Old Rovers Too Feeble?

[brickpaul65]

If you want to see a different result from the same comparison. Let me drive the Land Rover.....

 

[madmax718]

I hope that comment on the garden tool was a joke. Lol. I havent used one since I was a kid helping my dad. But I know what they are. And they always got crusty like that, because the dirt sticks to oil. Most owners didn't clean the whole thing off, so all that dirt... in goes to the engine!

And thats really my point for a lot of things- technology improves- and sometimes it is incompatible with older technology. Sometimes its just politics.

Tech improvements: better air quality by using catalytic converters. Downside? New oil was developed, which cause increased wear in flat tappet cams. only old cars use those.
Politics: MTBE, and Ethanol. eats through rubber hoses and connectors. Lower fuel economy.

Increased air quality is great, but there will be some compromises. The fact that they got rid of the old metal oil can and switched to ez pour plastics probably increased engine life for many vehicles.

Switching from cork gaskets to vitton, synthetic grease from whale blubber, improved metallurgy, all have contributed to improvements. And even old vehicles can be retrofitted with a lot of this stuff.

 

[Viggen]

...

What does any of this have to do with anything?

 

[EricTyrrell]

Yes, let's get back on topic, giving Matt a hard time

 

[REDROVER]

Another applicable phrase,
It will run (like crap) forever.
How do you define "modern exploring"?
Covering 1000 miles of freeway at 85mph, then doing 20 miles off pavement with the windows up and the A/C on?
With a refrigerator in the back keeping the imported French butter and Italian cured meats at the optimal temperature?
Posting photos on Instagram and Facebook, mocking your city-dwelling friends for not "getting out there" enough?

ill take any older land rover vs brand new 2014 model ,, when i go out exploring its the feeling of wind and heat and the cold and everything with it that makes it interesting ,
MODERN OVERLANDING = GOING TO THE MALL WITH A NEW LAND ROVER ,

 

[Antichrist]

I hope that comment on the garden tool was a joke. Lol. I havent used one since I was a kid helping my dad. But I know what they are. And they always got crusty like that, because the dirt sticks to oil. Most owners didn't clean the whole thing off, so all that dirt... in goes to the engine!

And thats really my point for a lot of things- technology improves- and sometimes it is incompatible with older technology

As it regards the oil can spout, I'd file that under protecting people from their own stupidity. I kept my oil spout clean and checked it carefully before use.
I use one of these

but I store it so it stays clean inside.

 

[flipstah]

Check out how " feeble" this Series 3 LR is vs two modern Jeeps. Good illustration of driver knowledge of his vehicle. Great Skill. Hope the link works because I am feeble when it comes to computers!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGZM1RFdWS0&feature=youtube_gdata_player

That's awesome! Same one as the one I bought.

That Series looked full too. :victory:

 

[Chris Cordes]

No diesel yet....planned conversion about this time next year.

I have all the parts lined up but I don't want to have the rig down for a long time.
And to keep this post on topic when it comes to older rigs I think for a very resonable cost you can bring many aspects up to a modern and comfortable level.
For example I paid $4500 for my used 1970 Suburban (pretty much what it sold for new so great return on investment for the original owner).
I will have another $5000-$7000 into it when all is said and done.
That will give me a 4 passenger rig, that can sleep 2-4 inside, get 20 mpg, have front & rear ARB lockers, mild lift, Hannibal awning, solar powering dual batteries and that I am pretty sure I could sell for $10,000 all painted and pretty....or keep forever.

That's awesome! I totally agree though. I sold my Hummer for a decent amount, bought the Range Rover Classic I have always wanted for 5K, and I'm putting 5 or so in it to make it my perfect truck. Yes it will break (and it has) but I love it and it will leave me 12K to actually go travel and I can replace parts myself without it yelling codes at me and being upset because I didn't take it to the dealership.I also plan on going diesel with a 300 Tdi but I can't afford to give it up for 3 months without a second vehicle to take its place. And your rig is great Lance don't sell that tank!

 

[rwhitmo04]

My more recent and significantly cheaper vehicle which granted is known to be among the most unreliable vehicles ever has already had several issues, one of which left me stranded.

Gotta love the Top Gear reference:

http://youtu.be/qRruKBfN70c?t=5m5s

 

[Canol 109]

Baahhhh!!!

...to feeble...me thinks not.

As with any "old" vehicle maintenance is the key here...if you stay on top of all the issues old Rovers will be tough, and capable of keeping up with any rig off-road....and even on tarmac they are not all that bad if (again) you keep them properly maintained.

