SWIMBO's Series 2 Tdi.. The beginning!

[Sitec]

Well, watching all these projects has pushed us into gear!! The plan... Light, fast, 'old' Land Rover with character that can do 100+ kms daily into the city on those days when she chooses to leave the Golf GTD at home. Yes, that is basically how she asked for it! The original request was for a Series 1.... It was only when she looked closely at another forum members Series 1 in the Adelaide Hills that she realised how 'small they are'! The birthday was near, so the deal was done. Leave work early, sneak down to the city and buy this... 1963 Ser 2 ex military SWB, minus engine and box... in yellow! One of the two colours requested. (the other was Land Rover Trident Green). Little did she know she had been driving past it twice a day for the last 6 months!!!! Now, I know the purists among you will be saying 'noooo, restore it as original military spec'. It ain't gonna happen. This truck has signs it had a Holden 6 in it at one point, the chassis has already been 'doctored', and the rear axle is not original. Better saving the life of this otherwise scrap Land Rover than butchering a Series 1. Done! Case made!! :)

[Sitec]

Work starts.... Ok, the basics have been settled on. Yellow, 200Tdi, LT77 Defender 5 speed (short bell housing), 1.192:1 LT230 Transfer Case (have 1.410:1 and 1.222:1 in shed but would like higher), 3.54:1 Diffs and 130 deep dish wheels, PAS, Rag Top, Roll Bar (she has a lead right foot), and the spare mounted on a swing away at the rear. Originally she'd settled on my old Wolfe rims (pictured), but then changed her mind. This was handy as those rims have gone! Another post on here found us some older deep dish 130 rims complete with light truck Michelin tyres! Ideal!!

[Sitec]

Tdi found! The joys of the CFS, "CFS:RES Vehicle Roll, No Entrapments". Off we go to find a Disco on its roof! Driver was unhurt, but a little cross at the fact he'd just swerved to avoid a Roo and written his Disco with 'tweaked' Tdi off. A few weeks later through a friend I hear that he's breaking the truck and so I snap up the engine, rad, intercooler and a couple of props. We're away. Gearbox sourced from EBay in Melbourne. Seller had PAS and Transfrer Case (1.222:1) as well. Not the ratio I want, but it is the ratio I need for the TD42 into 130 project.... Yeah, that's after this! No stopping her now!

[Sitec]

Rolling chassis! Now I have to get busy! :( Battery tray has to go to allow room for Tdi injection pump and timing cover, front dumb irons need a patch on the front, front x member has been butchered, so needs replacing.. Will be having something slightly different to suit the Fender PAS. Gearbox x member will be relocated to suit the 5 speed and Lt230. Rear axle is just getting a 3.54:1 diff, Ser 3 studs and a coat of dark grey. Already has LWB brakes for some reason.. Front is getting disk brakes and a 3.54:1 Diff. Looking at disk brake options at the moment.. Anyone herald of Heystee Conversions out of Europe? They do a new hub and swivel housing conversion... Pricy tho. Anyone have any thoughts in this area? I have a pair of Defender axles coming my way but don't want to go down the wider route.. Thinking I might look at grafting the front hubs and swivels onto the series axle casing though......

One carton consumed sooooo far...:)

[jerryd]

I'm still undecided whether to use the series box or an LT77 in my 300tdi conversion :confused:

Will you move the engine forwards 4" or gearbox back and shorten the rear prop ?? I'll be watching with interest :)

[Sitec]

Plan to leave the Tdi where the 2.2 would have been. Believe it or not, early engine mount brackets bolt straight onto the Tdi. I'd use a 5 speed if I were you. Have done two like this now.. A series 1 88" with the old 2.5 TD (not sure if it made it out here) and 5 speed, and a Series 2 'bitsa' using a VW 2.4 straight 6 cyl turbo diesel grafted to an LT 77 (the red truck cab pictured in my photos). Both ran with the original front axle uni joints an full time four wheel drive mode without problems. A Ser 2 box will stick a 200tdi just. Not convinced about a 300 though!

