my '65 109 "Big Ears" (200Tdi)

[NiteMare]

i bought this motor about 18-20 months ago, a little by chance and with a little luck (i had sortof been looking for a 109) it was advertised at least 12 months before i was led to it on a general old car/custom forum and i pounced on the opportunity to take a look and strike a deal

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/04/825.jpg

it came complete with a spare bulkhead to rebuild and pretty straight panels all round, a mint condition Aeroparts winch (just needs a new baseplate) and an engine that runs like a sewing machine (2.25 petrol), i had found a fair bit of corrosion round the chassis that needed/needs attention but i had plans for it and a few bits to find/buy, so i've spent the next year basically preparing to start work/buying odd parts...

i started off by buying a 200tdi discovery which i promptly stripped of any parts i wanted and stashing in my garage
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/04/826.jpg

as you can see i bought a 300tdi manifold/turbo and fitted that to the engine, i then found a pair of 4.3:1 diffs at the right price to make it worth buying them (i would have preferred 3.9:1) they're still in my livingroom (shh don't tell the girlfriend ;)) ....

anyway after just about a year i decided i had collected enough parts to start (including two more land rovers :eek:) so i dragged the spare bulkhead out and started chasing the rot out of it, i let in new metal where needed, new footwells and a drivers side foot, then had it media blasted, as soon as i got it home i broke out the paint and spraygun

this is it just after blasting
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/04/827.jpg

once that was all painted it was time to start getting serious and start sorting the rot, so it was time to start pulling it to bits (i'm working in an unsecure area so i can't just strip the whole motor) so it's off with the front panels and stash those in my garden
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/04/828.jpg

and then take a look at the rot, as you can see the winchplate had rotted the crossmember (not to mention the missing dumbirons)
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/04/829.jpg

out with the rot and in with new metal
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/04/616.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/04/830.jpg

both dumbirons and the crossmember completed
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/04/831.jpg

then it was time to move along a little, offside bulkhead outrigger off and rot removed
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/04/832.jpg

oops where's the boat anchor gone ?? :p
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/03/162.jpg

more bits missing, chassis wire mopped right back to the tub and coated in red oxide
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/03/162.jpg

front springs swapped, chassis with 2 or three coats of black on it, nice clean gearbox with new rear seal and brake shoes and my posh replacement power plant :)
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/04/833.jpg

bulkhead back on at last, doors carefully gapped at the hinges and then all aligned with the tub nicely, so nice that the doors both close with almost effortless clicks :D
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/04/834.jpg

now anything that can go rusty in a landrover has in this one, so everything has had to be wiremopped and painted which really does slow some of the progress down but we are getting there, heater was stripped, flushed and generally cleaned out, bulkhead matting was scrubbed and laid flat under books to get it back in usable condition, all pedals and linkages were cleaned/painted along with quite a few little clips that hold wires etc to the bulkhead (i was really getting fed up of this process)
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/04/835.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/04/836.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/04/837.jpg

we've now finally managed almost to get away from the bulkhead for a while (gotta get back into it when i start building my wiring harness), i went to the Sodbury Sortout a week or so ago (autojumble) with a big list of bits, i only found a pair of shocks as part of the list :( but i did find a pair of "lazytong" style rivet gun , the real bonus was i found a TD5 intercooler at the right price :D so with a little cutting and welding i put this lot together, S2a breakfast, 200tdi radiator and TD5 intercooler :D
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/03/1262.jpg

of course that breakfast was your run of the mill rusty old thing so something had to be done
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/04/838.jpg

as you can see there is a little bodging along the bottom of it but i don't care :p

and after a day of cutting back the paintwork on the wing we now have this
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/04/839.jpg

today i've made my exhaust downpipe out of scrap 52mm bore pipe, patched a hole in one of the turbo/intercooler pipes, i'm now in a position to consider doing the wiring, build some radiator hoses and finish the throttle linkage, i've also got to cut/form a pair of mudshields, polish the nearside wing and bonnet (there's bound to be other little jobs like an electric fan to source and fit)....

