S3 FFR-GS the road to rego

[R704]

Hi All,
As some of you may recall I haven't been having much luck with my Landys of late,
first i got a S3 109GS,  got it running like a dream but the chassis is beyond it.
Second, a 6ft roo decided not once but twice it wanted to fight my front end of the Disco, needless to say he lost his life and me my beloved disco.
Then I got a S3 109 FFR thats got no features of its former FFR life and resembles a textbook GS,  registered, running and well priced,   It became a 5cyl on the way home.

At present heres whats left,
The GS has been left as it was when the chassis was discovered,  but for some reason it will not run anymore.
The FFR has had its engine pulled,
The disco is gone to a new home for parts.

The body and other parts on the FFR are in great condition so I'll be re building it.

Now the fun part.  I'd like to get some advice on what to do to make this a once off (no need to touch it for a good decade) daily driver vehicle but still capable of light off road / camping adventures.

What I would like it to be capable of:

A comfortable max speed of 120Kph
Maintain the ability to tow at least a ton with the back also full of crap
Good fuel economy ( thinking of putting it on gas)
RELIABILITY  I want this as my every day driver (when not working) and as such to start, run and stop as well as possible.

Planned Upgrades:
a radio, chargers / usb ports for phones and GPS's for long trips
strip lighting in the tub / roof to be able to see / work at night
replace pressed bumper with a fabricated one of slightly thicker steel
ability to swap between Mil Spec and "comfy" seats for the missus
better seatbelt config
possible power steering
new brake cylinders and lines
windscreen wiper - variable speed
heater / ac  for the missus (mainly heater)

Planned replacements:

worn bushes/ seals
worn steering parts
all hoses, boots and rubbers



recommendations I've had so far is to swap the diff centers and throw out the standard 6 cyl.

I'd like to know peoples thoughts and experience on these as I'm rather useless with Infernal combustion.
Part of me wants to keep it original, and if its possible to work the engine to achieve better results then I'd rather do this then swap it out.

Regards,
Nick

[Stenny]

Hi Nick. I had a 1980 Model Series 3 6 cylinder for over 17 years as a daily drive. It was a bit bent on the rear Left hand corner when the Army off loaded it in the Early 90's but apart from that it was in great shape. I fixed the rear corner up, panel beated several dozen other small dents out of it and give it a complete new olive drab duco. It looked great in the end. I had the dash recovered and seats redone in Black, heaps of insulation and Black carpet through out to quiten it down a bit, and by the end I had it in better shape than I was. Only once in all those years did it let me down. I spun a drive spindle off on the rear on the way to work one day, drove 5 klm home on the front hubs, swapped the spindle out and was at work by 9am. 2 hours late. Not bad going for 17 plus years. The speedo was showing 50+ thou when I bought it and when I give it to my Nephew a few years back, it had been around the clock a couple of times. I averaged 17000 a year. Now at some stage a few years prior to 2007, I put a 186 Holden motor in it. The Landy 6 used a lot of oil by that stage and had really used a lot throughout its entire life actually which was quite normal for them, but by the mid 2000's it was drinking it so we had to part company even though it still ran like a clock. The fuel economy was horrible as well but it was as reliable as the sun coming up so I stayed with it until then. At 100 klm per hour it was ok, but 110 -115 it was screaming. When I put the Holden motor in it, it was a different car to drive, the fuel economy went up noticeably, the road speed and handelling at 110 was very bareable without an overdrive, and the quietness of the whole vehicle was very noticeable. The Holden Motor bad points were that by comparison, on the six cylinder Rover motor, the alternator and starter and distributer were mounted at some of the highest points under the bonnet. With the Holden motor everything was at a low level so you had to be concious of this when wading. The Rover motor was never a cold engine, middle of winter, hit the key and Bang, away you went. The Hoden motor was horrible,. Drive to work near on 5 klm with the choke on. I build Engines for a living these days. I now have a 89 MODEL Perentie FFR. I am now 50 and know the vehicles well from a spanner perspective being a Fitter and Landrover owner my whole life.. I would offer you this one peice of advise. Buy a Later model vehicle if you are going to be doing big miles, rebuild the six and just throw it back in it, swallow the fuel and oil costs and use it for a weekend warrior.Keep it original and dont try to lean the Carby out too much as they will burn Valves. The adjustable jet on the old side draft Carby was their undooing. If thats not the answer you want to hear then - I suggest you go the whole hog and get a late model TDI engine of sorts and throw it in. A later model box as well will keep it happy over 100, you will need to look at diff ratios though.

