Rarest Series Parts?

[Boruca]

People always ask me how hard it is to get parts for my Land Rover. I explain that it is quite easy and I have never had problems finding what I need. When recently asked I to thinking-- what are the hardest parts to find for a Series Land Rover?

My question to all of you:
What parts have you had the most difficulty tracking down? What parts would you be most worried about finding if you were doing a restoration? What is your "holy grail" of LR parts?

[jp-]

Oh no! :nono:

We tell you and you start buying them up.

I already pay enough as it is, I don't need another middleman.:)

[thixon]

Darn straight. Tell him JP

Travis
'66 IIa 88"

[spechols]

People always ask me how hard it is to get parts for my Land Rover. I explain that it is quite easy and I have never had problems finding what I need. When recently asked I to thinking-- what are the hardest parts to find for a Series Land Rover?

My question to all of you:
What parts have you had the most difficulty tracking down? What parts would you be most worried about finding if you were doing a restoration? What is your "holy grail" of LR parts?

An understanding wife.

[ctrover]

I want the 4 inch IIa usa spec amber lucas signal lenses.And the rectangular marker lights too with the chrome frames.Need the front ones .And the bottom rear little square reflectors with chrome frames.And an original brownchurch rack(with ladder) that slopes in the front to follow the hardtop roofline for a 88.And a cheap overdrive.They seem to be all in the uk.Thats all i can think of right now Santa

[TeriAnn]

I want the 4 inch IIa usa spec amber lucas signal lenses.

I have a complete assembly I plan toput on ebay soon. I guess I better hop to it.

[TeriAnn]

My question to all of you:
What parts have you had the most difficulty tracking down? What parts would you be most worried about finding if you were doing a restoration? What is your "holy grail" of LR parts?

A Series IIB bulkhead and front clip.

Soon just about everything. Not only is LR disontinuing Series parts, but so are aftermarket companies. Seems like everyone outside North American just upgrades to a 300tdi Defender so fewer and fewer people are buying Series parts.

[BackInA88]

I want the 4 inch IIa usa spec amber lucas signal lenses.And the rectangular marker lights too with the chrome frames.Need the front ones .And the bottom rear little square reflectors with chrome frames.And an original brownchurch rack(with ladder) that slopes in the front to follow the hardtop roofline for a 88.And a cheap overdrive.They seem to be all in the uk.Thats all i can think of right now Santa


The signal lens are available right now at RDS
http://www.roversdownsouth.com/lamps.htm
Some of the parts like the lens and rubbers you can still get from Moss Motors.
http://www.mossmotors.com/Shop/ViewProducts.aspx?PlateIndexID=29347

Steve

[greenmeanie]

Just to be a rivet counter I should point out that while they may be 4" lenses the RDS parts are not the OEM items. The OEM ones have three mounting screws as shown in the picture whilst the RDS ones have only 2. If it is OEM it should say L833 on the lense.

Having said that the place I found that had them had a good sense of humour about the price so you could afford to put four new RDS ones on for the price of one 'original' from them. For that kind of money I think I can do without one screw on each corner!

Oh, and this week there was an ebay auction for two used ones. Put in Land Rover Series and keep scrolling. I can't remember when it ended tho.

Cheers
Gregor

[leafsprung]

And the bottom rear little square reflectors with chrome frames


I have piles.

[ctrover]

I have piles.can i buy 2 from you?

[BackInA88]

I Mistyped I was refering to the rectangular marker lights not the signal lens.:o OPPS

I bought 5 used amber 4" lights a while back for my rig I still have some in the basement. Some had some cracks a little rust on the sockets but they fine for my daily driver.

[PH4]

Terri Ann, that is a little scarey. You do not think with the large number of 2.25s produced there will always be a demand?

[LWB109]

What parts would you be most worried about finding if you were doing a restoration?

Pitted aluminum and a badly rusted chassis and bulkhead?

Topping my list for an authentic restoration it would be :original upholstery as in elephant hide (available but expensive)and some nice original Avon tyres which are also still available(but expensive).

[leafsprung]

can i buy 2 from you?


sure email me at lemurstew@aol.com

[TeriAnn]

Terri Ann, that is a little scarey. You do not think with the large number of 2.25s produced there will always be a demand?
Nope. Most folks just replace the vehicle with a Newer Defender with a stronger turbo diesel that gets way better fuel mileage. To most of the world its about the same as having an American rancher with an old F-150 pickup in need of a lot of work and parts. Cheaper to scrap it & buy a better condition one. Its only the North Americans stuck with the old Land Rovers.

I maintain the Series parts Catalogue for British Pacific and every time I turn around I have to mark something NLA or remove it from the catalogue and when no aftermarket is equivalent, BP is sourcing companies with NOS part stocks just to keep parts on the shelf when LR discontinues them. There are some parts that only exist new in the parts pipeline.

