Land Rover 110

[webber]

For several weeks I've been planning in my minds eye the perfect webber wagon; a shooting truck extraordinaire. As you would expect its not been built, so its spanners and welder out time.

I have today on fleabay come across a vehicle which comes close to my specification, but at £16,000 and dirty diesel, its out of the running.

 

I've come across a possible contender for the donor vehicle, but I feel that it is optimistically priced, but does have a galvanised chassis. I therefore wondered if anyone could advise as to the value of a Land Rover 110 galvanised chasis?

Knowing this would enable me to put a more realistic price on the remainder of the vehicle and make a decision.

 

Oh, the webber wagon spec?

110 / defender county

V8 to run on Autogas

Automatic, my left leg is ********; autobox from discovery with centre console and handbrake etc.

Retain locking centre differential.

Air locking differentials to front and rear.

Rangie vented discs to front axle to cope with extra power.

2 or 3" suspension lift + 2" Air lifter, powered off on board compressor, also available for tyre inflation.

Poly bushed all round.

Winch bumper to front with suitable winch.

Rock slider side steps.

Upgrade front drivers and passenger seats.

Treat rear load area with polyurethane coating to allow swilling out, (blood, mud etc.)

Adjustable height tow hitch, (the only thing that I already have)

Decent tyres on decent wheels. (I think that young webber will have a major input here)

Spare wheel hung on a proper carrier at rear.

Roof rack to act as roof rack and modified to allow for shooting through the roof.

Large electric sun roof to rear, to allow shooting through roof; blast, I sold one out of a Shogun.

High level lamp bar, and hand controlled through roof lamp.

Wading kit, vented to snorkel; I already have the tube and fittings.

Camo style paint work.

Obscured rear glass.

Front and rear tyre inflation sockets.

 

Looks like finding the right vehicle will be the easy bit.

 

webber

[J@mes]

110 Galv chassis are available but I seem to remember they are about £1500!

 

http://www.marslands.com/chassis/90/110.htm

Edited August 14, 2010 by J@mes

[webber]

110 Galv chassis are available but I seem to remember they are about £1500!

 

http://www.marslands.com/chassis/90/110.htm

 

Brilliant; thanks.

 

webber

[Mungler]

The problem is, everything you want is already out there in any second hand auto Mitsubishi Shogun.

[webber]

The problem is, everything you want is already out there in any second hand auto Mitsubishi Shogun.

 

 

I've had 5 Shoguns over the years, and had no real cause for complaint; but you can't really build the type of vehicle that I have in mind on a Shogun basis; plus there is loads of Landy stuff available. Even Shoguns rust, and I doubt that I would have the same fun. I'm trying to get away from complicated electronics as far as possible, and be able to fix it at the side of the road with a Leatherman.

 

webber

[ProteuS]

Richards chassis - These guys make excelent galv chassis for all land rovers, infact when I eventually put mine on one that's where i'll be going to get it.

 

I'll add one caveat thoguh to pricing a defender with a galv chassis. There can be some messy trucks out there that have been home bodged onto galv chassis, or even worse, people with slightly iffy chassis have saved a bit by just having their own chassis dipped. That being said you can get some super homebuilt ones where people have really taken care and attention. and used the proper parts on their rebuild. I always like to see it when someones painted their galv chassis black. Looks stock and makes it less obvious to theives. I would usually guess people add 2-3k for a galv chassis.

 

If you build it up yourself you'll have the satisfaction of knowing it is done right, but it will be pretty costly.

 

If you're putting an auto box in it may i suggest a console like this Replica NAS spec auto console .

 

I really wouldn't go over 2" on the lift if I was you, it creates alot of problems and has very little benefit. With a 2" lift you can run 35's which is getting towards the limit of what you would want to drive regularly on the road.

 

Lockers are a fantastic idea, and are on my wishlist, but when you do them you really have to put in uprated halfshafts, cv's etc in. Also your choice of tyres size will dictate wether or not you need to change the r&p ratio. Also, if you're putting Air lockers in you will have an air source for tyre inflation. You can go with the quite neat electric arb compressor. Or if you don't want Air Con, get a york type AC compressor from an old volvo, and you can rig that up to provide air (huge amounts of air)

 

For fixing with spanners were you thinking of a v8 on carbs or one of the Efi units? With a good efi you'll get more power and a bit more economy but more of a strugle with electrics if that isn't your thing. However, if you have the inclination I would highly reccomend going for a megasquirt efi system which fixes an awful lot of lucas problems, and can be made water resistant far more easily. It would also have the lpg bonus, of being able to have selectable ecu maps at a button for petrol and lpg.

