3.9 RangeRover Disposal

[Guest]

Brace for impact, petrol stations! Today's the day, dudes. My apologies if you find that fuel supplies in your area have been depleted and you have to wait a bit for a refill.

 

I will report back later on krazy kar kollecktion kapers.

[Guest]

Hey ho, for the Chiltern Line to Brummingem, passing close by the Oxfordshire gaff that I am moving to (hence the random Rangey purchase).

 

Then on the chuffer from Brum to KIdderminster. Feck me, there are 2,937 stops on that line. Still, as a West Midlands lad, it's always good to hear the voice of the Brum, and see all those fine redbrick Victorian piles, redolent of ye industrial past, and stuff. They do like their old heaps in that part of the world, I must say, and many fine 80s and 90s shitwagons were in evidence as I cabbed over to Red5's place.

 

Next, time to kick the mighty beast into life, add 20% to its value by filling it up, and then, a pause for a photo opportunity. The caption for this one is "get used to it, dude".

 

 

A brief stop at Cherwell Services to eat disgusting processed Mongfood, in company with some fine Roverchod.

 

 

 

Wanky traffic jam on the M40, but a good chance to test the cooling in stop-start traffic. No probs, but intermittent low coolant lamp illumination - a false positive, as the coolant level is fine. There was good quality primo shite on the highways and byways today, including this G reg 309, pictired whole we werea ll stuck watching brake lights.

 

 

I also saw some fine F reg Escorts and other such tat, but these are not photographed, owing to me doing driving. I bailed out onto the A and B roads for a bit, and had some hootage up and down the dusky Chilterns, before biffing back onto the M40 at Beaconsfield.

 

Then home to Norf Lunnun, knackered but happy. The nearside rear indicator blew on the way along the Euston Road. Off to John the Shop tomorrow morning to buy bits.

 

 

These old Rangeys are fast, comfortable, and wafty. The steering is so light that you can have some exciting pilot induced oscillations on swoopy Motorway bends, or at least you can if you drive it like a dick. The engine is quiet, but the door seals are a bit shagged, so the wind noise is a bit high. I like the clonk-bonk when the electric windows go up. You can see what a revolutionary thing Rangeys must have been when they first arrived on the scene in the 1970s.

 

MPG about 18, I reckon, which was OK, as I did some law breaking (the thing will really belt if you let it) , and some sitting in traffic, and some of that London. I gurned at all the modern Rangey drivers that I saw, but they disdained me utterly.

 

Red5, you are a top geezer, but the radio sounds a bit shit, so can I have my money back? Cheers.

[garethj]

Excellent work, all the best people have dodgy old red cars.

 

That Rangey looks quite distinctive in bright red with the red wheels, I wonder if a football manager owned it in the late '80s and how many camel-hair coats that back seat has seen.

[skattrd]

My old Rangey always got 18mpg on petrol (14 on gas) no matter what speed I did.

Theres something gr9 about wafting in over 2 tons of metal that will do 0-60 in under 10 seconds ... Gotta love Rangey's, well bought.

[Ian Nexus]

My F150 also does 18mpg if you drive at 60 or 70+ I think its just a 2 ton V8 powered standard, Im going to get my brother-in law to tow me while I let the engine idle - it will still do 18mpg probably.

[Guest]

John the Car, of the Two Johns Garage, Corsica Street, Islington (very highly recommended local garage), has given the car the once over and declared it to be a megabargain. He was, by the way, working on a spotless Sierra XR4i when I rocked up to show him the Rangey. Other John the Car wasn't in this afternoon.

 

When new in 1990, this Vogue V8, with options of auto transmission, sunroof, tow package, and aircon would had a list price of around £29,400 ish.

 

Adjusted by reference to the RPI, 1990 to 2013, that is £54,650 at today's prices.

