Chicken Drumstick

Lol. All the out riggers are factory replacements. The rails have just been been fabbed up using scrap metal as repair sections. It’s as factory as fitting a half chassis or new rear cross member then a month later repairing the front with sheet metal

Have emailed Rakeway. Will post up what they say here as a reference for others.

Not disagreeing with you. But I have access to a 109. It’s all there with tidy body work including a 3.5 V8 sat in it. Just a rotten chassis and no gearbox. I just can’t see getting any sort of 110 being similar money. And no less work overall.

Yes and no. I don’t have a 110 and they aren’t exactly cheap to buy.

I don’t think that is a topic for this forum. The rules are quite clear on the homepage 😉 However I think the answer “depends”. As no matter what any single source will tell you. There is no single clean cut answer. And speaking to DVLA/VOSA can and does yield differing and contradictory opinions. Ultimately I suspect it would take case law to truly set a precedent. But I’m not aware of any. For this build. Engine/gearbox/steering mods would also need to be included. But this isn’t my first foray into heavily modified vehicles. For the chassis however. The question to ask is “what is the definition of suspension?” One answer could be there are suspensions systems such as independent suspension and solid axle systems. In which case a coil chassis uses the same live axle suspension system as a leaf chassis does. It has only changed the spring type. I know others and possibly yourself may have differing views (opinions). Hence stating it would take a Court Case and case law to actually decide ultimately. If changing the spring type counts as the definition of suspension. Then any p38/D2 going from air to coil could also be at risk (dependant upon other modifications of course). As would anyone fitting air assister springs.

As said. I have a LS1 already. In fact I have a few bits. I own both of these: They are 4th Gen Chevy Camaros. The blue one has a 5.7 LS1 and 4L60e automatic gearbox. The green one also has a 5.7 LS1 but with a factory T56 6 speed manual. I recently found my 88 Tdi to be too small while away camping and also too unrefined. My current thinking is a 109 coiler. Designa chassis can supply the chassis and I have access to Land Rover axles. I also have a Rover V8 I could use, as a V8 will solve the refinement issues and the coil suspension help in ride smoothness. But the RV8 is only a 3.5, I know I could get a 3.9-4.6, but seeing as I have the ability to use an LS1 at no extra cost it almost seems silly not too. I just need to solve the transmission problem. I have an LT230 to use. I’m not willing to pull the T56 out of the Camaro though. And I do want a manual in the 109 for preference. I didn’t see in the links above. Was there a T56 to LT230 adapter? As souring another T56 isn’t out of the question.

Thanks. Good reading. But I must be blind. Couldn’t actually see an adapter or a link to one? Do you have a direct link? ta for the gearbox links. £4K for T56 is a pretty big chunk of money though. Going for the R380 and having to rebuild the box every 5 years would probably give you a few decades use before costing the same.

Yeah have seen those vids. Any idea on the T56 to LT230? Never seen that one. As for engines. I already have an LS1 engine. And looking at a 109 coiler project with it. But want to keep the LT230 as it just makes life easier with the rest of the drivetrain. It’s just the gearbox bit that is missing. Would really like to have a manual over an auto. Also the only auto to LT230 I’ve seen use the 4L80e gearbox. Which again is expensive and hard to source in the U.K.

Thanks. Was hoping for a little more first hand experience. Why would a company go to the effort to develop and stock something that doesn’t work? One would assume people have tried it in the past which generated the demand to make the components. The LT-77 was used for racing in applications also exceeding its base specs. So it’s not completely unheard of using higher performance engines with them. Do you have any links for using a NV4500 or T56 in a Land Rover? Although the availability and cost of them in the UK makes them non viable options really.

I’ve seen 4L80 auto to LT230. No manuals though. I agree. Just seems odd they would sell an adapter and custom starter if it was a no go. I mean You wouldn’t fit an LS and not use the power.

Sure many of you have seen this before: https://www.marks4wd.com/engine-conversions/bell-housing-adaptors/ls-v8-engines/mfk410g3.html Adapter kit to mate a Chevy LS1 to a Rover 4 or 5 speed manual (assume it means LT-95, 85, 77 and R380) Obviously the LS1 is way above the 380nm rating of the R380. But I’m guessing as they sell the kit, it must actually work and be usable. Does anyone know of any build threads or examples of this adapter being used? Google doesn’t seem to return much for me.

What age Disco and is it 3 or 5 door? Those tyres will fit. But not without a few tweeks. Need to know what rims and what sort of offset you are looking at. Front bumper end caps and maybe lower spoiler may foul. As will the rear of the rear arch. If you are only on road only then less trimming is needed or just some lift springs. If you want to off road it and flex the suspension you’ll need to ensure they clear at all suspension extremes and steering angles. And not all tyres are created equal. Road biased tyres will as a rule be physically smaller than remould MT’s of the same stated size.

