Purchase advice wanted...30yr old landie

I've seen a landie locally described only as "a SWB 30+ year old landie"! All else I know is that is has a petrol engine. In running order, and for France I think it is a bargain at 800 euros - but I'd like to know a bit about what the engine might be before I go and see it, and any problems with the older petrol engines to keep an eye out for. I know it is not a lot to go on, but any advice would be appreciated. Is 800 euros (about 550 quid) a reasonable price for such a vehicle? obviously depends on condition, but a rough idea would be good??

Cheers,

Matt

Reply to
Matthew Maddock
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at that age it has got to be a 2.25.

Its worth what you want to pay for it! ;)

If running and road legal (or not far off) i'd say it is definately worth that much. If it has an overdrive (sell for £250 on their own) its a bargain!

Basically start it up and see how it runs and check it doesnt make any unpleasant noises or smoke a lot - though bits for a 2.25 are dirt cheap so tis unlikely to be serious. If you drive it, lack of noises in certain gears and the ability to stop quickly and in a straight line are desirable.

Reply to
Tom Woods

The price compares pretty much with what an "average" condition vehicle would be worth in the UK - at the end of the day a 30 year old vehicle is worth exactly what you want fo pay for it. From my brief forrays to France, Brittany mostly, I'd guess finding a Series motor for sale at all would something of a triumph!

The 2.25 petrol engines are pretty indestructable if given even very basic maintainance, but age does creep. A puff of blue smoke on starting coud indiacte hardened valve guide seals for instance, which could safely be ignored until the head has to come off for some other reason - would that be a problem in France? It's pretty hard to say whether it is in good or bad nick - some run like silk (no, really, they do!), some are always a bit rough and some sound like they are about to explode - but they do just seem to carry on regardless. Personaly I'd listen for slapping from a slack timing chain (could just be a siezed tensioner), rumble from the bottom end (usually coupled with more than usual amounts of smoke), blue smoke etc. I'd want to see the oil pressure light go out fairly quickly, but more importantly not come back on at idle (slipped cam bearing), and I'd want to not hear "popping" from the rocker cover/oil filler when idling with the filler cap/breather off (blow-by from the pistons). Other than that, if it looks like at least some of the oil stands a chance of staying in the engine long enough to attract rent, I'd take it for a spin and see how it goes. If it does, it's probably going make it to the end of the week. Oh,and look for oil in water, and vice versa ("Clotted Cream").

I'd actually be more concerned about the gearbox - do the gears engage nicely, is the clutch ok, does the handbrake work (it has been known) and does it jump out of gear. Also, does the transfer box work and are the diffs actually going round without a bang every time a broken tooth goes by.

There's still nothing as much fun a driving a Series motor.

Richard

Reply to
BeamEnds

Thanks Richard - top advice as ever. I thought it would probably be a

2.25, but I don't know a lot about series motors other than to appreciate them aesthetically! I'll see if I can get in touch with the seller and go to have a good look - a you say, a series motor is a rare find over here, and amazingly it is only about 30 mins away! I've been looking for a fun project and this might just be it.

Matt

Reply to
Matthew Maddock

running

It could be a 2.6 litre 6 pot in which case you had better go and buy a petrol station - I used to get 9.8 to the gallon towing !

AWEM

Reply to
Andrew Mawson

Been to see the landie this morning...Series III 88 hard top (I think, pretty sure it isn't a IIa). Rust-wise it is in pretty good condition, chassis (maybe a replacement?) is good, bulkhead and other important structural bits all seem fine. The battery was totally dead and wouldn't even start with a jump, so I went and bought a new battery from a local garage and got the thing started - ran up quickly, only a few puffs of the usual unburnt fuel smoke, no blue tinge, ticked over really quite smoothly...

...THEN..I got out and went around to the front to have a look under the bonnet only to see the fuel line spraying petrol all over the exhaust manifold!! Bloody good job I didn't sit in it for too long waiting for it to warm up! It was an immediate switch off and a run for the fire extinguisher just in case!!! Damn good job I left the bonnet open rather then starting her up and just driving off! Needless to say I didn't actually take it for a test drive as I thought it was best to let the engine compartment dry out before starting up again.