I will agree that the "old" rovers are not that comfy...but that is not the issue here.

Case in point...

In 2009 I drove my bone-stock 1984 109 up to the Yukon/NWT and did the Canol Road/trail along with another 109, 2 110's and a 90.

The only issue (mechanically) was the other 109 we needed to replace the slave cylinder.



That's me out front....feeble?....no way!

 

[LR Max]

I just need to have one of these and when I'm around modern rovers, pull it out and act like I'm oiling my truck with it. Just to screw with them.



Also I need a mustache and a bowler hat.

 

[4Rescue]

Old rovers are [almost] always broken, but [almost] never broken down.

Exactly, perfect way to put it mate...

Like a number of older trucks, they were meant to be "field serviceable" which mean that an average mechanic can handle repair and there fore keep them on the road. They're a LITTLE "under-built" (10-spline axles and a few other things) and they're certainly not "luxurious" but you can mod them with either stock or "other brand" parts (this will sound sacrilegious, but a Series/early Rover and a Toyota Mini-truck 22RE drive-train is a match made in heaven) and solve those issues and being that they're so utilitarian you can certainly swap some suspension seats and some sound-deadening material into them to solve some long distance comfort issues, but the MAIN thing is again... they're field serviceable which means they're able to be kept on the road like few newer vehicles are. I'm a Toyota guy (On the Expo Portal??? ...shocking I know ) but I LOVE old Series Rovers for this exact reason (and for their "Ugly" beauty - to me I think that the "two brick" styling is just stunning and purposeful looking), they're like Lego vehicles that you can add onto and mod to your hearts content. Sure can't do what you can do with them to modern trucks aye. Personal preference I'd rather an FJ45, but I'd LOVE to come out every morning to an old Series Rover too cause, for ME, trucks like that just make me "happy" to be around them/drive them/own them. I love that they exist because of what their intent was and it reminds me of a time when we weren't obsessed with in-car electronics and we had places to go (more of them) that REQUIRED a truck like the Series to get us there. They say something about the driver and his/her intent and interests.

Can you get somewhere in more comfort??? Absolutely... Are they a little "weak" in some areas??? Yeah sure, but it's not hard to address those problems and there are TONS of known fixes for anything you can run across. But then in my eyes, the trip and the vehicle (and the joy of driving it) is as much a part of any adventure as the destination. I love looking over a boxy, hood and watching the miles roll by in a way that NO new truck can do for me. A good example (warning, Toyota content in the LR section!!!) of this is the Cattle Station I lived on in Australia, we had an old FJ45 Ute, a bunch of 70-series trucks (which are still very "old school" inside and out), a coupe HDJ80's and a 105-series. The 105 was a BLAST to take out on the highway and being in something that powerful and comfortable and still that capable is really cool... BUT, I still got the most joy by a LARGE margin driving the old FJ45 and the 70's. They were less comfortable, sure, but they also had this "connected" feel like you were experiencing the terrain more then you were in the luxo-barge 105 (although I DID love that a truck like that could be had with a manual trans in it... Silly NA automobiles). So why buy "New Retro" (*cough* FJ cruiser *cough*) when the old originals are still such good options full of potential for anything you can dream up??? Seems silly to me unless you just simply can't come to terms with the "lack" of amenities...

Cheers

Dave

 

[LR Max]

I've noticed a few things:

My 109 isn't as feeble if I keep it clean. Feels like a boss when its clean. Also its nice knowing my pants won't be dirty. Of course this will all go away in two weeks...

People complain about the 10 spline rear axle...is it any worse than the Dana 35 rear axle in jeeps some decade ago? I do like the Jeep mentality though. Not strong enough? Rip it out and put something decent in it. Seems like most of the jeep shops around here can install 2~3 8.8 rear axles in them a day...and do so often.

 

[JSBriggs]

So what was the consensus? Are Land Rovers feeble or is Matthew Scott fickle? Maybe there should be a poll.

-Jeff

 

[thedjjack]

For the price of a new truck full of little computers that will fail at 20 years you could have a real truck built...

Old truck, new frame, smallish mechanical diesel, simple gear box (not some 7 speed automatic that will blowup), new axles with large brakes, comfortable seats and sound deadner...Keep It Simple Stupid-KISS...

Every time I get in a new truck at work to drive in the bush I just think of all the stuff that will fail...like the F150 fuel pump relay on the back frame in the salt launching boats...ahhhh