RDavisinva
New Member
I suppose since this is a very old thread, it's OK to hijack it with chit-chat.
Interesting that you were originally Canadian.
As long as the vehicle crossing the port is 25 years old, still in it's original spec as far as engine, steering side, transmission, and the frame has the matching factory stamped number, then it is legal to import.
Any variation and the vehicle will get seized and likely crushed for scrap.
If you watch most non-USA car sites and ebay, when a 5 door station wagon or most any other model reach 25 years old, the price doubles at a minimum.
You are correct in that the small underpowered Land Rover engines are not well suited for USA driving, particularly in commuter traffic.
A popular conversion in the US is to remove the entire drive train and replace it with an LS and automatic.
I am no fan of this because it makes a lot of changes that cannot be reversed.
The driveshafts, bulkhead/floors/tunnel, gauges, wiring, frame mounts, and so on all need to be changed or modified.
Shops love it because they can charge tens of thousands of dollars for performing all the work that can keep several people busy for weeks at a time.
The Defender owner doesn't mind because they can both afford the work and open the bonnet and brag to friends that they have a corvette engine when they pose with a Defender that never goes off-road.
I replaced suspension bushes on an LS powered 110 and spun a 360 when I took it out on a test drive.
Pretty sill really.
Having built at least a half dozen conversions, the prime directive for my engineering skills has always been a bolt in kit that makes absolutely co changes to the host vehicle.
Since they bolt in place of the original engine, they also bolt out and can be removed and what's left is a bone stock vehicle.
No one else has done this, preferring to start by cutting the mounts off the frame, something I would never consider.
One of the best suited conversions I've built is the Chevy inline 6 cylinder engine.
Unlike an expensive conversion, this one is cheap and easily performed by a DIY owner who get's a lot of self satisfaction doing it with only basic mechanical skills.
The Chevy/GM inline 6 comes in 292, 250, and 230 (4.8, 4,1, and 3.8 liters) displacement.
Any one of these engines have more than enough power for a Defender.
They are very low maintenance engines and no one wants them, in fact most of then end up scrapped.
Good used examples can be bought for a few hundred dollars because they get removed and replaced by a 350 V8.
Unlike most other engines, they have metal timing gears, so there is no chain or belt to change.
Bolt on a Holley Sniper EFI and the result is bullet proof reliability.
Economy is good by US standards, but would likely be too expensive to operate in Europe where fuel cost about twice as much.
I had only registered to try and locate a short roof rack because Brownchurch was out of business and here I am talking about USA imports and engine conversions to a Canadian born Brit.
Interesting how one meets all sorts of people when you get to "talking" about the Land Rover Defender marque.
Am probably breaking more rules, but this is a short video of our 110 booking down the highway using 19% of the petal.
The sniper has a handheld display that gives you most engine readings and the more you drive, the better the performance and economy because it learns as you drive.
.
.
Interesting that you were originally Canadian.
As long as the vehicle crossing the port is 25 years old, still in it's original spec as far as engine, steering side, transmission, and the frame has the matching factory stamped number, then it is legal to import.
Any variation and the vehicle will get seized and likely crushed for scrap.
If you watch most non-USA car sites and ebay, when a 5 door station wagon or most any other model reach 25 years old, the price doubles at a minimum.
You are correct in that the small underpowered Land Rover engines are not well suited for USA driving, particularly in commuter traffic.
A popular conversion in the US is to remove the entire drive train and replace it with an LS and automatic.
I am no fan of this because it makes a lot of changes that cannot be reversed.
The driveshafts, bulkhead/floors/tunnel, gauges, wiring, frame mounts, and so on all need to be changed or modified.
Shops love it because they can charge tens of thousands of dollars for performing all the work that can keep several people busy for weeks at a time.
The Defender owner doesn't mind because they can both afford the work and open the bonnet and brag to friends that they have a corvette engine when they pose with a Defender that never goes off-road.
I replaced suspension bushes on an LS powered 110 and spun a 360 when I took it out on a test drive.
Pretty sill really.
Having built at least a half dozen conversions, the prime directive for my engineering skills has always been a bolt in kit that makes absolutely co changes to the host vehicle.
Since they bolt in place of the original engine, they also bolt out and can be removed and what's left is a bone stock vehicle.
No one else has done this, preferring to start by cutting the mounts off the frame, something I would never consider.
One of the best suited conversions I've built is the Chevy inline 6 cylinder engine.
Unlike an expensive conversion, this one is cheap and easily performed by a DIY owner who get's a lot of self satisfaction doing it with only basic mechanical skills.
The Chevy/GM inline 6 comes in 292, 250, and 230 (4.8, 4,1, and 3.8 liters) displacement.
Any one of these engines have more than enough power for a Defender.
They are very low maintenance engines and no one wants them, in fact most of then end up scrapped.
Good used examples can be bought for a few hundred dollars because they get removed and replaced by a 350 V8.
Unlike most other engines, they have metal timing gears, so there is no chain or belt to change.
Bolt on a Holley Sniper EFI and the result is bullet proof reliability.
Economy is good by US standards, but would likely be too expensive to operate in Europe where fuel cost about twice as much.
I had only registered to try and locate a short roof rack because Brownchurch was out of business and here I am talking about USA imports and engine conversions to a Canadian born Brit.
Interesting how one meets all sorts of people when you get to "talking" about the Land Rover Defender marque.
Am probably breaking more rules, but this is a short video of our 110 booking down the highway using 19% of the petal.
The sniper has a handheld display that gives you most engine readings and the more you drive, the better the performance and economy because it learns as you drive.
.
.
