Anybody Considered a Range Rover ?

[frank rabbets]

How time flies! I built a new RR in 1980 REA 938W from mostly 1973 old parts but with a new chassis and body. There was no chassis number so I stamped it CFR 1 and this appeared on the log book when the Ministry of transport sent it. An inspector came and I had to pay car tax on what we agreed the value was. I can't remember what that was now. There was no engineers inspection on what I had built but the Police came to check the finished vehicle for stolen parts. I did over 200,000 miles in it in 6 years. Very very simple and lightweight machine and very easy to work on. I could strip the engine in a day and remove the block from the gearbox. I could easily walk around carrying the block.. Most of the body was aluminium but the inner body was steel but like Meccano. I was astonished at how good the road holding was especially on a fast bumpy corner which not unnerve it at all unlike the 80. No rust appeared at all as I had used my spray gun to spray a mist of diluted waxoil into all the new chassis and body parts.

 

[froggy Steve]

I had a 1990 3.9 SE - one of the first after the 3.5's - I hate to admit it but I loved that car - when we bought it in 95, it had just under 50k and was like new! I also bagged a free set of tyres under a recall from new (faulty ones apparently) Was pretty reliable, apart from ABS light coming on occasionally, but boy was it thirsty.....best we ever had was 17 mpg trundling down the motorway, and worst was 7 mpg towing a speed boat home! Wifey used it every day from home to Northampton, and got an average of 11 mpg.......gulp........G785 XTM was the number, Westminster grey

 

[frank rabbets]

They are nice Steve .

I drove a series 1 1959 SWB Land Rover from Bristol to Gloucester in 1967. There was a strong headwind and even with foot on floor it only did 40 mph. Mpg was defo less than 10mpg. We used to buy Jet petrol with free playing cards. I had millions!!

 

[Ben]

The pre production RR's were driving around Birmingham in 1968. If the Patrol had all coil springs and those giant leading front arms holding the front axle on pre 1968 then yes RR were behind the Patrol. I don't know.View attachment 25822

Its surprising how slow Toyota were to embrace coil suspension on 4wd's really, especially when considering how much better the ride and handling is!

Land Rover/Range Rover were very innovative and in some ways still are!

 

[frank rabbets]

The rear axle had only two bars holding it on, at the bottom together with an enormous ball joint on top in the middle.

 

[clivehorridge]

IIRC, the whole range (sorry) Range Rover, Defender and Disco had the same axle mounting set up, front and rear...



Without the the wishbone on the front of course...

 

[Dave2000]

I was working on my late friends 80 (WIM) many years back, my Disco was parked beside his car. It is only when you see them side by side you can see how much bigger and heavier the 80 running gear is. As competitions were curtailed after an injury, and when looking for a replacement for the Disco, I think seeing the difference at the time did indeed influence my decision to buy an 80 over a Pootroll.

regards

Dave