Project '88' - donor vehicle as purchased
Straight looking truck, pretty standard apart from the home made roof rack (now serving as a cover for my inspection pit) and white side stripes.
Closer inspection reveals plenty of problems lurking. These rear quarter panels always rot out on Station Wagons.
Metal is starting to bulge near hinge. I suspect there may be filler under the paint. But overall the bulkhead looks pretty sound by Series 3 standards.
Interior - plenty of evidence of a hard working life, but all the unique Stage One parts are there and intact.
All the doors are rotten - this is probably the worst.
Patches on top of patches. The bottom face of this chassis section is so rotten I can poke holes in it with my fingers. Oddly, the same place on the other side is perfect.
The MOT tester was clearly unimpressed by this welded-on patch, next to a rear spring hanger. This chassis is really beyond repair - not helped by bodges like this one.
Front end is much better (mainly due to the usual Landie oil leaks keeping the chassis well preserved).
Intriguing Weber conversion in otherwise standard engine bay. It works well, (turns out it is a 40DFI, as used in racing Capris in the Seventies) so I'll probably leave it on.
All the crucial Stage One front end parts - rad panel and grille, wings, bumper, D-rings - have survived well.