Land Rover Series One Restoration

Between 1997 and 2005 I restored this Series One Land Rover. I was on a mission to restore the best, most correct early Rover.... And arguably I did, and also lost a ton of money. Worse, my more sensible friends restored more “Blue Chip” cars and made money... but there you go. To paraphrase Cyrano De Bergerac, it is more noble to fight a battle you know your are going to lose, then to be on the winning (money making) side. Lets here it for all those guys who decide they need to restore the worlds best Citroen Maserati or Mercedes 600...

Anyhow, the Rover is now in a Vinyard In Napa, presumably happy. Sports Car Market picked it up and did a feature on it in Feb 06. I was thinking about the cars that I shouldn’t have sold, and this is at the top of my list.. sob.

LR

1951 Land Rover Series I

In the end, who cares about their pug-like looks. They work and they can’t be killed

by Paul Duchene

Land Rover is one of the most charismatic names in the motoring world, with a rich history around the globe. Its beginnings were humble—it was designed as a utility vehicle and mobile power source for ranchers and farmers. There was a provision for front center and rear power take offs (PTOs) and an optional engine governor to keep the machinery speeds constant despite the load. Eight forward speeds and two reverse with selectable four-wheel drive completed the functional package. Steel was rationed, so aluminum was used for the body and reinforced with galvanized steel cappings. The heavy 14-gauge steel frame resembled railroad tracks and gave the vehicle immense strength and durability. Mechanical components came from the advanced Rover P3 sedans, including the 1,595-cc inlet-over-exhaust engine. The example offered here is a 1951 LHD export, model number 1613-2801, an example of the original specification produced from 1949–51. It is one of the earliest Land Rovers to be imported into North America and was found in Williams Lake, British Columbia, which is in the center of Canada’s westernmost province. A two-owner vehicle, it showed just 35,000 miles on the odometer. The aluminum panels were in remarkably good shape, in part due to large steel brush bars that had been welded to the front and rear frame members. What followed was an epic seven-year, $60,000 restoration (not including more than 1,000 hours of the owner’s time) that took place between 1997 and 2004. The vehicle retains its original engine, transmission, transfer case, and front axle. The fenders, bonnet, grill support, seat box, and rear box are also original. Three other early Series I Land Rovers were used as donor vehicles. This Land Rover comes with a period accessory Brockhouse trailer and a Coventry Climax fire pump.

The SCM Analysis

Details

Years Produced

1948–58

Number Produced

211,467 (inc. prototypes)

Original List Price

450 pounds ($1,125)

SCM Valuation

$10,000–$25,000

Tune-up Cost

$350–$400

Distributor Caps

$50

Chassis # Location

Top of left-hand engine bearer and inside bulkhead

Engine # Location

On edge of block, left of thermostat housing

Club Info

and Rover Series One Club, Appledore Farm, Sampford Courtenay, Okehampton, Devon, UK EX20 2SR

Website

click to visit

Alternatives

1953 M38 Jeep; 1958 DKW Munga; 1962 Toyota FJ40

Investment Grade

C

This vehicle sold for $33,000 at the RM auction in Monterey, CA, on August 19, 2005. The WWII Willys Jeep awakened the world to the idea of a light four-wheel drive vehicle that could pull plows, power saws, and post-hole diggers, and be left out in the rain in conditions of utter neglect. It would be slow—50 mph tops—but nothing would stop it short of total immersion. The post-war Mercedes Unimog and Steyr-Puch Haflinger 4x4s derived from the same idea but were even more aggressively agricultural.

The Land Rover actually benefited from the post-war British steel shortage in having aluminum panels, which often dented but did not decay, though the “birmabright” process does become brittle with age. As serious modern 4x4s become more sophisticated and as big as Hummers, these old anvils have acquired a mystique of their own. They are contrarian cars, like a Citroen 2CV. Their pug-like appearance has become more endearing than utilitarian. And in the end, who cares what it looks like. It works and it can’t be killed. Ironically, such Land Rovers can often be found now on fashionable streets rather than slogging through rural mud.

