Project Kermit 35: A Series Land Rover Full Restoration

In this feature length mega episode, it's time to sort the whole electrical system, the seats, seatbelts and doors.
Chapters
00:00 Lights install
08:07 Washer and wipers
14:54 Dashtop
21:24 Reflectors and numberplate and horn
23:34 Towing socket
29:39 Dashtop rebuild
30:24 Heater vent
31:25 Wiring
58:26 Seats and seatbelts
1:18:30 Doors
Project Kermit is a 1978 Land Rover Series 3 109 (long wheel base) which is being stripped right down and rebuilt with a 200tdi engine and a few other improvements. The other videos in the series can be found in this playlist: • Project Kermit: A Seri...
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[@pauljones2633]

Absolutely loving this. Such a delight to see someone who actually fixes things rather than just reaching for Google to source new bits

[@kierankay100]

Sometimes it can’t be helped but yes always try repair before replace amount of things I’ve gotten free that are broken that take 5 mins to repair and good as new …

[@Grahame59]

Agreed. Loved how he got the wiper motor working.

[@waqaszafar8513]

Very true. He doesn't have sponsors like Americans who put a lot of money with the aid of sponsors.

[@ratheskin58]

Love the Jay hopping across the workbench!

[@chriscoulthard4947]

Not a partridge in a pear tree......

[@highdownmartin]

Keep talking to it and he’ll start learning words

[@Jettagt]

Those birds... You really are a Disney princess. Love the videos!

[@lozlarkin2586]

It’s worthwhile cutting some old rubber mats up and putting them in the cubby boxes under the seats. Makes quite a difference to the noise in the cab 👍🏼

[@mattswan7710]

Hope you don’t mind me saying this … but all you who love this great guys content , support him if you can through patron , just a few quid … it makes him , allow us to be happy !

[@Chingfordassociates]

That Jay is incredible, they are usually such shy birds. He must like you.

[@iscariotproject]

i like the fluffy chikkins coming by doing work inspections making sure its all done the right way

[@limekilnfarm9657]

Hi max, I have no fondness for landrovers but as I’ve said before I could watch you watch paint dry. A huge thing your audience can take away from this project is how to not let the project as a whole become overwhelming. You have a very simple and methodical way of plodding on. Seeing it turn back into a vehicle is very rewarding for all of us. Thanks and very well done!!

[@mumblbeebee6546]

Your skills, your attitude, your granddad, your workshop… I envy plenty but _nothing_ do I envy as much as your friendship with a jay! :) Kermit looks brilliant now, and sounds good too! Congratulations, a lot of hard work is in it!

[@spinny2010]

Was considering writing (almost) the exact same comment. Couldn't agree more.

[@johndon74]

You are one very knowledgeable and skilled man. Loving watching this series, i have learned so much. Looking forward to seeing you enjoying kermit and your next project!! Thank you!

[@blacksquirrel4008]

Thank you for the early Christmas present. Wonderful progress. When I saw your jay pick up that little thing I was afraid it was a nut you’d be spending ages to find.

[@daveb7999]

I saw that and wondered the same, lol.

[@chriscoulthard4947]

That Jay has a hedge full of Land rover parts😂

[@JuanEncarnation]

A full hour and a half (nearly)! Brilliant Xmas present, thanks Max!

[@Grahame59]

Agreed. Had been eagerly awaiting this latest episode.

[@KrisDouglas]

It's such a breath of fresh air to see you putting this landy together using available parts and doing really nice repairs rather than stuffing it with new parts. This is going to be (Is?!) a tremendous companion for you for years to come.

[@_stoatchaser]

That is the most chilled out bird ever.the landrover stuff is pretty good as well

[@Grahame59]

I appreciate Kermit is not required to have a rear foglight by law but if fitted it must be either on the centre-line or on the offside. I'd suggest repositioning the number plate on left, with reverse and fog lights on right to keep it legal. Not trying to rain on your parade but would hate you to get pulled by PC Plod. A great video, the end is in sight!

[@highdownmartin]

I’d very much doubt they’d give it a second glance. It’s S reg after all. Different rules apply

[@JasonJohnson-yu8zf]

​@@highdownmartinit may be mentioned at the mot test

[@Grahame59]

@@JasonJohnson-yu8zf Possibly though being an S reg it is MOT exempt.

[@highdownmartin]

@@JasonJohnson-yu8zf doesn’t actually need one. And again in 78 what we’re the fog stipulations. I seem to remember people drilling err bumpers and putting them nearside

[@Grahame59]

@@highdownmartin You're probably right. Being S reg it does just predate the 1979/80 requirement for a rear foglight and therefore is not required to have one fitted. I was just pointing it out as it is technically illegal, being on the nearside (i.e. no foglight required but if fitted it must be on the offside). It's up to Max of course whether he wants to refit it on the offside.

