Restoration

Technical questions and answers
Cliff4WD
Posts: 303
Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 2:39 pm
Location: Rye, East Sussex, UK

Re: Restoration

Post by Cliff4WD »

Pressed on today.

I decided to tidy up the chassis ready to refit the gearbox. The galvanised chassis is like new under a few years of grime. I already gave it a pressure washer before removing the gearbox, but it looked a bit dirty still, so gave it a wire brush and then painted it with some oil. I figure a bit of waterproofing can only be a good thing though strictly speaking, quite unnecessary.

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With a bit of oil...

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Having started, I thought best to carry on and have the engine out too. So radiator first.

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Viscous fan...

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...and after a lot of contorting and knuckle skinning, got the exhaust, earth strap, alternator, breathers, fuel line, etc. freed, set up the crane amd started the engine lift

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With the V8 out of the way I'll finish off tidying the chassis and sort brake lines, etc.

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The V8 is on the dolly ready for overhaul.

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I'll probably get the tub off next and focus on the chassis, brake and fuel lines. Axles and springs too. Mind you, I want to get the gearbox back in place now it's rebuilt so that I can fit the bulkhead. So much to do, decisions, decisions. Lol
Cliff

1981 109 V8 Stage 1
2000 Discovery 2 Td5

109 V8: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2161
My Disco Thread: http://www.thed2boysclub.co.uk/viewtopi ... =3&t=58130

LAND ROVER. TURNING OWNERS INTO PAUPERS FOR 70 YEARS
Cliff4WD
Posts: 303
Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 2:39 pm
Location: Rye, East Sussex, UK

Re: Restoration

Post by Cliff4WD »

Not been much progress since lifting the engine, it's been sat on the dolly in the way, so really needed to shift it until I can work on it. I want it in my workshop but how to get it up over the step? Came up with the one man two stage shift-it plan.
Put a board covered pallet in front of the workshop door step and used the crane to lift the engine up off the dolly, put the dolly on the pallet, and lower the engine back onto the dolly which can now be wheeled straight into the workshop.

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What a faff! Not so easy shifting heavy stuff on your todd.


Now I need to reorganise the shop amd make some room for me!

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Cliff

1981 109 V8 Stage 1
2000 Discovery 2 Td5

109 V8: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2161
My Disco Thread: http://www.thed2boysclub.co.uk/viewtopi ... =3&t=58130

LAND ROVER. TURNING OWNERS INTO PAUPERS FOR 70 YEARS
Cliff4WD
Posts: 303
Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 2:39 pm
Location: Rye, East Sussex, UK

Re: Restoration

Post by Cliff4WD »

Need to do the same with the spare LT95 currently sat behind the vehicle and again, right in the way! Need to make another dolly.
Cliff

1981 109 V8 Stage 1
2000 Discovery 2 Td5

109 V8: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2161
My Disco Thread: http://www.thed2boysclub.co.uk/viewtopi ... =3&t=58130

LAND ROVER. TURNING OWNERS INTO PAUPERS FOR 70 YEARS
Fish
Posts: 50
Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2018 7:35 pm

Re: Restoration

Post by Fish »

I've just ordered a load of casters to make myself some dollies in advance...
Cliff4WD
Posts: 303
Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 2:39 pm
Location: Rye, East Sussex, UK

Re: Restoration

Post by Cliff4WD »

Essential for shifting heavy things IMO. I made another one a couple of days ago and should be getting on with it, but heatwave here has slowed me down until it cools a bit.
Cliff

1981 109 V8 Stage 1
2000 Discovery 2 Td5

109 V8: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2161
My Disco Thread: http://www.thed2boysclub.co.uk/viewtopi ... =3&t=58130

LAND ROVER. TURNING OWNERS INTO PAUPERS FOR 70 YEARS
Cliff4WD
Posts: 303
Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 2:39 pm
Location: Rye, East Sussex, UK

Re: Restoration

Post by Cliff4WD »

Not too much to update on as I've been forced to rest up a bit. Also, I've been looking at it and trying to decide next steps, however, it qets a bit overwhelming if you look at everything that has to be done together, so back to the elephant consumption strategy; 'one bite at a time'. :lol:

The first thing I needed to do was get the spare gearbox out of the way. I had made up another dolly for this and so transferred the box onto the dolly. This way I can roll it out the way as needed until I have space for it elsewhere. I also shifted doors, bonnet, etc. that I currently have stacked up beside it, and several boxes of dismantled parts sat in the tub. Having made space I could get the sides and the rear door off.

Still a mess but can work on getting the tub off now.
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Moved on to removing rear lights. Found the typical PO DIY spaghetti wiring nightmare

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God help us, flippin mess. Looks like I'll be adding replacement harness to my restoration parts list.

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Soon had the lights off. Rusted damaged srews and all. I'll be replacing this lot too as a mix of Lucas/Wipac/Unknown and all a bit past it.

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At this point, curiosity got the better of me and I was distracted by the painted cappings. I have a spare set PO bought that came with the vehicle, however, I'm thinking a bit of paint stripper will get the paint off easy enough. So what's under the paint?

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Doesn't look too bad to me.

I think before I take the tub off, I'd like to get the newly rebuilt LT95 back in place and the bulkhead refitted. I have to paint the bulkhead first before it goes back so have decided to clean up and key the galv and then paint with epoxy primer. There's quite a bit of work to do on the bulkhead before it will be ready for its colour coat so that's next step.

