JayHoe's '72 2.25 88" rebuild

[JayHoe]

Just got a call from Land Rover Dealer, and my replacement replacement bulkhead should arrive tomorrow, so I should have it by the weekend.

Very helpful guys.

[JayHoe]

Today couldn't do tons as I have to work tonight and can't be covered in grease and oil!

I removed the windscreen, leaving the mounts on the bulkhead. The threads were pretty crappy so I think I will replace the brackets when rebuilding, but they should do for the test fits. I then removed the battery and started work on clearing the wings for removal. I took of the grill and saw a mess of wiring behind it plus to each side of the rad. A real birds nest of wires made up of 3 inch sections. Under the wings it was just as bad - and the lights should be the straightforward part of the loom (including the horn and washer pump).

I had to pull bullet connects apart that broke instead of disconnecting. I'm not worried as I will be installing a new loom but what a mess. I had fun trying to unbolt the p-clips holding the loom to the OS wing, the bolts are rusty and it is next to impossible to hold both sides single handedly... then my ratchet decided to break! I did what I could and will continue tomorrow. I shall pick up a new ratchet (and maybe the bulkhead). I should have most of Friday to Sunday to work on it.

1. No windscreen :-)
2. Dodgy OSF light wiring
3. Loom on OS before going in front of rad - WTF!
4. Loom in front of rad - broken into and led BACK to OSF wing plus additional earth points!! Also noted that the rad panel is only fastened with one bolt at the bottom, not three
5. Mess of NSF lighting wiring (some extra bits totally removed!)
6. Passenger foot well - Speaker cable, aerial and additional wiring loom for stereo - not connected at either end, now pulled out

[matt d]

Personally, I prefer them without the soundproofing. I think as you say its a working vehicle, and the sound proofing just gives another opertunity for water to collect, and rust to start.

Im just going to use rubber mats in each footwell, as they're easilly removable, and can be cleaned behind.

Same here. As i'm towing my boat to a rather salt water covered slipway i'm choosing to just go with a cover over the transmission tunnel and rubber mats that i can easily take out to check all is dry underneath if required. Luckily the length of my boat trailer and slope of the slipway means my Landy never goes wading in the river.
I suppose we all have different uses for these vehicles and just adapt them to suit.
Those windscreen seals are indeed ****e. Nice foam that seems to soak up water. I welded the windscreen brackets too high on my bulkhead so the seal doesn't quite squeeze in the gap. I'm gonna find something a bit more suitable i think.

[justMike]

Ohhhhhhhhh......... Scotchlocks... Looooooooovelyyyyyyyyy....

<shudderin...

whoever invented the damn things needs t suffer having their skin peeled...then rolled in salt... gawdddd...

[JayHoe]

Aaah the joys of removing a wing that has probably never come of before I firstly removed the steering box guard and it appeared in reasonable condition. On closer examination, I found it had corroded thru in a couple of places. I presume that these aren't too much so I think I will replace with new. As well as its top and bottom bolt, it had one stuck out on a tab - but this was fastened to nothing as the inner wing skin had corroded all around it until it was stuck in mid air.

I struggled with numerous other bolts until I reached the point that I got fed up. Instead for a change of scene I removed the drivers floor - and every fixing bar one had to be ground out. On lifting the floor, I found that this area of the chassis seemed pretty sound - and the outrigger rang like a bell. Yep, it was a replacement. Fine as far as it goes, but whoever did it couldn't be arsed to remove the floor and weld across the top

Back to the wing. The splash plate was pretty corroded as were the bottom fixings - it was only after quite a struggle that I thought what am I doing... the plate is toast any way, and the footwells are going to be replaced. So I cut the ******. I also had to cut part of its top as well to free it. Then more bolts - every one would move... but with a lot of effort until it reached the ends of the threads. Very awkward to do by yourself, and as the Mrs was having none of it, I roped in my middle girl, Ellie. Grand job!

The fixings to the bulkhead pillar were easy - UNC thread?? And finally, got the wing off. There is corrosion at the base of the pillar, but surprisingly little really. The rear end of the wings inner skin looks like its been eaten. Is this salvageable? It seemed sturdy enough while it was all in place - what does everyone think?

