The Land Rover

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 06:25:25 -0500

Donn Engler's Journal --

Back in 72 together with my brother we had bought a 1963 TR4. The girlfriend of the TR4 owner had a 1972 Land Rover 88, bright red. I loved the car. I had been looking since, until I found this one for sale. It belonged to the (just then ex) wife of an American diplomat stationed in French Congo, Brazzaville. The car had been ordered and purchased new at the Land Rover dealership in Arlington Va, and delivered, unfortunately not to Brazzaville, but to Nigeria. The 1000 mile drive between the two places being undertaken by the new proud owners in late 63 - early 64.

This car was used as personal transport and official functions relevent to their position until 1968, when the local population became tired of their existing government, being not Marxist enough. The local government disagreed and decided to use this Land Rover for moving some of their defending troops around the city. The owners of the Land Rover weren't too happy with that, and in the dark of night they "stole" their car back, and immediately drove across the border to Belgen Congo.

The Land Rover was stationed in England for several years following America no longer recognizing the Marxist government of the French Congo, and when the owner made his way back to Washington DC, the car followed. Older gentlemen quite often enjoy the company of younger women, and as a result of a divorce, the car remained with the exwife.

After a bit of use in America, the Land Rover had burnt a head gasket and was running only on two cylinders. The poor exwife didn't have the liquid cash available to have it repaired, so in November 1977 she sold it.

I saw the advertisment in the Washington Post and drove up with my brother and father to look at the car. We decided to buy it on the spot and gave the woman $50 as a deposit, while we agreed to come back with the remaining $550 the next day and take the car away. We insisted on a receipt for the $50 so she went in to write one up. While in the house, another person called to buy the car, and hearing that it was being sold for $600, he offered more. The lady came out and told us that we had to pay more for the car, but my father insisted that the deal was made, and she already took money as a conclusion of the deal. She reluctantly accepted. I went up the following day with $550 cash (including a 1934 series $50 bill) and drove home in the two cylinder Land Rover.

The car remained a two cylinder vehicle for about a week, when we finally got a head gasket (from the same dealer who sold the car originally). It took little time to change it and the car drove beautifully for several years.

In 1979, I moved to Massachusetts. It was my first time away from the core family. I used my 1959 Mercedes 190 Diesel as daily transportation. Shortly after, my brother decided to get away from home and come live with me. He used primarily the TR4, but at one point had left the TR4 in Virginia and taken the Land Rover to Massachusetts. It was there that the original engine died when my brother insisted on driving way too fast on the highway on a hot day.

We were on our way to visit a Rover parts dealer in Plymouth, but became insted stranded on the highway. We had minimal tools with us, and whatever we could find in that deserted area. We found a discarded antifreeze container and a couple wrenches. We cut a large hole in the side of the container and drained the oil into it, using a vise-grip for the drain plug. We pulled the defective big-end cap off, and the adjacent big-end cap, used the bottom of the good bearing on the top of the bad bearing, shimmed both them up with paper, and drove the 38 miles back to Northborough.

A used engine from a 1967 IIA was purchased from our friend in Plymouth and delivered. Cost, $75. It was unfortunately totally siezed. It wouldn't budge at all. 3 hours of WD40 and prying back and forth on the flywheel teeth resulted in obtaining one complete revolution of the engine. After that it was smooth sailing. We got enough revolutions of the engine that we thought the starter motor would also be able to do it. So we installed it. The motor is still in the car, never removed again, and doesn't use oil or knock and has good compression, though the cylinder head was changed several years later (after both the original heads gave up by cracking between #2 and #3).

I have a thousand tales to tell regarding this Land Rover, after all I've had it for more than 30 years. It came to Denmark in 1999 after my brother painted it, and though the paint is coming off now, that is only due to the climate here.

I don't drive the car much now. Actually only a couple hundred km in the last year, mostly due to the gas prices and the car getting about 13 mpg. I really expect it should do better. Maybe Mega-Squirt? For that matter I don't drive any car very much. I ride the bicycle daily 20 km round trip to work and back.

<LR>

Posted 2008-06-18 06:25:25 by Donn Engler

The Alfa

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 14:06:28 -0500

Donn Engler's Journal --

A friend got this car and I towed it back to the garage for him. The garage is PF-Auto, connected with the Danish Technical University. We

were both members there, but he didn't have time to repair all the rust on the car, so he parked it in storage for about a year.

When my friend decided to move to Canada, he sold me the car for 3000 DKr. It would be another year before I could start on it. I kept it in

another storage garage, this time one with lots of other Alfas there. When the time came, I took it back to PF and started on the rust. I

hand made all repair panels because I couldn't afford new replaceent stuff.

I worked for a year on it, cutting out all rusty parts and welding in new metal. All four doors were repaced from the bottom third. Same

with rear fenders, rear valence, front valence and the bottom 10cm of the front fenders. The front valence was a very complex piece and had

to be made in 7 different pieces welded together.

When I bought my house, I parked it in my garage before I even took posession of the house. In the next few months I did all the necessary

bodywork and painted the car at PF. During the following winter, I did the head gasket, carb and manifold gaskets, valves and generally

cleaned up in the engine compartment, polishing everything aluminium along the way.

The brakes got a treatment of new rotors, pads, copper brake pipes and flexible hoses. When finished, I mounted some replica GTA wheels from

alfaholics and a new gas tank and exhaust system.

Since then the car has been sitting in my back yard, not even covered. The rust repair has been holding very well, though a couple small

places are coming back. I even start it occasionally.

The problem with registering it is not just the insurance. The Alfa is too new for veteran car insurance, being only 30 years old. Veterans

are 35 years old here. In this country, an extra standard car is a large expense. No discounts for multipule cars, even though I can only

drive one at a time. Even with a perfect driving record, it costs about 1200 per car per year. License plates cost 300 dollars. Inspection

every two years still costs 100 dollars. When the Alfa becomes a veteran in another five years, then it will be eligable for 150 dollars per

year insurance. I ride a bicycle daily and have no use for a car in my everyday life.

<Alfa before. See profile for after.>

Posted 2008-06-17 14:06:28 by Donn Engler