/ britrest www.paypal.me/... Your support is appreciated! If you have a Defender/Tdi problem and do not know how to fix it, drop me a line! Maybe I can help! britrest@britrest.com
On a commenters advice, I contacted the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust and this is what I got for my £6! 'Further to your Web Research request the build date recorded for chassis number 111-8-01542 is 7th February 1958 and the vehicle went to the Ministry of Supply, Eggington, UK.' So the information was given prior stated it was built in October /November 1958 was wrong!
Lovely little gem, I have an 1963 Series IIA 109 an have almost finished restoring it. I’m from Nottingham originally and now live in Missouri. I do love the Series 1’s though, have always thought about getting one. Keep the videos coming….
that was excellent commentary, really felt your joy and passion for the landy. I am surprised its got so low milage and that its all original and still going strong.
Hi Mike I've been watching quite a few of your videos for a month or so now. Your videos are great, very informative and the way you present them is spot on. I am a part trained mechanic (sadly never got chance to finish apprenticeship) and me and my nephew are doing up a Series 3, and watching how you explain things and your mannerisms is like watching a mirror of when I am explaining stuff to my nephew lol. I am sorry to say I don't like your Series 1, I LOVE it lol. It is an absolute beauty.
Very nice and greeting from Ottawa. I have restored a 1955, 86" Series 1 and enjoy driving it but not offroad or winter. It deserves to be pampered from now on. I did go with neg ground and signal lights, 4-way flashers. Painted mine RAF Blue
Reminds me of my old series II, built in March 1958. I wish I had it now. I had it for over 20 years, during which time I slowly converted it to a 1974 spec. series III and painted it maroon. Yours looks great and with such low mileage should last a good few years..... lucky man ! Tom
Back in the early 70's I would stay at my grandads lodge in loch Rannoch. He would take my 3 sisters and I, across Rannoch Moor in his 88. With just a canvas sheet to hold back the elements needless to say it was rather "draughty". Early morning deerstalking to a long haul over to Pitlochry was always a joy. Can still remember the sound of that gearbox, clinking gear change and a slight smell of petrol. Happy days. (Scotland obviously) 😊
I really enjoyed that Mike, thanks. You can just hear the excitement in your voice as you show us around. I turned 60 in March this year and I'm not half as good as that old girl :-) I learnt to drive in my Dad's Morris 1000 Traveller and it was my first (car) experience of working on engines... the dynamo and regulator and other original parts just took me back to working on that old girl in the early 70's. I think that's why I love my Defender so much now... and listening to your enthusiasm on how to keep these great vehicles on the road... one at a time ;-) (Benjamin Pawlica & Bob)
Thanks Benjamin ! I really enjoy making videos for you guys and especially the stuff that is not 'run of the mill' More to come and I think over winter I am going to take this to a different level I have had 2.1 million minutes viewed since January - so I must be doing something right! Mike
That's a lovely thing - did you try the Royal Logistics Corps archive when searching it's history? I've got a Pertronix set up on my Series 3, absolutely cracking kit. I've been daily driving that for years until now and never an ounce of trouble.
I have had a word with my learned friend about your motor, and he is of the opinion that this vehicle was known in the army as a, PARADE VEHICLE. These were for the top brass to drive past in a parade. The give away is the two handles fixed to the back of the tub. There would have been a fold up step bolted onto the back cross member. These two wheel drives had a better turning circle as without the drive in the hubs there was a bit more travel on the steering. ( no CVJ back then ) He says that some were issued to the RAF, and they called them --- 5cwt tiller vehicles, for use on airfields. He also says that they were never sent abroad for service, they were noted as ---HOMELAND ONLY vehicles. The only exception to that order was when the queen went on a world wide tour to counties that were in the commonwealth, they were sent ahead for her to take a parade/inspection of that countries troops. Where the hoops go into the tub there would have been a chromed handrail across the front and down each side, This can be seen in many old photos taken on these occasions. Sooo!!!!! are you connected to royalty MIKE, do we now have to call you SIR. By the way, The REME records are now kept at DEEPCUT BARRACKS, it is manned by volunteers who charge for any searches. They may have the records of the auction when it was sold. it was most likely sold at RUDDINGTON auction by, WHITHAMS, who had to keep very good records of who bought the vehicle that were sold by them, they won't have a reg number, but if you know the district that it was sold in it might help with your search. Oh yes, the back light should be the old Lucas ;D: shaped ones that had a window for the number plate, and the front ones had smaller glass in them with a bigger chrome retaining rim. I sold some of these a couple of years ago on ebay. Right Mike I'm off now, got to turn out to a non starter. All the best, and thanks for the trip down Landrover's memory lane. Yorkshire Rob..
