SIII Disco Hybrid

[mel]

Hi All,

After deciding to have a clearout and sell pretty much everything i'm thinking that as I've got a 200tdi disco which is past its best in the body dept and also have a SIII stn wagon which is really straight etc but the rear 1/4 chassis is shot, how much work is involved in making a hybrid ??

I know its a common conversion and wondered if any of you out there had done it or have any tips pls ?

I've also got a SIII Lt Wt which would be my first choice to do but the chassis and body are both good so its a good motor as it is.

Any tips / advice / warnings will be greatly appreciated !

Thank's,

Mark

[FridgeFreezer]

Is the station wagon 109"? If so, you're going to have to do a fair bit of work either shortening the body or lengthening the chassis. Altering the chassis means SVA'ing it. Without doing some measuring I don't know if the Station wagon bodywork would chop down to 100" easily, you'd maybe end up with very small back doors which would look a bit weird. If you could find a 110 CSW chassis that'd be an option, use the Disco running gear and the 109 bodywork.

[Snagger]

Is the station wagon 109"? If so, you're going to have to do a fair bit of work either shortening the body or lengthening the chassis. Altering the chassis means SVA'ing it. Without doing some measuring I don't know if the Station wagon bodywork would chop down to 100" easily, you'd maybe end up with very small back doors which would look a bit weird. If you could find a 110 CSW chassis that'd be an option, use the Disco running gear and the 109 bodywork.

It would need an SVA anyway, wouldn't it, because of the chassis alterations for the rear cross member and outriggers, regardless of whether it was the chassis or body which was adjusted to match lengths?

[mel]

Its an 88"

[cactus]

Sell me the 88"

[FridgeFreezer]

It would need an SVA anyway, wouldn't it, because of the chassis alterations for the rear cross member and outriggers, regardless of whether it was the chassis or body which was adjusted to match lengths?

A body swap does not generally attract the wrath of the SVA as long as the original chassis hasn't been altered. You can get away with adding brackets and bits but not chopping it about too much. You're more likely to need a VIC and not much else.

[sotal]

A body swap does not generally attract the wrath of the SVA as long as the original chassis hasn't been altered. You can get away with adding brackets and bits but not chopping it about too much. You're more likely to need a VIC and not much else.

Wouldn't the change of rear cross member to suit the tub count as a major mod? Or can the cut down body be put straight on the disco chassis?

[FridgeFreezer]

Wouldn't the change of rear cross member to suit the tub count as a major mod? Or can the cut down body be put straight on the disco chassis?

What I said - you can't chop it about but you can weld bits on. It's possible to mount Series bodywork on a RR/Disco chassis without needing an SVA, Corrode_Finger's hybrid proved that, although it may be a neater finish overall to cut all the unused RR/Disco bits off and weld pukka outriggers & x-members on, it's doable.

Bit tricky stretching an 88" body to 100" though, which means my vote is still to sell the Series and just go shopping for a Defender to drop the 200TDi into, much less arse in the long run.

[discojmz]

just to throw another reasonable sized spanner in the works. Id also read on here from when someone had spoken to the powers that be, that you can change the rear cross member to a defender one without incurring too much grief as long as the length of the chassis remained exactly the same overall. so you would have to have a discovery sixed overhang behind the back wheels rather than the more bobbed finish most would go for