TheRecklessEngineer Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 I'm getting rolling on replacing the V8 and series gearbox in my 88" with an R380 and 300 TDi. I've got the old engine and gearbox out, and I've been wandering around with a tape measure: It seems they won't fit (easily). These are the options: Move the engine and box back far enough to fit everything in. The problem here is the transfer box lever ends up more or less in the middle seat and the gear change will be by the driver's elbow (not comfortable) Get the gearlevers in the right place, with the engine forward, but use a defender front end to create room for the radiator. This also solves the issue of where to put the intercooler - currently not enough room to put it side by side with the rad. Get a stumpy bellhousing, correct placement of gearlevers, series front end remains. (£300 ish for the conversion I think) Use a charge air cooler and put the radiator in the back. I see the best option for least faf and best value as fitting a defender front end, but I'm not keen on doing this as I want it to look like a series! Any other options I haven't though of? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 What's the R380 from? If it's Disco/RR then the levers are a foot further back than Defender flavour and you're starting at a disadvantage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokeyone Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 I went with the defender R380 gearbox and the Ashcroft conversion but still working on it .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejparrott Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 Stumpy, don't bugger up a Series front end! Much to my dismay just watching another being fitted with def front thats having a V8 and auto, and there's no room for the rad, apparently......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 You could mitigate the aesthetic change by using the Series light surrounds and a wire mesh grille to mimic the Stage 1 V8 rather than a Defender - the bonnet, slam panel and front panel are the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 I would go so far as to say if you can't do it with a Series front end it's not worth doing or you're not trying hard enough 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 If its £300 for the conversion for the stubby version then I think its worth it. I think you would regret getting rid of the series front end. The Stage One suggestion would be a nice half-way house though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disco2hse Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 Stubby bell housing and put the radiator in the rear, with intercooler in the front. Combination of solutions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CwazyWabbit Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 300 pound might seem steep for the stubby conversion but I'd guess that by the time you price up any of the other options (like defender front end) you'd be approaching the 300 quid but not ending up with what you really want Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted January 24, 2012 Share Posted January 24, 2012 Rather than a stubby, can you not just use a stock defender box & LT230? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRecklessEngineer Posted January 25, 2012 Author Share Posted January 25, 2012 It is a stock defender box...the whole lot came out of a 110. I like the idea of a stage one front end. thanks for the suggestions, I'll sit and look at it today and see if I can make up my mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejparrott Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 Stock defender R380 you mean? Its longer than the stock LT77 still, stumpy was deisgned for the R380 being a direct replacement for the LT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted January 25, 2012 Share Posted January 25, 2012 I know it's tight but I can't believe it's not doable with a Series front end, ditch the viscous fan etc. etc. I thought you was an engineer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRecklessEngineer Posted January 25, 2012 Author Share Posted January 25, 2012 Well, I've had another careful measure up (even marked it out and everything!) Without the stumpy bellhousing, the whole caboodle is too long to fit - assuming you keep the gearlevers in the right place. I worked it out as 50mm clearance between the nose of the water pump (most sticky-outy bit) and the back of the slam panel - no where near enough room for a radiator. Now there are some creative engineering solutions I've come up with (including charge air coolers, pwm controlled forced cooling in a remote radiator, gearchange solenoids etc etc) however, the whole reason for fitting an R380 and 300TDi is that it is easy. If I'd wanted a challenge, I'd have chosen something like a BMW M51 or some funky Nissan engine. So, with that in mind (and especially as I've already got a defender bonnet kicking around) I'm going to put a stage 1 grill/slam panel on the front, but keep the series wings. Anyone in the know will easily spot there's something 'interesting' going on, and anyone who doesn't spot that wouldn't appreciate the effort required to keep the series front anyway! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobotMan Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 I manged to squeeze a 200Tdi and LT230 in to my 88 and keep the centre lights. How hard can it be? How a bout a rad behind engine in front of bulkhead like a Whitbread? Stumpy bellhousing and Rakeway reduced output are options if you want to go spendy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landroversforever Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 I manged to squeeze a 200Tdi and LT230 in to my 88 and keep the centre lights. How hard can it be? How a bout a rad behind engine in front of bulkhead like a Whitbread? Stumpy bellhousing and Rakeway reduced output are options if you want to go spendy. presumably that was with the LT77 though? which is shorter than an R380. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 LT77 and R380 there's only an inch in it and in some cases the bellhousing is shorter to take up the slack anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 How much of the radiator surround are you cutting away? They are about 8" deep IIRC (looking at my LWT one atm) by moving the rad forward it must all squeeze in surely? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRecklessEngineer Posted January 26, 2012 Author Share Posted January 26, 2012 Yes, there's about an inch difference between the Lt77 and the R380, however there's another 4 inches (ish) in the gear levers. I've taken the datum point as the gear levers being in the right place, and worked everything out from there. I've got a diagram somewhere, I'll dig it out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daan Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 lt77s will do you ok, Thats what I run. If you have the S version, there is nothing in it in strength anyway. You need a 200 tdi or td/na bellhouse for it. Daan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobotMan Posted January 26, 2012 Share Posted January 26, 2012 presumably that was with the LT77 though? which is shorter than an R380. Yes I didn't mean to type LT230, but I have one of those too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRecklessEngineer Posted January 31, 2012 Author Share Posted January 31, 2012 I figure pictures are better than diagrams. Using the gearsticks as the datum point, this is how it all sits in the chassis. Despite the front end problem, it's actually a very comfortable fit. There's a small clearance issue between the timing case and the PAS box - mostly because the box has to sit higher to clear the spring. Otherwise, pretty much everything lines up - even the stock PAS pipes fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobotMan Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 I turned my gear stick 180° in the splined fitting and rewelded it so it sat further back. I then had to put a bend in the difflock lever back over to clear. If you didn't know you would never spot it. It clears my Raptor Dash comfortably now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRecklessEngineer Posted January 31, 2012 Author Share Posted January 31, 2012 The gearstick sits pretty perfectly actually. I had to cut a chunk out the seatbox to get the gearbox in, but the gearlever ends up where it is in a defender. Even the stock defender gearbox cowling fits (with a little jiggling....) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 I don't know what you're worried about, looks like plenty of room for a rad there! I'd be tempted to shuffle it back a couple of inches just to give a bit more breathing room, no harm having the gearstick a bit closer to you and sticks can be cut/bent to suit quite easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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