Tag: restoration
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130 and counting
The rivets to repair the front corners of the galvanized roof rail/gutter are still on their way so that task is on hold for now. However, the rains are coming so we tightened as many of the remaining good ones as possible out of the 168 total around the roof. In the absence of a…
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Windscreen seals
A partial restoration of the windscreen seals to the original configuration. Removing the screws and aluminum retaining strips around the inside of each pane, scraping and cleaning out the inner layer of butyl seal tape, and cleaning the glass, galvanized frame, and aluminum. Then reinstalling the aluminum strips with the proper replacement rubber strips behind…
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Tailgate party
Upon closer inspection it appears that the tailgate has been replaced at some point. The traces of red paint remaining on the interior appear to be original 1960’s “Poppy red” rover paint with no Limestone paint underneath as on the rest of the interior and exterior. The tailgate was removed and stripped of all bolted…
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Doors off
In order to remove the last of the perished rubber door seals the doors had to be removed. The seals are riveted through a metal strip into their channels. Unlike the rest of the Series 2a rover body the bulkhead is made from steel and was not galvanized originally. The perished rubber seals along the…
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Breaking the seals
A closer inspection of the door seals brings quite a revelation into why there is so much water leaking into the cab. They have all perished quite literally in the original sense of the word–become completely useless for the original intended purpose–mainly due to decades of exposure. The rubber encases thin metal strips that are…
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Windscreen clean
Series rover windscreens fold forward onto the spare tire for low profile and full air flow. This makes accessing the seals or changing the glass much easier. The rubber seal along the top of the windscreen below the roof came away with a minimal amount of cleaning but one at the bottom of the windscreen…
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Scrub the tub
The original Limestone paint, scuffed and worn, was at some point in the distant past covered over with grey spray paint. A careful attempt was made to remove the flaking spray paint from the inside of the rear tub while leaving as much of the original rover paint as possible. Under the Limestone paint on…
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A riveting task
Along with a handful of pop rivets in the interior galvanized capping, several solid rivets were missing along the back edge of the roof, even three of the four that hold the hinge mounts for the “cat-flap” door. The holes had been partially filled at some point with bathtub caulk which helped keep the water…
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Roof and sides removal
Series 2a rovers are designed with modular configurations. They can have canvas tops, hard tops, pickup cabs, or no tops at all. Even the door tops are removable and the windscreen can be folded forward onto the spare tire for low profile style and full air flow. Driving around town with the top open is…
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Check straps, tow hitch, boots
Series 2a rovers have flexible axle check straps to keep the suspension from overextending. One of these was near the end of its useful life and the other had broken and was replaced by an over-length section of cargo strapping. A proper new pair ensures the suspension will be protected and functioning as intended. The…
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Fuel tank, filler & hasp
The very first item to take care of when parts arrived was a weeping fuel filler tube behind the seats. While working in the area several other cleaning and restoration items were checked off the list and a diy hasp was crafted for the fuel cap. The passenger seat was removed and years of mud…
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Galvanized resolve
At some point many decades ago a friend of the previous owner spray-painted the inside of the tub in grey and the outside of the vehicle in off-white. Most of the galvanized steel material was also covered with spray paint, particularly inside, but as it does not hold well it was flaking off in many…
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Rainy tasks begin
Series rover steering wheels are notorious for breaking down after about 50 years. The coating on the outside wears off over time and the composite material leaves black sludge on your hands when the weather is damp. If the wheel is reasonably free from cracks or other defects this can be reset like new by…
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2019 Series 2a 109″ mechanical restoration
After sitting for about 30 years in a garage, this 1966 Land Rover Series 2a 109″ was sent to the rover experts of Clapperton Ranch in 2019 for a refresh. Alan Simpson and Monty Kinvig also restored the famous Canadian “Grizzly Torque“, in 2015. The goal for this ol’ rover was to be able to…