20 Year production run saw to that I suppose.Actually a good engine better than others of the day in the early 60s despite what people say (solihull snail ) to name one comment.Valve timing set correctlly they can perform well but worn timing chain and valve gear usually condems them as worn out.Seen people spend lots on the the wrong things when this is allways the trouble.Re bores/recon injector pumps/injectors to name a few.

You seem to know a fair bit on the ol landys


I will get in touch with you if i ever own a series 1 Diesel, which i doubt i will find though.

Cheers :wink:

Yep I am an anorack! when it comes to the Landrover subject sorry.
 But do contact me should you want any info on them,with a lifetime livin and workin on them.

Cheers Andy :wink:

Love the series 1's…

Yours looks great, especially with the wider s3 running gear.

Does it go much faster than 30 mph…??? ;-)

Done a Google and cant find any Series 1 Diesels for sale


Even on Ebay

My employer has one for sale its not an original diesel its been fitted with an early 2 1/4 diesel engine at some point in its life(would originally be a 2 Litre petrol).Its an 88" with hard top runs well and drives gearbox is good to ( test driven by me down the street).It s an ex civil defence SXF registered vehicle.It will need a total strip restoration, chassis and bulkhead would repair (parts are available) and I can see him wanting in the region of £500/£600 and its not for the faint hearted.As a guide hedgerow find series ones make £500 minimum these days got to be complete though.

I would love to buy her but its too much work for me unfortunately….

I really wish i come across a Original Series 1 Diesel