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1958 Land Rover Series 1

Discussion in 'Builds and Fabricators Forum' started by DanStew, Jun 26, 2017.

  1. Aug 8, 2017
    DanStew

    DanStew Preowned Merkin salesman Staff Member

    Lexington, South...
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    I was thinking the exact same thing last night while going over my options. i am going to put the bed on, bolt to tabs and weld them to crossmember, then go to the set in front and weld on the outriggers. I need to find out measurements for the door sills, mine were gone and i have no real measurement. I have a few pics from online to try and recreate, I am still searching for the measurements.

    Yes, it is the single bolt mount for the bulkhead. I am just going straight with it since i am not using the floor style pedals. I am going to get the later series/defender clutch and brake pedals that bolt to the top of the footwell.

    I am going to do either toyota, ford or scout power steering. it all depends what i source first. i did get a toyota box, but it is not what I want to use, it was a 2WD, need a 4WD that has the pitman arm in front
     
  2. Aug 9, 2017
    Keys5a

    Keys5a Sponsor

    Florida Keys
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    The sills are just kind of a small piece of channel with a bracket welded for the hingepost end, the other end has a tab that bolts to the front corner of the bed. Its just enough to space the length of the door bottom. The seatbox kind of lays on top of the channel for part of the way, then the floor plates continue to the bulkhead.
    The sill channel is close to the length of the door bottom. I think the doors are all the same length from yours all the way through to the D90. I bought nice gavlvy sill channels for about $25 each. My '69 Series had flat sheetmetal rockers, but I fabbed up rectangular tube rock sliders with jacking points for my D90 clone.
    I wasn't aware your pedals went through the floor. My '69 Series had swinging pedals with the brake M/C on the firewall. I'll venture down to the shop and take a look how the pedal assy mounts. I know the steering box is mounted on the firewall because that chunk of iron makes the bulkhead awkward to move around.
    -Donny
     
    Last edited: Aug 9, 2017
  3. Aug 9, 2017
    DanStew

    DanStew Preowned Merkin salesman Staff Member

    Lexington, South...
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    I was thinking about using some 1x2 tubing for the sills. It didnt seem hard to fab up.

    OOOOHHHH let me know if you have any pedals. I would probably be all over that.

    Thanks!
     
  4. Aug 9, 2017
    Keys5a

    Keys5a Sponsor

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    I need to hang on to my pedal assy off the Series 2 for now because the whole bulkhead will likely get swapped onto an '84 Ninety parts vehicle to make it able to sell as a complete vehicle. The pedals pivot high above the toe box, and attached is a vacuum booster w/master cylinder. A Series pedal assy might be easier to find than a D90 unit. There was a guy up around Orlando (SafariRover or Safari HP ?) that had a whole back lot full of Series parts.
    I just took some measurements off my D90 parts to compare with what you have.
    Rear bed, Series 2a; 52", D90; 56". (I know there is only 2" difference in wheelbase between an 88 and a 90?)
    Doors, D90; 34 1/4" The Series doors are too buried to easily measure.
    Seat box, Series 2a; 19" across the top, not including bottom flange for floorplate, same as D90.
    See how close some of these dimentions are to yours. The 1950's models may differ due to the shorter wheelbase.
    The sill member (part #710020) for the D90 measures 37" long, 1 3/4" wide, and 1 1/4" tall. Its just a sheetmetal channel, very similar to strut channel from Home Depot for hanging a/c mechanical.
    -Donny
     
    Last edited: Aug 9, 2017
  5. Aug 9, 2017
    DanStew

    DanStew Preowned Merkin salesman Staff Member

    Lexington, South...
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    I can buy them new, they are available. Since i have an 88" series 1, it is easier to work with the 2 and 2a parts.

