I want to buy a Range Rover Classic

[Grid_Lock]

I've had a Disco I, beat it like a red headed step child until the thing exploded. I loved that truck so much, i got a Discovery II to replace it.

The problem you ask? the Disco II is too nice to rape in the woods. I need a truck i can beat to hell, and will outperform all of the lifted jeeps and Chevys my friends have.

I've been browsing Craigs list, and i see Range Rovers pop up for between $1200 and $2000 somewhat often. Thats about the price range i want to stay in. I don't plan on using it as a daily driver; i just want it to screw around with in the snow and in the woods.

Do you have any recommendations on things to watch out for when i inspect the vehicle?

I've got plans for it though... let me know what you think.

I'm an engineer at a sheet metal fabrication company, and we build most metal things that are on Freightliner tucks.

I've been coordinating the production of parts for Freightliner's new Military truck, and we have had several bumpers made that didn't meet the prints. things like being 0.05" too short, or having the wrong hole size would get them rejected. I want to get 2 of the reject bumper assemblies, and mount them on the Range Rover when i get it. below is a picture of one bumper assembly we have in production right now, but this one is TINY compared to the new one.
The bumper weights around 400 lb, but can withstand forces of around 100 tones. In other words... its tree proof.

I also plan on getting a winch for the front and back of the truck, and I'll mount it behind the bumper in one of the component areas.

[Red Rover]

HI Gridlock,your problem is easily fixed.In order to enable your suberbly engineered Rangie to crash through trees and other minor obstacles you need to increase it's mass.I suggest
a barrier behind the front seats and fill the rear end with concrete.Between that and your company's bumper bar you should be able to crash through anything.
Cheers, Red Rover

[ArmyRover]

While I have personnelly seen that very truck with a very similiar bumper take a huge beating and walk away pretty much undamaged I think you might have some issues with it on a RRC.

To heavy, You would need some serious spring rates to lift for off roading and stay up with 800 lbs of bumper 900 to 1000 lbs if you add a winch and brush guard. Additionally your going to have to reinforce the frame to handle the weight and stress of that beast as well I don't think the 4 little bumper bolts are going to be up to that task.

I would have to run over to the motor hole with a tape measure but I'm pretty sure you would have to do some serious chopping down to make that fit the RRC width wise.

Other than that have fun

[Grid_Lock]

Thanks for your input.

I figure there is going to be a great deal of engineering and fabrication I'll have to do in order to make everything fit and work, but i do like a challenge.

I figure that its worth a shot either way. If things go tits up, scrap the bumper, and get something lighter.

I don't know the answer to this, but do the Range Rover classics have air ride suspension available as stock? and if so is it something i should be interested in?

I know the air ride on my DII took a crap right after i got it, so i ended up having to replace the pump, which was a tad pricey.

[hermanpj]

i would think the sheer dimensions of that bumper would disqualify it. It looks proportional on a Freigthliner, but even if you address the width as Army suggests, what is that thing - 12 inches high? 16? Looks aside, i think there would be performance issues. weight as Army mentions would require frame modifications and spring upgrades. approach angle would be impacted to some extent depending on mounting. could you make a bumper that looks that tough and has some of its features but is scaled down?

[p76rangie]

If you want a vehicle for off road work, get an earlier Rangie without all the electronic gadgets. Then you have to take into consideration that the thing will be 20 years old and will have on average 300,000 miles on it.

So if you wanting to know what to look for, find one that has spent its life down south and away from the oceans. That is, away from salt water and salt on the roads and therefore less rust. Then look for one that has had a fortune spent on it in recent years replacing most of the worn out mechanicals. Try and find one that someone has fitted a 3.9 or bigger motor to. Find one that the owner knows nothing about mechanical things and has it serviced at the required intervals by someone that knows something about Rangies.

Did your previous Disco die from the weight of the bumpers you fitted?

[Grid_Lock]

No. my old rover died because i ran over one too many trees. That is the last time i will make that mistake!

But srsly, i blew the engine racing my friend's Volvo. The back end was also rusted to hell from Land Rover's genius idea to mate steel to aluminum with out any kind of decent sealant. And when i traded it in, some how the wipers were going. Every time the arms would move, my accelerator peddle would kind of POP, and the plastic shroud under the windscreen that the wipers come out of would bulge. Odd things.