variants of forward control

[disco dod]

i have a new love, the 101 forward control, but not any f/c i like the one with a low swooping roof, eg the front 1 in this pic i found online
http://www.101fc.net/iceland-2004/pics/rhc-2004-08-03-094732636.jpg

can anyone advise on what variant it is just from the picture, so i know what to be googling.

cheers in advance George

and if anyone has other photos of f/c's i can drool over, post up links

[Xtremeteam]

the front one is a 101 GS the 2 behind are the ambulance versions,IIRC there was 3 variants,those 2 & the vampire which is an uber rare version of which there is one less of in britian cos o the bundsfield blast

[disco dod]

aye i'v came across that 1 allready whilst trolling the web i think it was on the 101 o/c site

cheers mike, i'm dreaming again but i feel an expadition comming on. the wifes always sugesting we get a camper so we can go away at the weekends, do you think i can convince her a 101 is a good idea?

[Xtremeteam]

see here Big dog

that would prob do the job  :lol:

[AbyssDJ]

if you're planning an expedition i'd go for a tdi defender 110 - it will get you further on the same amount of fuel :)

[disco dod]

"expedition" is just the technical term to get clearance from the wife! lol thats if i manage to save up for one

i have always had an intrest in trucks, this would just be a toy for playing in and ocasional camping trips off the beeten trak. like said "i'm dreaming" but at least i have somthing to dream of

i'm liking the 6x6 but do you see the price, i paid not mutch more than that for my house 1 year ago. its a bit too cumbersome anyway i prefer the 101 gs on looks

[Litch]

The one in the front of the photo is a GS with a home-made hard-top.

The 101 is a fine vehicle (I had one for 6-years and loved it) but you have to remember that they are now over 30-years old (some were registered in the 1980's but they were all made in the 70's) and with that comes a few of the usual LR problems (chassis rot, component wear etc) and some new ones as well.

There are very few parts on a 101 which are common to any other LR so when it comes to parts you have to search for them which is not very good when away from home (I observe that you changed your requirement from expedition use to occasional trips!). I rebuilt my 101 GS in the early 1990's when they were still in service and there was very little available from the club (for instance I had to make up my own rear cross-member, chassis repair sections & door-top). Things are better now the MOD spares have been released but OE spares must be running down. For instance I don't know what the situation is with front axles but that could prove a problem in the future as supplies dry up (swivels are welded to the axle so when the swivels are shot you need a new axle casing).
The V8 drinks fuel (the fuel consumption was worse than my S111 V8 and it was very common to get down to single figures) so a diesel conversion might be a good idea. Also you need to gear them up as the standard gearing is just tooooooooo low, I had high-ratio transfer-gears & overdrive and that combination was spot on.
Off road they are very good as long as you have some weight in the back. Unlaiden mine would lift wheels a couple of feet into the air as the springs are so rigid but load it up and you have good articulation.

If you want one then get one as they are a fantastic vehicle, just remember that ownership comes at a cost. Wouldn't want to own one now but I really glad I did.

[TimM]

Just a thought, why isn't this post in the military section?

It is  

The one in the front of the photo is a GS with a home-made hard-top.

Am I right in thinking that all GS's were soft tops.

Most people use the Ambulance versions for campers as they are much easier to convert.

Or you could just buy this one it's had one careful owner - well it must have had one at some time    It's well known to all of us here, and I think we'd all love it  :D

[Litch]

Yes the GS was the 12V soft-top.

Thought I was in the Series forum.

The Ambulance makes a good conversion because it has a wider/taller body which is also insulated. Unfortnately it is also heavier (stands to reason).
One advantage of the Ambulance is that they tend to have had a less harsh life than most GS's and also they appear on later plates. They were converted in the early 1980's from GS's which had been stored since new, that way the date they were brought into service (the date the civillian reg is calculated from) is a lot later (many run around on A-reg plates).

[tomarse]

There are four UK variants of the 101 - This is a good FAQ

The GS (ragtop), radiobody (lower hardtop), Ambulance (taller and wider hard top) and the vampire (almost a radio body)

There are also quite a few custom bodied trucks (like the GS based one in the OP), and a couple of different variants used in different countries (there are a few different ambulances)

[disco dod]

thanks for the imput folks, i realise the minefield i would be getting myself into now. infact here's a quote i found in tomarse's link above, of a vampire owner selling on his pride and joy

"I also learned that unfulfilled dreams are most important.  They are necessary and are not something that should be fulfilled at any cost.  Sometimes they are better never to be fulfilled at all.  The dream is more important than its actual physical completion."

so i think i'l settle for a discovery or 90 and continue to dream about owning one

thanks George

[Lucy1978]

That front one is Greame Woods gs with an old water tank plonked on the back.  It has a perkins diesel in too, all done before they bought it.  The photo was taken in Iceland, the tiger striped ambi is "Tiggurr" belonging to Rich Clafton and the one at the back is Roger HIll Cottinghams home built Camper on a GS.  He's 6'4" and can stand up inside it.