300TDi Auto Conversion

Well, it's pretty much all done (finished it last week actually apart from a couple of small jobs) and while I have taken it for a quick spin I haven't managed to go for a proper run yet. Reports on how it runs etc and what I think of the conversion kit itself will come later (when I had had a chance to take stock of things) but so far I can say that I am pleased with how it performs.
Had the morning off today so gave it a bit of a clean and took some photos for the agreed valuation insurance (which has come due), thought I would post some photos showing a couple of aspects of the conversion while I was at it.


Transmission oil filler & dipstick tube (the orange bit between the air-box & rocker-cover), stock Disco part which I had to re-model and make a bracket for. Couldn't find a picture or photo of where it sits in a Disco but after I had played with it this seemed to be the best location.




Internal layout showing NAS console and shifter arrangement. I was worried that there would be too much plastic on show (as you can see I don't do carpets or trim) but it actually looks very good and doesn't get in the way at all.
Transfer lever sits very low in the console so I am having the lever lengthened, this is both for aesthetic and practical purposes and hopefully I should get this done at the weekend. I also think that a polished alloy transfer lever knob might set it off, not a great fan of them on a gearbox (too cold first thing on a frosty morning) but for the transfer lever (which doesn't get used much) I think I can live with one.
Still unsure about fitting the foot-rest (bolts to the tunnel wall just in-front of the bonnet release), certainly for the runs I have made so far I haven't felt the need for one and I think I might appreciate the extra leg-room.
One more job is to fit the under-tray to the Raptor console, I took it off yonks ago as it clashed with the gearstick but as that is no-longer an issue I can re-fit it and enjoy all that extra storage space!
Haven't fitted the large brake-pedal yet, told myself that this would be the final job and would confirm in my mind that it was all completed.

Looks great now it's all back together You're right- the NAS console doesn't look out of place either.
I've found that on motorway runs, the corner of the transmission tunnel is just right for resting your left foot on, so I guess this would work fine on an automatic too- on a LHD you'd want something for your left foot though.

I never quite see the point to a wide brake pedal on an auto, personally. On a '50s American barge with terrible brakes it makes sense as you can stomp on the pedal with both feet, but with power brakes it just needs to be wide enough for one foot. The standard pedal is wide enough to left-foot brake if you need to for off-roading.

that looks very very nice

Any more news on the road test as I am going the same route.

Only been out on a proper run once and that was only a relatively quick trip around Milton Keynes, I didn't realise it would take so long just to get out for a decent shake-down run!

So far so good, REALLY liking the auto-box and I can see that it is going to make me very lazy. Luckily my wife took delivery of an automatic last week so whichever vehicle I drive I won't have to worry about gear changes again (all I need to sort out now is the bike!).
Still haven't fitted the large brake-pedal (just haven't got around to it yet) but I am fairly certain that I am not going to bother with the foot-rest, I found that without the clutch pedal and footrest there is so much room that I can't see me NOT being comfortable without it.
Have extended the transfer-lever (40mm long threaded SS sleeve with an M10 stud in the top did the job perfectly, you could not tell it from a factory job), means the new alloy knob sits just that bit higher and out of the console gaiter.
What is the gearing like with 265/75x16's and a Disco 1.4 transfer-box? So far it all seems ok, obviously I will have to run it for some time before I make the decision to keep it as it is or swop to a 1.2 but at the moment it hasn't caused me to think that it might be necessary. Plenty of pulling power at lower revs and although I have not had to do it in anger yet, putting my foot down so the kick-down cuts in makes if shift like a good'un (said my engine had plenty of get up & go!). I live on top of a decent sized hill so the local runs I have been doing are a good test for this sort of driving, I have already adjusted the cable so the kick-down cuts in later, may play with it again to see what further difference it makes.

As promised, full update will follow when I have covered a few more miles.
Need to take it off-road then to learn how to drive off tarmac all over again.

Love it, and my wife wants it, or one like it.

Super job looks really excellent

Well, I think it is finished!
Today I carried out the last few little jobs that I had been holding back on so unless it blows up on me or dumps its oil I hope I can put that little project to bed!


Shown is the extended transfer-box lever which is now topped off with a nice alloy knob and also the large foot-brake pedal.
The standard transfer-box lever was somewhat buried in the gaiter but now it sits 40mm higher and the alloy knob sets it off well amongst all that black. The larger pedal isn't strictly necessary but it is a bit of fun, I did however decide not to go with the foot-rest as I like having all the extra space to move my left foot on longer journeys.
I have also re-fitted the under-tray to the Raptor console. I removed this some time ago as the R380 gearstick used to clash with it but of course that is no-longer a problem. Already stuffed it full of bits & pieces.




