Hello Everyone!

Hi.

Just to let you guys know what's happening in rainy Cumbria, I've got a S3 rebuild project on the go...
Last Summer was spent rebuilding the bulkhead (which turned out to be much worse that I thought it was) and that's now sitting in the shed waiting for a chassis to put it on. I can post the pics if anyone is interested.

This year I have acquired a 300tdi engine and R380 gearbox, which appear to be OK - if a little smokey, but I think some running will clean it out.
Seeing as the bulkhead was such a nightmare, I think I will scrap the old chassis, get a new galvo one and build up from there.

So I guess I'm going to be asking all sorts of silly questions as the project progresses as well as begging for bits in the Cumbria / Lancashire / Yorkshire area.

Look out for me, and thanks in advance!

:welcome2:

:welcome2:

Where in cumbria are you ?


Also R380 unless stumpy spec = no chance in an 88" got plenty of spares at mine including a mint bulkhead if needed, if you have a 109 then it'll fit with some mods to the central cross member

Welcome!

Hi Dr Evil, I am in the South of the county.

What's the deal with a disco R380 in a 88" then? Are they just too long? I know they're a long lump. There are other options...
I've still go 2 series boxes.
It cost next to nowt, so can spend money converting it.
I can cash it in and buy a stumpy or LT77.

But I'll tell you one thing.....I'm going to try and make it fit first!

Bulkhead would have been useful last year, but I've put the effort into mine now......before and after is attached.

You won't fit it. End of so I wouldn't even bother trying. I've done it and it doesn't work even with the engine moved forward. A stumpy 5 speed is still too long and you end up with a 7" rear prop.....

Sell them and refurb a series box


South as in Kendal area ? I'm not far from there

Series andy welcome and doc is a good lad if a little forward. Lol

Sure he'll show you his ickle engine

I really don't understand how you end up with 7" prop. From memory, the gearbox is about 9" longer than the series 3 one (I'm not getting my tape measure out at this time of night!) and the rear prop about 22"? So worst case is a 13" prop. I am hoping to share the extra length around a bit, perhaps engine 4.5" forward and gearbox 4.5" backwards. Fan off, bit of x-member missing, it must be possible.

However, one of the series boxes is recently rebuilt, but how long would it last with a 300tdi attached to it?
I've heard people have removed the turbo to save shredding gearboxes, that could be an option.
Anyway, I need to get me a chassis and sit the whole lump on to see where the ends fit.

I'm in Millom by the way, but I do visit Kendal quite a lot.

Ok I may have exaggerated the 7" part but you get #### all prop on the V8 model, no idea if the derv one is shorter bellhousing wise but I'm pretty sure they're the same. You also bugger up the prop angle so you get no articulation.

http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f6/co...n-keeping-original-series-3-shape-112046.html


Don't make it a defender front end either because that just ruins the series completely......I have a 7.4L V8 going into my series and I still have the series front end.

Hacking up the crossmember means you need to re add the lost bracing somewhere


Series box will be fine, just be gentle setting off and don't snatch at it if you want the box to last for ages


I'm actually in windermere, in broughton most weekends though and will be this one, gonna take the 2.25 series for a drive I think

7.4L - seriously?? That's a bloody big engine. What gearbox are you using and what's the advantage of something that size?

I don't know what the differences are between the V8 R380 and the tdi R380, as this is the only one I have seen. I am conscious that the whole 300tdi + R380 is nearly 5 foot long - which is why I measured it and compared it to the series. I have no idea how much space is left at the front when a 300tdi is bolted to a series box but I'm hoping there's 6" or more to let me bring the engine forward a bit.

Regarding the "defender" front, I want to keep the whole 1974 look with split screen and recessed front, but have 1990's performance.

27" series transmission

R380 off the top of my head is about 42" for V8



Yes 7.4 waiting to get installed, had 5.7 in it but not big enough








Run Muncie SM420 box, 17" long with bellhousing then Dana 300 transfer which is about 7" long I think

Dana 80 rear axle to handle power and unknown front yet as I need to find and buy one then match diff to rear axle




Fit 300, move engine all the way forward slightly maybe 2", use stumpy LT77 or R380 mated to series transfer then plenty of rear prop length and keep series front, mount rad and cooler behind panel and use leccy fans instead of viscous

OK. I've done a days work, 3 pints in the Prince of wales and I've prioritised gearbox measurements over getting the kids from school.

1st pic shows the R380 as 37". Second shows the series 3 box as 27". I accept that this is 10" difference and I declared 9" - but the tdi R380 does look shorter than the V8 one Dr Evil measured.

Your bellhousing appears to have a major crack in it!



I was guessing tbh, my R380 was about 16.2" long I think, then the bellhousing was 12.5 and transfer was about 13 from front face to rear flange

My first thought was "that explains why it was so cheap....how the hell did I miss that??"

My second thought was go and have a second look. Pic shows a new angle. No crack, great optical illusion.

Lucky then!


Still won't fit in an 88 though