Alberta Land Rover Enthusiasts Club Forum

Title: White Elephant Series III project.
Post by: Matt H on March 29, 2015, 04:07 PM

I decided to start a new thread in the 'Technical' section to detail the refurbishment of the White Elephant.

So I got started on a new project today. Always a happy occasion. My Series III 88" Station Wagon nicknamed "The White Elephant".

It's destined to pull a parade float in the 2015 Medicine Hat Stampede Parde and as such needs to look part. Problem is it's been in a field for 20 years.

Pushed it into my (very messy) shop and took stock of what needs to be done and in what order.
The answer being a lot and whatever order is quickest!

Title: Re: White Elephant Series III project.
Post by: Matt H on March 29, 2015, 04:11 PM

First thing is to clear out all the junk inside and then onto the fuel tank as the original leaks badly.


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Title: Re: White Elephant Series III project.
Post by: Matt H on March 29, 2015, 04:14 PM

This will make a nice change. The last LR to occupy this space was our LR3 to have the rear suspension  bushings changed. A real PITA job. Took forever and very tight clearances.

No worries in the clearance department with a Series III.


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Title: Re: White Elephant Series III project.
Post by: Rambler on March 29, 2015, 10:30 PM

Looking great.  Good luck with the project and take care with the wiring, as I learned today!

Title: Re: White Elephant Series III project.
Post by: binch on March 29, 2015, 10:43 PM

what happened to your wing today???? ???

Title: Re: White Elephant Series III project.
Post by: Rambler on March 30, 2015, 12:30 AM

Sadly, when I refitted the battery today (hoping to get my series on the road again after the winter layup), I was faced with crackles and smoke from some bad wiring to the alternator.  I'm tracing the source of the short, and plan to fit some in line fuses to new cables that need to be run.  Not sure if it's the alternator that's at fault, - I hadn't turned the ignition key when this happened.

Title: Re: White Elephant Series III project.
Post by: Matt H on March 31, 2015, 05:27 PM

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.......or a Land Rover parked up for a week or two.

If you feel like replacing the entire loom Autosparks out of the UK make a really nice kit.

Title: Re: White Elephant Series III project.
Post by: Rambler on March 31, 2015, 06:00 PM

Thanks Matt, so that's why she's mad at me.  Was out at PA buying wiring and bits today and have an order into one of the UK autoplaces for the relevant connectors (altenator).  I have an Autosparks loom for my S2 rebuild, that has fallen a bit behind schedule.  Hopefully, all will be well in a week or two when I have all the parts to fix her.

Title: Re: White Elephant Series III project.
Post by: Matt H on April 03, 2015, 01:00 AM

Made a small start today. Cleaned out all the crap that was stored inside and removed the rear door. Dash is looking a little worse for wear so I will try to re-skin that myself.

Title: Re: White Elephant Series III project.
Post by: Matt H on April 12, 2015, 07:23 PM

Been avoiding the messy job of fuel tank replacement. So instead I gave the ign system a going over today. All seems to be in ordered other than the plugs are a little sooty. Cleaned everything up and reset the gaps.

Also changed engine oil and filter.

So far so good.

Title: Re: White Elephant Series III project.
Post by: binch on April 12, 2015, 08:35 PM

It's a step in the right direction ;)

Title: Re: White Elephant Series III project.
Post by: Matt H on April 19, 2015, 07:45 PM

Good progress today.

I removed the hard top.

Gave the cooling system a good going over, removed a home brew aux heater and put in new coolant. 

Replaced the leaky fuel tank with a spare unit I had. Jason (my 9 year old son) helped clean the replacement unit out and install it. Unfortunately the replacement tank also leaked badly so that will need to come out again and sealed or replaced with a new tank.

But the big news is I had it running for the first time in 20 years. I was pleased to hear a steady idle and quiet operation and very little exhaust fumes. Ran it up to operating temp and it revs like a champ with good oil pressure and throttle response.

Jason and I were well chuffed.





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Title: White Elephant Series III project.
Post by: Matt H on April 19, 2015, 07:48 PM

Some more pics of today's progress.


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Title: Re: White Elephant Series III project.
Post by: binch on April 19, 2015, 10:13 PM

Sweet....after 20 years......better then a timex watch! ;)

Title: Re: White Elephant Series III project.
Post by: Matt H on April 30, 2015, 10:59 PM

Bled the brake master cylinder today and got a reasonably good pedal feel so onto the wheel cylinders next.

