Bowie69

I don't know much, but I am pretty sure your grinder will be way too fast for a polishing pad... If the paint is actually lifting then strip down is the only way, if it is just a poor finish, you can improve it with polishing, but will take an age.

I seem to remember you at a Wellington DRD with a ever-so-slightly crushed rear corner...? I suggested the above with it in mind you now had a 90, maybe see you there soon

Personally I would mark the TDC by using a solid tool through the spark plug hole #1. I hollowed out an old spark plug and stuck a cap head bolt through it with a turned down (with a grinder) nut on the spark end. Screwed this in and marked a point on the pulley where the piston had hit the tool, then turned it backwards and marked another position on the pulley. Halfway between this is TDC. Adjust the length of th ebolt with washers/file/whatever so the gap between the points is small. I tried dial gauge but couldn't get it reliable, for some reason there was quite a float on the position, whereas the above method gave me within 10% accuracy over about an inch or so of crank pulley.

Last post and I will leave the ostriches to their desert dinner. I note from your site you used a rust-free chassis from a Cyrpiot Lightweight -nice find! According to the rules above, the easiest way of doing this is for your Lightweight to have the identity of that Cypriot Lightweight -this is of course assuming you have a chassis number/identity proof from Craddocks -it may need to have been registered at some point as well. I have checked my own lightweight chassis just now and found no number on the dumb iron, but of course yours may be different. You can ignore all the bodywork/interior changes, these do not count towards a requirement for IVA. All you can really do is write to DVLA/VOSA explaining what you have done and wait for their response, it may result in an VIC, or an IVA, or a VIC followed by an IVA depending on how clued up the people you deal with are. It migth be OTT, but it might also be the legal requirement, you know, like having a driving licence, insurance or working lights on your vehicle .

Fridge, did you read that link I posted? As the vehicle has used a SECOND HAND replacement chassis it is required to have an IVA. The fact it is modified is neither here nor there, but the fact it is second hand is the issue. The other way to do it is say the chassis-donor-vehicle's chassis is the current vehicle ID, which would be legal and not require an IVA, but if the original vehicle was tax exempt (as I suspect here) you would lose that status. If the vehicle had been built on a NEW chassis from Richards for example just stamp your number in it and go MOT it.

Agreed, just find a later 1.75" carb to bolt on

I wouldn't say you are being over-concerned, worst case if you had an accident and killed someone in your vehicle and it was found you SHOULD have submitted it for inspection then you could well end up in jail -not something anyone wishes for I am sure. The IVA is no more stringent than the old SVA BTW, with most of the rules just carried forward. The main change was the classification of the vehicles, which under SVA ruling you would never pass as a radically altered vehicle, but under IVA you may well.... First off my advice is to ring the IVA helpline, they are pretty knowledgable, there's an enquiry email address as well if you look on the business link website, I have used this and had full frank and very helpful replies from the advisers -they are not just telephone monkeys for sure. This link seems pretty relevant to you: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/BuyingAndSellingAVehicle/RegisteringAVehicle/Registeringakitcarrebuildorradicallyalteredvehicle/DG_191069 Pretty damned clear cut there -you will require an IVA and a Q plate. This is not a bad thing. Good news, if you re-read the IVA manual/guide you will see that your vehicle will go through as modified production vehicle, and any items which are as the original vehicle was are assumed as a pass. My RRC for example would not pass a type approval or 'new vehicle' IVA, but it will pass a 'radically altered/modified production vehicle' IVA no problem, as the front of the vehicle will be treated as original and therefore no subject to testing. The same will go for your lightweight. The other thing is... don't make life hard for yourself, mine will be going for IVA with no roll cage fitted, no extra lights, no winches/hawse/fairlead. This is not circumventing the rules as you don't need to test a vehicle just because you fit a winch, or a cage do you? The bad news is the test is probably £450, as you probably know, but if you factor it into the whole build cost I am sure it is small! Once you have spoken to VOSA, if you still intend on IVAing it, they'll probably ask for it in writing, make it as clear as possible and include plenty of photos of the build if possible, if you are open about everything they are less likely to 'dig'. Hope that helps, Pete.

Chris, JST's Drive Round Days sound like what you want, to an extent, possibly too restrictive for you, but they are still an excellent day out.

Not that I would advocate it, but speedos stop working pretty often in the world of Land Rovers!