I still haven't decided on colour, keep it Limestone, Green, or something modern and shiny?
Cliff

1981 109 V8 Stage 1
2000 Discovery 2 Td5

109 V8: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2161
My Disco Thread: http://www.thed2boysclub.co.uk/viewtopi ... =3&t=58130

LAND ROVER. TURNING OWNERS INTO PAUPERS FOR 70 YEARS
disco2hse
Posts: 1637
Joined: Sun Apr 27, 2008 3:51 am
Location: Auckland NZ

Re: Restoration

Post by disco2hse »

Wiring looks better than what I found in the back of mine.
Alan

1983 ex-army FFR 109 Stage 1
2005 Disco 2 HSE TD5
Cliff4WD
Posts: 303
Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 2:39 pm
Location: Rye, East Sussex, UK

Re: Restoration

Post by Cliff4WD »

I was not very happy with the quality of the galvanising of my bulkhead, it had a lot of dross left on it and a pretty rough surface, however, it is well covered with zinc so should outlast me. Today I've been cleaning and keying the surface ready for painting. After washing it down with a mordant solution, I'm going to give it 2 coats of epoxy primer, then fill the dings and dents before moving on to the next stage in the painting process. I have also been re-tapping the few nutserts and windscreen pivot threads that were clogged up during the galvanising process.

Image
Cliff

1981 109 V8 Stage 1
2000 Discovery 2 Td5

109 V8: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2161
My Disco Thread: http://www.thed2boysclub.co.uk/viewtopi ... =3&t=58130

LAND ROVER. TURNING OWNERS INTO PAUPERS FOR 70 YEARS
Cliff4WD
Posts: 303
Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 2:39 pm
Location: Rye, East Sussex, UK

Re: Restoration

Post by Cliff4WD »

Having had to wait for materials to arrive (order mix ups and delays), I've now been able to resume work on the bulkhead. Having sanded it to improve the surface and provide a key, I then gave it a mordant wash to chemically etch it ready for priming. Washed it and scrubbbed it to ensure surface was clean, then setup in the 'pop-up' paint booth :lol:

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Then attacked it with the spray gun - 2 coats of 2k epoxy primer. I used HB body 989 4:1 with the HB body thinners. First coat wasn't great as it came out the gun too thick and spattered on, something a bit wrong with my regulator setup and air pressure was too low. Sorted it out and then got better results although a few annoying runs. It has to be flatted back anyway for next stage so not a big deal.

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Now to let it dry and cure before filling the few dents around the gutter. Whoever was resonsible for hacking off the gutter when this bulkhead was first repaired back in the 1990s and doing the damage that they did should be shot!
Cliff

1981 109 V8 Stage 1
2000 Discovery 2 Td5

109 V8: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2161
My Disco Thread: http://www.thed2boysclub.co.uk/viewtopi ... =3&t=58130

LAND ROVER. TURNING OWNERS INTO PAUPERS FOR 70 YEARS
Gus
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Aug 15, 2019 5:24 am

Re: Restoration

Post by Gus »

Looks great. I am about 12 months behind you with my firewall repair (just removed it) but I have no experience with paint over galv. How heavily can you sand? I assume you don’t want to go too far and break through the galv coating? Gus
Gus
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Aug 15, 2019 5:24 am

Re: Restoration

Post by Gus »

Cliff4WD
Posts: 303
Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 2:39 pm
Location: Rye, East Sussex, UK

Re: Restoration

Post by Cliff4WD »

You just want to degrease and key the surface so that the paint will stick. Lightly sanding with 180 grit to remove any dross embedded in the zinc and degrease/etching with a mordant solution, e.g. T-wash seem to give the zinc a surface suitable for painting. The sanding doesn't need to be done too hard, just let the sander do the work under its own weight. Any small areas where you do cut through the zinc and expose bare steel are not the end of the world if then covered with epoxy. I used 2 pack epoxy primer as this has good adherence properties and is approved for painting onto galvanised surfaces. I guess that a heavy zinc content primer could also be used to repair any damaged areas of the galvanising.
Strictly speaking, I could have just primed the bulkhead rather than galvanizing it too but I decided on double protection so that it will long outlast me.
Cliff

1981 109 V8 Stage 1
2000 Discovery 2 Td5

109 V8: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2161
My Disco Thread: http://www.thed2boysclub.co.uk/viewtopi ... =3&t=58130

LAND ROVER. TURNING OWNERS INTO PAUPERS FOR 70 YEARS
disco2hse
Posts: 1637
Joined: Sun Apr 27, 2008 3:51 am
Location: Auckland NZ

Re: Restoration

Post by disco2hse »

Also, in NZ we don't have salt on the roads when it gets icy. So less chance of rust.
Alan

1983 ex-army FFR 109 Stage 1
2005 Disco 2 HSE TD5
Cliff4WD
Posts: 303
Joined: Fri Aug 10, 2018 2:39 pm
Location: Rye, East Sussex, UK

Re: Restoration

Post by Cliff4WD »

Well, after being slowed by some chronic health issues and the distractions of the Peterborough LRO show, and a few probs with the Discovery 2 to correct, it was back to the Stage 1 restoration.
I've completed the skim filler, sanding, and given the bulkhead another coat of epoxy primer.

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Today I started applying seam sealer.

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I can't wait to get this finished and move on.
Cliff

1981 109 V8 Stage 1
2000 Discovery 2 Td5

109 V8: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=2161
My Disco Thread: http://www.thed2boysclub.co.uk/viewtopi ... =3&t=58130

LAND ROVER. TURNING OWNERS INTO PAUPERS FOR 70 YEARS
disco2hse
Posts: 1637
Joined: Sun Apr 27, 2008 3:51 am
Location: Auckland NZ

Re: Restoration

Post by disco2hse »

Looking good though. Better than when new.
Alan

1983 ex-army FFR 109 Stage 1
2005 Disco 2 HSE TD5
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