[@m4pdy]

Didn’t even notice your jay!? Love that he watches you work.

[@the_midnight_mechanic_stua1503]

Always a pleasure to watch someone work in a similar manner to myself

[@mazdaman1286]

As noted by others a fog light is not required , but if fitted should be on the offside. Pre April 1980 some cars did have fog lights and are tested , if they don't work it's advised. Glad you haven't gone down the road of LED highlights , the beam patterns of all but the most expensive are rubbish and blind oncoming traffic. Osram night breakers are superb . Nice Landy 😊

[@twocvbloke]

I love how that Jay hangs about watching you work, proper little feathery friend... :D

[@johnmcquay82]

I'm absolutely loving this project. I wish I had the space, the time and (not forgetting) the skills and patience to do such a thing.

[@Wheelloader__]

Pretty cool. A drivable useable pickup truck. Just think not long ago it was pieces of metal stroon all over. You da man Max.

[@mattnoyes7729]

I adore this build Max...my favourite thing you've ever done, and that's saying something...your projects are all very interesting

[@lunepilot2874]

Another great video Max. Thanks for taking the time to produce it, can’t wait for the next one.

[@donnied8127]

As long as "Lucas The Prince of Darkness" doesn't pay you an early visit :D Excellent work !!!!

[@phildxyz]

Wish modern cars were wired like this.

[@Lawrence-ui1hv]

Great Job and loving the progress. I noticed when you mounted the rear fog light that it is mounted on the wrong side for U.K road lighting regulations as if one of light is fitted, then it has to be mounted on the right hand side of a vehicle or trailer. You can get round this by mounting another fog light on the right hand side, but would now involve remounting the number plate elsewhere.

[@chriscoulthard4947]

I thought the image was reversed, but no, the plate reads correctly.

[@martinjustice]

Great video Max. Kermit has some real heft. A welcome hour and a half away from the Xmas mayhem. Best present so far.

[@threepotMR2]

When everything in the world has fallen to time the only thing surviving will be that towing socket bracket! Nearly there Max, well done.

[@gigi3242]

You really are a recycling wizard!! Yogurt cup, dad's old lathe switches, garden hose... you truly are amazing. Definitely going to turn heads.

[@MrNineCherries]

Fantastic, loving watch the build progress 👍🏻 cant believe how chilled your little bitd pal is too. 🙂

[@orangutanfan3179]

I stumbled across your channel not knowing what to expect, there are so many similar channels that I thought this would be unremarkable. But I love your presenting style, you come across very natural and charming, and for me as a casual viewer you manage to be informative without droning on and becoming boring. Best of luck with Kermit, I hope to see more :)

[@plasmaxer]

Best hour and 23 minutes I've spent all Christmas/boxing day! Thank you.

[@alanpaisley8696]

Wow very interesting instalment Max can't be much else to do now Kermit is looking good.

[@andrewmacdonald1897]

Thank the Lord for a bit of sanity at a very testing part of the year! Brilliant.

[@astravanmk2]

Thanks Max, what a treat for Christmas Eve. Thanks for all the content in 2023 it’s always appreciated. All the best for 2024.

[@frecko]

Hi Max , just like to say Kermit looks amazing , years of work , better than any factory Landrover for sure , please keep up the good work a confirmed fan !

[@g0joerly]

I think you should have the rear fog light fitted on the centre or on the drivers side (off-side)of the vehicle, not on the left side, if only fitting one light.

[@lessayers8653]

I think it may be a legal requirement under Construction and Use regulations

[@grrfy]

@@lessayers8653 It is.

[@g0joerly]

@@lessayers8653 however not on the Left side of the vehicle, as stated in my last post. Check out The Road Vehicle Lighting Regulations 1989, Schedule 11 Part 1, that’ll clear it up for you…

[@letmelooktv]

Your little friend the Jay is lovely :)

[@MACLADILLY]

Fantastic. A real treat for Christmas. That moment when it transitions from a project to an (nearly!) completed vehicle - the look on your face.

[@kevinsimpson7114]

What a Christmas bonus this was. Great work Max. You have done an amazing job. Really looking forward to the road trials.👌🏻👍🏻

[@paulburroughs1313]

Max wanted a truck, so he BUILT one! This has been the best Christmas present ever. Thanks Max and thanks Small Feathered Supervisor. 🎄 You guys are the best.!!!

[@edgeeffect]

"Small Feathered Supervisor" made me smile.

[@mceajc]

There were at least five times I saw something that made me go, "Oh, that was excellent, and has reminded me to 'like' the video!" only to find I had already clicked that button. Superb stuff, I loved this very much. The bird cameos were truly unexpected, and I chuckled deeply at the bespoke air ducting! So many brilliant moments scattered through.