then i can lift the tub and roof off and start work on the rear half of the chassis :eek: so far this has taken me about 5 months i think and fingers crossed i've got the hardest part out of the way

my apologies for the long post, maybe i should have posted to here as well as to the other couple of forums when i started, but i hope you've enjoyed the read..

anyway here's the photo album if you want to go thru random photos of my work on this project
My 1965 109 pictures by NiteMare_08 - Photobucket (http://s259.photobucket.com/albums/hh311/NiteMare_08/My%201965%20109/'start=all)

[Lotz-A-Landies]

Great work! :)

The 200/300Tdi is such a sensible conversion apart from the headache around the radiator support panel (you call it a breakfast). There should be more of them!

Is there not enough room for the original viscous fan on the water pump or are you intending upon additional cooling from the electric thermatic fan?

One other question. When you were repairing the dumb irons why did you fit the tube between the two bumper bar holes instead of tubing the bolts? I would have thought tubing the bolts would prevent/reduce moisture getting back into the dumb irons.

Diana

BTW: Do you mind if I move the whole thread to the section for "Other Powered Series Landies" - I know it is a Land Rover motor in a Land Rover but still it's still a hybrid.

[Johnno1969]

This is a fantastic job...Really impressive and neat.

[NiteMare]

lack of room requires the removal of the viscuous fan (plus it releases a little more power for where you really want it) i even cut the threads off the nose of the pump to increase clearance to the radiator core...

a couple of reasons for putting the crush piece between the holes, but the primary reason was not being quite confident enough to tube the bolts accurately, this way i could have a bit of leeway to allow me to drill without trying to fight a tube that's slightly misaligned :eek:

if you think this thread is in the wrong area then where you put it is up to you, i lost my dummy ages ago and mum won't pass my toys back, i'll just have to sulk :p

[korg20000bc]

Great stuff!
I really appreciate you posting this up.

You've done the work in a great time-frame too.

Kudos.

[ellard]

Hi there

Looking like a sweet conversion - keep up the good work.

All the best

Wayne

[NiteMare]

multicoloured spaghetti time :loon

ok i've been playing with stiff string and various other bits and a couple of black and white pictures and modifying as i go, we now have this, not quite finished but getting close

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/04/452.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/04/453.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/04/454.jpg

i then connected a battery to see if the smoke would escape but it appears there's none in it :shock:

there was also a bonus to be had.....














while i was switching things on i decided to press the starter button ......


the engine instantly started :really_excited :really_excited

all the fuel i've got in it is the little bit in the fuel line to the injector pump :woohoo :woohoo :shock:

(copied and pasted as this is now going on 4 forums :D )

[NiteMare]

okie dokey, we've been fiddling and faffing about a little, added a few wires and have decided i'm going to add yet more :lol:

won myself a decent condition radiator at the weekend so that got cleaned out and swapped in (it's nice to have fins between the pipes)

but the most noticeable things i've done recently is connect the intercooler back to the intake manifold, modify the p/s pump by removing the one way valve (hopefully it'll not develop pressure now), welding the port shut and putting a feed pipe on so i can run a little oil in to lube the bearings.

along with that i've got the clutch bled and the brakes operating after a fashion, thought i was going to have to strip the brake m/c as on the first pump the piston stuck :shock: lots of tapping it and getting nowhere had me a little worried, eventually i got my airline out and blew the piston back carefully

anyway onto the pictures

as you can see i've used the Series thermostat housing and two Series top hoses cut and shut (which is why i'll be adding more wires as i intend putting a thermoswitch there for the fan) big shiney pipe is the return from the i/cooler to the inlet manifold
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/04/77.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/04/78.jpg

expecting to get myself round the scrapyards tomorrow on the hunt for bits of radiator hose to make up the bottom hose and hopefully find an expansion tank i like, plus a pull fan (dimensions are a little awkward) and maybe the bits to make up my thermoswitch adaptor..

fingers crossed :)