In a world of over-the-top restorations, Lawrence Romanosky’s Land Rover occupies a unique slot. Certainly it’s restored, but thanks to the sudden discovery of obsolete Series I parts by Dunsfold Land Rovers in England, this car is significantly new original stock rather than recent aftermarket repro. Romanosky told Dunsfold that he would buy every new part that was correct for his vehicle, and while he wound up completely upside down in the project, he has the satisfaction of knowing he accomplished a task that probably can’t be duplicated. For example, look at this list of NOS parts added to a substantially sound truck: radiator, fuel tank, canvas top and bows, front bumper, side screen, rear PTO gearbox, steering wheel, speedometer, fuel gauge, warning lights, wiper motor, coil, distributor, brake master cylinder, pistons, rings, valves, pushrods, timing chain, main bearings, cam bearings, oil pump, driveshaft, valve rockers, and 16-inch implement tires. A lot of smaller parts were described as “one of a few” or “one of one,” including correct cadmium-plated Whitworth bolts. Romanosky did break down and buy reproduction doors and a tailgate, as he couldn’t find any worth repairing.

The Brockhouse trailer with the Coventry Climax fire pump engine is a rare accessory, available from 1952. Neither is common—the trailers had no drain holes, meaning most have succumbed to rust. Meanwhile, the 1,021-cc OHC Coventry Climax engine can be lifted by two men and is the preferred powerplant for all kinds of ’50s British sports cars from Fairthorpe to Lotus to Turner.

There might be a better Series I Land Rover out there, but I’d be surprised. The most recent excellent one in the SCM GOLD database was sold by H&H on October 3 for $21,706, but it didn’t have the trailer and certainly not the same level of restoration. Land Rover production started slowly, with 48 pilot-build prototypes in 1948 (16 of which survive) and 8,000 vehicles in 1949. From then, sales gradually increased to 28,000 a year by the introduction of the Series II in 1958. There was a short-lived station wagon made from 1949-51, but only 641 were built since it was liable to a purchase tax that doubled its cost over the plain-Jane workhorse. Series I prices range from $1,000 for a basket case to $2,500 for a running beater to around $20,000 for a nice restoration—bearing in mind it shouldn’t be overdone; the paint is supposed to be eggshell, not shiny.

The Series I owner’s club appears energetic, with considerable resources for parts and information, and the survival rate must run over 50%, just based on their continued usefulness. If you’re looking for a Series I Land Rover, first off, ask yourself if you really want one. It’s slow, noisy, leaky, and uncomfortable. It’s useful in the woods or the inner city but not much fun when traveling from one to the other. As the old joke goes: If you have a choice of going by road or cross-country in a Land Rover, go cross-country. It’ll take the same time but the ride will be smoother. If you’re determined, here are some areas to check: Look for rust in the footwells, the base of the door pillar, and door hinges. Frame outriggers are also vulnerable. Check for off-road damage underneath, and check wear on spring hanger bushings. Front hub swivels are prone to wear from sand and mud, and chronic leaking is a clue that massive expense looms. Check the differential play by twisting the prop shafts. More than a quarter turn and calamity lies ahead. Beware noisy first gears; clutch judder indicates imminent replacement. Engines are busy-sounding, especially the diesels—but exhaust smoke is a warning of expensive cylinder head work in the future. Acceptable and desirable updates include a spin-on oil filter and later brake cylinders. Prime options include front and rear winches, rear PTO, Jaeger gauges, engine governor, and a Clayton heater (as in vintage Ferraris). The trailer and pump with this Land Rover are really icing on the cake.