Anyway, couple of issues - needs a new ignition barrel as at the moment it is a combination of turning the key and pressing a button to start - tho that's no biggie - I don't think it will require a visit to a main dealer to reprogram the key fob! Secondly the passenger door is permanently locked closed and as I could gather there isn't a key for it (or if there is, it is stuck in the ignition!) Other than that, a quick cut-n-shut job on the fuel line will have it up and running. Only problem being that he guy put 800 euros in his advert, but his wife told me absolutely no less than 1000! I have made an offer of 800 and will just wait to see what happens - it isn't worth 1000 in the condition it is in.

Matt

Reply to
Matthew Maddock

If it's key n button, are you sure it isn't 2a? Where are the clocks - behind the wheel or in the middle of the "dash"?

Stuart

Reply to
Stuart Gray

They clocks were behind the dash. Had a look on Google Images and I'm pretty sure it was a series III, but I don't recall exactly now - I should have taken photos - took the camera, but the nearly setting it on fire made me forget to take some!

Matt

Reply to
Matthew Maddock

That should read "behind the wheel"!

Reply to
Matthew Maddock

OK, SIII it is then, but with knackered elctrics!

You'll have fun with it - giant meccano set, so long as you have imperial tools you'll be able to do just about anything on it.

I wouldn't worry about locks and such - if you leave it open, people are likely to leave donations for anew vehicle on the seat! :)

Stuart

Reply to
Stuart Gray

Bit like an old P38 then! :)

Now we're allowed to buy imperial again, I might be able to pick up a new set!

LOL

Reply to
Matthew Maddock

Andrew Mawson uttered summat worrerz funny about:

I don't think they came as standard in a SWB did they?

Lee D

Reply to
Lee_D

On or around Wed, 9 May 2007 18:45:52 +0100, "Lee_D" enlightened us thusly:

nope. mind, SVO might have built some. I reckon it's a pity they didn't fit the 3-litre...

Reply to
Austin Shackles

On or around Wed, 09 May 2007 13:50:07 +0200, Matthew Maddock enlightened us thusly:

That's a converted diesel. the start position on the key is/was for preheaters, and should put the yellow cold-start light on, if it's still wired up.

no reason not to leave it like that though, just switch on and press button. It should crank in position II on the lock.

Door lock. does it have a key lock on the passenger side? early SIII didn't, just a knob on the inside. not the same key as the ignition, anyway, if it's an ignition lock on the steering column. The door lock key will be a little one.

Reply to
Austin Shackles

Oops, just agreed to buy it! Anyone in France got a car transporter trailer I can borrow??!!!

The "start" button looks very much bodged on, and looks like a later addition - but then I don't know if they were like that from the factory! Two lights come on, a green one and a red "charge" one when you turn they key (which only moves a few mm)

Don't think it turns as far as position II - the key is jammed in the lock so the barrel is obviously knackered somehow.

Richard - how much for a new ignition barrel, locks and key set if that's possible?!! No doubt there will be a long list of things later on too!

Will check what other keys are there when I go back. The people who have it only really used it around the fields and the odd slaughterhouse run - they aren't LR people, or even car people to be honest! so it wouldn't surprise me if they haven't even bothered to try it. I couldn't find a latch inside and I'm pretty sure it had a lock barrel on the outside.

Matt

Reply to
Matthew Maddock

"Matthew Maddock" wrote in message news:BPm0i.127$ snipped-for-privacy@nntpserver.swip.net...

they are out there waiting

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now somebody explain why they are £25.66 and the equivalent metric set is £15.56 bloody imperial spivs. I bought my crank pulley nut in metric not as daft as I look ! Derek Knowledge is power - I know I need a V8

Reply to
Derek

In news: snipped-for-privacy@bt.com, Andrew Mawson wittered on forthwith;

My Rangie does nearly double that towing!.

Reply to
Pete M

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