[Stenny]

Nick also another thought. If you do not already know, there is a Pommy Landrover magazine that comes out each month dedicated to Series vehicles.. It reglularly has feature articles on what people have fitted. Landie Discovery TDI heart transplants seem to be pretty common from what I am seeing. Maybe you should have kept your old roo buster for the Engine and box. Anyhow, you might be able to get some ideas from the mag.

[FFRMAN]

Hi Nick,

Two options if you want it as a daily driver in my opinion,

1. buy a Perentie, don't have to do a thing just drive....
2. if you want to drive the S3, a 200tdi goes straight in, then think about stopping, there is a disc break upgrade for S3 available from Cookey on this forum.

I recon a straight S3 GS/FFR as adaily driver if doing lots of miles or traffic would be hard work, but Perenties are fantastic - the pinnicle of Army Land Rovers, diesel/easy highway speed, disc breaks and a heater that works

hope that helps

oh yeah keep going on the S3 and get it back to original for displays and weekend enjoyment, now just need to win Tatts

cheers
Scott

[punchie]

Hello Nick. FFRMAN is correct buy a Perentie, adding the purchase price of a S3 or an FFR to the cost of a grounds up rebuild as i have done equates to the cost of a Perentie. Hope this helps your decision. Jim.

[R704]

Hmm, alot to consider,  unfortunately funds will not allow a parentine for some years yet,  I have enough bits for a decent S3 and have poured enough coin into them already so why waste it ?

would anyone recommend fitting a fairley OD ?  and would 850 be to much to spend on the full kit ?


Nick

[R704]

UPDATE TIME:

Ok so as usual I've been somewhat silent for some time but heres whats been happening,

The GS/FFR is currently at the mechanics,
Clean bill of heath except for the brakes, rears seized and fronts shagged, so as soon as i got home from work i ripped the brand new set off the GS that i was working on prior and whipped them off to him,

a few small bits are on order and should arrive tomorrow.

With any luck I'll have an operable Landy in my hands and under my ass for the first time in months by the end of the week!

Finally things are looking up! (except my bank balance)

[FFRMAN]

UPDATE TIME:

Ok so as usual I've been somewhat silent for some time but heres whats been happening,

The GS/FFR is currently at the mechanics,
Clean bill of heath except for the brakes, rears seized and fronts shagged, so as soon as i got home from work i ripped the brand new set off the GS that i was working on prior and whipped them off to him,

a few small bits are on order and should arrive tomorrow.

With any luck I'll have an operable Landy in my hands and under my ass for the first time in months by the end of the week!

Finally things are looking up! (except my bank balance)

Good stuff Nick,

Photos next??

cheers
Scott

[R704]

Hi Scott,
When shes back in one piece and makes it home under her own power for once i'll be sure to take some happy snaps.
now i just need to remember what i did with that pintle so i can put the trailer on,

Then some welding to put the skyhooks back on the rear and i like the front tow bar on the other one so i'll probably swap it over with the jeyys holders and black out lights.

[R704]

Ok so another update,
The engine is in and started so easily it had them startled,
The radiator and body work is all back in,
The brakes have all been fitted,
Oil pressure sender swapped from the blown engine

Things to do,

Altenator, could be the exciter wire or blown globe,

put the wiring back through the frond panel and re attach the headlights

Replace brake master cylinder and res,  res is cracked and leaking, but for the sake of it its going to have new brakes throughout.

should be ready tomorrow afternoon, but will be waiting on the master cylinder which will be the hold up.

fingers crossed i have it back for the weekend to swap out the seats back to standard put the bonnet back on and ready it for the roadie.

[R704]

So the latest update:
so after finally deciding enough was enough, i took the heap up to the local mechanic with a bucket of bits and a spare donk in the back and said "make it go"  besides a short list of things i also wanted done so i dont have to worry about them for quite some time heres a list of how its been going,

Things done:

new clutch
new brake master cylinder
new wheel cylinders, courtesy of the other GS
replaced shoes and drums, again off the other GS
new hoses and gaskets
new hub seals in the rear,

Things i've been tinkering with:

the dash,  problem solving and getting things to work
New dash panel, copy  of the "black out panel" on the other GS, to be fitted with some 12v plugs and USB sockets to charge things aswell as the Map light, and a few other switches.
swap tool brackets over from GS
swap seats from GS-  it had horrible comfy bucket seats fitted,
swap out some light lenses for matching petina,
make new bits for the rear spare holder,
replace lid and lock on rear tub toolbox
replace drivers side windscreen glass.
fit mirrors,
fit the pintle hook, just need some longer bolts for the plate,
swap the front tow bar set up off the GS onto it, and re fit bumper and brush bar.
tune the carby properly
go for the occasional "short trip"

rescue my trailer from the long grass / test pintle set up. and re locate trailer,
fit new headlights
practice tying the roof in various configs,

use it to tow and push the spare disco into a better spot
use it to tow and push my brothers bush pig into a better spot
use it to tow and push the GS carcass to a better spot
test trailer plug on two trailers, found to be faulty.

