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Body swapping


Simon_CSK

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Have been buying too many Land Rovers recently so need to sort some out.

I have two Discovery 3's one with a smashed front end and the other with a knackered engine. From my point of view it is better to pyt the smashed one back together but the engine swap requires more work. It made me look at it another way. 

If I take the good body and off the knackered engined car and take the smashed body off the car with the good engine I can then put the good body on the good engined chassis. In the points based system according to DVLA, the chassis, engine, suspension steering and axles all come from one vehicle so I will not be required to notify DVLA. AM I correct in my thinking?

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Theoretically yes you can swap the body as the points are in the chassis, suspension etc. Worst case you would need an IVA (not the full kit car one) which shouldn't be a problem if standard vehicle. Then it would probably get an age related number plate. You probably should notify DVLA and your insurance. I'm not familiar with d3's but you would need to transfer the id from the chassis to the new body and this maybe troublesome.

Mike

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23 minutes ago, Blanco said:

VIN No. in the windscreen will be a pita?

The old one from the accident damaged car will be easy as the windscreen is broken when the air bags deployed.

8 minutes ago, miketomcat said:

Theoretically yes you can swap the body as the points are in the chassis, suspension etc. Worst case you would need an IVA (not the full kit car one) which shouldn't be a problem if standard vehicle. Then it would probably get an age related number plate. You probably should notify DVLA and your insurance. I'm not familiar with d3's but you would need to transfer the id from the chassis to the new body and this maybe troublesome.

Mike

Mike

Wasn't considering an IVA. This will be a totally standard car, no modification at all. In theory I am fitting a second hand body to an old chassis so if all the points are in the chassis then surely DVLA have no input. How would DVLA know because it would to all intents and purposes be a standard car.

Not worried about insurance at this stage.

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If the colour is right, it is easy, apart from the VIN in the screen, as mentioned. I don't know how the number is mounted, and you probably get an unfavourable reply from the friendly windscreen man to assist. I would personally just swap the engine. Can the engine come out of the bottom without taking the body off?

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31 minutes ago, reb78 said:

Body off to get the engine out (without a LOT of work) so I would put the good body on the chassis with the good engine. 

The body has to come off both of them anyway. So I am with you on this.

3 hours ago, Daan said:

If the colour is right, it is easy, apart from the VIN in the screen, as mentioned. I don't know how the number is mounted, and you probably get an unfavourable reply from the friendly windscreen man to assist. I would personally just swap the engine. Can the engine come out of the bottom without taking the body off?

One is grey and one is black there is a facility on the logbook to change the colour so that can be corrected.

 

Oddly enough this evening I was watching an episode of Wheeler Dealers on a AC Cobra that they had to put through the IVA test. Everything they tested would be irrelevant as the car has already been through the test by the manufacturers.

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If for an engine change it makes sense to lift body off, then it’s a no brainer to swap the good body over.

In the context of a D3 the body is not considered a major components in points system, so it would be considered a modification, and you not need an IVA, and no issues with registration, just colour change with DVLA as you’ve stated and requirement to have the vin number clearly visible. 

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I'm with the, it's just a body swap camp.

The VIN in the dash could be a problem. Though I don't recall mine having it there anyway. Removing the incorrect one could lead to suspicion if noticed but so would the incorrect one!

I guess you have paperwork for both as proof?

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22 minutes ago, missingsid said:

I guess you have paperwork for both as proof?

I have for both vehicle receipt for purchase from salvage auctions and V5C's so no issue on that score. It really comes down to when is an inspection necessary>

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Its interesting. I only ever really think about chassis swaps in defenderland. But you noone ever says you cant change all of the body panels on the defender with other secondhand ones without a test, so why do i sense some implying that Simon would need to do more with a body swap on a discovery3 compared to what we might do on a defender?

Edited by reb78
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It’s only the same as the early days of the discovery when a few RR classics were updated 😳with a disco body on the RR chassis , yes with hindsight it’s sacrilege but people did it ! 
 

I see no issue at all @Simon_CSKjust cover yourself with all the documents and you’ll b fine 

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33 minutes ago, steve b said:

Isn't the VIN stored in the main ECU ?

Worth checking , but other than that and the dash VIN tag it's just a like for like body swap ?

