Series III ½ Ton Air Portable (aka “Lightweight”) - Restored

[jac04]

SOLD!! as of 4/16/14.



UPDATED 1-23-14:

After a lot of thought, I have decided to sell my restored Lightweight. This particular vehicle is a LHD version with 12 volt electrical system. This is a military vehicle that was developed by Land Rover in conjunction with the British Fighting Vehicles Research & Development Establishment. It fulfilled the requirement of an air portable vehicle with a 1/2 ton payload capacity. The body panels are easily detachable to reduce weight, allowing the vehicle to be lifted by helicopter utilizing the lifting rings located on the front & rear of the chassis.

I have restored/refurbished several Series Land Rovers over the past 25 years and this vehicle is my favorite restoration project. It drives beautifully and cruises well on the highway due to the Roverdrive overdrive. The Michelin XZLtires may look like off-road only tires, but they are very quiet, ride nice, and wear like iron. Range is excellent due to the twin fuel tanks. Braking is superb, as this vehicle is fitted with the late style larger brakes. Shifting is smooth & easy with the full-synchro gearbox, and the factory inertia seat belts are about as safe as you can get in an old stock Series soft-top Land Rover.

Asking price is now $29,900.

You simply could not build this same vehicle to the same quality level for anywhere near what I am willing to sell it for. I have $35k invested in the vehicle & parts alone and approximately 1000 hours invested in labor. From what I understand, Marsland no longer makes galvanized chassis for the Lightweight, so this vehicle would be almost impossible to duplicate due to the chassis alone (not taking into account all the other rare parts that I was able to source for the restoration).

I just finished the restoration of my 1968 Camaro convertible, and I have come to the realization that this vehicle will be getting very little use. It spends most of its time tucked away in a corner of the garage.

Serious buyers can PM me to arrange for inspection of the vehicle. I am near Bradley Int'l Airport in Windsor Locks, CT (BDL), and I can meet & pick up anyone at the airport.

Details of the restoration are in the next post below.



http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j126/jac04/LightweightLF.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j126/jac04/LightweightRF.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j126/jac04/LightweightFront.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j126/jac04/LightweightLR.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j126/jac04/LightweightRR.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j126/jac04/000_2079.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j126/jac04/000_1785.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j126/jac04/000_1889.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j126/jac04/000_1888.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j126/jac04/000_1878.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j126/jac04/000_1880.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j126/jac04/000_1943.jpg

[jac04]

Here is the story of the restoration:

I spent 18 months from October 2008 to April 2010 completely rebuilding this vehicle on a brand new Marsland galvanized chassis. I have well over 1000 hours into this vehicle, and it is evident in the level of detail of the rebuild. This vehicle has received multiply trophies, including 1st Place in its class at the British By The Sea car show (Waterford, CT) and Best Military Vehicle at the Simsbury Fly-In (Simsbury, CT). Since the restoration, I have driven the vehicle approximately 4000 miles, so you can be assured that everything is fully sorted and it is ready for the new owner to enjoy.

During the rebuild, every component of this vehicle was stripped down, inspected, and rebuilt/replaced as necessary. All re-used parts were sandblasted to bare metal, prepped, primed & painted. Genuine Land Rover parts were used almost exclusively during the restoration whenever possible. Where aftermarket parts were used, the best available parts were chosen (such as: Marsland chassis, Turner Engineering High Performance long block, Old Man Emu shocks, heavy-duty U-Bolts from Rocky Mountain, Rovers North parabolic springs, NRP stainless steel exhaust, Badger Coachworks door tops, Exmoor Trim canvas top, etc).

The exterior of the body was stripped down to the original factory finish using CitriStrip paint stripper, which removed the military-applied paint, but not the factory paint. Since the factory-applied paint was in relatively good shape on the aluminum body panels, I decided to leave the factory paint as the best possible base for the new paint. Any bare aluminum or scratched areas were spot-primed with an etching primer. The exterior of the body was then re-sprayed while completely disassembled with Gillespie Coatings Tan 686 CARC substitute paint. This is real military paint as used by the US military on vehicles prepared for desert duty. The paint on the exterior shows very well, and I think it looks great. I made no attempt to remove all the imperfections in the body before painting, so the vehicle retains its character marks. However, for a military vehicle, the body is in excellent condition.