[NiteMare]

a teeny weeny bit of progress :D

My 1965 109 :: Running :D video by NiteMare_08 - Photobucket@@AMEPARAM@@http://vid259.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid259.photobucket.com/albums/hh311/NiteMare_08/My%201965%20109/10150588811255401_54001.mp4@@AMEPARAM@@vid259@@AME PARAM@@259@@AMEPARAM@@hh311/NiteMare_08/My%201965%20109/10150588811255401_54001@@AMEPARAM@@mp4

[NiteMare]

we're back to dismantling and sorting out rot :roll:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/05/917.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/05/918.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/05/919.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/05/920.jpg

offside spring hanger :shock:
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/05/921.jpg

my jig to align the replacement crossmember
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/05/922.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/05/923.jpg

a little tinworm
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/05/924.jpg

a bit more
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/05/925.jpg

oh no, tinworm squatters :lol:
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/05/926.jpg

nearly all evicted
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/05/927.jpg

i'm carefully dissecting the crossmember so that i can rebuild the chassis rails as both are pretty crusty ...

got an unpleasant surprise yesterday, i lifted the canvas off the bulkhead to find the clutch master cylinder had leaked, yes it's taken paint off the footwell :roll:

[NiteMare]

fixeddeded at last :banana:

along with a pair of 88" 10 or 11 leaf rear springs to replace the cream crackered 8+2s, two coats of red oxide and the first coat of chassis black applied :spudnikbackflip:


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/05/475.jpg

[ezyrama]

Been watching this build with great interest:thumbsup:. The chassis came up a treat (hopefully "Ralph" wont have as much corrosion as "Smeg" did). Are you going to use just chassis black or something like "Rockcote"?. Would it be an idea to waxoyl it now while the tubs off to make it more accessible.Keep it up, great job mate.
Cheers Ian

[NiteMare]

it's getting another couple of coats of chassis black before i pull the rear electrics cable (using seven core trailer cable) through the chassis and then i have a gallon of waxoyl to squirt into the chassis using the schutz adaptor thing, which will be thinned to hopefully penetrate any rust/crud build up and vapourise and layer the top rail as well (wishful thinking i reckon) ...

i'm not sure what this "rockcote" is, but if it's anything like the stuff the army used on my 1974 lightweight/airportable chassis, i'll definitely give it a miss as it's the most rotten chassis i've had to date, it had cracked and allowed the water/mud to get behind it without falling off, i prefer the idea of paint peeling and showing where the rust is developing

Thanks for the mojo boost Ian :BigThumb:

[NiteMare]

well the exhaust is built, 52mm straight through with a short flexi to kill any vibration down it's length (sorry no picture) with two seperation joints, quite pleased as it was simpler to build than the one on my 88" bitsa...

trailer cable has been pulled through the chassis and connected into the rest of the loom plus i've squirted about 2.5 - 3 litres of waxoyl inside the chassis, i'm letting that thicken up and then i'll get some more in there...

and finally the tub, sides and roof are back on [biggrin] and i can drive it around the yard without the doors being strapped to the wings, still lots to do but at least i can now lock it up :nazilock:

latest pictures
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/06/1277.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/06/1278.jpg

[NiteMare]

not felt like i've had much progress lately as it's mostly been little fiddley bits to do, all my wiring except the trailer hookup is now done and working (still not got a fan yet though) and i got my series3 wash/wipe switch so i can switch on both wiper motors without having to reach across for the passenger one (the motors themselves will be permanently switched on) and i can now use a proper sceen wash pump rather than the little manual pump, the reason i chose the series3 switch is because it won't look out of place under the dash :)

the seatbox and all the cab flooring/tunnel etc is now fitted so it doesn't feel like a flintstones vehicle anymore and is quite a nice place to sit, original elephant hide seating but i need to find a passenger seat squab as mine is quite badly torn, i'm just a little worried about comfort over distance even though i really do like the retro cab appearance

both my sills are fitted, i just need to attach the lower stays to stop the panel flex

a couple of problems have shown thier faces already, first i sprang a fuel leak from the injector spill pipes which had me confused for a couple of days, it turned out to be crud that had peeled from the sides of the tank return pipe and blocked it up, disconnected and blown through with an airline sorted that along with fitting new 3.2mm spill pipes between the injectors

