Defender rebuild - leave galvanised or paint?

[Rannsachair]

Hopefully looking at the last significant jobs on the Landy this year:

1. Front doors, the bottoms of my original doors are rotten and the aluminium skin starting to bubble, ideally I want to fit new doors: thoughts on galvanised doors from Shielder https://www.shielderchassis.com/defender-doors/ or SP https://www.sp-4x4.com/category_s/144.htm or any other alternatives?

2. My original windscreen rubber has perished, suspect worth spending the extra on an original Landrover part?

3. The lacquer is lifting in places on the bonnet and front wings, so I will have a go at spraying the doors outside and if they turn out ok I will redo the bonnet and front wings and hope the midges are not out!

I see yesterday was 7 years since the last Defender rolled of the production line at Solihull, I mentioned it to a friend who replied " I was sent to Solihull Land Rover works for a weeks tuition during my apprenticeship in mid 60s what an eye opener that was, never seen one person with dirty hands and the guy who did the sweeping of the floor was getting twice the wage of a journeyman in Scotland. Did get to drive over the obstacle course they had to put the landrover through it's paces and that was great."

 

[OJCar]

1. Having seen some of Shielder's bulkhead work I would be cautious about the fit of their doors & friends have been very disappointed with their Series doors from SP.
(Don't get your hopes too high !)
2. Yes.
3. You could use the midges stuck in the paint as a Grip Surfacer

 

[slim_boy_fat]

Where did @Kim get bits when she did her rebuild? [sorry, I'm too lazy today to search for her thread ]

 

[sako243]

2. My original windscreen rubber has perished, suspect worth spending the extra on an original Landrover part?

I replaced my windscreen with a heated one from I think heatedwindscreen.com or something like that. I spoke to a local reputable independent and they actually recommended Britpart seals as being the most supple for fitting. Thats what I bought, warm bucket of fairly liquid and water leaving it soak was absolutely fine. Obviously no knowledge of the LR one but the garage had tried all brands and found the Britpart one the best for fitting.

Don't bother trying to push out the old windscreen - just run a Stanley blade or similar underneath the outer edge and simply cut it off.

 

[Rannsachair]

I replaced my windscreen with a heated one from I think heatedwindscreen.com or something like that. I spoke to a local reputable independent and they actually recommended Britpart seals as being the most supple for fitting. Thats what I bought, warm bucket of fairly liquid and water leaving it soak was absolutely fine. Obviously no knowledge of the LR one but the garage had tried all brands and found the Britpart one the best for fitting.

Don't bother trying to push out the old windscreen - just run a Stanley blade or similar underneath the outer edge and simply cut it off.

Thanks, mine came with a heated screen, its and XS so heated screen, heated seats, aircon and abs.

 

[MoreWellie]

Front doors, the bottoms of my original doors are rotten and the aluminium skin starting to bubble

I have repaired a few doors for family members and if you decide to go down this route I think the YRM profiles are the easiest to fit (made from slightly thicker material) although I have successfully used SP profiles as well

The doors are aren't too hard to rebuild if you measure carefully!

I have had a couple of the SP galvanised door tops, one was good from the off and the other had a manufacturing defect and was swapped without issue by SP. I also found one of the SP "galvanised" (zinc plated) rear door skins easy to fit

I have always understood that the genuine windscreen seals are best both from a fitting perspective and the way they last but they do cost a lot!

 

[Rannsachair]

I have repaired a few doors for family members and if you decide to go down this route I think the YRM profiles are the easiest to fit (made from slightly thicker material) although I have successfully used SP profiles as well

The doors are aren't too hard to rebuild if you measure carefully!

I have had a couple of the SP galvanised door tops, one was good from the off and the other had a manufacturing defect and was swapped without issue by SP. I also found one of the SP "galvanised" (zinc plated) rear door skins easy to fit

I have always understood that the genuine windscreen seals are best both from a fitting perspective and the way they last but they do cost a lot!

I did some research on windscreen rubbers and concensus was to go genuine.

A pattern one is under £20, the cheapest genuine one I could find was £151 including postage! I normally tell folk that Landy parts are cheap!

Mine is split and leaking, so ordered a genuine one in the hope it last sanother 20 years.

 

[James1979]

Where did @Kim get bits when she did her rebuild? [sorry, I'm too lazy today to search for her thread ]

You mean @KimB?

 

[tom2207]

I did some research on windscreen rubbers and concensus was to go genuine.

A pattern one is under £20, the cheapest genuine one I could find was £151 including postage! I normally tell folk that Landy parts are cheap!

Mine is split and leaking, so ordered a genuine one in the hope it last sanother 20 years.

go pattern ,, but get the local windscreen guys to fit it ,,, thats how we do it round these parts ,,,

 

[sako243]

I did some research on windscreen rubbers and concensus was to go genuine.

A pattern one is under £20, the cheapest genuine one I could find was £151 including postage! I normally tell folk that Landy parts are cheap!

Mine is split and leaking, so ordered a genuine one in the hope it last sanother 20 years.

Funnily enough I asked around a few years back and the consensus was Britpart , can't say I've had a problem with that seal and it's been on there for 5 or 6 years now. Just sit it in a warm bucket of soapy water whilst you remove the old one.

 

[Morrisman]

Get it painted to look like rust, no one will steal it then.

That's the safest bet nowadays, with so many tea leafs around: have nothing worth stealing.

Well, that's my excuse for having scruffy old vehicles.

 

[Rannsachair]

New painted galvanised doors arrived today:

I also have all new seals, handles, tracks, central locking actuators, door cards etc.

Planning on removing bonnet and wings for repaint over the weekend and making a start on stripping the old rusty doors.

 

[MoreWellie]

Grandads old broom

 

[addjunkie]

New painted galvanised doors arrived today:
View attachment 370016
View attachment 370017
I also have all new seals, handles, tracks, central locking actuators, door cards etc.
View attachment 370018
Planning on removing bonnet and wings for repaint over the weekend and making a start on stripping the old rusty doors.

Did they come painted or have you sent them to a painter

 

[Rannsachair]

Did they come painted or have you sent them to a painter

They treated them with mordant solution then painted them.

 

[Rannsachair]

Fun Saturday in the rain - wings and bonnet off for repaint:

 

[Robotstar5]

If you put the wheels back on can you still drive it?.

I could still drive my RR in this state

 

[Keithmac]

Do like the look of these for working on, none of this Uni-Body malarkey!.

 

[pedrobedro]

If you put the wheels back on can you still drive it?.

I could still drive my RR in this state

A chap I used to work with bought a series 1 rolling chassis like that. It was used to tow a roller round a cricket pitch before he got it.

 

[Rannsachair]

I had the offside wing off not long ago when I replaced the ABS valve block, I renewed all the clips and fasteners with stainless, so came appart easily. The nearside will get the same treatment when going back together again:

The nearside front portion has suffered some serious corrosion:

£120 for a new headlamp panel and needs the headlamp box removed from the old one and riveted to the new one.

Suppose now is the time to do it!