All the exterior galvanized steel trim was removed and stripped of paint, revealing excellent condition galvanizing. The door hinges, pintle hitch hardware, and most of the dash/upper bulkhead fasteners were stripped and cadmium plated to FAA specifications. All galvanized trim was re-fit to the body after the body was painted.

The military style markings on the doors (black inverted V and red jerboa, aka "desert rat") are professionally-made vinyl graphics. They can be easily removed by the new owner if desired.

The suspension & drivetrain is detailed to the highest standard. All parts were stripped to bare metal before being primed & painted (even the brand new rear axle casing was stripped & refinished!). When the drivetrain & suspension was reassembled, new Genuine bolts & nuts were used for the stub axles, swivel balls, drive shafts, and spring shackles. For critical applications like this, Genuine Land Rover hardware is the only way to go. Even the brake lines are bent to perfection. Extreme care was taken during the reassembly process to ensure that nothing was chipped or scratched. You will simply not find another Land Rover with an undercarriage this nice.

It should be noted that this vehicle has the later type ‘rationalized’ axle assemblies and not the older Lightweight-specific narrow type axles as used on some earlier Lightweights. The rationalized axles have the following features (amongst others):

11” front brakes and uprated 10” rear brakes
Grease-lubricated hubs
Axle shafts with 24-spline outer splines
Hubs with all large bearings (same bearings fitted inner & outer)

Now, I’m sure that some detail-oriented people will notice some variations /modifications/upgrades from factory specification on this vehicle, so I’ll just point them out:


The clearance, signal, brake and rear fog lights are not the original military parts. The original lights were in poor shape, so they were replaced with Genuine lights from the European Defender. No modifications to the body were required to mount these lights.
The wheels on the vehicle are 5.5”x16” and not the original 5.0”x16”.

The air cleaner is a high-flow AEM DryFlow filter and not the original oil bath air cleaner. The unrestored original oil bath air cleaner will come with the vehicle.

The NATO trailer wiring is currently not in place since I don’t tow anything. I have the wiring and it will come with the vehicle.

The rear convoy light is not fitted. The wiring is there, but the original convoy light was very rusty & beyond saving.

There is a master battery cut-off switch on the negative side of the electrical system. The switch is located at the top of the passenger side footwell.

I have installed an Ignition cut-off switch on the dash panel. This cuts off power to the ignition system as well as the fuel cut-off solenoid on the carburetor. Since I use the vehicle infrequently, this allows me to crank the engine (without fuel or spark) to build oil pressure, then I flip the Ignition switch to "ON" and it starts right up.

The canvas top is a civilian version top with side windows. The original top (in rough shape, painted green & black) will come with the vehicle.

The skid plate is a used Genuine military skid plate, but was not originally fitted to this vehicle. I had custom CNC-machined mounting brackets made to fit the skid plate to the chassis. No chassis modifications were made to fit the skid plate.

The brake piping arrangement has been changed to eliminate the brake failure shuttle valve and metric brake lines. Since the shuttle valve is often a source of problems and the metric brake lines are impossible to find, I converted the system to a more standard setup. I am still using the correct metric brake master cylinder to keep the brake proportioning correct. However, I am now using the standard Land Rover 88” Series 3 dual line brake piping arrangement without a brake failure switch.

The transmission tunnel cover has been modified to allow for the cover to be removed without removing the heater.



RESTORATION DETAILS:

Note: Genuine = Genuine Land Rover part. Not an “OEM” or “equivalent quality” part, but a real Genuine Land Rover part.

