New 66 Series IIA Project

[mankins]

Mr. Moose-

Let your finances, interests and desires guide you. My take on it is that it is your vehicle and you should do with it what you will. Folks have been fixing up cars since the first ones were made and not all of them get or deserve high-dollar restorations. I really like to see all types of builds, but find its so much fun watching a build where someone is getting by on his wits and skills rather than his checkbook. Enjoy!

[mrmoose]

Mr. Moose-

Let your finances, interests and desires guide you. My take on it is that it is your vehicle and you should do with it what you will. Folks have been fixing up cars since the first ones were made and not all of them get or deserve high-dollar restorations. I really like to see all types of builds, but find its so much fun watching a build where someone is getting by on his wits and skills rather than his checkbook. Enjoy!

Thank You Mankins, was starting to wonder if I was in the wrong place, this seems to be an old boys club, no new guys allowed and especially nobody that isn't going to do a high dollar restoration. I'm the first to admit I'm new to Rovers and this has been a learning curve already but like everybody says, they
re really not so hard to work on. I may not be doing this all the right way with original parts but I'm going to save this old girl and fix it up so it can see many more years, I've already saved it from the scrap yard. Once it's complete I will have it going for many many years to come and maybe someday if money allows I'll do it all up to the highest of standards.

[mrmoose]

I have a few questions about tires and Leaf springs.
I need four new tires but can't for the life of me find a good sized tire, I've searched and it seems everyone has different sized tires. I'm running he original ten spline axles and the original 2.25 petrol without Overdrive 16" rims, does anybody know of a good all around size tire that is as close to stock as possible?
Also I need new leaf springs in the front and shocks all around. Where would you folks go about getting them? The only Rovers place I can find in Canada is 3 brothers but they haven't got leaf springs, originals or parabolics.

I sent a blurb out to my grandfather who knows the two previous owners of the Rover and in return I was sent a picture from 1987 of the man that saved this Rover from a field and got it going before he sold it to the man that gave it to me. It's neat to think that it looks a lot the same even then, same lights and plow harness that it came to me with.

[SafeAirOne]

If you don't want to run one of the few 750x16 bias ply tires left out there, 235 85-16 radials are about as close as you'll probably get.

There are a few other considerations as well, but that's the overall gist of it.

Rocky Mountain sells parabolic and they're in Canada: http://parabolicsprings.com/

[mrmoose]

Sorry I haven't been around in a goodly long time. I got the frame buttoned up and then needed the garage space for a few other projects and it got pushed off in the shed. I've dragged old Rosie out now though and after a little planning and finding a cracked head and seeing the cost of new swivel balls and just rebuilding in general of both axles I've decided to do a driveline swap. The donor a 1991 Toyota pickup was happy to give up it's 22RE mated to a w56 trans with what I believe is a chain drive transfercase. I was planning to use the rear axle and find a suitable front but if I can find a truck with a front narrow enough I might grab the rear as well to avoid having to put new gears in one. The front is a passenger offset and the rear is a center pumpkin. I've got the motor mounted in Rosie and since it's such a long transmission will have some playing to do with the transfercase shifter, had to pull the fan too and will be using an electric fan in front of the stock Toyota rad. Since I've got the parts I'll be doing a powersteering swap using the Toyota pump and box. Hopefully whatever front axle I find has discs and I plan to do a servo swap too.

I'll throw in a few pictures to keep you guys happy. Started painting the tub and the bulkhead and only need another warm day or two for the final coats and then they can go back on. so far the actual amount into old Rosie is right around $2000 I think maybe a bit more but I bought a bunch of parts planning to use the original motor and driveline and they will go with the motor and axles when they are sold.

[mrmoose]

Not sure why this picture is always upside down, everytime.

[o2batsea]

What engine and transmission is that? Was the Rover one no good?

[o2batsea]

What engine and transmission is that? Was the Rover one no good?

Just saw the post re toyota swap. Should speed things along over refurbishing all the Rover bits.

[erik88lr]

Not sure why this picture is always upside down, everytime.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]12482[/ATTACH]

It's the powers that be way of telling you that a Toyota engine isn't quite right for a Landy.
But if it works for you, more power to you.

Enjoy your project.

[mrmoose]

The powers at be telling me that only the Australians want Toyota parts in their Rovers.
The Rover motor had a cracked head, I was planning to use it but I think it will be more worthwhile swapping it out entirely, I doubt it will cost much more to do a complete swap then to rebuild the axles and get a new head with hardened valve seats. This way I end up with a motor thats more powerful, more efficient and easier to find parts for. Not so easy getting Rover parts up in Canada.

[jimrr]

I too was going to suggest waiting for a frame to come up for sale but seeing you were: A. young, and B. capable , I have to say, that frame looks fine, good work. When I was your age neither would I of waited but started welding NOw!!, and it wouldn't of looked as good as your work so press on, revive this thread and send some pics once in a while. I have the last 3 sold on the west coast outside alaska and I wish I had a Series 2-2A just for the all metal dash.

[Les Parker]

Great thread. The frame work looks stellar, keep the flow going.

[mrmoose]

Thanks for the vote of confidence from everyone and thanks for the compliments. I actually quite impressed myself with the work that I did on the frame. Looking back on it it's not the hardest thing I've had to do since it's all just straight lines and holding it square was easy thanks to the jig.

Next is axles. It appears the axle from the 91 is 8 whole inches wider than the series axle which I WAYY too much so I'm stumped again. To go with that axle I picked up a front from a 1980 FJ60 but it seems like It's going to be far to wide too. It's hard because I get an idea and go through with it realizing finally that it most likely wont work and it will be hard to get my money back out of it.

I think next I might start on the seatbox. I'm going to make a new box from scratch to avoid cutting up an original one, also i can't weld the aluminum original box. Plan is to only seat two up front, the box will curve back around the shift levers. I'g included a rough sketch.

[o2batsea]

ditch the seat box and just make a traditional flat floor and box in the tunnel. That will let you use any seats.

[mrmoose]

This is a thought that I have been entertaining but I think That I will go with the seat box and keep it sort of Roveresque in the cab. I also want to build and underseat box on the passenger side for the battery and the fuel pump.