Dave2302
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- 271
- Location
- NW Scotland
................... So the "mechanic" who worked on mine and lived on Skye must have moved to Shetland then Seriously tho, nice bit of tidying up
Flat Bed Disco 2 Project
- Thread starter FlatbedPilot
- Start date
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................... So the "mechanic" who worked on mine and lived on Skye must have moved to Shetland then Seriously tho, nice bit of tidying up
- Posts
- 955
- Location
- Shetland
A small update today.
Some parts arrived so I could get on with making my bus bar that bit safer. I've fitted a terminal fuse with it's own connector which puts all the current from the batteries through a 300 amp fuse so if I get a dead short between the batteries and earth that'll protect everything.
I've also slightly modified the bus bar itself to make possible shorts much more unlikely. I found a couple more small shock absorber bushes in my stash with better raised lips to mount the bar on. I've also put a couple of rubber washers in the mounting holes to take up any space so when the bushes are tightened down there will definitely be no contact between the bar and the mounting bolts.
I've also done a few small jobs to help save time on the chassis change:
+ Removed both front turrets and shock absorbers.
+ Removed both front brake calipers and brake lines back to the ABS block.
+ Removed the plastic covers inside the front wheel arches that take up the space between the body and chassis.
+ Loosened and copper greased the ball joint nuts on the steering bar and drag link.
+ Cut off the earthing bracket on the drivers side top spring mount and temporarily reconnected the earth strap to one of the turret bolts.
Some parts arrived so I could get on with making my bus bar that bit safer. I've fitted a terminal fuse with it's own connector which puts all the current from the batteries through a 300 amp fuse so if I get a dead short between the batteries and earth that'll protect everything.
I've also slightly modified the bus bar itself to make possible shorts much more unlikely. I found a couple more small shock absorber bushes in my stash with better raised lips to mount the bar on. I've also put a couple of rubber washers in the mounting holes to take up any space so when the bushes are tightened down there will definitely be no contact between the bar and the mounting bolts.
I've also done a few small jobs to help save time on the chassis change:
+ Removed both front turrets and shock absorbers.
+ Removed both front brake calipers and brake lines back to the ABS block.
+ Removed the plastic covers inside the front wheel arches that take up the space between the body and chassis.
+ Loosened and copper greased the ball joint nuts on the steering bar and drag link.
+ Cut off the earthing bracket on the drivers side top spring mount and temporarily reconnected the earth strap to one of the turret bolts.
- Posts
- 955
- Location
- Shetland
Last bit of work for a couple of weeks as I'm back on shift tomorrow night. So today all I've done is drill the spot welds for both of the rotten front panel body supports and cut them out. I've tried the new ones for fit and they're perfect. Also, over the last couple of days I've been having ideas about how to make side panels for below the bed. I want to use the Disco extended arches and blend in the back bumper somehow so I've been making carboard templates and temporarily fixing the arches in place to get an idea of how it will look. The arches will need lengthening a bit so that it looks even as I've had to move them forward slightly so they'll fix to the back of the cab. I can't really progress it properly until the truck arches I've ordered arrive. The fitment of those will determine how I make the side panels.
Dave2302
Active Member
- Posts
- 271
- Location
- NW Scotland
Love it
Dave2302
Active Member
- Posts
- 271
- Location
- NW Scotland
Love it
- Posts
- 955
- Location
- Shetland
I'm finished work for another few weeks so it's back to the Disco build for most of my days off. I've been fettling the bed side on the passenger side over the last few days. I got myself some truck wheel arches and butchered one to fit. I've made a bracket that bolts to the underside of the bed to attach the ally chequer plate panels to. It took a lot of trial and error to get the shape and fitment right. It's still not quite there, just a little bit of finessing to do and this side will be done. To get the panel to curve at the rear to match the angle of the bumper end I made a bracket that bolts to the bumper so it forms a flange along the edge then I just brute forced the panel to conform to it with some clamps, drilled some holes and bolted them together. It works quite well and the wheel arch extensions look right so I'm pretty happy with it. As you can also see in the photos I have decided to incorporate the original Disco rear body lights into the design. I'm not completely convinced it will look that great when it's done but it'll be easy enough to fit truck rear lights if I decide to. Just thought I'd see how it looked. Now that I've sorted this side, the other side will be much quicker to do as now I know exactly what I'm doing, although I'll need to incorporate the fuel filler on that side.
ifloochies
Well-Known Member
- Posts
- 866
The taillights actually look quite alright.... this thread is shaping up to be my own "project pinky" - the excitement levels for seeing a notification that there has been an update is on the same level as that.