 

http://www.range-rover-classic.com/Home/land-rover-brochures/range-rover-1990-s

 

 

http://www.measuringworth.com/ukcompare/relativevalue.php

[red5]

So it means you owe me what exactly? And where is my Brickâ„¢ - the 205 is in the garage door !

 

Blimey.

[Guest]

Oooooops. Well, I did try to aim it at next door, so you could buy the wreckage of the house for a quid and build an uber huge shitetoria on the site.

[Guest]

Scrubbing up well, thanks to the local Rumanian car wash dudes.

 

Red5 failed, however, to leave the customary amount of loose change under the seats, jammed under the handbrake, etc., so I had to tip the blokes for their fine work using my own cash. Bummer.

 

[Spiny Norman]

Smart looking old bus, always fancied an old Rangie but the decent ones are getting incompatible with my wallet, that looks jolly bargainous.

[Des]

That does look very straight, last one I saw in that colour had 6 wheels. It could pay you to look at the 'boxes' that house the bonnet hinges, clean out the skanky rotten leaf slime and you'll see the bottom surface has a join, where they collect water, if they don't then they're drip feeding the interior, not enough for a musty smell but sufficient to create rust, put a bit of oil on the wiper spindles as they can get stiff with rust, and pop the cover off the inside of the tailgate and give it a splash of waxoyl or spray grease or something so it gets along the bottom join, and blast around the back of the No. plate lamps, although I think G reg Rangies were probably the best of them for resisting rust, 3 years on they became atrocious.

[Guest]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1991-LAND-ROV ... 20d0190cba

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1991-LAND-ROVER-RANGE-ROVER-VOGUE-SE-AUTO-BLUE-/140930256058?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item20d0190cba

 

 

That might well be worth a look, but NB:

 

Needs some repairs for the MOT including welding in many of the usual places, but the main chassis itself apears to be solid. This is not rocket science but a little time consuming - ideal for someone with the time/facilities to do this. Other than that it appears to be mechanically fairly sound ...

 

"Many of the usual places" might be problematic, as I gather that the the usual places on these heaps are quite numerous. Maybe someone should have a look, then bid low, but budget a modest four figure sum for the MOT.

 

At least his coolant sensor is knackered, same as the one of the red Rangey!

[Guest]

eBay roolze. Replacement bonnet bought for sixty quid.

 

Now for some bonnet and tailgate lettering. HANG ON, eighty quid for a set of original style lettering stickers? OK, no lettering, then.

 

On second thoughts... Daughter! Come over here, please, and bring yer crayons.

[brickwall]

They are indeed awesome

 

Driving the back-roads around here is like driving a jelly in slow motion. It makes me smile every time

[meshking]

*interesting fact. The boat in the background of this

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1991-LAND-ROV ... 20d0190cba

 

Is called Astoria and is/was owned by David Gilmour of pink floyd.

 

This thread has me searching for rangies, but if I make the leap, most likely a p38.

[Guest]

I have bought this car because I am about to move to a house in the Chilterns, up a steep hill, with a very steep driveway, which will be impassable in severe winter weather unless I have something rugged. Well, that's my story, and I'm sticking to it. The real reason, of course, is that I just love ancient British heaps, and /or am a sucker for punishment.

 

Here is the jalopy outside the new shack (which is actually a shack, at least sort of, being clad entirely in wood), with wife and daughter trying to do circa 1990 advert blah.

 

 

Also, even though Ireland lost today, tomorrow is St Patrick's day, and there may still be gold at the end of the rainbow - the view below being one of the reasons for moving. The car is just visible in this shot.

 

 

No cars in this one - view down towards new pad, with Vale of Aylesbury beyond, taken from the treehouse in the garden. My daughter went crazy about this when she saw it. I could tell you that there is less moss on the Rangey's window seals than there is on the roof of the house, but I'd be lying.

 

[richardthestag]

Nice looking rrc, it will certainly stand out from the crowd. Are you planning to lpg it?