[nomadickiwi]

On the home straight on a similar conversion on a 72 109 truck cab ex raf for my 18 year old. Good project to cut his teeth on seeing how a car comes to bits and back together again. We are doing a 200 di so no turbo, disco diffs standard box so hope to get 40 mpg or thereabouts. Spent today mounting galv front panel and fitting tdi rad to it, hope to get it painted (marine blue) later this week.
Keep up the good work looking good
regards
Al

[Sitec]

Sounds interesting... Di... Using the old 2.5 d manifolds? I'm assuming you are keeping the turbo setup for when he's older? Love to c pics!

[nomadickiwi]

I ll get my better half to have a go at the photos the next day or two. Was thinking of just making a flange to suit disco manifold and running pipe series 1 style out the side and into a silencer under seat box as its a truck cab that should work out o k. :D
Al

[nomadickiwi]

Hope to get some pics up shortly and will have a go at posting a few. The engine I got for the 109 had a trashed turbo and the big ends were a bit ropey so changed them also, but if he feels he needs more grunt at a later stage a turbo could be put back on I guess.
Al

Link to an album (https://www.facebook.com/media/set/'set=a.551850721512485.1073741826.309005169130376&type=1)

[Sitec]

Hi Al. Pics look good! I'll be interested to see how well the T(less)di goes without the turbo. Wonder how long it'll take the lad to work out that if he runs the pump boost pipe into the cab and blows down it he'll get lots of black smoke and a little more power for overtaking!! :D if you see a can of compressed air on the dash, you'll know what he's up to!

[123rover50]

I ll get my better half to have a go at the photos the next day or two. Was thinking of just making a flange to suit disco manifold and running pipe series 1 style out the side and into a silencer under seat box as its a truck cab that should work out o k. :D
Al

Thats what I did with mine. Page 7 or second page from the start.
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/series-i-land-rover-enthusiasts-section/139466-jumbuck.html

Didiman

[jakeslouw]

Subscribed!

[stuee]

Looking good Sitec. I want to have a crack at a series 2 once the 101 is done. Also subscribed.

[nomadickiwi]

Ha ha, that might explain why he was asking me today about my td5 discos redundant compressor and would he need a bigger alternator :D On a more serious note I cant wait to get it on the road cause the discos desire to consume fuel is putting my lamps out , so when I get it roadworthy I plan on borrowing it:angel: until I can get my 130 project done then the td5 will be gone.....(die hard tdi fan)

[Epic_Dragon]

breezing through this!!!!!!! haha going to be so cool! what an awesome birthday pressie for the missus!!!!!!!

[marting]

Certainly in an 88' the 200di conversion performs quite well. There is quite a few in England now because all the old Disco 1s have fallen apart with rust and the engines are relatively cheap. Fuel figures quoted are in the region of 35 - 38mpg.
I am in the process of putting one into a 2a 88', but keeping the series gearbox, t'case and diffs, but adding a roverdrive overdrive. This seems to give a good compromise between the ability to do 90 - 100kp/h on the highway and not loose any of the series gearing for off-road work. The 200 without the turbo is also a lot more sympathetic to the series running gear!
I will continue to follow your thread with interest. BTW, mine is for the wife too!
Cheers, Martin

[Sitec]

Well, we're back into this one with a vengeance! SWIMBO has worked out that if I get a 101 hers will never get finished.... Soooo, with that in mind I started to attack the chassis today, removing the botched battery tray and starting the chassis cleanup and mods. I even took a trip to a friends farm where I had got word there are two LWB Ser 2's and a Shorty.... We now own the shorty!! Oops!! It has a very straight body so will be perfect!! It also comes with a 2.286 petrol and gearbox which are supposed to be good! So if anyone wants a clean rolling chassis complete with engine and box along with a yellow bulkhead, rear tub and ex military wings, give me a hoy!! :)

[nomadickiwi]

Good man sitec, was beginning to think you had forgotten about it, though I see you have building a tasty camper in the meantime. :D
Al

[Sitec]

First trial fit of the Disco Tdi into SWIMBo's chassis. Gotta love the fact that Series 2 engine mounts bolt straight onto the Tdi. SA road worthy boys will love the fact that the engine mounts are standard.

