sj-pickup Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 just bought a forwardcontrol , an am wondering if anybody out there has put it on a defender chassis. any infos would be welcome. here are some pictures. there is a 2,5 l peugot TD engine in it but i want to fit a 300 tdi engine with automatic gearbox, and because of spares availablity would also like to fit defender axles. that is why the question if anybody has done somthing similar. earl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Here's a very good write up of fitting the International 2.8 TGV engine into a FC....posted on LRO a few days ago, wasted an hour or so readin that lot http://www.arewethereyet.eu/Beast/index.html What I don't fully understand is the want to put it on a Defender chassis? They are the wrong wheelbase by 7 or 9 inches and completely the wrong profile (FC chassis is straight box section, Defender curves quite a lot over the axles). An RRC would be a better match at 100", but still have outriggers and cross members in the wrong place, and curves where you don't want them If you wanted ride comfort then I'd go for parabolics... and keep the chassis as is, if it is rotten, then I think you are onto a hiding with it.... It is however a nice looking truck.... second time this week I have wanted one now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sj-pickup Posted January 31, 2011 Author Share Posted January 31, 2011 hi, the chassis is in perfect condition, but it is because of ride comfort, than fitting in the complete drivetrain. wheelbase is actually the same. i have a 1998 defender, a 1995 discovery and a 1988 RRC chassis, and ecept for wheelbase , the curves look the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sj-pickup Posted January 31, 2011 Author Share Posted January 31, 2011 i just looked up the link you sent , but that is a 101 forwardcontrol, and i am talking about a 110 FC , which used the series chassis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 UGH, OK, having a dyslexic moment.... Sorry As for fitting Defender axles, I don't think they will cope with the GVW, that is why they have Salisbury axles in the first place. Even the 110 had a Salisbury rear to cope with the additional payload. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazzar Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Don't do it -it's worth a LOT more as an original truck. Parabolics will give you comfort. If you MUST then buy a truck cab and build from scratch, you'd have change from selling yours in the USA, even after building! G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sj-pickup Posted January 31, 2011 Author Share Posted January 31, 2011 i would use a salsbury in the rear, and the 130 def. has a GVM of 3500 kg, so as far as that is concerned, that should work out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 It would, yes. I'd still stick with original chassis and stick parabolics under it, you may be pleasantly surprised, and not ruin a perfectly good truck in the mean time 4 springs and new shocks = <£500, chassis engine and the rest of it = £???? not to mention hundreds of hours of work. I would keep what you have standard, at least in chassis and body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sj-pickup Posted January 31, 2011 Author Share Posted January 31, 2011 i actually have all the parts i need,i have been collecting for the last 3 years, but a point to consider is the 100ds of hours of work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted January 31, 2011 Share Posted January 31, 2011 Plus of course what you could sell as you no longer need them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tacr2man Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 the chassis is not the real problem as the body on an FC sits on a sub chassis that is bolted on top of the main cahssis , so it would just need risers fitting to the defender chassis to bolt the sub chassis to. You will also need to mod the front extension to bolt to the front of the defender chassis or make a new one, this is where the front bulkhead bolts on. The real problems will be steering, as FC has box on end of column, with draglink to relay. The defender steering column goes direct onto steering box with no relay to axles. The other will be stability, big anti roll bars I think, and stiff shocks, I have owned several FC and they are a bit top heavy , not too bad on road , but offroad you have to watch what you ask them to do ! Axlewise , salisbury ala 110 at rear, and try and get a salisbury front from the ex mil. THe 110 FC is a lot heavier on the front axle. than a bonneted control landy. HTSH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Sparkes Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 ....The 110 FC is a lot heavier on the front axle. than a bonneted control landy. To support that, IIRC the standard FC front springs have 13 leaves of the standard Series 2.5" wide variety, which must make them pretty stiff. When they did some more design development work for the 101 I note they went to 3" wide leaves, and a lot less of them, which would have given them back some much needed flexibility and axle articulation, through reduced interleaf friction. That's my view of the situation anyway :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P H Services Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 A mate of mine has put a 2b on a defender 300 tdi 110 chassis it looks really good and he uses it nearly every day for work on his farm. The biggest problems he had were the steering which he sorted with a lot of uj's and plumber