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New SIII owner (and a few queries)

jsybearpig

jsybearpig

Overdrive!
Hi there,

I've just become the proud owner of a 1983 SIII diesel (see photo) - it's made it's way back from up north to Jersey (Channel Islands) where I'm waiting for it to be inspected and registered locally.
It was rebuilt about 2 years ago and had a reconditioned diesel 2.5 engine (apparently from a RAF base in Cyprus) and a LT77 gearbox added at the time. It was also resprayed a gunmetal grey. From a bit of poking around, the original colour seems to have been a light green.

So far, it starts and drives like a champ!

First time as a landie owner, so I'm just getting used to things to look out for and what's been done so far, and more importantly, what needs doing in the future. It's had LED bulbs fitted all round but I can't seem to find replacements for the sidelights from the usual suppliers or John Craddock/etc. Anyone have any idea (see image)?

Also although the bulkhead vents seem in really good nick (as do the rubber seals), they don't really fit flush. I'm assuming it's a bit of bending required or it's some sealant that's in a wrong place, but do many SIII owners replace the rubber seals with the later foam seals that attach directly to the vent flap and not the bulkhead? Are they better?

Anyway, thanks for any help and hello!

(also any other Jersey people here?)
 

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Hi @jsybearpig welcome to the forum! :)

Nice straight looking Landy. Distinctive in that grey.

I think you are probably looking at ebay for the bulbs, though www.vehicle-wiring-products.eu might have what you need. Mine are all ordinary bulbs, so it's not something I have ever looked for.

I honestly can't say I have ever seen vent flaps that fit flush entirely! Mine still have the original seals, believe it or not. There are self adhesive ones, and they are usually fixed to the bulkhead not the flap. Interesting idea that. Though it might make the top edge fold in on itself when you shut them... Dunno.
 
Welcome. Looks like a great landy.

Pretty much what BigSandy says. LED bulbs are probably cheapies off of eBay. I originally did the same before I swapped to proper LED units. If you just find the name of the original bulb type just search LED and that and loads come up. They’re only pennies. (Might be BA15s)

Vents I wouldn’t worry about. Whether you use original style or foam they’re probably just new and will bed in in time.
 
The nuts and bolts on the openers of the vents do allow for some variation so that best fit can be found.
It's fiddly though and may take a while to find the optimum position.
The fly screen tends to get in the way.

BTW I'm very disappointed by small LED lamps, they still have a long way to go before they can be described as good.
 
Tidy looking Landy you have there @jsybearpig. I replaced my vent seals on my S3 with the original type that stick to the bulkhead. I have red article in LR mags where they have used the Defender foam type stuck to the vent flap. The thinking being that it doesn't trap water against the bulkhead creating a rust spot. I didn' find any rust when I took the old ones off and I fitted the new ones on with some black Tiger Seal. Easy fit, the difficult bit was putting the vent flaps back on. The vents shut well and don't stick to the vent flap when they are opened.
Bulkhead top prep for spraying.jpg Bulkhead sprayed with new vent seals fitted.jpg Finished job Bulkhead top & vents.jpg
 
Ah ok thanks for all the help.
I’m sure I’ll be posting many a few question here.

I’ll get some better photos up once it’s cleaned and stopped raining.

(Also, Alderney is close, but not quite!)
 
Welcome!

I’ve used both types of vent flap seals - the foam attached to the flap and later, the rubber original ones. Both have worked equally well in terms of keeping water out but I swapped to the original ones as water used to puddle in the recess for days on end in winter with the foam ones when the Landy used to be stood outside. I also much preferred the look of the original ones too.
 
Land Raver said:
Welcome!

I’ve used both types of vent flap seals - the foam attached to the flap and later, the rubber original ones. Both have worked equally well in terms of keeping water out but I swapped to the original ones as water used to puddle in the recess for days on end in winter with the foam ones when the Landy used to be stood outside. I also much preferred the look of the original ones too.
Click to expand...
Ah thanks. I was ordering a few door seals and thought I might get the foam ones as well just to see. The existing rubber ones look in decent nick, but the clear sealant used to fit them is starting to degrade and gone a bit yellow and manky. Trying to peel/clean it up is starting to lift a bit of the paint so just looking at the options.

Quite like the look when you can’t see the seal but depends on if it doesn’t work at well.
 
Also picked up some led bulbs that should work from the local Lucas parts dealer who reckon they’d work.

I did have a spare traditional bulb that was in the car but it instantly blew when I tried it. Could be a old one I suppose.
 
:D Welcome to the forum, lovely looking Landie! Give it lots of love and attention and keep an eye on the fluids, their colour, texture and quantity, and it'll be your friend for years. But always remember, if you change one thing, many other changes will follow. Upgrades are great, the way forward imho, but it's wise to consider each move carefully before you take it. ;)
 
Big Sandy said:
Hmm.. No expert on led bulbs as I mentioned, but I don't think you can mix the two?
Click to expand...

I’m no expert on anything involving electrics but I had them mixed on mine. LED front sidelights and standard bulbs in the rest. Worked fine. What you can’t do is have them as indicators without a resistor somewhere or an LED flasher relay I believe. They definitely don’t work with the original relays mixed or otherwise.

Mine is now all LED (dedicated RDX fittings rather than bulbs in the original holders), except headlights which are crystal halogens.

Plug and play conversion pretty much other than the aforementioned LED flasher relay.
 
Ok here's another one - what do these numbers represent?
And if this is the original green (from 1983), would that have been pastel green (LRC 005)
 

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