Stage 1 V8

Hey everyone - I have been updating my local forum with the progress on this project but it looks like I forgot to post something over here - where people might really be interested in a Stage One.

I bought a Stage One galvanized frame from Richard's Chassis in the UK and had it shipped to me in the USA.

The project has drawn out a lot longer than I expected. (What Land Rover project does not?)

Here is where I am at today.....





If anyone wants to see more of the story - check out the Guns and Rovers forum (http://www.gunsandrovers.com/forum.php)

Looks good!

Looking at your first photo. I think you may have been ripped off. Your frame looks a little light and the wheel diameter is a bit small.

I have been posting updates on my regular forum about this project. The full story is at GunsandRovers.com

But the short version is that I am finished (near enough to finished). I took it to an off road rally this weekend and drove it for about 400 miles.





Here is a link to the full photo album.
https://www.flickr.com/gp/47617502@N08/F89ZU9

Woohoo

Looks really good as a ute.

Cool photos (but what happened to your driver's door skin?!)

Long story - sad story. I will see if I can give a short version that in understandable.

I was building the new frame up at a professional repair shop (friend of the Rover club) and I was taking apart the original truck at my house.

I had to transport the body shell to the new frame as one of the last steps. I loaded the body shell on the trailer facing backward - just because that is how it came out of my garage. The doors were not closing very well because everything was out of square since it was half disassembled. So, I used a bungee cord to hold them together and keep them close for the journey.

About 1:50 hours in the 2:00 hour journey - and on the interstate highway at 60mph - the bungee cord broke with spectacular results. The little hook that was attached to the bungee cord ricocheted across the truck and placed that huge - bullet-hole-like dent on the inside of the door. The doors then flew wide open - catching the highway wind and hyperextended into the bulkhead. The results are bent doors, bent catch rods, bent catch rod brackets, and a bent/torn bulkhead where the catch rod brackets bolt into the bulkhead. It really made a mess of things.

At the moment, the doors barely shut - but shut enough to get around. It will be several weekends of looking and figuring and fixing to try and undo the damage that I have done.

Jeez, what crap luck I thought the door looked like it had stopped a bullet from the inside, but that hardly seemed possible.

Wow, sucks

Hoping you didn't been the door frames too and that the metal comes back without stretch.