New 66 Series IIA Project

[mrmoose]

Story goes as this, it was given to me after plowing snow for 25 years. It is extremely rough, I haven't got a huge amount of money, the idea is to get it functional, safe and good looking and get it onto the road. First things first The frame is garbage everywhere behind the seats and everything in front of the front axles with a few rough spots in between, Don't have money for a new frame and I'm real handy with a welder. I've got it mostly stripped, was planning to leave in the bulkhead and drivetrain and do all the welding and cutting around that. We'll see how it goes. I've got some pictures I'll add later on.

[mrmoose]

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As promised a few pictures. Going to start chopping at it soon but I need to come up with a game plan first. Need to find the solidest parts of the frame and decide where I can weld and tie into it without blowing through.

[parrie]

Certainly has potential. Take a good look at the front spring horns...looks like someone may have already did some repair, or maybe that's part of the plow rigging? Also take a good look at the rear crossmember, typical problem area. How do the bulkhead & door pillars look? Keep us posted on your progress. Good Luck!

[mrmoose]

Yeah the rear crossmember has some rot at the bottom on both sides where it meets the frame rails. It's the least of my worries, the entire frame needs work.

[parrie]

Yeah the rear crossmember has some rot at the bottom on both sides where it meets the frame rails. It's the least of my worries, the entire frame needs work.

Check out the Guns and Rovers forum, they have a parts section and occasionally a frame will come up for sale cheap or free. Can also post a "Wanted" thread.

[o2batsea]

There looks to be roughly 12-15 thousand worth of body and chassis repair there as it sits. The engine and drive train may possibly suck down an equal or greater amount. If you are prepared to spend that, then go ahead by all means. However you will find that the costs for parts involves far more than just clicking a mouse on a web store. You will have to get dialed in to the Series owners network and try to convince a bunch of hoarders to give up their treasures.
On these vehicles, the chassis tends to rust from the inside outwards. That means by the time you see rust holes in the frame rails, it is probably pretty bad...usually like new chassis bad. A new chassis will run you roughly $4000 plus shipping.
I am not trying to throw a wet blanket on your excitement and this truck certainly deserves a quality restoration, but it isn't an easy build like a VW beetle or a Mustang where you can get parts easily and fairly cheap. These types of builds can easily stall for weeks and even months while you try to scrounge a critical part.

[cedryck]

Congratulations, In my humble opinion, if that frame is that far gone, look for a good used one, they do pop up. And of course you will not spend so much on one as a new one. ($$).
Take one thing at a time, be diligent and do it right. Have fun,. '

[ccbullet]

Mr. Moose, I'm in the same boat. Just posted my project as well. See you around on here to compare notes...

[mrmoose]

Haha, Thanks everybody for the warm welcome. To the wet blanket guy. I'm not going to listen to you:p for lack of funds, sticking my head in the sand seems like the best option right now.
When I said handy with a welder I wasn't joking. I haven't got $4000 to blow on a new frame plus shipping what I do have is a mostly rotten frame, a Haynes manual with a bunch of measurements, a welder and a truck full of 3/16" steel. This is not going to be any big restoration this os going to be an adventure. I know some of you guys are cringing at the thought of that. This is purely going to be fix it up, get it to pass a safety and make it look mostly decent so others can enjoy my 66 Rover as much as me.

[cedryck]

Then repair what needs to be repaired with the welder, and make it a structurally sound driver to enjoy.

[o2batsea]

Haha, Thanks everybody for the warm welcome. To the wet blanket guy. I'm not going to listen to you:p for lack of funds, sticking my head in the sand seems like the best option right now.
When I said handy with a welder I wasn't joking. I haven't got $4000 to blow on a new frame plus shipping what I do have is a mostly rotten frame, a Haynes manual with a bunch of measurements, a welder and a truck full of 3/16" steel. This is not going to be any big restoration this os going to be an adventure. I know some of you guys are cringing at the thought of that. This is purely going to be fix it up, get it to pass a safety and make it look mostly decent so others can enjoy my 66 Rover as much as me.

Ha ha yourself! Have been thru this enough times to be able to tell you that the chassis is the least of your issues. Hope it comes together for you. Lets see where you are a year from now! Highly recommend that you get the chassis galvanized once you have completed repairs. It'll be one of those things you'll wish you'd done if you don't!