Chassis / Suspension:

New Marsland galvanized chassis w/ new suspension bushings fitted
Military transfer case skid plate
New Genuine front bumper
New Genuine front bumperettes
New parabolic springs (Rovers North)
New Genuine spring shackles & bolts
New Old Man Emu Nitrocharger shock absorbers
New heavy duty U-bolts & nuts (from Rocky Mountain)
New Genuine check straps
New Genuine rear lifting rings
Powder coated battery tray/air cleaner support
New Genuine battery tie-down, plastic tray, j-bolts, and wing nuts


Engine / Ignition / Cooling:

Turner Engineering HP long block – 3 main bearing
New Genuine oil fill cap
New Genuine dip stick tube
New Genuine thermostat
New Genuine engine mounts
Resurfaced original flywheel
New Genuine crank pulley – military double groove
New alternator (Delco 10SI style with double pulley. NAPA Lifetime warranty)
New Genuine exhaust manifold & studs
New Genuine exhaust manifold heat shield & brackets
New NRP stainless steel exhaust
New Weber 34ICH Carburetor w/ fuel cut-off solenoid
New Genuine carburetor link rod & ball studs
New Genuine Lucas 45D distributor (not the cheap aftermarket replacement)
New Pertronix Ignitor electronic ignition installed
New Genuine coil
New Magnecor spark plug wire set
New Champion spark plugs
New radiator (Suco brand replacement from Rovers North)
New Genuine radiator cap and overflow hoses
New Genuine radiator hoses & correct rolled-edge clamps
New Genuine heater control valve
Coolant heater in bottom radiator hose (110 volt plug-in type from Rovers North)



Fuel System:

All new Genuine fuel lines
Fuel tank change-over tap rebuilt with new Genuine seal
New Genuine fuel sending unit switches (both switches)
New Genuine dust boot and LH/RH decal for fuel tank change-over tap
2 New Dutch Military fuel tanks from PA Blanchard (very heavy duty!)
New Genuine fuel tank rear mounts


Transmission / Drivetrain / Steering:

New Roverdrive overdrive unit
Rebuilt transmission / transfer case (Rovers North)
New clutch & pressure plate (AP Driveline Technology)
New Genuine clutch throwout bearing
New Genuine flywheel pilot bearing
All new clutch hydraulics (master, slave, hose, lines)
New Genuine front drive shaft (new style w/ improved slip joint)
Rebuilt rear drive shaft (new u-joints & Genuine gaiter)
All new Genuine drive shaft mounting hardware (bolts & nuts)
New Genuine differential input oil seals
New Genuine rear differential input flange
New Genuine rear axle case (Yes, a New Old Stock SIII rear axle case!)
New Genuine rear stub axles (what the rear hubs mount on)
New Genuine hub caps (for rear hubs, correct old stock dull finish)
New Genuine remote axle breathers
New Genuine rear axle half shafts (installed only as a precaution)
All new wheel bearings (Timken) and seals (Genuine)
New Superwinch lockable front hubs
New Genuine swivel pin housing bearings, Railko bushes, seals, and seal retainers
New Genuine swivel ball gaiters (leather)


Steering / Brakes:

New Genuine steering damper
All New tie rod ends (Lemforder) and clamps (Genuine)
New Genuine oil seals installed in steering relay
All new brake hydraulics (master cylinder, wheel cylinders, flex lines, hard lines). OEM cylinders used.
New front & rear (Mintex) brake shoes
All new Genuine brake springs
New Genuine front brake steady posts
New 11” front & 10” rear brake drums (Allmakes)


Tires / Wheels:

5 New Genuine 5.5” x 16” wheels
5 new Michelin XZL tires, 7.50 x 16
New Genuine lug nuts


Electrical / Lighting / Instruments / Controls:

New Genuine (Defender) brake, signal, clearance, and rear fog lights
New Genuine license plate light
New Genuine rear work light
New Hella e-code H4 headlights powered via Hella fused relays
New NAPA Gold battery (Group 27)
New 0 Gage battery cables & clamps (US military surplus)
New NATO trailer plug receptacle (US military surplus. Exact match to original.)
New Genuine MPH speedometer w/ tripometer
New Genuine speedometer cable
New Genuine rubber boots (e-brake, shifter, hi/lo lever)
New Genuine gearshift knob
New Genuine 4wd rod & spring
New Genuine rubber pedal pads
New Genuine bushings & seals for e-brake mechanism