Steve

Not sure on the Disco 3 but on the early L322's the VIN was also stored (and miles) in the light control modules. Simple case of swapping them over though assuming the cares are the same year and spec etc

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A body swap seems like a good plan and logical as it needs to come off to do the engine anyway. We did similar with 2 P38s last year.

A few things to consider:

- with the BCU in the body, you might run into trouble with the immobiliser. Unless you change the engine ECU as well, but I'd keep that with the engine if possible. As stated, the VIN will also be in the BCU.
- are both cars the same year? Often the wiring has subtle differences over the years, leaving you with connectors that don't fit etc.
- the body tag is easy enough to get off when the windscreen is out, putting it back on the other one shouldn't be hard either. Shouldn't be necessary, as a body swap is allowed. But it could avoid discussion of 2 different VINs on the same vehicle. We get an identifaction plaque on the slam panel as well, not sure about UK cars.
- seems rather obvious, but are you sure the damage to the front end hasn't affected the chassis or mounting points?

Seems like a nice project, and a (relatively) easy way to keep one car going and scrap the other one. Good luck!

Filip

 

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1 hour ago, reb78 said:

Its interesting. I only ever really think about chassis swaps in defenderland. But you noone ever says you cant change all of the body panels on the defender with other secondhand ones without a test, so why do i sense some implying that Simon would need to do more with a body swap on a discovery3 compared to what we might do on a defender?

That is an interesting way of looking at it.

1 hour ago, steve b said:

Isn't the VIN stored in the main ECU ?

 

The vin is stored on quite a few ECU's so hich would relate to the newer vehicle. Less coding to do if I only have to re code the injectors.

55 minutes ago, Ozzy50 said:

It’s only the same as the early days of the discovery when a few RR classics were updated 😳with a disco body on the RR chassis , yes with hindsight it’s sacrilege but people did it ! 

Now there is a thought I could put the disco on a TDV8 Range Rover Sport chassis.

28 minutes ago, Escape said:

- are both cars the same year? Often the wiring has subtle differences over the years, leaving you with connectors that don't fit etc.
- seems rather obvious, but are you sure the damage to the front end hasn't affected the chassis or mounting points?

Seems like a nice project, and a (relatively) easy way to keep one car going and scrap the other one. Good luck!

Filip

 

One is a 2007 the other a 2008 and will be able to get a good look at the chassis when the body is off.

The reason for rebuilding the accident damaged one is that it has a lower mileage than the later one but the later one has a much better interior. I have listed all the damage on the write off and whilst I have all the parts and it is my favourite colour the body swap seems to be the least problematic. 

I had a look a a youtube video on changing the dashboard as the airbags have been deployed and that in itself is possibly a days job. without the bonnet, seat pre tensioners, wing, radiators, headlamps bumpers etc. Also I would need to get keys for the right off as it doesn't have them as it came from the police. Not difficult to get but the cost is £200 for a blank, £100 for the coding and £100 for a clone. It all adds up.

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Can't remember which but I believe some of the control boxes get upset on mismatching chassis numbers.

The mileage will be whichever is the highest if the BCU and dash vues don't match.

DiscoMikey on Disco3.co.uk knows all about big swaps, he has just completed a TDV8 engine etc. Into a D3.

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3 hours ago, reb78 said:

Its interesting. I only ever really think about chassis swaps in defenderland. But you noone ever says you cant change all of the body panels on the defender with other secondhand ones without a test, so why do i sense some implying that Simon would need to do more with a body swap on a discovery3 compared to what we might do on a defender?

Can I point out I said it shouldn't be a problem legally. But even if it was, IVA is the worst case and that's not really an issue with a standard car bar the additional cost (around £500).

Mike

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One thing I don't think that hasn't been mentioned is isn't the Disco 3 one of those with the body and chassis being structural to the chassis? E.g. do the springs etc., mount on to turrets on the chassis ala Defender or are they part of the body like the L322? If the latter then does it constitute part of the chassis?

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34 minutes ago, Ed Poore said:

One thing I don't think that hasn't been mentioned is isn't the Disco 3 one of those with the body and chassis being structural to the chassis? E.g. do the springs etc., mount on to turrets on the chassis ala Defender or are they part of the body like the L322? If the latter then does it constitute part of the chassis?

The entire running gear - Engine, Gearbox, Axles, suspension are all part of the chassis and the body is totally separate. Think Defender setup but with more wires and plastic trim!

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