[Sitec]

Here's the vehicle left hand mount. Just trimmed a tiny bit off to clear the turbo. So far I can see that the turbo outlet to the intercooler is going to have to be a neat pipe inside the left wing forward to the intercooler. I can also see that its going to be 'busy' around the exhaust outlet and the clutch slave cylinder area. The exhaust will prob have a 65mm pipe with a 90 deg bend pointing straight down to another 90 deg piece then out under the bell housing x member like the Series 3's used to be. Being a military chassis this shouldn't pose a problem due to the extra height and 750 x 16 radials. The clutch cylinder is going to require a little room making for it. I'm remembering now why I did away with that x member and the gearbox member and made one decent 100 x 50 RHS x member to suit the LT 230 transfer box. The original bell housing x member will also be in direct line with the front prop... Chop chop!!!! Panic not, I'm a coded welder! Here's a pic of the Series engine mounts under the Tdi turbo... Perfect!

[Sitec]

Well, she must be worried about the onset of a 101.... as it was rear shafts and diffs out yesterday, we'll be welding the new rear diff filler plug in, then its in with the first 3.54.1 diff!

[Sitec]

And she can drive a tractor!! That's why I know she'll be fine in a Series vehicle! Tdi out again to do some bell housing x member mods.... Got to make room for the down pipe and clutch slave cylinder. More to follow tonight, with positioning of gearbox mounts, x members etc!

[Sitec]

Engine, gearbox and transfer box all in. And propped at the rear using axle stands. Settled on a little lower at the rear... Means I can just get the handbrake drum off under the x member behind the transfer case....

[Sitec]

Here's a side view, just to give you all an idea of how much lower I went at the back. Not too much, but enough to allow for a sensible rear prop angle. It's fairly steep as the military chassis sits high. One mount fabricated using 3mm plate and the original rubber mount on the RHS. A set of Disco mounts came with the box but they seem a bit flimsy and sat too low. Just waiting on another mount and I'll make the left one.

[Sitec]

Rear prop shortened and fitted. No axle shafts in the rear axle at the mo so was able to rotate it. I've shortened the original prop (not using wide angle joints) and they are still clearing at full rear shocker travel with no weight so should be fine with spare mounted on the rear, simple roll cage, and tub.

[nomadickiwi]

Looking good there, making rapid progress. The angle on the engine/box look good compared to some conversions out there. Are you keeping the lt230 making it full time 4wd?
I have to say a missus who can get stuck in, wow, mine would not know which end of a ratchet to hold :D
Al

[Sitec]

Yes, keeping it full time four wheel drive. Running a 1.222:1 Transfer Case but would like to find a 1.192:1 as I think a ragtop shorty should be pretty light. Have done 2 like this in the UK, and the front axle runs fine IMO. You only feel kick from the axle uni's on full lock in first, and its not bad then. Re the wife on spanners.. It's not a common sight but she knows a 101 might be near so the pressure is on to get it done before that arrives! :)

[nomadickiwi]

Must keep an eye out for some of the early fenders to nab a few shorty lt77 s as they may come in handy for that sort of thing. Trouble is when they get too clapped out to pass an mot the farmers put them on agri use and keep using them.

[Sitec]

Gearbox mounts in! Here's the LHS...

[Sitec]

And here's the right side. The LT 230 is the lowest point and with the vehicle as a rolling chassis with engine it's still got 380mm clearance! 365 @ the base of the handbrake drum. I've managed to salvage and cut off all the previous owners 'additions' to the original gearbox x member.. This will be going back in slightly further forward sitting with the front prop/output flange just above it.

[brendanm]

Fantastic read. Love the photos. Should be a great bit of gear, best of all worlds when done.

[Sitec]

And the gearbox x member is back in, with revamped ends to give the front prop clearance! I now smell of angle grinders!! Started to manufacture the exhaust as its much easier to do with no body. Anyone know how loud a Tdi is without muffler... Too loud I'm guessin!! :). Now to get my head round the front x member and PAS box.... The x member has been butchered so is coming out but what to put back that looks neat and will carry the rad and intercooler....

