Project COPART Kalahari

Started by Lukester, January 16, 2021, 06:47 AM

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Lukester

Well I was the lucky/unlucky soul who won the COPART auction in October 2020 for the 2002 Discovery Series II Kalahari edition. IT stated salvage title due to front end damage and mechanical problems. It came with no keys, was a non runner and was superlocked - what a nice little treat! COPART was not allowing site visits so you had to bid site unseen based on 10 poor photos.

I am hoping to start a thread to bring those of you interested along for the journey of getting it back up and running. This is my first post with two photos of the Kali from the original auction site... stay tuned for the ride!  ;)

Gardenome

I like the look of it. Good luck.


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Trevor

Didn't someone in the club own this before? Curtis perhaps? Or do I have it mixed up with another vehicle?
"You will be hollow. We shall squeeze you empty, and then we shall fill you with ourselves."
― George Orwell, 1984

Freedom Convoy Truckers -- Canadian Heroes!
Justin Trudeau --Enemy of the People!

Lukester

If someone from the club owned it before I would love to talk to him or her ! Cheers

binch

I think Curtis and Nicole had Richard Littlewoods Kalahari, and it was rolled from what I understand.   BIG wreck....but that was a bunch of years back now.    Can't see it just coming up for auction now though....but stranger things have happened at sea young Billy  ;)
Cheers, Bill

Lukester

Aye aye Captain Highliner!  ;D Lol. Thanks for the info! It goes into Bert this month for some minor works then back home for some body work

binch

Looking forward to seeing it ;)
Cheers, Bill

Lukester

Well my Copart Kalahari had a good couple of months as I was able to get the Key code from the Land Rover Stealer and I then took that code and the VIN and sent it to Les with Classic Rides North Wales and he was able to cut a key (with fob) and second spare key (without fob) for the Disco 2 ! So when it arrived, off to northern Alberta I went. Arrived at my Disco's current resting place at my sisters acreage with my bevy of tools along for the ride in case:

•   The keys did not work
•   That I could not open the door
•   That I could not open the hood
•   That I could not get inside to see if I could somehow get it un superlocked!

WILL IT LET ME IN
Well with batted breath, I took the keyfob out and placed it into the door handle and (made a small prayer to the LR gods) and the tumbler worked and the driver door unlocked ! Success ! I was so relieved, I knew from here I could muddle around and at least get a door handle out if that was an issue or I could scour under the dash or under the hood to see what the next step might have to be to get the Kali running! I opened the hood – Great the cable was not broken! Lifted the hood and noticed there was no battery in it at all! Well I may as well check the oil – clean and full, check the coolant as it had been in an accident – Clean and full, Well before pulling plugs and looking inside the cylinder walls, lets put in my spare battery and see if I can surmise the mileage!

Connected up and immediately the alarm started blaring – hmmm what to do ... find the fuse and pull it our – Silence ! Ok onto the next step. Went into the cab and tried the key in the ignition but it would not turn – Darn ! tried a couple of more times – Nothing Darn 2!, Well what about the old turn the steering wheel while trying to turn the key – BINGO ! key turned in the ignition and dash started t light up and flash lots of lights ! Mileage was a very good surprise ! 162,479km ! Well that is 120,000 less than my two P38's so that is great !! Lets look the engine over and get a better idea of what we have and the engine bay was extremely clean and the oils had been changed just prior to the front end hit as it was still dark golden in color !  Belts all look good and clean and no sign of any damage in there at all just on the front corner body panels and bumper !

WILL IT RUN FOR ME
What the heck, I may as well try to see if I can just turn the engine over slightly ( just a second to see if it turns over) Put the key in with a brother looking into the engine bay. Sit inside in my balmy -10 C weather and it turned over very easily ! no terrible groaning sounds from under the hood not visible signs of damage...then try a few second longer. Try turning it for 5 seconds – WOW it popped and tried to start ! well push my luck a bit further . Turn it over now and less than 10 seconds later it fired right up and was revving right around 1200 rpm, holding its own, no need for fuel from the pedal ... 60 + seconds later it dropped down to 800 rpm and held there purring! Unbelievable – no smoke coming out the back no smoke under the hood, no visible terrible shaking under the hood no exhaust leaks – a wonderful sound to say the least!

I let it run for just over 10 minutes and the coolant hoses heated up and the temp gauge slowly warmed up to operating and held ! Checked all the electronic switches and AC and everything worked except (That darn Three Amigos lights all on /  passenger seat power settings / Missing the main door lock master switch on dash / rear hatch can only be opened from the inside) and heat is not that warm nor warming up ! Things were going great until I put it gear to test the movement of the transmission, walked through the gears – no issues forward backward – all good. Low range test – all good . Walk out front – OOPPPSS bright red transmission oil all over the snow near the transmission cooler. PROBLEM No. 1 to fix and I am 3.5 hours from my home garage...

