I’m starting to get the itch again. I need a Defender. I love my Disco 2, it’s a great family truck and Greenlaner. But I have always loved the Defender and miss my last one. I had to sell it because I need an auto.
So an auto Defender, not a new thing with the 300tdi, TD5 and V8 autos. But I’d like something a bit different. So I’m thinking the BMW M52B28 engine with an auto box. Now the engine has been done 100s of times, but what about the auto box? Would it just bolt onto the box out of a Disco 1/2? I believe it’s the same box fitted to the BMW 328/528/728? If so could I just get the complete engine and box out of one of the above vehicles and put it in? Would the transfer box fit or would I need a conversion plate?
Now as far as I know, no one has actually done this, but does anyone think there would be anything that could stop me doing this?

Paul

Most import question here is, do you know your way around electrics and electronics, and as such, do you plan on doing the necessary work yourself? Unless you find a donor vehicle you can transfer all cabling and modules from, you'll be looking at a lot of wiring work to get it all running right. On the older BMWs from the early 90s, they shared the same ZF4H22 transmissions with the early discoverys, so you could direct swap engines and transmissions without too much work.
With those, you could remove the drive shaft flange, unbolt the tail cone from the transmission and directly bolt on the standard LR transfer case adapter plate.
Unfortunately I can't say how the transmissions are set up now.
Although it has to be said that if it can be swapped easily like on the older vehicles, the transmission controller may be setup to the final gearing of the smaller vehicle and may require some coding to adapt it to use in the LR.