The highest-priced early Land Rover in our database has fetched $30,000—a 1949 in England in 1999—hence our current example establishes a record, which might only be surpassed at present by one of the rare wagons or a prototype. Considering the cost of replicating this vehicle and the slim chance of finding as many NOS parts, I’d have to call this very well bought—so long as the buyer remembers to bring an extra cushion for the seat.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL RESTORATION SUMMARY AND MORE PHOTOS

Spyker Launched in Canadian Market

Spyker, the Dutch maker of boutique Supercars has named their first Canadian distributor-the Dilawri Group, who will add Spyker to their Bentley and Aston Martin facility in Calgary. Available for delivery later in 2009 will be the C8 Spyder (shown) and the C8 Laviolette (coupe) as well as a new model that was just launched at the Geneva show, the Spyker Aileron. Spyker will also be launching the world’s first ultra-luxury SUV, the Peking to Paris, named after the famous rally which Spyker took part early in the century. Click here for more photos of the car at Spyker Calgary. For more information email lromanosky@yahoo.com

A Brief History of Bentley Motorcars and Crewe plus the new Arnage and Supersports

I was fortunate to be invited to the Bentley Factory as part of my work with Bentley Calgary. The factory tour was given to introduce the Bentley Continental Supersports and get a preview of the Bentley Arnage replacement which Bentley calls Project Kimberly.

The factory at Crewe, about 45 min from Manchester by road, was built to ramp up for Rolls Royce Merlin aircraft engine production just prior to WWII. Rolls Royce had purchased Bentley in 1931 and was making both vehicles in Derby up to that point. There were significant infrastructure challenges to get the new factory up and running and it is a credit to all the men that they did so in approximately one year from breaking ground. From 1939 to 1945 Crewe produced 26,000 Merlin and 2000 Griffon aero engines.

After WWII, the decision was made to shift Automobile production from Derby (pronounced Darby) to Crewe to start up post war production. Less than 3 months after the last Griffon engine was completed, the first car rolled off the assembly line. There was some hesitancy at Rolls Royce, as some directors felt that Crewe lacked the skilled workforce that was at Derby, and as they were more protective of the Rolls Royce name, the first cars that came out of Crewe were Bentley models. They need not have worried, quality was excellent and in not too long all post war Rolls Royces and Bentleys were produced there.

While production after the war was on pre-war Rolls Royce Silver Dawn designs, a new motorcar was introduced to the world’s press in April of 1955. Badged as either a Rolls Royce Silver Cloud or a Bentley S Type, this was the start of the uniformity of

Rolls Royce and Bentley motorcars up until the mid-1980’s when the Bentley Mulsanne and later Turbo R were introduced to give Bentley a more sporting disposition. The market responded positively and by the late 1990’s Bentley’s outsold Rolls Royce 2:1.

The Bentley S-Type Series II, and the Rolls Royce Silver Cloud II received a 6.25L V8 engine in 1959. The next major Rolls/Bentley was the Silver Shadow/Bentley T type, introduced in 1966, which featured the first monocoque chassis and retaining a 6.75L version of the V8. The Rolls Royce Silver Spirt/Bentley Mulsanne came in 1980, with the Bentley Turbo R following mid decade. In 1998 the Rolls Silver Seraph/Bentley Arnage were introduced with many parts sourced from BMW; the Arnage getting a twin turbo version of BMW’s V8, and the Silver Seraph getting a version of the BMW V12. The last Rolls Royce, a Corniche, was completed at Crewe in 2002 after the complicated sale in 1998 involving VW/Audi, who purchased the factory and contents, and BMW who purchased the Rolls Royce trademark and moved production to Goodwood. Today the factory at Crewe produces all the Bentley models.

In 1999, when it looked like Bentley might face some supply problems with the BMW sourced twin-turbo V8 engines, they re-engined the Arnage with the venerable 6.75L Turbo engine, and created the Bentley Arnage Red Label. Bentley still made the Arnage with the BMW V8 engine, calling it the Green Label, though it went out of production in 2001. Rolls Royce continued to produce the BMW V12 engined version of the car called the Silver Seraph until the arrival of the Phantom in 2004. The Bentley Arnage has been constantly developed, the latest versions from 2002 onward being the Bentley Arnage R and Arnage T, standing for Refinement and Turbo respectively. 2009 will be the last year of Arnage production, though the Brooklands Coupe and Azure Convertible variants will continue to be sold in very small numbers. There will be a run-out edition of the Arnage, of very limited production, called the Final Series and will be available in the second half of 2009.

