Discovery1 lt230 in place of LT230R from a 12D?

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MrF

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France
Because it seems you can never have enough half done projects or alternatively because I don't have a brain in my head, a 110 in severe kit form has followed me home on my car trailer. Well the chassis and axles were on the trailer, the rest was in the pickup bed its that disassembled.
I think someone started a resto and lhd conversion and gave up 1/4 way through so its got a lhd steering box and front axle but all the dash/bulkhead stuff is still rhd and the fan/dash etc are all disassembled with the rivets drilled out, all the bolts and body shims and brackets are in a couple of buckets unmarked and all the seals and trim in a big bag. But the axles have ashcroft hd drive flanges, someones bought new dampers and springs and tubular shock towers etc and the rear is the heavy sailsbury with the self leveling unit and 7 seats, so its not all bad.

The kit is missing a engine and gearbox, I can sort that bit by murdering another disco1 for its engine like on my 90, but the transmission is more awkward. At least this time I can save the chassis and not have to endure the experience of buying a replacement.

I've seen for sale local a 2.5 non turbo 12D 110 engine and LT77 gearbox/ LT230R transfer case, and the motor is toast, by the sellers description its got a wrecked piston that they found lumps of in the crankcase. But its the right price and I can weigh in the boat anchor if its as bad as it sounds just to get the transmission.
Reading round, this will have a transfer box ratio of 1.667, ie really (too) low as it will be getting another 200tdi when one pops up. I have a complete disco1 lt77+transfer box from a previous discovery1 murder, can I take the LT230 from that and bolt it to the 2.5 NA LT77 without any issues or is there output shaft spline differences etc?
Another option I have in the stash shed is a LT77 + LT230 from a 3.5 range rover classic if thats any more compatible, I think its the same 1.222 ratio as the disco1 unit though.
The other option is a defender bell housing and short gearchange linkage on the discovery lt77 which I have already, but I dont have a suitable input shaft and finding one with the right tooth count on the gearbox side seems problematic and expensive. I keep thinking about the option of taking the disco first motion shaft out and shortening it, resplining the clutch splines on the mill then having it hardened after again, but that seems... extreme...

So, tl,dr; can I just swap between variants of LT230 from disco1 and early 2.5 non turbo LT230R onto the early LT77?
 
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my understanding is that the lt230 transfer cases are all the same and the difference is in the output gear that you want to fit the later style with the oil passage holes. It is the gearbox top housing (gear-levers) and bell housing that were different. If the 2.5 engine combo is the right price I would be looking to get that, and fit the disco transfer box. The 1.6 transfer boxes are worth some money for people who run hugely oversized tyres and are off road only as the low gearing is a benefit.
 
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Thanks for the reply, it was the right price but entailed a 400km round trip but my trusty pickup is parked up with it in the bed home safe now 10 hrs later. I'll get it off in the am and steam clean it because its nasty even by landrover standards, then start on swapping the lt230's.
The dealer workshop it was at was full of shiny new model range rovers and fresh defender builds and did a engine swap to 200tdi & power steering conversion for the seller and just dropped it out complete and put a genuine defender 200tdi & matching lt77 with all new pipework and radiator etc. I'd hate to see that bill and seems wasteful but hey, it yielded a lt77 for my new 110 at the right price. He even gave me the original 90 radiator etc for free.
 
The seller left a bunch of stuff on the engine that's useful, starter motor, alty, engine mounts etc but it really was minging with that special baked on combo of decades old mud and grease. Thank $deity for steam cleaners...
While I was stripping the useful stuff off the motor, I stripped the 12J down out of curiosity to see the carnage, and there is none. It has 4 pistons in good condition with no marks on the bore and turns freely. I feel guilty now to weigh it in so I'll stick it in a box and advertise it in kit form at a desultory price just to keep another landie circulating. I usually give n/a diesels to a friend but his wife has threatned me with death if I bring any more free junk round...

And its done, disco1 transfer box mounted and in place. I'm just missing a defender gearlever and handbrake bracket because they were missing, but I have them on the way. Now to find a 200tdi and a windscreen glass and I have the major missing lumps for the kit form 110.
 

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