gjackson
FRGS
So a couple of months ago I started looking for another rig with the anticipation of a fairly serious change in professional direction. I was having a lot of trouble deciding what to look at let alone what to get. KCs 60 made me scour CraigsList for evenings on end while Scott's D1 was dragging me back towards the Rover fold. Prices on Rovers were certainly better, but I thought maybe I could go to Toyota. Maybe even Pinzgauer?! (Thanks Ed!!)
But it didn't take long for all of that to go out the window. While at the local LR dealership a good friend told me of a fellow clubmember selling his ride. At $10,000 it was more than I was willing to spend, but I figured it was worth a look. Now is when you think I've lost all sense if I'm willing to look at a 1989 Range Rover going for 10k! And you're right. It didn't even run. But it did have a 300tdi sitting in the engine bay. I spoke to Jim Pendleton who had done the transplant and to Keith who had been involved, offered the owner half his asking price and walked away. I expected to hear no more.
The engine had been overheated, there was no exhaust on the truck and the oil line from the oil filter was leaking. A week after my visit I got a call from the owner accepting my offer. So we went to his place with a flatbed, fired the truck up and drove it onto the trailer. It pissed oil all over his drive and barely had the guts to get up the 2 inch step onto the ramp. Not the best sign!
The oil leak was easy, just a missing o-ring. The exhaust was pretty easy too. The lack of power was horrific. The thing couldn't move fast enough to get out of its own way. Into my garage it went and off came the head. As it turns out, a very warped head.
This past weekend I spent putting a brand new head on, and by Sunday we were cruising around in a Rangie that sounds like a tractor and can easily keep up with traffic. Way too cool!
chug, chug, chug!
cheers
But it didn't take long for all of that to go out the window. While at the local LR dealership a good friend told me of a fellow clubmember selling his ride. At $10,000 it was more than I was willing to spend, but I figured it was worth a look. Now is when you think I've lost all sense if I'm willing to look at a 1989 Range Rover going for 10k! And you're right. It didn't even run. But it did have a 300tdi sitting in the engine bay. I spoke to Jim Pendleton who had done the transplant and to Keith who had been involved, offered the owner half his asking price and walked away. I expected to hear no more.
The engine had been overheated, there was no exhaust on the truck and the oil line from the oil filter was leaking. A week after my visit I got a call from the owner accepting my offer. So we went to his place with a flatbed, fired the truck up and drove it onto the trailer. It pissed oil all over his drive and barely had the guts to get up the 2 inch step onto the ramp. Not the best sign!
The oil leak was easy, just a missing o-ring. The exhaust was pretty easy too. The lack of power was horrific. The thing couldn't move fast enough to get out of its own way. Into my garage it went and off came the head. As it turns out, a very warped head.
This past weekend I spent putting a brand new head on, and by Sunday we were cruising around in a Rangie that sounds like a tractor and can easily keep up with traffic. Way too cool!
chug, chug, chug!
cheers
