New Here, Question on a 1970 IIa purchase

[jpc1818]

Im new to this forum, i have owned a few "newer' rovers, but this potential purchase will be my first series.

I have my eye on a 1970 series IIa bugeye.
Its body looks ok, hasn't ran in a few years.
Looks like it needs some serious attention.
Owner wants me to make an offer, whats something like that worth?

Thank in advance- James

[czenkov]

More information is required. Where is it and where has it been? Northeast? Southwest? The point is Check the frame. How rusty is it? Is the vehicle complete? What is it missing? WHat top does it have?

So it hasn't ran in a while. Why? Do you know?

THe bugeye is a bit of a rare one. It was a transitional between the headlights in the breakfast and being moved out to the wings before they set them into the wing on the late IIa's. But you probably know that already. So that adds value. EDIT: ARgh - thats right would be '68-'69?

Overall condition is the big determiner here and we don't have enough info. PICS?

Good luck with the purchase. You will love it.

[greenmeanie]

You might want to read the bug eye thread in the stickies because a '70 shouldn't be a bug eye. Might just be a terminology thing of course.

Pictures, pictures, pictures. Chassis, interior and everything else you can get your hands on. People here will pick up on things you would never imagine to mention.

[Eric W S]

Bugeyes don't necessarily add any value to the buyer. All you care about is the lowest price.

Easiest thing to do is go to ebay and find a similar truck and then deduct points for problems specific to that truck.

[thixon]

This may or may not help you, so keep that in mind.

I've bought a bunch of old brit cars from people over the years. I sort of have a set plan of attack at this point which involves low balling the crap out of the owner, and justifying it by pointing out every possible negative detail. Its embarrasing to watch me do this, but I have no shame anyway.

Its true, you did'nt give much info to work with, but based on what you did give, I have at least some advice.

Edit - forgot to mention that the block need not have a giant hole in it, and frame needs to be in good order...now read on.


Bugeye shmugeye. Even if it is, don't even bring that up. Never focus on any detail that could add value to the car while negotiating.
If the truck is fairly complete but doesnt run, hasnt in a while, and has a dented up body with a rusty bulkhead offer him $1500 bucks and be done with it. Give him the old "heres my number if you change your mind" routine, and walk away when he laughs. Chances are there's a lot wrong with it by virture of the sitting its been doing. He's really just selling a bolted together collection of parts, even if he doesnt look at it that way. He probably won't bite, but I bet he'll bite at a price close to that. People aren't banging his door down right now to buy it. Any time you're bidding on a non runner, you have the advantage.

Whats your motivation here? Do you want a project, or do you want a running driver? If you want a driver, pony up the cash for a runner.

I apologize in advance if this truck is being sold by anyone I know. :D

[scott]

price? i paid 3 yrs ago $5k for my 64 iia swb. jump right in it and drove it 780 miles home. started off road'n right away too. so far all my major post purchase expsenses have been due to potatohead mistakes i have made...gunning it on a steep rutty climb = new rear diff and axles, put in a spin-on oil filter adapter backasswards = new motor. oh yeah, little things would die or go out of adjustment so it's been towed home more than a few times but it's still a blast to own, drive and work on.

so what i'm saying one in good working order between $4 & 7K, one 95 to 100% restored $15-20k so long as the po wasn't the dali lama

my bud badvibes knew a series owner years ago. would give him grief for running around in an old funny look'n 4x4, even offered to buy it off him i think but the guy wouldn't part with it. ran into him after about 15 years and asked if he still had it. the guy replied yes but it's been sit'n in the driveway for years not running. badvibes offered him $500 and now he has it

and i second the bugeye comments of thix. a bugeye is just a late model iia with early wings and headlights off the breakfast

[Leslie]

Chassis and bulkhead condition are critical. If the chassis and bulkhead are solid and needs no repairs, you can deal with getting it running.

IMHO... if it's in need of a replacement chassis, bulkhead work, and doesn't run/isn't drivable for some reason, it'd be below $1000.

[jpc1818]

Yea, i have owned a bunch of MG's, porsches and so on. I really like these trucks. Im in the northeast (long island) and was thinking about taking a discovery and making into a surf/beach mobile. But the series trucks are really beautiful/cool and it will be utilized for surf trips, drives and some off-roading. There is a 1970 on ebay for 17k right now. Mine looks just like it, (same fiberglass top). LINK
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Land-Rover-88-1970-Land-Rover-Series-IIa-88_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ6296QQihZ006QQitemZ1 60309816376QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW#ht_500wt_1216

I will try to take some pictures,

FYI, i was thinking of offering 1k, but we will see.

Thanks for the replies

James

[crankin]

Everyone is pushing the bulkhead and frame...
This is because the whole frame will be about $2500-3000 and the bulkhead can be $1600-$2500.

And of course you have to break the whole thing down to replace them both. Now your tearing things apart and finding out that the heater, brake lines, seat box, tub supports, etc...are all rusting away and have to be replaced.

Then before you know it, parts are laying all over the yard and basement, people begin to yell at you because you work on it all the time, the neighbors start complaining about all the noise you're making (because you're grinding bolts off that have rusted tight)... and all you do is wait for a nice day so that you can finish stripping all the paint off the panels.

So, one night you find yourself hunched over your work bench, crying because of all this POR-15 that as spilled all over your hands and floor and for the love of God you can not figure out how to get it off.