Body Exterior / Interior:

New canvas top (Exmoor Trim)
New custom-made Badger Coachworks canvas door tops
New Genuine seat backs (all 3), seat bottoms are relatively new as well
New Genuine inertia reel seat belts (correct replacements, not generic)
Rear bench seats (2) included, but not installed
New windshield glass
New Genuine defroster hoses
New Genuine upper bulkhead vent seals
New Genuine tail gate bumpers & seals
New Genuine tail gate latch pins & chains
New Genuine & OEM door sealsNew Genuine windshield wiper wheel boxes
New Trico wiper arms & blades
New Genuine windshield washer bottle
New Genuine windshield washer nozzles
New windshield washer pump
New rear view mirrors (Defender style)
New Genuine matching door & ignition locks
New Genuine door lock ferrules
New Genuine door hinge bushings
New Genuine transmission tunnel cover
New Genuine rear tub supports & rubber pads
New Genuine spare tire carrier with lock pin
New Genuine hood latch pin and striker
New Genuine hood buffer strip - correct Lightweight-specific strip!
Lockable storage box in rear bed

[ducttape]

I don't know what is more impressive: the truck or the description. That is gorgeous.

[TriedStone]

I need to get at least $10/hr for my time.

Man you work cheap. Any chance I could get you to come work on mine? ;)

Good luck with the sale. Someone is going to get a GREAT deal! ECR quality for 10 bucks an hour!

I would like to see your camaro. Is it on another board? I can only imagine what its going to look like.

[jac04]

I would like to see your camaro. Is it on another board? I can only imagine what its going to look like.

Sent you a PM.

[TriedStone]

Ok forget the lightweight I want the Camaro.

[Outrovn]

Absolutely stunning! Now I'm dreaming of a lightweight! :thumb-up:

[Gilberto]

I have silently admired your work for a long time.
I am in Mexico and own a RHD 1969 Lightweight, probably the only one in Mexico.
My sincerest admiration and best wishes.

Cheers,

Gilberto

[Winemark]

Incredible truck, really beautiful. While out of my price range I hope a real lover of Rovers buys it, not just some tool with a lot of money

[jac04]

Thanks for the compliment. Don't worry, I wouldn't let that happen. That's why I've put out the word here and not on e-bay, autotrader, etc. Even if someone has the money and wants to buy it, I still get to decide if they are the right person to own it. :)

[msggunny]

Ive said it before and i will say it again. That thing is disgusting.

Disgustingly clean and pretty.

Too bad its not a diesel and doesnt have an OD and disk brakes.....

[Momo]

Hey Jac, I submitted your truck to bringatrailer.com and it went up this morning. Good luck with the sale!

[JackIIA]

http://bringatrailer.com/category/british/


some nice comments from the BAT peanut gallery too. and that is not an easy crowd to please.

[wldkgdm]

Absolutely stunning. Fantastic work. Very impressive.

[jac04]

Thanks.
I hope there is someone out there that can give this vehicle a loving home. Otherwise, it looks like this is the way it will be spending its time for the foreseeable future:

[jac04]

Here is a picture showing the Badger door tops:

[ducttape]

I looked on the badger site and didn't find those door tops. Does anyone have a handle on alternative tops for doors?

Thx

BTW, STILL a great looking truck.

[jac04]

Here they are:
http://www.badgercoachworks.com/index_files/Page309.htm (http://www.badgercoachworks.com/index_files/Page309.htm)
However, the price on the web site is outdated. They are now $575. :eek:

Anyhow, they supposedly work well on civilian Series vehicles. They required a significant amount of 'tweaking' to be used on my Lightweight. Chris advised that he will not offer these for sale to Lightweight owners because they won't fit "out of the box".