    Well tonight i threw the tub back on. I bolted the rear tabs to the body and then clamped to the crossmember. Tomorrow I will weld it up
    [​IMG]

    The first issue showed up with mounting body stuff to the frame. I put my seat section on to mock things up and i noticed the angle i have on the frame is greater than what was originally there. The tool box has a cutout inside to go over the original frame but it hits the new one. Debated at first to notch the frame, but decided that is not what i wanted and it will be easier to redo the notch inside the tool box.
    [​IMG]

    I was hoping to do more, but it was a short and quick evening. More fun tomorrow
     
  6. Aug 10, 2017
    DanStew

    DanStew Preowned Merkin salesman Staff Member

    Lexington, South...
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    Tonight I got a bunch of little things done.
    Welded on all the rear bed mounting brackets and welded on the tailgate hinge brackets. I had to spend time cutting off the old metal from the brackets, and the even old metal under it. I guess the crossmember on this rig was replaced twice during its life. The previous owner just welded the bracket and the old metal it was on, to the new crossmember. :(
    [​IMG]

    Welded on the front outriggers for the front mounts on the tub
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    I trimmed the metal on the underseat toolbox so the seat box thingy could bolt to the bed and sit in place. I have it lightly bolted, just making sure things fit.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    At least it is starting to look like something now.
     
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  7. Aug 12, 2017
    Keys5a

    Keys5a Sponsor

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    Like I was suggesting, start with the rear box, and work your way forward! You've gotta love how "modular" these Rovers are, all the way up through the D90; they are built the same way with many parts interchangable. I'll bet my D90 bulkhead would fit yours!
    -Donny
     
  8. Aug 13, 2017
    DanStew

    DanStew Preowned Merkin salesman Staff Member

    Lexington, South...
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    yeah it is pretty cool, just just bolt it together like that. The defender bulkhead would probably fit, but with the series !! and up have a round edge at the top of the bed that goes across the body to bulkhead. The series if flat flat flat.. hahahaha

    Do you have any loose door sills laying around that you can do measurements on? One side was completely rotted and the other i had to cut, but i do not have the entire length to measure. I was going to try look into using some 2x2 or 1.5x2 tube to make the sills.
     
  9. Aug 15, 2017
    Keys5a

    Keys5a Sponsor

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    You know, I never noticed how flat yours is. I'm used to all the ones I play with having thar shoulder running down the sides. I'll be mounting my rollcage right on that shoulder. I've got most of the underbody supports fabbed, but haven't bent the upper bars that will be seen.
    As far as dimensions, how long are your doors? Mine are 34 1/2" of painted surface. See the last sentance of post#104. If your doors are shorter, subtract that difference from the 37".
    I do have my set of Defender sills sitting in the garage. I'm talking about the inner structure the seat box side attaches to that ties the bed to the bulkhead, not the sheetmetal trim panel you see below the door. If I knew how to post pics, I would. I could probably email a picture to you if you need.
    -Donny
     
  10. Aug 15, 2017
    DanStew

    DanStew Preowned Merkin salesman Staff Member

    Lexington, South...
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    My doors are 33 inches on the bottom edge

    Here is the leftover of my old door sills

    This is the passenger side, the rubber seal is on the outside.
    [​IMG]

    This is the lip over the seal
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    the backside
    [​IMG]

    It is not a tube, but formed in a kind of a C channel. I got a length of 1.5x2 rectangular tubing i am going to try to modify to work to make it a bit stronger than original.
    My only issue is the piece does bolt to bulkhead, and looking at some pics the sill goes over the bulkhead outrigger and bolts to the bulkhead. So the sill goes flat at the en with an end piece that bolts on
    #7 of this diagram
    [​IMG]

    Boy it is a pain trying to find measurements. And it seems that I am shunned by the Rover community, cause i get hardly any help when asking for measurements.
    Oh well.


    Donny, do you have a rover that has the body off the chassis? Could you put a straight edge on the rear flat area and have it go forward passed the chassis downturn and see how much drop you have from the top of the flat to the bulkhead mount?
     
