Gazzar

Raise the seat a bit? Fit a volvo seat?

I've no problem with bigger, no problem with immobilisers, but an just reluctant to put too much integrated stuff in a series! I've just seen a 3.9 disco go on ebay for £410, so I'm planning in getting one of these and going with that, maybe start looking this time next year. THanks! G.

http://www.mudstuff.co.uk/mud-seat-rails.html No idea if they work, no link with company. Good luck!

Bring a few pieces of timber to protect the trim, the weight of an axle on one or two points leaves a permanent impression!

Sounds like a plan! I'll keep an eye out over the next few months and see what's available locally on ebay.

Budget? Tight fisted git! I think I'll buy a D1 v8i, budget £800 for a car and £400 for an engine. Should allow me enough to do a semi-decent clean up and check over. G.

The reason I'm going the bitsa route is that I've got all the bits! And by the time I strap on an Aircon pump, PAS pump and all the other stuff that a spouse requires in a car then I'm sapping a fair few horses from the 3.5. Plus the S1V8 is carbs, not keen on carbs, to be honest, too dependant on experience, rather than expertise. I don't mess with them enough anymore to get them in tune easiy, whereas the injection setup is more like the diesel experience.

MS would be on the wish list but I'd be planning on getting it running and legal before I go MS. What engines suffer most from the slipping liners? and what versions have the Serp front end and run on hotwire/standalone ECU? And to they all connect up to the same bolt pattern and flywheel? Disco 1 v8 3.9i P38a? Disco 2? Cheers! G.

I'm planning a 109 SW build, long way in the future but as I've just picked up a V8 to gearbox adapter I'm now thinking about what engine to fit. I've decided that I want a rover v8, no good reason other than I want it to be brisk, strong, clean and fairly reliable. I don't do mega miles so mpg isn't an issue. But which one? I don't think I need a 4.6, I'm not sure that the 3.5 will be enough, it's going to be a heavy car. It's got to be injection: the smell of petrol on the street when a classic goes by is not as appealing as it was when I was younger. What's the 3.9i like? What's the difference between that and the 4.0? Which has the improved oil pump? What runs on a standalone ECU without complex alarms and stuff? Which has the problem with the poor tolerances and requires top hat liners? In summary, what do I buy? Oh, and it's going to have a R380 + LT230 so the torque shouldn't be a problem..... Thanks? G.

Assuming this is the cheapest way to do things, parts availability in your part of the world denying you the chance to sell the defender roof and buy a series safari roof: You could do what you propose, I think it might look odd. Though you could take the opportunity to fit some LED flood lights or something into the gap, or aerial mountings? What I'd do is cut off the Defender screen mounting flange and cut the series roof to match, with an overlap. I'd then jogle the defender roof and secret rivet the series equivalent into it's place, with a good PU adhesive (tiger seal) to seal the lap. I'd then weld the flanges together, and zinc spray the join. Some good filler over the lap and a respray should see it fine, at least on the inside.

Oil level, or oil grade?

Always the way - the apprentices were given the job of desigining the defender, while the "chief designer" designs the lifestyle vehicle with the pop star. Nevermind, if they didn't break so much, we'd not have the fun of rebuilding them properly!

Refresh my knowledge: That inner shaft rotates with the pedal, or does the pedal pivot on it\? Does the pin go though both tubes? Is it a pin, or a set screw/bolt? Farmer engineering, centre punch it and drill it out, use a gutter bolt to replace it, riveted in place. I'm curious - I'm going to dig a pedal out of the store and have a good look!

They don't look all that hard to fabricate..

That's the big problem with that diesel - using the petrol style dizzy drive for an IP adds too many wear components to the arrangement. That, plus a 3 bearing set up, isn't a recipe for a long life. Interestingly LR were working on a DI turbo intercooled diesel in the 1960's but funding was cut off by HQ, probably to conserve funds for Jet engines or some such rubbish.

Interestingly, one of them was (crudely) made into a one piece rear door!! I may fit it to the vapour 109, I've yet to decide which is best. As the dogs are going to travel in the back it may be easier to have the catflap and swing out tailgate. The other one came with my daily driver HT 109, which was turned into a pickup to avoid the road tax when I was living in Ireland (€1,000 of a difference each year). I'm of a mind to turn it back to original some day, but for now the pickup is so handy for junk moving it will stay as it is. G.

Hay! Free practice! And exersize. What's bad in that?

I've got two in the container, I'm not interested, though well done for putting the thing together! Suggestion - mention on the deafener forum? G.

Sometimes! Why, you trying to get cheaper VRT? I think the Revenue/NCT places use figures based on the VIN. G.

They have a good reputation, they DO use larger than standard bushes in them, which ads to comfort, but are less commonly available (I think). I've a set to fit to my intended 109sw build. Also look at TI Console - Paul Hystee, again, a good reputation, especially for service. I'm running britpart parabolics 3 leaf rears on my 109 pickup at the moment. They are ok, some rust and not as well made as the RM. Last night I brought a 3.5 tonne trailer load, plus a 500kg plus load in the pickup - the back was down but the ride quality was fairly good. Mind you, if your existing spring packs are only rusty, not broken, then a day spent disassembling them (use heat on the couplers), cleaning them and greasing them will work wonders. Apparently a well greased springpack is as good or better than parabolics. Please put your location in to your profile, no use use advising you to get a brand, only to find you are based in Ulan Bator or somewhere! Thanks. G.

also: Check the rims for wobble. Jack up the wheel, and spin it - see if the rim is perfectly flat by holding something against it like a pen resting on something sold. The tip of the pen should stay EXACTLY the same distance from the rim edge. On mine I had two rims that weren't straight - they went on the back.

2.5 from a defender? 2 MPi? After that you get into engine mgt systems, so mega squirt/jolt or clever electronics. Shame about the V8 being out - you could go Lexus. What else will fit a disco box? What about something ford? You might get a ford engine to series adapter that could bolt onto the disco box - Ford used to be fairly good about common stud patterns so it might help. G.

It allows you to paint fresh galv.

They all do that, Sir! But seriously. FIt the new valve stem seals, see if it improves, then fit the tips, see if it improves. Don't worry too much about the blue packaging, but inspect the goods closely in comparison with what is in the injector, if they aren't identical according to the callipers then send them back unfitted. The bluebox company do re package good stuff now an then. I use their chassis replacement parts and they are adequate. Not as good as original in little details, but better than rusty original. But first, try a can of decent injector cleaner. If you can, find a crusty motor factors - hand made shelving, weathered men, very little marketing, and see what they have.

Bit of black underseal, it will be fine!