[Sitec]

Still getting my head around PAS box... Buggers up the rad and intercooler positioning... as we are retaining the Ser 2 front panel. Soooo, I got on with making the front prop.. Half the Disco rear prop with the bent bit cut off and half of the donor Ser 2's rear prop as the splines were in A1 condition. New uni joint at the diff end and the rubber gator off the donor front prop and bingo! Well, it'll work! :)

[Sitec]

And back to the exhaust! Easy to do it now while I can get to it all! First to go was the cast Disco down pipe. I've made a replacement flange out of 10mm plate and started to fabricate the front half using 2 1/4" pipe. Yeah I'd like bigger, but there just ain't the room!!! I have 10 mm chassis clearance, 10mm bellhousing clearance, and 30mm clearance from the starter. Yes, the heat shield is going back on. Running it just under the PAX floor as its clear of the underside then. Could have gone bigger if I'd come out to the left of the vehicle and gone under outriggers etc but it would have looked tatty, and this way I know Hills can sit the vehicle on its belly without damage!

[Sitec]

I've also found a nice 2 1/2" muffler that has minimal silencing, so am sighting this at the rear and modelling it on the original system. That way I use std mounts and the ones on the donor vehicle are actually good! Have left the outlet at 2 1/2" and will roll a bit of steel bar into a ring to give the outlet that nice Td5 look. Big thanks to Richard @ 'Exhaust Wizard' on Paxton St in Gawler. He's done a few jobs for me and has the kit to bend pipe as req! 3m of 2 1/4" pipe, turbo gasket, one silencer and several mandrel bend 'u's' along with 6+ bends all for under $200.

[Sitec]

Exhaust all welded up and sprayed in heat resistant paint. Clear of the chassis by 10 mm and the bell-housing by 15mm! Room for movement, and a clear underside!

[Sitec]

2.5" outlet complete with Td5 style rolled end as requested by the boss! Can't wait to run it now to see what note I've got!!!:)

[Sitec]

Well, we have the front x member out, having tacked a temporary bar in place first, and we have the 4 bolt Adwest box roughly sited on the chassis. Planned to used a cranked drop arm but spotted a straight arm in Brendan's pile of 'sundry bits'! (British 4x4 in Adelaide). this lets me use the original track rod and damper assy from the shorty.... No reason why it shouldn't work....?

[Sitec]

Final position of steering box decided, so chassis drilled, and anti crush tubes inserted and welded into position. Xmember mfr this weekend!

[Sitec]

Finally got back to it today! So, having mounted the steering box, I removed the front cross member from the donor vehicle as it had not been molested to take a Holden donk, and tacked it back in the original location on the 'good chassis'! I've now built a heavy framework around the PAS box, and there is a piece of 50 x 12 flat going in underneath which will be bolted to the flat support bracket and welded to the base of the chassis!

[Epic_Dragon]

nice work :D

[brendanm]

This looks like it will tuck neatly behind the Radiator support panel.
Have you had a chat to an engineer with a view to registration compliance? Be interested to know how the converstation went, as I recon the only mod missing is coil springs. All of a sudden Tdi/ power steering/ coils... starts to sound like a 90. I like the heritage look of the series. Great to see the progress.

[Sitec]

Yup, the front of the plate that's in front of the steering box will end flush with the Seies 2 front grille. I'm a welder/boilermaker by trade, so structurally everything will be fine. None of the suspension or axles has changed, and it will be all original body. The Tdi is sat on all original mounts. The LT230/LT77 is sat on re manufactured mounts, but they're made on the same format so look like STD. Was not going to say too much to anyone, as it'll b up to scratch with disk brakes and decent radials. Has to be if I'm letting the wife drive it!! :)

[Sitec]

Well, we got back into it today... Probably a good thing the 101 is not here yet!! Time to match the LT230's hand brake to the Series lever assy. Luckily its been upgraded to the Series 3 lever that's a decent length. Anyway, I've managed to make a nice little pivot assembly with return spring and warning light switch that bolts onto existing holes on the Transfer Case. 'A' has a fixed M8 pin that slots into the original drum actuation lever, and 'B' slides into the swivel eye on the handbrake lever. Adjusted the drum up using the adjuster and operated the handbrake. 5 clicks and its solid! Sweet!!

