Mad LWB disco idea (Now ultimate overlanding disco thread of rubbish

[Stanleysteamer]

Brill post...Dave from Scot Rods fellow scot building a V8 in Canada made his exhaust then did a mirror image for the other side didn't fit as the heads are slightly staggered on a V8..lol

Oh sh!t!!!!
Schoolboy error!
Bet he fecking swore!!!
No you almost have to regard a V8 as two separate engines when it comes to this sort of sh!t!
Measure 3 times, cut once, mock it up preferably and put the bit you think you've got right to the engine to see what is what.
I am currently on the third version of my spare wheel mount on my Carisma Century, as the car is supposed to have the spare in the front wing. I want it on the rear as per the original Jag SS 100. But the Carisma comes with a boot lid where obvs the Jag never had one.
My Marlin has no boot lid and getting stuff in and out of it is a royal pain, so I was/am determined to keep the boot lid.
So I made up a hinged frame whose mounts pass through the fibreglass, and then is welded to the chassis, it holds the wheel, (and it is feck off massive) but allows the boot to be opened once it is swung down out of the way. The problem is making it man enough to do the job but to remain hidden so it looks like the wheel is bolted to the rear of the tub AND it doesn't rattle and vibrate like a tw@t.

 

[LetsHopeItFits]

Cant disagree with what people are saying regarding budget, but I should mention that this is going to be scruffy. It needs to be sting and robust and tough, but it doesnt need to be shiny and nice and presentable. It needs to pass an MoT, and it needs to be durable and perform as intended, but not a mint concourse fully restored factory fresh car. If it ever gets painted, it will be raptor/other rubbery tough brush/roll on paint. It also doesnt need to all be done at once, i.e. it can be a tdi engined 130 with a disco body, then a few years later get a different engine, then a few years later get some massive tyres/lift/bar work etc. Posts are flying in, so my apologies for any repetition, and thanks for all the advice!

 

[Stanleysteamer]

Small stuff, like wiring,

Sorry mate, but ...............


Roll around on the fucking floor laughing for a week!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Shippers]

, I can bring a rolling chassis and a chopped body to someone, and pay them half a days labour to plop it on and bolt it up

Bloody hell you realy haven't taken on board the advise given have you...a half a days labour to fit a chopped body shell to a chassis your dreaming mate it takes longer than that to change the bloody clutch...

 

[LetsHopeItFits]

Not small jobs in terms of time, I understand that fully. Wiring is a very long job, it takes lots of time, but it doesnt requite a lift, or a hoist, just a voltmeter, soldering iron, crimpy thing, electrical tape, heat shrink, withing diagrams, some wire, etc etc. Takes lots of time, but its more like 100 small things, rather than 1 or 2 big things, if that makes sense. Basically, I dont need 5 grands worth of tools and 20 grands worth of shed to do it in, I can do it on my driveway, assuming that I can do it at all...

 

[Stanleysteamer]

Mine also doesnt have ARBs, so it rolls alot, but then it is a big 4x4, so thats fine.

What? none at ALL?
Jeez!
You will need ARBs especially as once fully loaded the centre of gravity will move upwards and give even more roll.
Why do you think LR put ACE on the D2, which incidentally is in many ways a right PITA?
I'd go for thicker ARBs anyway, just cos to me, not rolling around and nearly out of my seat is comfortable, and feck the offroading ability. If you need that then you are in the wrong vehicle entirely, unless you choose to take em off and put them somewhere when going off road!

 

[Stanleysteamer]

Not small jobs in terms of time, I understand that fully. Wiring is a very long job, it takes lots of time, but it doesnt requite a lift, or a hoist, just a voltmeter, soldering iron, crimpy thing, electrical tape, heat shrink, withing diagrams, some wire, etc etc. Takes lots of time, but its more like 100 small things, rather than 1 or 2 big things, if that makes sense. Basically, I dont need 5 grands worth of tools and 20 grands worth of shed to do it in, I can do it on my driveway, assuming that I can do it at all...

The more modern the vehicle it is/ will be the harder it will be. and as soon as you are into ECUs, you'd better have a degree in electrical engineering, cos I wouldn't touch one and I've been wiring kit cars, from scratch almost since 1989!

 

[Shippers]

Not small jobs in terms of time, I understand that fully. Wiring is a very long job, it takes lots of time, but it doesnt requite a lift, or a hoist, just a voltmeter, soldering iron, crimpy thing, electrical tape, heat shrink, withing diagrams, some wire, etc etc. Takes lots of time, but its more like 100 small things, rather than 1 or 2 big things, if that makes sense. Basically, I dont need 5 grands worth of tools and 20 grands worth of shed to do it in, I can do it on my driveway, assuming that I can do it at all...

Most garages that do that work have more than that and above as we do down here in the part share I have in a garage between us our welding kit is 2k and Barrys diagnostic equip is north of 10k and we wouldn't touch your project unless you paid upfront...

 

[LetsHopeItFits]

Bloody hell you realy haven't taken on board the advise given have you...a half a days labour to fit a chopped body shell to a chassis your dreaming mate it takes longer than that to change the bloody clutch...

