Bloody rotters!

[Animal Mother]

I'm still in the market for a 120. This is primarily because the one's I've been to see are just rotten! The adverts constantly say things like: "Perfect example", "Excellent bodywork" "Cherished...", "Best condition LC you'll find".

However, every car I've been to has suffered terrible with rot. This has been through a range of ages and range of miles.

I saw one on Saturday which was undersealed, but had clearly been undersealed to hide rather than protect. I pocked the rear sub frame and big chunks (10cm long x 2cm) of rusted steel fell away.

Others had rotten inner wings, bonnet edges (inner) were completely rotten (This was a car with 64k miles!).

I'll keep plugging away but it looks like I'm going to have to increase my budget and look at very late 120s with low mileages that have been VERY well looked after. This takes me into Invincible territory so I might as well go for the higher output and tinted windows.

 

[AndycruiserguyLomas]

I'm still in the market for a 120. This is primarily because the one's I've been to see are just rotten! The adverts constantly say things like: "Perfect example", "Excellent bodywork" "Cherished...", "Best condition LC you'll find".

However, every car I've been to has suffered terrible with rot. This has been through a range of ages and range of miles.

I saw one on Saturday which was undersealed, but had clearly been undersealed to hide rather than protect. I pocked the rear sub frame and big chunks (10cm long x 2cm) of rusted steel fell away.

Others had rotten inner wings, bonnet edges (inner) were completely rotten (This was a car with 64k miles!).

I'll keep plugging away but it looks like I'm going to have to increase my budget and look at very late 120s with low mileages that have been VERY well looked after. This takes me into Invincible territory so I might as well go for the higher output and tinted windows.

What a surprise,NOT !!!
The one from up the village ( 04) with full TSH one owner with 42k looked great on top but like a shipwreck underneath. He didn't take my offer of £8k (wanted 12) but boy, did he struggle to sell it.
Every time I see a black Invincible I have a little "envy" moment.

TBF you could do a lot worse than a D4D Collie at a lot less money, there are a few solid ones out there ( get a VX though).

 

[Animal Mother]

...and to make the search harder, there's a lot of scammers out there "selling" LC120s at the moment.

 

[chapel gate]

"Like a shipwreck underneath "

I like that.

 

[StarCruiser]

I've seen one recently that was like the underside of a pier! I was shocked!

 

[chapel gate]

The last 100 series i looked underneath was like the mary rose..

 

[StarCruiser]

The last 100 series i looked underneath was like the mary rose..

Wasnt the Mary Rose wooden?

 

[chapel gate]

Wasnt the Mary Rose wooden?

Now your splitting hairs.. lets just say it was rotten..

 

[StarCruiser]

Now your splitting hairs.. lets just say it was rotten..

 

[Shayne]

I would echo Andy get a 90 series my 1998 truck without ever having the underside treated had no rust to hammer off when i set about making sure its good for another decade with a wire brush a few months back .

 

[clivehorridge]

The floor pans on my 80 are still blue paint, never been treated with anything, except a jet-wash.

I admit I’ve had rust repairs done, but theyre very minor compared with some other 80s I’ve seen, and photos of 100s and 120s.

It is scary what you can spend your money on, if you’re not careful...

 

[Karlosfandango]

When I first went to look at ours I wasn't aware of how much of an issue rust might be. I had a good look and saw some light surface rust and thought nothing more about it. It wasn't until I found this place that I suddenly thought it might be worth having a much closer look....... now it was on the drive

I think I got lucky though. The rear section that would house the secondary tank or spare wheel looked the worst once cleaned off but it appears it's had some form of rust proofing from way back so it's all pretty much solid. It's just all the small brackets that look terrible, especially under the bonnet, they'd be more akin to a 1970's Triumph.

 

[clivehorridge]

When I first went to look at ours I wasn't aware of how much of an issue rust might be. I had a good look and saw some light surface rust and thought nothing more about it. It wasn't until I found this place that I suddenly thought it might be worth having a much closer look....... now it was on the drive

I think I got lucky though. The rear section that would house the secondary tank or spare wheel looked the worst once cleaned off but it appears it's had some form of rust proofing from way back so it's all pretty much solid. It's just all the small brackets that look terrible, especially under the bonnet, they'd be more akin to a 1970's Triumph.

