Free V8 LR win

[scruff]

Through the kindness of a top geezer on another forum, a pal of mine has landed himself a free Stage 1 V8 Landy. The catch is - he's had to promise to furnish it with a galvanized chassis as it's a bit crusty, not bodge it up or break it for spares. And my mate lives in France. So I'm picking it up next week - MoT runs out on March 13th and its still taxed - and storing it here for a while. Plan is to train it up from Peterborough and then burble back. The only trouble is once I've driven it I know I'll want to keep it for myself

[FredTransit]

You lost me, are you offering it or just bragging! If it's on offer I would be tempted.....

[scruff]

Sorry Fred spoken for! I'd have been tempted but another project is the last thing I need. Facebook tells me Ashes has finished filming, you had much to do with it this time?

[dollywobbler]

Oooh, nice tale Mr Scruff. I do like a Landy V8.

[Albert Ross]

Yeah, but a Stage 1!!!! It's the mother of all leafers, the unobtainable, the shining light..... It's the Tagora Diesel of the Land Rover world. Is it Java Green? Mmmmmm.... Now I would make way for that. I would get rid of my 1961 for a Stage 1. That's how good they are.

[Tayne]

.

[pogweasel]

Stage 1 nom nom noms!How far do you have to drive it back? Just if you are paying for the fuel it's going to be a long way from free by the time you get home

[dollywobbler]

This thread needs some flush-fronted loveliness!

[FredTransit]

Sorry Fred spoken for! I'd have been tempted but another project is the last thing I need. Facebook tells me Ashes has finished filming, you had much to do with it this time?

Yep all done now, 2 vans, 2 lutons, 2 ambies, a parcel van and a Mk5 cortina this time round. They are selling off some of the costumes this week end, in Bermondsey.

[meggersdog]

Only ever seen one stage 1 in the metal and that was a long time ago.Was the flush front something to do with an oil cooler or was it just for the rad ?

[Tayne]

.

[scruff]

It's down to using the Range Rover gearbox and sitting it in roughly the same place in the chassis as the standard LR - the bellhousing is really long and puts the engine right forward, hence the need for a flush front. It also makes them a piece of piss to work on. Only export ones had oil coolers, you can spot them by the seperate grill under the main one.

 

I've got to drive it from Sheffield to home near Oakham which is only about 90 miles and it's on LPG as well, the jammy git.

 

It's this one

 

[scruff]

Oh yeah, my pal is going to paint it Inca Yellow

[meggersdog]

RR 'box would make it permenant four wheel drive then.Stage 1 of the 90/110 (re)design.Now I know,thank's Mr Scruff

[garethj]

My old one had overdrive which helped a lot with motorway cruising (as much as you can cruise on the motorway). As standard the engine makes about 90bhp at 3500rpm. But if you take out the restrictor plates from the intake manifold it's more like 130bhp at 5000rpm.

 

Fond memories of chasing a Porsche at a genuine 80+ mph down the A46...

 

 

12mpg around town, 18-20mpg on a run.

[dollywobbler]

I think I'd be very mindful of the drum brakes before releasing all that powargh!And you know, I quite like it in that Nineties Rover metallic green. Wrong of me I know. Sorry.

[garethj]

I think I'd be very mindful of the drum brakes before releasing all that powargh!

The drum brakes are quite big and they're designed to stop (or at least slow down) a fully laden 109 towing something heavy, they're not too bad if you shove the pedal hard enough.The heavy and slow steering is more of a worry

[Akron]

First vehicle I ever drove was a stage one, masai red owned by my Dad's friend. My Dad was so impressed he went out and bought a 110 V8 brand new (D701 SWL).

[scruff]

Yay, first leg of the journey complete!

 

Last night I arranged insurance and plotted a route.

 

 

There, that was easy.

 

First thing today, the lovely future Mrs Scruff drove me to downtown Peterborough where my pal Alex was waiting for me at the station.

 

Peterborough station and our waiting express

 

We saw a snowplough...

 

While Alex got stuck into some serious cultural issues in The Sun.

 

At Doncaster we changed trains and saw some railway chod sat in the sidings. I've no idea what these are but I'm sure someone will.

 

After boarding a bizarre little train which looked a bit like a bendy bus (and sounded like one) we made our way to Sheffield.

 

 

Here we met the 'seller', who is a top fella indeed and picked us up in a kwality piece of French-made future-Autoshite.

 

NICOLE! PAPA! etc

 

After a short journey through Sheff we arrived at his digs and, for the first time, set eyes on my mate's new wagon.

 

 

 

Cool or what!

Over a pukka cuppa tea, we were showed round it and various points of character. It's nicely original under the gay respray and the engine barked straight up.

 

 

Certainly is!

 

 

Refreshed and pointed in the direction of tyre-inflating equipment, we programmed the sat nav for home and set off across the badlands of Sheffield. This 109 is fuggin ace, I must buy one forthwith, the last Stagie I drove was a right shitter but this one is quite nice.

 

After filling the tyres with air and the space between the seats with munch and cola, we headed for the A1. Doesn't feel like a ball of fire but its a nice surprise when the sat nav reads "70" and the engine is just mmmmmmmmmmmmurrrrrrrrring. Very relaxed cruiser, I think it must have Range Rover gearing in the transfer case bit of the 'box. Wound up to 80+ and had more to go.

 

Here we are in a layby where we stopped for a wee.

 

 

A short while later we were home!

 

Just got to get it to France now...

[warren t claim]

How many miles and how much fuel?

[scruff]

100 so far, and not sure. It was full of LPG and apparantly when 130 miles comes up on the trip it's time to panic! I'll take it down to Peterborough in the week and fill it up. 620 miles driving from here to my pal's in France.

[dollywobbler]

Some random comments.Your village is LOVELY. And full of Land Rovers. Win.I really like that V8.Judging by the puddle, you must have had quite a piss!I really, really like that V8.Your map is brilliant. Are you bringing the V8 to the office at any point? Are you sure it has to go to France?!

[scruff]

Won't be near the office but you should pop over sometime Ian!It is, sadly, properly rough underneath though. Not about to snap in half but I think the MoT man would be busy with the yellow chalk. In fact we were looking at it today and before the trek south it's gonna get some weld laid on the rear shock mounts just in case!

[trigger]

Judging by the puddle, you must have had quite a piss!

Great story, Great photos, Love it! V8's make me but my bank account

[pogweasel]

Awesome!

[Gompo]

Good effort.Seller wasnt called Alister was he..?Greg.

[scruff]

Good effort.

 

Seller wasnt called Alister was he..?

 

Greg.

Nope, but the bloke who owned it before that was - I think it was at some sort of activity centre?

 

In other news, this baby is now safely stabled in France! We took it out on Monday night and had a absolutely GR8 run down. The old Stage didn't miss a beat, brushing off the miles and not being too excessive on LPG consumption. Here's two pics off my little camera, I will put some more on L8R including some shite spots.

 

Ready to go!

 

 

At Dover 3.5 hours later

 

[VWPowered]

where in france

[scruff]

Very near you! Although I seem to recall you've moved?? Charente, anyway - just outside Ruffec.

[Guest]

HI

Akron, do you still have D701 swl (an Oxford registered blue v8 110 stationwaggon brought from Oxford Hartwells) This was the 2nd brand new landrover which my dad bought for my mums birthday. They had consecutive numberplates (he had D700 swl on his jag) and it was sold in 1990 when it was replaced with another 110 csw (with a diesel engine). wondered if you still have the car? if you do what mods has she had?