1972 Series III 88 Hardtop
Galvanized frame swap and misc work orders.
This Series III has come to us from VT for some much needed rehabilitation. The Rover's frame has seen better days and the Rover has had numerous patches and past poor repairs, so we'll be removing the original rusted frame and installing a new galvanized chassis long life and replacing what is needed with new Genuine Land Rover parts. We'll also be making a few updates to the 88 to make it exactly what the customer desires and help make it safer along the way. As with any project that comes to ECR, we have completed a full evaluation of the Series III and then gone over that list with the customer to get the scope of the project ahead.
Once the rough work list is set up then it is time to dig in and get rid of the old rusted frame. Each system is carefully disconnected in order to save as much as possible on the Rover, because this is not a restoration, just a frame swap. Once everything is taken apart we can remove the body and...
roll out the rusted old chassis from underneath it. Doing frame swaps this way saves thousands of dollars over taking the Rover to pieces like some shops do, and it also is a great way to get a Rover that just has a bad frame, but doesn't need restoration, back on the road again.
Yikes! The brake pipes and some other systems have not survived due to the rust on this 88, but the good news is that along with the galvanized frame we will be replacing all the brake pipes so that this dangerous rusted brake line issue will not come back.
Ah... 35 years of New England rust. In most cases these axle casing have rusted completely through so this 88 is ahead of the game. Next we'll get axles cleaned and and ready for set up of the rolling chassis.
Here you can see the new galvanized frame that will be a welcome addition to the Series III. The old frame was getting so weak that the doors no longer closed correctly. Once the new frame is installed all those issues will be addressed., but for now we will start making the stainless steel brake pipes that will help end the brake line rust issues on the Rover.
Rust and more rust. This image shows the front axle in tear down mode. All that is left is the front axle case. This will now be blasted back to white metal and coated so that it won't rust out. The swivel balls will be taken down and rebuilt so that the steering works again and so that the swivels will actually hold oil. The differential will be checked and adjusted as needed and treated to new seals as needed so that it won't leak.
As axle tear down continues its time to get the bulkhead fixed up. The bulkhead on this Series III is far better than most we see, so we will be able to patch it in place and then paint and rust proof it. The yellow arrows point to the through rust on the bulkhead, you can see the holes. This rust is caused by the mud shields and their tendency to collect crap. The mud shields form a collection point in these locations that traps mud, leaves, water and more. When that sits on the steel it causes rust. A simple fix for this is to use small spacers between the bulkhead and the mud shield. This lets the water and debris pass by and stops this collection point. If you have a Series Rover we strongly suggest you clean out these areas and add some spacers to the mud shields. The bulkhead you save could be your own.
Stay tuned as this 88 gets a new lease on life.
If your Series Rover needs work, from a tune up to a new galvanized frame, be sure and call ECR. We'll be happy to help you in any way we can.