block bearings, and the gear linkage took him a while to sort out.He fitted and ally dropside on the back which is ideal for what he uses it for. It does look good coming up the road with bed on the landy loaded up with straw bales and his 3 axle ifor williams behind it loaded up too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sj-pickup Posted February 3, 2011 Author Share Posted February 3, 2011 @ PH, any pictures? or where can i contact your mate? regards earl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 I'm with Gazzar - they're rare vehicles and if it's in good condition it's better to keep it that way than ruin it. You can do a few things (parabolics, better shocks, bushes) to make it ride better but if you want a 300TDi coil-sprung defender-axled forward control then your best option is to sell that one for lots of money, then buy a dead one for parts and build something out of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the real muddy90 Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 I thought that 2b fc's had ENV axles?! Or am I thinking of the earlier 109? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sj-pickup Posted February 3, 2011 Author Share Posted February 3, 2011 it does have ENV axles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feltham Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 OK with ENV's i can understand you want to swop for something more available but remember ENV's are stronger than any other factory LR axle. they're closer to truck axles IIRC made by eaton you can fit RR/110/130 axles to get discs with a bit of butchery on axles and chassis and little more work to do 300 and auto box I can give you some pointers(my bates is 200/LT77/RR/RR & power steering) but why? its a good looking rosenbaum? and if the chassis is good count yourself very lucky It really would be a shame to spoil it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tacr2man Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 The env axles are pretty bombproof, but no options with them, they would not like full time 4wd, the gearbox will be all helical so very limited re ratio of trans box, so 300tdi would be revving to get any speed out of it. So it comes down to all or nothing conversion really , as mentioned better to go buy clunker and build it up as 300tdi coil vehicle rather than destroy a relatively rare vehicle. JMHO By the way whats the purpose of the two square grills cut into the front panel ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted February 13, 2011 Share Posted February 13, 2011 I'm with Gazzar - they're rare vehicles and if it's in good condition it's better to keep it that way than ruin it. You can do a few things (parabolics, better shocks, bushes) to make it ride better but if you want a 300TDi coil-sprung defender-axled forward control then your best option is to sell that one for lots of money, then buy a dead one for parts and build something out of that. Seconded (or "thirded") - don't ruin a rare classic vehicle! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sj-pickup Posted February 14, 2011 Author Share Posted February 14, 2011 picked it up on the weekend,but could not get it home (the 3 ton trailer could not cope with the load so i had to leave it by a friend) maybe i will leave it as it is and use my defender as a DD, but i would still like a FC with coils ,TDI and automatic. i will just get it running for the meantime and see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sj-pickup Posted July 3, 2011 Author Share Posted July 3, 2011 so i finaly got down to do some work on my FC, got the engine running (after standing still for about 9 years), took the camperbox off,and made a test drive. the stiff suspension , the lack of a power steering and hard clutch makes a defender feel like a luxery car. the chassis is rust free,so now i have to decide what i am going to do. am still thinking of a 300tdi auto conversion, power steering,and more comfortable springs and than using it as a DD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M&S Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 I've got a spare straight six you could put in it I can see why you'd want it as a daily drive though, I've onlky driven my S3FC a little bit but would love to go to the shops in it and tootle around town Something about the high driving position I think...They are supposed to be remarkebly good off-road as well but I'll never be trying that. Power steering would have to be a priority though. I'd be interested to know how you get on with a 300tdi auto. I guess anything is possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forkrentfitter Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 i chap called bruce who works for mansfield 4x4 in manningtree fitted coils and disk axles to his 101fc,different yes but similar enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sj-pickup Posted July 5, 2011 Author Share Posted July 5, 2011 OK with ENV's i can understand you want to swop for something more available but remember ENV's are stronger than any other factory LR axle. they're closer to truck axles IIRC made by eaton you can fit RR/110/130 axles to get discs with a bit of butchery on axles and chassis and little more work to do 300 and auto box I can give you some pointers(my bates is 200/LT77/RR/RR & power steering) but why? its a good looking rosenbaum? and if the chassis is good count yourself very lucky It really would be a shame to spoil it. do you have some pictures? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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