Build Thread: 1988 Saudi Spec 110

RBBailey

RBBailey

NAS-ROW Addict
Callsign: KF7KFZ
Been doing little things to make it more complete. The dash won't really come together till I install and make work the heater and blower. Then I need to rebuild the HVAC system (without AC) in the dash itself, then I can close up the center facia.

In the mean time the lower dash is nearly complete with the hazard and interior lights switches in place. This was one of the most frustrating parts of the build. There is so little room backbthere that it took me three tries to get the instruments in place, and a good hour of routing and pushing and shoving of all the wires to get these two switches in place.

Going on a short camping trip tomorrow. Although I've put almost 1000 miles on it without incident, the likelihood of something happening will increase exponentially with distance from home. This time, though, I'll be within towing distance of Defenders Northwest!
 

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RBBailey

RBBailey

NAS-ROW Addict
Callsign: KF7KFZ
I'll update when I get back home next week, but it now has about 1500 miles on it and barely any issues...... well, except for running out of gas at 1/4 tank.
 
RBBailey

RBBailey

NAS-ROW Addict
Callsign: KF7KFZ
Well, last year at this time I was aching to try to get the work done to get the truck on the road. I just needed a few days of solid work time.... I wasn't able to do much till March and April, and I never got a full hour of work time till the school year ended. It took me all of 12 hours of work to get it on the road after that. ...nine months of constant trying to just get 12 hours of time to finish it off...

Before that, it took me two years to get the Series back on the road. Two weeks after I got it driving, the engine lost all oil pressure. I managed to find another engine. Two weeks after I got it installed, the bearings went out and it lost oil pressure. This pattern is way too familiar....

I regret not being able to go on an adventure (or two) in this thing. I managed to do three light camping trips in the last three years, but have never been on an overland trip like I used to be able to do in my other trucks. I meant to make it a father/son adventure mobile, but the fact is, the madness has to stop sometime. And my son is now a sophomore. Time is running out. I have to try to figure out how to spend time with him without the Defender being a part of the plan.

I've used cash only on this Rover from purchase to the last bottle of diesel additive I bought yesterday. I've got 1500 miles out of it, they were fun... mostly.

I know people say to just stick with it, but I can't keep doing this to myself and my family. I have $5k in storm damage repairs to do to the house and property in the next two weeks. My kids' college fund is not yet paid for. And I have a lot of other projects I've been neglecting for the past two years. Not to mention a few other things we committed to just last week.

I have to psychologically put it away for the winter. If I don't, it will just be hanging there like a rock in my shoe for the next nine months.... like it was the past two winters. When I actually, really have free time, I'll pull the vacuum pump, turbo, head, and engine bearings, to set things right. But I need to give myself time and not try to do this all in the next two weeks.

In the mean time, I will need to drive the Series and Range Rover for the winter. Neither of these are ready for winter. So that's where I need to spend my time.
 
RBBailey

RBBailey

NAS-ROW Addict
Callsign: KF7KFZ
115 miles from home in a juniper desert watching a thunderstorm roll by. So it could be worse. Just hope the tow driver isn't..... odd....
 
FlyersFan76

FlyersFan76

Well-known member
That build thread is over 2 years old. Wow time fly's. Well I guess it does for those of us that are reading about it and not living it.

If it were me I wouldn't even park all 3 of those rovers on the same property let alone the same driveway. Rover's are a weird thing. I think they talk to each other. Disney could probably do an entire moving on just british cars and the tow truck named Lucas would be the main character.

Although my issues were all cosmetics I was able to park my truck far away where I only drive it on the weekends. Weekdays have been for house work and the summer has moved too fast.

Good luck. BTW, does your family help with the maintenance/service with the trucks? As crappy as it can be that is still "some" bonding time.
 
RBBailey

RBBailey

NAS-ROW Addict
Callsign: KF7KFZ
So I am waiting on the test results to tell me if the low oil pressure is a real problem, and if I need to replace the head, or if it is just a low pressure running engine, like a lot of others seem to have.

But the starter and turbo are both dead. Turbo is cracked and pretty much shot. Kind of surprised it wasn't actually striking the blades yet.

I got the go-ahead to fix these issues from the budget office after the Range Rover broke down and had to get it towed 120 miles. I love driving the Series, but I can't be going into a second winter with it as my daily driver.

So I pulled the turbo and ordered a new one. Only then did I realize that I would need other parts to make the swap happen. So although the turbo will be here on Monday, and although I went back and ordered up the hoses and such, and even paid for expedited shipping... they didn't get it shipped by the end of the week.

I was able to finally source a rebuilt starter, so at least I can get that in place before the big hole left by the turbo blocks the access.

But I'm kind of pissed off because this will be the third Labor Day weekend in a row that I've had a chance to get the car done before the school year starts, and to get it to the All British Field Meet here in Portland. Unless they somehow get the parts to me from the UK before next Friday, it just isn't going to happen.

In the mean time, I did manage to paint the bulkhead. The paint looks great! ...but it doesn't match the rest of the truck. I had it mixed based on three different scans of three different body panels that I brought to the paint shop, but it is still a very bad match. I guess It just gives me an excuse to repaint the whole thing later.

I also relocated the fuel filter, and permanently mounted the steering fluid reservoir.

I'm nervous about the school year starting. My week days tend to be 12-14 hours long, and I rarely have any time on the weekends, so if the truck isn't on the road, I'm hoping the Series can make it another few months without a third Rover breakdown!
 
RBBailey

RBBailey

NAS-ROW Addict
Callsign: KF7KFZ
Documentation:
 

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RBBailey

RBBailey

NAS-ROW Addict
Callsign: KF7KFZ
Well... once again, parts problems. I ordered the turbo on Tuesday, it is supposed to be here today, but somehow they got the address mixed up -- combined my shipping address with my billing address, so they say it doesn't exist...

Then I didn't know that I would need the other parts, so I ordered those on Wednesday, I paid extra for expedited shipping. I think that means it gets out no more than 2 days. Well, it has now been three days, and it didn't ship.
 
RBBailey

RBBailey

NAS-ROW Addict
Callsign: KF7KFZ
LRDirect. Their shipping was so fast on the turbo that I thought I could maybe get the other stuff here. I've had Rovers North and others take as long as four weeks, so I looked a bit at other vendors, but pricing was good with LRDirect. It was a gamble. I'm just disappointed that the expedited option didn't work.

I'm a little bit worried now that I won't be getting the truck on the road by the time the rains start. Last year it took me 6 months to do what was essentially 3-4 hours of work. I'm hoping I can keep my work at work more this year, and have time at home for actual home stuff, and to finally get this thing on the road.
 
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