LandRover 101 (Forward Control) rigs

[Lynn]

After seeing the Roving Dentist's rig, I went looking for more LandRover 101 (forward control) - based rigs, and found the following link. Enjoy.

http://www.101fc.net/

[RHINO]

101's were the base for the rigs in judge dread, useless trivia

[panman]

For anyone else who is interested, here are some links to sites of people who have used 101's for expeds....

http://www.themorgans.info/expedition/index.php

http://www.beastlyadventure.com/

http://landyman.co.uk/

http://www.picturedearth.co.uk/reel_earth/Gallery.html

Oh and our one - need to update the blog but currently in Egypt on an extended pit stop while we decide whether to drive down through Africa or head up through the Middle East, Western Asia, Eastern Europe and Scandinavia. Can't decide!
www.thelongandwinding.co.uk

For all things FC101...

www.fc101club.org

[gjackson]

Love it when my truck shows up in unexpected places.

http://www.101fc.net/nelly-africa/pict2457_sign_post.jpg

We met Chris and Helen (and Nelly) in Botswana and traveled with them for a spell. Nelly is the only overland truck I've ever seen do a complete 360 in the road in front of me while traveling at speed. They managed to hit a soft patch in a recently graded dirt road. Helen and Chris looked a bit shaken after that!

Very cool truck though.

cheers

[panman]

Chris is often on the 101 forum - http://www.101club.org/forums/index.php

Give him a shout there - sure he will be glad to hear form you. We had a pint with him and another 101 mate a couple of days before we left the UK on our trip - three 101s all custom converted to exped trucks all parked up together was a sight to bring tears to a grown man's eyes!

[Peter_n_Margaret]

The 101 is said to be the basis of the development of the Australian OKA.
There are certainly similarities.
http://oka4wd.webs.com/
There are many benefits to having forward control and a rigid chassis. It allows walk thru and bed-over-cab designs. The bed-over-cab in particular opens up the layout and gives a huge ammount of living space compared with the wheel base.
http://www.oka4wd.com/xt196.htm
http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg120/Peter_n_Margaret/Conversion/p_wright6.jpg

Cheers,
Peter

[Viggen]

I want one SOOOOOO badly. Theres a troop carrier for sale in NC on Craigslist. I think its even a diesel powered one. Its a dream truck of mine. Some people want D110's, I want a 101. Whats stopping me from buying one? I really couldnt justify it as the D1 does everything I want it too.

Love it:
http://www.lr-mad.co.uk/pics/101radiobody.jpg

[panman]

That is rare as well as gorgeous. It's not a troop carrier, it is a Radio Body - a comms wagon - only one of 150 ever made. Looks mint too. How much is it going for? Tried to search Craigslist for it and failed - do you have a URL? If I wasn't in Egypt mid exped I might consider flying to NC and bringing that baby back home to Britain!

Took a look at the OKA and it does bear a very striking family resemblance to a 101. Nice looking trucks both.

[Viggen]

No, thats not the one in NC. Thats one that I have on my Mac that I really like. The troop carrier has canvas top and sides and benches in the back. Look in NC for Land Rover

[Maryland 110]

Pretty sure the one in NC was Greg Bozmans. 2.25 natural diesel. Sat in the parking lot of his Mclean Va condo for a couple of years and then went to Nc to be used as a tailgating rig @ football games.

[shortbus4x4]

I want one SOOOOOO badly. Theres a troop carrier for sale in NC on Craigslist. I think its even a diesel powered one. Its a dream truck of mine. Some people want D110's, I want a 101. Whats stopping me from buying one? I really couldnt justify it as the D1 does everything I want it too.

Love it:
http://www.lr-mad.co.uk/pics/101radiobody.jpg

Daddy likey! alot. I think I'm in love.

[109 Pretender]

That 101 might be the same as one advertised on RN BBS. Ck out the 101 forum there - I think a fellow named Trevor listed it for a friend of his some time back. It had links to Picassa web for some good pics of it. If it's the same animal, it appears to be in fairly good shape and has the 3.5 V-8. He had a bunch of spares that came with it too.

