Series III Stage 1 V8 thoughts?

[highmile]

I love that this post has brought out some of the “Stage 1” owners. You guys must have been hiding in the woods. Keep the pictures and ideas coming! I bet there is a whole bunch of you guys just waiting to find each other.

I was never really drawn to the Series III just because it didn’t fit my preconceived notion of what a classic Land Rover Series should look like with the inset headlights and the metal dash, but the Stage 1 could definitely sway me. You guys definitely have my mind thinking….

[xsbowes]

I've got an extra copy of the SIII V-8 supplement



Don't forget the early Stage Ones are available for easy import from Canada now (25years+)

[109 Pretender]

Stop it!

You guys have gotta put a stop to this thread ASAP. I mean, they're bringing more in through Canada now??? What if someone reads this and starts buying them all up ? What about mine? I mean, er.. yours? You want one too, don't you?

Fellows - very, very nice rigs here! Stage one's are truly special.

[yorker]

Don't forget the early Stage Ones are available for easy import from Canada now (25years+)

15 years is for Canada- 25 years for the USA. Stage 1's were made from what 1979? 'til 1985. So all but the 84's and '85s, are eligible to import directly to the US now.

It is too bad LR didn't start making them ~10 years earlier, I think they would have sold well in the US market and solved many of the complaints original owners had.

Engine parts are readily available since the engine was used by Rover for so long and by GM prior to that.

http://aluminumv8.com/ D&D Fabrications has a lot of neat stuff for them.

[zayante]

STOP! This thread is making me crazy!! I live in California, and I can never own a Stage I (legally, anyway...)

[LaneRover]

STOP! This thread is making me crazy!! I live in California, and I can never own a Stage I (legally, anyway...)

You just need a friend in Arizona!

[greenmeanie]

You just need a friend in Arizona!

I can provide a home for any lonely CA Stage 1s. You can have visiting rights at the weekend.

[O'Brien]

so, i haven't ever really thought about it, but no Stage 1's in CA? is it just a smog issue? if people can smog 3.5 V8's in RRC's, why not in a stage 1? anybody have any details?

[LaneRover]

I believe that it has something to do with the RRC came with that engine and that the Stage 1 V-8 would be more difficult to smog since officially - it hasn't been. Also the engine in the RRC has fuel injection and so on to help it get meet the emissions requirements.

Now if you have a Rover made before 74, you can feel free to add a V-8 engine. Of course if it was an engine type made after 1974 your vehicle 'officially' should be smogged under the year the type of engine was made.

ah what fun!

[O'Brien]

so i know they were officially called the 109 V8 which were mainly produced for export from the home market. there's got to be NTSB or EPA data on them, even if they weren't officially imported at the time. the US would certainly have the data because of canada right?

I posted this over on the lrrforum also because most of the members over there are in CA. this is a great discussion and i'm looking forward to replies on both boads. cheers everyone and let's keep it going!

[Momo]

Matt-

Here's why, effectively, you are out of luck for Stage Is in CA:

DMV will most likely define your LR as a "direct import"- a vehicle not originally intended for sale in the US:

Direct Import Vehicle—These vehicles were not originally manufactured to meet federal safety requirements or emission standards and not intended by the manufacturer to be used or sold in the United States.

21.025 Determining the Age of a Direct Import
A direct import vehicle is considered “new” if it enters California or is obtained by a California resident before it is two years old and is considered “used” if it is obtained by a California resident or brought into California by a nonresident after it is two years old. The methods by which the age (not the year model) of a direct import vehicle is determined are as follows:

• First—By the year model indicated in the vehicle identification number (VIN).
• Second—If the VIN does not indicate the year model, the date the manufacturer delivered the vehicle as shown on the foreign titling document is used.
• Third—If the first and second methods cannot be used, the year shown on the foreign titling document is used.
• Last—If none of the options shown above can be applied, the calendar year in which the foreign titling document was issued is used.

21.045 Non-USA Title Branding of Direct Import Vehicles
The department is required to mark the registration and title as “Non-USA” whenever it can determine the vehicle is a direct import, regardless of the year model, and a “Non-USA” notation will appear on the certificates issued.

21.055 Direct Import Vehicle Registration Applications

The registration requirements for a direct import vehicle are:

• A completed Application for Title or Registration (REG 343).
• The titling document or a Motor Vehicle Bond.
• A vehicle verification (completed on the back of the REG 343).
• The Customs Entry Summary (if vehicle entered the U.S. prior to July 1, 1988).
• Bill(s) of sale to the importer of record and all subsequent owners.
• The Non-USA Vehicle Certification for vehicles less than two years old, or
The Certificate of Conformance for 1975 or newer year models up to two years old, or the EPA/DOT clearance letters for 1975 or newer year models exempt from the ARB certification.
• A Statement of Facts, New, Nonresident, or Imported Vehicle (REG 256F) is required if qualifying for one of the exemptions and the application does not contain a Non-USA Vehicle Certification (all used direct imports).
• The fees due.

So, if you are a CA resident, they may frown upon you bringing the vehicle in from another state, even if it has out of state registration and smog. Not because it is a direct import but because it is a post-1975 YOM, AND a direct import.

[O'Brien]

momo

that's solid reasoning, and i always love to see how DMV "reasons" through these things. sometimes i also forget that land rover (british leyland at that time) pulled out of the US market in '74. i guess i can be forgiven as it's before my time

i'm still waiting to hear what my buddy norcal relics over on the lrrforums has to say too. he's in the import export business and may have some more info (though i'm sure it will be the same as momo)

does anybody know someone with a stage 1 reg'd in CA?

[Moose]

Some interesting Stage One reading here. http://www.lr-mad.co.uk/stage1.html

I didn't know there were actually a few 88 Stage Ones built.

Brett

[rwollschlager]

Stage 1 Registered in Cali!!!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Land-Rover-series-defender-land-rover-defender-series-III-109-V-8_W0QQitemZ180306850483QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_Cars_Trucks?hash=item180306850483&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245&_trkparms=72%3A727%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

Here is a 1981 Stage 1 registered in California. However in the auction it is titled as a 74 so it is exempt from the smog tests.

[swaschka]

I always wanted a stage v8 truck. Drive too much to park my Silverado right now. Ive had three classic range rovers. that's a good motor. but it is sleeved aluminum. you can buy just the sleeves. you can buy a lot of stuff for those motors a lot of places. You can also edlebrock manifold it and put a 4 barrel on it. I did that to one truck. Beautiful sounding exhaust note with the extra breathing. You can also convert to efi. The rover efi sys is elborate but built like a rover. even has it's own code dispay monitor. I gave away all my efi parts with my last rebuilt motor or i'd offer them up here. My v8's drove me 30k plus miles a year. Broke down once due to a faulty alternator. The fantastic parts supppliers that are available were able to have me a new one at my hotel next day. But you know what, an old gentleman with an old alternator shop tore it down, repaired it by hand that day. That alternator outlasted 2 rebuilts I bought for another truck and my mercedes!