Thanks, Ill have a look at that website. Ive got some spanners, screw drivers, socket set, and even a multimeter! I assume some digital callipers, and some other basic 1950s tools would be useful too.
Aerodynamics. Not to be pedantic, but the resistive force is proportional to a variable factor between the square and the cube of the speed, dependant on the shape. But yes, I agree in principal. It does give way to and interesting thought however, because to overcome the resistive force, work is done at the wheels, by the engine. (Torque at the wheels drives the car, power at the engine goes through a gearbox to give maximum torque at the wheels at any given speed)
So, that means that theres a maximum speed that the mechanical components can handle, not in terms of the final drive ratio, but their mechanical strength compared to the resistive force of the air. (I.e. if it had a million horsepower, bits will break before it reaches its top speed, usually determined by gear ratios or the engines ability to do work against air resistance)
Basically my point is this, at what speed do the mechanical components lack the strength to overcome the air resistance? I remember something about only using overdrive in 3rd and 4th, because 2nd gear would break it. Ill google the numbers and do the maths on that, because that should give a clue as to the maximum torque the OD can handle, although that may not be the weakest link?
 
That is probably the definition of pedantic.

Insert smiley icon here, to show I'm finding it funny, rather than getting on my high horse....

Anyway, the gearbox vulnerability is more than the weight of the vehicle, it's also the impact of several thousand impacts from the diesel engine each minute as well. It will take it. But a V8 is much easier on the gearbox.

Anyway, assuming the engine has enough torque, and the gearing is up to it, what fails? Good question!

On a rover axle, it will be the halfshaft. The long one.

Then the overdrive radial needle bearing will weld itself to the shims, and finally the layshaft will snap at one of the stress points on the 2a box.
 
Last edited:
When youv'e bought the engine and got it fitted to the chassis and gearbox thats the first headache over...you then need to alter fuel lines add a canister filter then alter wiring for glowplugs then you need an engine stop also cooling pipes may need to be altered along with heating and possibly exhaust as well...all doable but takes time...have done many like for like swaps but only one non a ford 1500 water cooled into a VW camper never again...and if you do a conversion make sure the diesel is running perfectly before you fit it...a couple of years ago we had a Cobra replica built by an aero engineer came to us with a 5k edelbrock injection kit brand new in the box with its own tablet to tune it he bought it cause the carb engine hard to start and ran rough...we spent a morning checking engine found bad earths,leaking fuel pipes and wiring using houshold strip connectors sorted all that re-set timing and adjusted carbs ran sweet...we then fitted inj kit...moral is dont fit something unknown thinking its going to be better you will never improve the performance of a Series ambulance it wasn't ever ment to be a road mile eating vehicle it was for the front line ffs...
 
Im going to try and respond in sections, so we'll see how it goes.
Shippers said:
When youv'e bought the engine and got it fitted to the chassis and gearbox thats the first headache over
Click to expand...
Okay, so if I go for a 2.25, the blocks are externally identical, correct? So that shouldnt be hard at all? No harder than any job involving removing the standard engine to do a job like changing the clutch?
Is it the same story with the 2.5NA? Are the blocks identical on the outside?
Shippers said:
..you then need to alter fuel lines add a canister filter then alter wiring for glowplugs then you need an engine stop also cooling pipes may need to be altered along with heating and possibly exhaust as well...all doable but takes time...
Click to expand...
Okay, the wiring and the fuel filter dont sound too hard. If the blocks are the same, why would the coolant pipes need changing? Also the exhaust? No chance the exhausts are the same are they?

Thanking Thee!
 
Overcoming the mechanical limitations is one thing, overcoming the feeling the thing is going to fall to bits at 60mph is another. The brakes, suspension and chassis where all designed to cope with speeds up to about 60 when it was new, after that controlling it in an emergency e.g emergency braking, swerving to avoid collision etc. becomes.brutal

Col
 
We all have to dream.

On the TDI 200 swap:

Swapping to a later 4 cylinder engine isn't difficult, as these things go. Series 3 parts are better in this regard as the clutch diameter is larger, can cope with the torque better.

Exhaust can be bought, Steve Parker does conversion kits.

Cooling can be similar, I used the series thermostat housing on the TDI head so the upper pipe was easy, the lower pipe is a bodge, but I've plans for that.

An electric fan will be essential for you, the TDI timing case is bigger.

You'll need an oil cooler and a charge cooler. I used a generic 13 row oil cooler and a Skoda Fabia RS charge cooler, all in front of the radiator. I'd swap for a more efficient radiator while as it.

