steve_d Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 Sorry if this has been done before, a search did not help me. There are companies out there who offer coil sprung chassis for Series Land Rovers. Is it legal to fit them or does the vehicle then need to take an IVA test? My understanding is that I can replace a chassis with a brand new one as long as it is of the same design. If it is not possible to go to a coil spring chassis would parabolic springs give me anywhere near the same ride quality? Would I also be able to upgrade transmission and in particular the braking systems? The objective is to make a classic shape LR into a useable daily driver with a galvanised chassis, modern underpinnings and a later drive train. I thank you in advance for your thoughts. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retroanaconda Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 I think the easiest way legality wise is to put the Series body on a 90" chassis. Chassis needs to be like-for-like replacement, so technically I don't think a coil-sprung chassis is a valid replacement for a Series vehicle in terms of identity retention. However, that is a question that can never really be answered 100%. I'd phone the people making the chassis and ask them. Parabolics give a much better ride, not quite as nice as coils in my experience, but more than tolerable for daily driving. Different makes of springs will give different results too, mine are Rocky Mountain and I find them quite nice. Pretty decent off-road too Upgrading transmission is as easy as putting a 5-speed box in from a later Defender, plenty of people have done it without issue. Just about every engine/gearbox has been put into a Series at one point, the only real issue is drivetrain length on 88" models. Brakes can be upgraded to discs with various (spendy) kits, or if you are good at fabricating you can make your own as others have in the past. I find the drums quite good for normal driving, but if you plan to venture off road discs are the way forward. All of the above is only my opinion, at the end of the day if you want a coil sprung Series then do it. The IVA isn't that hard, and you'll end up with a truck the way you want it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtyninety Posted March 5, 2011 Share Posted March 5, 2011 Sorry.... why dont you just buy a 90? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_d Posted March 6, 2011 Author Share Posted March 6, 2011 Sorry.... why dont you just buy a 90? If you have a company car you are taxed on it as a 'Benefit in kind' this tax is very heavy. If your company car is over 15 years old your tax is calculated on the original list price of that vehicle. Obviously the lower that price is the better hence my post last week asking where I can find original list prices for early vehicles. It will basically be a trade off between making the car as easy and comfortable to drive and keeping the original purchase price as low as possible. I suspect a 90 would still have been quite an expensive car to buy so am looking further back. I have still not found a source for early list prices so the whole project is rather difficult until this is resolved. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swifty oh no Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 It will likely cost you more to convert your series as you have described you what to, than what you will save in income tax. Simple way around it ( the tax not the ride comfort)is to put a top on without side windows and it will then be classed as commercial for which you pay something around 500 quid a year for the benefit of driving to and from home every day. Or something like that any way, it's been a couple of years since I checked that one out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LandyManLuke Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 Technically, re-bodying a 90 seems the sensible answer to this one. What do you use a company car for? If your employer is taxing, insuring and maintaining the car, the tax you pay is pretty good value for money I reckon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 I think the points system only applies when doing a rebuild - I think you may be able to modify a car that is in-service without VIN issues, so replacing the suspension with coils may be possible without changing VIN or getting an SVA test if it's done witht he original chassis - replacing with a coil-sprung Designa chassis will constitute a rebuild and then you'd fall foul of the points system. That's my understanding of it, anyway. But, as mentioned higher up, good quality parabolics and dampers make Series vehicles great daily drivers if the rest of the vehicle is in good order, and they're simple to fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LandyManLuke Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 I think the points system only applies when doing a rebuild - I think you may be able to modify a car that is in-service without VIN issues, so replacing the suspension with coils may be possible without changing VIN or getting an SVA test if it's done witht he original chassis - replacing with a coil-sprung Designa chassis will constitute a rebuild and then you'd fall foul of the points system. That's my understanding of it, anyway. That sounds pretty sketchy to me! modifying from leaf to coil suspension is still a chassis modification whichever way you look at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 Either way buiying a 90 just seems like the best option, old ones are worth less than decent Series anyway Putting coils on a Series will be IVA territory (change of suspension + major chassis mods), putting a Series body on a 90 just makes it a 90 with a different body under the points system so unless you ring it to a Series identity (which is proper illegal) you're not gaining owt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snagger Posted March 10, 2011 Share Posted March 10, 2011 Either way buiying a 90 just seems like the best option, old ones are worth less than decent Series anyway Putting coils on a Series will be IVA territory (change of suspension + major chassis mods), putting a Series body on a 90 just makes it a 90 with a different body under the points system so unless you ring it to a Series identity (which is proper illegal) you're not gaining owt. I agree. I think your best option if you want to rebuild a Series vehicle is to get a standard galv chassis, put it on RM or Heystee parabolics and fit either a 2.5 4cyl petrol from a 90 (maybe with an LPG conversion) or, if you want more perfromance and frugality, a Tdi engine, keeping the transmission standard with an overdrive or, better, fitting a Defender LT77 and Aschcroft mating kit to the Series transfer box (keep the transfer box in its standard position and mount a 90 or Tdi rad further forward to allow the engine to be shifter the 4" forwards for the LT77 length). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattMatt Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 So I have a coil sprung Series - Designa Chassis - Clicky Reasons - I prefer the series look, it's smaller ( for trialing) it is very adaptable (range of gearbox, engine, axles etc) and cheap to run. When I did it, DVLA accepted it was a replacement chassis and as I was using all LR parts they weren't concerned. Lastly, it is very cheap to run and insure - although I've just dropped a 3.9Efi in it so that will change. (just because I can) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missingsid Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 So I have a coil sprung Series - Designa Chassis - Clicky Reasons - I prefer the series look, it's smaller ( for trialing) it is very adaptable (range of gearbox, engine, axles etc) and cheap to run. When I did it, DVLA accepted it was a replacement chassis and as I was using all LR parts they weren't concerned. Lastly, it is very cheap to run and insure - although I've just dropped a 3.9Efi in it so that will change. (just because I can) Blimey, Do you have it in writing? Marc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n.r.g97 Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 ive recently (6 months ago) finnished my series on a cut down rrc chassis, traybacked, tube front etc for trialling and hopefully challenge events late on, but i wouldent do it to a road going truck, stick some parabolics on it, a 200tdi on a series box with overdrive, rangy diffs etc, yould end up with something that drives alot like a defender but isstill a series, with series charecter, thats what i would do if it had to go on the road Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich_P Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 What about an early Range Rover? Or were their list prices still too high for your liking? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_d Posted March 19, 2011 Author Share Posted March 19, 2011 What about an early Range Rover? Or were their list prices still too high for your liking? The RR purchase price is quite a jump from anything that went before so has been discounted. Now looking like an early 110 will be the base vehicle. Depending on condition we will decide what to replace if anything. I suspect a later engine will be one of the mods on the list. So back to my earlier question....where will I find original list prices for early 110 models? Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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