 

Did mine, single point closed loop kit from tinkey tech. The tank is where the spare wheel goes. The spare wheel goes on the boot floor ( gives many more options for using boot space). Installing the kit was a weekends work, and tt sort you out with the paperwork for the insurers.

 

Mine is a daily driver and has done nearly 90 k miles under my ever so slightly heavy right foot. Costs a few quid to run it but the power and ride are brilliant on the pot hole shitty roads road here. Long journeys are effortless. I fix it myself.

 

I am just over the other side of the chilterns, up above high wycshite, should you fancy a chat

[Guest]

Cheers, I will get in touch to compare notes once I am settled in to ye countrye dwellinge.

 

As I spent the weekend just ending in Solihull, it would have been rude not to chug over to Lode Lane and do this:-

 

 

The interior on this old knacker really isn't bad. The knob who designed the radio placement for these cars was a knob, or maybe I'vejust got short arms.

 

 

The spare wheel is in great nick (it's silver), and the carpet cover for it is still present. The luggage cover is still in reasonable shape. Note executive lifestyle package including essential service items (viz: Hammerite).

 

 

Where one shitenwagen goes, another is sure to follow. I saw several G reg cars over the weekend, and various other 80s and 90s sheds. Here's the usual white Peugeot at Warwick Castle. The photo makes both cars looks wonky, but it's either the wonky ground or my crap foto skillz:-

 

[Guest]

This photo supplies its own caption....

 

[dollywobbler]

Fabulous. I really must get around to owning another one. And V8 this time.

[red5]

Glad the old girl has gone to a good home. Missing the lurch forwards already, not missing the fuel gauge plummet though. And my 205 is still in my garage door old chap.

[Guest]

I would offer to bring the Rangey and tow the Puglet out, but I would be worried that the extra load would make me run out of petrol at the top of your drive.As it is, next week, I have to collect the replacement unrusty bonnet, chuck it in the back, or strap it onto my trailer and tow it for a bit; so expect a widespread fuel shortage in the south Midlands region. At least this grid runs on plain old Happy Shoppa 95, whereas a couple of my sheds have hissy fits if not given V Power, spoilt brats that they are.

 

I have been spending some time underneath the lady in red, and can confirm that her underpinnings, although well used and a bit claggy, are mainly sound. I reckon that the steering damper is, to use a technical term, shagged out, and I will swap it for a new one at a cost of a whole eight pounds.

 

One thing that I always liked about my old Series Landy was that even a man with pretty limited spanner abilities, such as me, could tackle quite a few Meccano jobs on the thing, and, even though this shed of joy has uber posh upper bits, on the Landy Rovery underbits I can use my advanced level swearing and low level bodging skills. Over the weekend, I fiddled about with the exciting battery extension, topped up all the fluid levels, and gave the inside a good vacuum and clean up. BTW, I'm still disappointed no to find any 20p bits. Poor show, Red5. I found what looked for a moment like some primo spliff, but it turned out to be just some old foliage. Also, those old tax discs showing that this car used to live in West Sussex.

 

I the that reckon the brake pads might need renewing soonish, but at present the car stops well and in a straight line. There's a bit of smokiness (smoke, I reckon, not steam) and some coolant loss, but there's no header tank pressurisation when cold, no bubbling, sludge or mayo, and no wet plugs. I may give the thing another shake of the mighty K Seal, if only because that's the Rovery way.

 

I also started some bodge and blunder on some of the worst rusty bits. I love the smell of Hammerite in the morning. It smells like...victory!

[Guest]

PS: I still have interim custody of my bollocks. My wife quite likes the luxo-barge sit up high and look down at all the poor people* aspect of the whole Rangey vibe, and is anyway pretty pleased that I have bought her Gareth's red Peugeot oilburner. She says of the Rangey "It' s OK, but does it have to be so, well, red?". Of the Pug, she says "It looks OK, but I would have liked one that's a bit redder".

