Got My Lightweight!! Stay Tuned for Project Updates and Plenty of Questions!

[JayGoss]

That's really unfortunate- not only for you but for the rest of us; we're all waiting to see those wings and bonnet mounted- and you've spent your time refabbing NRP's work.

I think this is fairly common in the exhaust business. I had to do a lot of fine tuning/refab work on a Porsche 930 exhaust system. Finally got to the point where it was beginning to look like a McGyver job. When I contacted the exhaust manufacturer they had gone out of business. Atleast NRP is still around.

[jac04]

we're all waiting to see those wings and bonnet mounted...

Me too!
I just adjusted the valves. Cranked over and have oil pressure....good. Filled with coolant and no leaks....good. I'm hoping that the timing is close enough to get it running. Now, do I take a leap of faith and button everything up on the body first, or do I go ahead and start this thing?

[Tim Smith]

Yes. Please feel free to send me the additional info at smithco1@gmail.com. Have also snapped a couple of manifold bolts trying to keep the down pipe tight and was thinking it was due to the wider pipe. I'd like to see your solution because my down pipe is currently hanging on by a wing and a prayer.

Thanks.

[jac04]

Tim-
I e-mailed the pictures. Now you have me paranoid about having a manifold/pipe leak.

[BackInA88]

After reading about NPR fitment & rust problems over the last few years convinced me to just get the standard exhaust system from or hosts.
Than if I had to tweak it I wouldn't feel as bad.

Turned out to all fix prefect.
And I even took advantage of a free shipping weekend!

Steve

[Tim Smith]

Tim-
I e-mailed the pictures. Now you have me paranoid about having a manifold/pipe leak.

Just checked my mail. Thanks.

Looking at your fitment, you have gotten your down pipe much tighter than I ever did (or could have). When I did my initial install, I didn't have the pleasure of having the wing off so I just couldn't get near as exact as you have. I'm not 100% if it was due to the added size of the down pipe or simply user error where the flange wasn't quite flat with all of the nuts threaded in the same distance. Part of the problem of being a shade tree mechanic after a fresh snowfall.

I later ended up snapping the studs on the manifold when I dissembled for a head gasket swap. My attempt to fix the snapped studs made things worse because the studs may have ended up a little closer to center than before.

As for the exhaust end, I'm running 33" tires and indeed the tire rubs on articulation. The mounts have failed due to normal stress though, not because of the tire rub. The best fix has been (I'm ashamed to admit) the bailing wire I grabbed off of the side of I-95.

[Collin]

LW exhaust

Hello Jeff,

Your LW looks great.

If there is anyone in the NW (Portland, OR) with a LW. We can prototype an exhaust. This would better than using SII exhaust on the LW.

Collin

NRP

[jac04]

If there is anyone in the NW (Portland, OR) with a LW. We can prototype an exhaust. This would better than using SII exhaust on the LW.

Collin-
Our hosts assured me that the NRP exhaust would fit the Lightweight as well as civilian models. I think that RN and NRP need to clarify this issue so nobody else ends up like me and Tim. No offense meant, but I never would have spent the $$$$$$ on the NRP exhaust if I knew it wouldn't fit correctly.
Thanks for the custom tail pipe - it makes all the difference.

[LaneRover]

Hello Jeff,

Your LW looks great.

If there is anyone in the NW (Portland, OR) with a LW. We can prototype an exhaust. This would better than using SII exhaust on the LW.

Collin

NRP

Now thats customer service!

[Les Parker]

Hmm,

On my Ex-MOD vehicles all the lug nuts are painted RED, part of the Daily Works Parade!

[greenmeanie]

Ah Les,
You bring up the great wheel nut debate. If you follow the link you'll see that parts are painted red for safety reasons. Only the nuts on divided or split rim wheels should be painted red and not the lug nuts themselves. This was as a warning to the typical squaddy to leave them alone and go and play with the other nuts.

There is a long standing arguement as to whether wheel lug nuts can/should be painted white as this colour was used to indicate operator serviceable items. No official mention of this has been found although it is quite popular as it can make your MOD truck look quite pretty and colourful.

EMLRA

[jac04]

IT'S ALIVE!!

I started the Lightweight yesterday. After cranking without the coil connected to get oil pressure and priming the fuel pump it fired right up. I set the timing, got it up to temperature and took it for a spin around the neighborhood. Then I re-torqued the head gasket when warm per the LR manual and the Turner booklet that came with the engine. This, of course, required re-setting the valve clearance afterwards.

Only one problem. My new Weber carb seems to have been manufactured improperly. They missed plugging one of the very small holes in the top half of the carb body. It caused a terrible vacuum leak and a very loud hissing sound. A piece of tape served as a tempory fix, but I'll need to get the carb replaced.

[Jim-ME]

Congratulations on having a running Rover. Hope the carb problems sort themselves out. Thanks for the frequent posts as your restoration has been an inspiration to many of us.
Jim

[SafeAirOne]

Thanks for the frequent posts as your restoration has been an inspiration to many of us.

I concur with the congratulations! While you have been an inspiration to many of us, you have reminded the rest of us just how ratty our Rovers really are!

I imagine there isn't a whole lot of major stuff left to do--I can't wait to see the completed pics and the truck in person someday--Perhaps at Winter Romp??

Nice Job!

[jac04]

Yeah, it's all PITA stuff now. It looks like the front bodywork may give me a little trouble. I've only put one fender on, but it's not going together as easy as I thought. It almost seems like the bulkhead is about 1/4" to 3/8" too far forward. No big deal, I thought "I'll just move the radiatior support forward a little". Unfortunately, the radiator will hit the chassis if I do that. D'Oh!!! I guess I'll be elongating some holes in the fenders. Actually, from the looks of the original alignment marks around the holes, they probably should have been elongated to begin with.