Someone Else's Problem: 1994 Land Rover Discovery ES

I don't want to start with a cheap welder, I'm looking at 180-200A Sealey 'professional' welders with proper Euro torches and proper regulators, ?400-500. A lot of the used welders on the bay of E seem to be the ~150A starter welders. Friends who have had those have trouble getting the consumable parts for the torch. A local car parts dealer is also a Sealey dealer and a gas supplier.

SIP stuff seems to be good but availability seems to be hit-and-miss.
 
Some more jobs done on Keely now, last weekend the lights were completely buttoned up, along with the exhaust. The front end also received an 'upgrade', not sure if I like it or not yet.



This is solely because I couldn't be bothered to buy paint for the replacement finisher.

I also found out last week that the clonking noise I heard when driving the truck home from the off road day was due to a missing caliper bolt... I got a replacement fitted too. Finally one of the rear drive flanges was leaking oil and the rear axle was due a change so I drained it, changed the gasket and refilled. MOT time soon and hopefully she'll be back on the road. :D

Edit: Only just noticed that I was going for opposite directions on the hazard taped finishers but I obviously cocked that up. Never mind. :lol:
 
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Bit of an update, Keely failed the MOT miserably on Monday. I'm still kind of coming to terms with it and trying to decide what to do next. I left a hint in my sig.

MOT_S.jpg

Anyway I haven't had time to inspect the rust yet but it could be expensive. Taking it off the road is an option but after reading up today turning it in to one of these might be a better option:



They can be made road legal apparently, so I don't lose my greenlaning truck and I'd get to drive this bloody awesome thing around! :lol:

Prices ain't cheap but it could save a lot in the long run as rot is a never ending battle on old D1s.
 
The power steering fluid isn't any of the MOT inspectors business! wtf?

Or is the UK MOT just way more strict than T?V here in Germany?
 
ChuckMoritz said:
The power steering fluid isn't any of the MOT inspectors business! wtf?

Or is the UK MOT just way more strict than T?V here in Germany?
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Not sure, actually, I've never tried to T?V a car with a visible leaking power steering system. Maybe they'd check how much fluid is left then, as well... running out of PS fluid can be a danger to road safety, after all.
 
ChuckMoritz said:
The power steering fluid isn't any of the MOT inspectors business! wtf?
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Brits are weird. They don't care if you can handle the car on 3 wheels, without lights, brakes etc... if there's a driver's aid system listed in VIN, it must be there and work to pass MOT.


P.S. the most ridiculus thing yet i find are "Body sharp edges". LOOK AT IT, it's a pedestrian mincer, what sharp edges??? :D

Matt2000 said:
turning it in to one of these might be a better option:
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Can you specify, where you be legal to use it, except the fields? Can you drive some muddy roads to the event, or is it the case of "Bugsy + trailer" only?
 
Captain_Whine said:
P.S. the most ridiculus thing yet i find are "Body sharp edges". LOOK AT IT, it's a pedestrian mincer, what sharp edges??? :D
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Not only brits though.

I got the same ''sharp edge'' complaint to my Scorpio when it had a rust hole on wheel arch. Of course no one should be that close of moving vehicle that they get cuts from rust, but I don't think that is the main reason for the complaint, it is the rust itself that needs repairing.
 
BerserkerCatSplat said:
Tube buggy understatement of the year. :p
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The prices aren't terrible though, as it says on the one in that picture if you put the cage together yourself you get get it for as little as ?850. :)

Captain_Whine said:
Can you specify, where you be legal to use it, except the fields? Can you drive some muddy roads to the event, or is it the case of "Bugsy + trailer" only?
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If done right it'll be 100% road legal. It can go in for an IVA test (Individual Vehicle Approval I think, used to be SVA - if you've ever seen the Scrappy Races they had to SVA the vehicles they built) which is quite strict and gives it approval to put it on the road. Normal MOTs after that. It'll keep Keely's registration as I haven't changed enough to earn a Q plate.
 
Matt2000 said:
The prices aren't terrible though, as it says on the one in that picture if you put the cage together yourself you get get it for as little as ?850. :)
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That's surprisingly reasonable, I like how the tube assembly just drops onto the existing frame. Pretty basic for a tube rig but very cool.
 
Bugger to hear mate.

Mine has passed its inspection with an exhaust that was dumped at the diff, leaking transfer case, a spare tyre that was bald and age cracked to near death and brake fluid that had turned dark green from its original state of yellow....

N.S.W Inspectors are a bit lazy though :p
 
Sad day today as I finally got around to declaring Keely as off the road. It's something I've been meaning to do since she failed the MOT but I needed to talk to my insurance company first and I'm lazy. It's now done though so some cash will be returning itself to me.

As for the plan going forward I'm still planning on the Whitbread cage frame shown above but am considering my other options. If I go with a frame buggy option, whoever I end up buying the cage from, I will be looking at using clear polycarbonate body panels. It's tough, flexible enough to move out of the way if pushed up against an obstacle, cheaper than aluminium and (initially at least) I will be able to see through it! Quite handy when off road to spot obstacles.

Edit: It has also occurred to me that doing this will likely save at least 500kg, meaning speed, fuel economy and handling are going to get better. That, coupled with the fact that I have a nice set of summer tyres with no use for them, means that I'll probably be driving it on the roadtrip if I get it done. The fact that I can invest the cash I would spend on a ?500 banger helps speed the project up. The loss of weight probably means that I need softer springs though...
 
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Matt2000 said:
I will be able to see through it!
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Somehow, i imagine thousand wipers around the entire body. :mrgreen:

Matt2000 said:
The loss of weight probably means that I need softer springs though...
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There's a "cheapass special" hint from unLicensed_Dr.Whine: saw few coils off your stock spring and then stretch it with jacklift or a winch. x4 times that will get you a free spring kit. :)
 
Things are occurring, slowly. Decided to change the plan after savings kept escaping to pay for other things, I'm not going to a space frame build any more and just want to get it fixed for an MOT. I want to go playing again even if I don't do any competitions this year.

Replacement front wings are on, a bargain.



I just have to deal with this now:

 
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OUCH! That looks exensive. Are repair panels available or is it just you and some sheetmetal?
 
Dr_Grip said:
OUCH! That looks exensive. Are repair panels available or is it just you and some sheetmetal?
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There is a company that sells pre-formed panels, they aren't too expensive individually but they soon add up. In this case it'll be me, a friend who can weld and has done this before and some steel sheet. He's confident that it can be patched.

If it was too far gone my other alternative is to get a length of box-section steel and replace the entire sill, it then becomes much stronger than the original. I would do it as you get extra protection from grounding on stuff but the other side is fine and this patching should be minimal.

Once that is done I only have a couple of fluid leaks to deal with and she should be able to get an MOT. :)
 
Progress! Minus the pro...

One hole gone.


The rear patched up too.


I took the chance to rub down and paint the surface rust on the inner wings.


Holy white balance Batman.


So I'm well on the way to getting her back on the road. The carpets have come out to let the floor dry out and prevent damp issues in the future, along with the crappy insulation around the transmission tunnel. it's going to be loud in there! Most of the floor just has surface rust, but...

...I found this on the driver's side after poking a crusty patch.


Shoot... more metalwork to do...
 
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Looking awesome! I hope to have a go in this one day followed by you getting back into it and it suddenly peeing itself!

Matt2000 said:
The carpets have come out to let the floor dry out and prevent damp issues in the future, along with the crappy insulation around the transmission tunnel. it's going to be loud in there!
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Why not use something like Dynamat? Seeing as how you have all the carpets out anyway! There is also another product which is spray on and works well too.
 
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