Series IIA Newbie need some advice....

[MINX64]

Hello all,

Well being the slightly excentric girl that I am I have just bought a 1964 Series IIA SWB Truck Cab off ebay for £405. I hear you gasp and shake your heads disapprovingly and no I don't know anything about landys but I love them and really want to learn ...... so this is where I start.

She doesn't have an MOT but she made the 2 hour drive back with ease. (with police permission to drive her back) She has a 3.5 ltr V8 engine modification which is mis-firing, overdrive and her body body works looks like it is in good nick. The stearing is very loose and she drags badly to the left when braking. Although she is very heavy and likes to make you work she feels pretty good to drive.

Can anyone advise this dizzy impulsive bird what I should be looking out for. Got a garage checking her out on Monday and have attached a few pics for you guys to have a gander at. I am guessing that she has been given series III wings and had those horrid grates attached so I am hoping to find some headlights to replace.

any advice about what to look out for and basic dos & donts will be much appreciated. speak slowly though (I am a girl and used to be blonde!)

Thanks guys

PS: here is an example of how blonde I used to be.... What are the yellow discs that are seen on lots of the series III military landys sometimes sporting number? always wondered.

[Kevin]

Congrats on your purchase. You will definitely have lots of fun now that you're part of the land rover fraternity. Don't forget to wave at other landy drivers .

The loose steering is par for the course with a series and takes some getting used to. Difficult to say if the play is too much unless someone with experience can drive it and give you a comparison.

Series land rover brakes are always needing attention of some kind. They are drum brakes and the pull to one side can be caused by a number of things the most common causes being they are not adjusted properly or there is a brake fluid or oil leak that is getting onto the brakes shoes of the side that is not braking correctly.

Check fluid levels in everything that should have fluids. If a landy is not leaking oil then all the oil has leaked out .

Gearbox, transfer case, axles and swivels must have EP 90 GL4 oil. The gearbox must not use GL5 oil. Grease everything that has grease nipples.

Have a look at this site if the levers, black red and yellow, are confusing you http://www.series2club.co.uk/gear_levers.htm

Have fun.

[MINX64]

Thanks Kevin!!!

Ok good place to start. I will follow your advice and clutching my Haynes Manual get to grips with this new adventure. Thanks for the link - very useful! I always feel a bit of a wally having to ask obvious questions but I suppose i just have to swallow my pride.

Do you know where I can see how the dash should be. I have the original centre panel but the last owner modified the switches for the fuel pump, lights, wipers etc and I would like to see how the full dash should really look. He know a lot about wiring but wasn't so hot with asthetics.

thanks again really appreciate your help!

Sandy
x

1964 SeriesIIa 88 truck cab

[TerryS]

Originally Posted by MINX64

Hello all,

Well being the slightly excentric girl that I am I have just bought a 1964 Series IIA SWB Truck Cab off ebay for £405.
here is an example of how blonde I used to be.... What are the yellow discs that are seen on lots of the series III military landys sometimes sporting number? always wondered.

Not excentric, just adventuresome. Have to agree with you, loose those vent plates. At the very least, put some headlights back in there (though I personally think the 4 headlight conversions look horrible)

The steering may come down to a few worn ball joints, or the swivel ball preload may need tightening. The brakes may be just need adjusting, or, at worst, a couple frozen wheel cylinders. None of these things are show stoppers. The misfire on the 3.5 can be plug wires needing a renew.

Why would a Non military girl, blonde or otherwise, know what the yellow disc on the front is? That is called a 'Bridge Plate". It is supposed to have a letter and a number signifying vehicle catagory and gross weight. It is used to indicate to the Bridge Tender whether to allow a vehicle to cross, or to re-route the vehicle to another bridge. ( Alot of river crossings were temporary bridges, or floating bridges)

[onslow]

Hi Sandy,

Welcome to the forum I take it you are in the U.K? where abouts? sometimes people local to yourself may be able to help out.

as well as the landrover haynes manual i would get a classic rangerover one too as this will cover the V8 in detail.

Best way to find steering problems is get an assistant to waggle the steering while you look at all the bits and pieces looking for any movement that doesnt look right I know it sounds odd but it works.

[TerryS]

Originally Posted by onslow

Best way to find steering problems is get an assistant to waggle the steering while you look at all the bits and pieces looking for any movement that doesnt look right I know it sounds odd but it works.

A waggle in the UK is sorta like a wiggle in the US. But it ain't a 4be2, it's a
2 by 4

[MINX64]

Thank you all soooo much!! wow i feel welcome.

Landy people are good people . I will be tinkering all weekend so I will let you know how I get on and what I plan to do.

All the advice and info is very much appreciated!! more please - you bunch of clever cloggs!

TerryS - thanks for the "Bridge Plate" - life saver! oh & Onslow for the waggle/wiggle - Now I can pretend I know more than I do.

Cheers

x
Sandy

London
1964 seriesIIa truck cab

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by MINX64

Thanks Kevin!!!

I always feel a bit of a wally having to ask obvious questions but I suppose i just have to swallow my pride.

Do you know where I can see how the dash should be. I have the original centre panel but the last owner modified the switches for the fuel pump, lights, wipers etc and I would like to see how the full dash should really look. He know a lot about wiring but wasn't so hot with asthetics.

thanks again really appreciate your help!

Sandy
x

1964 SeriesIIa 88 truck cab

Sandy

On here we always ask the obvious just because often it's just a not so obvious answer that we get.

I've put in some pics of my dashboard. There are also some non standard switches; you'll see 2 shiny switches, one middle far left and another lower far right. Lower far left is a push in immobilizer (also non-standard). Mine is a 1969 series IIa.

Hope this helps.

[pickuprover]

Wiggle/waggle.... Welcome to the forum, and more importantly welcome to the wonderful world of Series ownership..... Just like Onslow says, just start playing with the steering, if there is anything that moves when you think it should not, then inspect further.... the other thing you should do, jack up both front wheels, (use jsck stands so the truck will not fall.. don't want you hurting yourself... ) and pry the wheels each way, as well as top to bottom, see if there is any movement there..... If the truck veers a bit (especially over bumps...) then it could be the King Pins (or Rialco bushing as they are also called). Another symptom of this leaking swivel seals.... (by the way, this is basically the same as Terry mentioned about the swivel ball preload...) Welcome again, hope we can help, and keep us posted.... oh and we love pictures of these trucks...

[Rat Patrol]

Welcome to the wonderful world of Landys.

[beast73]

sounds pretty cool. pics look sweet. i think ur best bet would be to call on any landy guy mates that live close by and then sweet talk him round for advice and to check over all that seems a little dicey. funny you asked about the yellow circle things on the front too, i was just wondering bout them myself.

i reckon once you got it all fixed up and the V8 purring, minx64 is gonna out...kinda like a nickleback gig really.......

[smokey2a]

Hi Minx64,
Which part of London are you in? It's a big place, this is the most technical place to vist if you have Series 2 2/a problems

http://www.nhua.co.uk/smf_1-0-5/index.php

You don't have to be a member of the S2 club to join in.

Just beaware that now you have bought one, your in danger of getting "CLPD"

Compulsive Land Rover purchasing dissorder.

(By the way Im in West London near Heathrow.)

[michaeltw]

Nice truck, I rarely see the truck cab variety.

[repete]

it would be great if you could post some pics from under the hood. ive been wanting to convert mine. does it still have the series gear box?