Good Rover! Bad Rover! Mongrel dog!

[Slunnie]

Just a thought from another thread regarding Landies, their purity and owners perspectives.

There are a lot of people on here that look to get different things out of their Rovers, some purists, some modifiers and some that look at them as a machine or tool to do a job.

I know there are a lot of people that share the view it is important to keep it Rover - even when modifying.... then fit 4.11's from Ashcroft, lockers from ARB, axles from Maxidrive, Springs from LRA, shocks from Bilstein, bushes from Superpro, lower links from 3rds, radius arms from Qt, driveshafts from Tom Woods, snorkels from Safari etc etc etc and so it goes, but nothing Rover.

But when is Rover not Rover. In my Discovery is 4,11's ARB diffs, Maxidrive half shafts. There isn't actually anything in it from LandRover and there are a significant number of people that have the same running gear..... and they do this happily, but quite categorically NOT consider running for example a stronger Toyota diff and JacMac half shafts inside their Rover axle housings because it is not LandRover.

I'm just curious about thoughts behind modifying and what you would/wouldn't do in this respect.

[Blknight.aus]

I buy rovers cause out of the box they are the best at what they do... Whats that? 1st and second in 4x4 of the year?....

I dont do 4x4ing just because I want to see how far I can go I 4x4 because I need to be able to. The stuff I do for fun is basically skills honing, route selection , road building and avoiding the stupidly hard stuff is more my speed.

Im not against modding a rover tho, when a bit wears out (suspension, axles, diffs) If theres something better or more accurately something that makes the vehicle more capable in the fields I need it to be capable in at a reasonable price (not significantly more than genuine parts, cheaper and not requiring major re-engineering or other component replacement) Then I'll upgrade it as it wears out. But I aim to keep it so that if something breaks out whoop woop then I can still fit stock rover parts If I have to which is important in terms of repairability and reliability.


If I was tempted to build an offroad weapon then Id be using anything I could lay my hands on.

[rick130]

# 3, I'm no purist.......unless I had an early Series I.

Same goes for Jeep. If it's an MB it has to be as original as possible, but anything later is open slather as I'm concerned

[RonMcGr]

I'd love a Disco with guts.
However I would not stick a Jap or GMH engine in it.
Jaguar V8, yes, cos they do that anyway :-)

Not only that, some jag V8 imports are cheap as well.:)

[djam1]

If it continually breaks or wears out I am not opposed to using something that doesn't dont even care if the bits are Japanese.

[Dougal]

I've got a jap engine and gearbox, guess which box I ticked?:D

I view a landrover product as an almost blank canvas.

[Slunnie]

I view a landrover product as an almost blank canvas.

That's a keeper! :lol2:

I'd never heard that one, but I think LandRover until recent times did also.

[p38arover]

I view a landrover product as an almost blank canvas.

That's what I love about Series/Defenders - you can fit anything to them and it looks right.

Want a shovel? Throw it on. Where it sits, bolt it there. Can't do that with my P38A!

[mcrover]

My rule's for picking mods is:-

1. Reason/Nessesity, I dont just bolt things on so I look like I go Rock crawling etc.

2. Legality, I dont want to end up in a situation where I cant travel on public roads in my 4b, If I had a comp truck I wouldnt be concerned about this other than it keeping within class rules.

3. Availability, I dont want to be fitting something that I wont be able to replace or have repaired if nessesary.

4. Like Dave said, Compatability is also important.

I do think that anyone that owns a 4wd should be completely aware of the legaity side of their Mods and not rely on the opinions and ideas on here and actually get in contact with your local road traffic authority to make sure what you are doing is legal.

Also do not rely on the so called knolage of the sales person saying something is legal etc as they are in the end wanting to sell a product to you and after that it isnt their problem.

These are my opinions only and not meant as or to be used as guide lines.

[D110V8D]

A Land Rover is about the only vehicle you buy and then finish building it!:D

I try to stick to Rover specific, as in I'd pick Maxi Drive over ARB, even though the ARB is cheaper and easier to fit.

