Classic Safari vehicles!

[weatherm]

This is my first post on this forum. Me and a few guys at work absolutely love this place. Anyways I would like to contribute a picture of my almost restored 1980 Land Rover Series 3 LWB SW expedition wagon. I spent a year on the project to get it worthy of whatever I could throw at it. I love the old hard man stuff and this site is great for it. Some of you other guys have to have some old vehicles your restoring or restored past or present to share

Hope to enjoy some good pictures. Couldn't upload them for some reason. Enjoy

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=35605083&l=ca3aadcc97&id=46207194

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=35605084&l=6f3e49c18e&id=46207194

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=35605102&l=35bc18dec3&id=46207194

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=35605092&l=fc7efeb7dd&id=46207194

 

[Razorman937]

Absolutely awesome. :eusa_clap

 

[Eric P]

Cool :eusa_clap

 

[NelsAnderson]

Well, I certainly share your opinion of the long wheelbase Land Rover being the classic safari vehicle. I have one of my own, a bit older than yours. When showing it off to the public I like to dress it up:

But it does get used as intended at times too:

 

[andy richards]

Great thread! The Land Rover 109 station wagen is IMHO the ultimate classic safari vehicle! My first Land Rover was a 109(inch) 1973 station wagon. I came so in love with this car that I even gave it a name, "Croc"...
After a few years there came a few more Land Rovers in my live... A 1979, 109 ex-military reconassance vehicle and a 1980, short-wheel base hard-top. Here my 109 station wagon:

The canoe is a 17ft Grumman.

Finally I had to sell my beloving vehicles and bought something both my wife and I liked. Here our daily transport a 1998 Land Rover Defender. It has a 2.5 Tdi diesel engine.

Cheers,
Andy

 

[HHISIII]

I've got a 1981 88". She's my baby, I've never liked a vehicle this much. I've also got the engine from a mercedes 240 diesel in the garage waiting to be rebuilt. I plan to get that done and drop it in to the rover along with a roverdrive around the beginning of the year.

 

[Chainsaw]

Love the Defender Andy! They only sold them for one year here in Canada, 97'. Funny thing instead of depreciating their value actually went up.

 

[andy richards]

Thanks Chainsaw (and that's what I carry sometimes in the back as well...). The Defender, especially the 200Tdi and 300Tdi, are very valuable as well in Europe and do not depreciate in value to bad as other vehicles. For your information, the latest Defender has the Ford Transit diesel engine with 6 speed gearbox, including high/low and diff lock. They will be in production until 2011 or 2012, and then it's all over... Maybe the new owner of Land Rover, TATA motors India, will build a no-nonense Safari Vehicle build on the Defender chassis in future??
Andy

 

[andy richards]

I've got a 1981 88". She's my baby, I've never liked a vehicle this much. I've also got the engine from a mercedes 240 diesel in the garage waiting to be rebuilt. I plan to get that done and drop it in to the rover along with a roverdrive around the beginning of the year.

Interesting that you are about to transplant a 240 Mercedes diesel in your 88" Land Rover. It has been done before. You need an adaptor plate to get it matched at the bellhousing though and you will encounter some problems, but it can be done. I once installed a complete Nissan Patrol straight 6 diesel 3.3 non-turbo, complete with gearbox/transfer box in a Land Rover 109 SW... If you ever need info, advice or adresses regarding parts just PM me and I will help where ever I can.
Cheers,
Andy

 

[HHISIII]

I've seen the write up on this specific transplant floating around the internet. It looks like the only two major issues are the bell housing adaptor and making an adaptor to move the oil filter a bit out of the way.
I've got experience with the Benz engine (I've got an old 240d, that's rolled the odometer and still runs like a top) and it's as close to bulletproof as an engine can get. As a bonus, parts are cheap and fairly readily available.

 

[davestlouis]

Is an OM616 enough engine for a Rover? It has decent torque, but only 55-60 HP, IIRC. Seems to me, it would be working pretty hard to move that vehicle.

I drove a US-market Defender once when I worked for the local Rover dealer (Plaza Motors in Creve Coeur Missouri, USA) and it made a Jeep Wrangler feel like a Cadillac. Tough, overbuilt suspension and undercarriage on that vehicle though, couldn't believe the size of the wheel hubs and bearings.

 

[Chainsaw]

Thanks Chainsaw (and that's what I carry sometimes in the back as well...). The Defender, especially the 200Tdi and 300Tdi, are very valuable as well in Europe and do not depreciate in value to bad as other vehicles. For your information, the latest Defender has the Ford Transit diesel engine with 6 speed gearbox, including high/low and diff lock. They will be in production until 2011 or 2012, and then it's all over... Maybe the new owner of Land Rover, TATA motors India, will build a no-nonense Safari Vehicle build on the Defender chassis in future??
Andy

The best chainsaws were Pioneers, and Home-lites. nowadays McCullough's and Sthils are best. My old martial arts teacher was a lumber jack in the old days, taught me a lot about downing trees.

You guys keen on the ARB accessories? I can't get over them, from the bumpers to the roll out fridges. I have to win the lottery.

The olny thing I don't like about Rover is they're starting to use uni-Bodys.

Cheers man!

 

[HHISIII]

Is an OM616 enough engine for a Rover? It has decent torque, but only 55-60 HP, IIRC. Seems to me, it would be working pretty hard to move that vehicle.

More than enough, the 2.25l that comes standard in Series IIA and III is only 70 or so horsepower on a good day, the diesel option from rover is probably one of the worst engines ever built. The rover doesn't weigh much more than a 240 anyway. The writeups I've seen on this particular transplant are all stellar reviews, better torque, minor top speed increase and significant mpg increase.

 

[Chainsaw]

My brother has a Cummins turbo diesel in his Chrysler pick up. It's chipped, and faster then a bat out of hell. I remember an ad in the Rover World magazine for used GMC diesels. If you want power, check out The Cummins. They're not cheap though. 14G's for a rebuilt one.

 

[HHISIII]

The rest of the Series drivetrain won't take that kinda power. It's robust, but not designed for anything 100hp+. Besides, I'm in this diesel engine about $300 once it's rebuilt and probably another 700-1000 to get it shoehorned in there. Add in 1200 for a roverdrive and I'm well under 3k with a very competent Series Rover.

Just noticed that OP lives in Valdosta. I lived there for a long time, went to Lowndes High and VSU for 1 year.

 

[davestlouis]

Mercedes diesels are tough, no question there. I suppose there isn't room for the 5 cylinder OM617? You'd get more oomph, more like 75HP in normally aspirated trim, more like 85 with a turbo, if there's anyplace to put the turbo.

I blew the oil pan off a 1981 240D once, threw the con rod cap right through, and left a hole big enough to put my fist through...you should have heard it when it went *kaboom*.

How tight is that engine compartment?

 

[HHISIII]

It's a pretty snug fit in the engine compartment of a Series because of the recessed grill. I doubt the 5 cylinder would fit without switching the front end to a stage 1. At that point, you might as well sell it off and buy a grey market Rover 90.

 

[davestlouis]

I remember older Rovers from the Daktari TV show that I watched when I was a little guy. I just looked it up on wikipedia, and it ran from 1966 to 1969.

 

[HHISIII]

Right after I bought her. She still looks the same (the electric blue has grown on me), but I've replaced the entire suspension, adjusted the valves a few times, new belts, new alternator, new starter, cleaned the carb and put in a carpeting kit.

 

[Vintage lover]

That would be fun to own.