Dick Longbridge Posted August 20, 2023 Share Posted August 20, 2023 An interesting 15 minute watch on the story of the discovery and resto of the very first Land Rover: I'd love to know how they got around the chassis issue though. On a slight tangent, I was reading about Dibnah's old Landies. It's common knowledge that his ex mod 2a (dressed as a s3) had a full resto and v8 conversion during his lifetime and that he also owned a lightweight. Both are still shown to this day. Someone mentioned Fred owned a ratty 2a in the 1980s but there seems to be little known about it. I did manage to find this photo but don't know any more about it apart from it was taken at Laburnum Mill, Atherton in 1982. What do we reckon - long dead, or tucked away somewhere? My guess is the former... Joey spud, Zie and sutty2006 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruffgeezer Posted August 20, 2023 Share Posted August 20, 2023 Sounds like it may have been scrapped... http://ollr.createaforum.com/general-land-rover-stuff/what-happened-to-stf352h/ Dick Longbridge 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sutty2006 Posted August 20, 2023 Share Posted August 20, 2023 Nice video that. Warms my inner diff bearings. LightBulbFun 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HMC Posted August 20, 2023 Share Posted August 20, 2023 43 minutes ago, Dick Longbridge said: An interesting 15 minute watch on the story of the discovery and resto of the very first Land Rover: I'd love to know how they got around the chassis issue though. On a slight tangent, I was reading about Dibnah's old Landies. It's common knowledge that his ex mod 2a (dressed as a s3) had a full resto and v8 conversion during his lifetime and that he also owned a lightweight. Both are still shown to this day. Someone mentioned Fred owned a ratty 2a in the 1980s but there seems to be little known about it. I did manage to find this photo but don't know any more about it apart from it was taken at Laburnum Mill, Atherton in 1982. What do we reckon - long dead, or tucked away somewhere? My guess is the former... By the early 90s he had moved on the a burgundy coloured series 3 (or s3 lookalike ) used to see Fred out and about in it. Dick Longbridge 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alcyonecorporation Posted August 20, 2023 Share Posted August 20, 2023 dee monster 8 the feaktures Crackers 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Longbridge Posted August 20, 2023 Author Share Posted August 20, 2023 1 hour ago, alcyonecorporation said: dee monster 8 the feaktures Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wesacosa Posted August 21, 2023 Share Posted August 21, 2023 7 hours ago, HMC said: By the early 90s he had moved on the a burgundy coloured series 3 (or s3 lookalike ) used to see Fred out and about in it. I lived in the same street as Fred for 4 years in the mid 90s when he had the burgundy one. Off topic but what has happened to his house and workshop his heartbreaking. I went back to Bolton for first time in 20 years last year and some back street garage is operating out of his workshop and the house is empty aside from the kitchen which has some tables for a random coffee and burger van operating out of his yard. The lady in the van did say I could have a nosey around his house though 500tops, Dick Longbridge, DSdriver and 1 other 1 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PiperCub Posted August 21, 2023 Share Posted August 21, 2023 Seem to recall (on here?) that whoever owned this place some years ago was trying to flog it for a ridiculous amount of money - as in about a million quid. Real shame it's like this now, would have made a decent vintage steam museum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
somewhatfoolish Posted August 21, 2023 Share Posted August 21, 2023 Is his coal mine still there or did the council force it to be filled in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sierraman Posted August 21, 2023 Share Posted August 21, 2023 He’d have wanted it to go to somebody mending fucked Puntos. What’s the name of the garage? HillmanImp 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wesacosa Posted August 21, 2023 Share Posted August 21, 2023 40 minutes ago, sierraman said: He’d have wanted it to go to somebody mending fucked Puntos. What’s the name of the garage? It didn't have a name on it. Just some random shit cars parked outside. it was all a bit odd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wesacosa Posted August 21, 2023 Share Posted August 21, 2023 56 minutes ago, somewhatfoolish said: Is his coal mine still there or did the council force it to be filled in? still there with a grate concreted over the entrance somewhatfoolish 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wesacosa Posted August 21, 2023 Share Posted August 21, 2023 1 hour ago, PiperCub said: Seem to recall (on here?) that whoever owned this place some years ago was trying to flog it for a ridiculous amount of money - as in about a million quid. Real shame it's like this now, would have made a decent vintage steam museum. when he died it sat for a long time whilst all the money wrangling stuff between the family went on during which time half the stuff got robbed out of the workshop. Someone then bought it and turned it into a museum/heritage centre but that closed a few years ago and they again struggled to sell the house. All very sad Dick Longbridge 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sierraman Posted August 21, 2023 Share Posted August 21, 2023 12 minutes ago, wesacosa said: It didn't have a name on it. Just some random shit cars parked outside. it was all a bit odd Fair play, it’s better than the place being empty/vandalised. Wouldn’t go wandering about in the woods though if the shaft is still open though 😂. Maybe that’s where all the fucked Punto engines go? wesacosa 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goosey Posted August 21, 2023 Share Posted August 21, 2023 In the Fred Dibnah documentary that was on years ago I’m sure he said he ran the old 2A out of oil but kept driving it till the engine siezed, I thought it was kind of ironic being as he was an engineer and all that, and I’m sure he stopped using the lightweight as the chassis was rotten Dick Longbridge 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sierraman Posted August 21, 2023 Share Posted August 21, 2023 I watched the episodes a while back, I get the gist he was spending too much time polishing his traction engine in the garage and not enough time servicing the wife. After a week in Blackpool where he went round every industrial estate in Preston and left the wife with the kids she went to Greece, presumably ended up fucking Tom Conte as per Shirley Valentine, arrived back via the solicitors with the divorce petition. I gather a few years passed with him getting leathered at Traction Rallies and he ended up with another woman in tow (literally...) as she sat in the back of the caravan listening to his witty anecdotes about Ruston Bycrus. I imagine it was either this or having a massive boiler that kept him being a bit of a fanny rat. Rocket88, timolloyd, Matty and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PiperCub Posted August 21, 2023 Share Posted August 21, 2023 After a week in Blackpool where he went round every industrial estate in Preston and left the wife with the kids she went to Greece, presumably ended up fucking Tom Conte as per Shirley Valentine, arrived back via the solicitors with the divorce petition. That's odd because that was my exact thoughts when I saw the original series too! She's likely been getting some extra-curricular D while on a foreign holiday away from prying eyes. Happened to a colleague of mine with his L/T GF last year - had a feeling it was going to then as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drum Posted August 22, 2023 Share Posted August 22, 2023 On 8/20/2023 at 10:25 PM, ruffgeezer said: Sounds like it may have been scrapped... http://ollr.createaforum.com/general-land-rover-stuff/what-happened-to-stf352h/ Wee blast from the past. I spent far too much time on ollr back in the day. A great forum that eventually fell apart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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