My father had a 265 Hemi in his series 2a. Fitted it about 30 odd years ago and only got rid of it a couple of years ago. Was mated to the standard landy box (no sychro on 1st) and a fairey overdrive. Was fitted with salisbury diffs from memory, and a downdraft Weber carburettor. We travelled all over Australia when I was a kid, towing an 8 berth Franklin caravan.
Only broke one of the rear axles once in SA as I recall. I think dad took out the rear tailshaft and ran it front wheel drive until we got to Melbourne where he got a replacement axle.
Boy could this thing get up and groovin if you gave it a bootful. I recall in Perth a few time dragging off Jeep Cherokees and a few V8's, (and we had the caravan attached). There were 5 of us kids in the back waving and laughing at them. Must have been embarrassing for them.
With the overdrive you had 2 speeds in reverse so could do about 60kph backwards.
Those were the days.![]()
Warren
Currently Landroverless - Still interested
Formerly: 2003 D2a Update TD5 Auto. Platinum edition. ARB Bar, 36" LED light bar, cargo barrier, dual batteries.
John I'll pm you some photos of the slant on the running stand on saturday when i go visit my engines (oh and parents) to see if you're interested.
I haven't had time to research the project much this week, I've got to the point where i have to try and find out more about the similarities between hemi and slant bell-housings to see if there is much, if any, interchangeability.
If the the 2a gearbox can handle a hemi a slant shouldn't pose any problems (i just put an overdrive in and would hate for it to have been a waste of time and money). Was there any reason the slant wasn't used as an conversion option back in the day? They're shorter than the hemi with lots of low down torque and the exhaust points in the right direction so the seem like a good candidate for a kit.
I'm looking forward to seeing the pics of the valiant powered landy, it seems like a match made in heaven (for me anyway and i suspect a few others).
Rather than using the LR 'box i could do a push button auto conversion as well![]()
That would be great, thanks. I look forward to it.
I think the bellhousings were quite different on Hemis and slants, from memory (it's over twenty years since I had anything to do with slants). i know all sorts of conversions have been done, like Borg warner single rails behind slants, so I guess anything is possible.
Maybe the slant wasn't used by some because of its orientation. There wasn't much space between the head and the inner guard on the driver's side on any Valiant with a slant in it; it must be very very tight in a Landy. Like you, I am keen to see pics of a Hemi in one. It was along time ago that I saw something like that, and when I was 21 I think I had less attention to detail...
I used to dream of having a Hemi in my IIA twenty years ago, but now I get all excited over my 2.25D, bristling with pre-war diesel technology. Funny, eh?
With all this said, I definitely remember hearing about slant conversions back when the engines were much more common. I remember a conversation late one night with a prospector who told me that they "bolt straight in" to a Land Rover. He was extremely drunk at the time. Actually, so was I.
As much as I like the IIA transmission, and have rebuilt mine and never had problems with it, I do not know enough about gearboxes to feel confident with a Val engine fronting something that was designed for such wee little British four cylinder jobs. Still, it has been done.
John
P.S. A push button auto on a Landy? I reckon I'd pay good money to see that......
bolts right in eh? Well if you can't trust the word of a drunk prospector who can you trust.
That's right. I'd hate to think that the world had come to the point where a three-fourths smashed gem fossicker might lead a bloke astray on factual information.
will get photos within the next couple days, spent all day pulling the starter motor out and apart, as it decided to give up on me. will have new solenoid by wednesday hopefully.
ill be looking into the landy gearbox hemi mating more as it appears they can hold up.
cheers
The landy box will hold up if you treat it right. Just dont hammer it in first or third gear. Second will take it though
We ran a turboed 202 in a series 111 a few years back. Soon discovered the weak links in the Series box! 1st gear
Talking Valiant/Dodge , I have a 56 model series one here with a 318 shoe horned in.![]()
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