Keep in mind the purpose of the Badger door tops. They are intended to be used as a quick on-and-off, lightweight, and easy to transport door top during the months when you normally run without door tops. You use them in case of a pop-up thunderstorm or driving home on a Fall evening after the sun has gone down. The plastic window unzips, but only so you can pay a toll or pick up a coffee at Dunkin Donuts. They are not intended to be normal every day door tops.

For new door tops, take a look at Rocky Mountain aluminum door tops. They are reasonably priced and well made.

[DuckDoc]

Beautiful. Stunning.....but enough about me!

No, seriously, your truck is absolutely gorgeous. If only I didn't have 7 trucks already! What can I say.......love is in the air......

[mrdoiron]

Jac04, anyone -

Any idea where I can find new rear upper body panels and associated galv caps for the Lightweight ? (sample pic enclosed ref).

thanks , mike

[jac04]

Mike-
PA Blanchard has the entire assemblies listed as still being available (Item #1 on the diagram).
RTC2229 = RH = 335 GBP
RTC2230 = LH = 265 GBP
Not too bad of a deal if shipping isn't too expensive.

[mrdoiron]

excellent, thanks alot ! the existing panels are bowed and beat up... need to fix that...

[Gremlin]

First thought-impression was WOW! Secretly was hoping this was Tata's new rover for NA. How did you do the Desert Rat, by stencil, by hand, decal?

[jac04]

^^ I had decals made.

[jac04]

Remember, a restored Land Rover Lightweight makes a great Christmas gift! :)

My 68 Camaro restoration project is back in full swing, so my focus on vehicles has changed. The Lightweight has been tucked away in storage mode for a few months now, and will likely remain there for quite some time. It would be nice to see it go to a good home where it would actually get used.

[AU_88]

Wow... I love it. Definitely cant afford it, but it encourages me to put some quality work into my RRC and new to me IIa, and maybe someday my IIa will look that nice and I can start looking for a lightweight. :thumb-up:

[jac04]

It's springtime again, and the Lightweight is out of hibernation & patrolling the streets of East Granby, CT.

I won't have much time to enjoy this vehicle after my other project comes home from the body shop this summer/fall. I'd like to see this go to a good home where someone will use it more than I do.

Additional pictures:

With the Badger Coachworks door tops on and the canvas down:
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j126/jac04/RoverStuffOct2011008-1.jpg
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j126/jac04/RoverStuffOct2011009.jpg

Interior:
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j126/jac04/LtwtInterior8.jpg

Checking out the articulation on the parabolics (can't risk getting the tires dirty!):
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j126/jac04/Articulation002.jpg
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j126/jac04/Articulation001.jpg

A little dusty, but I'll detail the undercarriage before delivery of the vehicle:
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j126/jac04/LandRoverMarch2012010.jpg

I also installed mud flaps front & rear. You can kind of see them in this picture.
(I guess I shouldn't call them mud flaps, they're more there just in case I run over something dirty on the pavement, yikes!)
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j126/jac04/LandRoverMarch2012001.jpg

[ducttape]

Could be one of the nicest cars I've ever seen.

[derekchace]

Amazing JAC.....I remember looking at that Rover before you bought it and saying that way to much work to get drivable never mind restored. Lighweight go for a lot more money in the UK. Might we worth listing it on MILWEB.NET

[jac04]

I may also be interested in a trade for a Defender 90 (although it would have to be a nice D90, LHD).

Forgot to mention: The Lightweight now has a new Roverdrive installed. Makes the vehicle a lot more road-friendly.

[Partsman]

I've seen this Lightweight in person, it's every bit as beautiful as it seems in the pics, believe me. Well worth the asking price!!
~Harvey~

[Broadstone]

Jac, PM sent.

[jac04]

I'll bump this up again. The Lightweight is about to lose it's "center stage" spot in the garage and get tucked off in a corner.
I'd like to see this go to a good home where someone will enjoy it more than I do. Current mileage since the restoration is 2500.

