MRC 4462 - Battery Clamp, Early Type

[Pageant Blue 109 V8]

Whilst examining the underside of my V8, noticed that the battery box was mostly missing and a PO had inserted/bolted in a crudely folded stainless steel tray to hold the battery off the road.

Ripped it all out/carefully unbolted everything and am now having to start again. This will include bolting in a nicely folded alloy battery tray.

However, another PO bodge was the top clamp had been discarded and replaced with one of those cheapo multi-hole bars to run diagonally across the top of the battery.

My question is - can anyone post a picture of the early type clamp, MRC4462, fitted upto November 1980 models according to the parts catalogue? Or does anyone have a spare as it appears to be a new addition to the '109 V8 Unobtainable Parts List'.

Regards,

Paul

[Geoff]

These people stock the later type for the 109V8, NRC5338:

http://www.thexmod.com/item_detail.asp?id=9886

It looks slightly different to the one pictured in my Series III Parts Catalogue (June 1988) so presumably that is the early type. Why would this one not do fine? - I would have thought whether or not a clamp works depends on what kind of battery you use as much as anything. And it's not even expensive!

[5988]

Ill have a look at nine at the weekend as just bough a clamp, (can't remember if had t get the later one or actually found an early one, but parts are over the workshop so won't be there till Saturday)

[disco2hse]

Looks nothing like mine but then I have two batteries in the box and 24V.

[Geoff]

The clamp in one of my Stage 1s (both 1981 models) looks exactly like the one in my Parts Catalogue - make what you like of that - it was in it when I bought the vehicle in 1997 - but it might still be the early type - I can take a photo of it if you really want. The other one I have (also in the vehicle when puchased 3 years ago) appears to be an ordinary Series 3 one which a previous owner has 'adapted' (cut and bent a bit) - quite unnecessarily as far as I am concerned - both fit the Varta batteries I have no problem. Come to think of it, I may have swapped the clamps around for some reason - I can't remember - but it doesn't really make any difference to what I've said - I still think it's just a matter of using something that holds your particular battery securely - worrying about the originality of a battery clamp is a step too far for me.

[Pageant Blue 109 V8]

Perhaps I am a closet rivet counter. The vehicle is an early 1980 (April or May) UK build, so I would like to return it to as original as possible.
And my professional curiosity is interested in the difference between the two clamps.

The later clamp also has a cross-piece associated with it, NRC 5543, which is probably lost as soon as a replacement battery is fitted which will not allow its fitment.

[Geoff]

Ok, these people have what they also say is NRC5338 (the 'later' clamp):

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Land-Rover-De ... 2c849b377d

BUT it looks like mine that is the same as the one in my Parts Catalogue and it is different from the one in the link I posted before, which also claims to be NRC5338. Perhaps one of them is the early type after all - I think I'll leave it up to you to try to find out, or if the 'later' type came in two types!!! (you could try contacting them and asking if either is in any original identifying packaging) I imagine any differences in clamps was purely due to whatever battery the vehicles were leaving the factory fitted with as standard at the time and therefore no longer really relevant. I advise you to buy a clamp, fit it and forget about it - too much perusing the parts book can drive you mad - believe me, I know (don't even get me started on the mistakes in Land Rover's publications) - there is a school of thought you know that says the factory fitted whatever happened to be lying around at the time, which is a philosophy many owners seem to continue to honour! I hate to say it, but it is just a Land Rover

I don't have NRC5543 either and couldn't find one for you - I've never felt the lack of it - perhaps if I did more spine-jolting off-roading?