1974 Series 3 SWB, Front end questions

VikingRider · May 17, 2019

hello all, I hope this is in the right place and I apologise if it inst.

Soon I will be back home in the UK where I will collect my first Land Rover, A 1974 Series 3 SWB.
like all Landys its in need of a bit of love and some work doing to it, one of the major things that needs sorting is the whole front end is from a Defender... I am not sure if some one did it to get it back on the road or a poor attempt at a knock off stage one (obviously stage one where only LWB) but it is what it is and I would like to get it looking like a S3 again.

My questions are..
will a S3 bonnet fit over the Defender wings? or will I need to replace at least the wing tops?
Will the set back front grill of a S3 provide enough room for the 300TDI engine that is currently fitted?

Thank you all in advance for any assistance.
-Maxim

Rodeo Joe · May 17, 2019

Yes the front end does look pretty shocking, where abouts are you?
I don't think you will have a problem with the bonnet if you get a recessed front end but don't know about the engine. I think you might have to lose the fan and get an electric one.
I would be interested to see how the engine is fitted as have considered this conversion myself.

Rodeo Joe · May 17, 2019

Btw there were a few swb stage ones but the one you have isn't one of them

.
Any pics of the interior?

Turboman · May 17, 2019

VikingRider said:
hello all, I hope this is in the right place and I apologise if it inst.

Soon I will be back home in the UK where I will collect my first Land Rover, A 1974 Series 3 SWB.
like all Landys its in need of a bit of love and some work doing to it, one of the major things that needs sorting is the whole front end is from a Defender... I am not sure if some one did it to get it back on the road or a poor attempt at a knock off stage one (obviously stage one where only LWB) but it is what it is and I would like to get it looking like a S3 again.

My questions are..
will a S3 bonnet fit over the Defender wings? or will I need to replace at least the wing tops?
Will the set back front grill of a S3 provide enough room for the 300TDI engine that is currently fitted?

Thank you all in advance for any assistance.
-MaximView attachment 178226 View attachment 178228

I would guess that the previous owner did that in order to easily fit the radiator and intercooler for the 300Tdi.

A series radiator is completely different, and as the series engine is not turbocharged, there is no intercooler.

VikingRider · May 17, 2019

Rodeo Joe said:
Yes the front end does look pretty shocking, where abouts are you?
I don't think you will have a problem with the bonnet if you get a recessed front end but don't know about the engine. I think you might have to lose the fan and get an electric one.
I would be interested to see how the engine is fitted as have considered this conversion myself.

I don't think it looks all that bad to be honest but its not what should be there.
I live near King's Lynn (sort of)
I haven't really had a proper look at how well the engine has been swapped over as I kind of agreed to buy this of my friends mother while I was home for 2 weeks leave, engine runs and drives fine but has sat for a few months and a very sketchy MOT history (exempt now)
Ill be learning as I go along and juggling work and a 2 year old at the weekends when am home so its going to take me a while to get where I want it, but wheres the fun in rushing stuff when it already drives fine.

the interior is more shocking... that gear knob!!
-Maxim

VikingRider · May 17, 2019

Turboman said:
I would guess that the previous owner did that in order to easily fit the radiator and intercooler for the 300Tdi.

A series radiator is completely different, and as the series engine is not turbocharged, there is no intercooler.

yeah I thought that might have been another reason for it, the chassis was swapped for a galvanised one as well, so I figured it was border line written off and just repaired with what they had.

-Maxim

Turboman · May 17, 2019

VikingRider said:
I don't think it looks all that bad to be honest but its not what should be there.
I live near King's Lynn (sort of)
I haven't really had a proper look at how well the engine has been swapped over as I kind of agreed to buy this of my friends mother while I was home for 2 weeks leave, engine runs and drives fine but has sat for a few months and a very sketchy MOT history (exempt now)
Ill be learning as I go along and juggling work and a 2 year old at the weekends when am home so its going to take me a while to get where I want it, but wheres the fun in rushing stuff when it already drives fine.View attachment 178229
the interior is more shocking... that gear knob!!
-Maxim

The 300 Tdi isn't what should be there either! So if you are worried about being original you need to get a Series Engine as well, which would make retrofitting the right wings, front panel, and rad a doddle.

However, the 300Tdi is generally thought to be a much better engine than the ones in Series, so if you just want to drive the vehicle, I would be tempted to leave it, if the conversion is tidy, and all registered properly with DVLA.

The interior is dreadful, I would have to get rid of the gear knob and seats as a priority!

Turboman · May 17, 2019

VikingRider said:
yeah I thought that might have been another reason for it, the chassis was swapped for a galvanised one as well, so I figured it was border line written off and just repaired with what they had.

-Maxim

More likely just the chassis rusted out. There aren't that many that age around on original chassis now.

Turboman · May 17, 2019

Might just mention, you have got a lot of other Defender stuff there, although a lot of it is probably off a Ninety.