Fitted an aluminium Land Rover Automatic badge to the rear, nice little finishing touch I think.
Although I bought it from Ashcroft, I did not realise at the time that it is actually made by Gavin who runs Artmin Design Ltd, he also makes some beautiful miniature badges & number-plates for the Toylander vehicles (got one of those as well).




So, the big question is whether it was worth it?
To me it has to be a big fat YES!

I had no desire to buy an old Disco and strip the parts from it so I was going to have to get a recon gearbox and then source all the other (new) parts necessary, this of course made it a no-brainer to buy the complete kit from Ashcroft. It cost no more to buy than sourcing them separately (indeed some of the parts are ONLY available from them) and it meant that practically all the parts were there. A few nuts & bolts were needed (some of which were posted to me by David Ashcroft) and of course I decided not to use the supplied footrest & flexible oil-cooler hose (instead went for standard Disco items which I had modified at Pirtek and as it turns out the refund on the returned hoses was almost exactly what I paid for a pair of new Disco hoses and then to have them shortened).

Apart from a couple of issues that were not related to the kit (the problems I had with my transfer-box for instance) the biggest bugbear was not knowing how it all went together.
I thought that a "kit" would come with a set of instructions but this was not the case, I had to gather the information from workshop manuals, internet etc which was a bit of a pain. If it had been a straight swop then I could understand as it is all available in the workshop manuals but this was not a swop, it was fitting a "kit" which consisted of an entirely different type of gearbox and ancillaries. Bottom marks for that one.
David Ashcroft has been great support though answering several emails & telephone calls and then last week taking a look at the finished conversion and taking it for a spin (I think he liked it ).

If you are thinking of doing it I suggest that first you take a drive in a converted vehicle and then when you have decided you like it (you will! ) decide on your budget and then get stuck in!
Automatic Defender, it's the way forward!!!!!!!!!!!!

Litch said:

Well, it's pretty much all done (finished it last week actually apart from a couple of small jobs) and while I have taken it for a quick spin I haven't managed to go for a proper run yet. Reports on how it runs etc and what I think of the conversion kit itself will come later (when I had had a chance to take stock of things) but so far I can say that I am pleased with how it performs.
Had the morning off today so gave it a bit of a clean and took some photos for the agreed valuation insurance (which has come due), thought I would post some photos showing a couple of aspects of the conversion while I was at it.


Transmission oil filler & dipstick tube (the orange bit between the air-box & rocker-cover), stock Disco part which I had to re-model and make a bracket for. Couldn't find a picture or photo of where it sits in a Disco but after I had played with it this seemed to be the best location.




Internal layout showing NAS console and shifter arrangement. I was worried that there would be too much plastic on show (as you can see I don't do carpets or trim) but it actually looks very good and doesn't get in the way at all.
Transfer lever sits very low in the console so I am having the lever lengthened, this is both for aesthetic and practical purposes and hopefully I should get this done at the weekend. I also think that a polished alloy transfer lever knob might set it off, not a great fan of them on a gearbox (too cold first thing on a frosty morning) but for the transfer lever (which doesn't get used much) I think I can live with one.
Still unsure about fitting the foot-rest (bolts to the tunnel wall just in-front of the bonnet release), certainly for the runs I have made so far I haven't felt the need for one and I think I might appreciate the extra leg-room.
One more job is to fit the under-tray to the Raptor console, I took it off yonks ago as it clashed with the gearstick but as that is no-longer an issue I can re-fit it and enjoy all that extra storage space!
Haven't fitted the large brake-pedal yet, told myself that this would be the final job and would confirm in my mind that it was all completed.

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Oh for God's sake you could have made an effort to clean it at least!!! I'm in awe of your skills! I thought I was doing well when I replaced a power steering hose! Superb Mate, amazing! What's next??

"What's next??"

Probably the chassis next year........
30-years old (the LR that is!) and never been welded but time will tell at some point so I might as well do it while I am still able.

It's a keeper (already owned it for 17-years) and although last year I thought about treating myself to one of the last ones off the line it struck me that a new one was going to do no more for me than the old one does so what was the point?


"I thought I was doing well when I replaced a power steering hose!"

Hey, we all start somewhere.
I remember buying my first LR back in 1987 (S111 SWB 2.25P) and within a week there I was armed with my tool-kit and a trusty Haynes manual changing a front driveshaft UJ.
Two years later it was fitted with new swivels, uprated brakes, brand-new bulkhead, V8, Salisbury rear-axle, 900x16's, full cage, twin battery set-up, winch etc.....
5-Years later I did a 12-month ground-up rebuild of my 101FC.