Thanks Rob! According to a guy in the S1 club, the 4x2 were base vehicles only and used by MP's and for trailer work Only 600 made There is some confusion for the RAF angle as it appears they were not officially issued to the RAF but somehow turned up there in blue with roundels on Yes I know the lights are wrong but I had a hell of a time finding them and ones I did see where eye watering - I wanted this on the road so I fitted US style trailer lights on, rather than it at in the shop for years waiting for the part I have now found 2 front side lights on a S2 wing which are close - chrome ring but screw on not held in by the rubber - but glass lenses Another interesting angle on this, is that the made a number of 4x2 S2's in the first year of production ( must have had some left over parts from the S1's!) Mike
Glad that you are getting more info about your motor Mike. I think that the RAF called them TILLER vehicles, because they towed the lighter planes from the back, where the tiller is. Good luck with your efforts, it is very interesting. Yorkshire Rob.
Thanks for the walk around Mike! Not sure when I will be in your part of the world next time, but I will give you a ping to see if you have time for a visit 😁
Like the series onemike did my apprentice ship on these think they were for the military for use on stite I think friend of mine got one did my trade in the 60 morning proper job gaffe had a greased cap of the job right you now the rest
Interesting little vehicle. Wheelbase is actually 86" compared to the earlier model 80" copied off the American Willys Jeep. Great condition but shame about the 4x2 arrangement as it very much deprives it of any serious off-roading ability.
Hi Mike, a great video of a great motor. Just a thought, if it was made as a two wheel drive only, then this most likely would have been a special speck for something with a fixed purpose with more hard-standing use than rough terrain use. It would be great if some old REME squaddie could recall what was going on at Eggington back in those days, maybe it was an holding centre were vehicles were kept before being allocated to a regiment or corp. It might be worth dropping a line to the REME association over Here in the UK, I will ask around for you when I see some of the old REME lads. Best wishes, and thanks for sharing your thoughts with us, I really enjoy your channel. Yorkshire Rob.
Sensible to have the electronic versions of fuel pump and ignition. The non electronic ones caused me enormous problems in the '60s driving a 1950 80" overnight from London to Manchester and back. Particularly Carb. icing was a problem that puzzled me. One day on the Cat & Fiddle the car kept running so rich I had to keep stopping to find out what was wrong. Trouble was the ice ring around the jet melted as soon as I stopped and before I got the bonnet up. At last I caught it before it melted and rearranged the air intake to take air from behind the exhaust manifold. That solved that problem. Your car is much nicer than mine. Mine (this one is a 1957 88") has been altered and fiddled with to an extent I find embarrassing now. It sits in the garden untaxed on a SORN and gets used as a shed for deliveries! Edgar
@@BritannicaRestorations Nothing that cold. It was the winter of 1963/4 so pretty cold for here. But once I discovered the problem it kept recurring in low temperatures - even slightly above freezing. What was crucial was that the humidity had to be high. What's more it nearly always happened after midnight. I've been enjoying going through your videos - they tempt me to do something about my '57 88" - when the weather warms up. I wonder how Lada managed carb icing - perhaps just by avoiding Solex.
Hi Axel! Ha! What a disaster! Was a lovely day and all 3 cameras had disappointing results The LCD screens are difficult to see in the sun I hope I can get out and about on Monday - cloud over the weekend and the colours will not last long Mike
Beautiful ser1 Mike , PS I know you're problem's on parts as I rebuilt a S1 1952 ??_ 1.6 . 1 chasis a lot of swearing and welding. Brakes slight mismatch but mostly LR . Wiring _ rewire _not to original colour.charging original _ works sometimes, simple fit a good 663 battery it'll last as long as you want to drive a S1. PS don't tell the boys at the vintage rallies, as they don't know anyhow, well just one local who actually does know. Keep up the good work 🏵️
Thanks - I had this given to me 15 odd years ago and it took me 7 years on and off to get it finished - not concurs but usable . Engine transmission clutch axles all original and the only engine work was to replace a burnt valve and rusted water pump . All original - even the horn and dynamo etc!
Depends what it is, but for mine I kept it the same colour - as close as possible as they could mix the paint, and I used as many original parts as was practical - the carb, fuel pump and ignition upgrades were crucial to not breaking down as I wanted to use this vehicle, not look at it. The rear lights for example are North American trailer lights - S1 lights are a fortune and these got the car on the road so I could drive it And I think that is the point - a lot of people restore vehicles so well, they dare not drive them - so what is the point of having them? I know of lots of concour cars in my region that only see light of day when trailered to shows
And that sir is the whole point of fixing these vehicles isn't it Mike ? To actually use and drive them ! Forgot to say earlier very nice truck BTW . Fattrucker
Definitely . More so than some of those computers on wheels with all their electrickery in some cases . I can't imagine a BMW X5 still running in 60-70 years time . Can you ? LOL Fattrucker
I will send them an email and see what they can find - the MoD had nothing and there was some other place wanting money to trace the history, and I thought, well, if the MoD have no records then, it may be a waste of money Mike
Gaydon heritage as all the lad rover records dating back to 1948. So they should be able to pull the build record. Alternatively try the series 1 club.. They did an nz one for me...