You must get a defender TDI for the long wheel base ambulance.

Upgrade the wiring from the alternator.

Use a TDI air filter, that will need a bracket of some sort. And the fuel filter on the bulkhead.

Battery can be shunted forward, but the battery tray might need a cut or two.

Fuel tank needs a return for the spill pipe, I teed into the tank chamber vent pipe the first time I did this.

Use the choke cable light switch to activate the glow plug wiring and relay. Ignition switch must retain a live feed to the stop solenoid on the IP when starting, don't know how that works on a 2a.

Glencoyne website. Buy the spacer for the alternator, and the special engine mounts Richard sells.
 
Oh, and it will not like been driven at speeds above sixty. I think most vehicles have a happy speed, series vehicles like slower.

And yes, all 4 cylinder blocks from 2286 to 2495 are based on the same casting, (except the MPI) but some are metric, some have different cooling galleries, substantially different cylinder heads etc.
 
LetsHopeItFits said:
Thanks, Ill have a look at that website. Ive got some spanners, screw drivers, socket set, and even a multimeter! I assume some digital callipers, and some other basic 1950s tools would be useful too.
Aerodynamics. Not to be pedantic, but the resistive force is proportional to a variable factor between the square and the cube of the speed, dependant on the shape. But yes, I agree in principal. It does give way to and interesting thought however, because to overcome the resistive force, work is done at the wheels, by the engine. (Torque at the wheels drives the car, power at the engine goes through a gearbox to give maximum torque at the wheels at any given speed)
So, that means that theres a maximum speed that the mechanical components can handle, not in terms of the final drive ratio, but their mechanical strength compared to the resistive force of the air. (I.e. if it had a million horsepower, bits will break before it reaches its top speed, usually determined by gear ratios or the engines ability to do work against air resistance)
Basically my point is this, at what speed do the mechanical components lack the strength to overcome the air resistance? I remember something about only using overdrive in 3rd and 4th, because 2nd gear would break it. Ill google the numbers and do the maths on that, because that should give a clue as to the maximum torque the OD can handle, although that may not be the weakest link?
Click to expand...
Not so much to do with the strength of the gearbox. More to do with the available power.
The faster you go, the more of the power is used to drive the vehicle through the air.
So if you don't have enough power, there comes a time when you just don't go any faster.
 
Brakes were mentioned. You have to upgrade. People drive like idiots and will make you do an emergency stop.

I'm not saying a well maintained 2a set up is bad, but it's not wise to use it in modern traffic, and not at the speeds you're contemplating.

I'd recommend a late series 3 LWB setup, complete. Or, perhaps a disk brake conversion.
Including servo, run from the vacuum pump on the TDI.
 
And, for goodness sake, replace all the ball joints and bushes on the anti roll bars and steering. Rebuild the steering box and relay.
 
Decided to get a diesel RRC instead. Found a couple of 200tdi manuals. Trying to arrange viewing tomorrow. Other than rust and leaks, anything else worth paying particular attention to?
Thanks!
 
Did anyone mention the rust:eek:.

200tdi in a RRC:D about a quick as a 109 ambulance I would guess;).

And now we are back to the room available to sleep in:rolleyes:.

J
 
marjon said:
Did anyone mention the rust:eek:.

200tdi in a RRC:D about a quick as a 109 ambulance I would guess;).

And now we are back to the room available to sleep in:rolleyes:.

J
Click to expand...
Don't the back seats fold down flat, like in a Maxi? They have some other Maxi bits on them, like the door handles, and probably the gear knob, and the vinyl seats.
 
Turboman said:
Don't the back seats fold down flat, like in a Maxi? They have some other Maxi bits on them, like the door handles, and probably the gear knob, and the vinyl seats.
Click to expand...

I thought it was Marina bits or was it Allegro:eek:, but is was BL for sure:D.

Seats fold down flat in our L322 but I still have to have the lower tailgate down as my feet stick out the end:D.

Should we all form a circle and start again at post 1?;).

J
 
marjon said:
I thought it was Marina bits or was it Allegro:eek:, but is was BL for sure:D.

Seats fold down flat in our L322 but I still have to have the lower tailgate down as my feet stick out the end:D.

Should we all form a circle and start again at post 1?;).

J
Click to expand...
Marina, Maxi, Allegro, Princess, early Range Rovers. All built by British Leyland, and all have many bits in common.
 
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