Newbie question.

I'm vaguely looking at a 91 gas conversion Disco to replace an old 2.25
110 because of chassis rot. Can't ask or see inside until the owner
passes through the country again. Presume it's a 3.5 V8.

It superficially looks fine. Would one of these use the cheapest
unleaded, or have to have higher octane stuff? Would it have a strong
clutch, and good torque to be able to back and forward jiggle a 2.5 ton
boat into a tight corner of a shed like the 110 does? Would any problem
be likely with my pattern of use ie spring and autumn a few 100 mile
journeys, intense heavy towing of heavy boats around rough, salty,
stony, sandy ground, back home and 6-months standing in the path
unloved, uncared for and unused until the next thrash?

I have no money, and the government seems likely to want even more. All
the 110 has ever needed is a couple of tanks of fuel a year, a bit of
welding and gaffer tape over the holes. Is a Disco going to cost a
fortune after the initial reasonable purchase?

Grateful for any advice to look at when I return in the 110 after it's
done its work for a couple of days!

--
Bill

On Sat, 28 Oct 2006 08:45:17 +0100, Bill <me@privacy.net> wrote:

>Newbie question.
>
>I'm vaguely looking at a 91 gas conversion Disco to replace an old 2.25
>110 because of chassis rot. Can't ask or see inside until the owner
>passes through the country again. Presume it's a 3.5 V8.
>
>It superficially looks fine. Would one of these use the cheapest
>unleaded, or have to have higher octane stuff?

im guessing you are in the UK from your use of 'autumn', so if its got
a gas conversion then you will be putting LPG in it not any of that
expensive petrol stuff!

My impression it that there are a lot more fiddly bits to rot away on
an old disco than on a 110!

"Bill" <me@privacy.net> wrote in message
news:MWcLW$LNqwQFFwu8@privacy.net...
> Newbie question.
>
> I'm vaguely looking at a 91 gas conversion Disco to replace an old 2.25
> 110 because of chassis rot. Can't ask or see inside until the owner
> passes through the country again. Presume it's a 3.5 V8.
>
> It superficially looks fine. Would one of these use the cheapest
> unleaded, or have to have higher octane stuff? Would it have a strong
> clutch, and good torque to be able to back and forward jiggle a 2.5 ton
> boat into a tight corner of a shed like the 110 does? Would any problem
> be likely with my pattern of use ie spring and autumn a few 100 mile
> journeys, intense heavy towing of heavy boats around rough, salty,
> stony, sandy ground, back home and 6-months standing in the path
> unloved, uncared for and unused until the next thrash?
>
> I have no money, and the government seems likely to want even more. All
> the 110 has ever needed is a couple of tanks of fuel a year, a bit of
> welding and gaffer tape over the holes. Is a Disco going to cost a
> fortune after the initial reasonable purchase?
>
> Grateful for any advice to look at when I return in the 110 after it's
> done its work for a couple of days!

It'll be easier moving the trailer - more torque and better steering lock.
Oil change once a year, runs on normal unleaded but won't use a lot if it's
on LPG. When starting after a long period of rest, tappets may rattle a bit
initially but let it warm up before driving and it ought to be ok. Check
boot floor and rear crossmember body mounts for serious corrosion.
Badger.

In message <bo6dnVrfLJq0hN7YnZ2dnUVZ8qCdnZ2d@bt.com>, Badger
<brianhatton@btinternet.com> writes
>When starting after a long period of rest, tappets may rattle a bit
>initially but let it warm up before driving and it ought to be ok.
>Check boot floor and rear crossmember body mounts for serious corrosion.

Thanks for this and Tom's reply. Yes, I'm in the UK. I'm just passing by
the PC after the first day of this autumn's work.

Sorry about these questions, but I'm trying to do quick internet
searches and coming up a blank most of the time.

