Alibro
Well-Known Member
I heard Adrian Flux is pretty good.
E~FENDER
Active Member
Yeah, unfortunately they couldn’t help on this occasion. I’ve potentially found a few just waiting on their initial quotes. Seems a lot of insurers are jittery about Land Rovers (of any kind) due to the large volume of keyless Range Rovers & new Defenders being stolen. 20 odd per day presently.
hippoOneDi
Member
Yip, Nodge is right. Any car built after March 2001 will retain the tax status so will be taxed at the original price regardless if it is converted. That is why I've been on the hunt for a nice early Freelander first registered before 31st Mar 01 but so far have failed.
I wouldn't say the tax status cannot be changed, more like the DVLA have misinterpreted the rules to this end for their own reasons.
I probably should have mentioned it before stripping the one I have but if anyone has a really nice early car I would be interested in it as the one I have will cost me twice as much to tax each year than my 2012 diesel Merc.
I've a 1998 Di which is practically showroom condition ( except a bit of saggy headlining) if you're not too comitted yet. Really interested in your project, may convert one myself if it looks doable ( and I come across a cheap leaf).
Alibro
Well-Known Member
Sorry mate, I missed your post. Is it running driving and MOT'd?
And what colour?
Any chance of a few pics?
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hippoOneDi
Member
I've been away so it's been parked up at work. I'll get a few pics next week. Been on SORN so planning to put a new MOT on it in next week or so, went through last one with no advisories and tester remarking how mint it was ( done less than 80K).
It's a nice mettallic green like the one below (though that's just from a google so not the actual car)
It's a nice mettallic green like the one below (though that's just from a google so not the actual car)
Alibro
Well-Known Member
I'll pm you
Alibro
Well-Known Member
So @hippoOneDi and I have thrashed it out and although his car sounds great and he is not asking over the odds I will continue with the car I have.
Reasons:-
The ideal car for me is a one with a perfect body but a dead engine or drive train otherwise the numbers don't add up.
His car is a base model and I always wanted this EV to be a higher end model with heated seats and heated windscreen. These things make a lot of sense in an EV too.
I have already started the strip down of my car with the engine currently on the floor and don't feel inclined to reinstall it to make it worth selling.
I need to get this car on the road and don't need any more distractions SO DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT TEMPTING ME WITH YOUR OLD CAR.
Not this year anyway.
Reasons:-
The ideal car for me is a one with a perfect body but a dead engine or drive train otherwise the numbers don't add up.
His car is a base model and I always wanted this EV to be a higher end model with heated seats and heated windscreen. These things make a lot of sense in an EV too.
I have already started the strip down of my car with the engine currently on the floor and don't feel inclined to reinstall it to make it worth selling.
I need to get this car on the road and don't need any more distractions SO DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT TEMPTING ME WITH YOUR OLD CAR.
Not this year anyway.
Alibro
Well-Known Member
So as already mentioned in the last post I have the engine, gearbox and IRD out of the good car and will be putting them up for sale soon, any suggestions how much to ask? Should I keep the IRD and Gearbox JIC I trash the ones I have?
And after knocking off the crustiest bits of rust a drop of red lead.
And after knocking off the crustiest bits of rust a drop of red lead.
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Nodge68
Well-Known Member
Nodge68
Well-Known Member
Is that Bonda primer Ali?
Alibro
Well-Known Member
Yes mate.
It's the stuff you advised me to get.
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Nodge68
Well-Known Member
And brilliant stuff it is too.Yes mate.
As long as the surface it's applied to is clean and properly keyed, it can only be removed by abrasion.
Alibro
Well-Known Member
I also put a coat on the front caliper carriers and wishbones after chipping the crustiest of the rust off them.
I have new calipers, flexi pipes and carrier sliders on order so the front of the car should look a bit nicer and it might even stop better.
Braking is something I need to address because initially anyway I will not have regen braking, nor engine braking so will be relying entirely on the brakes. Plus the car will be a bit heavier.
Nodge68
Well-Known Member
Nothing wrong with better brakes Ali, although the post-2001 MY FL1 brakes aren't too bad when all the components are new.
Don't forget that it has been designed with an automatic gearbox in mind, which also lacks engine braking in the higher gears.
This was the primary reason the post - 2001 MY had improved braking over the pre - 2001 MY version, as no automatic gearbox was available for the earlier vehicles.
Alibro
Well-Known Member
I had a Pre 2001 Freelander maybe 13 years ago so I know just how poor the brakes were in them. The Post 01 cars are much better and like you say with nice shiny new bits they will be OK.
I'm not long home from a funeral so nothing done today yet but will try to get some Combicolor black on the red bits.