 

 

 

 

 

 

*I filled it up twice this weekend, so those poor people, that'll be us then, darling.

[red5]

Ah yes, first name terms with messer Shell, BP et al.

 

I forgot to mention the steering arm - did I leave the new one in the o/s/r footwell?

[garethj]

Of the Pug, she says "It looks OK, but I would have liked one that's a bit redder".

The 205 is very red indeed when it’s clean, after only a wash it’s quite good but with an hour’s polish it’s like the top traffic light.

 

I’ll be picking up the BX on Saturday 23rd, do you want to get the 205 on Sunday? I’m off to Germany on Monday for a few days so if not Sunday it’ll have to be later that week.

 

The Range Rover and 205 make ideal companions for fuel, when something does 55+mpg you can drive hundreds of miles practically free. So as an average between the two cars it all makes sense, in a man-maths kind of way.

[richardthestag]

As it is, next week, I have to collect the replacement unrusty bonnet, chuck it in the back, or strap it onto my trailer and tow it for a bit; !

 

Range rover bonnet just fits in the back of the car. Rear seats flat and front seat backs upright, bit cramped up front but enough room for my 6'4" frame to still be able to drive home.

 

Mind your headlining though.

[Guest]

Headlining, oh yes, it is mucho choice, that!

 

Thanks for the steering arm, Red5. Got it in the boot. The damper looks past its best, so that has gone into the shopping basket of Britpart bargains.

 

Today the Ruby Rangey has thrown all of its coolant all over Green Lanes, N16. This will at least prompt me to do a proper system flush and so on. As you priced the car so fairly, Red5, I can treat it to some new hoses and such. I have been offered a chunkyish price for the car by some bloke, but I'm keeping it.

 

Sunday Pugday sounds good, Gareth. Check yer mail.

[Guest]

Got an old 4x4? Fancy a spot of Green Laning? Why not try Green Lanes, London N16?

 

NB: If you are going to explode, be sure to explode next to a friendly Kurdish convenience store, and a friendly Chinese chippy. Note also the caption above the car.

 

 

 

 

Late entrant for bad parking prize, March 2013:

 

 

[Guest]

Tuesday Tat news: More poking and prodding reveals that Ruby the rusty red Rangey is remarkably sold underneath. The engine pulls very well for a 141,000 miler, and doesn't make too many horrible noises or shake about on its mountings. As Red5 mentioned at the top of the thread, there is a slight blow on the exhaust, but it's nothing to cry about. There isn't a lot of smoke once the car is warmed up, and the oil looks bright.

 

Today the car is with my next door neighbours JJ Motors, whom I highly recommend to north London shed fans, getting a new starter, new steering damper, and a good look at the cooling system, which seems to be the only potential headache at present. Bear in mind that I have been thrashing the poor old thing up and down England ever since I bought it, so not surprisingly it shows its tired bits. I will not use the car for many long journeys after I move to the sticks.

 

I have also been browsing the prices of lower mileage 3.9 V8s in case I want to do an engine swap, which might (or, indeed, might not) be cheaper than doing the top end of the current one, should it need doing. In the short term, I think that at least a head gasket replacement is called for. I have bought this car to keep and use, not to do up and sell on, but, if possible, I don't plan to spend more than a few hundred quid here and there to make sure that it survives a while longer.

 

It being spring, sort of, the spirit of the Bodge is well and truly upon me, and so this morning I have been doing bodge paint work on my old Lancia 's flaky pastry bits, when I should have been writing a boring advice for some client, who is going to pay me a bunch of money for it. I had better pull my finger out and do some work.

[Guest]

Someone above asked about concerting the car to run on LPG. I have no plans to do this. The car will not do high mileages, so it would take ages for the conversion cost to be recouped via fuel savings, and placing torpedo tanks below the car would ruin its ground clearance. This one will do some occasional off roading, for access to ye country airfields, glider recoveries, and such, not for 4x4 monging purposes.