Blanco

Time for an update, .... passed the NCT/MOT yesterday at the 3rd attempt!. Apparently the list of stuff at the bottom which I took to be advisories were actually required, oh well. As I had attended to the lights while waiting for Paddocks to deliver that just left the rusty bits to deal with. Started on the rear LH corner light panel and quickly realised there was no easy fix, so it was time to find out how the rear wing comes off! Not too difficult really, although I decided the job would be much easier if I took the tailgate off first as leaning in was killing my back Once the wing comes off, there are 7 little nuts and bolts that join the wing to the rear corner box, and then I was left with just the rear corner which was quite manageable to work on. So drilled out the spot welds and separated the two pieces Sketched out the shape on new steel And welded it in, there was some rust on the lip as well but it looked quite tidy when I had cut it out, so I just left it as smaller 'tabs' There is a bit of lace work at the lower edge of the inner wing which revealed itself, but as the wing is easy to remove I thought that could wait until a warmer time of year. So I got the rear quarter back together and set about the drivers door. Water has got down between the main door shell and the re-inforcing panel inside, there are some fairly impressive holes 'growing', this is very difficult to repair properly and coupled with this mess from the previous owner at the hinge end I think a second hand door would be a much easier solution ultimately, as it happens there is one on the forum which I hope will feature here soon So what it required for the moment is just to get it past the MOT inspectors, so making no effort to reconcile inner and outer, I just cut out the rust as you can probably see here, there is trouble brewing down the whole side of the door. Less well documented than some but made up cardboard templates and cut new bits to fill the holes, This last one shows the extent of the problem in this door, it is going right across the middle as well, good job the MOT man didn't see that! So I can get the tax today and then I finally get my ROI registration document, only 10 months after importing it, Result!

Thats the prevalent US influence over here, coupled with pronounciation inaccuracies and phonetic spelling tendancies, funny thing is I have been here 3 years now and I didn't even notice!

Agreed (presuming old for odd). I have 20 yr Teng, near 40 yr Kamasa and 60 yr Britool inherited, all great stuff and I have never broken any of it despite trying quite hard. But it is all 1/2 inch and big heavy sets which stay at home. The handy thing about the little 3/8 inch set is it takes up no room in the boot, any is so multi-purpose.

..... interesting,.... I've tried a couple of times to cut panelwork (steel) with one and the blade (bi-metal) didn't last at all. Now I go back to the Saxton site I see there are more options for metal, which I am sure weren't there before? Are the titanium any good or has it got to be carbide?

Project anyone? https://www.donedeal.ie/vintagecars-for-sale/brooklyn-range-rover/20913757

That hood just looks great

I guess I'll have to wait till they come round again, doesn;t sound as if they'll be compatible anyway, thanks for that

No need..... I'll make a detour to you en route to or from Littlehampton if it comes together. Not a great road between the two but used to go back and forth to Tadley once upon a time.

I would jump on the fridge wagon and ask for the doors please if you were going up, I must pm L19MUD

Our local one is up to 13mm sockets only and is more like a 1/4 drive set than a 3/8ths, .... perhaps we'll get your version next week. Matter of interest what is the hex drive size, its not 16mm by any chance?

I was going to pop in this morning,.... interesting that one looks very different to the image in the local store, I'll compare later on

Welcome Jack, sounds like a bit of a challenge you have set yourself there.... and enormous fun! I can't be much help with the immediate need for a chassis I'm afraid but I hope you get sorted and we see something of the build on here. I am certain I won't be the only one who would love to see it take shape. My only thought is that there was a guy on the 'one show' recently who had done a similar thing, he might be a good chap to talk to if you can track him down.

P38 has a 'timeout' on the immobiliser, make sure you 'unlock' again just before trying to start, supposed to be 30 secs but mine would be less.

Wheel alignment,.... tick no sense in spending money on it at this stage

No they came off my D2 although they might be the same as the Freelander I am not sure. When I bought it it had RR Sport wheels on it, D2 P38, RRS all run with the same PCD (120mm?) and the M14 studs, Defender D1 RRC etc. are M16 studs on the wider 6 inch PCD.

Sorry, mixed that up .... it was land rovers forever who had offered, no panic..

I can only see the 12 piece at £84 ??? but if you can get me a 9 piece and its no trouble then I would be grateful.

Are we talking Lidl or Halfords? I'll have a look at the Lidl set when it comes in but I have to say that I find 'Powerfix' quality isn't what it was

Thanks for the thought...

Thanks for the tip, but it looks as if we are too late, none of the stores I'll be local to have any stock left and it is being replaced, collection only if your local store has any.

I'll admit to being tempted by a set of the flex head ratchet ring when I see them but the price of a quality set makes it a bit more than an impulse purchase.

Time for a wee update, LH rear light got the same clean up although the bulb holder was still in one piece, for now I have glued a bit in at the top to re-inforce the cracked lens, but I will need a new main lens at some point, side piece is OK on the left. The RH side will need both, .... I seem to have one side (RH) with a black edge and one without. Replacements will be whatever I can get at a sensible price. There is some problem with the crossover section of the loom which I haven't got to the bottom of yet so the LH fog light still doesn't work, but everything else light wise is now shining brightly. The shocks turned up this morning so I have been able to fit them,... I would have preferred something less gaudy but they only come in the one colour! Tomorrow I'll drop it off the lift and check the wheel aligment again (having driven it up and down to settle the springs etc.) and have another go at the LH fog, re-test now booked for Monday afternoon.

Good news, ............ whats the odds the other two now turn up.........

So, about 33 years ago I bought a socket set which I paid £28 for mail order. It has been without doubt the single most used most successful ever tool I have ever bought. In recent years I have had the misfortune to break a couple of bits, which I struggled to find replacements for. Whats left looks like this..... This week I had to order some shocks from Paddocks and I was just browsing in the clearance section, and I found this,.... At last ...... Big features are the smooth stepless ratchet and the through socket design which is so versatile. In the first shot you can see a couple of sockets that don't match from an earlier (failed) attempt to find compatible sockets, and the new set didn't come with a long extension bar, but I am just pleased to have found another one, I can keep one in each RR now. Thing is that this ratchet/wrench format is so useful I can't believe it isn't more popular/widely available. Funny thing is I paid £30 for the new one, hardly more than the original, and although Rolson wouldn't be a brand I would choose quality doesn't look bad, I think the stock might be quite old, looking at the box. Time will tell........... anyone come across 16mm hex drive 'through' style sockets anywhere else?

My Dad had one on an L plate (1972/3) a S3, which looked just like that, it brings back memories.......... mind you I don't ever remember getting 22mpg, partly because it was either loaded to the gunnels with tools and equipment or towing a few tons, but the engine was sweet, and quiet ....especially compared to the diesel it replaced. What a find!