85 110 3 door

[adamdh1]

I bought it a few weeks ago and have started with a lot of preventive/corrective stuff before I start the modifications.
Here is a list of parts that I have to install:
-Accessory drive belt
-Timing belt
-Water pump
-Clutch kit, clutch fork and slave cylinder
-LT77 gasket and seal kit
-Transfer box gasket and seal kit
-4 new U-Joints
-Temp flexible fuel lines (until I get the ss lines)
-Ospho rust converter for frame rust (haven't decided to paint or bed coating after conversion)
-Fluid change on front/rear diffs

Planned upgrades:
-Rebuild front and rear axles
-Remove capstan winch and bumper and install ARB with electric winch (if anyone is interested in buying it let me know)
-CB radio
-CD player
-Replace drivers door frame (rusty)
-Replace hood bracing (rusty)
-Find a spare for the hood
-Replace rear door (once again, rusty)
-Newer seats
-Sliders
-Snorkel
-Roof rack
-Small lift with springs rated for heavier loads
-New tires
-Make storage/sleeping area in the back
-Long range fuel tank
-possibly a water tank
-Tuffy box
-Eventually a galvanized chassis


It will be a changing list but I would say that is a healthy (and expensive) start. Any comments, concerns, suggestions or criticism would be appreciated. I will add some pictures tomorrow. Currently, I have the floor removed and have decided to remove the seat boxes (for easier access, cleaning, and replacing rusty hardware). The transfer case and maybe the transmission should be removed tomorrow. The plan was to start there so while the flywheel gets re-surfaced, I can be working on other things.

[adamdh1]

Here's a few pics. Had a friend visiting for the week and weekend so I didn't get much done. This week I will be buckling down.

Pics after purchase and before the build:
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Here is where I am at with the floor removed. A lot of the hardware is rusted and I have stuff from rovahfarm and roversnorth to replace. As I dig deeper there seems to be more and more rusted stuff (to be expected I suppose). I know it's not fully necessary but I think I am going to remove the seat box too to replace hardware and also to replace the seals between panels. I also would like to do something for a little sound reduction. I'm not sure if I will go with dynamat and some carpet or just do bed liner.

Anyone know a good way to remove the factory lining without ruining the paint? Alcohol was going to be my first attempt.

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[adamdh1]

Yesterday I removed the seat box. Lots of rusty hardware that will be replaced. I had to take a dremel to the bolts that go through the seat belt brackets to the vertical part of the door. The rest came out after some wd-40 treatment. I also removed the TC with a floor jack and a strap. Fairly painless. I'm sure a lot easier than it will go back in.

Today I removed the transmission. It appears that the clutch plate was replaced recently since it is about the same thickness as the new one. I plan on still putting in the new one and keeping the old disc for a spare. Also took the flywheel off and took it to a machine shop to get resurfaced. The rear main is definitely leaking and will be replaced.

I will add pictures tomorrow. So now it's time to replace the seals/gaskets on the TC and trans that are leaking. Also clean up the seat box and floor panels and prep for either dynamat or bed coating.

Any sugguestions on the floor? Also what is a good way to remove the old insulation? Any help would be appreciated. Had no replies so far on anything, is there interest here in my project at all or am I wasting my time?

[cgalpin]

Wow, making fast progress. Looking forward to seeing the results - just didn't have any good answers for you.

Have you tried goof off, or some other tar/bug remover? I assume they would work, or whatever 3M recommends to remove their products.

Is that capstan winch hydraulic? Pitty your timing wasn't better as Ron went and bought an entire truck to get his hands on one!

[sparhawk]

sorry to not chime in yet......i'm still trying to figure out the words.
especially having purchased a truck in/from similar, ummm.... conditions.
i hope to learn alot by watching this....please continue to post pics.

[Jpayne]

I've got nearly the same truck so I am definitely watching this thread. I have decided to just drive mine for now, and I don't have any more money to throw at it, or I would love to tear into it. I will thoroughly enjoy watching you do it first.

[adamdh1]

Thanks for the replys. The capstan isn't hydraulic. It takes power strait off the crankshaft. I'll post a picture of it when I post the others tomorrow. Apperently you just pull the lever. I didn't try it before I started but I was told it works. From some of the UK forums I've read, they say you can do it with the engine running.

I haven't tried goof off but that actually would probably work great. I'll try that tomorrow.

Sparhawk, hopefully some of my learning curve can help you. What are the plans for yours?

