Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Hi Guys,

I have had a 1976 range rover these past couple of years and think I may have made a mistake.

Sure it has had a couple of little niggles here and there.

But it will go just about anywhere and with the 4 coils, constant 4wd, centre diff lock and disc brakes (and of course the factory v8) would do it comfortably.

The only thing is I am told that Toyotas and Nissans are far more reliable and other friends who have rangies (1972's and 1974's) have also told me that they get told the same thing.

I have been trying to find out the benefits of early 70's toyotas and nissans over Rangies but you dont seem to see many around?

if you can fix them, for a weekender, you can't beat not having to see the osteopath the following week.

Rangie for the win.

Otherwise, either the toyota or the nissan. Probably the toyota as there's going to be more parts around for the toyotas. Mind you, thats probably changing as I'd say the majority of vehicles made in the 70's and 80's still on the road today are probably made up of all those other vehicles which were scrapped...

if you enjoy havin to fix the rangie all day and night to go out on the weekend for an hour why not buy a toyota and youl only have to fix it once every now and again

Lucas (nuff said)

Did anyone see the top gear special last night?

THATS why 70's patrols and cruisers are superior.

The Range Rover was an amazing piece of engineering but riddled with small problems due to a lack of development $$$ that left it slightly underengineered, which was the same as pretty much every UK built car in the 1970's.

Remember too that in the 70's rangies were super expensive and patrols etc were far cheaper as well as being far less complex and expensive to keep running.

Don't get me wrong, I like rangies and owned a 1991 vouge for a couple of years, but they're far from reliable in my experience.

Steve.

if you want comfort and well thats about it get a rangie.

if you want a solid no nonsense truck get an FJ40 and learn how to use bog and kill rust.

and if you cant afford an FJ40 get a G60.


but the fuel will smash you in all these trucks, unless you get a diesel then time will beat you.

DIRTY ROCK STAR wrote:if you want comfort and well thats about it get a rangie.

if you want a solid no nonsense truck get an FJ40 and learn how to use bog and kill rust.

and if you cant afford an FJ40 get a G60.


but the fuel will smash you in all these trucks, unless you get a diesel then time will beat you.

Go LPG, cheaper to run than diesel, and just as quick as petrol.

Advantages of the jap cars of the era? better electrics, stronger axles and diffs. drivetrain strength is hit or miss depending on models etc/

Jap fourbies of that era....would the big C have taken them by now?

At least the RR body lasted somewhat.

the RR bodies/chassis do corrode in some places.

the cancer isn't too bad in alot of 40's of that era. just have a look around

RoadNazi wrote:Jap fourbies of that era....would the big C have taken them by now?

At least the RR body lasted somewhat.

There's plenty of steel in a RR - sure the body might be OK, but I wonder how much meat the would be on the front bulkhead, floor, tailgate frame, and rear inner subframe...

Heck, even the chassis rust out on RR's - there's a huge market for replacement RR chassis in the UK.

Just because you can't see it doesn't mean it's not there.

Steve.

Gwagensteve wrote:

RoadNazi wrote:Jap fourbies of that era....would the big C have taken them by now?

At least the RR body lasted somewhat.

There's plenty of steel in a RR - sure the body might be OK, but I wonder how much meat the would be on the front bulkhead, floor, tailgate frame, and rear inner subframe...

Heck, even the chassis rust out on RR's - there's a huge market for replacement RR chassis in the UK.

Just because you can't see it doesn't mean it's not there.

Steve.

Is it because they salt the snow.

Yes, but much of the chassis is pretty thin (they boast of 4mm, but not much of it is 4mm thick) and the closed box construction tends to accerate corrosion.

Our 91 had some surface corrosion on the floor, especially around the tailgate.

Steve.

Gwagensteve wrote:Yes, but much of the chassis is pretty thin (they boast of 4mm, but not much of it is 4mm thick) and the closed box construction tends to accerate corrosion.

Our 91 had some surface corrosion on the floor, especially around the tailgate.

Steve.

You will rarely see a rangie chassis rust badly that hasnt been used as a boat launcher, sure they rust in the usual places that water collects but no worse than any other vehicle. In the UK 2-3 yo cars have more rust than a 20 old aussie car as RN said they salt the road for grip during winter- there are just so many falices spread by the jap 4wd brigade, i thinks its techno envy, the LR's had coils/4 wheeldiscs/ fulltime 4wd /ps when tojo's and pootrols were still bouncing around on back breakers. We have had rangies in our family since 73 and would still rather drive a 73 RR than my old mans GU.