Shippers
Well-Known Member
Oh well. He will have to get a Grand Cherokee, then!
In that case he might as well keep his disco...
Oh well. He will have to get a Grand Cherokee, then!
I kind of thought all along that that might be a better idea.In that case he might as well keep his disco...
Nope - Im relatively sure I want a series.
Parabolic springs make a massive difference IMO. The ride in a 109 on parabolics is better than an oversprung coil setup.
A little 2.25 in an ambulance body will maybe do 11mpg if you're lucky, fully laden you're down to single figures so i'd say for any long trips your V8 Discovery is actually easier on the old wallet.Nope - Im relatively sure I want a series. And Im certain I want a diesel. The ambulance body is a lucky coincidence, its the only one within reasonable bidget nearby.
Not sure if I care about the absence of syncros on 1st and 2nd. Overdrive is a necesary addition for motorway driving so Ill fit it. Parabolic springs make a massive difference IMO. The ride in a 109 on parabolics is better than an oversprung coil setup.
The engine is probably a secondary issue. The petrol engine works, so theres no rush to change it. I imagine that if it needs replacing, it will be replaced with whichever diesel engine is available nearest to me, and is a drop in replacement (i.e. no fabrication needed - does this limit me to only the 2.25 diesel?)
Well, the gearbox would be my main worry. Even with a normal 2.25 engine, you have to treat the gearbox with a bit of care. Then there is the diff. The later sailsbury diffs are betterer but they are about 50 years old now and who knows what ki d of life they have had. Ex army vehicles may (or may not) have had good maintenance but they were all driven by mad squadies who didnt have to pay for repairs. When I first got my 109 station wagon the original leaf springs felt like iron girders and I was intending to replace them with parabolics, but after giving them an oiling and using the vehicles, they started loosening up and are now quite acceptable. Parabolics give a bit more articulation for heavy duty off roading but apart from that, the original spec springs are fine. If you are planning to take a series to iceland, you will need to replace.a.stack of stuff first or you wont make.it.as.far.as the ferry.Thanks all.
Im doing a bit og a switcheroo. Currently Ive got 2 80s/90s cars that are OK at being normal cars, but still somewhat special/fun/hobby cars. Im thinking of selling both, and getting one normal boring car (diesel skoda, might get it remapped, whatever) and a extra-special land rover.
As for trips, Im thinking of going somewhere more civilised for the first trip abroad. Perhaps iceland, maybe the pyranese, who knows.
Surely the only difference between the ambulance and a regular 109 is the body on the back, and the roof? So the correct parabolics (probably the heaviest rated) would still be adequate.
What does "REME" mean? Royal engineering maintainance engineres? Its nearly 60 years old, its been out of their hands for decades!
Engines - whatever uses the least fuel at 60mph, without fabrication skills. Thats what Ill put in it.
Dont care about safety. If I wanted a safe adventure, Ide go to haven.
Having been in a 109 on parabolics, the ride is truly remarcable. I was shocked. Ive been in a fair few land rovers, and I can say that with the exception of the air-sprung D3, the 109 had the best ride. As for seats, I understand that there are plenty of options.
Everyone agrees that the land rover conquered the world. And those land rovers werent coil sprung yet.
Everyone says that one cannot simply drop say a tweaked 200tdi in a series, because the driveline cannot cope. What exactly breaks?
You kids are just soft. I used to drive all the way from Surrey to the North of Scotland in a Perkins engined 109" at 45 mph!A little 2.25 in an ambulance body will maybe do 11mpg if you're lucky, fully laden you're down to single figures so i'd say for any long trips your V8 Discovery is actually easier on the old wallet.
As for speed the 2.25 diesel is a gutless whore in an 88" I would hate to think that one would be like in a 109 ambulance, near undriveable i'd imagine..
If I bought a series landie which i'd never, a little 4bt cummins is what i'd drop in..
But then again if you're buying it to do this planned trip of yours a kitted out discovery is a safer and more financially viable notion, a good bit more comfortable too a series is a very hard car to drive any considerable distance, my Grandad and my father had loads of them but if they wanted to go further than 30mi from the farm they used a Range Rover or Shogun..
The Forestry workers and Farmers that bought series landrovers bought them as tools, thats all they are in reality a characterful wheelbarrow..
Having one to bimble about in is fair enough but for anything else more challenging, nah...
My opinion of course...
Did a run from Bristol to Tain a few years ago when mine was a DI, with a trailer. Took three days, but great fun, I do like the slow life sometimes, it's a road trip, an adventure.You kids are just soft. I used to drive all the way from Surrey to the North of Scotland in a Perkins engined 109" at 45 mph!
I would be very wary of getting a series ambulance to motorway speeds for lots of reasons other than the engine!Thanks, very interesting.
I have a friend with a series 3 109 with the 2.25 NA diesel. That really is a little down on power personally.
The 2.5TD (19j?) is the one that sounds best to me, despite its bad reputation. The TDI sounds like its more work than its worth in comparison, given it needs timing belt services etc, not just oil changes. The 2.5TD is very cheap and very simple, and Im hoping its capable of getting the ambulance to motorway speeds (65-70 would be fantastic)
Overdrive is good in a standard Series.I would be very wary of getting a series ambulance to motorway speeds for lots of reasons other than the engine!
everything has already been said above really. You are not going to get much more than 55-60 out of any series vehicle and an ambulance is more likely to be 50-55.
as I believe was said earlier in this thread when you first started you need to get one and drive it before thinking about modifying it. You can the, when you have some experience, make an informed decision on what your priorities for modification are.
Again as said above I wouldn’t bother with parabolics but I do like my overdrive. Other than that my series has no modifications. You would be better off spending your money repairing/replacing the chassis, or fitting new wiring looms, or reconditioning the gearbox and transfer box than fitting new sponge and a different engine.
I can probably buy a series 3 gearbox, if the standard one is caught lacking.
The only other car thats likely to be in the convoy currently is my friends 109 SW, with its 2.25 diesel with OD.
if Im putting a diesel engine in place of a petrol, do I just drain the petrol out and put diesel in the tank, and connect the old hose from the carb to the pump?
Now - the word "rebuild" has been thrown around a fair bit. Is this something that I can have a go at, or do I need hundereds of pounds of specialist tools to do it?