It may be that you do have the wire up too high, and the torch too slow, but I'm pretty sure from those pics the current is too low... so start there If blowing holes, try working from the new good steel and weld that into the old stuff, if that makes sense? TBH, without a video to see how you are doing it at the moment it's hard to give much more specific advice. Practice setting the welder up on some scrap if you have some (I bet you have!) and have a read through here, if you haven't already: http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/

It's 4WD's fault that it gets up to that sort of speed more quickly though.... well that and the driver

Normally the length of the belt is part of the part number - but even if not a motor factor will be able to tell you by looking up our two parts and you can then compare, and ask for a belt of that spec but at a specific length. The other way to do it is use a piece of string, wrap it round, push the tensioner in and mark the string with a pen, measure with a tape -go ask for a belt that length at your motor factor You say 'removed the pulley' which pulley do you mean? An idler or....?

Finally got round to fixing a problem on my RRC this weekend, I was only getting 13.5/13.6V at the battery whilst running (yes, even at 2000rpm) -which as anyone will tell you is no good for the battery. I traced the fault down to slightly grubby ring connectors on the : Alternator Through-bulkhead connection bolt Starter motor The connectors were NOT corroded badly, or muddy, or green, or fluffy white, just not bright metal. Measuring from the back of the alternator to earth gave me 14.1V, bulkhead connector to earth was 13.8V, and starter to earth was 13.5/6V, so clearly voltage was escaping in the connections -not good long term as heat will built up in them causing them to fail (catch fire!). I also checked the earth in the same way (though only two connection points, chassis and engine) and found them to be good, only losing 0.1V Once I had cleaned all these up with some contact cleaner and green brillo to avoid removing the plating, I had 14.03V at the battery terminals, and given that it was pretty discharged is a good result. So... half an hour with a bit of cleaner and brillo may mean it will start in the cold this winter

Definitely not going anywhere -but bit of advice on the welding, turn the power up a notch or two, this will make the weld sit more flush, at the moment it's VERY proud of the surface, which indicates poor penetration. Doing the above will give you neater welds, less clean up afterwards, and a big smile on your face

If corroded, a squirt of eletrical contact cleaner and a wiggle could be all it needs, and the contact cleaner should help protect the connection for the future. Any motor factor should have this in stock.

Maybe the pic is taken from the bulkhead side -looks like it to me It's not the 'correct' carb for the engine whatever, SUs were never fitted as factory option to a Land Rover (except maybe the V8s at some obscure point), to my knowledge anyways. The SU is however seen as an aftermarket upgrade, but that one on there at the moment looks rather small, IIRC the 1 3/4" Metro/Maestro/Ital/Montego SUs were a much better size, and gave a small performance boost at the same time.

Same as reckless above, only 10 minutes from me, useful for grabbing bits, and browsing for conversion parts (like a recent air box I wanted), but always overpriced, and grumpy, and uninterested, even in person. there are plenty of other scrappies around so I wouldn't bother in all honesty . Dan's dismantlers in Bridgwater have been far more helpful in my experience.

I have a factory recon in my lightweight, though it is in duck egg blue, just like crate military engines. It's definitely a recon as is 20 thou over bored, and has official Land Rover stickers on it.

OK, I am pretty much with you now Enjoying the thread very much!

Soren, I'm assuming any axle will be able to be used in this sort of setup....? A LR diff is a pretty big lump to try and locate somewhere on the vehicle. Do you have any further plans as to where it will fit etc? Sorry if I am asking for spoilers, just tell me to get lost if want

Did Ashcroft say anything to you before you said this? I think this is what is being referred to in 'slagging someone off', I'm sure with some careful thought you can see why this upset Ashtrans...? BTW, setting swivel bearing by 'feel' is something I do as well, and we all know how critical that is for truck wandering/tramlining/shakes, but never had a problem here either.

My reply was meant seriously, a single rigid bar forming two triangles is still very strong, making a cross is stronger, but may be unnecessary (i.e. it exceeds the strength of the rest of the cage) depending on the size. Of course I am sure FF and DD have a better handle on this and have taken everything into account already

Keep it to single diagonals rather than crosses, and you'll save even more weight....

It's still sat on someones workshop floor isn't it? Maybe you can buy it back, make it a bed and you two can snuggle up together this winter

Very, very nice Decided what's happening at the back yet?