Land Rover Series 3 - Modifications to Make it More Usable

#landrover #landroverseries #modification

We all like to use our classic cars as often as we can, but how can they be sympathetically improved or modified to make them more usable in modern traffic? In this episode I look at the Land Rover Series 3 and how you can make yours a more usable classic car. I take you on a tour of my own 2.25 diesel 1976 Land Rover Series 3 (rolling restoration) project vehicle. I deal with engine modifications, suspension, brakes, overdrive, free wheeling hubs and soundproofing. There is so much to cover in this subject!

[roddyk]

It’s been many years since I owned my 1980 80” but here are a few things I did which made it better in my opinion.
I fitted 750 radial tyres which rolled much easier and quieter that x ply and moving from a 600 to a 750 gave it longer legs on the road. Sure it didn’t accelerate as quickly but it was fine. This knocks the speedo reading out but as I had a LWB for spares I fitted the speedo head and gearbox from it - it also had a Fairey over drive which was a game changer. FWH’s we’re on it when I got it but remember and lock them up now and again to splash lubricate the innards of the front axle. I managed to get a 2.5 n/a from a Sherpa van which dropped in nicely and made a huge difference as it was a 2286 petrol until that point - power and economy. I fitted an electric Kenlow fan and did away with the viscous fan on the 2.5 (the bearing in the fan was on the way out so just went with the electric fan). Inertia reel seatbelts gave a semblance of safety and a smaller leather steering wheel gave it at least another 10hp 😂. Home made sound deadening made from a roll of recycled rubber matting covered the bulkhead and seatbox. Having 3 seats I fitted a MoD under seat storage box from the old 109 I was scrapping which was handy. In the rear a glued foam sleep mats to the roof and sides for insulation - I’m sure there are better products available nowadays. I’m sure there was more, like the new Marsland chassis and proper bulkhead repairs but I can’t think. It was a very usable and reliable vehicle which I’d happily take on a journey of a few hundred miles and even returned around 30mpg on the motorway which was night and day compared to the 13 I got when it was a standard petrol. Sold it once I had 3 Landys on the go and that was the one getting the least use but I wish I’d kept it.

[LightweightLouieDanvers]

Lovely series 3. Quite fancy one of these as a classic runaround. 😊

[sorenweisshartmann]

Good video with a lot of good ideas for upgrade. Thanks

[pauljenkins]

It's a lovely old Landy, and you're a lucky man to have one and to be able to drive it from time to

[shibaricognoscenti]

I ran my 1963 Land Rover and did a lot to it that you have done. One thing you have missed is upgrading the brakes by using some long wheelbase brakes backing plate/drums etc. I also suggest a hidden 'pull' for stopping the engine. I could list a lot more.

[seriesrover]

Very nice Land Rover and good advice all around. Thanks for taking the time to make and post this video.

[jonnorousseau]

I did the following to my '79 109" panel van.
Parabolic leaf springs and uprated OME gas dampers. This allowed for significantly better diff crossover.
I replaced the old oil bath air cleaner with a Donaldson dry air filter fed from a snorkel.
I replaced the old SU carb with a Weber Tipo 34 carburetor.
I fitted a free flow 2.5" stainless steel exhaust system.
I replaced the steering box with a period replacement as the gears and linkages were worn and added an uprated steering damper.
I rebuilt the Salisbury diffs with new running gear and ball joints and added a centre differential lock.
Fitted a BMW 5 series power steering system.
The single best thing I did was fitting the parabolic leaf springs, 2 leaf on front diff, 3 on rear, load capacity of 2.5 ton but very much more comfortable than the old school leaf springs. I had manual lock free running front hubs already so that didn't need work
I'd love to have fitted discs to the front but I had the drums very nicely balanced with new wheel cylinders and lines from the already installed uprated V8 servo assisted brakes.
Miss my Landy, great vehicle that I regret selling

[MHAquaticsUK]

This is very interesting! Thank you very much for sharing!

[sorenweisshartmann]

Would you have a link to the voltmeter you installed at the dashboard ?
And do you need to do some additional modification to the wiring ?

[svgrainne]

Love the video, just recently came into a 1975 series 3 with the 2.25 diesel. Could you go into the second Earth Lead installation? Does it lead directly from the Negative terminal to the Ground on the starter? Thanks for the help

[thomaswykes]

My two pence - FWH are dangerous off road. I had them and nearly lost control on a steep decent when one went pop. I reverted to normal drive plates and remain happy.

The mod I can't recommend enough is an Ashcroft ATB pegged rear diff and HD half shafts. The axle goes from the weakest link to bombproof and goes well off road in just 2WD 🙂

[davidyarra]

As an ocean sailer, I had to cope with lots of stainless on aluminium, particularly on the masts where all fittings are stainless. Comment is correct that they are a long way apart on galvanic scale hence prone to galvanic action via electrolysis. There is an expensive tube of tough weather resistant goop that I bought that electrically isolated a fitting from the mast.

[paulpedersen]

My experience in fitting free wheeling hubs to my 2A SWB made 1 mpg difference, from 17 to 18mpg.

[Steve-boht]

Really good modifications with having the vehicle for ten years your probably very well aware of the auxiliary sockets on the dash are a notorious shorting point, and had this dreadful burning out of my wiring loom due to fitting a 12 volt socket and the positive and negative vibrating together, I've since fitted a new wire loom and placed a thick piece of plastic in between the two terminals been fine ever since.

[dieselbushcraft]

I’ve used manual locking freewheeling hubs on another 4x4 and they made a huge difference, it came with auto locking hubs but renowned for failing so fitted manual. As you say a little contravertial but if it’s you’re own can it’s your business. It gave me low box 2wd with hubs unlocked. Also when I’d had the hubs locked and then unlocked the car had a lot more go about it. So I’m guessing yours will be the same.

[cormacsheedy]

Hey man your trailer looks great . Any more photos of it?

[HeinerStorchennest]

Great vid with a lot of inspiring ideas. Is the voltmeter a genuine Smiths or Lucas one? Never seen before. How do you route the line of your worklamp to the front?

[highdownmartin]

Don’t use GL5 gearbox oil. Or if you have to, axles only. It rots bronze.
FWH are good. I stick mine in four wheel drove once a week or so for a few miles( hubs not being engaged ). It spins the front diff and flings oil round inside the axle, front uj’s and therefore top swivel pin and railko bush
What they do help with is a smidge of mpg but mainly noise and vibration and very noticeably the steering-at low speed full lock
I have an led repeater bulb in my texmagna indicator switch. It’s bright enough to see in daylight ( too bright at night really so I hold the wheel in a position to shield it) but importantly it’s a right pain to change that bulb!

[jonkenwell]

Hi. Great video, really interesting. I’m particularly interested in the additional earth strap you’ve added. Have you just simply linked this between the battery negative terminal and a point on the chassis? Thanks

[AlphaBravoV]

Luckily mine came with freewheeling hubs, but I think my best additions so far have been adding servo assisted brakes with an electric vacuum pump that is activated by the brake light switch, and changing the static seatbelts for retractable seatbelts.