Which brings us to project Kimberly, which is the Arnage replacement, and one of the reasons for my trip. At Bentley they call this the new “large car”, as if the Flying Spur is a small car! As the automobile industry is being increasingly globalized, and with it a huge rationalization of vehicle brands and platforms, I was expecting the new Arnage to be a platform shared car to a large extent. The VW/Audi group has Lamborghini and Bugatti to draw on for powertrains, and Audi is coming up with a new all-aluminium A8 chassis. I was expecting the new Bentley to make heavy use of its cousins componentry, under the skin at least, as the economics obviously favour it heavily. Also, I was expecting Crewe to be more of a final assembly plant, rather than the Crewe of the 50’s and 60’s where everything was made under one roof. I went as far as to tell people that the current Arnage would be the last ‘British’ Bentley, and while its replacement would no doubt be a better automobile, it likley wouldn’t have the craftsmanship of the old car.

I am pleased to report that my assumptions were wrong.

Bentley is still very British. Crewe isn’t a final assembly factory. And the Arnage replacement isn’t a platform-shared Audi.

In fact, there isn’t really any indication that Bentley is owned by VW/Audi, and the only clue was some parts trolleys that were marked with the Audi logo. All the senior design staff and production managers are British, and the Factory, while substantially modernized and upgraded, still provides the same work as it has for the last 60 years. All the CAD/CAM is designed in house as is all the production software. The wood shop is massive, is carrying on milling timbers and matching veneers in exactly the same way they have done since the 1950’s. There were perhaps 30 women sewing hides, and a group of men stretching them over interior trim pieces. I wanted to spend more time there.

Project Kimberly has a unique platform and isn’t shared with any other Bentley let alone Audi. The the decision was made to give the 6.75L V8 a substantial re-engineering rather than modify an existing powerplant like the Lamborghini/Audi V10 or the Bugatti W16. Although those hi-tech multi valve engine produce prodigious power, none have the low end torque characteristics that old-school Bentley customers expect.

And the car looks good. So many of the super luxury vehicles such as the Maybach, or the Rolls Royce Phantom lack grace and beauty. Imposing and imperious sure, but good looking? Not so much. The new Bentley is different; it is still a large motorcar, but it is styled to look smaller than it is, and it retains classic proportions. It carries a retro influence in the front end, borrowing from the Silver Cloud/S Type, but it is not overdone. Audi has provided the latest generation of electronics and infotainment which is welcome. It is a small volume hand built car, but you won’t have to apologize for it missing anything. They have made a small number of prototypes which are undergoing durability testing, and we should see the production ready versions in mid-2010.

The Bentley Continental Supersports is a higher performance variant of the very successful Continental GT range. The engine has been breathed upon for another 20hp on top of the Continental Speed’s 600hp which is in turn up from the 550hp GT. The gearbox has been reworked for shifting in half the time, the rear track has been pushed out by new 20” wheels with decreased offset, and the exhaust (and exhaust note) is much more puposeful. Bentley is claiming a half second decrease on 0-100km/hr to 3.7s and a top speed over 330km/hr. The Carbon brakes are larger, and the wheels super light forged items with a unique satin grey finish. The bodywork gets subtle changes, most notably a more aggressive front bumper with larger air intakes. The hood also gets functional extractor vents to keep the engine bay cooler. The interior is drastically stripped out, with carbon fiber shell racing seats from the Bugatti Veyron replacing the heavy electrically powered items saving about 100kg. The rear seats have been removed and in there place is a luggage shelf with a carbon fiber brace behind the front seats. Alcantara trim is prevalent throughout. There will be a comfort version that will come out later, with the electric seats (and weight) returned, which will no doubt account for the majority of sales.

The most fundamental change is the fact that the car can now run on biofuel, and will accept any combination of a gas/biofuel mixture. There were substantial changes to the fuel system, as you need about 30% more fuel flow for the same power as gasoline. As biofuel is basically alcohol and carries static electricity, it was necessary to ground the whole electrical system to prevent sparks. Also biofuel has no ‘cushioning’ effect on the valve train, so stronger valves and different valve seats were deemed necessary. No changes were needed for the gasket or engine seals however. Bentley claims a 70% reduction in life-cycle C02 emissions that are possible with the conversion to biofuel, though this is based on sugar cane biofuel, not corn which we use in North America. The figure with our biofuel is probably closer to 20% though there are apparently more advanced fuels in the works.