I'd rather spend some money and experiment with a rover V8 than just get instant power from a chev conversion.

I'm somewhere between purist and the second option.:angel:

[andrew e]

as long as it looks like a rover its all good.


even if it doesnt look like a landrover, but is landrover based, like a bushranger/dakar, thats good for me too.

[George130]

If I can't justify the factory replacement but a viable and reliable option is there then so be it.

[Chucaro]

I buy rovers cause out of the box they are the best at what they do... Whats that? 1st and second in 4x4 of the year?....

I dont do 4x4ing just because I want to see how far I can go I 4x4 because I need to be able to. The stuff I do for fun is basically skills honing, route selection , road building and avoiding the stupidly hard stuff is more my speed.

Im not against modding a rover tho, when a bit wears out (suspension, axles, diffs) If theres something better or more accurately something that makes the vehicle more capable in the fields I need it to be capable in at a reasonable price (not significantly more than genuine parts, cheaper and not requiring major re-engineering or other component replacement) Then I'll upgrade it as it wears out. But I aim to keep it so that if something breaks out whoop woop then I can still fit stock rover parts If I have to which is important in terms of repairability and reliability.


If I was tempted to build an offroad weapon then Id be using anything I could lay my hands on.

I am second to that, if you drive the Landy sensible and with a good technique no many parts of the Landy are going to fail.
If the going get rough and a shaft gives away I considering it as a "fuse" part of the machine which it is easy to replace than a transfer case.
Does matter how many years I have in the profession, I can not beat the Land Rover 60 years of R & D and experience.

[dobbo]

Has someone picked on your ute Simon? Don't worry about what the locals think, it's the country air. Due to the lack of smog in their lungs their brainwaves are slightly different to you'oll city folk.

If your still upset you'll have to swap it with my series, it's still pure.

I must be a wannabe modder, I'd like to do it, I just lack the 5 basic elements for modding

1: Money
2: Time
3: Patience
4: Tools
5: Knowledge

I do appreciate a well built legally modified road vehicle and a wild comp truck.

[jtktread]

Designed from the factory to be modified - series trucks anyway, and seeing as that is what I drove for 20 years I don't see why the Disco should be any different - anyway some things just work better, my VT injectors to start with.. ignition to go next..

[Slunnie]

Nah, if anybody picked on me I'd run them over with the series IIa! :D

If the stupid thing would start. :mad:


Seriously though, I'd wondered about it a few times when reading the forums and talking to a few people about mods they're doing or could do to fix things. Always wondered but never asked until the thread on Toy diffs made me wonder again. I just found it really strange that some people would fit non landrover diff gears, diffs and axles such as Ashcroft, ARB, Maxi etc and have nothing in there that was landrover, but absolutely would not run say for example a Toyota diff or CV into a Rover axle as they're not LandRover. I wasn't quite sure what the difference was between a part being made by Maxidrive or it being made by Toyota except for the fact that it was Toyota. I'm different again as you know, where I'll completely swap a lot of stuff that is non LandRover, with the old Landy running Toyota steering, brakes, axles etc. I finished typing a reply to a thread in the REMLR section about a leaking clutch/brake fluid bottle and then scrapped it as they're probably highly concerned about originality in that section. Anyway, it was more just out of interests sake.

[andrew e]

Heres the list of parts 110, buggy (your going to laugh)

chassis, firewall, and rear bulkhead - 92 defender
engine, 95 disco
gearbox 96 disco
transfer 98 disco
diff housings - 70 somthing range rover
front diff center, 100 series landcruiser with hilux LSD
rear diff center, late model hiace van with hilux LSD
tail shafts, rangie with commodore center bearing
drivers door, 72 series 2A swb
pas door 75 series 3 shortie
front wing tops and grill, 94 and 95 defenders
front wing outers 1959 series 2
rear radiator - 95 disco
trans cooler (ac condensor) 97 disco
thermo fans - 99 series 2 and 02 series 2 disco
power steering pump, vn commodore
fuel pump, vl commodore
Headlights, vw golf
fuel tank - stationary diesel driven welder......:)
steering box/valve - articulated tractor.


and it still looks like a defender !

