Expedition Land Rovervehicle prep

Project Ruby Tuesday

"There's no time to lose, I heard her say
Catch your dreams before they slip away"

"Don't Question why she needs to be so free
She'll tell you its the only way to be
She just can't be chained
to a life where nothings gained and nothings lost
at such a cost"

First changes and fixes to The Green Rover

Project in process - Step 1
Engine refurbishment completed - Leaky radiator sent back to manufacturer for repair

step 2 - gearbox swap
NP435 built to replace T-18. Ready to install as soon as I have a radiator to move the truck

step 3 - Other replacements
new striped canvas for Dormobile lifting roof, new shocks, new rear spring & frame bushings, add a pintle hook, new front bumper. Work waiting for rains to stop

Project Ruby Tuesday is intended to be a life reset project following a close family member death and a long period of needing to be very frugal forcing me to let things slide. The project has 6 focus areas, one of which is bringing my Land Rover back into top operating condition. My Land Rover will figure very prominently in the Renewal phase of project Ruby Tuesday.

We are just leaves blowing in the winds of life. This time I'm being guided by whims and serendipity and not by externally imposed limitations.

Land Rover planning
Planning the day's journey over a morning cup of tea

This web site focuses on Series Land Rovers, conversions and modifications to Series Land Rovers, Land Rover caravans, Series Land Rover expedition preparation and has Land Rover related photo galleries.   There is some contents relating to Land Rover Defenders, but most everything is Series Land Rover focused.

Engine conversions | Gearbox, stock & conversions | Suspension | Brake upgrades | Additional fuel tanks |   Other modifications | FAQ

Travel related   | Land Rover Caravans (Dormobile, Carawagon, etc,)    | Maintenance | Descriptions & specs   | Photo Galleries   |   Links

About The Green Rover   |   Snapshots from the trail | Stories & blogs   |   Teriann's home page

Travel Related Articles

Spare parts and tools I take on trips: An inventory of spares and tools I take along on expeditions

Contents of The Green Rover's survival kit: What my car caries, just in case

Contents of my personal survival kit: What I lug around just in case

Things to do: Before the trip: Preparation helps you get home intact

Things to do: After the trip: keeping you car in good condition

Cooking on the trail (early draft book selection): Developing your own style of Land Rover trail cooking

Trail etiquette (draft book selection): The art of learning to play well with others
Water crossings (draft book selection): Preperation, reading the water and afterwards

In my spare time I am trying to write a book on overland travel in North America. The project may never get completed. So rather than keep my writing to myself I'm sharing parts of it as I write.

Land Rover Caravans - Dormobile, Carawagon, Park-Ranger, Land-Rover Explorer and X-PANDA-CAB

The following is from a 1966 Dormobile brochure with minor revisions:

Freedom

WHEN YOU BUY A DORMOBILE CARAVAN YOU BUY A NEW WAY OF LIFE

Consider these 10 DORMOBILE Freedoms:

FREEDOM to ignore holiday hotel worries - and bills
FREEDOM to live comfortably and easily in the open air, out on the trail
FREEDOM to decide and then go - straight away - for a month, a week, a day
FREEDOM to drive without tiresome towing, preplanned end of day destinations or even paved roads
FREEDOM to tour - Moab or The Badlands - and take your home with you
FREEDOM to take advantage of those spare moments - those crisp, clear winter days - when owners of other 4x4's stay at home
FREEDOM to eat what you like, when you like and cooked how you like it
FREEDOM to sleep - comfortable and secure - at the end of an exciting day
FREEDOM to enjoy outdoor interests - fishing, boating, climbing, photography, walking, beach combing- or just looking
ABOVE ALL
FREEDOM to relax, in your mobile home, away from the everyday routine and stress of modern life.

MARTIN WALTER LTD.

A high percentage of the Land Rovers taken around the world are Dormobiles. On a per model basis I strongly suspect that Dormobiles are the most traveled model of Land Rover. Every person who purchased a Land Rover Dormobile from Martin Walter had travel in mind, often long distances to exotic locations. I'm always happy when I see another Land Rover caravan out on the trail still exploring the world.

Maintenance related Articles

Alternative parts numbers for Series Land Rovers: Part numbers for seals, bearings oil filters, 'U' joints, spark plugs and more. These are companies that are common in the U.S.
Demystifying Distributors: How I set my points and timing
Diesel Starter motor rebuilding: Adrian Redmond provides step by step instruction on how to rebuild your Series Land Rover diesel starter motor
Frequently asked questions: These are replies to frequently asked "How to" questions. They came from the world wide leaf spring Land Rover mail list and the US West coast e-mail list.
Lucas wire colour code table: Lists uses for each wire colour
Fuse replacement chart: British fuse ratings and American fuse ratings are NOT the same. This chart might prevent a fire in your truck
Repair of the early style choke cable: This information provided by my friends at Rover's North
Sliding window channel and glass replacement: For the rear side sliding window. The factory manual is misleading. Here are step by step instructions.
swivel ball seal replacement: A technique Scotty taught me for replacing leaky front swivel ball seals.
Tips and Tweaks: Some ideas on how you can make you car a little more break resistant, and keep it going.

