21j Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 I have a 88" series III which I am looking at transfering the body onto a 1998 300tdi defender chassis. The Chassis will come with Axles, diffs, 5 speed gearbox, 300tdi engine and bulkhead. Can anybody tell me if this has been done and what I should be taking from the defender and what from the series? What problems I might encounter. Thanks John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon White Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 Er.........why bother?????? Next to sod all will fit! Starting at the front......series wings wont fit. Doors will fit. You'll need defedner seatbox and floor panels and trans tunnel. Series rear tub wont fit. (too short). Series screen wont fit the defedner bulkhead and the roof will be too short. Back door will fit. Cant see what you'll gain by using series panels. Why not just fit defender ones then its a nuts and bolts job! Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzar Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 Doors and windscreen for bikini top/truck cab. What are you trying to achieve? Is it just to use what you have or is it an appearance thing? G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landmannnn Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 The body is fairly straightforward with just some simple fabrication skills, especially if you are doing a pickup. You will need a 90 rear tub and mounting brackets, nearly everything else will bolt on with a few mods. The 90 gearbox is different so you will need a 90 gearbox cover and a bit of trimming of the series bulkhead. The harder parts are where you will have to get 90 bits or modify the series bits: - radiator, steering, electrics!, exhaust etc. As a project is it really worthwhile? When you have finished you will have something with virtually no commercial value, secondhand defender body parts are cheap and plentiful. Series vehicles are becoming quite collectible so unless yours is a basket case you could sell it and buy a defender with knackered chassis and engine and do a straightforward panel swap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jericho Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 Daan on here has done it,but he shortened the chassis to 88".It turned out to be an excellent truck. Its an excellent project - don't listen to the moaning old gits. I think it may be a lot of work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daan Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 Here it is: Is a series body on a shortened 90 chassis, with 300 TDI engine and LT77 box. Be warned, there is more work involved than you would ever dream of. Also, if you go down the route of cutting the chassis, you are going to have have it SVA tested, which is a lot of hassle. These days, with the price of defenders getting quite affordable, few people bother. But to answer your question: yes it is possible. Daan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
21j Posted September 30, 2008 Author Share Posted September 30, 2008 Daan on here has done it,but he shortened the chassis to 88".It turned out to be an excellent truck.Its an excellent project - don't listen to the moaning old gits. I think it may be a lot of work! Thanks, I just want to get more from my series and also drive it every day. Its a good series restored, but the gearbox has now given up and the drive train has always been very noisey. the defender I am looking at has bulkhead, floors, seat box, gearbox, engine and diffs. The only thing missing would be the roof and the rear tub and a front wing and bonnet. If I am to cut the chassis is it in the middle? I assume the prop shaft will also have to be shortened. I did think the series windscreen would fit on the defender bulk head. My other choice would be a series coil conversion chassis but but ill have to buy engine, gearbox and all other bits separate. Think it wouold prove more costly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daan Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 Thanks,I just want to get more from my series and also drive it every day. Its a good series restored, but the gearbox has now given up and the drive train has always been very noisey. the defender I am looking at has bulkhead, floors, seat box, gearbox, engine and diffs. The only thing missing would be the roof and the rear tub and a front wing and bonnet. If I am to cut the chassis is it in the middle? I assume the prop shaft will also have to be shortened. I did think the series windscreen would fit on the defender bulk head. My other choice would be a series coil conversion chassis but but ill have to buy engine, gearbox and all other bits separate. Think it wouold prove more costly. Yes cutting the defender chassis would be in the middle, I cut out 4" (assuming its a 90). To be honest, looking back at my project, getting the chassis right was the hardest bit, so I would suggest the best solution is to buy the defender, buy the coil conversion chassis, and make one vehicle from all this. Its more money up front, but you can sell the leftovers afterwards. I reckon that would be the most costeffective and time effective solution in the end. It will be virtually a nut and bolt job, without much fabricating involved. Make sure you keep all the receipts of the parts and the V5 of the donor vehicle. The series windscreen does fit, I think. Propshaft wise, I used a s3 rear prop at the rear and a defender 90 rear at the front, no cutting needed, but it depends on the positioning of the engine and gearbox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfieroc Posted December 1, 2008 Share Posted December 1, 2008 Daan, seems you have proven anything is possible if you have imagination and don't give up. Question is what did you do for a steering column/box combo? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleBlue88 Posted December 1, 2008 Share Posted December 1, 2008 Series windscreen onto a defender bulkhead is possible as my mate has just done it on his series 100" special. It involved cutting down the faux fold-down hinges from said defender and bolting part of the series hinge to the side of it,not that difficult at all. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason110 Posted December 7, 2008 Share Posted December 7, 2008 i dont think is exactly what your looking for, but i managed to get a designa chassis, which is a 88", galvanised chassis, for £600 of fleabay! so that was a steal just a thought anyway, but they are about a £1000 on the website, so unless u can find one like i did, im not sure u want to go down that route! but i thought i would mention it anyway, just in case! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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