Any of you guys ever drive one? I've read that they're pretty brutal comfort wise - but also very capable and a good platform size for building a capable (if not comfortable) overland vehicle.

[JumpJ]

I got this from CT. RHD. It was brilliant but not ultimately kid friendly for long trips.

[Antichrist]

I got this from CT. RHD. It was brilliant but not ultimately kid friendly for long trips.Is yours for sale?
http://duluth.craigslist.org/cto/1937777416.html

Here's the one in NC
http://raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/1961470719.html

[serialNSXer]

http://www.lr-mad.co.uk/pics/101radiobody.jpg

Anyone ever find the for sale link for this 101?

[Nonimouse]

Looks nice. I wanted one for years and years, then spent intimate time with a GS (with Nokken Winch). I wouldn't wish one on my worst enemy now. Awful to drive, truly awful. Lousy off road if any type of axle movement is required. Lousy brakes, lousy handling... And that's after the comprehensive re-build.

Here's a teazer

http://www.oldrover.com/101/101FC.htm

Check out the Vampire

[greenmeanie]

They are a truck you either love or hate and with plenty of quirks. They are best suited to the true enthusiast rather than someone who likes its rugged good looks.

I've had one for 10 years and still love it. I find it handles better than my series IIa 88 (Both trucks are well looked after), brakes well enough to get the back wheels of the ground if I want to (The front brakes are the same as a late series 109 and the rears are almost as big to match the 1 tonne rating. At 37ft the turning circle is tighter than a 109 and IIRC better than an 88.

It was never intended as a rock crawler and has the same issue as a lot of military vehicles as the suspension was designed to operate with the vehicle loaded. Add 3/4 tonne of gear and the suspension moves just fine - travel will always be limited by the spring length, short shocks and short shackles but actual wheel travel works out about the same as a stock series.

Some, but certainly not all, of the quirks you will have to deal with are the unatural position and throw of the gear stick, the infamous prop shaft rumble, a fairly cramped driving position and rear visibility. Ride suffers for the usual FC reason of the driver being directly above the front wheels but the view off road is great. Military bar grip tyres are 'interesting' in anything other than dry conditions. Given its airportable nature where everything strips off the truck the roll protection on a GS is marginal.

65mph is about all you want to do with either an overdrive or regeared TC. They can do more but it goes from the merely painful to really questioning your sanity. As it a low compression Rover V8 powerplant power upgrades are easy and the LT95 gearbox will take all the grunt a Rover lump can throw at it.

There was never a great number of them built in the first place and they have been out of service for a few years now so finding a good unmolested one is quite difficult.

There is a very active club with parts support at:
101 Club (http://www.101club.org/)

As you may gather I fall on the enthusiast side of the fence.

[Nonimouse]

"They are a truck you either love or hate and with plenty of quirks"

Very true. I'm a luddite at heart and have a deep seated love of old vehicles. I class my '89 110 as a modern ride. But for me the 101 was akin to the Harley 883 Sportster. I had dreamed of owning both; and put them up on a pedestal of perfection to aspire to. Both were massive let downs.

However without the let down of the Harley I would have never met the Buell; without the let down of the 101 I would never have sold the 100" and bought the 110.

Such is life

[greenmeanie]

Meh,
After driving a couple of boingers I really realized I love my 101 and to a slightly lesser extent my 88 and 109. To me Rovers lost their character when they went away from leaf springs. This is just my preference but goes some way to explaining why I have never bought into the Defender thing.

[Nonimouse]

Ah, there is a Defender thing and a 110/127/90 thing. A big difference

[greenmeanie]

Ah, there is a Defender thing and a 110/127/90 thing. A big difference

Its the same basic vehicle so not really. I used to drive an '83 110 that was in the family. I just couldn't develop the attachment I have to my leafers despite the 110 having practically the same engine and gearbox as my 101.