But it’s the push rods that allow them to be so compact. Really can’t see an issue with it. It’s not as of OHC is only a 21st century invention. Both Chevy and Dodge build OHV V8’s neither based on old designs. And can employ displacement on demand, variable timing and a host of other things. They also represent some of the most powerful production engines on sale today and often with best in class mpg as well. GM actually ditched their Northstar DOHC V8’s as they just didn’t offer enough benefits. And the Northstar is easily equal to any Jap/Euro V8. The last variants of them had 100,000 mile service intervals.

That is a rather blinkered and naive view to be quite frank. The LT as in LT1 and 4 used in the C4 era Corvettes is a completely different engine to the LS series. They share no common parts not even the same firing order. The LS1 was launched brand new in 1997 as a 5.7 litre (346cu not 350cu like earlier engines) as a clean sheet design. Variants of this engine are what are in production today. Up to 7.0 litres, supercharged, dry sumped and a host of other attributes. These engines pull fine at revs some have a 7500rpm redline. And none feel like the run out of revs or breathing. Have you actually owned or driven any LS powered vehicles? The 5.7 versions I’ve got make peak torque at 4400rpm. But make over 95% of that torque from 1500rpm. They also respond very well to being modded. N/A for street use they can make 90bhp/litre. And then most are 6.0 litre or more that is rather a lot of power. Or you can super/turbocharge them. The OHV design means they are less tall and less long as DOHC designs. Making them much smaller overall. They are also generally pretty good on fuel and make very good performance numbers.

This one did ok at the ALRC National. Capable drivetrain. But it’s big and bellies out quite a lot getting beached. It did take a bit of bumper damage though.

How much does the Nissan V6 cost? Guess there are a few used ones about. Sadly not many used LS engines unless you import them. Found in the Monaro, VXR8, Corvette and Camaro. Steel block LQ variants found in pickup trucks. Crate engine prices are pretty good though. If you are going new. I have two LS1’s, both in Camaros. Agree on the Lexus V8. Although no off the shelf adapters to easily install in a Land Rover. I have one of these V8’s sitting on a crate. Just not got around to using it.

Would be better off with a Chevy LS V8. Lighter, more compact. More power, more tunable, lower centre of gravity, cheaper to maintain and already established as a potential swap engine with adapters to mate to Rover gear or transfer boxes. V6 on the right:

You should be able to notice the diffs on road. But may not. Depends how you drive really. Fwd cars like a Honda DC2 Integra Type R or Rover 200 BRM have front TorSen diffs that work largely the same as the Ashcroft units. You really can feel the diffs working in those vehciles. Which when under cornering make them tuck in tighter in the bends. Rather than push wide. They also reduced one wheel spin (usually inside wheel). This happens less with 4wd but is still possible in a Land Rover with open diffs. At the rear it will just be like any other 4wd/rwd car. And again reduce inside rear wheel spin. Cars like a Subaru Impreza run a centre and rear LSD. Overall the ATB’s should be better in every situation. Be it on road, gravel or proper off roading. But you should feel the front one through the steering a little. But not in a bad way. If you are going to the cost of getting these and you do a lot of gravel road driving I’d be tempted to look at the LT230 ATB also. As for off road use. My Uncle has the ATB’s front and rear in his 90. It will walk through axle twisters that can stop open diffed 90’s. This is a slow mo of my brothers 90 on a good axle twister. If you go too slow it’ll stop it quite easily. The 90 with the ATB’s has less suspension travel and doesn’t flex as well. But will literally drive through on tickover without being stopped. You can just feel as the diffs kick in. Sorry no vid of the ATB’s in action yet.

I like the boxer engines. But there is little benefit over fitting an RV8. The V8 will make a fairly easy 200hp and is a bolt in job. I suspect a 2.0 litre Subaru turbo engine would be no better on fuel. Just a lot more expensive to fit.

And on the flip side look at all the new diesels being launched in America.

Do you have any links for the YouTube video? Bit of a mine field as I don’t know what I’m looking for. Ta. Also not sure if your last paragraph is aimed at me or not. I don’t know what 70 year old tyre designs you are referring too. Nor how you can’t air down with tubes??

Maybe. Maybe not.

Well with all you experience. Could you point me to a reference or some example vehicles where narrow tall tyres are the choice for sand driving? I’m a little devoid of dunes local to me. But I live in a part of the UK with lots of different soil types locally. I typically run 7.00 or 7.50 tyres as they dig in deep due to being narrow. This was evident in the field only a handful of weeks back when it was later logged. My lighter 88 on 7.00’s left fat more pronounced and deeper tracks than my brothers heavier 90 running 31.10.50’s We do have some sand soil nearby too and a number of sand quarry’s. Conversely having driven narrow tyres at those locations they generally perform badly digging in too easily and sinking far more rapidly. The wider tyres we have generally have perform much better on the sand.