Lastly, there were some very cool satin paint finishes that I would be very tempted to order. There is a dark charcoal satin and a lighter medium grey. I liked the lighter colour best, as it highlighted the GTs lines spectacularly. The satin finish is very expensive, about $30,000, and I’m told that it takes another 2 weeks of paint preparation as it shows absolutely everything in the paint. Paint thickness, orange peel etc are all magnified and because it has a satin finish, it can’t be polished. The paint has to go on perfectly, on a perfect body the first time...

We should have our first Supersports in the showroom in July 2009....

-Lawrence

Local company using 3d photography and Computer modeling to create panels for classics

Focus Auto, a Calgary company, is using sophisticated 3d camera technology, computer modeling, and CAD/CAM to produce wooden bucks for the traditional panel beater to create body panels for classics. The technology offers an opportunity to create an accurate digital model of a classic cars bodywork, which may be unique. The uses are far ranging for those restoring a unique car, including using the digital file as ‘insurance’ in the event of an accident or the creation of body panels from data from other parts of the vehicle, or another ‘sister’ vehicle. It allows data manipulation to create body panels using, as the photographs describe, a LHS fender from the mirror image of the RHS, on this Siata Grand Sport for instance.

For complete photographs, please go to www.vintageandsportscar.com

Here is some material from www.focusauto.com which I invite you to investigate...

Lawrence

PROJECT to COMPUTER to STATION BUCK

About Us

Focus Auto Design manufactures acrylic automotive accessories for the OEM and aftermarket. Our manufacturing facility is located in Calgary Alberta and currently employs 30 people.
The equipment and technology required to process and produce high quality station buck and hammer forms on CNC equipment is used daily in our core business. This investment and competency allows us to offer our services to the old car hobby without the pressure of a business model that solely depends on revenue from a niche market. In this case, the fabrication of one-off station and hammer form bucks for the old car hobby.
Our core employees are dedicated old car “nuts” with a broad range of interests including sports and sports racing, American muscle, Italian exotic, vintage, special interest, restoration, fabrication and metal shaping. As such we are sympathetic to your goals and needs with a strong bias to historical preservation.
We understand the needs of both amateur and professional alike and can custom tailor station and hammer form bucks to suit any requirement. From a single panel to a complete car the possibilities are endless.

Our goal

Metal shaping can be rewarding but certainly challenging. We believe that the success of a project is directly related to the skill of the tradesman and the tools he/she has to work with. Let us provide you with a very important tool for your next project, a station buck or hammer form that is accurate and user friendly. This will be one of many tools you will need to overcome the many challenges that this discipline will present to you.

Difference between station buck and hammer form and why do you need them

A station buck is a skeletal, full scale model of the panel to be created. It is used to confirm the shape of the panel during fabrication. The skeletal construction allows the tradesman to look inside the buck to confirm the fit of the panel against the stations. Rarely is the metal pounded against the buck, rather the metal shaping is done off the buck and checked against the buck. If the station buck were of a solid construction it would be difficult, if not impossible, to confirm the shape of the panel. This is the challenge faced by shapers that use an existing panel to create a new identical panel. No real reference is possible and it is not clear that you have successfully achieved an identical shape. The station buck also serves as a platform where separate panels of the total project can be clamped in position for joining with tack welds.
A hammer form is typically solid construction and used to create metal parts with more detail and direction changes than found on the larger panels of a typical car. The hammer form can be quite simple or intricate (male and female components for example) depending on the complexity of the part being shaped. Unlike the station buck, the metal is struck while on the hammer form. This is a very effective way to create low volume, moderately detailed parts that might be sections of a larger panel. For example, a tail light housing which becomes part of a larger quarter panel,
Often a station buck can be designed with integrated hammer forms as a single unit.