Things to do:
get the heater fan working reliably
fix the speedo
suss out the trailer wiring

join a club
get it on CH plates


Now then gentlemen, an interesting notion was put forward to me tonight, 
although the compliance plate stipulates its made to seat 3,  as its a "military vehicle" and they just jumped in the back as it were,  could there be a way to get it registered to seat 3 but carry "X"    as per a small bus type set up,  i rekon i should be able to get another 5 blokes in the back, 6 if needed,    just for convoys and events where we all pile in.  has anyone looked into this path before?

So that was my christmass

Here she is:

[THE BOOGER]

Regards seating numbers yes they can be regoed for 11 if you fit seat belts in the back they will have to be lap belts mounted the same as the civvie version. And they will have the same problems as any side ways facing seats

[R704]

Thanks Geoff,
I'll see what Vicroads has to say when i take it for the roadie.

Update:
Took it out for a lovely days drive today, for those familiar with the yarra ranges, From Kilsyth up My Dandy around to Monbulk then to Emerald lake, through to macclesfield, woori yallock to yarra junction, then back home to Woori.

A total trip of appx 75ks. she performed well all day, even through the heat.

The only thing i did notice was that in the afternoon she got harder to start, i let the pump do its thing for a while before turning over but it seemed as if the first bit of fuel wasn't enough, as if it had vaporised, it only took an extra few seconds and a push on the pedal to start, but first time its presented this so i'll keep an eye out on it.

I also just clocked her over to 49 thousand K's,  having done about 250 ks the last week "testing"

Still working on a name, Dusty comes to mind, as i go up the driveway dust just pours in the cab.
Other ideas have been:
"Mews" Mobile Enfield Work Station
"Pros" Portable Rifle Operations Station
"Probs" Portable Rifle Building Station OR Pretty Reliable Old Bucket of ****

for those wondering about the rifle orientated names I also collect and restore 303's ,  current count is over 20 of the buggers and I would love to have it equipped for a trip to the range with all my gear in the back.

I also encountered a chap at the servo, has a nice selection of landy's, and a few ex mill, so i directed him here, hopefully he'll appear when he returns from the bush next week.

Enough ramblings for today i think,  Hopefully she wont be pressed into hay service this week, 


Nick

[R704]

Well turns out that she was,  the hayman reese was jammed in the disco so the pintle and ball had to come off,

[R704]

Progress Update:

In the last week she's been lowered onto the lower spring height settings with the short civie hangers installed, New bolts throughout and one bush replaced as it had to be cut out.

Reasons,  the missus is 5'4"  and was hit by a car about 18 months ago, has had 2 full hip replacements and wouldn't be able to climb in.  Also to lower the C of G with in conjunction with the fatter disco rims should make her a bit better on the road.

Also re fitted the rear tow bar, after drilling it for the pintle hook and welding the bolts to the back i machined up some spacers and tacked them on aswel,  A set of nice new high tensile bolts and its back on.

Dashboard, Lower.  had to be removed as the pass side had copped a ding at some stage that jammed the little A/C flaps.
Bit of panel beating and some new fluffy stuff to seal them and it was re installed.
All thats left is one replacement dash to demister hose rubber (as the DS was fried ) and the dash insert can go back in.

While the dash was out i decided to run new cables to the A/C flappy doovies and the heater tap, which was also replaced as the old one had seized.

Unfortunately i discovered a small crack in the drivers windscreen,  the one i put in 2 weeks ago,   Soo time to get the pros out with some new high spec glass.

besides that, all thats left is:
Investigate the Hi /Low beam light in the gauge
Re-install the accessory dash panel,  once the dash is put back after the A/C rubber goes in.
check the Pass side reverse light, globe / wiring fault

Possibly look into the trailer plugs,  wiring for the 12 pin looks good, so i may need to get a tester to see if it works.  the 7 is stuffed for some reason,   may get a elec to sort them,  I'm ****e with wires.

get the roadie, then the rego.

with the coin thus far i could have bought a Parentine, but wheres the fun in that,

Wish me luck,