Series III and more leg room

[Spenser]

Good morning, still searching for a Series vehicle, and if I dont buy it soon my wife is going to kill me as I am driving her nuts searching. Question-originally went to purchase a Classic RR and found that leg room was too small. Will the Series be any better, as I assume that I am going to have to get the Defender seat extensions. And another, I am shopping for 1972-74 series, will that bulkhead easily come out to be replaced with the bar kit? Or do I accept that I am just too large for an english vehicle and move on? I am only 6'4" tall.....thanks for any direction and guidance.

[LaneRover]

Good morning, still searching for a Series vehicle, and if I dont buy it soon my wife is going to kill me as I am driving her nuts searching. Question-originally went to purchase a Classic RR and found that leg room was too small. Will the Series be any better, as I assume that I am going to have to get the Defender seat extensions. And another, I am shopping for 1972-74 series, will that bulkhead easily come out to be replaced with the bar kit? Or do I accept that I am just too large for an english vehicle and move on? I am only 6'4" tall.....thanks for any direction and guidance.

I haven't sat in too many Range Rovers but I don't believe that the Series Rover foot room would be better. MY grandfather once said, "That Rover of yours is fine. . . . . . if you don't mind driving with your knees in your chest"

[crankin]

A friend of mine has a IIa and is 6' 4"...he drives is around town and refuses to take it on long journeys because of the leg room.

But the best advice I can give you is to find a series and ask if you can drive it around for about 20 mins.

[SalemRover]

Lots of tall folk have modified their series for more legroom. Easiest would be D90 seats in a 109 5 door. However, no matter what series rover you get it will require modifications to get sufficient legroom, unless the PO did the job already. Height may also be an issue for you as well. You may end up staring at top of the windscreen. I would definitely find a local series and drive around in one first. Being short I dont need to worry about this. Best of luck!

-Jason

[Wander]

What lead you to a RRC? A series is very different in every way so you might not be happy with the lack of pretty much everything that a RR has in spades. If you are looking for something with the features of an RRC you might also consider a D1 or early DII as they are much more current designs (RR was designed in the 60's-came out in early 70's) A 109 with the middle bar and extentions might work if you can get the height sorted. There isn't a lot of room under the steering wheel which is fixed and a taller seat will just make that worse.

[SeriesShorty]

I'm 5' even and my IIa fits me perfectly. :D

[Spenser]

Matt-you raised an interesting point. I have tried Defenders and did not even remotely fit-stomach, steering wheel, one big ugly joined mass of protoplasm....

[Wander]

Yeah it's one of the things european sized guys like me (Mr. average-5'10") have left.

If the Disco I doesn't work the DII might as it is larger in all directions to appeal to our market yet still fit on a euro street. If that doesn't work I'd recomend looking into an FZJ80 Land Cruiser (yes...the dark side) or a UZJ 100 Land Cruiser. The 80 was the last LC availible here with solid axles and not as tarted up as the the newer ones. The 100 has a IRS front which isn't a terrible thing unless your doing a lot of rock strewn trails. Both are excellent platforms and very reliable-the 80's are also getting pretty inexpensive.

[109 Pretender]

Spencer,
Like others have already mentioned - drive before you buy!! I'm 6'2" and my 109 has the factory "adjustable" seats and I barely fit. It's ok for about 1 or 2 hours driving, then I have to pry myself out. My legs and feet go numb after about an hour... This must be qualified with the fact that I also own a 1962 Lotus Super 7 in which I have to use a shoehorn to get into - after that I just get used to it and wear it all day...
Seriously, most British and old Japanese vehicles are too narrow/short in the footwell or not tall enough in the cab to be truly comfortable. But, we tall folks still seem to get along because there's something about them we otherwise like - I keep telling myself that anyway... I'd get your wife to go along for the ride too because a series Rover is what I'd call a very committed ride - you really, really have got to need (want) one to live with all its shortcomings (pun intended). But they have loads of character and off road capability which is why most of us purchase them to begin with.

