Better Buy?

[TexasTJ]

I am Looking at two potential projects right now and wonder what y'all might feel would be a better buy?

A Near complete Series IIa 88 that needs some frame work and a motor or a 109 rolling chassis.

The 88 has all body parts and a hard top.

I am looking to rebuild one for a weekend hauler and Lake truck. I do have one child and a dog but I don't think I have to have 4 door for what I want to do with the truck, that being said I am not marred to an 88 and do like the idea of the 109 wagen.

I guess the real questing is it better to have all my body parts there and then strip the truck down and rebuild or get the 109 buy body panels as i find them. Motors and axles are not a big deal as I'm going to use a Chevy V6 and Toy axles.

thanks

Nate

 

[ZG]

Hard to say. I'd go with the one that has all the parts, most Series parts are NLA so you may find yourself SOL with just a chassis.

 

[TexasTJ]

That's what I was thinking. I will find out what he want for the 109 too and Ill let y'all know just in case and one is looking for a good frame off a life long Texas truck.

 

[LR Max]

Get the 88 and install a coiler chassis with newer axles equipped with disc brakes.

Either one is going to be a bunch of work. Might as well have a decent suspension so your spine doesn't shoot out of the top of your head and you can stop before hitting a heard of preschoolers.

BTW these are daily trials and tribulations of series rover owners.

 

[TexasTJ]

The 88


The 109. He is taking the body off this one and just selling the rolling chassis. That's a bummer because I would buy it for sure if he was selling the hole truck.

 

[Alaska Mike]

Um, neither.
While the 88 has more body panels, I'm going to assume the steel ones are more or less rust molecules holding hands by the look of the breakfast. It could be the photos though, and you never know how deep the rust goes until you drive a screwdriver through it. If you have a large stack of cash and some fabrication skills, it would be a long-term project. I bought a $500 Series III that was in similar condition and proceeded to dump ungodly amounts of money into it, and years later it still isn't on the road.

The 109 would be an expensive proposition, because you would be piecing together all of the needed body panels, as well as all of the brackets, seals, hardware, and other bits and pieces to make it a vehicle again. With the right connections, you can make it happen for a semi-reasonable amount- the cost of another parts Rover with a bad frame (assuming this one is good). Buying them one-by-one would bankrupt Bill Gates.

My advice is to keep looking. Hit up the Rovers North BBS or Guns and Rovers. See if you can find ones further inland, away from the corrosive influences of the Gulf. Spend as much as you can afford up front, so you don't end up spending it later. I'd give the same advice to someone looking for a flat fender.

 

[ZG]

I agree, stay away from both of those.

 

[TexasTJ]

Sounds Good Ill Pass.