Got my eye on a crusty soft dash 94. Am I insane? Are they worth the hundreds of hours of work to restore. It runs and drives but failed MOT on structural weaknesses due to corrosion __
2018 L405 3.0 TDV6 Vogue SE Fuji White
2000 4.6 V8 HSE Oxford Blue
1994 3.9 V8 Vogue Ardennes Green - resto project

Land Rover History:
2010 3.6 TDV8 Autobiography Stornoway Grey
2001 Discovery 2 TD5 GS
1999 Discovery 2 V8i XS
1994 Discovery 300Tdi
1993 Discovery 200Tdi
1989 Range Rover Vogue SE 3.5EFi
1976 Series 3 2.25
1977 Range Rover 2 door 3.5 Carb

Learn to weld or it will cost you thousands.
Lots of places do replacement panels now
Best are YRM Metal Solutions or Easy On Panels (Froggatts)
 Gone to a good home: 2011 4.4 TDV8 Vogue SE Buckingham Blue with Ivory and clear glass = "Rory"
2025MY Defender D350 90 in Silicon Silver on coils
1974 Series 3 Lightweight = "Millie"
Many, many other Landies over the years
My preferred specialist: www.glenrands.co.uk
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Deffo on the list is a welding course...

Thanks for heads up on panels.

Thinking of pulling the body off and tacking chassis completely exposed (I have a 2 poster)... __
2018 L405 3.0 TDV6 Vogue SE Fuji White
2000 4.6 V8 HSE Oxford Blue
1994 3.9 V8 Vogue Ardennes Green - resto project

Land Rover History:
2010 3.6 TDV8 Autobiography Stornoway Grey
2001 Discovery 2 TD5 GS
1999 Discovery 2 V8i XS
1994 Discovery 300Tdi
1993 Discovery 200Tdi
1989 Range Rover Vogue SE 3.5EFi
1976 Series 3 2.25
1977 Range Rover 2 door 3.5 Carb

What engine? Is it numbers matching - some nasty tdi retrofits out there

Nice cars, I had a 300tdi (factory fit) I thought it the wrong engine, bit gutless if I was going that way again I would look for a 3.9

Just make sure you strengthen the body (weld 1" tube to brace) before removing it or it will collapse at worst or distort at best... take lots of measurements before doing anything...

Remember, add up the price of all the new parts you need then double it and you will be close to the final figure...

Oh, and yes, I do think you are mad, join the club....  Pete

__________________________________________________
2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Parchment over Navy Interior. Sold
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand, Jet Interior. Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green, Ivory over Aspen Interior (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-

Why do you want a Softy? If its some romantic memory? Go and borrow/drive one, they are old and slow and and and and and... I own one and it hasn't been out of my garage since 2017 ish? Why? For all the reasons above! My 405 is sooooo much nicer to drive, sooooo much more comfortable and far safer in modern traffic!

If you must buy a classic, go and drive a softy with a 3.9, then drive a 1990-1992 3.9 without the emissions equipment strangling it! BIG difference!

Just my 2 pent worth

V8_Disco wrote:

What engine? Is it numbers matching - some nasty tdi retrofits out there

Nice cars, I had a 300tdi (factory fit) I thought it the wrong engine, bit gutless if I was going that way again I would look for a 3.9

Cam-Tech-Craig wrote:

Why do you want a Softy? If its some romantic memory? Go and borrow/drive one, they are old and slow and and and and and... I own one and it hasn't been out of my garage since 2017 ish? Why? For all the reasons above! My 405 is sooooo much nicer to drive, sooooo much more comfortable and far safer in modern traffic!

If you must buy a classic, go and drive a softy with a 3.9, then drive a 1990-1992 3.9 without the emissions equipment strangling it! BIG difference!

Just my 2 pent worth

j_rov wrote:

V8_Disco wrote:

What engine? Is it numbers matching - some nasty tdi retrofits out there

Nice cars, I had a 300tdi (factory fit) I thought it the wrong engine, bit gutless if I was going that way again I would look for a 3.9

It’s a 3.9 numbers matching as far as I know.

Softies rust badly, more so than the hard dash cars. Mine seemed ok but, it turned out, was missing most of the bulkhead.
Having said that I feel they look a bit more modern inside.
Quick they are not. Mine has a real steel cam and has been rebuilt but even so acceleration is glacial. Once going it cruises nicely at 70. Don't polybush it, I'm still taking mine out slowly. They are far too stiff.

I can say that a becker stereo from a freelander fits just fine.

With p38s and 322 so cheap now they would be a much better bet as an actual car but that rather depends on your needs.
I like mine but I don't think I would buy another especially at todays prices.

So, i reckon I'm half way with this. As in its stripped down and being welded. Lots and lots of welding. Criminal amounts of corrosion.

Soon I will be at the fun stage of figuring out what goes back where!!!

One day it'll be drivable!


 __
2018 L405 3.0 TDV6 Vogue SE Fuji White
2000 4.6 V8 HSE Oxford Blue
1994 3.9 V8 Vogue Ardennes Green - resto project

Land Rover History:
2010 3.6 TDV8 Autobiography Stornoway Grey
2001 Discovery 2 TD5 GS
1999 Discovery 2 V8i XS
1994 Discovery 300Tdi
1993 Discovery 200Tdi
1989 Range Rover Vogue SE 3.5EFi
1976 Series 3 2.25
1977 Range Rover 2 door 3.5 Carb

I had a soft dash LSE which was great. It was 4 years old and I had it steam cleaned and wax oiled after I bought it. Water still got behind the seam sealer and caused quite a bit of rust

Last edited by lambo911 on 20th Feb 2023 9:36am. Edited 1 time in total

Cam-Tech-Craig wrote:

Why do you want a Softy? If its some romantic memory? Go and borrow/drive one, they are old and slow and and and and and... I own one and it hasn't been out of my garage since 2017 ish? Why? For all the reasons above! My 405 is sooooo much nicer to drive, sooooo much more comfortable and far safer in modern traffic!

If you must buy a classic, go and drive a softy with a 3.9, then drive a 1990-1992 3.9 without the emissions equipment strangling it! BIG difference!

Just my 2 pent worth

+2. Soft dashes are soulless.

Mine is a 93 last of the hard dash with 70k on the clock and DVLA paperwork to prove (back when they issued such info). Its a 3.9 Vogue with no bells or whistles except a sunroof.

Once you sort the structural issues out the only other frustrating thing will be ignition. Throttle sensors go but replacements are available. If you are minded - spend good money on a decent dizzy and associated components.

Other than that, just the knowledge that you have one tucked in the garage watching its value increase is good enough for me. oh and the ability to carry 10 8'x4' steel mesh sheets on the roof and 70 engineering bricks plus cement in the boot (like she did today) is priceless. 405 AB exec seats Baltic and Cirrus
93 RR Classic efi

Remember it's easier to get forgiveness than permission!

Gone in order:
4.4 TDV8 SE - gone to a good home
93 Classic hard dash Plymouth Blue
03 L322 Oslo Blue
2000 Disco TD5 ES Epsom Green
98 P38 Rioja Red
89 Classic Cairngorm Brown

Might be worth building it on a galvanized chassis? Selling price would be much higher IMHO...