- Posts
- 955
- Location
- Shetland
I presume you mean Project Binky? I'm nowhere near the same level as that but thanks for the compliment.
Dave2302
Active Member
- Posts
- 271
- Location
- NW Scotland
Shaping up nicely, I too love to see the updates, looks like I need to subscribe to Project Binky too
The Engineering in that Mini is a whole different level to the Ford Puma 4X4 Cosworth 24V V6 Stage Rally Car that I built years ago
I had some fun through the Forests in that
The Engineering in that Mini is a whole different level to the Ford Puma 4X4 Cosworth 24V V6 Stage Rally Car that I built years ago
I had some fun through the Forests in that
Last edited:
- Posts
- 955
- Location
- Shetland
You've built some pretty cool stuff in the past Dave. Your own skills are nothing to be ashamed of. I can only aspire to be that good, never mind Project Binky good.
Dave2302
Active Member
- Posts
- 271
- Location
- NW Scotland
Thank you kind sir
I wish I had more knowledge with D2's tho, very steep learning curve this one
Yesterday evening just before I packed up it scared the cr@p outta me ............
It was running on the lift, then suddenly developed a misfire, and then came back on all 5 but with a helluva knocking noise, I switched it off quick. Couple of restarts still missing, then 3rd time it ran on all 5 again quiet .................
As I had TD5 in the Defender I was aware of the Injector Loom / Oil wicking to ECU Plug, and this was on my to do list ......................
I then went in for the night, sat reading tons of threads, most concurred with Injector Loom but there was one or 2 that had Wiring Chafed, dodgy Injectors etc etc, I didn't sleep a wink last night, tbh I'm running out of money on this project for now
Anyway, long story short it started and ran fine up to temperature this morning ........... I've had the ECU off earlier and yep, it is dumping oil down the harness, bits will hopefully be here by Friday I've cleaned the Harness, Plugs and ECU up will add to my Project thread later
UJ's are here now, will rebuild and refit that front Propshaft the rest of today, then 2 days work in tomorrow, but I don't need to use it meanwhile
Cheers for now, Dave
I wish I had more knowledge with D2's tho, very steep learning curve this one
Yesterday evening just before I packed up it scared the cr@p outta me ............
It was running on the lift, then suddenly developed a misfire, and then came back on all 5 but with a helluva knocking noise, I switched it off quick. Couple of restarts still missing, then 3rd time it ran on all 5 again quiet .................
As I had TD5 in the Defender I was aware of the Injector Loom / Oil wicking to ECU Plug, and this was on my to do list ......................
I then went in for the night, sat reading tons of threads, most concurred with Injector Loom but there was one or 2 that had Wiring Chafed, dodgy Injectors etc etc, I didn't sleep a wink last night, tbh I'm running out of money on this project for now
Anyway, long story short it started and ran fine up to temperature this morning ........... I've had the ECU off earlier and yep, it is dumping oil down the harness, bits will hopefully be here by Friday I've cleaned the Harness, Plugs and ECU up will add to my Project thread later
UJ's are here now, will rebuild and refit that front Propshaft the rest of today, then 2 days work in tomorrow, but I don't need to use it meanwhile
Cheers for now, Dave
- Posts
- 955
- Location
- Shetland
Moved the Disco outside today to have a tidy in the garage and also move it over a bit when put back in so that I've got more room to work on the drivers side as I'm now in the process of fitting the bed side on that side. Took the opportunity to get some more distance shots for an idea of the look with the (pretty much) completed side. I stopped about half way through when I realised I was probably going to have to undo some of the work I was about to do in order to sort out the fuel filling arrangements. The panel bracket will definitely need a section cutting out, maybe even making it into two brackets as I intend to use the orginal fuel flap panel. The original filler tube is much too tall to re-use as the filler cap was above the bed height and it's a weird shape in cross section so doesn't lend itself to being modified. However, I have the tank and filler from a Disco 1 which is much simpler and easy to modify so I've been butchering and modding that. I'll have pictures of that when it's properly finished.
ifloochies
Well-Known Member
- Posts
- 866
Shaping up nicely, I too love to see the updates, looks like I need to subscribe to Project Binky too
The Engineering in that Mini is a whole different level to the Ford Puma 4X4 Cosworth 24V V6 Stage Rally Car that I built years ago
I had some fun through the Forests in that
Nice!!!
