Hello in Blighty from Canada (Canader to you)
I've got quite a low mileage 1300 (U.S. 3100) with the original 216 low pressure engine. Driven unladen, I've seen 22 miles per gallon imperial so the other guy's estimates of at work figures
of 15 to 17 seem about right. I reckon Patrick's diff change would improve things about 15% but it would still take a long time to pay for it. Another thing is that I run 8 degrees more timing advance than stock (I do the same on my S1 Landie). When I was working in England I remember the old car clubs discovering that modern petrol simply burned too slow for veteran and vintage cars. Exhaust gas temps were elevated and sometimes resulted in valve damage. They were even asking if the petrol suppliers might formulate vintage petrol. I find my truck runs much sharper with the timing bumped up. I can't see anyway that you could run on the motorway, I think even a Reliant Robin could run up your arse. The AD's will go 70 mph but the shrieking din of it all keeps you in a constant state of flying connecting rod angst. If you were going to go through the trouble of sorting one of these trucks for work, do you think you could get your hands on a Toyota straight six diesel engine with the five speed box? That'd be magic although it would mean changing the rear end of the AD to open configuration. I'm looking for a good carburetted Jag driveline (was there ever such a thing?LOL) to build up a rolling AD chassis. Then I'll search for some clean bits to stick on the top. But if bloody gasoline gets to be too much I am going to do the Toyota diesel switch and run the damned thing on chip fryer oil. Be sure that you upgrade to radial tyres with well sorted steering gear or I guarantee you'll be scrubbing both sides of your truck with the hedgerows. You'll find yourself rowing the gearchange quite a bit in traffic and I reckon the three on the tree is a better bet as it makes for a roomier cab if a chap needed two mates along for the job. If I was going to use an AD for an advert/work/attention-getter truck that actually had to be driven quite a bit I would go for a re-power using a high compression 235cid GM six coupled to a 2 or 3 speed Hydramatic box. That's if a fellow was stuck on Chevy bits only. I have to confess that after a full and hearty day of serious grafting, I now prefer to have one of my automatic transmissioned classics or a motorbike to drive home. One of my mates regularly ships vintage tractors to UK so if you were stuck for a way to get a big lump of something over there I might be able to cut costs by container sharing. Good luck with your project, it would really turn heads. I'm getting mine lettered with Field Marshal Tractor Mobile Service this spring.
Regards,
Ken
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54 S1 Land Rover
1949 Chevrolet 1300
1967 Lotus Elan DHC
1969 Alfa 1300 Junior
1972 Steyr Puch Haflinger
1972 Saab Sonett
VW Thing (ugh)
1972 Piaggio Vespacar Pickup
MK1 Golf GTI 1.6 110PS
I'm tired of typing, goodnight!