 

everything else seems pretty simple and pretty well thought out for what you would like.

 

Bit of an essay, but I hope it is of some use to you.

 

p.s. I'd only mount a spare to the back on a swing away carrier if I had a roll cage to mount it to. I really think it's a bit much weight to be hanging off the door / bodywork.

[webber]

Proteous

 

Many thanks for your input and comments which I will pay attention to.

I can't confess to being a Land Rover buff, but have messed with them on and off since I was 14.

The reason that I was considering the air lifters on top of the suspension lift was to provide some additional clearance and a little more ride comfort, but I don't know anyone who has either fitted them, or experienced them.

I have seen a spare wheel carrier which hinges without a roll cage fitment, but can't recall the manufacturer.

I've just been offered an EFi Disco with auto box for sensible money. My first thoughts were to get it as a donor vehicle for the webbers wagon project, but I'm now considering getting it and doing a lesser webbers wagon with that whilst I await the right 110 coming along. The one on fleabay with the galv chasis sold for the asking price in less than 24 hours!

I've since found a vehicle similar to my minds eye ideal, but its not V8 or automatic, but the rest of the job looks bonza.

I'll try and post a link for interest.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...e=STRK:MEWAX:IT

webber

[Mungler]

I have spent a small fortune on cars over the years; whilst I used to pour over all cars that were "custom" or "classic" I now run a mile.

 

From the boring "numbers" bit, you could have a different Jap wagon for each day of the week for the same money it will take to do a Landy project properly.

[ProteuS]

For additional comforort and clearance, I'd highly reccomend paying the extra for old man emu springs and shocks, I have the +2 heavy duty springs and +5.5 shocks all round on my 90. They are just starting to soften up. and I must say it has vastly improved the ride over standard. From everyone i've spoken to they all say really the ome shocks and springs are the best setup for ride quality and ability. Saying that i've heard the helpers can be good if you pull extremely heavy trailers.

 

I've seen some of the swing away wheel carriers that to the crossmember and at the top to the body, but I'd be worried about the strain at the top eventually pulling them out from the bodywork or damaging it.

 

Discos are a good vehicle, and will be vastly less than a 90/110 with basically the same running gear and a 100" wheelbase which is arguably an ideal size, but they can be a little more of a pain to work on and around, and seem to lose their value disturbingly quickly and the ES models can throw up their share of electrical troubles.

 

Had a look at the landy, If it was me I'd build one up then you have exactly what you want, and if you put it on a galv chassis and look after it it should last a lifetime.

 

One other thing I'd say though, get at least a pre 2001 for road tax. and also if you get a slightly older vehicle the mot regulations aren't quite so ridiculous.

 

and because all you would be doing would be changing engine/gearbox you shouldn't need it to be sva'd.

 

As mungler says though Jap wagons are equally if not more capeable. But when you start wanting to put a winch on or a lift, the price can get ridiculous fast. Land rovers are also pretty easy to take apart to work on, which is good because they often need it.

Edited August 15, 2010 by ProteuS

[webber]

I have spent a small fortune on cars over the years; whilst I used to pour over all cars that were "custom" or "classic" I now run a mile.

 

From the boring "numbers" bit, you could have a different Jap wagon for each day of the week for the same money it will take to do a Landy project properly.

 

Mungler

 

I wouldn't say that you were wrong, but its difficult to achieve what I want with Jap stuff.

Don't forget that I am an engineer. I employ 3 mechanics and a mechanical engineer; have access to a 3 bay fully equipped garage and machine shop. This will be a fun project, with a very usable toy as an end result. There is no time scale deadline, and the expenditure can be spread as needs be.

 

webber

[George1990]

Jap wagons fade out of existance when next to any Land-Rover. Simplicity and British engineering at it's best. (Modern landies excluded!)