You wipe the tears from your eyes and walk upstairs thinking you'll try to make yourself feel better about this whole thing and decide to add up all the receipts for items that you have bought. As you hit the buttons on the calculator, it all comes to an awful realization that you have over $7k in parts for a 72" SWB that you paid $4k for...um..uh... wait....... Oh why, why didn't I check the frame and bulkhead?! ARGHH!

[jpc1818]

nice, im loving it.
I will defiantly check out the frame and bulkhead.
-James

[sven]

Everyone is pushing the bulkhead and frame...
This is because the whole frame will be about $2500-3000 and the bulkhead can be $1600-$2500.

And of course you have to break the whole thing down to replace them both. Now your tearing things apart and finding out that the heater, brake lines, seat box, tub supports, etc...are all rusting away and have to be replaced.

Then before you know it, parts are laying all over the yard and basement, people begin to yell at you because you work on it all the time, the neighbors start complaining about all the noise you're making (because you're grinding bolts off that have rusted tight)... and you all you do is wait for a nice day so that you can finish stripping all the paint off the panels.

So, one night you find yourself hunched over your work bench, crying because of all this POR-15 that as spilled all over your hands and floor and for the love of God you can not figure out how to get it off.

You wipe the tears from your eyes and walk upstairs thinking you'll try to make yourself feel better about this whole thing and decide to add up all the receipts for items that you have bought. As you hit the buttons on the calculator, it all comes to an awful realization that you have over $7k in parts for a 72" SWB that you paid $4k for...um..uh... wait....... Oh why, why didn't I check the frame and bulkhead?! ARGHH!


Best post ever!:thumb-up:

[greenmeanie]

What's worse is having just gone through the above and finally reached the stage where it is all bright and shiny and new looking. Then you suddenly realize that TV is boring, you don't give a damn about sports and the drinking is killing you. At that point you find yourself scanning the adds so you can do it all again.

$7K - man I can add that up in my head without even touchign the receipts for the snall stuff.

[Eric W S]

nice, im loving it.
I will defiantly check out the frame and bulkhead.
-James

If your planning on having a surf beach mobile, your going to have research the best ways to preserve the bulk head and frame as well.

I'd start with waxoyl if the frame is decent while saving for a galvanized frame. You'll also have to watch your bulkhead like a hawk. I'd even strip that and galvanize/paint it myself.

EwS

[Leslie]

Note to self: I didn't keep receipts the first time, and I'm not gonna this next time, either.....

[thixon]

Will all you guys come over one day and help me explain to my wife that I'm really not the "only one?"

I also need you to pay visits to the members of my HOA while you're at it!

[xsbowes]

Will all you guys come over one day and help me explain to my wife that I'm really not the "only one?"

I also need you to pay visits to the members of my HOA while you're at it!

If you are a member of a Rover Club have the next meeting at your house, you'll probably get half the neighborhood to buy a rover.

As far as the wife good luck, I can't even get my wife to take a short ride down the block. Especially after I made her ride from Hamburg Germany to Sicily in October of 2000. Although she says it was the best trip she ever had. But I'm workin' on her and the lightweight to get them more comfortable with each other.

[SafeAirOne]

2 things:

1) This link will be helpful when doing a pre-purchase inspection: http://www.lrfaq.org/Series/FAQ.S.look_for.html

2) I'm never going to try to sell a Rover to Travis!:D

[TCapelle]

Crakin's comments are hilarious and sad but true...

I have bought 3 series rovers in the last year at a price of less than 2k to 6k

When you have 5 rovers your wife and others start to ask really anoying questions like...

"why do you need 5 trucks that me and the family don't really want to ride in"

"Why does the garage smell like an old snowmobile"

"Were you running a chainsaw out here"

"Where are your keys so I can move the green rover to park the other green rover in the 3rd stall so I can mover the blue rover in the 2nd stall and park my station wagon in the garage?"

The old Charlie Brown trucks are a big undertaking- but there is something about them that just calls your name "buy me"

[crankin]

So...these trucks are like "The Field of Dreams" with Kevin Costner…

He was building something that everyone thought was crazy to do, took all his money, made him hear and see things...but in the end, man, did he have something sweet sitting in his yard that everyone wanted to come see.

[Rineheitzgabot]

I'm the token, Bugeye idiot, and all these guys are right, it doesn't mean jack-sh!t as far as value goes.

One of the RN people pointed out to me that it is quite possible that there are Bugeyes out there that are 1970's. FYI

Good luck in your pursuit. When you start working on it, and upgrading with certain mods, and your wife asks, after you excitedly show her the new roof rack you made, "Oh honey, that's a nice thingy that you made and fastened to the top of your truck, what do you plan on carrying up there?" You have no answer because up until now, it never occurred to you that it might have a practical use. You say something like, "You know, when I take the kids camping...". Yep. I had a plan the whole time.

This is purely hypethetical; it's not like this ever happened to me or anything.

[scott]

I'm the token, Bugeye idiot...

i wouldn't say you're an idiot, quite the contrary...you've already demonstrated a greater intelligence than the heep and yota owners:o

4x4's, they all break down, they all get stuck, so i chose to do it in a unique vic

[Tim Smith]

Best post ever!:thumb-up:Agreed. :)