[MUDSUX]

As someone who is a year into his own rebuild. I think you're gonna need something bigger than a dremel. I went through 2 angle grinders. It has become my best friend. I call him Bob. :grin

[adamdh1]

Wow. Well, I do have a nice dewalt angle grinder with plenty of cut off wheels if needed. So far those were the only ones. They were small and hard to get to so the dremel worked great. Looking at the suspension bolts/nuts I know I will have to bust out the big guy when the time comes.

[evilfij]

I had a capstan, but it does not work on a NAS truck and I had a koenig for my series truck so I sold it to a gent in canada circa 2002. I bought a PTO driven fairey, not a crank driven capstan. They are really great winches though. With a fairly simple plate and shortening the driveshaft, they work on a series truck. IMHO much better than an electric for anything other than rock crawling. In mud they can winch all day without breaking a sweat. Make sure to buy/trade for the non-dog clutch crank bolt as that is needed to make one work and, for obvious reasons, they rarely stay with the winch.

BTW I have not seen that insulation before so I assume not factory, but maybe someone knows better. I think the paint is going to be effected no matter what, but I would use a plastic putty knife and a heat gun if I wanted the best chance of saving the paint.

[Ren Ching]

Adhesive removal...I usually try in the following order

1. Pick up with other adhesive like ductape, carpet tape, or stronger, rarely works but great method when it does.
2. VM & P Naptha. Essentially the same as white gas or coleman stove fuel. Generaly will not harm most plastics or paint finishes, but often pretty useless against really tough dried adhesive. Great for getting duct tape residue off without harming paint, also good around the house for various cleaning jobs.
3. Lacquer thinner. will clean off lots more stuff than the naptha but can fugg up whatever you are working on too. You offspring will have three eyese if you let it soak into your skin or breathe too much of it.
4. Paint stripper "aircraft" or "marine" type...will melt everything it touches including some powdercoat, and your fingers. Basically starting over when you go this route.

Somewhere in between all of these you can always try heat but in my experience with adhesives you often just end up pushing them around and when they cool they are often even worse than they started out.

Enjoy!

PS, worst stripping job I ever had to do (besides my Chippendale days) was the back bed of an 88" coiler I was building for a customer, The whole thing (and seatbox and front floors) was covered in 1/2" thick cork that was glued down with some nasty-ass black adhesive/tar type stuff. The cork was melting and disintegrating into the adhesive layer and was so bad to deal with that we cut out the bed floor and threw away the front floor panels. The seatbox and wheel wells got stripped using the nasty stuff (hired an apprentice for that job). To this day I would like to have a few words with the winner that put that mess together.

[rlynch356]

Adhesive removal - Soak in 3M adhesive remover - usually works like a champ just let it soak in and use plenty of clean towels as it smears when it gets caked on the towels. if that does not work move up to the stronger paint thinners progressively.

Did you buy the truck from that outfit in wilmington? rovers out east ?

[sparhawk]

what's your schedule on your rig? i think i remember you posting right before you went to buy your truck......are you finding more issues than you expected?

"Sparhawk, hopefully some of my learning curve can help you. What are the plans for yours?"

my plans are to slowly squirrel money away in such a fashion that my wife doesn't catch on, then in the dark of night slowly rebuild my rig using such excuses like...."just changing the oil dear.....well of course i need to take the engine out to do that, if i want to do a thorough job."
alright....kidding aside.
my plans are pretty simple..
short term
-grind/stop the rust.
-axle/hub overhaul.
-replace the rusty bits that i can.
-replace the exhaust (3.9 was put in but a previous owner left 3.5 manifold back, pre-import i'm almost certain)
-fix radiator (at the shop now being refurbed)
-clean up the interior and get a radio
-fix the heater before winter

[adamdh1]

Not going to have a chance to work on the rover today but here are some pics.

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Some of the left over insulation. It was obsorbing water on the floor panels causing rust.


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Floor, seat box, tc and trans removed


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Bigger pic of the passenger bulkhead with insulation


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Clutch disc that was removed


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Side by side of new clutch disc vs old.

[adamdh1]

Here are some pictures of the capstan.

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[adamdh1]

Did you buy the truck from that outfit in wilmington? rovers out east ?