[@Ecosse57]

seeing this come together is a thrill but i can only imagine the feeling of accomplishment you must have. i applaud your engineering solutions and enjoy your lovely assistant as well!

[@andyhunter5191]

The best viewing pleasure over xmas so far... That reminds me I must cancel my TV licence. 😊

[@Tomteeejay]

9:35 Looks like the Jay is getting parts for his/her own project! Well done, Max. Excellent work. Great festive season viewing and so relaxing watching you work and seeing how you solve problems. Looking forward to the next part!

[@jonny7491]

I couldn’t help but smile watching this.😀

[@thomasburras]

Enjoyed that! Electrics and doors my old landy enemies 😂

[@melvindavison8532]

All the videos on this Land Rover have been Tremendous, thank you

[@colliedogjoy]

Bravo - what a mission. Splendid work. All the best for 2024!

[@daviemaclean61]

Wish I had fitted those tail lights to mine - so much brighter than the standard ones. I had those Britpart mats in my Series 3. They are absolutely fine, but I did end up cutting out a slot under the accelerator pedal. Cheers

[@gonzo_the_great1675]

I did a bespoke loom on my kit car. Fibreglass body, so no earth points avail. Ran grounds within the loom. No probs at all. Great way to do it. Only chassis earth is at the starter. Mine is fused to hell, with the generic blade fuse boxes (ones with the built in blown fuse indication LEDs). I also ran all the crusty old Lucas switchgear through relays, so they are not switching current. BTW. Be careful with plumbers type flux on wire. (Not sure what sort of flux you are adding.) I've had it eat copper wire away over time. I had heavy braid on coax cable, that I had to solder into the barrel of a connector. Found the flux had completely eaten it back for about 4" of length! Though it seemed to have stopped there, after the 'missing bit' of braid, the copper was clean and bright.

[@Lemma01]

Heroic contribution to Boxing Day, Max! Love it!

[@shredderchris8759]

Superb, nice work Max. As someone currently struggling with my own Series 3 electrical system this I can empathise, and appreciate the thoroughness of your job here.

[@troyboy4345]

This was by far my favourite video you have done, so much work and so bloody interesting to watch, superb !

[@DietrichLopan]

Excellent work as always. I do love the stage 1 look with the Defender bonnet & grille.

[@leopardx746]

Great job and an inspiration. I am not 100% sure, but I think fog lights need to be in the centre or on the off side of the vehicle. It may be an MOT failure on the near side. I hope not, but please check.

[@dragontattooee]

Kermit is looking good, thanks for bringing us on your restoration journey

[@stephenhankey688]

Thumper that's the dogs bollocks, I love it !😊, Merry Christmas 🎉 from Steve near Chester England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 where the Roman's once lived.

[@raymondpenn1066]

Messing around in Kermit at the end of the video will have put a huge smile on your face. It did mine.

[@shelleymitchell7912]

well done ive loved watching you do this when the mountain of electrical wires was transformed into well organised coils was a magic trick well done x

[@jameswilksey]

Love the utility and pragmatism, over building a 'show-truck'. This will be an awesome tool for you over the years to come.

[@romac9516]

Missed your progress on this since you were picking rust out of the chassis! Kermit is looking splendid now, must be very rewarding to go through the whole shebang

[@LdHrothgar]

Constantly amazed at your ability to bodge together something fantastic using completely knackered parts.

[@man8god]

Bravo - what a legendary machine

[@dodgybodger3124]

Your dedication is awe inspiring Max. Hats off to you.👍 The Jay is awesome to. 😉

[@mickpospiech1363]

Best thing I've watched over Christmas 😊

[@madmechsgarage1727]

excellent work, great finished project :) Your videos are helping me a lot with my Series 3 .

[@prospectorpete]

Here's a tip for you. If you cut a section out of where the seat pan joins the well body, you can slide your seats back another inch or two

[@bradpatterson1325]

Hey Master Max , what an awesome rebuild mate ,Merry Christmas from Australia 🇦🇺 🎉

[@edLambshanks]

Amazing to see how far it’s come - all the knowledge and work that’s gone into it 👍

[@davidyendoll5903]

Superb . Your formula one tractor looks the bees knees ! I grew up with Land Rovers and have many a memory of them in the African bush and Arabian desert , hell I probably got conceived in one , but maybe that might a stretch too far , lol ! Seriously though , since there is so much aluminium touching ferrous stuff , like the bulkhead , rear cross member and the chassis , I have often wondered if a sacrificial anode , or zinc block(s) , could be bolted in place , like on a yacht , to save the poor old steel bits rotting away ? Have fun Max , I , for one , am envious ! Love your style , well done .