As I recall, the largest size of oversize pistons have recently been discontinued along with 2.25 exhaust manifolds and the SIIA owners manual. New cylinder heads are 2.5L heads and require a metric bolt set to go with it. The 200tdi is the newest LR engine that will bolt onto a Series gearbox and even the cylinder heads, intake & exhaust manifolds have been discontinued for them.

Why do you think RN has started marketing aftermarket & OEM parts as Proline after spending years of marketing effort to convince LR owners that Genuine is better than even OEM? Because LR is discontinuing parts and RN is scrambling around for alternate sources of parts as well. RN just put up this "Proline" screen so customers could not see the behind the scene aftermarket product scourcing. That's a little scary to me because some brands I really trust and some I've had really poor luck with and prefer to avoid. And of course you can not accurately compare prices since you don't know the brand and RN has their own propriatory parts numbering system.

What's scarier to me is that fewer North Americans are buying Series parts, esp since petrol went over $3.00/gal. and the cost of parts from the UK has skyrocketed as the dollar has plunged. That means fewer orders from customers, = few orders from the US parts distributors = fewer parts sold by companies who make the parts = more genuine, OEM & aftermarket parts being discontinued. North American with only about 14K Series rigs sold new is the world's largest market for Series parts outside the UK and possibly including the UK.

Heck even Range Rover Classic and Disco I parts are being discontinued by Land Rover. At least many Defender parts fit Series rigs, so they are parts sources for non-purists.

[Donnie]

I have trouble finding fittigan pins, and framus valves, mostly. They are not being produced anymore, AND REALLY COSTLY TO BUY........DO$$NNIE

[jac04]

A few people have mentioned the 4" lenses. I just found one of these in my stash of Rover stuff:
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j126/jac04/100_1515.jpg
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j126/jac04/100_1516.jpg
http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j126/jac04/100_1522.jpg

[4flattires]

Jac04,

Don't be suprised if there is a visitor in your parts stash tonight.

Arrrgh! Nice!

Jeff

[jac04]

It's too bad that I don't even have a Rover any more, so I have no use for this 'rare' lens.

[Jim-ME]

Maybe the new owner of Rover will have a different attitude about older vehicles and parts than good old Ford did. We can only hope.
Jim

[ctrover]

I'll give you $10 for that lens.I live in ct

[Terrys]

I have piles.

Eat more roughage, and try warm soaks in the tub. That will help.

[jac04]

I'll give you $10 for that lens.I live in ct
PM me if you are really interested in the lens and we can discuss it.

[ctrover]

I cant pm you-it says your mailbox is full

[jac04]

Oops, sorry. It's clear now.:thumb-up:

[Tdi Guy]

I would put a iia or III bulkhead NOS.

[DiscoDave]

I haven't had a specific part I've not be ablne to run down, but then again I'm not a purist so whether it is NOS or not doesn't matter to me.

Someone did mention that LR was not stocking RRC and D1 parts anymore, and that was quite the oppostie from what I'd heard from the dealership parts manager a few weeks back. After hearing what I had in the barn he was almost ecstatic to inform me that they were going to continue stocking the first 300 part numbers or so (whatever that means) for the Classic and D1.

I've been lucky and have been able to find the parts I need with no issue; does anyone know if this statement is true or not?

[pvkd]

I have piles.

Are you describing a medical problem or an inventory problem?:D

[Jeff Aronson]

Breakfast panels for the II-A's need to be sourced from an old vehicle. Right hand side wing skins without side lights and heater inlets are considered NLA.

A number of items on the interior were replaced with substitutes that fit, but look different. When the choke cable broke on my II-A, I found that the original style cable with the small knob pressed on was impossible to source. I used the replacement Leyland one instead. I know that the Series II knobs used to open the scuttle vents are not made any more - these are just a couple of examples. There are usually substitute parts but it's not the same to use them.

Jeff

[leafsprung]

Are you describing a medical problem or an inventory problem?

Fortunately its the later. I apprieciate your interest in my colorectal heath though.

[I Leak Oil]

Your all dead wrong...The rarest series part is one that doesn't leak!:D
Jason T.

[siii8873]

The one item that I am having trouble finding is a static set of seat belts fro my SIII. If anyone has some that they are willing to part with I'm interested. The only part I really need is the post/buckle. My belts are OK.

[giorgio]

I will have to double check, but I think that I may still have the "post" buckle. at least one, but no longer have the belts, so I replaced the belts with generic ones, but I think that the post buckle is still there behind the seat.

1973 Series III 88

[Linus Tremaine]

The one item that I am having trouble finding is a static set of seat belts fro my SIII. If anyone has some that they are willing to part with I'm interested. The only part I really need is the post/buckle. My belts are OK.


I have some static belts from a very late IIA.. I dont know if they are the same as yours. Mine are from a pick up and mounted to the bulkhead behind the driver. Perhaps the buckles are the same?

[fruitpunch]

http://jalopnik.com/photogallery/DragLandy/1000749948

Forgot how to post pictures it's been a while since I have posted......

But surely some of the rarest parts are Series 1..... or may be things unique to NADA 109's....