I then removed the passenger floor and this time only had to grind off 2 fixings, but the rest are crap anyway. Again the chassis main rails seem ok, I guess it is the heat of the engine and g/box that has been protecting them. Still loath to tackle the second wing, I removed the trans tunnel - piece of cake. Needs a good clean of course but seems sound.

With Ellie back on the case, I decided to remove the seat box and leave the 2nd wing for today. We got front and side fixings off, but the Mrs stopped play before I could remove the rear fixings - so first job for the next session. Followed by wing and then start the dash.

1. Drivers floor removed - good outrigger, lack of welding on top
2. Steering box guard - corroded through - best to replace I think
3. Manky view of bottom of drivers floor
4. Ellie doing her stuff helping dad!
5. 1st view with wing removed
6. View of drivers footwell, showing remains of splash guard after cut off
7. End of inner wing skin corroded
8. Dead splash guard - to be replaced
9. Corrosion around wing to rad panel mount holes
10. Close up of corroded away fixing points on wings inner skin
11. Passenger floor and trans tunnel removed
12. Sound trans tunnel in need of a severe clean!

[justMike]

HRH's wings had fizzed in exactly the same places... frustrating to see a huge mild steel washer sized hole in otherwise sould metal...

Mounting tabs can always be fabricated and fixed to the original wing, the dodgy bit is the main seam that mates with the bulkhead... I canna see a way of avoiding having a row of fixings marking where a repair piece joins original...

Persoanally, I bit the bullet... new inner / outer wings... gave me tons of sound material which was exactly what I needed to accomidate all the custom fabrication...

[JayHoe]

Thanks for that Mike. I sall ponder on it as it will be months before I need them - I might get hold of a bargain somewhere!

Anyway, today just had a small play in the garage and removed the seat box. It looks generally in good condition, but one or two mounting point have corroded away It will be easier to decide what to do once it is cleaned up a bit and we can see whats what.

1. Underneath the seat box, drivers side
2. Underneath the seat box, passenger side
3. Seat belt mounts. Although lots of corrossion, they seem sound. However, not worth a risk - any doubt once cleaned, then out they go.
4. Drivers side with no box or floor - hey, that tank looks good...
5. It sure does. That can't be very old, cant see any corrosion on it at all!
6. Passenger side, no box or floor. Mmmmmm greasy gear box!

[justMike]

any awkward bits with the seatbox removal Joe..?? Right now I'm trying to modify a new Defender (300TDi I think) spec box to replace the original... terminal bi-metal corrosion...

that boingy bunch (bracin for the onslaught) aren't half spoiled... sheesh... battery box is MASSIVE... with another specifically for electrickery under the drivers seat too... spoiled rotten I tell ya...

[JayHoe]

No, fairly straight forward - just lots of bolts. I think that mine has fizzed previously and a PO has added some strengthening strips along the bottom of each side to cover perished fixing holes. As I said, hard to tell until all cleaned up - something else I'm not going to worry about right now

Had to ensure that the handbrake was OFF to actually manouvere the box out, so you need to chock, and it requires two people to tilt and tip it because of the large size (not weight, its light).

Good luck.

[JayHoe]

Back to it this afternoon - the dreaded wing :-)

I again had to resort to cutting the splash guard that although generally was sound if not pretty, its fixings at the footwell were lumps of rust! On the NS wing, the fixings to the rad panel are more straightforward than on the OS as the nuts are on captive bolts on strips - i.e. you don't have to worry about the bolt turning.

I still had a few others that were pigs, but like the OS, the NS bulkhead fixings came out extremely easily. Once I had the wing off and stood on end I was able to compare with the drivers wing. It is in much better condition - in fact so much that I am convinced it is a replacement wing. For instance, the bracket that the top of the splash guard bolts to was immaculate, but on the driver wing it is gone and had been replaced with a steel strap. This strap was now fizzing the wing and itself was so rusted it had to be cut. There is no corrosion around the various fixing holes on the 2nd wing. Making this comparison really shows how bad the previous one is. Yep, now I know I want a replacement.