How our process works

We will describe this process with a predetermined requirement that an enthusiast needs a panel duplicated as part of a restoration project on an existing vehicle. In our photo gallery we show a project where a passenger side fender is created using the undamaged driver’s fender as reference.
We use digital scanning equipment to capture a 3D image of the surface or part. There are no limitations to size or complexity of the project. The surface need not be from the vehicle being repaired but can be from an identical vehicle. For example, on a vehicle where most of the front sheet metal is damaged, an identical vehicle in another location can be scanned to supply the data for the next step. In our example the drivers’ fender was scanned and the data “mirrored” to create the station buck for the passenger fender. The scanning process is quick, clean and simple no more invasive than taking a picture, however must be done indoors in a light controlled environment.
Once the data has been captured it can be processed to meet the requirements of the customer, in this example the fabrication of a station buck for the passenger fender. This scan data can be further manipulated as required by the project. Examples of this include mirroring, scaling up or down, smoothing of the surface, adding, removing or exaggerating features and orientation in space. Additionally, comparisons to known references and measurements can be extracted.
From the scan data a tool path is created that allows CNC equipment to duplicate what we have developed on the computer screen. The CNC equipment has the ability to move the cutting head in 5 separate directions simultaneously enabling the creation of complex 3 dimensional shapes. In the case of our fender station buck, the project was sectioned into several smaller jobs. The front section of the fender around the headlight and grill was machined in solid wood then the ribs of the station buck were machined by extracting sections from the data, removing material to create the skeletal frame work and adding assembly holes. The final step was to assemble the parts into the station buck.

What are the advantages to this approach

Speed. The fender project was scanned, processed and fabricated in days not weeks Accuracy. The station buck is mathematically exact from the scanned panel. Repeatable. If needed, several identical station or hammer forms can be created from the same file. Additionally when panels are mirrored symmetry on the vehicle is assured Cost. All this can be archived favorably when compared to costs associated with specialized tradesmen working through traditional processes.

Anatomy of an Aston Martin V8 Vantage

For all the photos please go to www.vintageandsportscar.com

We have an Aston Martin V8 Vantage in our shop right now getting a new clutch. It is a straightforward job, but there is a surprising amount of disassembly that is required, though nothing like the engine-out procedure of many exotics. What struck me was the quality of the aluminium monocoque and gorgeous cast or forged aluminium pieces that go into a V8 Vantage (and DB9/DBS as they are based on the same “VH” platform). I’ve had many opportunities to see the guts of modern Ferraris, including a visit to the factory to see how they are built, and I can say that the components on the Aston are every bit as nice as the Ferrari, yet a V8 Vantage is roughly half the price of a Ferrari F430.

It is a front-mid engined car with a rear transaxle. Clutch is at the front, with a rigid torque tube that connects the engine and gearbox. There is a tubular steel subframe that supports the gearbox and is bolted to the aluminium monocoque. A carbon-fiber drive shaft wrapped in fiberglass sits inside the torque tube. There is aluminium double wishbone suspension all round.

One of the big problems with aluminium cars, of which there are very few on the market because of high cost of manufacture, is that aluminium is difficult to repair. Steel has a memory, and a steel frame can be straightened, and a dent in a steel panel can be pushed out with minimal loss of integrity. Aluminium isn’t like that. Once the metal is bent, it has to be cut out, and a new section welded in. And, it is hard to weld properly, requiring specialized equipment and experience. If you have even a light to moderate impact in a Ferrari for instance, it is invariably a massive bill (easly over $100k) and it can take up to a year to get your car back. Plus, after the monocoque has been cut and re-welded, nobody wants the car anymore, and resale takes a huge hit. A ‘hit’ late model Ferrari can be worth $50,000 less than a virgin one.

The Aston goes some way to mitigating this by engineering a central ‘survival cell’ with bolt on frame appendages that can be replaced without cutting and welding. If you are in a moderate accident, the shop can dismantle the car and build it back up with new components with minimal compromise.

After getting a close look at the guts of an Aston Martin, I came away with a new appreciation for the Marque. They have come a long way since the badge engineered Jaguars of the late 90’s. I love the Aston Martin Logo cast into the side of the Torque tube, that lives buried deep within the monocoque and is completely invisible. It gives me the feeling that the engineers are designing the cars, and they have some pride in what they are doing.

-lawrence