This is about to come home (the body shop only has a few more trim pieces and the convertible top to put on):

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j126/jac04/Camaro9-14-12001a.jpg

[ducttape]

I can't believe no one has bit. I see the math at the top but tears come to my eyes if I read too far in. Has anything changed price wise? PM me if you don't want to make a general announcement. (or risk having my wife see the reply)

[jac04]

Has anything changed price wise?
Well, not really. If anything, I think it has gone up due to the addition of the Roverdrive.
However, feel free to make me an offer. The worst that can happen is I say "No".

[jac04]

The Lightweight was recipient of the Best Military Vehicle trophy at the Simsbury Fly-In this past weekend.

Lots of nice show cars combined with lots of families with little kids = people complaining about kids getting too close to their cars. What fun is being a kid at a car show if you can't touch something? So, I invited a few families to enjoy the Land Rover. Their kids invited other kids, and I think at one point there were 8 kids in the Lightweight. A good day!
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j126/jac04/LandRoverFly-In2012001.jpg

[Partsman]

Hey cograts on the trophy. I can't believe no one has snatched this thing up yet! I think it's great you let the kids enjoy the truck, that's what they're for after all.

[jac04]

Springtime is just around the corner - the perfect time to enjoy cruising around in a soft-top Lightweight. It's a shame to see it just sit in the garage. PM me if interested or to arrange a showing.

All tucked away for the winter:
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j126/jac04/Lightweight12112003.jpg

A few more pics of what currently has my full attention:
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j126/jac04/Camaro2-22-13005_zpsee43723f.jpg
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j126/jac04/Camaro3-1-13001_zps9335ea78.jpg
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j126/jac04/Camaro3-7-13002_zps446c751c.jpg

[jac04]

Well, I finally finished the restoration of my 68 Camaro, so the Lightweight isn't getting used. I think I drove it 6 - 8 times this summer.

I would love to see the Lightweight go to a good home. I'm actually willing to offer a finder's fee to anyone who finds the right person to buy the Lightweight.

This is why I don't drive the Lightweight any more:
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j126/jac04/Camaro9-29-13007_zpsfe89f3be.jpg

[jac04]

I have updated my original post, as I am now getting more serious about selling the Lightweight.
Asking price is $35,000.

[jac04]

I would like to see the Lightweight go to a good home for the summer. Otherwise, it will just sit in my garage most of the time and go to an occasional car show.

Asking price dropped to $29,900. All reasonable offers considered.

[jac04]

The Lightweight has been sold.

I hope I don't regret it too much.

[derekchace]

what did it end up selling for if I may ask?

[jac04]

what did it end up selling for if I may ask?
I'm too embarrased to tell.

At $30k I was looking to break even. Luckily, I just went back through all my receipts from the build. Apparently, when I added everything up, I failed to realize that some of the invoices (some very substantial ones too) were credits. So, I had about $8k less into it than I originally thought. So, I ended up making $1k. That means I worked on it for $1/hr. Still way better than paying for professional therapy I guess!!

[rwollschlager]

The Lightweight has been sold.

I hope I don't regret it too much.

you may not, but I will. Will you still be attending British by the Sea? If you don't mind me asking, where is it heading off to?

-Rob

[jac04]

Rob-
It's headed off to Minnesota, so we won't get to see it around here.

I may go to BBTS as a spectator (plus, my brother-in-law and nephew will probably go).

Don't tell anyone, but I may end up getting a 2014 J**p Rubicon X 2-door to scratch my off-road itch. That way I can actually use it a little and not feel bad about ruining something that I spent a bunch of time on. Plus, I'm getting old and it's time for an automatic transmission, air conditioning, a decent heater, seating for 4, not to mention front & rear lockers, electronic sway bar disconnect, etc.

For the time being, I'm through with the hard-core restoration stuff. If my son (or daughter) wants to tackle a car project when they're a little older, I'm up for helping out, but otherwise I really don't have any more desire to spend countless hours in the garage. Like I said, I guess I'm getting old. Hehehe.