today's barn find!!

[1961 109 WAGON]

saw this ten years ago on a back road close to home. i had no idea it would still be there!!1966 88, guy bought it new. the guy was in the british military. his first was a 1961 88, which is what was drove in the middle east then.. (kenya i think he said).
he took the engine out,as it started to smoke , it been on the ground covered since 1988!! engine is all the way torn down.the body was removed, frame rubber coated, no holes anywhere in frame, or patches!!!. the bulkhead has a small hole at the dimmer switch. anything you see missing off the body is in the back or in the barn. i found every thing that goes with it. tires are brand new from 1988 when it was parked, alittle dryrotted on the sides. i offered $500,, he took it, so im picking it up the saturday!
what kind of heater is in it?i have a smiths round, and a mark 5 in my 109, and they look nothing like this one. this gets air from beside the grill opening.
the front hubs i think are "spectra" i think, and turn freely, o, the front balls have NO pitting!!

[leafsprung]

Congrats. The heater is a kodiak mk 4


-Ike

[NC Rover]

Nice. Definitly has potential!

[Tim Smith]

That truck is absolutely awful!
:thumb-up:

And don't paint it when you get her going. That patina is perfect!

Let us know how it goes.

[Bostonian1976]

where's the barn? :D

[sven]

where's the barn? :D

Well, its sorta next to a barn :thumb-up:

Great find, Im jealous!

[autoguy]

nice, and a safari top too, I'm jelous :)

[1961 109 WAGON]

thanks . it has the hand throttle , vent screens, safari roof, lock out hubs, them side step thingys, and plenty of spiders and mice do. :thumb-up:
the engine is covered in front of it, the rest of the engine is in the back of it. i need to know if it would be cheaper to rebuild it (again) or try to find a good soild engine to drop in. my 61 109 has 96, 000 miles no oil leaks and doesnt use oil.
the guy wanted to drop a 231 v6 i it and i was like HELL NO!!:eek: keep it oem, but if i got to spend $4000 on a engine, what would you do??

[leafsprung]

keep it oem

oem is overrated

[yorker]

but if i got to spend $4000 on a engine, what would you do??

Hmmm I think i'd put a 225 V6 in- not the 231.:thumb-up:

[autoguy]

no oil leaks ? i thought that meant you where out of oil :D

my rover has an oil leak, it marks its territory :)

[Paul Rossmann]

Wow! Great find. Great truck! Great price! Looks like one I bought from some %#@#!!! up in Vermont, only he called it "refurbished." But that's another story.
There is a big thread on this forum about repowering a Series. Worth the read, but the gyst of it is; once you add power on the front, you will have to make sure the drive train can handle the extra torque and HP. There are several threads on that topic as well.
Good luck.

[1961 109 WAGON]

i got it home today. all 4 wheels where locked to the drums!! had to beat the wheels with a ten pound sledge!tires are holding air. the wheels did not free til about ten feet into the pull. i used my 109's winch for the unhill battle (68 feet) this unit has been in the same spot since 1987.
i did bleach wash it, it looks much better. ill take some pics sunday morning.

[1961 109 WAGON]

pics from today, after its cleaning. looks alot better than when i first found it:thumb-up:
i got EVERY interior trim parts. i got the two heat sheilds as well(carb/manifold) and (piece that bolt to the fan shroud)
most people trash them, im putting them on the 109. the rear windows dont open yet, there full of rust and mud

[Bostonian1976]

wow what a difference! that looks great! you may want to wax it now - I found that once I washed my old trucks that had been sitting, the paint started to rapidly wash off....

is the door trim around somewhere?

[xsbowes]

I used Beckson Marine plastic window channel on my windows. Its available in either black or white and single or double channel. It's sold in 8 ft. lengths for about $20-25 dollars. If you use the double on the rear windows of the safari top you will have to trim the rubber seal between the two windows. http://www.pleasureboatmarine.com/bechwitr1blb.html sells both the black and white.

[1961 109 WAGON]

yes, i have all the interior trim panels, even the parts that go around your head in the back.all will have to be recovered , most parts crack when touched. i am going to buy a truck cab for it as well as a soft top once i get it running and and the bugs worked out.
as some may have noticed, i am missing the rod and yellow 4x4 knob, it isnt under the floor panel, i looked all over where it should be

[Jeff Aronson]

The red and yellow knobs are available new, as are most of the interior parts and instruments [they can be refurbished too].

The vehicle looks like a great find. You'll find plenty to do, but one of the joys of a Series Land Rover is that you can usually get it running while refurbishing it.

Leave the engine as is until you've run the car with it. The 2.25, running well, is perfectly suited to the suspension and braking capabilities of the Rover.

Badger Coachworks on Cape Cod does terrific work reupholstering the elephant hide seats. They have a website, too.

Keeps us posted - we're all quite jealous!

Jeff