Interchanging tailgate & door

[Surferjim]

Am currently looking at 2a's and 3's and was wondering just how easy it was to change the current rear door + solid roof for a tailgate in the summer months - I did a quick search of the forum, but drew a blank.

I don't mean in terms of weight and effort - more fixtures, fittings and availability (anyone have one?)

Any suggestions or alternatives?

Like always, many thanks in advance.

[scrambler]

Fairly straightforward, Surferjim. Unbolt the roof and the door. Add hinge element to rear chassis (if not already there). Add latch assembly to tub. Attach tailgate. After summer, remove tailgate, add roof. The door will reattach and function normally with the tailgate hardware in place.

There's a bit more trouble involved if you want a canvas roof - there's a piece required for the top of the windscreen plus all the hoops etc.

PS, yes I have the hardware. But no, I'm keeping it all. Won't be hard to get off a wreck.

[JDNSW]

Most 2/2a/3 hardtops sold in Australia except station wagons originally had a lift up hatch and tailgate on the rear. With this setup removing the hardtop is an hour or less once you've done it a couple of times - the only catch is you lose your top seat belt mount.

As far as the interchanging of rear door and tailgate, once set up with the latches and hinges for the tailgate and the hinges and lock for the door, the changeover can be done in a few minutes.

As scrambler says, rather more complicated if you want a canvas roof, but still only a couple of hours tops once you have all the bits and a bit of practice changing them.

John

[MarknDeb]

Gday Surferjim, Tomkah has a great idea that iam also thining of doing to my S3, leave the top of the door as is and the bottom one put 2 door hinges on it so it swings outwards, it should work a treat

[Dinty]

G'day All, Angus are you looking for a LWB H/top and sides? cheers Dennis

[Surferjim]

Hi - thanks as always for the info.

Am looking at all options at the moment, but there's a tasty SWB I have my eyes on that has the full rear door and hard top.

I gather that the tailgate is easy to put in place, but the hood mountings less so.

So - here are some more questions:

1) Are S2 and S3 shapes the same as far as windscreen, tub etc go? i.e: Will a S3 SWB / LWB hoop set fit on a S2

2) Pedro the Swift indicated that there was a canvas man who custom makes hoods, but if anyone had other sources, that would be great.

3) In MarknDeb's post, there is mention of the door being re-hinged to swing away - which is all well and good, but presumably requires the thing to be cut in half? Or have I got that wrong?

Dinty - I am looking still for a very reasonably priced S3 or S2, preferably with ZERO heating issues that I can put a canvas roof on, not specifically the hard top and sides.

[Bigbjorn]

We routinely changed one for the other at Leyland Truck and bus. No big deal.

[JDNSW]

As Brian says, the bits for S2/2a/3 are not only interchangeable, but identical, except for possible minor variations such as change of thread types (which won't affect the fitting). Many of the bits, but not anything to do with the windscreen, are interchangeable but not identical between Series 2/2a/3 109 and the 110/Defender 110, less so the 2/2a/3 88 and 90/Defender 90, as the tub length is different. Series 1 parts do not fit and there are quite a few variations within Series 1 production.

John

[Surferjim]

John - great stuff - I'll keep an eye out for the tailgate and hoop set for an S2 / S2a or 3. I imagine that even if I find a 109 hoop set, I can take the grinder to the spacers and carry on.......

[JDNSW]

John - great stuff - I'll keep an eye out for the tailgate and hoop set for an S2 / S2a or 3. I imagine that even if I find a 109 hoop set, I can take the grinder to the spacers and carry on.......

Get a parts book - so you know what you are looking for! (not the parts numbers necessarily, but it shows all the little bits)

John