Clutch master cylinder may be shot though so I will need to mess with that some more or replace it before I can change gears.

Things are coming along.

Title: Re: White Elephant Series III project.
Post by: Matt H on May 20, 2015, 10:42 PM

Starting on the bodywork/front wings I have discovered a staggering amount of needless bondo. It would seem that a previous owner not only covered small dents (and large dents without even trying to hammer and dolly it back) but also attempted to align panel gaps with the stuff. I swear it's 1/2" thick in some areas.

Bondo should be a controlled product, Like dynamite or nuclear waste, to prevent it falling into the wrong hands!

Title: Re: White Elephant Series III project.
Post by: Red90 on May 21, 2015, 08:38 AM

Bondo on a Land Rover.  How silly. Owners should be proud of their dents.  ;D

Title: Re: White Elephant Series III project.
Post by: binch on May 21, 2015, 01:04 PM

that was what I was trying to tell chris when he was building mine.  "I don't care what the body looks like....Make it mechanically sound!"    I ended up with the prettiest truck in the club.....    Now that I've replaced all the axle shafts, gearbox, t-case and engine...to name a few.   It's ready to go ;-)

Title: Re: White Elephant Series III project.
Post by: Matt H on June 25, 2015, 10:45 AM

Well lots has happened with the ol' S3 of late. Some good, some not so good.

Let's start with the good. It's running, driving, stopping, registered and out looking for trouble on and off the roads in the Medicine Hat area! It participated in the Spectrum Festival and even acted as a rescue unit for a fallen LR comrade.

All the fluids were changed and has been running well.

The not so good is the body is still on the tatty end of 'patina', it's hard to start hot and the gas tank re-seal was an utter failure.

Body and starting issues are in the works so I will detail my fuel tank re-seal efforts for now.

Title: Re: White Elephant Series III project.
Post by: Matt H on June 25, 2015, 10:50 AM

I decided to use a re-seal product as replacement tanks are expensive to ship due to their size. I used KBS "gold standard" as I had read positive reviews. It come as a three part system to clean, etch and seal small holes in the tank. It cost around $80 and takes 4 days to cure.

Title: Re: White Elephant Series III project.
Post by: Matt H on June 25, 2015, 11:45 AM

After inspecting the tank and deciding the holes were small enough to seal I first cleaned the inside with the supplied cleaner.

Title: Re: White Elephant Series III project.
Post by: Matt H on June 25, 2015, 11:47 AM

Then after throughly rinsing with water and drying I prepared the surface for the sealer.

Title: Re: White Elephant Series III project.
Post by: Matt H on June 25, 2015, 11:50 AM

After further rinsing and drying I used the sealer. It comes in the form of a thick paint that is poured into the tank. The tank is then rolled end over end to ensure full coverage. Excess paint is drained out and the tank is then left to cure for four days.

Title: Re: White Elephant Series III project.
Post by: Matt H on June 25, 2015, 12:04 PM

After the paint had cured I took a lesson from the last time I fitted a suspect tank and filled it partially before I installed it into the vehicle. It leaked just as bad as before I used the sealer. Not impressed at all.

In the product literature and from reviews I had read I was lead to believe that minor holes upto and including the size of a pin head could be successfully sealed with this system. I had no such luck and although the holes in my tank were small it may have just been too bad to seal up properly. I would suggest to anyone thinking of using this or a similar product to only try it if the tank is weeping or displays a wet/damp area. If it physically leaks fuel your likely to be disappointed.

So off to the Spectrum festival it went with an ancient jerry rigged boat outboard motor fuel tank strapped to the passenger footwell and a blanket to cover it from notice.

Last Saturday I fitted a brand new fuel tank (thanks to Dad who at the last moment included it in his luggage on a visit from the UK) and tested it.  It works and I'm happy. I have always favoured replacement in the past and I should gone the new tank route from the get go this time too instead of being so cheap.

Land Rover Lesson #10,437 learned.

Title: Re: White Elephant Series III project.
Post by: binch on June 25, 2015, 03:41 PM

 ;D

good write up Matt!    It's those short cuts that always catch us in the ends eh........