Just found the quote button. Right, this is what I need the advice for. If the body mounts line up, which part if this plan wont work : buy rotten d2, chop the back off to approximately the correct place, leaving 6 mounts remaining. Then lift the body off by unbolting it from the chassis and disconnecting any lines/cables/wires. Put that on a trailer, take it to workshop. Take rolling chassis, with engine etc, from 130 to the same workshop. Lift body off trailer onto lift. Roll chassis under body. Lower body onto chassis. Bolt them together. Roll chassis with body back onto trailer. Compete the rest at home. Now if they dont like up, this is far more complicated, if not impossible. I understand that "complete the rest" isnt easy, but its lots of "smaller" jobs, that dont require expensive tools or lifting equipment.

 

[LetsHopeItFits]

Wont be touching anything with an ECU. TDI engine most likely, and if it ever gets replaced, OM606 also hasnt got an ECU, so it really is "basic" stuff like lights, dashboard, fuel pump, windows/door locks and maybe audio. No need for fancy electric seats or sunroof etc
I do try to respond to everyone, thanks!

 

[LetsHopeItFits]

Wont be touching anything with an ECU. TDI engine most likely, and if it ever gets replaced, OM606 also hasnt got an ECU, so it really is "basic" stuff like lights, dashboard, fuel pump, windows/door locks and maybe audio. No need for fancy electric seats or sunroof etc
I do try to respond to everyone, thanks!

 

[Shippers]

Just found the quote button. Right, this is what I need the advice for. If the body mounts line up, which part if this plan wont work : buy rotten d2, chop the back off to approximately the correct place, leaving 6 mounts remaining. Then lift the body off by unbolting it from the chassis and disconnecting any lines/cables/wires. Put that on a trailer, take it to workshop. Take rolling chassis, with engine etc, from 130 to the same workshop. Lift body off trailer onto lift. Roll chassis under body. Lower body onto chassis. Bolt them together. Roll chassis with body back onto trailer. Compete the rest at home. Now if they dont like up, this is far more complicated, if not impossible. I understand that "complete the rest" isnt easy, but its lots of "smaller" jobs, that dont require expensive tools or lifting equipment.

Have you ever worked on a rotten Disco before what facilities do you have when you seperate body from chassis to weld in patches...I can tell you now YOU will not do it in half a day...

 

[LetsHopeItFits]

Lack of ARBs - is this not standard? Early defenders and RRs didnt have them, did they? Ill have a look more closely next time Im underneath it, but Im sure they arent there if theyre supposed to be

 

[Shippers]

Lack of ARBs - is this not standard? Early defenders and RRs didnt have them, did they? Ill have a look more closely next time Im underneath it, but Im sure they arent there if theyre supposed to be

What are you driveling on about now...

 

[Stanleysteamer]

Wont be touching anything with an ECU. TDI engine most likely, and if it ever gets replaced, OM606 also hasnt got an ECU, so it really is "basic" stuff like lights, dashboard, fuel pump, windows/door locks and maybe audio. No need for fancy electric seats or sunroof etc
I do try to respond to everyone, thanks!

Fair enough, but knitting spaghetti isn't to everyone's taste and you do need to know how switches and relays work, what gauge of wire to use for what, the colours to use etc etc. And making it neat and water and wear proof while running it around the car in positions where it isn't likely to get damaged is an art in itself.
This is why "Autosparks" are in business, and they only make standard looms, as far as I know.

 

[LetsHopeItFits]

Nope, never split a body from the chassis. Ive got a rough idea how, but Ive never actually done it. As to how I would do it, for the imprecise part of taking the body off the D2, I would use sleepers and high lift jacks, then roll the trailer underneath, strap it down and tow it to the place that lifts it off. I doubt this would work for mounting the body as a lot more precision and accuracy is needed.

 

[Stanleysteamer]

Have you ever worked on a rotten Disco before what facilities do you have when you seperate body from chassis to weld in patches...I can tell you now YOU will not do it in half a day...

I think someone needs to whisper in his ear
"YOU WILL NEED TO LEARN HOW TO WELD".
and get the kit of course!

 

[LetsHopeItFits]

Welding - certainly. Never done it before, very excited to try. For this, will stick welding suffice? (Or using a mig machine, without gas, with the coated wire?)
How much is the basic stuff going to set me back, assuming I dont need mig/tig (so gasless)
Thanks!

 

[Stanleysteamer]

Lack of ARBs - is this not standard? Early defenders and RRs didnt have them, did they? Ill have a look more closely next time Im underneath it, but Im sure they arent there if theyre supposed to be

TBH I can only speak about Discos as my three are the only LRs I've owned, but you said "my disco" so yes, it will have ARBs.

 

[Stanleysteamer]

Welding - certainly. Never done it before, very excited to try. For this, will stick welding suffice? (Or using a mig machine, without gas, with the coated wire?)
How much is the basic stuff going to set me back, assuming I dont need mig/tig (so gasless)
Thanks!

Stick is cheap and not too hard to learn, I personally like it, but only good for thick stuff unless you are very clever.
Gasless I wouldn't touch with a barge-pole.
TIG takes a lot of learning I hear.
MIG less so, and kit can be obtained quite cheaply but again you get what you pay for, why are you so bothered about gas? Hobbyweld do it pretty cheap.
I used to use a pub bottle with CO2 but then I used to be an impoverished peasant!
You'll have to shop around although peeps on here will have their opinions as to what stuff is good or not.
You will eventually need a reactive mask, or whatever they are called, the sort that only darken once the arc is struck. They are quite cheap and make it all a lot easier, although a good tip is to set up a (properly protected) work light near to where you are working so you can see what the feck you are doing.