I then did some tidying up and hung the floor panels, plastic grill, trans tunnel and seatbox on nails in the wall. They are all now out of the way and safe from being kicked. I then started tackling the drivers sill and sill panel only to find the sill mount at one end is immovable and the sill panel at the OTHER end is immovable - grrrr! Quit for the day.

1. Passenger side, wing removed

2. Passenger side of engine bay (cut splash panel remains on RHS

3. Some bits hanging safe out of the way

4. The seat box hung up

5. The passenger side splash plate - destined for the skip

6. Inside of passenger wing - nice :-)

7. Inside of drivers wing - not nice, its been eaten!

8. Non corroded rad panel-wing mount holes

9. Bulkhead end of wing mount holes - note middle two are slots - this means you can start them by hand before sliding wing in place as the are a little awkward.

10. Front view - she looking a little nude now

[justMike]

nude........sheesh....

she looks like she's being worked on by someone who gives a chit...

loadsa seatbox bolts I can handle... thanks for the heads up re the handbrake... I'm toying with the idea of swapping levers for a Defender one... original ribs against my leg when driving leaving disconcerting rust stains, invariably when I'm done up like a dawgs dinner t meet clients..

The Defender box weighs a ton... serious brace n lift territory.. all steel construction, and heavy gauge at that...

still toying with the idea of galvanising it prior to paint... need to get the fabrication finished first...

[JayHoe]

Had some satisfying fun this afternoon. Took the upper dash off. I released the instrument binacle and worked my way around endless assorted screws (nearly all different ).

When I removed the upper dash the desperate corrosion on the top rail could be seen very easily - it is amazing it held together at all - LOL. The main metal panel of the dash is in excellent condition, just some surface rust and should clean up almost as new.

As for my pile of spaghetti... I am planning to install entirely new replacement looms. Therefore, I was thinking that instead of disconnecting all of the cables, I should cut them all - the existing loom is going to be binned anyway. This would mean that I have correct colour wires on correct terminals which would aid in the rebuild. What do you all think of the idea??

Anyway, some pics for today...


1. Binnacle pulled forward showing first glimpse of wiring
2. Upper dash removed
3. Top rail corrosion
4. Close up of top rail corrosion
5. Back of upper dash
6. Front of upper dash
7. Mmmm, spaghetti!

Anyway, that's me done for today. Its my Birthday, and we are ordering out for some chinese and having some drinks with a few friends. See y'all soon!

[matt d]

Your bulkhead looks good, good job you have a new one.
Leave the wiring as complete as possible, you should be able to take it all out in one piece with it all still connected to the instruments. Don't worry about the loom going to the back. Thats easy to figure out. Fitting the new loom is quite straightforward then but I went through the wiring diagrams bit (Some things weren't correct on mine).

[justMike]

the existing loom is going to be binned anyway. This would mean that I have correct colour wires on correct terminals which would aid in the rebuild. What do you all think of the idea??

In all honesty Joe... you're right... to a point...

new loom = new copper and there's no substitute for that with electrickery... however... replacement to original spec means the same lousy components, same lousy build quality leading to the same dawgs dinner shoe-horned in behind the instruments...

Putting that lot to rights takes time and expense... whether or not it's justified is a judgement call that you yourself will have to make... As a wireman by professio, I couldn't tolerate the original shoddy connectors any longer... I'm gradually replacing the loom one section at a time. Making that decision liberates me to use far higher spec wire and connectors that all but eliminate any chance for the more common electrical failures...

[JayHoe]

"As a wireman by professio, I couldn't tolerate the original shoddy connectors any longer... I'm gradually replacing the loom one section at a time. Making that decision liberates me to use far higher spec wire and connectors that all but eliminate any chance for the more common electrical failures..."

Mike,

fancy nipping down from Aberdeen! The electrics is the biggy that I am nervous of. I understand what you are saying, and I would love to upgrade the electrics, seperate fuses etc. However, I am not a wireman and thinking about wiring leaves me in a blue funk!!!

Unless I can think of another solution, a ready made loom is the only option I can take. You mention failures, but is that generally while off roading etc? I haven't had any electrical problems so far despite the cobbled together bits of wire in places (e.g. half dozen 3-4" strips connected up instead of one 18" piece of wire!!!)

Would it help to solder each connection? Help! :-)