[Sitec]

Having done the 'Handbrake Mod' and having had it work so well got me thinking.. There has to be a way with a few links and pivots that I could make up Hi/Low on a lever in the original place, and have the yellow knob for the CDL... Now that'd confuse a few! So, temp refit of the seat base and floor to see where the holes fall.....

[DasLandRoverMan]

Just caught up with this one, Looks like a very neat and well thought out build, keen to see the result of the separate levers for the LT230, cool idea.

I have to ask (realising it may eventually come back to bite me in the ass) is the Mrs really as short as she looks in the first pictures, or is it a small/far away thing.

If you've ever seen Father Ted you'll know what I mean.

[Sitec]

Oh, it will... She's giggling tho!! Bit of both, its an ex mil chassis so a lot higher than a std Ser 2, but yes she is fairly short. Makes up for it in attitude tho!! (I'll cop it for that one).. There's a good pic of us both on the wedding day in the "Anonymity be damned" thread in introductions to give u a better idea!! :)

[Sitec]

Well, there's been little progress on SWIMBO's project due to the arrival of the big green monster and the hay season that's fast approaching here in SA. That said, the heavens opened a few days ago and slowed everything down a bit! So, this morning I was just getting into the new fuel tank mounting mfr for the 101 and this voice appears from behind... "I'm bored... Is there any painting to do??". Oh hell yes!! But first things have to be cleaned!!! So a tank wire a brushing she went!! :D 'Not happy Jan'!!

[flagg]

awesome build Sitec - how on earth did I miss it before! :) You are lucky to have a missus who is into landrovers and she is lucky to have you make her one !! :D

[Kapunda]

I really like the progress on your build! looks like you are doing a very good job of it.

[Sitec]

Thanks Kapunda. You're not to very far from me... If you're passing thru Cockatoo Valley/Gawler, give me a shout. You can come see it in the flesh! Beers always cold! The Series has sadly taken second place of late... Blame the arrival of the 101 and a Cummins.... I got a little side tracked!!!:D

[Kapunda]

That would be good, although you can keep the beer, I'll bring a coke. I was in Gawler this arvo picking up my 200tdi and gearbox, I think I may encounter some problems though. My bell housing is LOOOOONG, Looks like I may loose my centre seat to a forrest of gear levers!

[Sitec]

Well. The gearbox just came out! It needed to come out for painting, and due to a plan change with the 101's gearing Im now using the 1.222:1 case that was planned for this.. Here's a pic of the fabricated gearbox mounts without the gearbox atop! Now planning to use the 1.003:1 transfer case so it won't be that fast with acceleration, but it will have legs for decent journeys... over 100km to the city and back for SWMBO every day...

[Sitec]

Well, its been a while since this project has progressed, but today, a purchase was made for it. Whilst trawling Gumtree a few weeks ago for an 'axle' that I can tack under my 40' container for the upcoming move, I stumbled across a Series 3 Stage 1 V8 front axle. Not something I was planning on using as I thought they'd be rare as chooks teeth! Anyhow, I thought $200 was well spent on a complete front axle, inc CV joints and flat bottomed diff. Where these 3.54:1 or just later 4.7:1 diffs? Hubs are like new, and they have the tell tale fine spline shafts. Idea axle to do my disk brake conversion on! There'll be a bit more of a gap as we move to a rented house for a yr, but once the new shed is up on the new block, this project will be the first to get attention! :)

[Homestar]

Can't wait to see what your new shed will look like. :). When do you have to be packed up and moved into the rental by?

[Sitec]

Hi Gav.
31'st of July is the 'out' day. Hope to have had the rental for a week at this point, and have had the container sited on the new block for a while. That way there'll be somewhere for all the stuff to go! The Series 2 is going to be loosely bolted back together over the next few nights, making it a complete'ish vehicle so it can be sat in a corner somewhere safe for a few months. I have to catch up with Bojan as I think 80% of the stuff he has in the container is stuff he was planning to part with! First thing to happen will be planning, and then the shed! Here's said shed, with enough room for a Merc in the middle!! ;)

[debruiser]

Only just found this thread! very awesome build.... Wish I lived closer so I could come and pick your brains and have a look at how you do things....