Good luck in your decisions

PS - Sell your wife on its great character, heritage, off roadability, and emphasize the NEED part a lot - get a quick ok and buy before she thinks about it too much! Oh, and don't show or let her drive a more modern 4wd beforehand - the comparison might muddy the waters... ;)

[Wander]

I wish I could find the source but I saw one that said "Land Rovers are owned by romantics" before I bought my IIa and casually mentioned to my wife:thumb-up: (plus I promised we could use it for her Girl Scout troop in this years parade)

Reminding her that being under an old Rover in the garage is a far better place to be than in a bar- not sure if there is any savings to quote but it's worth a shot! When I'm on the hunt for something guitar, flyrod, Land Rover,etc related I always bring up the amount of money my father spends on golf and how I'm no where near that.

[Spenser]

Thanks guys. Wife is really not an issue, she had a Jeep Wrangler for 10 years and still curses the day that she sold it! She wants be to buy the LR, or shut up about it as she is tired of the magazines laying around the house, 'honey lets go look at this rover" vacation side trips. I am starting to see though that I might be going into a Wrangler or similar to make it all fit right.

[scott]

...that I might be going into a Wrangler or similar to make it all fit right.

gee if i was too tall i think i'd check into shorten'n the femurs and remov'n a couple of vertibrea first

being 5'10" in a series is nice. on a few occassion i've given a 6'6" buddy a ride and seeing him in the psgr seat is funny, knees against the dash, bent over considerably and head still hit'n the top

[Cutter]

I'm 6'1 and I love the ergonomics of the rover- its strange because I usually have a car seat all the way back but the stock rover seats are surprisingly comfortable despite the bent knees. I had no issue driving all day, though I did have to stop now and then. I like the seats in it better than in my 'modern comfortable' car. Just find one with a rusted out foot well, they are plenty common...

[Apis Mellifera]

leg room was too small. Will the Series be any better,

Only if you stow them in the back.

I'm 6'3" and have an 88. I fit and don't mind the ride, but I did remove a few inches of seat foam. I've never been in a 109, but the thing that limits the 88 is the rear bulkhead.

[NickDawson]

I'm 5'8" and find the series a little short on leg room.
My father is 6'4" and looks like he is in a clown car when he drives it.

[Sputnicker]

I'm 6'6" and have had my 88 for 35 years. It's a very uncomfortable drive, but bearable. The key is to stop frequently (while you can still move), which forces you to take your time and enjoy the journey. If I'm in a hurry to get somewhere, I don't take the Land Rover.

I don't know of any way of improving the driving position in an 88 because of the bulkhead. Many 109s don't have the bulkhead and would be easier to modify. Reducing the height of the seat cushion helps with the visibility, but makes the knee-angle even more acute. It also eliminates some of the cushioning, which really comes in handy whilst 4-wheeling in a leaf-sprung relic.

[marsjess]

I just had to have an 88" series and bought one before driving it. I still love it but I have thought about moving the aft bulkhead. I can live with the cramped leg room but hunching over to see out the window is getting on my nerves.

[LaneRover]

I just had to have an 88" series and bought one before driving it. I still love it but I have thought about moving the aft bulkhead. I can live with the cramped leg room but hunching over to see out the window is getting on my nerves.

Take the top off!

[lstrvr]

Weighing in, literally:). I am 6'4" and 275lb, and cannot fit comfortably in my friends 109's, but they can hardly reach the pedals in mine. If you are "building" your truck, there is a lot you can do for improvement. For my 109, I repositioned the steering wheel when I performed the power steering conversion. This moved it up off my knees and in a little more providing more than enough space. I also "notched" my rear bulkhead to allow the seat back to move back, and notched the seatbox flange to allow the bottom cushion to move farther back as well. My seat cushion is mounted directly to the seatbox allowing it to be as low as possible.

I find that the seating position in my truck is comfortable enough for extended travel and am always impressed with how fresh I feel after a days drive in it. We did a trip up to Alaska last year on a tight schedule, and spent an average of over 13 hours a day driving with no discontent at all.