Series Land Rover conversions and engine power specifications

302 in a Series Land Rover

6AT in a Series Land Rover

Land Rover gearboxes and Common conversion gearboxes

Gear boxes: An overview of the gearboxes used in Land Rovers from series through the present
Gearboxes and transfer cases commonly used with engine swaps in Series Land Rovers: Along with some thoughts on how to choose among them
Gear ratios: Covers Series and coiler Land Rover gearboxes, popular conversion gear boxes, overdrives and Ashcroft high ratio transfer case
109 rear propshaft lengths measured at half extension on the sliding joint: For Rover diff - 41 13/16" or 1062mm, for Salisbury diff - 40 1/16" or 1017mm. The difference between the two shafts is 1.75" or 45mm. A stock Series III 109 rear propshaft is the Salisbury type since a Salisbury rear diff was standard fitment on a series III 109.

T-18 and adapter

Suspension data and modification for leaf sprung Land Rovers

Land Rover rear filler

Adding fuel tanks to Series Land Rovers

Adding a rear fuel tank to a 109 two door: How I added a rear fuel tank to my 109 two door Series Land Rover.

Adding a rear fuel tank to an 88: Bob Bernard's modification to "Sherman" his 88 Land Rover

Adding a second front fuel tank: How I added a front fuel tank to my Series Land Rover's left under seat location.
Alternative fuel gauges and sender units: How I added 3 inch dia fuel gauges to my 109 Land Rover

Land Rover rear filler

Brake conversions to Series Land Rovers

Dual power brakes on a series II: How I converted my Land Rover's brakes to dual power brakes
Overview of front disc brake conversion kits: Descriptions of Series Land Rover disc brake conversion kits that I'm aware of
My front disc brake conversion using the Torrel Industries kit: How I converted my Series Land Rover 109 from front drum brakes to disc brakes using the series Land Rover disc brake conversion kit from Torrel Industries

Land Rover disc brake conversion

Modification from stock Articles

Converting from positive to negative earth: How I converted my Land Rover's electrical system to negative earth so I could connect radios
Delco 3 wire alternators: A primer on Delco 3 wire alternators suitable for Series Land Rovers and how to wire one up.
Adding a tach to my series II: How I added a MGB tach to my Series II Land Rover without pain
Converting to Halogen headlamps: How-to make the conversion plus headlamp wiring harness "tune up"
Converting a series rig to power steering: Discussion on how to convert a series LR to power steering using a Saginaw power steering box. Has lots of pictures.
Rear corner frame modification: For increased corner body protection and stable rear jack point
Adapting s pre-2006 Defender bulkhead to fit a Series truck: New Series bulkheads and repair sections are no longer available. This link takes you to a web site where Nick Kilvert shows how to convert a Defender bulkhead to fit a Series truck. This conversion is easier if you also convert to power steering as the Defender foot wells are deeper and interfere with the Series steering box mounting location. It is also easier if you score a Defender accelerator pedal and convert to cable linkage.

Descriptions and specifications

How a skirted thermostat works: Tells you why that skirt is there
Kodiak Heaters: Everything I know about Kodiak heaters.
Ignition/headlamp switch: Everything I know about the ignition/headlamp switch used on positive earth LRs
Paint colours: used on 1958 through 1974 Series Land Rovers
1962 Land Rover USA price list: It's a poor copy but readable. .pdf format
1962 Land Rover USA options list: Its a poor copy but readable. .pdf format
1962 Land Rover 109 basic chassis (coachbuilders) drawing: From a 1964 blueprint. Much is faded (3.2MB jpeg)
Factory drawings from early 1960's brochures: Rolling frames, engine and gearbox.
Factory ninety and one Ten driving specifications: Factory recommendations for driving pre-Defender coilers.
Torque table: Average torque values for common bolts
Common metric to US unit conversions: Factors for converting engine power and size specs, fluids and distance.
Fuse replacement chart: British fuse ratings and American fuse ratings are NOT the same. This chart might prevent a fire in your truck
Lucas wire colour code table: Lists uses for each wire colour

Photo by Sam Shaw


	Known history The story of a girl and her Rover Design Specifications The specifications I used to turn The Green Rover into a long range expedition vehicle Mark II specifications I have lived in the car for over 20 weeks while on trips since the original expedition conversion was completed. It works well but I can do better. Major modifications Descriptions and pictures of the major modifications that have been made to The Green Rover Physical specifications Dimensions, weights and capacities of The Green Rover The Great Rebuild of 1999 Wow! I got a V8 and power steering! 2007 front 24 spline axle upgrade I converted from 10 spline front axles to 24 spline, added a stronger ring & pinion, high angle prop shaft and greasable frame bushings Pre Dormobile pictures of The Green Rover Some images of my Land Rover from the time I brought her home in Macch 1978 and until the Dormobile conversion was installed in August 1997 Pictures of the Green Rover's Dormobile exterior 1998 was the first pictorial study I made after the Dormobile conversion Pictures of the Green Rover's Dormobile interior Home sweet home The Green Rover's Mercury Winch I have not seen another nor know anything about the company so I decided to document my winch as best as I could	The Green Rover camped at Kane Creek just outside Moab

	Pictures taken along the way (medium & large format photography) Snapshots from along the trail (72dpi digital snaps taken on the fly) Carawagon Land Rovers Herbert Zipkin's expedition Land Rover 1959 Land Rover Series II 109 stationwagon A home made 88 based caravan Land Rover Series IIA with pop up roof, sleeps 2 Camel Trophy Land Rovers Series Land Rovers Defender Land Rovers Other Rover 4X4s Readers Land Rovers in action	Taking a picture in Monument valley

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