Well thanks to this site I was able to find Bert who could get the truck into his shop and that is where this part of the story will end ! SO shocked the key from overseas worked right away ( they both worked actually), so shocked it fired right up ( have since just fired it up three more times in some pretty cold weather) and so shocked it drove forward and back ! SO the COPART Ad which called a "NON RUNNER" is now a "RUNNER" with some minor mechanical things and some front end damage to repair! Stay tuned ! and here are few photos from that fateful day in January! Photos would not load will try again later.

NEXT UP Sportscar Center !

Lukester

The dreaded transmission oil spill ! :(

binch

It wouldn't fire up on the tow truck and a D110 was used to push it into the shop.   It tried to fire up but ran like a bag of bones until they replaced the spark plugs.    When I came into the shop this morning they had driven it out in the yard for the night, under it's own steam.   Now to sort out the 3 amigos ;-)
Cheers, Bill

Lukester

Well every day is a step closer ! Glad to hear it and will keep posting as it moves along the assembly line 😜!

Lukester

#11
Well I had the COPART Kalahari in with Bert and his crew got it running like a top! and identified a few more bits that need sorting ! The technicians at Sportscar Center in Edmonton were awesome and were able to get the truck repaired for the ATF leak on the front. They then proceeded to check out the rest of the truck to provide me with an estimate to get it compliant for that future SALVAGE title inspection that will be required before she is road worthy. They changed the spark plugs after checking a couple of them. And so with no history of the maintenance done on the Disco before me, it made sense to change those out, get an oil change done and I requested a coolant flush and thermostat change to provide me with peace of mind! Bert also carries on hand two little custom made bits that I know I have had trouble with in the past on my P38's and thought... this is the time to change those out as well! So in went the upgraded coolant T-piece and a new and improved throttle body heater and Voila! constant and clear response to my interior heat requests and peace of mind knowing the cooling system is running at 100% !!.  The last item to repair was two front shocks and that darned Three Amigos light combo which are plastered to the interior dash board ! Diagnosed and parts on order for replacing the front hub assemblies and shocks.  Hope that that will fix the issue! :)

This gave me the opportunity to get the Kalahari over to a contact in Edmonton for him to repair the front end damage, The original hood was able to be repaired and reused and a used but in nice shape front fender and bumper were able to be added to the front. Glenn (the body guy) had to work the inner fender and the housing behind the driver headlight frame to ensure everything lined up and we noticed a fare bit of clear coat had peeled from the outside especially the roof area. So a decision was made to bring it back to a better state and the picture will show some of the work that we did do to get it closer to completion!  She is coming along but a the costs are a but higher then I was hoping but then again with only 162,000 km I think it will be worth it when it is all done ! Stay tuned as the next steps are "Back to Sportscar center" for the 3 Amigos and then home to my garage to work on some internal items and a solid cleaning before going for the inspection !

bumpydormobile

Hello
When you have it back at SCC you should get them to do the Shuttle valve bypass.   It's next on the list for my '03.  We did the shuttle valve first, no fix, then I did all four hubs, still not fixed. bypass is next. you tube it, there are a lot of videos on it.
What else are you going to do to it?...wish list
This is my truck, which used to be Bert's truck

Lukester

I like your color combo ! I am hoping the new front hub assemblies with sensors will correct it but you are correct, it is does not then I think the bypass surgery is next up ! I need to find a fab shop in Calgary who can straighten out the front bush guard as my body guy did not have a dozer to try and fix it up, his power pack simply bent it and it bounced right back into the damaged shape. I will try to do all five rims to have them refurbished to original (badly scared and brake dust caked into them) and for the inside I need to:

- pull the seating and give it a good cleaning
- replace (likely) the driver window regulator
- find a replacement the coin tray (missing)
- Replace rear license plate bracket (on order)
- Re install windshield washer reservoir with new hoses and one new pump 
- steam clean the seats and door cards and condition the leather
- Still want a bit more paint repair done in a couple of spots

And by then my wife should be ready to shoot me for what I told her was going to be a quick turn around little winter project ! :)

binch

#14
Front left spring was removed (all four piece of it LOL) and replaced with a new one.   Bert had the drivers side done by the time I left at lunch.   It's going to drive so much better when you get it back!   ;)
Cheers, Bill