I'm not quite sure where the steel ends and the ally begins on a Disco.
Is there a galvanic corrosion problem like on the 110? That seemed easy
to paint over and never seems to trouble the MOT. Can a Disco have ally
plates rivetted in to cover the hole in the driver's floor or isn't it
necessary? What I think I'm really asking is whether an MOT is stricter
for a Disco than for an 'industrial' 110.

Would a '91 Disco have a carburettor and no electronics, or do all
Disco's have complex engine management?

The thing I like about the 110 is the looks and the total simplicity.
I've never changed the oil, just popped into Poundland about every other
year to drip-add another litre. Unfortunately a new chassis or yet more
patches would be a step too far, next spring the MOT fail is likely, and
replacement 110's seem to be more expensive than V8 Disco's of
apparently equivalent quality. My 110 has achieved depreciation of well
under £100 a year over 10 years, and this Disco I'm looking at looks as
though it might achieve the same.
--
Bill

"Bill" <me@privacy.net> wrote in message
news:kMbhguUQ29QFFw6m@privacy.net...
> In message <bo6dnVrfLJq0hN7YnZ2dnUVZ8qCdnZ2d@bt.com>, Badger
> <brianhatton@btinternet.com> writes
> >When starting after a long period of rest, tappets may rattle a bit
> >initially but let it warm up before driving and it ought to be ok.
> >Check boot floor and rear crossmember body mounts for serious corrosion.
>
> Thanks for this and Tom's reply. Yes, I'm in the UK. I'm just passing by
> the PC after the first day of this autumn's work.
>
> Sorry about these questions, but I'm trying to do quick internet
> searches and coming up a blank most of the time.
>
> I'm not quite sure where the steel ends and the ally begins on a Disco.
> Is there a galvanic corrosion problem like on the 110? That seemed easy
> to paint over and never seems to trouble the MOT. Can a Disco have ally
> plates rivetted in to cover the hole in the driver's floor or isn't it
> necessary? What I think I'm really asking is whether an MOT is stricter
> for a Disco than for an 'industrial' 110.

MOT rules are the same, any corrosion which weakens the stucture
significantly within 12" of a suspension/steering/brake/seat/seatbelt
mounting is a fail. If corrosion in the footwell is within 12" of, say, the
pedal box mounts or seat/belt mounts - then it's a fail, same as the 110.
Galvanic corrosion can occur along the lower edges of the doors and around
the wheelarches, same as a 110.

>
> Would a '91 Disco have a carburettor and no electronics, or do all
> Disco's have complex engine management?

It'll either be carburettors, or the first of the fuel injection models,
fited with the extremely simple and reliable "hotwire" efi system.

Badger.

In message <Wu-dnbleqv6DZt7YnZ2dnUVZ8qWdnZ2d@bt.com>, Badger
<brianhatton@btinternet.com> writes
>
>"Bill" <me@privacy.net> wrote in message
>news:kMbhguUQ29QFFw6m@privacy.net...
>>
>> Would a '91 Disco have a carburettor and no electronics, or do all
>> Disco's have complex engine management?
>
>It'll either be carburettors, or the first of the fuel injection models,
>fited with the extremely simple and reliable "hotwire" efi system.
>
Thanks Brian. I've now had a better look in daylight and managed to
drive back and forward a few feet. It seems to have fuel injection.

What I didn't anticipate is the feel of the suspension after my 110. I
do a lot of backing up in as precise a way as possible to hook on to
boat trailers. Trying forward and reverse in the Disco in low ratio, it
would rock over on its springs in what I found quite an alarming way,
and that was just the Disco itself with nothing attached.
In low ratio, it felt a bit like driving a jelly. I presume this is
normal for a Mk1? Is it just something to get used to? There are often
people standing near the back of the vehicle waiting to drop the pin
through the trailer plate.