[mrmoose]

Started going through the motions. I've got it all apart except for the bulkhead and driveline, the breakfast plate got some repairs and it's ready for paint, the lower door frames are next then it'll be tackling the bulkhead, hopefully by that time I'll be ablke to roll the thing in and start chopping at the frame, I realized a little while ago that maybe the head gasket was blown then all of a sudden it got really bad and all the coolant drained into the crank overnight, did a compression check and have between 120-130 on all except one second from the back which is 80psi. Also what do you think of my paint colour, not quite the same but the paint on there isn't original and it covers up the marine blue that it had before as you can see in some places and inside the vehicle.
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[mrmoose]

I've gotten busy with other projects but I'm back at the Rover now. It's fully torn apart now and I started into the Bulkhead, new Pillars and feet and now I'm most of the way through getting the new footwells into it.

[mrmoose]

Some pictures of the bulkhead and frame.
I'm not quite finished with the bulkhead yet, the frame needs a few more outriggers and it's done. Then I suppose I've got to finally decide on paint and start bolting it back together.

[cnfowler]

Lookin' good!



Colin

[mankins]

Mr. Moose-

Let your finances, interests and desires guide you. My take on it is that it is your vehicle and you should do with it what you will. Folks have been fixing up cars since the first ones were made and not all of them get or deserve high-dollar restorations. I really like to see all types of builds, but find its so much fun watching a build where someone is getting by on his wits and skills rather than his checkbook. Enjoy!

[mrmoose]

Mr. Moose-

Let your finances, interests and desires guide you. My take on it is that it is your vehicle and you should do with it what you will. Folks have been fixing up cars since the first ones were made and not all of them get or deserve high-dollar restorations. I really like to see all types of builds, but find its so much fun watching a build where someone is getting by on his wits and skills rather than his checkbook. Enjoy!

Thank You Mankins, was starting to wonder if I was in the wrong place, this seems to be an old boys club, no new guys allowed and especially nobody that isn't going to do a high dollar restoration. I'm the first to admit I'm new to Rovers and this has been a learning curve already but like everybody says, they
re really not so hard to work on. I may not be doing this all the right way with original parts but I'm going to save this old girl and fix it up so it can see many more years, I've already saved it from the scrap yard. Once it's complete I will have it going for many many years to come and maybe someday if money allows I'll do it all up to the highest of standards.

[mrmoose]

I have a few questions about tires and Leaf springs.
I need four new tires but can't for the life of me find a good sized tire, I've searched and it seems everyone has different sized tires. I'm running he original ten spline axles and the original 2.25 petrol without Overdrive 16" rims, does anybody know of a good all around size tire that is as close to stock as possible?
Also I need new leaf springs in the front and shocks all around. Where would you folks go about getting them? The only Rovers place I can find in Canada is 3 brothers but they haven't got leaf springs, originals or parabolics.

I sent a blurb out to my grandfather who knows the two previous owners of the Rover and in return I was sent a picture from 1987 of the man that saved this Rover from a field and got it going before he sold it to the man that gave it to me. It's neat to think that it looks a lot the same even then, same lights and plow harness that it came to me with.
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[SafeAirOne]

If you don't want to run one of the few 750x16 bias ply tires left out there, 235 85-16 radials are about as close as you'll probably get.

There are a few other considerations as well, but that's the overall gist of it.

Rocky Mountain sells parabolic and they're in Canada: http://parabolicsprings.com/

[mrmoose]

Sorry I haven't been around in a goodly long time. I got the frame buttoned up and then needed the garage space for a few other projects and it got pushed off in the shed. I've dragged old Rosie out now though and after a little planning and finding a cracked head and seeing the cost of new swivel balls and just rebuilding in general of both axles I've decided to do a driveline swap. The donor a 1991 Toyota pickup was happy to give up it's 22RE mated to a w56 trans with what I believe is a chain drive transfercase. I was planning to use the rear axle and find a suitable front but if I can find a truck with a front narrow enough I might grab the rear as well to avoid having to put new gears in one. The front is a passenger offset and the rear is a center pumpkin. I've got the motor mounted in Rosie and since it's such a long transmission will have some playing to do with the transfercase shifter, had to pull the fan too and will be using an electric fan in front of the stock Toyota rad. Since I've got the parts I'll be doing a powersteering swap using the Toyota pump and box. Hopefully whatever front axle I find has discs and I plan to do a servo swap too.

I'll throw in a few pictures to keep you guys happy. Started painting the tub and the bulkhead and only need another warm day or two for the final coats and then they can go back on. so far the actual amount into old Rosie is right around $2000 I think maybe a bit more but I bought a bunch of parts planning to use the original motor and driveline and they will go with the motor and axles when they are sold.