[Sitec]

Soooooo, I have been a stranger for too long! Having had a chat with Homestar yesterday, and then a quick chat with Inc to renew my subscription, I'm back! You'd think in 5 years I'd have the Series 2 finished, and well proven by now... Alas this is not the case. Since I was last here, we have bought a block of land, built a house, built a shed, and half built an overland truck! The Series has sat neglected until recently. Now though, with a shed, and the need for the second vehicle as the kms are climbing on Wifetec's daily drive, the Series 2 project is being revisited. So far the rear axle has been rebuilt, and the front axe has been swapped out for a Stage 1 V8 axle. Both axles have 3.54 diff's in them too. Here's Wifetec rebuilding swivels after cleaning!

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[Sitec]

With the swivels rebuilt and the Stage 1 axle in place, it's time to refit the swivel hubs complete with new seals. This was a job that couldn't be done without Doggo interuptions... When a human is at dog height, work was slow! [bighmmm]

163391

[Sitec]

Although slow, there is progress.. I have had the front two hubs machined to accept Land Rover disks. Thanks to Pete at PCB, I've also learnt that the Range Rover rear disks are 10mm shallower than the rest of the Land Rover offerings putting them at 60mm from side to side instead of the standard 70mm... so seem to be the best 'off the shelf' solution. Now to find a low profile caliper that suits. Here's the story so far.

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[Gaz69]

Great to see an update Sitec!

Cheers
Gaz

[butundede]

Great to see an update Sitec!

Cheers
Gaz

Speaking of updates....how’s the 6.6 coming along?

[Gaz69]

butundede

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/misc/quote_icon.png Originally Posted by Gaz69 https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/buttons/viewpost-right.png (https://www.aulro.com/afvb/projects-and-tutorials/171036-swimbos-series-2-tdi-beginning-post3022190.html#post3022190)
Great to see an update Sitec!

Cheers
Gaz



Speaking of updates....how’s the 6.6 coming along


The twin cab or my extracab? Twincab is on hold until i finish the extracab 100%. Need to get back to work $$$ so projects on hold at the moment.

Cheers
Gaz

[Sitec]

Hello all! Another long break in the process but we’re back at it again, though only for a few months as the painter has let us down. Thanks Inc for processing my subscription renewal at a much faster pace than this build is taking too!!😂😂 So when we left off, I’d got the bulk of the modifications done which meant I could get on with prepping stuff for paint. However, we have limited access to our workshop at home as our house is currently rented out and has been for the past 3 years. We do have limited access though and our tenants are super cool so I went in with a borrowed Ute and trailer and collected our ‘Land Rover’.192948192949

[Sitec]

As it’s been so long in the making, SWIMBO (or ‘Wifetec’ as she’s known on other platforms) has had plenty of time to consider colours… First it was yellow, then it was to be the same grey as our Overland Truck, but she’s finally settled on a classic colour…

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RAL 6019 Pastel Green will be the main colour, which matches the vehicle pictured. We were told that RAL 1013 Oyster White was the correct colour match for Land Rover Limestone, but have since learned that RAL 1015 is Land Rover Limestone, so the painter is under instruction to use this white for the lid and wheels instead.

[Sitec]

Next up was to prep the chassis for painting. This involved several hours on the wash bay with sand paper, Scotch-Brite pads and the steam cleaner. With all the muck and loose stuff removed, I sorted out the towbar assembly and finished welding the modifications around the power steering box, and then left the chassis to dry in the sun for a day. Next up was etch primer and finally a satin black top coat.

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With the chassis painted, it seemed like a corner had been turned. Things were no longer old and rusty. From here we could progress with clean stuff!