--
Bill

On or around Tue, 31 Oct 2006 18:52:51 +0000, Bill <me@privacy.net>
enlightened us thusly:

>
>What I didn't anticipate is the feel of the suspension after my 110. I
>do a lot of backing up in as precise a way as possible to hook on to
>boat trailers. Trying forward and reverse in the Disco in low ratio, it
>would rock over on its springs in what I found quite an alarming way,
>and that was just the Disco itself with nothing attached.
>In low ratio, it felt a bit like driving a jelly. I presume this is
>normal for a Mk1? Is it just something to get used to? There are often
>people standing near the back of the vehicle waiting to drop the pin
>through the trailer plate.

They're a lot softer than 110s. I had one on which I worked on the
suspension - replaced the dampers, fitted stiffer/taller springs (the
shorter of the HD diesel range rover springs on the front and HD 90 rears on
the back, with a 1" spacer on the back, otherwise it didn't sit level). This
made it much tauter handling and much better at towing.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
Travel The Galaxy! Meet Fascinating Life Forms...
------------------------------------------------\
>> http://www.schlockmercenary.com/ << \ ...and Kill them.
a webcartoon by Howard Tayler; I like it, maybe you will too!

In message <b3ifk299nikmc72t9cl8pl48ggj91n3bfk@4ax.com>
Austin Shackles <austinNOSPAM@ddol-las.net> wrote:

> On or around Tue, 31 Oct 2006 18:52:51 +0000, Bill <me@privacy.net>
> enlightened us thusly:
>
> >
> >What I didn't anticipate is the feel of the suspension after my 110. I
> >do a lot of backing up in as precise a way as possible to hook on to
> >boat trailers. Trying forward and reverse in the Disco in low ratio, it
> >would rock over on its springs in what I found quite an alarming way,
> >and that was just the Disco itself with nothing attached.
> >In low ratio, it felt a bit like driving a jelly. I presume this is
> >normal for a Mk1? Is it just something to get used to? There are often
> >people standing near the back of the vehicle waiting to drop the pin
> >through the trailer plate.
>
> They're a lot softer than 110s. I had one on which I worked on the
> suspension - replaced the dampers, fitted stiffer/taller springs (the
> shorter of the HD diesel range rover springs on the front and HD 90 rears on
> the back, with a 1" spacer on the back, otherwise it didn't sit level). This
> made it much tauter handling and much better at towing.

It would have been a tad easier to use Britpart Yellow springs,
they get you the lift and stiffness - light duty, medium duty
or heavy duty.

Richard

--
www.beamends-lrspares.co.uk sales@beamends-lrspares.co.uk
www.radioparadise.com - Good Music, No Vine
Lib Dems - Townies keeping comedy alive

On or around Wed, 01 Nov 2006 08:28:13 +0000, beamendsltd
<beamendsltd@btconnect.com> enlightened us thusly:

>In message <b3ifk299nikmc72t9cl8pl48ggj91n3bfk@4ax.com>
> Austin Shackles <austinNOSPAM@ddol-las.net> wrote:
>> They're a lot softer than 110s. I had one on which I worked on the
>> suspension - replaced the dampers, fitted stiffer/taller springs (the
>> shorter of the HD diesel range rover springs on the front and HD 90 rears on
>> the back, with a 1" spacer on the back, otherwise it didn't sit level). This
>> made it much tauter handling and much better at towing.
>
>It would have been a tad easier to use Britpart Yellow springs,
>they get you the lift and stiffness - light duty, medium duty
>or heavy duty.

not sure they were available, might have been. My theory was that it should
be possible using standard springs; the only thing slightly wrong with it is
that the standard disco rears are about as stiff and tall as they come bar
for the 110 rear springs, which are a different size, of course.

I might nee dot know about stiffer springs for the project though. Yet
certain how it's going to turn out with spring rates - the transit, as it
is, weighs 1900Kg, or so, and even if you say that the engine, box, axles
and suspension weigh half a ton, that still makes the body shell 1400Kg,
which is possibly more than a 110 CSW body.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
"Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankind; and
therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee"
John Donne (1571? - 1631) Devotions, XVII