Hello from Newbie from Newcastle

[SmudgerSmith]

Hello. I'm Craig from Newcastle.How are you? My project is to rebuild my 92 200tdi Landrover Discovery, Body, Engine, Supension the full shabang. Searching for tips and advice on how to weld new sills in my disco led me to this site, Learnt more already reading your threads than what I learnt at Tech, Thanks. I've done some welding (arc and gas)when I was an apprentice and a little bit last year but not much since, I have a SIP 130 TURBO MIGMATE gas and gasless, I'd like to get reasonably proficient at welding more so with mig but i'd like to be able to use all types as i progress and my projects get bigger and probably dafter. Any advice that you guys who know more will be greatly appreciated and if i can help anybody else out with some of my knowledge, I'm more than happy to help. Should mention that I'm a Sparky and when I'm not under the disco I'm learning to be a vehicle mehanic with the REME TA.
Thanks in advance and its a great site from what I've seen and read so far,
Craig

 

[lexi]

Hi Craig . Let me guess.......does your Disco need a new rear Tub?
Alex

 

[SmudgerSmith]

You got a Discrusty too. Rear floor is cut out and new one ready to go in. Just the inner and outer sills. I bought a disco shell that had all the front end new, the floor was already cut out, i suppose i could just patch the sills but there was a pair of new outers with the disco. only need to buy the inners and I want to rebild it so it will last another 20+ years( I spent that much on my other one the wife says i can't ever ever have another new car ever, have to make this one last then.)IF and WHEN i get it all welded, the whole motor is getting painted with POR15 paint, chassis, axles underbody , everything i suppose, everything is stripped out. the lads at the reme have said that they would help out with the engine rebuilt.

 

[SmudgerSmith]

The red one's body is shot, inner wings, sills, boot floor, rear x member, doors, Between the two of them i should have enough bits, with a few bits left over to sell to help pay for the project. The red one has lifted suspension and 265/75/16 macho tyres, it was pretty good off road but the pas pump chewed itself up from inside and messed up the pas box. the gold ones box is ok, swap this swop that,

 

[Silas (son of Silas)]

Hi Craig, Welcome.

 

[lexi]

I aint got a Disco but I had Series landys and still follow the scene. I may get another. Discos are cheap now aint they? They are all coming to the stage where they need a lot done but they are worth doing as it is a capable truck. I am into Patrols at the mo.
Alex

 

[SmudgerSmith]

For the price of a 200 tdi defender or a 300 tdi in taty condition you can pick up a reasonable disco 200 or 300. great off road with few mods and its like a car to drive and unlike the defenders you can have a conversation without shouting. I'd recommend one any day

 

[malcolm]

I have a friend who has just upgraded from an ex-army LWB series 3 to a Deafener Tdi. The prices seem awfully high for those things, although I think he was mostly after a van that also would work off-road.

1992 still seems new to me - a new front end and rear floor seems a lot of work for a new car. Of couse the Landies are worth it, so do keep us posted on progress and ask whenever you need to.

 

[lexi]

Defenders are overpriced Malcom. For the price of a decent LWB Def you can just about get an 80 Ser Landcruiser. Patrols are about half the price of each and are great trucks..........but can suffer from rust.
Alex

 

[malcolm]

Not sure why Chris went for a Deafener. Probably mostly because he runs a UK based manufacturing company and likes to support others doing the same. I'd have gone for something a bit more civilised.

The price on the secondhand market is bumped up by all the people who want to buy the things, so there's probably something else in it. Land Rovers don't rust less than the Japs do they?

 

[lexi]

No not really. There is more steel on the Japs trucks to rust though and quite a lot of double skins. 80 ser Cruisers are about the best protected and last better than any of the other Jap trucks. I think Discos are rusting as good as any old British vehicle though.
Alex

 

[SmudgerSmith]

Thanks Silas and Malcom.
You can if you look for them get the discovery commercial. Its a 3 door and the windows are plated over. . . I toyed with the idea of plating mine over but decided against it and to keep the rear seats, and going for the camel trophy rep look. off to take some phots today of all the rusty bits and thn thanks to highway stars tips get the sills out.

 

[fredster]

HI Craig - I'm a newbie here too. At the risk of offending people I've known a few people with Defenders and I've been less than impressed with the reliability of them. Bit of a sweeping statement I know - I remember reading a feature in Land Rover Owner magazine a while back where they were taking a series 1 landy for an off-road session. One part of the article read "and what would a day out in a Land Rover be without a breakdown to contend with". Hmm...

I work for a company that plants trees in London. We use a Hilux and I've got to say its the most impressive piece of machinery I've come across. Drives like a car, performs like a 4x4 and in five years of ownership has yet to suffer any problems. Its worked hard too - lots of towing trailers full of top soil, trees and the like.

No disrespect to landy owners intended, and I'm certainly no fan of japanese cars in general but the Toyota Hilux is for me the best money you can spend on an off-roader.

fred

 

[SmudgerSmith]

No offence taken Fred, I think its a love hate thing with landies, I've had a s2a,s3, 90 and 2 110's before I got the disco. The defender Is probably the one of the best things for off road because of the coil sprung suspension but there are better vehicles . The hilux and other leaf sprung 4x4 don't have the same axle articulation, horses for courses what ever suites your needs. I just like to tinker with them for now, I'm training how to be a VM with the REME TA so I can learn how to do it properly. Sure it has broken down few times but I usually get it going again. I always liked the early series landcruisers, nearly bought one when I was in Andorra. When this Disco is finished I want it to be able to last another 200k But if things didn't break down or rust I wouldn't Have the fun of fixing them. Fix it and make it better. And it keeps me busy,
If money wasn't an issue I'd probably get a Pinz,

 

[fredster]

A point well made! Know all about the love-hate thing. Have owned an Alfa Rusteo and a VW camper - both of which are seriously flawed vehicles. Hadn't considered what you said about coil springs vs leaf, and to be fair our work hilux spends much more time on road than off so I'm in no position to comment on its off-road ability. One thing that landys definately have over Toyota's is that to lock the diff's on a hilux you have to get out of the bloody cab and try to get to the front wheel hubs - no mean feet if the mud is piling up! Don't know if they've remedied this in more recent models...

I read somewhere that 75% of Land Rovers ever built are still on the road. After 50 years or so of manufacture that says it all really - if only modern cars had as many user replaceable parts as Landy's!

cheers
fred

 

[lexi]

You`re not actually locking the diffs when you do that Fredster , merely engaging your front axle on a part time four wheel drive system.........but I know what you mean. More modern versions have auto hubs that can be done from inside the truck. Hilux can perform off road all right. I would say buying a Landy is more an emotional thing. It`s just a question of which part of these Landys are still on the road. If left alone and driven a Landy will break and rust to death.......most have had rebuilds.
Alex

 

[malcolm]

What on earth is the vehicle in your photo SmudgerSmith? Can't be a 101 - too many wheels. (edit - it's a Pinz - what is that?) And how on earth did the owners run out of storage space in there - there's a roof box on top!

Availability of cheap spares is a fantastic marketing point for the older Land Rovers. Can't think of any other manufacturer that offers wings for £25 these days. Saving monet is a real persuader for your average farmer.

 

[lexi]

It`s the Pinzgauer Malcom. Austrian I think and assembled in the Sachs factory where the last generation of Cherokees were put together. Mercedes G Wagon also made there.
Alex

 

[SmudgerSmith]

Its a Steyr Daimler Puch Pinzguaer, Used by the Royal Marines( thats the pic with the one in the water) Nz uses them and the swiss army along with countless others, Absolutely Awesome piece of kit.
http://www.pinzgauer.uk.com/