Yes, I got if from Rovers Out East. It was close, blue is my favorite color, I like the 3 doors, and it seemed like a good deal. I picked it up for 10k. I knew it had some things that would require attention. Hopefully with another 5k I can have a good reliable (as much as rovers are) vehicle. I may have jumped on it but I'm happy with the purchase.

what's your schedule on your rig? i think i remember you posting right before you went to buy your truck......are you finding more issues than you expected?

Well, I don't really have a set schedule. I wanted to get the major preventive and corrective stuff out of the way first thing so I figured most of it into my original budget. I'm sure I might go over a little since there is a little more than expected. It wasn't leaking as much when I first saw it and test drove it. There weren't any wet spots under it. I drove it about 2 hours back home and imediately it was leaking fuel from the lines along the frame rails, trans fluid and tc fluid. I'm not sure why it wasn't leaking before but maybe because it was sitting for a while and the main seals just started to leak after a 2 hour drive or maybe the breathers are clogged. I plan on making sure they are free and clear when I reinstall them.

I hope to get it in a reliable state to start taking camping and uwharrie by July but we'll see. Everything after that is questionable. Sooner the better depending on cash flow:)

[ssbartley1]

Its a nice looking Rover- I wish there were more of them running around.

Keep up the good work!

[adamdh1]

It's been a very busy couple of weeks so I haven't worked on it much but here is an update:

-flywheel has been turned and is ready for install
-Cleaned the old insulation off of the trans tunnel panels using goof-off (used one large bottle). It worked good for the glue, then used gojo in the kitchen sink to scrub all the rest of the grime off (would be nice to have a parts cleaning setup). I will add some pics tomorrow.
-Next step is to change input/output seals on the tc and trans, then install the drivetrain back in. Also finish cleaning the rest of the insulation off on the bulkhead. I hope to have this complete this week.

[draaronr]

its looking good, when she is done let me know I will come up and bring beers.

[adamdh1]

Sounds great doc.


Here are some pictures of the trans tunnel panels after the cleaning. I think that I am going to do the truck bed lining on them (as well as the seatbox and lower portion of the bulkhead). I've read the threads on sound deadening and I know it has mixed reviews but I'm sure it will help a little. Really doing it mainly for protection from corrosion and ease of cleaning.

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[cgalpin]

Looking good Adam. Did you find the goof-off was stripping the paint too? I was using it to clean glue residue off the rear load mat area, and found it was softening up the paint to the point where a plastic scraper was scraping it off! This was some HD stuff I think - had run out of whatever vintage I had and got a new bottle from Home Depot.

[adamdh1]

Looking good Adam. Did you find the goof-off was stripping the paint too? I was using it to clean glue residue off the rear load mat area, and found it was softening up the paint to the point where a plastic scraper was scraping it off! This was some HD stuff I think - had run out of whatever vintage I had and got a new bottle from Home Depot.

It was stripping the paint a bit. I didn't use a scraper though. I used scotch bright pads. The black spots on the tunnel closest to bulkhead are where the paint was rubbing off. The center tunnel is showing some aluminum too. It sealed the deal for truck bed coating. I'll probably go through another few cans of the stuff for the bulk head.



Today I removed the belhousing extention that is on the back of the engine (part that houses the rear main seal). I took out the rear main and started to clean the part but ran out of brake cleaner. I received the remnants of parts that I needed for the clutch install, a new head gasket, and the gasket that goes between the part I took off today and the engine.

I really find myself going deeper and deeper on this thing. Oh well. I'm already learning a lot and just feel more comfortable knowing it will have a solid drivetrain.

[adamdh1]

Today I got the transmission cleaned up and oil seals replaced. I also got the new throw out bearing, clutch fork, and a few other parts. Next is to clean up the back of the engine and reinstall the trans. Slowly but surely.

[adamdh1]

Well, even though I had planned on getting this done a lot earlier, I am now just starting on working on it again. It was a busy summer so far with family and a new girlfriend. I have made a little more progress. I have the flywheel housing, new rear main seal, flywheel and clutch installed now. I have all the inside front ready but one of the floor plates for hurculiner. It was a huge pain but after about 3 pints of goof off and a lot of use of a wire brush on the end of a drill, the original insulation has been removed. In preperation for the timing belt change I have started making a spanner for the fan clutch. I have removed the old fan and clutch and fan shroud. I will post pics in the next couple of days.

[mikeslandrover]

32mm spanner with a bend in it just after the jaws does the trick, heat the spanner first or it'll break:eek: been there, done that:rolleyes.
Great looking truck. seems in good condition for a 25 year old truck, mine's had a new chassis:)