and one of the sealed beam units decided that it would have a giggle at my expense and blow the dip filament, i need to get in the boxes and see if i can find a replacement (i don't really want to fit the H4 units that i have on the shelf)

of more concern is the waterpump which appears to have sprung a leak :(i don't suppose i should be surprised as the motor hasn't run really for at least two years except for a little test run or two and has been kept dry of water for the last year until very recently

and worst of all my clutch master cylinder decided to leak, yes the fluid ran down my nice and freshly sprayed footwell :mad: so it looks like i'll be carefully trying to touch that up when i get round to it

i've still got the brakes to bleed and check over as i've not even had the drums off yet

still a few fiddley jobs to do as i said earlier but i'm slowly getting there, it's just very little visible progress , i'll sort a couple of pictures out later

[NiteMare]

oops forgot this thread was here (sorry)

well i've finally got him on the road about two weeks ago and took him for the MoT test which he passed with flying colours :eek:

two days later i took him to his first show with the Series 2 Club at the Royal Showground, Stoneleigh, where he was received with lots of good comments and lots of back patting (which gave my ego a bit of a boost :D )

i've only put about 100 miles on him so far and nothing major has shown up apart from my modified p/s pump collapsing (was using it as an idler) so i've fitted the series alternator mount and am now driving the alt' direct from the crank

i still have to swap the diffs as i'm still on the 4.7s which means it's pretty greedy on fuel and noisewise the top comfortable speed is 40-45mph (i've had him up to 70 tho :D )

i've still a few jobs to do, doorseals and ventseals along with the rear window seals needing replacing but mostly he's finished (but no doubt i'll think of other jobs after posting this)

the one thing i will say is i'm most impressed with the comfort while driving, my 88" hops and bounces around at the slightest changes in the road surface, while this one just rides over them with hardly a jiggle, it looks like i'll be using it more often once the diffs are changed especially for distance work, i've got a pair of 4.3s to go in but would prefer 3.9s, if i can't find the 3.9s (rocking horse droppings) and i don't feel the 4.3s benefit me enough i'll end up with 3.54s in there

but anyway, so far i'm enjoying him and i'm looking forward to exploring Wales next year camping and laning

[jerryd]

I've been wondering if you'd completed the project as you've been a bit quiet :) Any chance of some pics of the completed engine bay ??

I've just collected my 3.54 axles to swap into mine, also putting in parabolic springs, pro comp shocks and a few other new bits. Then it's time for me to think engine swaps, but I'm still not sure which one :confused:

Nissan ED33 Diesel / 5 speed box / landrover transfer case + pto or

Defender 300tdi / series gearbox or

Holden 186 / nissan 5 speed box / landrover transfer case

[NiteMare]

the engine bay isn't quite complete, i need an airbox which may yet be one from a Montego and a slim electric pull fan for cooling along with adaptors for my 52mm temperature and oil guages, i should be just about finished under there then, by the way the header tank is from a modern Rover 75 which i think is the ideal unit

a picture
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/08/562.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/08/563.jpg

the only time it has been on ramps, MoT time :)
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2012/03/1311.jpg

on tour at Stoneleigh with the Series 2 Club
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/08/564.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/08/564.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/08/565.jpg

the morning after the night before at Stoneleigh :D
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/08/566.jpg

Big Ears and Zebedee together
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/08/567.jpg

getting close to making a start on this one now, my 1970/71 New Zealand ex-military CKD, Chalkie
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/12/803.jpg

i hope you enjoy the pictures, i've enjoyed building him but am definitely relieved that he's nearly finished it's been a long 8-9 months

[RaggedJoe]

Well done, It's a cracker!