    Last edited: Aug 15, 2017
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  11. Aug 16, 2017
    Keys5a

    Keys5a Sponsor

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    I'm up at my Mom's for a couple days. I have my D90 at my house with only the rear tub sitting on the frame, so I should be able to measure that, but there's nearly 40 years difference (or similarity!). I'll be back in a day or two.
    I cut up my Series 2a chassis a few years ago; rusted and wrecked.
    My D90 sills are also a channel shape, and are similar to yours, but not interchangeable.
    -Donny
     
  12. Aug 17, 2017
    DanStew

    DanStew Preowned Merkin salesman Staff Member

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    It looks like I am going to have to bite the bullet and buy the repair panels for the pillars. I found them overseas. I think it will just be easier and better to do that so I dont screw up the measurement. Oh well. Now to get the motor out of the S10, and sell it so i can get these parts
     
  13. Aug 18, 2017
    DanStew

    DanStew Preowned Merkin salesman Staff Member

    Lexington, South...
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    The small thing unglamourous things of a project.
    I got the rusty gas tank mounted and the hand brake mounted.
    Just things to get done.

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  14. Aug 18, 2017
    tarry99

    tarry99 Member

    Northern California
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    Nice Job !
     
  15. Aug 18, 2017
    homersdog

    homersdog Tulsa, Ok 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

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    You are making great progress! Are you priming or painting the inaccessible areas as you piece it together?
     
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  16. Aug 18, 2017
    Chuck W.

    Chuck W. New Member

    AL
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    Normally, I don't care for the heavily modified vehicle threads, but this project is very interesting and I am enjoying following the build. I like that you are attempting to keep the stock external appearance.
     
  17. Aug 19, 2017
    DanStew

    DanStew Preowned Merkin salesman Staff Member

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    I am going to end up going back and dissasemble the rig and paint the frame. I will probably drill holes in the frame rail to get one of those nozzles in there to get the inside of frame rail with paint or rust preventer
     
  18. Aug 20, 2017
    DanStew

    DanStew Preowned Merkin salesman Staff Member

    Lexington, South...
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    Well I got the Rovers heart transplant out of the donor rig. And all i can say is pulling a motor from a s10 sucks. Chevy did not make it friendly to take the motor out of these rigs
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    Now to sell off the carcass if i can. And make room in the garage for this motor, i am running out of space for motors. i have an Fhead, Rover and now this 4.3l rolling around on dollies.
     
  19. Sep 4, 2017
    DanStew

    DanStew Preowned Merkin salesman Staff Member

    Lexington, South...
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    So the S10 carcass is gone and now it is time to get to the nitty gritty and work on the bulkhead. I got the steering column off and the gear box.

    Started cutting out the rot in the passenger side toe boards. This is the second project I have had recently that the previous owners "repair" was to slap a second piece of steel over the rotted original.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    It is pretty straight forward. Cut metal patch and weld in. The Rover's bulkhead... or firewall is pretty much flat pieces of steel. I had to cut to fit and make it work. Still not finished and cleaned up, but much better than it was.
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    The hard part was trying to "guess" how the original floor was. Since it was rotted out i did not know what it looked like originally, but i got enough pictures and the tranny tunnel helped make a template to redo the bottom edge.

    Next up i will get the steel for the edge and cut out the old and put in new. The work continues
     
  20. Sep 16, 2017
    DanStew

    DanStew Preowned Merkin salesman Staff Member

    Lexington, South...
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    I got my clutch items to connect the gear boxes to the engine. i connected the hoist to the tranny and it wouldnt lift the pig. added some fluid to ram, nothing, and then i drained and refilled, still nothing, just wouldnt pick it up. So i had to go out and get a new ram and got the boxes off the table and on to the engine
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    This is one heavy combo to pick up with the hoist. The furniture mover that it is on does not want to turn that easy. I have to watch it, it is gonna be dangerous to move it around. Now to see about mocking it up in the frame.
     
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