UPDATE: FINISHED!


Decided to take her to lunch a couple months ago - long story short, 2 lanes merged into 1 - I was in the correct lane but we were traveling slowly (~25mph) and I heard an engine rev up to redline (all my windows were down) so I looked around and noticed a utility van swerve out behind me into the merge lane that had ended, cutting everyone off.. as he passed my window I looked over to see wtf was going on. As I looked back in front of me (seriously .2 seconds later) I was greeted by a stopped moving truck. There was probably 2 car lengths maybe more, but it didn't matter - crunch. There was an old ~60s chevelle in front of the moving truck and their trans got stuck out into a gear or something - moving truck said they missed it by 1'. The second I needed to avoid it was when I looked at the van that cut everyone off - both cars proceeded like nothing happened and of course I get 3 tickets and total my rover.


Anyways. Insurance company gave me $800 more than I paid for the car 3 years earlier (lol) and only wanted like $850 to buy it back, so I did without hesitating. I was going to sell it as a parts car but after 2 months I realize how much I miss it - plus no one has really shown any interest in buying it. It also retains a clear title/no salvage so I might as well fix it.

The disco impacted the vertical support bars and horizontal floor sections of steel that stick out from the truck.

Zero damage to the moving truck, and the steel bars basically crushed everything from about mid-headlight level up. NO energy transferred into the frame unfortunately (or... fortunately?) looks like things bent up to about the clutch fan. Driver side fender and fender apron bent (no damage to front strut however) - steering box LOOKS okay but possibly not, that would be the only damaged large component.

So it needs a bumper support, core support (radiator / headlight structure that everything bolts to up top) radiator, ac condenser, oil cooler, aux fan, clutch fan, headlights, fog lights, signals, bumper cover, inner/outer fender, hood, plus plastic bits like fan shroud, belt guard, air filter box, horn, washer fluid reservoir/pump, etc.

Doesn't look like any driveline or frame damage, so-far it's just bolt on stuff except the fender apron but I work at a custom motorcycle fab shop (building from ground up) so cutting it out and welding a new one on is no problem. AC system will be a huge PITA and I may wait till later to fix all of that, sine some hard lines will need to be replaced also.

I have a parts vehicle with all components minus bumper cover and lights.

My main question is what electrical problems I might find. The vehicle did shut off instantly however I accidentally got it to crank when tried to get the key out (so I guess that's good?)
***the key later got stuck as did the shifter, I had to pop shift cover off and manually press the safety to get it out of park. After screwing with the key long enough I finally got that out as well. What would cause this? I had not reset that impact sensor up front - what DOES that switch actually turn off?

I know it's a lot of work, but the car is essentially free at this point. I have almost all the parts for under $1k, so it's still a good deal.

Has anyone else attempted something like this?

It's also a good time to put the better radiator in and swap the lower radiator hoses, replace the water pump, etc. Tstat and upper hoses are new.. oh well. What else should I replace while I have easy access? The crank sensor? Steering fluid drained out.. if that system needs to be re-bled I might also replace the steering pump and steering box since it'll be easier as well (both old ones were worn.. pump = loud, box = groaning noise when vehicle was stationary and I turned wheel)

Everything else on her was good, all synthetic fluids, new driveshaft, new sls system w/ range rover air tank, viair compressor, arnott springs, NO glass, wheels, or tires were damaged on impact as well - so it's very focused.

 

I'll give ya tree fiddy fo' it

 

The engine shut off because the inertia switch was tripped, reset it.
You should not have any electrical issues.
Those DOT "bumpers" on the backs of semi's/straight trucks are SOLID, they have to be to keep people from running up under the back of the truck getting decapitated.
They also need to stand up to the constant ramming into loading docks and fork lifts.

 

If you pull this off then I commend all your efforts and dedication! Most people would just give up and walk away, so I say keep it and fix it up. It will be a true "Undead Discovery" for which to tell stories years down the road. Take tons of pictures of your progress and keep us posted. Maybe some of your work can be added to a sticky!

 

if you have to replace the core support this would be the perfect time to look at installing a larger radiator. I talking about looking for the largest core you can find (whithin reason) and open the core support up so it will fit.

I am in the same position i need to put in a core support at some point in my case it is wrought, no-one ever removed the rubber splash guard on mine and in the great northeast it just gives the snow and salt a place to collect.

So i figuire if i have do all that work why not modify the core support to fit a larger radiator = a larger cooling capacity = lower tempertures. And it would possibly be cheaper because you would not be using a land rover specific radiator.

There is a site the radiator barn that give the measurements of just about everry radiator ever built.

Just an idea

 

Show some pictures!

 

Thanks for the kind words - I'm fairly determined to pull this off so get the sticky ready

The vehicle does hold a rather special place in my heart honestly - I picked her up as a "beater" and my first SUV ever to get me through the winter a few years ago. It turned out to be the worst winter on record, 72" (DC area.., I think like 3x average) - I actually drove 7 hours to Long Island to get her AS that first December snowstorm approached that night! We finished the paperwork and I dropped off the rental, headed back after 1:30AM.. due South directly into the storm. I passed signs on I-95 warning of dangerous conditions, whiteouts, etc.. yet I already felt mysteriously comfortable in the Disco.

She got me through that night (somehow) and many others without missing a beat, including a crazy ski trip to Timberline WV last winter while my range rover sport was in the shop (only snow I saw last winter so that PISSED me off, since I just got the 'sport and never had a chance to test it) - but that's another story. I have since SOLD my mustang and bought a range rover sport lol.

Anyways it's a great vehicle, especially considering what I paid for it - ..does things that simply put other vehicles to shame (at any price) so it certainly makes me a proud driver every time I hop in her.


Yeah I figured about the switch, wasn't sure if it just cuts the fuel pump and allows cranking or if it kills power to all ignition position circuits on the key & the starter relay.

No kidding about the DOT bumper thing. Literally cut the hood and various aluminum stuff.. not pretty.

 

I think its worth a shot to bring back. In all honesty it sounds like you have $850.00 in it after you bought it back after you got a pay out. Thats not bad. So you spend another grand on it and you have a truck for under 2k!

 

Some images - of the actual crash and of the many reasons why I'm bringing her back to life


First day I owned her (after that insane trip back from Long Island through the start of the "snowmageddon '09" storm I stopped at my friends place half way back to sleep. Woke up to THIS outside..

.
.
This vehicle seriously did anything/everything I could ever ask of it (at any price)









...and, the bad part.







Plus as a Kinversand DII she's very rare - launch color for the Discovery II in 1999, and the color most of the automobile reviewers got - also the color of the LR DII Accessory Catalog vehicle.

 

Exactly, that's what I was trying to get at - they gave me that much MORE than I originally paid for her, so buying her back didn't really cost me anything - hence the obvious decision (plus I knew I couldn't buy a similar running DII for anywhere near the price -after- repairs of my old one).

I'm keeping a close eye on the prices but currently it looks like I'll still be out the door $1k under the price of a similar DII, BUT this one will have new waterpump, tstat, radiator hoses, plus my old mods (new suspension, compressor, brakes/pads, wheels/tires) um. Everything from aux/clutch fans to CPS and main shaft seals, steering damper.. all kinds of crap I'd have to replace if I did purchase another Disco of similar year/mileage/price.