Jeff's 109 Rebuild

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jefflondon · #1 Post by **jefflondon** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 1:03 pm

Current Projects eh?

Well I have my 109' that is FINALLY insured after being somewhat lazily restored for the last 8 years.........

It includes, well, pretty much new everything. some of the mods i have done include Range rover front and back seats. heated rear windscreen. galvinized frame, high ratio transfer gear (thanks aart) door frames, a/b pillars, rock sliders and front bumper, winch, etc.

if threre is some intrest I will go into detail and include some photo's

John · #2 Post by **John** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 2:59 pm

Congratulations Jeff for sticking with it! Of course there is interest in hearing more and seeing pic's. I hope that we see you out on a few runs as well.

jefflondon · #3 Post by **jefflondon** » Wed Mar 04, 2009 8:46 pm

haha, well then I will take some photo's and run through the "ordeal."
I have to admit I am very much looking forward to using it for which it was intended. After all, I have a more efficent way of storing tarps than on a truck............

jefflondon · #4 Post by **jefflondon** » Fri Mar 06, 2009 9:22 pm

Ok, so here it goes.

cast your memory back, waaaay back, all the way back to 2000. that’s right. you remember Y2K? Armageddon and all that? Well while the rest of the world was running around like chicken little worrying about the end of time, I was buying a truck…

Don and I had been looking at a very nice (or at least original, hehe) 109’ diesel pickup. We drove it around Langley (for it wasn’t insured, and hadn’t been for quite sometime) and I finally bought it.

I ran it for about 6 months and managed to get out to one event. However my luck would soon change.
And sorry I don’t seem to have any pics…….hmmm what 9 years and 3 moves will do.

I was driving along one day minding my own business, and BANG!!! My first gear is in pieces at the bottom of my transmission. And what better excuse than that to rebuild my truck??

So I strip off the body and remove the transmission. By this time I have already come to the conclusion that the frame is beyond repair as well. So I ordera new frame in from England, and start the rebuild.

Now at this point that I should mention that my intentions were to simply repair the tranny and put the Pickup body on the new frame. But unfortunately I had to wait 6 months for the frame, and in those 6 months Ideas started forming. Ideas that, well lets just say they were very, very expensive ideas.

I had heard rumours of an old 109 five door on Galliano Island near some property of a friend. This truck was rumoured to have a great body but a poor frame. It had been sitting under a tree for many many years and probably didn’t even run. So one fateful weekend I went out to see it. Later that week I called the owner and purchased it. Later that summer we stripped it down and brought the body back to the city. The frame is still on the island (with a white pickup body gently resting on it).

So the rebuild:

I stripped the interior out completely.
bought new B pillars (for a 110) had them stripped, galvanized and painted
Attached them to the body
Removed the door skins
Had the door frames, firewall, rad support, and windshield, stripped and galvanized as well
Had all that painted
Reinstalled the door skins
Had the wheel wells cut out and the bodywork done (yes there is bondo in it, however it is done with stuff for aluminium - the same stuff used for the transit busses)
I did the front and rear axles complete, including the swivels, ball joints, brakes, seals and bearings.
New steering relay and rebuilt box
Rebuilt radiator
Parabolic springs and shocks (rocky mountain - gulp-)
High ratio transfer gear and rebuilt transmission (thank you Aart)
Wolf wheels (thanks Barry)
Rock sliders and front bumper (thanks again Barry)
GM alternator
Traded the diesel for a 21/4 gas (I’ll explain later)
New gauges and custom dash (sorry for those die hard’s - don’t look at the pic’s they’ll only depress you)
All new window tracks and I tinted the windows (sorry again guys)
Oh, ya, and I hot rodded the floorboards and installed Range rover power seats in the front and back. (what can I say? I’m spoilt and I love my 6 way adjustables…….)
The colour IS a Landrover colour, (it’s just off a SII Disco) and yes, it’s metallic.
The tires are Pro Comp directional. And I’m not sold on the performance, I had them on my blue 93 classic, meh, ok I guess.
New wiring harness
heated rear windscreen
Keyed anti burst locks all round
All doors, floor, tunnel cover, and firewall has been coated in a rubber sound guard sheet (similar to dynamat, but it’s cheaper cousin - hey I’m not made of money here………)
oh, ya, and cause I'm a real ba**ard, I installed clear lenses and LED lights for the turn, brake and running lights.

All of the work done in the last year has been at Don's shop. and for that I really have to say thanks. It's because of him that this truck is even on the road. There have been soooooo many times where I have almost parted it out. Thanks Don for making me stick with it. Im happy with the final project.

I know some will hate it, because it's not original, but I built it for me. It has what I want how I want it. And hey, thats what counts right?

