o_teunico Posted November 18, 2017 Share Posted November 18, 2017 Hi all, 10 years ago I remember reading, cannot remember if in lre magazine or net, about a rangie shortned to 80" and fitted with Volvo portals. All I know is that it was made in the UK and was black. Does anyone have info and pics about this vehicle? Thanks in advance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B reg 90 Posted November 19, 2017 Share Posted November 19, 2017 Think you are referring to a car known as 'Portal Bob'. If so, it was built by Andy Thomlinson (Plasma winch rope supplier/Ruftracks). It was an 80" wheel base and was bobtailed at the back. He had Volvo C303 axles fitted by GEMM4x4 in Scotland. They also added a full body cage. It had a 3.9 V8. I bought the car off Andy a few years ago, took off the Volvo axles and refitted normal LR ones. I did use the car a bit. I liked parking it at work as it helped everyone think I was certifiable..... Also did a club offroad event in it. When I bought it Andy was slightly concerned that I was not trailering it away - I drove it home across Scotland. Also drove it 300 miles to Yorkshire. Handling was slightly interesting as the short wheel base, high center of gravity and 35" simex made it a bit twitchy. Then sold it to a guy who thought his wife would like it (???) I have more pictures if you want + the magazine with the original article written about the car. Adrian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
o_teunico Posted November 20, 2017 Author Share Posted November 20, 2017 Yes, thats the car! Do you think that 80" + lift could be dangerous? I have an 88 and was thinking about fitting longer leafs at front, moving shackle holes in chassis back. Going also SOA. This setup will end in 82" and 6" lift. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
o_teunico Posted November 20, 2017 Author Share Posted November 20, 2017 I whant good ground clearance and swb for good turning circle, but I Dont want to end with a looping car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedLineMike Posted November 20, 2017 Share Posted November 20, 2017 i last seen it plastered in logo's advertising Castle Combe Race circuit, which i believe is the chap that bought it off B reg 90 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedLineMike Posted November 20, 2017 Share Posted November 20, 2017 [/img] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedLineMike Posted November 20, 2017 Share Posted November 20, 2017 [/img] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
o_teunico Posted November 20, 2017 Author Share Posted November 20, 2017 It's a really nice rangie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted November 20, 2017 Share Posted November 20, 2017 It won't fall over for the same reason trucks don't flop forward when racing on circuits -most of the mass is still low down no matter how large the body may appear, the drivetrain is HEAVY. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AV8R Posted November 20, 2017 Share Posted November 20, 2017 1 hour ago, Bowie69 said: It won't fall over for the same reason trucks don't flop forward when racing on circuits -most of the mass is still low down no matter how large the body may appear, the drivetrain is HEAVY. The heavy drive train will be raised equal to the body . With SOA (springs over axles) the only weight down low is in the axles. Everything else will be raised. I suppose this will be for an all out off road vehicle ? At least consider fitting Defender axles. The wider track will counteract the higher center of gravity and possibly give a tighter turning radius. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted November 20, 2017 Share Posted November 20, 2017 Well yes of course, point is though, drivetrain is way heavier than bodywork, even with it raised a few inches, you are not going to suddenly take a forward roll. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B reg 90 Posted November 20, 2017 Share Posted November 20, 2017 The car was ok to drive. I would say that it was the same as a lifted 90 with simex on with one exception - the steering link design was a compromise that resulted in the drag link slightly rotating the track rod up or down (depending on which way you steered). This caused a slack spot in the steering and an element of vagueness to the direction! I believe the steering design was driven by Andy's desire for the axles to be capable of bolting into any land rover. It made handling at speed interesting. However I did overtake cars in the M6 in it after a while. This means that either I'm mad (I learnt to drive on a fordson tractor with about a 1/3 of a turn of slackness in the steering - you guided it), or it was comparable to driving my lifted 90 on simex. The high cog you are worried about will not show on the road - it will be far more of an issue off road at any kind of angle. Adrian 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
o_teunico Posted November 20, 2017 Author Share Posted November 20, 2017 D2 axles willbe fitted. Dont know if possible regarding prop length/angle and chassis to tyre clearance, but modified shacke points at chassis and rear leafs to front and vice versa will transform an 88" into 76". Too short? Suzuki/Daihatsu/Bedford/PIAGGIO mini vans are a tad over 72", and aparently, even with ligth tail and forward control, dont flip forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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