[NiteMare]

just a little update to let you all know that he's so far been trouble free and driven almost daily, he also now has an overdrive :cool:

went out this last weekend for a little gentle laning along with a few pictures in a localish pay and play pit
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/09/394.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/09/395.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/09/396.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/09/397.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/09/398.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/12/834.jpg

all taken on a phone but i hope you enjoy them as much as i have in taking them

[marko66]

Hi All

Nitemare, It looks great, i can appreciate the time and effort involved , if you feel the need to thaw out I have about twenty series vehicles that you can start on :):D

Regards Mark

[NiteMare]

Hi Mark, stick a couple in a jiffy bag (not the most rotten ones :p ) and i'll make a start as soon as the postie delivers them :Rolling:

[marko66]

Hi All

Nitemare that sounds like a plan:):D My land rovers breed but maybe it work's with propagation and watering too :angel::):D

Regards Mark

[NiteMare]

and now for anyone that may be interested i have finally got the cream of the cake :D

Big Ears has been featured in the June issue of Land Rover Monthly, 8 pages of good pictures and write-up

it really does feel like i've been rewarded for all the time and effort i put into the build :D

[NiteMare]

Hi Folks, it's been awhile but I thought it was time I called back in :)

I still have Big Ears and he's still my "daily" and nothing too much has changed apart from breaking a gearbox and a couple of other mishaps....

so first the gearbox problem, I had him sitting around for a while so I could sort a replacement box, got it all sussed and then got him outside my garage so i could do the swap ...

started undoing all the necessary in the cab getting prepared and got a phone call on a day it was raining..

only some idiot had driven into the front of him, bent bumper, dumbiron and buckled wing ....

luckily they'd been spotted and caught on camera as when I trotted round the back the family were all piling back into thier car with the intention of making a hasty exit [bigwhistle]

anyway I got thier details and had to chase thier ins' company through the courts for compensation, 2 years later I finally got paid out (good job I'm patient) [bigsmile1]

BUT .... whilst I was waiting for all that to be settled I gets another phone call one night from a neighbour .....

some tealeafing little rodent has only been and set fire to a stolen scooter not more than ten foot from the passenger side of him [bawl]

I got round there sharpish expecting the worst, the fire service were already there and about to start hosing the scooter down and I had to take charge quick to make sure they didn't hose towards my motor blowing molten plastics, flames and assorted other crap at him ....

anyway the fire got sorted, the side of Big Ears lost a little paint and the heat buckled the last undamaged panel on him [bighmmm]

rodents weren't caught and I dare not complicate my insurance claim that I was already chasing so I had to take that on the chin, at least he wasn't destroyed :BigThumb:

so anyway, there I am with various damage plus still got the busted box in there and awaiting payout for another three or four months with the insurance company trying to quibble and it finally got to court...

the judge took one look at the pre accident valuation and my magazine write-up and told them to get the cash out, so I got the value of a new chassis and other parts with no further excuses :arms:

a couple of weeks later I did my magic spanners/hammers/welder and a few swear words and I was back in the cab :thumbsup:

I still have further plans for him which I have been collecting parts to complete, he's going 5 speed and permanent 4x4 with a longstick LT77 and Disco LT230 (just because I can and I'm fed up of breaking Series boxes), he's also going to get powersteering, I've already got most of the required parts for the P38 conversion ...

but I need alternative transport so...

I bought an '83 classic by accident (as you do) that's rough as a badgers bum and had a 300tdi under the lid, of course that needs a little welding ...

so far I think I've had to plate and repair every inch down the drivers side from the headlight back to the C post (it's 4 door) including replacing the sill with 60x120x3mm box section...

I've now turned it round and made a start on the passenger side (from just behind the headlamp) and it's just as rotten this side :wallbash:

any way this is going to be my rough old toy that I'll not worry about dinks and knocks in car parks or off tarmac exploring (laning/offroad) ...

I've also got extra greedy and bought myself a pretty toy that a mate had parked up in his garage for the last few years ...

a '91 built '92 registered 3.9 Vogue SE with gas kit fitted, I'm dying to get that home but I also need to get the '83 finished (ish) first ....

my only problem (apart from parking) will be "which" one do I drive :Rolling:

oh, and yes I do still have Chalkie, my little Aussie built 88" that I need to get started on [bigwhistle]