69 replies to this topic

[johnR]

Steering wheel now restored - I can't decide whether to paint the rim or not, so I'll leave it for now.

[johnR]

I've done quite a lot of work on the Landy, but most of it has been stripping down various parts around the engine bay so I can trial fit the engine while it's still lift-able. That has now been done - I'm pleased to see that it doesn't look as though the driver's side bulkhead needs to be altered, although the passenger side will need opening out to clear the exhaust headers etc as expected. It's great to see the engine in place (even if it is only the bare block & heads!) feels like progress. I've started making templates for the engine mounts using 'CAD', once that's done I can start building the engine whilst carrying on re-furbishing other parts. Having all the Landrover parts strewn around the garage did have the benefit of a) prompting me to put the engine back in the Mini to make space, and b) getting a shelf unit to store the parts vertically which has transformed the space available!  

[johnR]

I've been drilling out spot-welds to remove sections of the passenger footwell to make room for the lump - just trying to decide whether to preserve original metal or replace the whole footwell to deal with the rust. I'm also continuing to deox fixtures and fittings and gathering parts like this fan switch which is a perfect fit in the centre of the auxiliary gauge panel rather than on a separate bracket.

[johnR]

Nearside footwell cut back to match the other - now I need to check the clearance of the engine with heads and exhaust manifolds in place and decide whether to re-use the side plate with a 25mm strip at the back or to re-make it.

[johnR]

Due to the loss of the motor project's compound Jo is now on my driveway which should make it easier to work on. I now have a nice shiny exhaust for it and have fabricated a battery box so fit under the seat box 9awaiting return from galvanising) I have been gathering parts and have most of them now, just a starter motor and alternator left to get once the engine is re-built which is the next priority. I managed to find a period MagnaTex indicator switch on Ebay for a bit less than the usual stupid money which came with a few inhabitants!

[johnR]

With the better weather I've been able to spend more time on( or mostly underneath) the Landy. I have fitted the rear exhaust sections, brake flexis and most of the brake pipes and cleaned up and painted the tow hitch plate. I drained the axles and gearboxes only to find small pieces of metal in the main gearbox one which will need investigating - a job for the Youth Motor project.

I will pick up the first batch of re-plated fixings tomorrow which will allow me to attach the brake master reservoir and pipe clips so that the brakes will be largely finished. I have my fabricated battery box back from the galvanisers and have bolted it in with rivnuts into the chassis ready for wiring up in due course. 

[johnR]

Gearbox out ready for strip-down, brakes and clutch lines almost done.

[johnR]

The gearbox has been stripped down, it was found that the idiot who last did any work on it used an undersized split-pin on the castellated nut on the end of the layshaft. This then fell out, the nut wound itself off and the subsequent movement stressed the ring that secures the 2nd speed layshaft gear causing it to start breaking up - hence the sections of it in the drain plug. Luckily there was enough of it left to secure the gear, although for how much longer if I hadn't found it? There was some wear to the 3/4th synchro so I've replaced that, but otherwise all looks good and it can now go back together. I've also mounted the engine block on a stand ready for me overseeing the lads at the motor project re-building it. Now we're having warmer, drier weather I can get more parts painted, and as I've now taken apart most of the assemblies that need investigating/restoring, the work now will be the fun part of putting it back together.   

[johnR]

I've painted the front panel and fitted the pistons and crank into the V8 block. Hope to start re-building the gearbox this weekend.

[johnR]

The gearbox is ready to go back in and I've been cutting out rust in the footwells and preparing new panels and patches to be welded in. 

[johnR]

And the welding done apart from some new metal needed on the drivers door where the latch is bolted

[johnR]

That's the radiator, electric fan front panel and headlamps done, together with the rocker covers painted. Now I'm putting the gearbox back together.

[johnR]

In a fit of probably misplaced optimism that Jo will be on the road before the end of this run of fantastic weather I took her top off. I've also re-fitted the gearbox/transmission brake assembly and battery box which feels like good progress.

[johnR]

It was mis-placed optimism a) because the weather has changed and b) because when I filled the gearbox with oil it went straight through onto my drive because I'd omitted to fit the gasket between the gearbox and transfer box! Out the gearboxes came again, gasket fitted and back in again. When I tried to fit the clutch slave cylinder bracket to the bell housing I discovered that it fouls the V8s starter motor nose cover casting on the adaptor ring so the heavy duty bracket needs cutting to fit. This took the best part of a day; grinding, trying for fit, cutting more etc until I got a good match. All done and painted now ready to go on. I also wire wheeled and painted one of the fuel tanks - in good condition except some stone chip rust spots on the upper front - I've treated them with inhibitor - time will tell if it's fuel tight.

[johnR]

I have clutch now, but the brake master cylinder wouldn't bleed even with a vacuum bleeder so I've stripped it down and ordered a service kit. I've been spending some time on the exhaust manifolds - the three bolt holes on each of them had rusted out so I tapped five of them to M10 and helicoiled one that was too far gone so that they are all M10 now. The only problem then was that the holes in the exhaust downpipe flanges were too small and had to be opened out which was a pig to do as they are 'floating'. The flanges only had room for 10mm holes which didn't allow any room for slightly mis-aligned threads in the exhaust manifolds. I plan to mill the top 15mm of thread from under the heads of the bolts to provide the clearance. Once this is done I really only have to finish building the engine, fit it and it's ancillaries and wire the car.