I'm coming down the home stretch in putting my Classic back together. In the last few months since this truck has been down the wife has been hanging out with me in the garage and suddenly more interested in doing some of the longer trips I've been wanting to do for years. I always thought I'd be going w my dog/solo.

With my daughters also coming to visit this summer , my trucks mechanical condition is my top priority. They love to go camping and off roading while they are here. In the next year I want to go to Baja. And I want to visit the North West/ Canada. Both trips are about 1500-2000 miles one way each. Both trips I plan to do extensive off roading and camping in addition to driving there.

Here's my dilemma. I do love my '88 Classic. It's brutal simple. Reasonably comfortable on road. Excellent off road. Hopefully I now have the mechanical bugs worked out. I'm almost finished doing a complete top end refresh. Heads, valvetrain, cooling system, belts and hoses, injectors, oil pump and lots more are all replaced.

There is one area of the Classic I don't think I can ever fix. The cursed HVAC system. When it's 120 degrees out I need it to work. Or in Canada I need the damn heat/defrost to work Especially w the wife and kids in the truck. I can get the AC system and heat system to mechanicaly work. No problem. It's the delivery that's the issue. I've even looked into swapping in a Disco dash.


I've been debating bailing and going LR3 or the like. Just to make it more on road friendly. Make my trips actually fun. Solo I wouldn't care. But I've got to figure something out before this summer.

My budget will only allow a high mileage LR3. 120-140K. I've been looking. A lot. Let's say I get one of these things. Let's all say it's not a perfect world and I get one w no history. And I basically have go to go all through it.

How much off road ability am I giving up? Is the on road/comfort/more power worth the compromise? Are they that good on the road? With extensive service can I reasonably rely on this truck? If I've got to work on this thing as much as I do my classic that's gonna be a problem.

My plans would include 18" BFGs , a coil conversion ( yea yea) a winch, a rear locker ( haven't found a HD version yet) a swing out spare, and a roof rack.

 

Hi Shift

The LR3 (I'm told) is very similar to the LR4 (I own) only mine is 3.0 SDV6 i.e. diesel turbo, however, the LR3 is reputed to be very capable offroad as much as the RRC and the D2. The only issue I can see is finding one in good condition but the suspension bushes and steering need to be checked carefully for wear (and there's a lot of them) Good luck with your search but have no fears regarding the LR3.

 

I have owned both the RRC and the LR3.

I will tell you off road the LR3 is every bit as capable if not more and 100 times better on road. So far reliability for me has been a wash. The power, comfort, room and HVAC are a no contest the LR3 just wins that. Fuel mileage is better with the bigger tires and roof rack as well.

That being said you will regret getting rid of the RRC. Wait till you are in a position to have both.

There is simply no substitute for a good Range Rover Classic, others have been measured and found wanting.

 

Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately I've only got the time space and budget to build one money pit at a time. So I have got to prioritize the things that are most important.

Do you think the lr3 is a better choice than say a 2004 D2? I plan to use this truck for both long trips and off roading. I know that I'm going to have to do some pretty extensive maintenance to either truck. I don't know why but I'm just worried about the lr3 e capability. I've seen videos of it going over obstacles and making it through tough situations. But can it do it repeatedly consistently. And is it worthy enough to take out into the middle of nowhere hundreds of miles away from the nearest tow truck.

 

LR3's are very nice, but I'm not sure I'd take one 100% out in the middle of nowhere. Just WAY to many computers, and they're VERY power hungry. You can get all kinds of issues on the can bus system, just from a battery with a low charge on it. Also "if" the EAS faults sure you can reset the faults with say an iCarsoft LR2 and figure out the fault, but without spare parts you're stuck on the bumpstops. Same goes for the EAS bags themselves. They are way better than any RRC/P38 EAS bag, but they can still get a possible leak while off roading.

When an LR3 is in tip top shape and the 4x4 system is working properly and the EAS in mint condition they're awesome. I love my LR3 very much, but I feel way more comfortable taking a RRC/D1/D2 out in the middle of nowhere vs the LR3.

You can convert an LR3 to coils, but you loose travel, and flex off road. However I'd still feel more comfortable with coils vs bags out in the boonies. One less thing to worry about. Engine wise the LR3 is completely amazing! The Jag 4.4L V8 is a fantastic engine. I just wish the can bus system wasn't as picky as it is. With an LR3 a decent LR specific code scanner = #1 thing to carry no matter if it's a D/D or the vehicle your taking out in the middle of nowhere.

If you are serious about an LR3 I'd certainly grab an SE with the HD Package or HSE with the HD Package. The rear locker makes it just that much more capable off road.

LR3 is awesome, but I always think of the worse case scenario's and try to prepare for them. If I had to travel out in the middle of nowhere off road in my LR3 I'd carry at least one front spare bag, one rear bag, spare compressor, spare height sensors, and a spare alternator, just in case (due to it's location all the way at the bottom of the engine compartment vs up high like a RRC/D1/D2). Then of coarse all the spare tools to do the work.

 

I would never give up a RRC for a DII. I have owned one of those as well.

 

I love a RRC, but if I was going to find and keep one it would have to be a 95 with the soft dash and MUCH better HVAC system. I had a 94 RRC SWB, and the HVAC worked, but in a hot climate the output was a massive joke. The vent to the left of the steering wheel might as well be connected to the intake as it does anything but blow air out of it.

In a cooler climate that isn't a big deal, but in a hot climate it's a very serious game changer. I loved the looks of my 94 RRC, but functionality wise my D1 or D2 blew it out of the water. D1/D2 just offers more choices with 7 seats, rear AC, and IMHO I think it handles on the road much better than my 94 RRC ever did (it was converted to OME coils).

I remember back in the day some guys adding 12v PC cooling fans inline on the far left HVAC vent to help with airflow.

My brother has a 90 RRC SWB and he lives up in the Pacific NW. His #1 concern was getting the heater to work (needed a new core), his AC is dead and it's just not hot enough for him to fix it vs having a heater. Down in Texas though I could care less about a heater vs AC lol. Just depends on your location.

 

I live in Georgia, I can live without AC. The Range Rover even with sketchy AC was just better than the D2

 

It seems insane to me to seriously consider getting rid of this truck just because I can't make the AC system adequate. I love this truck. I've been through hell with it and would not be looking to sell at all. The D1/D2 system is so so much better. That's why it's tempting to just bail and go that way. If a D1 dash swap were a real option I'd seriously consider it. I'd but a parts truck and have at it.

But the summer temps here are brutal. Even with tinted windows and an insulated roof/floor I don't see it cooling the truck down enough to be livable. If it we're just me I wouldn't worry much about it. But my wife and two daughters will not be happy. That's gonna make for a miserable time I'm sure. I really don't know what to do.

I don't have the time and budget for building two vehicles. The upcoming road trips are one of the entire points of owning this truck to begin with. If it can't do that why have it. Maybe if the replacement vehicle was left completely stock. But then the off roading camping part would be very limited. Grrrr. Stupid AC.

 

https://www.classicautoair.com/stree...nditioning_ac/

..... or buy a Jeep.