Alibro
Well-Known Member
So on the principle "it never happened if we can't see it" here are a few photos
I know a drop of paint will not give them another ten years but one or two will be fine by me. The ball joints and bushes may be past their first flush of youth but are not too bad and the paint will help hold the rust at bay for a little while.
The front cross member is always kinda rusty on these cars so I gave it a coat of red oxide earlier and decided it would look a bit better with the black but couldn't be bothered painting over the rest of the red. Nobody will ever see it.
I know a drop of paint will not give them another ten years but one or two will be fine by me. The ball joints and bushes may be past their first flush of youth but are not too bad and the paint will help hold the rust at bay for a little while.
The front cross member is always kinda rusty on these cars so I gave it a coat of red oxide earlier and decided it would look a bit better with the black but couldn't be bothered painting over the rest of the red. Nobody will ever see it.
Alibro
Well-Known Member
So with the paint still drying on the front suspension parts I turned my attention to the back of the car today and realised something that makes me very happy.
At first I removed the side panels, the sodden carpet and the lid of the fish tank along with the plastic screw inserts.
Then discovered I was able to use M6 rivnuts without any drilling. I may want to use these to hold the battery pack down along with the four tie down points.
And painted the crustiest bits when it suddenly hit me I was being very stupid.
You might remember I built a battery box to hold 6 large modules under the boot but decided not to use it because it would require removal of the fish tank.
I had already previously built a box to fit the fuel tank space which holds 4 large and 2 small modules but didn't want to use it as doing so caused some complications.
When I first decided not to use the lower rear box I considered going back to the fuel tank box but as it isn't as big I would be left with nowhere to put two modules and now I've realised they can go in the fish tank.
In fact with a bit of jiggling of battery positions in the big box I might be able to do away with the 2 small modules in the fuel tank box and make it easier to install.
So although it will cause a lot more work I think I can now get all the modules into the car without cutting or drilling anything.
At first I removed the side panels, the sodden carpet and the lid of the fish tank along with the plastic screw inserts.
Then discovered I was able to use M6 rivnuts without any drilling. I may want to use these to hold the battery pack down along with the four tie down points.
And painted the crustiest bits when it suddenly hit me I was being very stupid.
You might remember I built a battery box to hold 6 large modules under the boot but decided not to use it because it would require removal of the fish tank.
I had already previously built a box to fit the fuel tank space which holds 4 large and 2 small modules but didn't want to use it as doing so caused some complications.
When I first decided not to use the lower rear box I considered going back to the fuel tank box but as it isn't as big I would be left with nowhere to put two modules and now I've realised they can go in the fish tank.
In fact with a bit of jiggling of battery positions in the big box I might be able to do away with the 2 small modules in the fuel tank box and make it easier to install.
So although it will cause a lot more work I think I can now get all the modules into the car without cutting or drilling anything.
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GrumpyGel
Well-Known Member
I presume you're batteries came from your Leaf donor, which is great, but I was looking at batteries for sale here the other day and they are pretty good value for money.So with the paint still drying on the front suspension parts I turned my attention to the back of the car today and realised something that makes me very happy.
At first I removed the side panels, the sodden carpet and the lid of the fish tank along with the plastic screw inserts.
View attachment 286031
Then discovered I was able to use M6 rivnuts without any drilling. I may want to use these to hold the battery pack down along with the four tie down points.
View attachment 286030
And painted the crustiest bits when it suddenly hit me I was being very stupid.
View attachment 286029
You might remember I built a battery box to hold 6 large modules under the boot but decided not to use it because it would require removal of the fish tank.
I had already previously built a box to fit the fuel tank space which holds 4 large and 2 small modules but didn't want to use it as doing so caused some complications.
When I first decided not to use the lower rear box I considered going back to the fuel tank box but as it isn't as big I would be left with nowhere to put two modules and now I've realised they can go in the fish tank.
In fact with a bit of jiggling of battery positions in the big box I might be able to do away with the 2 small modules in the fuel tank box and make it easier to install.
So although it will cause a lot more work I think I can now get all the modules into the car without cutting or drilling anything.
If I'm not mistaken, they are each 1/2 a KWH of power (at something like 3.7v) and can be bought for about $190 (£85). To build and test with you can buy 2nd hand with questionable SOH for half that.
Given their size and design, they look pretty good to work with as well.
The current generation don't look as easy to use as they are micro welded together or summat.
Alibro
Well-Known Member
I know it's been a while but no, they came from an eGolf.
The Nissan cells are a bit easier to work with as they use buss bars to link the cells where I need to use cables with crimped ends.
The eGolf cells are more powerful than those in the original Leaf but similar to a 40kW Leaf.
£85 x 96 = £8160 so not cheap. I paid around half that for mine and they were brand new at the time.
Ultrasonic welding I think