Speaking of a 1970’s triumph, back then my mates dad had an Endsign, big Bertha we called it, coach-built interior, eons old, perfect paint and not a speck of rust on it.

He sold it and bought a brand new Dolomite.

The front wings rotted through during the 12 month warranty period, and replaced F. O. C.

Can you believe, right through, you could get your hand in there. Quite incredible.

 

[Dave_S]

TBH I find the amount of rust on many modern trucks scary - almost new (i.e. 12 months old) Hilux, L200, Rangers... the chassis are almost all crispy. I assume they'll scrape through the warranty periods, but these things will not be around 15 years from now. In-built obsolescence...

 

[chapel gate]

TBH I find the amount of rust on many modern trucks scary - almost new (i.e. 12 months old) Hilux, L200, Rangers... the chassis are almost all crispy. I assume they'll scrape through the warranty periods, but these things will not be around 15 years from now. In-built obsolescence...

Ive noticed it too. Cheap chinese steel and waterbased paints??..

 

[AndycruiserguyLomas]

I would echo Andy get a 90 series my 1998 truck without ever having the underside treated had no rust to hammer off when i set about making sure its good for another decade with a wire brush a few months back .

The "Black one" passed its test again yesterday, no advises for the second year running. Having sold the Chevy I'm pretty much in the market for a good 120 but will take my time whether I've sold the Collie or not but won't buy a 120 if its not better condition than the Collie.
Some of the prices asked for 10-13 year old 120's are unbelievable.

 

[flint]

Speaking of a 1970’s triumph, back then my mates dad had an Endsign, big Bertha we called it, coach-built interior, eons old, perfect paint and not a speck of rust on it.

My dad had a Standard Flying 8 Tourer, puddles were best avoided as the water would come in through the floor and the engine had to come out at fairly regular intervals. A Standard Vanguard Phase 2, the model before the Ensign, followed. Built and drove like a tank. That was followed by a nice Triumph 2000, 100,000 civilised and trouble free miles. Then he got a 2 litre Triumph Vitesse convertible, chassis outriggers shot after about 3 years, otherwise mechanically pretty good. Nice on a sunny day, though handling could be.....interesting. As for modern stuff, whatever happened to galvanised panels and proper undersealing ? Not very eco friendly if they're scrap in 5 to 10 years.

 

[clivehorridge]

My dad had a Standard Flying 8 Tourer, puddles were best avoided as the water would come in through the floor and the engine had to come out at fairly regular intervals. A Standard Vanguard Phase 2, the model before the Ensign, followed. Built and drove like a tank. That was followed by a nice Triumph 2000, 100,000 civilised and trouble free miles. Then he got a 2 litre Triumph Vitesse convertible, chassis outriggers shot after about 3 years, otherwise mechanically pretty good. Nice on a sunny day, though handling could be.....interesting. As for modern stuff, whatever happened to galvanised panels and proper undersealing ? Not very eco friendly if they're scrap in 5 to 10 years.

I agree, imagine during production, all underside and interior steel (the stuff that rots) could be galved from new, for probably less than £50 quid a vehicle.

The numbers speak for themselves, so there’s not much more to say on this IMO...

 

[GeekOKent]

I can imagine there are quite a few in bad state these days. unloved etc. But just given the number of these vehicles out there - surely there must be some clean ones out there ( actually quite a few ).

Maybe keep an eye on dealers getting folks swapping out for 150's these days ?


I like to think mine's in a good state, certainly not excellent or time-warp or any of those buzzwords used on ebay, but its a good clean state. Most of the factory black paint etc is in place, and while i have'nt done much by way of offroad in the 120, we always clean it down rapidly ( usually on the way out of the play-zone ) etc. And we dont get much Salt, if at all, on the roads down this part of the world.

 

[MarkW]

Most of the European 120's and 100's I see on my travel seem tso be in very good condition underneath. I guess its mostly down to winter road treatments