A V6 in something that small and light - must have been a rocket in the straights
Hicap phill
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- 16,242
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- Wiltshire
@DefenderPilot
Re the filler neck. Could you rotate the rubber neck to the rear & fix over the cross member? or use a 90 right angle to get it backwards.
Re the filler neck. Could you rotate the rubber neck to the rear & fix over the cross member? or use a 90 right angle to get it backwards.
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- 955
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- Shetland
The fuel filler assembly on a D2 combines the filler tube, tank breather and atmospheric vent in one rigid moulding with a complicated cross sectional shape. Re-orienting it would be difficult and messy I think. I would like to have the fuel flap in as nearly the same place in the bed side as the original fitment so there is no real possibilty of modifying the assembly to fit. The filling arrangment on the D1 is similar but a lot simpler and easier to modify and the connecting hose is the same size. The D1 filler neck also fits the D2 body. As I happen to have one handy I'll be modifying that to fit. I'll post more photos later today to clarify.
Dave2302
Active Member
- Posts
- 271
- Location
- NW Scotland
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- 955
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- Shetland
Lots of work got done today. I'm pretty pleased with how it's going. Rather than make a very wordy post I'll just list what I've done briefly and let the pictures do the talking.
+ Finished the fitment of the driver's side bed lower panel and extended wheel arches. Fitted the wheel arches with stainless cap head bolts 'cos they look cool.
+ Cut down the filler panel I cut out of the Disco so that I could fit it as high as possible in the bed side panel.
+ Modified the panel bracket and panel to create an opening for the fuel filler flap. Still needs a bit of finessing.
+ Cut the latch off the inside of the fuel flap and fitted a cam lock.
+ Cut a slot in the side of the fuel filler housing for the cam lock latch.
+ Cut the Disco 1 fuel filler neck very short and rotated it 180 degrees so that instead of pointing straight down it sits at an angle of approx 45 degrees.
+ Joined the D1 and D2 tank connection hoses together and cut the resulting assembly to the right length to connect the filler neck to the tank.
As an extra bonus, the D2 filler cap is exactly the same as the D1 except for the fact that it has a lanyard attached, something the D1 cap lacks. So all in all I get to keep the functionality of the D2 filling system.
+ Finished the fitment of the driver's side bed lower panel and extended wheel arches. Fitted the wheel arches with stainless cap head bolts 'cos they look cool.
+ Cut down the filler panel I cut out of the Disco so that I could fit it as high as possible in the bed side panel.
+ Modified the panel bracket and panel to create an opening for the fuel filler flap. Still needs a bit of finessing.
+ Cut the latch off the inside of the fuel flap and fitted a cam lock.
+ Cut a slot in the side of the fuel filler housing for the cam lock latch.
+ Cut the Disco 1 fuel filler neck very short and rotated it 180 degrees so that instead of pointing straight down it sits at an angle of approx 45 degrees.
+ Joined the D1 and D2 tank connection hoses together and cut the resulting assembly to the right length to connect the filler neck to the tank.
As an extra bonus, the D2 filler cap is exactly the same as the D1 except for the fact that it has a lanyard attached, something the D1 cap lacks. So all in all I get to keep the functionality of the D2 filling system.
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- Shetland
Thanks LD. So what are you going to do now you've had a figurative kick up the arse?
Dave2302
Active Member
- Posts
- 271
- Location
- NW Scotland
Here's one of my mental V8 Mercedes SLK R170, (Merc never built a V8 one) so I did using a Merc M113 V8 5.0 ....
That Car is BRUTAL But it drives like you'd expect any decent Merc to
That Car is BRUTAL
But it drives like you'd expect any decent Merc to 
