Thread: Auto or 5spd Manual?

Ah, sorry, misinterpreted your post. My best guess to that would be a yes - most things I've seen in those little suzys is pretty strong for what it is, but I can't give you a definitive answer there.

Yeah im hoping itll provide me with a cheap auto combo and will easier to engineer than a complete engine swap. Although Wolfs offer is temping if I can muster the money together quick enough...... injuring my knee put a big hole in my savings

Hello Newy,
I have been seriously considering making my series three into an auto as my legs don't work that well any more.

I originally looked at the trimatic as I have a few of those lying around, however I worked out that they are too wide and they would need to be tilted like some truck Autos, I had planned to rotate at the rear of the bell housing flange, then I saw that the bell housings are full of oil galleries making this impossible. the Trimatic was just too hard and not worth persuing.

Lately I have decide to fit a C4 Ford auto between a powerglide bell housing and the Landy transfer box.
The Land Rover transfer box is the best to use unless you want to have all sorts of other conversion complications like no handbrake!
The Ford Bronco in America uses a C4 which has a short rear shaft to mate up with the Ford transfer case, this looks like could be adapted to fit a Land Rover Transfer with the right machine work, however the freight costs exceeded the purchase price, and stalling this option.

I am a Holden fan so to fit a Ford gearbox goes against the grain, but a C4 it seems to be the best option by far.
These type of conversions for 30+ year old Landys don,t get listed anymore in conversion kits so it would have to be as a one off.

The best C4 to use would be a later one out of a 6cyl XA or XB Falcon I suppose, although these were fitted to XY models too I think.
The V8 models had a larger front body flange which is larger than the rear of the powerglide bell housing, so I am on the hunt for a cheep 6cylinder C4 to experiment with.
Thats as far as I have got so far, hope it helps a bit and saves you the cost of buying a 250 FORD engine which I think is longer and may require further bonnet and front pannel changes.
The Land Rover transfer case is about the only Land Rover componet which myself and my brothers didn't blow up on the farm when we were growuing up, so they must be the best choise, so stick with the original transfer.

Mike

Damn yeah forgot about the handbrake.
I never thought of hooking up a c4 to the 186..... might look into that idea.

I was also thinking about hooking up a th350 auto as well but I can only find adapters to attach a lt230 transfer.

Originally Posted by Newy

Damn yeah forgot about the handbrake.
I never thought of hooking up a c4 to the 186..... might look into that idea.

I was also thinking about hooking up a th350 auto as well but I can only find adapters to attach a lt230 transfer.

Check the width of the Th 350, maybe it is too wide like the trimatic and that is why no adapers exist. the LT transfer case differs, and allows for more side clearance, but I want to keep the original length tail shafts and not have to change those too.
Lots of things will be possible at a price, but I want to keep somewhere near original so I don't have trouble with fitting off the shelf, or second hand bits.

The Land Rover tail shafts seem to wear out fairly often if used in adverse conditions, so this is on my mind.
My father's new 1981 series 3 4cyl had a front tailshaft replaced under warranty as we had completey stuffed it in under 12 months!
( Our Swan Coastal Plain sandy soil and water combination eats them for breakfast! )
Additionally that may have indicated their greasing, service standards, either way they were not amused at having to pay for a brand new one!

Mike

I'm planning to do some measuring this weekend, then out to the local wreckers to hunt transmissions to measure up. Atm I'm just looking at all my options and I'm getting plenty good ideas here.
Newy

Well look what I have found......a GM180 (aka trimatic) to series transfer.




The research continues.......

Here's the link to the V8 auto lightweight....


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