view of the underside from the luxury of my inspection pit

view looking forwards from underneath - gearbox is leaking already...

from below, showing the hydraulic pump (silver, centre of picture), the hydraulic tank (red cylinder bottom of shot), and the hydraulic oil filter (white, left) - all fits quite well.

Removing a section of rotten chassis to enable a repair

The rotten section of rusted 2mm Landrover chassis, and the 3mm replacement plate made up to effect the repair (with added holes for drainage and injecting rustproofing wax).

it ain't pretty, but it also aint going break... patch welded in to replace rot, and strengthening webs rewelded back underneath

that looks better

whilst enlarging the drainage/waxing holes, discovered this front outrigger was quite rotten under all the paint - so chopped it all out and patched

outrigger patch finished

let the wiring challenge commence...

The support frame for the tipping loadbed is finally ready to be welded together - a job for Bernie and his more powerful welder in his well equipped workshop.

cutting some crossmembers to fit the frame

Practically finished loadbed frame (it wont be tipping to quite this angle). All built from free salvaged steel (galvanised beams/angle from electricity pylons and a barn frame) - this wont bend/break/rot away, but this frame alone does weigh over 50kg...

Frame and hinges now in position, original rear body chopped up, and side panel positioning being worked out. Can also see the start of the frame for the inner wheel arch.

bit of clamping to get the chopped side panel in the right position

alignment doesn't look too bad - which is surprising considering all the work involved to get this far

We transported the bigger welder up to the workshop to weld the hinges and ram mounts

Loadbed frame coming together now, and it tips hydraulically

Rams all plumbed up and working

The Log Rover emerges into the autumn sunshine, just so it can be rotated and reversed back into the workshop

front half is looking ok

The Log Rover (1971 2.25 LWB Truck Cab) joins the 1968 LWB Station Wagon Landie, the 1994 200 TDI Disco, and the 1989 3.5 EFI Rangie Vogue SE...

The loadbed frame taking shape (and it moves)

rear loadbed frame with extra wing supports and hinge tubes welded on and then painted

ready for covering up with wings and floor - never to be seen again

floor now riveted in place, and wheelarches being fitted

homemade sheet metal folder being put to use to form the angles for arch plates

All steel-to-aluminium contact is being prevented by use of denso tape to prevent corrosion (messy stuff to use, but works well and cheap)

the first side panel prepped and fitted, and the bespoke rear quarter panel being fabricated

this panel had a huge dent in it - removed filler that was almost 10mm deep in places, and then beat the panel back into a slightly better shape with a hammer...

drivers side wing being prepared, with the fuel filler hole being blanked off as tank now relocated under the cab.