My only complaint is trying to see out the windshield at a traffic light :mad: although most of this problem was solved by going back to the original LR springs on the rear. My 4-leaf Heystees sat ridiculously high in the back severely compounding the problem. I am planning on building a custom seat box that will be cut low on the drivers side allowing for a suspension equipped seat base that will be further back and lower than the current position. I was lucky enough to source from work a set of C-130 Hercules Pilot and Co-pilot seat cushions that fit the bill perfectly for that series look. Funny enough, their dimensions are almost exactly that of the original series cushions, just a bit higher in the back.

[yorker]

Spencer,

...most British and old Japanese vehicles are too narrow/short in the footwell or not tall enough in the cab to be truly comfortable.

I don't know- if you swap back and forth between an 88" and a ca. 1974 Toyota FJ40 the difference is night and day. The FJ40 almost feels "normal" as compared to the seating position in an 88" I'm 6'2" and i can deal witht he Series ok but I am used to it- My father and brother who are similar in size absolutely hate driving my Series trucks because of the seating.

The RRC seems too small for me. I don't know why or where but even with all the adjustments to the seat it still is wrong for me.

I guess what it comes down to is how much you are willing to turn a blind eye to for the sake of driving a Series.

In any event it beats walking.:thumb-up:

[yorker]

My only complaint is trying to see out the windshield at a traffic light :mad: .


That drives me nuts in most cars I drive, I need a periscope or some sort of mirror to see the traffic lights. I always have to scrunch down to see them. Sometimes I just end up looking at the reflection on the hood.

[SalemRover]

Sometimes I just end up looking at the reflection on the hood.

That is one shiny tire!

[Wander]

I think we may have scared Spencer off LR's guys.

Several of you mentioned not being able to see stop lights. There is a prism decal that you can stick to the inside of your windscreen that will refract the light from the stop light and allow you to see it go from red to green without having to see the actual light. This is a problem with MINI Coopers too due to their upright windscreen-I think FJC's also have this problem. I can't remember where to get them but I think they are fairly easy to find. I'll do some digging.

Here it is...http://hhrboutique.com/items/hhr-interior/traffic-light-prism/chavy-hhr-traffic-light-prism-detail.htm

[yorker]

I remember someone on the LRO list mentioned those prism's years ago- I never bothered to find one but man- I have been tempted at times.

[yorker]

That is one shiny tire!


ha! needless to say the shiny hood thing doesn't work in my series rovers!! ;)

[Andrew IIA]

http://images.speedwaymotors.com/RS/SR/Product/91061009_R.jpg
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/windshield-stop-light-prism,2327.html

I also recall a flat stick-on prism thingy for the windscreen; and some have said they use a small round wide-angle mirror on the their bonnet-mounted spare tire.

[yorker]

http://tawayama.com/gear/crewcab/crewcab-interior.jpg
http://tawayama.com/gear/crewcab/cab-with-diagram.jpg

http://tawayama.com/gear/crewcab/seatframe&tunnel-cover-2.jpg

http://tawayama.com/gear/crewcab/seatframe-and-tunnel-cover-.jpg


http://tawayama.com/gear/crewcab/crewcab.html

[robert wood]

Well I'm 6'6 and have been driving series since the sixties. I never think much about the leg room. Longest trip I ever did was when I drove from Vancouver to New York - container ship to Rotterdam - and down to Italy where I worked for a year. And a side trip to Syria.

My spine remains flexible but I have hearing loss as a result. Ray

[Spenser]

Sorry, no didnt scare me away yet! The periscope issue is kind of funny though, I have the same problem with my Jeep Commander, similar small upright windshield. That is where the sunroof comes in handy! I will continue the search, have my eyes on one locally, waiting for the email back to go visit it. And the Tamayama 130 build did catch my eye, that was, or still is for sale but is WAY above what I was thinking about spending. As always, thank you one and all, and will report back as things progress, or if surgey to shorten my spine is successful!

[Wander]

Now your talking! It's not a problem with the Rover, it's a problem with you:D.

Good luck with the search, check back often and let us know what you are looking at. I really enjoy the rearch/search part of the process and enjoy it even more when it's other peoples money!