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/ (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=7304068)

Ive kept it pretty much landrover, but thats because i had it all laying around soon the motor will be a 03 disco 4 litre, with nissan rb20 turbos, vt commodore throttle bodies, and the diffs will be replaced with merc unimog units.

My road going 1986 110 (county)

body 86 110
bonnet, grill, 94 defender
motor isuzu (factory fit)
turbo, nissan vg30
intercooler, toyota supra twin turbo
gearbox, 71 rangie, with 80 somthing top end
front diff, 95 130 housing arb center, 94 110 brakes, and 95 disco swivels.
rear diff 94 110
bullbar, early arb winch (aparently off a series 3)
snorkels, mixture of 200 and 300tdi bits.
exhaust, a mixture of 3 inch hand rail and dairy pipes
radio, Lexus
dash, and steering wheel 94 110.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/ (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=6460995)

Origionality, I have my own.

Factory spec is for my old monaro.

Andy

[lokka]

Heres the list of parts 110, buggy (your going to laugh)

chassis, firewall, and rear bulkhead - 92 defender
engine, 95 disco
gearbox 96 disco
transfer 98 disco
diff housings - 70 somthing range rover
front diff center, 100 series landcruiser with hilux LSD
rear diff center, late model hiace van with hilux LSD
tail shafts, rangie with commodore center bearing
drivers door, 72 series 2A swb
pas door 75 series 3 shortie
front wing tops and grill, 94 and 95 defenders
front wing outers 1959 series 2
rear radiator - 95 disco
trans cooler (ac condensor) 97 disco
thermo fans - 99 series 2 and 02 series 2 disco
power steering pump, vn commodore
fuel pump, vl commodore
Headlights, vw golf
fuel tank - stationary diesel driven welder......:)
steering box/valve - articulated tractor.


and it still looks like a defender !

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/ (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=7304068)

Ive kept it pretty much landrover, but thats because i had it all laying around soon the motor will be a 03 disco 4 litre, with nissan rb20 turbos, vt commodore throttle bodies, and the diffs will be replaced with merc unimog units.

My road going 1986 110 (county)

body 86 110
bonnet, grill, 94 defender
motor isuzu (factory fit)
turbo, nissan vg30
intercooler, toyota supra twin turbo
gearbox, 71 rangie, with 80 somthing top end
front diff, 95 130 housing arb center, 94 110 brakes, and 95 disco swivels.
rear diff 94 110
bullbar, early arb winch (aparently off a series 3)
snorkels, mixture of 200 and 300tdi bits.
exhaust, a mixture of 3 inch hand rail and dairy pipes
radio, Lexus
dash, and steering wheel 94 110.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/ (http://www.putfile.com/pic.php?img=6460995)

Origionality, I have my own.

Factory spec is for my old monaro.

Andy

And are they re drilled 80series 16x8 rims on the county :D:D:D:D

[andrew e]

And are they re drilled 80series 16x8 rims on the county :D:D:D:D

Na, they're custom 15x10s with 7 inch offset.

[Bulldog]

I'd rather spend some money and experiment with a rover V8 than just get instant power from a chev conversion.



I agree with this comment. I think an engine and/or gearbox transplant is going a bit too far unless its for comp stuff. And even then, i know of a Rangie comp ute that had a supercharged 4.6L Rover V8. I'm guessing the Chev conversion is just cheaper...

[VladTepes]

I do think that anyone that owns a 4wd should be completely aware of the legaity side of their Mods and not rely on the opinions and ideas on here and actually get in contact with your local road traffic authority to make sure what you are doing is legal.


I agree, legality IS important.

It's just a shame that the average muppet* at the RTA / Transport Dept etc can;t tell you what is and isn't legal.. Just get an engineering report, they say. For wheels and tyres ? Yeah, right ! (rolls eyes)






*No insult intended to any RTA muppets who may be inhabiting this forum. Just your mates !!! :cool: