As of today, we have a new Land Rover in the family, this time for Helena rather than for me.
This one is a 1980 1/2 Ton (also known as “Air Portable” or Lightweight”) FFR, which served in 1 Btn Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 3 Btn Queen’s Rgt, 1 Btn Royal Rgt Fusiliers, 1 Transport Rgt Royal Logistics Corps and 238 Sg Royal Corps of Transport, and has just over 36,600 miles on the clock which seem genuine, given its condition and how well it drives.
The previous owner has resprayed it in plain NATO green, and the body work is incredibly straight – the only slight damage is a small dent and 1/2″ crack in the right hand side of the bonnet. It is very original, still retaining its 24V electrics and much or the FFR wiring – the previous owner had refit the radios and used it for his hobby as a radio enthusiast. The front bumper needs a slight bend straightening and the tyres are bit perished (two brand new spares were included, but I need another pair), and a new hood was so recently fitted that it still needs shrinking.
Apart from swapping the speedo out for one calibrated in MPH rather than KPH and fitting a pair of Exmoor Trim “inward facing fold up seats” to face aft behind the tub bulkhead (with lap belts), we’ll be leaving it well alone in terms of appearance and specification. We might go as far as to fit another radio antenna box on the right wing to match the one on the left, but we’re not really concerned about it.
As with any 30 year old vehicle, there a few things to gradually sort out, but amazingly little needs doing on this lovely little Land Rover – it drives superbly and everything works. Helena is over the moon and the kids are very excited about going to school in it.
You are a obviously a whole family of masochists!
If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em!
An Army Land Rover in military colors!!! That is excellent beyond mortal comment! But I do have trouble with this statement, “we’ll be leaving it well alone in terms of appearance and specification.” Surely it needs a .303 twin Bren set to part traffic……
Make sure he puts a vanity mirror in there for you Helena. Swiss Family Landrover right enough!
He’ll fill your Water Bed with EP 90 if he can get away with it.lol.
Very nice…Well done to both of you!.
Hi, I own a 1975 diesel light weight 88 ex dutch army. I have had it for 10 years and have had no problems at all. I just bought a fairey overdrive on ebay U.K and will be insatlling it next week. Your site is very helpful. I can’t seem to find any rocol paste in Canada. Whats the next best thing? Thanks, John
Hi John,
Rocol is just a manufacturer name. You just need an anti-scuff mechanical paste. I would expect your local professional auto-factors (not the stores with spotty teens staff who sell stereos and satnavs to the public), engineering shops or bearings suppliers to have some or know where to get it. Be warned – it’s expensive stuff. If you get stuck, I think heavy grease will do – there is no relative movement (other than a little backlash from worn splines) between the gear box main shaft and the overdrive main (input) shaft, so that bearing surface is not doing much rotation within the perforated plastic bush of the overdrive shaft, and there shouldn’t be much oil flow to wash it away.
Good luck, and remember to check the small splines on the clutch sleeve and input shaft, and don’t forget that the three tabs on the castle-nut lock washer need filing down 1mm or so. It’s all on the overdrive installation part of the FAQ section of this blog.
Nick.
Oh, small update:
We’re leaving the KMH speedo in as it’s original and most 1/2Ts had them, so it’s “correct”, and the oil temperature gauge is knackered, not its sender or wiring, so if anyone has a 24V one of those laying about, let me know!
Nick.