Galvanized chassis, Marsland vs Richards?

[Mountain132]

What seems to be the major difference between the 2, any preferance?

[Leslie]

What seems to be the major difference between the 2, any preferance?

If I'm correct, Marsland acquired Land Rover's frame jigs and make a perfect SIII chassis, available galvanized or not.

Richards works in lower numbers, and builds specific chassis; if you want a SIIa chassis instead of a SIII chassis (minor differences, they are exchangeable w/ each other but there are some details that vary), then you can get a SIIa-specific one from Richards, but not from Marsland.

[zayante]

Availability from US suppliers is probably a lot of it, unless you are paying to have a single frame shipped over.

Richards reportedly taps/chases the holes. They list both 88 and 109 chassis, including 1 ton and 6 cylinder variations. There's a removable transmission cross-member option.

I was surprised that Marsland doesn't list the 109 chassis on their web site, just the 88 and LW 88 Airportable.

I've always been interested in a 109 coiler conversion. I don't know whether either company would build one as a special order. I read somewhere that Richards would.

[Leslie]

Allow me to amend that; it appears as though Marsland does also have a SII/SIIa chassis, but I've yet to see such offered stateside, I've only seen SIII Marslands...

[Leslie]

I've always been interested in a 109 coiler conversion. I don't know whether either company would build one as a special order. I read somewhere that Richards would.

Designa is the only one I know of that does a Series-coiler conversion chassis.

[HybridIIA]

I've always been interested in a 109 coiler conversion.

Here you go: http://louisville.craigslist.org/pts/1534490054.html. I built my truck on a similar foundation and am very happy with it.

[zayante]

Here you go: http://louisville.craigslist.org/pts/1534490054.html. I built my truck on a similar foundation and am very happy with it.

Thanks, Mogly406 and Leslie.

[TedW]

It appears that our illustrious hosts sell both.

[My wife said no landy!]

Being new here, I'll have a lot of questions...so might as well start with the frame...what about serial numbers??? Do people stamp new numbers on their frames?

I am looking for a late 50s to early 60s II or I to slowly restore, and so far most have bad frames. Would a replacement frame be a perfect replacement...or should i keep looking till I find one with a good frame?

[Terrys]

I saw a Richards at DAP one day last year and was impressed with it's quality. I've done 2 using Marsland and there were moments of frustration.
Marsland builds theirs using two sections, welded on the CL, top and bottom, sort of like this: []
Richards builds theirs as Land Rover did, using 4 seperate flat plates, welded at the corners.
When and if I can dig the '69 PU out from under the rubble, my son is going to use a Richards.

[jac04]

^^Terry, my Marsland was welded in the corners and not like []. Interesting.

[My wife said no landy!]

I saw a Richards at DAP one day last year and was impressed with it's quality. I've done 2 using Marsland and there were moments of frustration.
Marsland builds theirs using two sections, welded on the CL, top and bottom, sort of like this: []
Richards builds theirs as Land Rover did, using 4 seperate flat plates, welded at the corners.
When and if I can dig the '69 PU out from under the rubble, my son is going to use a Richards.

Thanks!
What about the vin numbers? Did you use a hammer to punch your old frame's numbers on the new frame...or would Richards do this with the correct font/number punch?

Edit: I just checked out the Richards site, and it seems they make two different chassis...A production Chassis, and a Replica Chassis; http://www.richardschassis.co.uk/series-chassis/series-ii.html ...probably why you both saw different chassis...

[TedW]

I saw a Richards at DAP one day last year and was impressed with it's quality. I've done 2 using Marsland and there were moments of frustration.

I've read (and heard) similar comments about Marslands from various sources - and lots of positive comments, too.

I've heard good (but no bad) comments about Richards chassis; that could just be because Marslands might have been sold in the US longer so there are more of them around to critique.

Has anyone had any problems with their Richards chassis?

Any other comments on Richards, pro or con?

[martindktm]

Mine is a MarsLand and so far im very happy and have no concern yet. And it is also built in 4 sections like the original one.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_wprKvXHKgAQ/S_cZdeKKE1I/AAAAAAAAD_U/Qwvh2V2GRpg/s800/IMG_0721.JPG

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_wprKvXHKgAQ/TEI0n4Fp9NI/AAAAAAAAEKQ/vjaMuG7Qa7o/s800/IMG_0857.JPG

[jac04]

What about the vin numbers? Did you use a hammer to punch your old frame's numbers on the new frame...
I suppose you could do this, but I'm not sure about the legality of re-stamping a VIN. With my Lightweight, I just cut out the right front section of the frame that had the VIN stamped in it (along with enough material to prove that it's a Lightweight chassis). I cleaned it, used rust converter on it, then packed it away.

[martindktm]

Well thats the last time I saw the old frame...maybe now recycled into a Kia who knows and the numbers went away with it...Gone into rust.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_wprKvXHKgAQ/S_xvzmzrFiI/AAAAAAAAECs/Yoxj4euqWRM/s800/IMG_0766.JPG

[My wife said no landy!]

I have been following your thread on the Quebec 4x4 forum, at least it looks like yours :) ...will you have to have it inspected by the SAAQ after all the work is done? Won't they give you a hard time if there is no serial number on the chassis?

BTW...Great job :thumb-up:



Well thats the last time I saw the old frame...maybe now recycled into a Kia who knows and the numbers went away with it...Gone into rust.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_wprKvXHKgAQ/S_xvzmzrFiI/AAAAAAAAECs/Yoxj4euqWRM/s800/IMG_0766.JPG

[martindktm]

Yes its me on Québec 4x4. I don`t think the SAAQ will give me trouble. They probably don`t know if the original frame was stamped or not. And I know the guy who does the inspection locally. Anyway the old one was so rusted that I didn`t find the numbers nowhere myself and with all the picture I have of the old rusted frame it will be easy to proove.

In the worse case I will puch the body number on it if they make me trouble.

[jp88]

Looked at the Quebec 4x4 site. Too bad I slept through french class in high school. it would have actually proved useful for once!

[Terrys]

^^Terry, my Marsland was welded in the corners and not like []. Interesting.
Jeff, you're right, as usual. Other than my having frustrations using the Marsland, forget what I said re it's build. It is the Defender chassis they do in 2 sections []. I like typing those 2 brackets.

[AAXD]

my Stage 1 chassis is two C channels as well. Not sure about the late Series 3 109 chassis as the Stage 1 chassis is unique. I plan on ordering a late IIA specific Richards once the pickup is excavated.

[yorker]

my Stage 1 chassis is two C channels as well. Not sure about the late Series 3 109 chassis as the Stage 1 chassis is unique. I plan on ordering a late IIA specific Richards once the pickup is excavated.
At some point all 109s went to the [] construction vs, the 4 piece early construction(Early 1970s maybe witht he transition to the series III?). I think 88's stayed 4 piece to the end, or at least into the 1980s.