Land Rover engineer - Phetchkasem Road, near Pleurn Wan/Ford

[desnee]

Does anyone have experience of the Land Rover engineers on the left side of Phetchkasem Road, heading North from Hua Hin? It is just after Pleurn Wan and the Ford dealership.

I know they tend to have a lot of modified Land Rovers and some are modified in outrageous ways, but I wondered if they sell any of their vehicles?

Any advice on where to buy an early series Land Rover, either for restoration or otherwise, I would be grateful for it. Thanks.

[STEVE G]

I would go along and have a word with them, I used to live past there and they've been messing around with Land Rovers for at least 10 years and seem to have plenty of customers. I've always noticed the place as I had a few of them in the UK back in the eighties and nineties including a 1975 Airportable.

[desnee]

I've always noticed the place as I had a few of them in the UK back in the eighties and nineties including a 1975 Airportable.

Thanks for dropping me a reply Steve. I have been a Land Rover fan since I was a kid. Yes, the 1970s Lightweight, as they're sometimes known. They were very sought after. I used to want a 101" forward control. I've never seen one here though.

Quite honestly, I'd settle for any model from the Series II onwards. I've been looking around recently at the ubiquitous, uninspiring Japanese saloon cars and frankly I'm rather bored from the sight of them.

If you see anything suitable for sale, perhaps you wouldn't mind dropping me a line! Thanks, Des.

[STEVE G]

I used to want a 101" forward control. I've never seen one here though.

I'd be amazed if you found one of those in Asia but I'm working in Luxembourg now when I'm not in Thailand and one of my colleagues here has a 101.
It surprised me because the last time I saw one it was on exercise in Norway and the Royal Marines were using them to tow 105mm howitzers!

[PeteC]

Found a photo so I and everyone else knows what's being talked about. I guess you could have an all terrain baht bus with that thing here. It comes in many forms though so must be a lot of kits for accessorizing it. Pete

101.jpg (8.88 KiB) Viewed 1308 times

More images:

https://www.google.com/search?q=rover+1 ... 80&bih=668

[Nereus]

I've always noticed the place as I had a few of them in the UK back in the eighties and nineties including a 1975 Airportable.

Thanks for dropping me a reply Steve. I have been a Land Rover fan since I was a kid. Yes, the 1970s Lightweight, as they're sometimes known. They were very sought after. I used to want a 101" forward control. I've never seen one here though.

Quite honestly, I'd settle for any model from the Series II onwards. I've been looking around recently at the ubiquitous, uninspiring Japanese saloon cars and frankly I'm rather bored from the sight of them.

If you see anything suitable for sale, perhaps you wouldn't mind dropping me a line! Thanks, Des.

I have had Land Rovers in one form or another since the first one when I was 19 years old. (69 years old today in fact!)
There was a tour operator in Phuket that had several forward control Land Rovers, do not know if they are still in business.

There are several clubs in Thailand, I will dig out a couple of contacts. In the meantime there are a bunch of them for sale at the following:

http://www.taladrod.com/w20/Search/TbSc ... k:14+md:63

[Nereus]

Here is a couple more mixed up with the Discovery`s on the same site:

http://www.taladrod.com/w20/Search/TbSc ... k:14+md:64

They tend to refer to ALL series Land Rovers as "Defenders"! Also, you may find it difficult to buy a car that still has the original engine in it. Most of them have been converted to Jap engines.

There was a Series 1 parked behind the Chat Chai wet market at one time, but I have not looked there lately. The place that you asked about MAY help you, but the last time that I went in there they were not interested. I would not deal with a place that removes the front axle completely, and replaces it with a solid non-driving axle!

[desnee]

I have had Land Rovers in one form or another since the first one when I was 19 years old. (69 years old today in fact!)

In that case, I'd like wish you a happy birthday then Nereus. It's good to know there are several of us here who have an affinity to Land Rovers. I also bought my first when I was 19 years old (44 now) and the last one I bought, was the limited edition Defender Black, which I bought new in 2002. Since selling it in 2006 to come here, I'm afraid I've been Land-Rover-less.

Thanks for that link. There's one on there that looks ok and fairly clean. It's up in Chiang Mai! Of course, the real price is not the one shown on the site, but the cost involved in getting it trouble-free.

I'll let you know if I find anything. Seeing those pictures, I'm itching to get behind the wheel of one again.

[desnee]

They tend to refer to ALL series Land Rovers as "Defenders"!

Yes, I saw that. It was amusing to hear of a 1969 Defender, as if there was ever such a thing!

The place that you asked about MAY help you, but the last time that I went in there they were not interested. I would not deal with a place that removes the front axle completely, and replaces it with a solid non-driving axle!

