Opinions please

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parptoot

parptoot

Well-Known Member
Posts
475
Location
South Northamptonshire
Hello all,
I have a bit of a quandary and I'd like some opinions from the learned forum contributors.

I have 2004 110 XS in black and I like it a lot. In fact, as a bit of a serial car swapper, I tend not to keep cars much longer than 10 months or thereabouts so at a year now, this is doing well, so it's fair to say I really do like it. However....
It is in need of some work that will need me spending quite a sum of money...about £3.5 k ish.
It can be repaired but I'm not like that, I'd rather replace this major part and be done with it. There's no question about that.

Here's the question.
I have a bit of a hankering for a fat old 110 V8.
I could, chop the TD5 in and get the V8 and use the money I've saved to pump into the new (old) V8, if needed.

My issues with going towards the V8 are mainly based around fuel consumption and reliability.
My TD5 has been a corking old bus and has taken me in relative comfort to Loch ness and anywhere else I chose to go. I have no qualms about taking it anywhere and I never question it's ability to get up and go.

Will I be risking the relative comforts and reliability of the XS by going back to the late 80s to this V8?
Will the noise and drama of the V8 eclipse all that.

To put you in the right frame, this V8 I'm considering had over £9k spent on it 3 years ago and it's apparently ready to go and tip top. That remains to be seen but if not this one there'll be others.

There are of course many things that play into this decision and something of relevance is that I do have a second car that can be used more of less 50% of the time along with the TD5 or V8

So has anyone done this or something like it? Regretted it horribly? Best decision ever?
Ta,
Mike.
 
I've got rust bubbling up on the bulkhead near the door hinges on both sides. I know there are repair panels but I'm one who'd rather do it all proper and get it replaced.
 
Having a welding and metal work background I'm concerned about the years to come and the quality of the work done. I've also been told, right or wrong I don't know, that the time taken to get into that area to fit repair panels isn't far off what it would take to swap out the old bulkhead.

A v8 would be nice though.....
A nice idea for a while or actually nice to live with? ;)
 
The £9k was spent recommisioning it after being sat for a while. Chassis repairs, wheels, brakes etc. He has al the bills and what not...

Hold up. Copy and paste -
built front dumb irons (frame number not touched and still readable) and replacement bumper, Replace both front outriggers with new, Replaced drivers footwell, Replaced both body side channels with new
Replaced both C posts with new, Replaced middle crossmember with new
Rebuilt carburettors
Complete engine service with all fluids in transmission etc also changed
New fuel tank and carrier
All shock absorbers replaced with new
Rear A frame ball joint replaced with new
Front and rear suspension rebuilt with new bushes all round
Brakes rebuilt, New lights all round
New side and rear steps
5 new wheels and tyres
 
Marmaduke said:
Personally if I'd spent 9k having that done I'd feel short changed. If I were to spend 9k on mine I would expect at least a galv chassis as a minimum
Click to expand...

Agree with Marmaduke
For the £9k I would want an new galv Chassis as a minimum
and a galved bulkhead
 
I agree but I can't change the fact that this amount has been spenton thoseitems. I don't know at this stage if it's even a good understanding now.
I'm just scouting to see if a swap from the TD5 to 'a' V8 is worth considering. It may be this one or another that may pop up in the near future.

It's all horses for courses really, I get that.
Is the V8 noise the only benefit of that engine? Is the heater system better too? By better I mean warms up quicker being a petrol and is hotter, maybe?

Lots to think about.
 
parptoot said:
To put you in the right frame, this V8 I'm considering had over £9k spent on it 3 years ago and it's apparently ready to go and tip top. That remains to be seen but if not this one there'll be others.
Click to expand...

I'd need a LOT more info on that V8 before I'd even look at it - high comp / low comp / mileage / 3.5 / 3.9 / 4.6 / which chassis / coils / leaf springs / which main gear box / which tfr GB, which axles/brakes, and a multitude of other questions.

IMHO, Your TD5 will be a far better vehicle even if the V8 is the best of the above choices - notwithstanding the electronics, the TD5 is possibly the best engine LR ever made, and even in standard tune will have more power and torque than a moderately sensible V8.... that said, a fully sorted V8 will blow it out the water...( at significant fuel cost !!)

reliability wise, well, the V8 could be a pile of junk that has just had good oil wasted by "servicing it".... you get the idea... as Marmaduke said above, £9K seems a lot to spend, and it not have a galv chassis and BH...

Now, IMHO, your bulkhead problems are getting blown out of all proportion - repair panels fitted properly are absolutely fine - LR made the thing out of pieces anyway!!!

If you want to sort the BH permanently - then galvanise it. I'd also suggest that a short term ownership view of a defender isn't the right option - the next owner is going to get all the benefit of your money.
 
Damn, you sound like my wife, good friends and all the sensible people I know that I've mentioned this too ;)
Where are the V8 loonies to convince me otherwise :)

No, I know. The TD5 is good and can be fixed, either with panels or new galvanised BH. I'm just getting twitchy.
 
parptoot said:
I'm just getting twitchy.
Click to expand...

And its going to "waste" a LOT of money. And I know its yours to waste - but when i say "waste", I mean giveaway to your garage for unnecessary work ! - Your "garage" must love you.....;)

IMHO, If you want a V8, build one ( or if you must get one built ), to your spec - don't buy someone else's attempt at the job, unless its perfect - IOW's, don't :D
 
OK look at it logically, from the work listed by far the majority of the bill has to be labour, you'd be pushed to spend more than 4k on the parts listed. I'm guessing it's older than your td5 and as the outriggers have been replaced take it from my own experience that the inside of the chassis has got three years tops before it'll need work so by your own standards that'll be a replacement chassis. The bulkhead is likely to have been repaired in the past as it's not been listed in the 9k bill. Plus you haven't said how much it's for sale for.. Listen to your missus o_O
 
Marmaduke said:
take it from my own experience that the inside of the chassis has got three years tops before it'll need work
Click to expand...

And mine :) - a new chassis is worth every penny - but not on a vehicle that you already have that much money in before hand.......AND you know next to nothing about its history or provenance..

bankz5152 said:
If I where you, id keep it, fit straight thru and then speak to José at TD5inside.

It'll sound almost like a V8 but run better and driver better with bundles of power
Click to expand...

Agree, ..... and far better economy...

OP:- honestly, IMHO, you're over thinking this, and worrying too much about a BH repair. All you need to do with that is make sure its done properly. Job jobbed.;)
 
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