Oh, and I haven't forgotten about the whole diesel/ gas explanation, I'm just tired of typing tonight. look for it in pt 2............

try this address?
http://picasaweb.google.ca/redrover1968 ... directlink

jefflondon · #5 Post by **jefflondon** » Fri Mar 06, 2009 9:24 pm

And I seem to have buggered up the picture links..............

Bugger.

any help??

ANDYD · #6 Post by **ANDYD** » Fri Mar 06, 2009 10:20 pm

Hi Jeff,

Wow, amazing list of work!
Sounds like a great truck, look forward to having a closer look at some future event.

Cheers,
Andy

dfritter · #7 Post by **dfritter** » Sat Mar 07, 2009 11:26 am

Looks great, I like the bumper... also, it looks tall; were those pics taken before the springs settled? Also, is it sitting on military/dropped spring hangers and shackles?

jefflondon · #8 Post by **jefflondon** » Sat Mar 07, 2009 5:19 pm

It's on a military frame with extended shackles. Think it sits at about 7.5f

seapotato · #9 Post by **seapotato** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 9:56 am

I'm curious about your front fenders, those aren't the stock wheel openings are they?

I'll have to open mine up if I end up going with 33's or 35's on it later on, and those cuts look good. ( if they are cuts, certainly look different than mine.)

EDIT....

DOH...just re-read your first post, and see you did cut the fenders...I like it. I may have to copy you...:lol:

cheers,
ryan

jefflondon · #10 Post by **jefflondon** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 12:06 pm

I cut them out to fit the wheel flairs, which I might do at a later date. I will be adding wheel spacers at some point which would neccesitate the flairs.

If you can find an old set to use as a template......

seapotato · #11 Post by **seapotato** » Mon Mar 09, 2009 5:45 pm

yeah, mine has the crappy tire ghetto flares on it now.

And with the 31's it has on it, that's pretty much good enough, but I'll probably have some different tires on it at some point, so once I get there, the sawzall will come out.... 8)

jefflondon · #12 Post by **jefflondon** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 9:14 am

I didn't do it myself, but had it done.

He cut the fenders out half inch big and then bent the extra half inch into a lip on the underside. Be carefull when doing this though, the metal has to remain quite warm, or it will crack. think he used a plumbing torch to do this. The same must be done for taking the door skins off as well.

DaveB · #13 Post by **DaveB** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 10:28 am

Yes, annealling the aluminum with a plumbing torch or a sooty acetelene only flame is what I've seen done to soften the metal. Does anyone know the correct method after for re-hardening it? I would imagine it involves warming it a gain and then a a cool damp sponge, but haven't heard that side of the process for certain.

Your trucks looking pretty darn good, Jeff. Just don't be tempted to sell it once it's done!

Dave

bclandrover · #14 Post by **bclandrover** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 2:35 pm

The processes for working with Landrover aluminium "birmabright" are published in the workshop manual in the body section.

The material will work harden and crack so it must be heated to the right temperature for bending or straightening. It says not to quench or cool quickly, but just to let it cool down slowly back to normal.

Later,
Don

DaveB · #15 Post by **DaveB** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 2:37 pm

Thanks Don, should have known you'd know the answer.

Dave

DaveB · #16 Post by **DaveB** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 2:37 pm

Thanks Don, should have known you'd know the answer.

Dave

jefflondon · #17 Post by **jefflondon** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 5:56 pm

SELL IT???

I could never sell it..............why, what are you offering??

LOL.

No it won't be for sale anytime soon, however I do have a very nice 91' classic..................

rhino_ed · #18 Post by **rhino_ed** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 7:06 pm

Wow, you win hands down. I'm sure it looks better now than when it did when it came off the production line.

Bill E. · #19 Post by **Bill E.** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 11:15 am

Hi Jeff, a couple of shots of your 109 just before you bought it.
Bill
http://roverlanders.bc.ca/gallery-photo ... .sized.jpg

jefflondon · #20 Post by **jefflondon** » Thu Mar 26, 2009 5:18 pm

haha, thats great!! thanks for that. I don't seem to have any photo's of it prior to taking it off the road.
(guess thats what 3 moves, 2 kids, and 8 years will do......)

Now Im just trying to think of what parts Im still using from that truck.

Think the axle casings, and prop shafts???? LOL

Somewhere on Galiano Island is that pickup body, and Im sure Don would sell it if someone were intrested. The frame that it's sitting on is rusted out completly though, and as I recall, the driveline isn't much better.

Thanks again for the photo's

The Rover-Landers of BC

The Rover-Landers of BC

Jeff's 109 Rebuild

Project ... 109