I understand what you mean. I often wander into places but it's normal to find locals lacking in the confidence to speak with foreigners. I speak limited Thai but it makes very little difference. Did you visit them with a Thai?

Wow, removal of the front axle. I would probably argue that such a vehicle is no longer a Land Rover, as it has lost its fundamental characteristic. I presume the problem was that the engine they fitted, left insufficient clearance for the front propshaft.

I don't mind too much about the installation of a Jap engine - it can be changed. But what I don't want is the tasteless plastic interior in some of the station wagons. One of them even has a Japanese dashboard and steering wheel. Yuk. It rather reminds me of the old Thai buses with their pink and blue interiors, blasting out Luk Thung music.

Thanks for the second link. Actually, I was surprised at the Discoverys listed. The prices seem low in contrast with the outrageous prices we see for second hand cars. Is the Discovery a problem to maintain here, I wonder?

[STEVE G]

There was a Series 1 parked behind the Chat Chai wet market at one time, but I have not looked there lately.

Yes, it's still there, I've been looking at that for the ten years that I've been based in Hua Hin!

[Nereus]

Is the Discovery a problem to maintain here, I wonder?

I have the last of the Discovery 1 series V8, ES converted to LPG. I have had a lot of problems with it, but a good deal of it can be blamed on the standard of "workmanship" of most places. The Discovery 1 still uses some basic old type technology, and it makes me wonder just how they manage with the latest systems! They are not difficult to maintain, but I can no longer work on it myself, and without fail, these people think that they are the only ones that know anything about anything!

I have just returned from a trip to Australia, and have some phtos of a series 3 Discovery in a friends business workshop. The ONLY way to do ANY component removal on the series 3 & 4 Discovery`s and the Range Rover Sport, is to completely remove the whole body! They are designed that way, so most systems have plugs etc., that just pull out. But it sure looks strange to see the car body up on the hoist with the rolling chassis sitting on the floor!

[STEVE G]

I imagine an early Land Rover wouldn't be a bad project to have in Thailand. The main problem with them in the UK was that the steel firewall would rust and you have to practically rebuild the whole vehicle to replace it, I shouldn't think that should happen so much in the Thai climate. Just about everything else you can do with a half inch spanner, a screwdriver and a hammer!

[desnee]

I have the last of the Discovery 1 series V8, ES converted to LPG. I have had a lot of problems with it, but a good deal of it can be blamed on the standard of "workmanship" of most places.

Where have you had repairs? Presumably you haven't been back to the place that I mentioned on Phetchkasem Road?

Can you clarify "ES Converted to LPG"?

I have lost track of the Discovery models. I remember there was a facelift just over a decade ago, which I imagine was the Series II and which had its rear lights positioned higher up.

But I notice on that second link you sent for me, that there is one particular vehicle (top left corner of the page), which has more modern front headlamps. That also says Series II.

I must admit, I do like that model. But where does one go to find competent repairs and servicing?

[desnee]

I imagine an early Land Rover wouldn't be a bad project to have in Thailand. The main problem with them in the UK was that the steel firewall would rust

Yes, that's the bulkhead. Actually, the chassis is a major concern in the UK climate. But even so, even that can be quickly replaced by a competent repairer. UK has many good and experienced specialists.

The difficult thing with an aged vehicle is always rusted bolts. It can turn a simple job into a nightmare. I still have a scar on my wrist after becoming too careless with an angle-grinder. But it's a reminder of happy days spent in continual renovation of my Series IIA LWB 2.6 station wagon.

I think the air-portable version that you mentioned you once owned, had a stronger chassis, made to military specifications. They were notable for having a seam welded along them. The standard chassis always seemed quite feeble on the other 1970s models.

[J.J.B.]

Now this is more like it, no more chat about 'fish and chips' but something a little closer to my heart! Over the past 10 years my chairity spending has been on a couple of old Range Rover classics ('88 & '90), both V8s that were 3.5 and 3.9 respectively. Due to the rising price of fuel, I converted them both to LPG with the help of my brother, who is another RR fan and we had a great time at off-road days where it didn't really matter if things got a little bent out of shape.

Now I have a Discovery 3 (2008), which is the 2.7 TDV6 and an incredible car, much more luxurious and well appointed than any Land Rover has any right to be. I also have the full RAVE workshop manuals that cover most - if not all models - of LR to about 2006, IIRC. If these would be of any use to you, let me know and I can send it to you via an FTP site or similar. It's around 400MB but well worth having if you're planning on getting something to work on in the LOS.

As for working on a Disco 3 or 4, Nereus is right (and many happy returns too!), 6 bolts and two connectors is all you need to lift the tub from the chassis. I haven'y seen a car in that configuration yet and hope to God it isn't my own anytime soon!