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1964 Hi-Floatation for Shell Oil

 

Jim Joss in Canada

 

Jet-1 1950

 

 

80" at Quail Lodge.

 

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Boating Nevada style!

 

It's Not a Christmas Party 2005.

Our Fire Crew 2006!

 

 

 

 

 

 Looking to buy a used LAND-ROVER?

Then you have come to the right place....

Then you have come to the right place. Here at West Coast British we offer FREE visual vehicle inspection on most used LAND-ROVER's. This FREE offer applies only to our Livermore location, M-F, 10-5. Those seeking additional information, such as; compression tests, itemized/detailed written reports, and such... these will be billed out at our hourly rate. Please call for appointment @ 925-606-8301.

Before you buy any vehicle, have it inspected BEFORE you buy. Don't get caught out like so many others, regardless of what make/model of vehicle you are buying, a quick look by a qualified individual could save you time and money in the end. On that same note, there are many out there in the industry who may say they are qualified, but they really aren't... or they claim the vehicle needs hundreds, if not thousands of dollars of work... only to find out later that they were just looking for work and there was nothing really wrong with the vehicle. Every day we hear about these stories, one recently had a laundry list of items needing attention, such as: Head Gasket leaking (this does happen to Rovers, but in this case there was no leak found), and the rear main seal (no evidence of such was found). The detailed written report was from a self proclaimed Land Rover expert, one who had recently opened shop in the Bay Area, we call these shops "Johnny come-lately."

The old saying holds true, Buyer Beware.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION....

When buying a used vehicle, obtain the following information:

VIN#                                                  Year:   

Model:                                               Mileage:  

Engine Type/Size:                           Gearbox: 

Tire Make:                                          Size:                    Condition: 

Modifications:

Service History:

Owners Manual & Passport to Service booklet (normally with the owners manual):

Vehicle History:     Has it been wrecked?     Come from a Rusty (road salt) state?

What to look for when purchasing a used Land Rover:

 Outer body condition says a lot at first glance. One that is straight, clean and shiny shows that someone has made an effort to keep up the vehicle... or have they? Sometime people have the car detailed in an effort to get more money, and in some cases, disguise other problems. Now take a look inside. Are the seats in good condition, or has the leather cracked and split? The cracks and splits are caused by neglect (saddle soap on the leather will keep it looking and feeling new for many years, lack of will result in unrepairable seats).  

 Take a look at the tires and wheels next, and note their condition. New tires are not cheap these days. Sadly many cars we encounter have the wrong tires fitted, such a "P" rated (P255/60R16 for example); these tires should NOT be fitted to a Land Rover due to their weight. Only use original equipment tires or those with "LT" rating load range "C" and greater.  Are the wheels damaged? Maybe someone is a curb banger! New wheels are approx $350.00/400.00 each to replace.  While there, peak through the wheels at the brakes. Are the disc's worn and chewed up? How much meat is left of the brake pads?  A full on brake job, for say a Range Rover Classic, D90 or '94-99 Discovery can be $1400.00 or so for Pads/Discs/hubs seals and the labor. But, like anything else, things wear out and need to be replaced now and again over the life of the vehicle. Fyi: Check brake fluid levels under the hood.

 On that same note... Open the hood and take a peak at all the radiator hoses, heater hoses, and the radiator itself for leaks, age, and damage. Now look for the Engine Oil Cooler hoses (2) on the RH side of post 1988 Rovers, the Power Steering hoses (3) and, if fitted, the Automatic Transmission Cooler hoses (3)  (on the drivers side) for leaks and cracking.  All of these hoses, and we do mean ALL OF THEM, should be replaced at approx 82,500 to 100,000 miles (or ten years, which ever comes first) due to their life is about over. Rubber rots, and when it does, it will fail. The Engine Oil Cooler hose, like the P/S and A/T ones, can be a huge fire hazard if they burst while at speed... the oil spraying all over the exhaust pipes, which can set it off.  The general idea is, that if the vehicle is well maintained, these hoses will have already been replaced. Sadly, in many cases they have not. When looking at the radiator, look for white and/or green stains, which indicate leaks. The end result is the radiator will need to be removed, then sent out to a radiator specialist to be cleaned & repaired. In some cases the core will need to be replaced due to clogged core.  Note: Replacement of the radiator core is still cheaper than buying a new genuine radiator.  Also, coolant should be drain and renewed every XX miles; see owners manual for mileage on your car.

This fire was caused by a blown Engine Oil Cooler hose!

 Since you're under the hood take a look at the valve covers, see any oil leaks? Then continue down to where the cylinderhead mates with the engine block, here we are looking for coolant seeping or leaking out of the joint... this means you have a head gasket issue. This leak can be possible at both the front and rear ends of the cylinderhead (to view the rear, look up from under the car). Still under the hood, look at the two engine mount rubbers for splitting or cracking. Due to the exhaust manifolds being so close, it's the heat that kills them.

 Exhaust leaks can be another headache, but in most cases it's a matter of just tightening up the nuts and bolts. Now and again we'll see a cracked manifold or down-pipe, both of which will need addressing as soon as possible... in our case, we can repair (weld) the down-pipes (but not the manifold, since they are castiron). 

We also offer a "for sale" page, the rate is $20.00 per incretion (4 photos of 6x4 maximum may be e-mailed). Note: A reasonable priced vehicle will sell far quicker than an  over-priced one.  Please gives as many details as possible thus limiting questions from a possible buyer. Photos must be j-pegs of 6x4 in size. For more on rates, please call 925-606-8301 or e-mail us.  Example below:

Left: 1995 Defender-90 V8 Wagon with approx 18,000+ miles on the clock!