192957

[Sitec]

With the chassis safely back at home, I could turn my attention to the engine, gearbox and transfer case. By this time, ‘Wifetec’ was back from the UK and into cleaning, stripping and priming things like bonnet catches, bonnet hinges, pedal boxes, track rods, the props I fabricated some 10 years ago etc. While she was busy with that, I set about cleaning the Tdi engine, and then changing the cam belt, rear main seal, front pulley seal and oil filter. This then led onto wanting to fit the engine to the chassis. It was at this point we both realise that the gearbox, transfer box and handbrake assembly etc were all in a box buried within the entire contents of the house! A morning spent shifting crates and boxes with the tractor had them found, cleaned and fitted to the chassis behind the engine!

192958

You can see the stack of boxes behind the Land Rover… The gearbox and transfer case were in the bottom box closest to our donor truck cab! Always the way eh! Next up was the exhaust system that had sat on the top shelf in the workshop gathering dust with all the panels, wheels and PAS box.

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As we are bolting all this stuff I’d fabricated on, I’m busy trying to remember what bolts I’d used, what needed cleaning up and painting etc! This project has been on the go for far too long!

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With the exhaust system in, and the power steering box in, it was time to think about the disk brake conversion! Apologies about some of the pictures being the wrong way around… For some reason they turn as I upload them.

[grey_ghost]

Hi Mate,

Wow it’s been so long! How have you been! So much has happened (with me that is) - I hope that you are well and have been enjoying life!

Cheers,
Grey Ghost - aka Tom

[Sitec]

Hi Mate,

Wow it’s been so long! How have you been! So much has happened (with me that is) - I hope that you are well and have been enjoying life!

Cheers,
Grey Ghost - aka Tom

Hi Tom! Yeah, it’s been far too long! We’re both well and enjoying a life on the road now. We’re off back up to the Kimberley in a weeks time. We’d have liked our Land Rover to be in tow, but the painter let us down, so it won’t happen this season. If I get a chance to fly back in October for a few weeks, then it may happen then! How’s things with you? Still have a selection of Land Rovers? ☺️

[Sitec]

Early on in this project I looked into disk brakes on the front axle. I had the Series 3 hubs machined down to accept a Range Rover Classic disk. I then pondered how to go about mounting a calliper. someone said that LC200 callipers would fit… They are huge and don’t fit! Not only that, Auto Pro the robbing mongrels charged me a $120 restocking fee to return them. Never again will I use Auto Pro. Lesson learned. Anyway, a bit more internet research had me looking at early Defender callipers, and Td5 disks, as they have a slightly larger diameter than the Range Rover disks.. all of 5mm!

With a borrowed disk and callipers from Pete at PCB Land Rover’s in Adelaide (huge thanks Pete), I set to work on making a calliper mount. The later Series 3 LWB drum brake backplates are a lot thicker than the earlier ones, so I used this as the basis for my calliper mount.

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To say it’s all a little close is an understatement. There is only one place an early Defender calliper can go on a Series Swivel housing, and that’s between the top kingpin and the oil filler plug. Knowing it would work, the borrowed calliper was returned and the second Td5 disk collected, along with two new callipers and some brake hose! There has been some light sanding on both the new calliper lugs and the swivel housing to get it as close as I have, but it sits where it needs to and looks like it was meant to be there!

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Those of you who are on the ball will have picked up that there are free wheeling hubs on what is now a full time four wheel drive vehicle, with a Stage 1 V8 front axle… So, the plan is that this little Land Rover’s will cover thousands of kms on an A frame behind our Overland Truck. With this in mind, I plan to run grease in the wheel bearings, and have a free wheeling hubs on each wheel. These will all be unlocked when the land Rover’s is ‘On Tow’, and then locked when we are using it in and around Broome and the like. I’m also contemplating one shot grease in the swivel housings that have the CV joints. Any feedback on the One Shot Grease is welcome. From what I can see, the swivel housing has a seal between it and the hub, so the hub will need grease anyway…

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Well, as today was spent cleaning the workshop, and packing down, along with gutter cleaning, raking and generally preparing to leave the workshop for another 18 months, this will be the last post here for a while. We had hoped to be taking the Land Rover’s with us this time, but it wasn’t meant to be! Perhaps 2027 will be the year it hits the road! 😊