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[Ironchicken64]

I have always wondered why there are different gearstick styles on series Land Rovers. There seem to be the double dog legged stick and then the single straight stick with one bend. Did Land Rover change the style at some point or have they always offered two types.   

[Craig T]

There are three different ones I know off.

The earlier series I, II and IIA one which is bent at the bottom and again further up placing the gear knob at a level attitude when in neutral. These have a threaded top section for a threaded gear knob.

Then there is the straight stick, one bend near the bottom and a push on knob which I always thought was a series III thing.

And off course the 6 cylinder gear lever which is very close to the series III lever, only one bend at the bottom but the bend is a different angle as the gearbox is further back in the chassis.

And off course all these sticks were available in RHD and LHD so maybe that makes 6 different levers I know off.

Craig.

[twomokes]

There are two versions of the 4 cyl S3 gearstick, the one Craggle describes is the later type, the earlier type has bends but not the same as the S1 / S2 stick and it has a different part number but only appears in the earlier S3 parts lists. I have had one in my 2a for as long as I have owned it (almost 40 years). I shall try and get a photo of it later.

[Alan Drover]

Years ago the early version in my Series 3 snapped at the bottom so I visited my mate and got the later stronger type.

[Peter Holden]

There are at least 2 if not 3 versions of the double cranked S1/S2/S2a gear lever, it is to do with the overall length.  My 58 has a S3 gearbox with a "normal" S2 gear lever, Our 59 has its original gear lever which is different to the one in the 58.  Our 55 pickup has a gear lever that appears to be the same as the one in the 58.  Our 51, fitted with a S2 petrol engine and a very late S2a all synchro box used to have a S3 lever fitted and it was horrible to drive, it is now fitted with a proper 80" gear lever and it is OK to drive.

One added thing, the 59 used to have a 2l diesel in it and whatever the ratios of the original box were it was a mess to drive, the gear changes needed to be made at the wrong times, engine changed to 2286 diesel and gearbox is fine but it is a different drive to the 58 which is fitted with a S3 diesel engine and gearbox - perhaps because the gear levers are different

Peter

[diffwhine]

Didn't the 80" have a significantly shorter gear stick than later models?

[GHOBHW]

There are two versions of the 4 cyl S3 gearstick, the one Craggle describes is the later type, the earlier type has bends but not the same as the S1 / S2 stick and it has a different part number but only appears in the earlier S3 parts lists. I have had one in my 2a for as long as I have owned it (almost 40 years). I shall try and get a photo of it later.

i also have one of these early s3 sticks on a gearbox that was rebuilt in late 71. theyre pretty hard to find now

also this gearbox had the serial numbers X'd out and went back in time from an E suffix to a D suffix

[Exile]

Didn't the 80" have a significantly shorter gear stick than later models?

Yes it did.

And there was an early one - first 1,500 vehicles - mounted on the gearbox tunnel, independant of the gearbox. (This could make life interesting....)

But this was very soon replaced with a stick mounted on the gearbox.

Not sure if it changed again before the end of 80" production, but I don't think so.

[Peter Holden]

Right, I can explain about 80" gear levers, yes the first 1500 had a gear lever mounted on the transmission tunnel, a real pain because as the bulkhead flexed the gearlever moved and came out of gear.  I changed that pretty quickly to that standard short double throw gear lever that the rest of the 80"s had.

The 51 was horrible with the long gear lever.

Interestingly the 58 when owned by the PO with its standard S2 gearbox sported an 80" gear lever and was OK to drive (I drove it a number of times when my friend owned it.

Peter

[Exile]

yes the first 1500 had a gear lever mounted on the transmission tunnel, a real pain because as the bulkhead flexed the gearlever moved and came out of gear.  I changed that pretty quickly to that standard short double throw gear lever that the rest of the 80"s had.
Peter

On mine, I've stuck with the original gear lever on the tunnel Peter.

I've owned the '48 since 1973 - and reckon I might have just about mastered it by now!

a real pain

But I have to agree with this ^.

[Peter Holden]

You are lucky, I had mine in the 70s too but it was a daily driver for about 12 years doing up to 40 miles per day, I didn't have the patience then with a land rover that only cost peanuts and didn't appear to be worth anything - how things change.  I changed the engine to a Rover 60 engine, fortunately my brother in law kept the side plate engine and my nephew is in the process of rebuilding it.  To start with it may well go into his 49 but it will eventually be sold and my share will cover the costs of rebuilding a spreadbore to go in the 58

Peter

[w3526602]

Hi,

My interpretations ....

The 80" had a very short cab, so the driver sat nearer to the gear lever.

The 86"/88" and 107"/109" Series Ones had a longer cab, so the lever had to be bent back a smidgen.

The 88" and  109" Series Twos had padded seats (and maybe variations of the seat-box height and cab-back bulkhead location) which may, effectively, have put the driver further from the gear knob, so requiring the knob to follow suit. If the lever is longer, did that make it taller?

I'm only guessing, mind.

602

602

[Peter Holden]

Actually there is more room in an 80" cab than any later land rover

Peter

[w3526602]

Actually there is more room in an 80" cab than any later land rover

Hi Peter,

I have to disagree, but have very little to support my argument, but I will try ...

It's been about 60 years since I drove an 80" (Fire Tender at RAF Sharjah, near Dubai, which embarrassed itself by catching fire while in it's garage), but I remember that the non-pendant brake and clutch pedals felt like they were moving vertically, as were my knees. Uncomfortable!

It doesn't need a pair of binoculars to observe the the trailing edges of the cab doors are angled to avoid the rear wheel arches, implying that the rear tyre "bubbles" intrude into the cab-space.

I don't know if the P3 1997cc engine is physically bigger than the P3 1600cc engine. I do know that the P4 diesel engine required more space, which led to the S1 86" wheelbase being increased to 88", without any publicity. I think somebody said recently that this was achieved by moving the front axle forward, rather than stretching the chassis rails.  I don't know if the overall vehicle length increased.

It's easy to distinguish an 88" S1 from an 86", just by observing the relationship between the dome-headed bolt for the steady strut for the wing, and the rear end of the wheel arch ... they moved the arch forward by 2", but didn't lengthen the strut, nor alter the bolt location. Easy to spot when you know where to look.

Referring back to my comment in the first paragraph, leg-room can be increased by raising the  driver's seat. When mini-cabbing in 1968, I lifted my driver's seat by 1", which allowed me to move that seat 1" further forward, and remain comfortable, which gave my (sometimes) 4 rear passengers a bit of extra room. I replaced springs on several of our cars during my year in that job. A shattered spring makes a happy tinkling noise as if bounces along behind you.

602

[Peter Holden]

John, having owned and run 80"s for many years I can assure you that there is more space in an 80 cab than in later ones, the rear wheel arches do not extend into the cab, don't forget with S1 s of all varieties you sit on the fuel tank.  The pedals through the floor are no different to the later S1s