You learn from experience (and people who know).

I sat and read this last night. Well done I really like the detail you've gone to with it. Do you find yourself stomping down with your left foot when coming to a stop?

Do you find yourself stomping down with your left foot when coming to a stop?

No, somehow I got used to that one straight away but I still try to press down the clutch pedal when I turn the key to start her!!!!!!!
Don't know how long it will be before I get used to that one?

Litch said:

Fitted an aluminium Land Rover Automatic badge to the rear, nice little finishing touch I think.

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Aye, that is a nice touch. Really enjoyed reading this thread, thanks for posting and sharing all the photo's. Top job too!

I love autos - genuinely fail to see the point of a manual - SWMBO has a manual D1, and its getting the "treatment" as soon as we can, as, in comparison to my auto D1, its a ball ache stirring all them cogs.

Fitting the Auto badge to the rear reminded me that I had an alloy LR badge to fit to the dash.

Shown below, all is not what it seems at first glance........



Ok you think, that it just a nice copy of the original Land Rover alloy badge but check out the size (10p piece shown for scale)!!!!!!!!!!!!.

Made by Gavin at Artmin Design Ltd, it is only 80mm wide and the most fantastic quality (yes it is machined and has a raised profile just like the original only more crisp). .
He makes them (along with scale number-plates etc) mainly for Toylander's and having bought some a few years ago for my own Toylander I decided that one would look really nice on the dash of the 90 (still haven't decided on the exact position yet). It was only when I discovered that he makes the Auto badge for Ashcroft's that I remembered that I had it tucked away.
Will fit it tomorrow!

nice, he made my MILLI badges for the back of my lightweight rebuild and also ONE LIFE LIVE IT badges in the same landcover black and silver style ,oh and a couple of key ring ,,very nice man is gavin ,,,,,

Very nice.
I agree entirely with your comments regarding the ease of driving an auto rather than stirring all the cogs up,

Why Land Rover didn't do a standard, out the factory auto Defender, 25 years ago, is beyond me.

Myself, I have had several Land Cruisers, every one an automatic.

Sure, there are the folk that maintain, a 4x4 like Land Rover and Land Cruiser should always be manuals
However, the automatic are every bit as capable off road, as their manual cousins.

Automatic every time for me , and my wife just refuses to consider any vehicle which is manual transmission.

Graham

uk_vette said:

Very nice.
I agree entirely with your comments regarding the ease of driving an auto rather than stirring all the cogs up,

Why Land Rover didn't do a standard, out the factory auto Defender, 25 years ago, is beyond me.

Myself, I have had several Land Cruisers, every one an automatic.

Sure, there are the folk that maintain, a 4x4 like Land Rover and Land Cruiser should always be manuals
However, the automatic are every bit as capable off road, as their manual cousins.

Automatic every time for me , and my wife just refuses to consider any vehicle which is manual transmission.

Graham

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I agree. Auto is just as good for most landrover purposes, and much better for towing. Plus it gives the transmission and engine a much easier life, not to mention the drivers left leg.

They did make factory V8 Auto Ninetys for a while. I always look out for them, but never seen one for sale that hadn't been horribly cut about.

auto's are good, some very reliable ones out there, some not so, i know the triptronic zf boxes fitted to ford falcons in australia back 10-15 years ago were sort of crap, as a friend of mine Gerry bought a 2003 model had the box replaced within 2 years, and then it was on its way out when it got crushed by his shed when the tornado hit burnett heads in december 2012, took out his shed, it cost him $60,000 to replace it but he had it insured so had it replaced, and he instead bought a second hand 3.5l V6 mitsubishi magna sedan and said it is a good car, he is a auto man himself he drives 6720r john deere with a twin cane bin trailer he does haul out of sugar cane, big big trailer he has on there.

Hello all,
Sorry to resurrect this thread. I’m in the process of a rebuild during which I’m fitting a Puma bulkhead and dash and also converting to Auto. I have taken the flywheel and adaptor plate off and fitted the auto adaptor plate. Now I’m fitting the flywheel and have a bunch of spacers. I’ve looked for info on how to fit the auto box but there seems to be a lack of detail that I’ve seen. Could someone please give me some info on what spacers need to be used etc as I don’t want to cock this up. Thankyou all in advance

I think there is something in the manual about setting the distance correctly but mine was already set up when I bought it from Ashcroft's.

Give David Ashcroft a ring, I am sure he will help as he is a nice chap.