[@marcduthie4327]

It's looking so good. What an amazing amount of work you have done on it. Thanks for the watching enjoyment. Marc from Australia 🇦🇺

[@Classiccarbscouk]

Looking forward to the driving test 👌👍

[@steve-jackson]

The most enjoyable TV I've watched over christmas. Several people have already pointed out the error in the fog lamp positioning, but can I also point out that if you get a really miserable MOT inspector that isn't dazzled by your incredible build, the front number plate might fail due to the space in between the numbers. This happened on my Landrover a couple of decades ago when I bought it. Fantastic work Max as ever!

[@lenhornsey2175]

Wow, Kermit is looking great. When I first got my 90 I mistakenly left the LED lights on overnight. Thought I was going to have to recharge the battery but it started no problem. Thanks for the vid. 🇻🇨

[@user-yx5tb6bl5w]

Fantastic job, thanks for sharing Max

[@leovanzantvoort]

Keep up smiling. (it's important!) Lovely project. Splendid car!

[@libertyauto]

Lovely series. Is there a video where the origins or backstory to the bird is discussed? It amazes me at how tame it is for what appears to be a wild bird. Thanks for your videos.

[@tims3934]

Brilliant video. I would happily join everyone else in waxing lyrical about the project as a whole and your approach, but i was also struck by how beautifully the film is put together. The 'hmmm' at the start of a shot or the timing of the ratchet sound in the edits. Its a thing of real beauty, but not to the detriment of the information given. Must have taken some serious editing but also another skill. The way you tell story is fantastic. My new favourite video of yours i think. Looking forward to seeing that dash!

[@ThePeterfrancon]

It's looking really lovelyMax! You've built a super Landrover.

[@dandandan389]

Brilliant Max. Really love the colour with the black accents, looks fab.

[@richardguse3410]

Greetings from the snow/slush salt belt of Canada. Total appreciation of all the thought and skills that have gone into your restoration. Decades ago I had a Series IIA and the one electrical modification I made was relays for the Halogen headlights. I always understood the rear fog light was on the driver's side.

[@PhilWaud]

Ive really enjoyed this series. Its great to see your ingenuity and resourcefulness. Thanks for sharing and all the best for next year.

[@KHGrinderboy]

Awesome Max, some proper love gone into this.

[@fbollaert]

The design sparks joy and your perseverance is inspiring

[@stephenroberts8000]

loving the attention to detail and evolution of the individual parts on this

[@ramarover]

Fantastic episode of Project Kermit, great Christmas viewing! Seasons greetings to you Max and look forward to the next part.

[@guyemmott4009]

Great to see the progress achieved with Kermit.. Just a thought re rear fog lamp positioning.. I seem to recall that if only one lamp is being fitted, I should be on the offside of the vehicle..🤔

[@xrmik8300]

This is my thought too, not sure if it will be an issue if it's not actually required but it may fall under the "if fitted - must be" rules

[@davidyendoll5903]

Solution , fit two .....

[@guyemmott4009]

@@davidyendoll5903 Where..? Number plate is occupying the offside location..

[@user-yx5tb6bl5w]

Fantastic job, thanks for sharing Max

[@williamparry9314]

Well done Sir, you have a plethora of skills. Kermit should last a long time.

[@thesundaycarpenter2514]

Awesome video and a great project. Glad to see that it is coming together so well for you. Congrats.

[@Dominic.Minischetti]

Man that’s looking absolutely awesome brother!

[@daveb7999]

I call shotgun for the Kermit test drive, hoping that you might even head off-road a bit. What a rewarding project, thanks for bringing us along!

[@gonzo_the_great1675]

I use a hell of a lot of 5mm bullet connectors. Must be good quality ones and not used in badly exposed locations. But they make for quick assembly, ease of maintainance, and ability to alter.

[@mickreid7153]

Fab work Max. I can only try and imagine the joy it must give you to drive Kermit now! Both you and Kermit are truly one offs! 👍😊🙋‍♂️

[@coling7091]

Rare these days to see someone with such a wide range of expertise. Guys clearly a genius, mechanical and engineering wise.

[@tobychristian4741]

Thank you for such a long episode. Great progress. Maybe not so many reflectors. 👍

[@roberthayes9842]

That was brilliant, you're one helluva mechanic, and Kermit looks really great, love this Max top show

[@Bret4207]

Sure wish we could those small diesel engines in the States! Well done Max, she's gonna be a beauty!

[@lookcreations]

I’ve waited a week to watch this and thoroughly enjoyed watching your progress. Good job on the seat belts . Nice development of the electrics. Have a wonderful new year max All the best Mat

[@Squarepeg57]

Sterling work mate! I’m really impressed. 👍