Date: Thu, 16 Aug 90 13:29:57 -0700 From: Teriann J. Wakeman To: lro@stratus.com, root@stratus.com, twakeman@apple.com Subject: Re: Welcome to the LRO list This is a question I always ask when runing across a group of LR owners. Does anyone know anything about the history of my LR? Here is what I know. The LR is registered as a 1960. It is a 109 and originally was white and had a pickup top on it. The LR was originally sold in Canada, and someone sat it up for touring. There was a square tubed brush bar, Cibie head lamps, a Vancouver wench, and a doormobile style propane tank mounted ahead of the right rear wheel. There are metal boxes attached to both sides of the front and rear that looked like they were for carrying imperial petrol cans (4 cans 2 per each end of the car). In addition, there was a add-on tank beneath the driver's seat. The LR had some kind of camper bolted into the back. There was a 3ish gallon water tank mounted in each of the rear {behind rear wheel) utility boxes. Tail lights were moved outboard to line up with the turn signals {this was to make room for the rear petrol cans}. This LR was set up for long range {long time away from gas pumps} touring/camping. It has a decal of a LR 88 on the screen that is in spanish. It has 16" wheels & a Kodiak heater. I suspect this LR did a lot of heavy duty touring out of Canada {probably Eastern Canada} that may have included at least one trip south of the boarder. Some time {I'm guessing before 1974} ago the LR was rebuilt. It was brought up to late 60s specs. It got a new engine {I think, uses a IIA water pump but is timed off flywheel}, late IIA transmission, IIA front and rear axels, IIA steering box {has solid wheel spokes on steering wheel}, and IIA cowel vent opening leavers. Late sixties or early seventies the LR came into the New England area to live. The person who owned it at this time died and the previous {to me} owner inherited the car. The previous owner brought it out to California. When he inherited the LR, it was missing the camper and gas cans. He drove it to craft fairs between Seattle and Tuscon. Unfortunatly, he did not know that land Rovers took oil anywhere but the engine. He drove the car until the rear diff dried out & destroyed itself. He then put it into 4 wheel drive & continued driving it until the transfer case dried out with predictable results. The LR was towed home and sat in front of his house until I drove by in my '69 red 88. I purchased the car for $350, rebuilt the transfer case and replaced the rear diff. I forgot to mention, the 109 got a cheap paint job before the previous owner inherited the car. It is somewhere between a Kelly green and BRG in colour. The paint covered all the galvinized metal. It also has a deluxe bonnet with a single hood pin in the center front. If anyone remembers a LR like I have described, I would like to know. I am still trying to find out more about its early history. I have fantisized two interesting histories for the car. 1. It was on a famous expidition along the length of the continent in the early sixties {I remember reading & seeing TV clips about at least one such Land Rover expidition around that time}. Which explains why it was set up as a long range camping LR. 2. The LR is really a '67ish that was stolden in Canada, given the ID from an older wrecked LR, painted green to discuise it, moved into the US and re-registered under the new-old ID {Sorry, if it was yours, I have had it for 12 years now will not return it}. I suspect the real story is a bit more mundane, but until any facts show up, it is interesting to look the car over and fantisize. I know its history for the last 15 or 16 years, but sure would like to learn more of it. CHANGE OF SUBJECT: Is anyone going to either the Portland or Palo Alto British car meets? TeriAnn twakeman@apple.com