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[mrmoose]

Not sure why this picture is always upside down, everytime.
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[o2batsea]

What engine and transmission is that? Was the Rover one no good?

[o2batsea]

What engine and transmission is that? Was the Rover one no good?
Just saw the post re toyota swap. Should speed things along over refurbishing all the Rover bits.

[erik88lr]

Not sure why this picture is always upside down, everytime.
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It's the powers that be way of telling you that a Toyota engine isn't quite right for a Landy. ;)
But if it works for you, more power to you.

Enjoy your project.

[mrmoose]

The powers at be telling me that only the Australians want Toyota parts in their Rovers.:rolleyes:
The Rover motor had a cracked head, I was planning to use it but I think it will be more worthwhile swapping it out entirely, I doubt it will cost much more to do a complete swap then to rebuild the axles and get a new head with hardened valve seats. This way I end up with a motor thats more powerful, more efficient and easier to find parts for. Not so easy getting Rover parts up in Canada.

[jimrr]

I too was going to suggest waiting for a frame to come up for sale but seeing you were: A. young, and B. capable , I have to say, that frame looks fine, good work. When I was your age neither would I of waited but started welding NOw!!, and it wouldn't of looked as good as your work so press on, revive this thread and send some pics once in a while. I have the last 3 sold on the west coast outside alaska and I wish I had a Series 2-2A just for the all metal dash.

[Les Parker]

Great thread. The frame work looks stellar, keep the flow going.

[mrmoose]

Thanks for the vote of confidence from everyone and thanks for the compliments. I actually quite impressed myself with the work that I did on the frame. Looking back on it it's not the hardest thing I've had to do since it's all just straight lines and holding it square was easy thanks to the jig.

Next is axles. It appears the axle from the 91 is 8 whole inches wider than the series axle which I WAYY too much so I'm stumped again. To go with that axle I picked up a front from a 1980 FJ60 but it seems like It's going to be far to wide too. It's hard because I get an idea and go through with it realizing finally that it most likely wont work and it will be hard to get my money back out of it.

I think next I might start on the seatbox. I'm going to make a new box from scratch to avoid cutting up an original one, also i can't weld the aluminum original box. Plan is to only seat two up front, the box will curve back around the shift levers. I'g included a rough sketch.
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[o2batsea]

ditch the seat box and just make a traditional flat floor and box in the tunnel. That will let you use any seats.

[mrmoose]

This is a thought that I have been entertaining but I think That I will go with the seat box and keep it sort of Roveresque in the cab. I also want to build and underseat box on the passenger side for the battery and the fuel pump.

[o2batsea]

You gotta figure a way to get the gearsticks moved forward. You can't really shift with it next to your butt like that no matter how you slice it. You're reaching behind yourself almost! Then your seatbox problem goes away.
You could shift the entire engine fwd, put radiator behind the seats. But I fear the engine and transmission package you have chosen is too long to fit well.

[mrmoose]

Yeah I've been thinking about that. So far I have come up with nothing useful, there are cable shift kits made but it seems not for this trans and transfercase. All I have been able to come up with so far is to cut up the gearshift and make up a new one that bends forwards and away from the driver to get it into the right position but that still leaves the transfercase shifter back next to the seat which I think that I could live with. If anybody has any ideas about relocating these shifters It would be much appreciated. I've got the engine shoved as far forward as I can already and the transfercase is already a forward shift.

[erik88lr]

Yeah I've been thinking about that. So far I have come up with nothing useful, there are cable shift kits made but it seems not for this trans and transfercase. All I have been able to come up with so far is to cut up the gearshift and make up a new one that bends forwards and away from the driver to get it into the right position but that still leaves the transfercase shifter back next to the seat which I think that I could live with. If anybody has any ideas about relocating these shifters It would be much appreciated. I've got the engine shoved as far forward as I can already and the transfercase is already a forward shift.

You might need to use a remote shifter. Something like this: http://www.mustangsplus.com/tech/speedshifter/index.html

[mrmoose]

Remote shifters is an idea that I never even thought about or had even heard about for that matter. After doing some more research on it seems completely possible. I will have to start playing with that when I ever get Rosie back into the garage. it's been -20C here for two weeks and Rosie is just sitting under a tarp waiting for it's turn in the garage to come up.

[o2batsea]

Have you resolved the issue with the transmission being too long?