Doors, the insides and windows at least, interior matting, the gearstick and rubber gaiter on it, possibly other stuff if I gave it some thought.

Does it have 4 or 5 gears? And is it selectable or permanent 4wd?

Rodeo Joe · May 17, 2019

I'm between Downham and Lynn. If you are about in a week or two PM me and maybe we could have a proper look at it.
There doesn't seem to be any reason to have a 90 gearstick unless its got an LT77 gearbox on the other end of it so as mentioned theres a few things to be aware of if thats the case.

Rodeo Joe · May 17, 2019

Actually quite like the gear knob.....

Turboman · May 17, 2019

Rodeo Joe said:
Actually quite like the gear knob.....

Doubt if you will when you grow up!

VikingRider · May 17, 2019

Turboman said:
The 300 Tdi isn't what should be there either! So if you are worried about being original you need to get a Series Engine as well, which would make retrofitting the right wings, front panel, and rad a doddle.

However, the 300Tdi is generally thought to be a much better engine than the ones in Series, so if you just want to drive the vehicle, I would be tempted to leave it, if the conversion is tidy, and all registered properly with DVLA.

The interior is dreadful, I would have to get rid of the gear knob and seats as a priority!

I am leaving the 300TDI in yes, I am not all that worried about being original as such but a series should look like a series,

yeah its got bits from all over the place and as far as I am aware it got 5 gears and I don't know about about the permanent drive ill have to ask, its all kinda hard to get information about it as am currently in Africa.
and yeah the whole interior is dreadful I know and it will be getting sorted aswel but I am undecided about keeping the doors or not.

-Maxim

VikingRider · May 17, 2019

Rodeo Joe said:
Actually quite like the gear knob.....

you can have it if you like, it will be getting thrown down the back of the garden once its been taken out.

Turboman · May 17, 2019

VikingRider said:
I am leaving the 300TDI in yes, I am not all that worried about being original as such but a series should look like a series,

yeah its got bits from all over the place and as far as I am aware it got 5 gears and I don't know about about the permanent drive ill have to ask, its all kinda hard to get information about it as am currently in Africa.
and yeah the whole interior is dreadful I know and it will be getting sorted aswel but I am undecided about keeping the doors or not.

-Maxim

If it has a 5 speed box, it is highly likely that it has the permanent 4wd transfer box and centre diff as well

And if that is the case, the only Series bits are the chassis, windscreen and surround, leaf springs and axles.

If I had bought that, my main concern would be checking all the numbers, and making sure it has all been properly entered on the V5 document, so that you don't get in trouble about stolen parts and insurance at a later date.

Rodeo Joe · May 17, 2019

Turboman said:
Doubt if you will when you grow up!

Growing up's for old faarts

VikingRider · May 17, 2019

Turboman said:
If it has a 5 speed box, it is highly likely that it has the permanent 4wd transfer box and centre diff as well

And if that is the case, the only Series bits are the chassis, leaf springs and axles.

If I had bought that, my main concern would be checking all the numbers, and making sure it has all been properly entered on the V5 document, so that you don't get in trouble about stolen parts and insurance at a later date.

The huge mismatch of parts meant it was cheap... but thank you for the heads up on that. and yeah its like 50/50 Series 3 and Defender, its going to be a intresting project.

Rodeo Joe said:
I'm between Downham and Lynn. If you are about in a week or two PM me and maybe we could have a proper look at it.
There doesn't seem to be any reason to have a 90 gearstick unless its got an LT77 gearbox on the other end of it so as mentioned theres a few things to be aware of if thats the case.

thanks for the offer I wont be back in the UK for a few more months yet.
-Maxim

Turboman · May 17, 2019

VikingRider said:
The huge mismatch of parts meant it was cheap... but thank you for the heads up on that. and yeah its like 50/50 Series 3 and Defender,

No problem with it at the right price, and if it works. None of the donor vehicles has a huge rarity value to them.

As I said before, it is possible there are no Defender parts other than the engine, a lot of that stuff could have come off a Ninety.

Parts interchangeability between models of different dates was always a feature of Landrovers, and made them easy to keep going.

VikingRider · May 17, 2019

Turboman said:
No problem with it at the right price, and if it works. None of the donor vehicles has a huge rarity value to them.

As I said before, it is possible there are no Defender parts other than the engine, a lot of that stuff could have come off a Ninety.

Parts interchangeability between models of different dates was always a feature of Landrovers, and made them easy to keep going.

exactly the reason I decided to take the offer, perfect first project to learn from, fairly available parts and simple,
the interchangeability is one of the many things I like about them.

-Maxim

Turboman · May 17, 2019

VikingRider said:
exactly the reason I decided to take the offer, perfect first project to learn from, fairly available parts and simple,
the interchangeability is one of the many things I like about them.

-Maxim

Just as a matter of interest, is that a sailing boat in your avatar?

1974 Series 3 SWB, Front end questions

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