84 Landrover 110 - Revamping

Hi guys,

Looking for some direction as to where to go / what to do.

I've got a fairly original LR 110 2.5 NA hard top in good condition overall but it's a bit too... Well... boring.

I know many of you won't believe this but... I've a bone dry engine. It was fully rebuilt including the pump and the injectors. For 67 hp it runs like a song and i'm not up and down the gears like i was before the rebuild. Before I hear the yells for a 200/300Tdi - The answer is no... If I was going to do an engine transplant it would be more radical like a Cummins 5.9L

I'm looking to carry out the following additions. Please give your opinions and let me know what I should and shouldn't do...
- Stealth Winch Bumper - Click here
- Set of Rock sliders - Click here
- Winch (to be sourced)
- Roof Rack / Rear ladder (to be sourced)
- Set of Alloys / offset steel rims with rubber (to be sourced). What are the suggestions here. I had found a set of Boost Alloys with new rubber but the wouldn't fit as the flange bolts were going to catch the inside of the wheel. I didn't fancy going grinding...
- Stainless Steel Front Grille Black - (to be sourced)
- Replace front seats for something more comfortable (to be sourced)
- Radio & Speakers (to be sourced). Where do I even start with this one. I've a blank dash...
- CB Radio and Aerial (to be sourced). Will I use it? Probably not but, we all want one...
- LED Lights all around (to be sourced). This will probably be an eBay purchase.
- Full Respray/Wrap (to be sourced). I've been quoted €1500 for a wrap... What's the thoughts? Is a vinyl wrap tough enough? It would allow some radical color / designs.

Can you guys please point me in the right direction on the above list. If anyone is selling any of the above, please do let me know....

Can't say anything to some of your options, mainly because its down to personal preferance, but with regards to seats, I have just fitted Mazda RX8 leather heated seats to my 90 and for the money and effort, come highly recommended. Comfort and looks much improved.

Standard seats are quite comfortable- when they're not broken. Usually the base foam crumbles and falls to bits over time, but a refurb kit makes a big difference and keeps the originality.

Radio is easy enough to do- add a couple of extra fuses to power it, and replace the old glass fuses for modern blades while you're at it. Standard arrangement is a pod hung under the dash trim and mudstuff do a copy of this. If you want to add extra switches/gauges etc then their larger console is a better option. Speakers go under the dash as standard, which works ok. Some people but them in the roof instead.

Paint- you can get a decent enough finish with the right roller and paint combo. Unscrew everything and go at it. Pre-Defender 110s in original condition are getting rarer, so I wouldn't go too mad.

The rest is all pretty much bolt on bits. If you're still running sealed beam headlamps, swap them out for halogen units which are plenty bright enough for road use.

Britcyclerider said:

Can't say anything to some of your options, mainly because its down to personal preferance, but with regards to seats, I have just fitted Mazda RX8 leather heated seats to my 90 and for the money and effort, come highly recommended. Comfort and looks much improved.

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Are the Mazda seats hard to come across? Surely with that engine going pop there must be a fewRX8 shells around. Is there much into fitting them? What would I expect to pay for a set of Mazda seats?

Take a look on eBay etc. I had no trouble finding some. They are also available in cloth, but those are not normally heated or electric. If you buy leather, they are heated and the driver's side has electric adjustment. Very easy to wire in but make sure you remove the airbags if taking this route. £150 ish should buy a good set.

To fit, search this site, but basically grind off all protruding fittings on the existing bases and fit onto 30 mm box section, or buy the rails pre-made. Easy peasy!

FlyingPete said:

Standard seats are quite comfortable- when they're not broken. Usually the base foam crumbles and falls to bits over time, but a refurb kit makes a big difference and keeps the originality.

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This exactly is my problem. Seat foam very thin. I only do 2500 miles per year so I don't spend too long in the seats but I would like some comfort. I'd also like to try and get my o/h into the jeep and possibly diving it.

FlyingPete said:

Radio is easy enough to do- add a couple of extra fuses to power it, and replace the old glass fuses for modern blades while you're at it. Standard arrangement is a pod hung under the dash trim and mudstuff do a copy of this. If you want to add extra switches/gauges etc then their larger console is a better option. Speakers go under the dash as standard, which works ok. Some people but them in the roof instead.

Click to expand...

I also thought about trying out a sound bar of a TV - I thought it may be effective as a speaker system.

FlyingPete said:

Paint- you can get a decent enough finish with the right roller and paint combo. Unscrew everything and go at it. Pre-Defender 110s in original condition are getting rarer, so I wouldn't go too mad.

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This is the other side of it too. My dream machine a TD5 1 owner 130 Crew cab pick up is after coming up and it has less that 50K Miles. It can only be described as showroom condition. Do I buy that instead and sell the old 84 LR 110?

FlyingPete said:

The rest is all pretty much bolt on bits. If you're still running sealed beam headlamps, swap them out for halogen units which are plenty bright enough for road use.

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I hear you on the halogen lights. If I don't go down the route of the LED's I will go halogen.

poreilly101 said:

I'd also like to try and get my o/h into the jeep and possibly diving it.

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Tut tut!

bluedog333 said:

Tut tut!

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Sugar - Where's the edit button.... First I thought it was allowing the O/H to drive. But now I see I used the *J* word. I do apologise to all

poreilly101 said:

Sugar - Where's the edit button.... First I thought it was allowing the O/H to drive. But now I see I used the *J* word. I do apologise to all

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I’ll call the mob off.

FlyingPete said:

Standard seats are quite comfortable- when they're not broken. Usually the base foam crumbles and falls to bits over time, but a refurb kit makes a big difference and keeps the originality.

Click to expand...

I would second this, Keps things original and if in good condition they are very comfortable. I have done some very long days driving in mine with standard seats and got out the other end with no issues. Most recent was heading down to morocco where the first day to Dover through France and into Spain was 1000 miles with no complaints about the seating comfort.

As for the other modifications as had already been mentioned a lot of these will be personal choice. Although I would bear in mind that with the original engine you are potentially bolting a lot of weight to an already "under-powered" vehicle.
Also some things will need considering first on in combination, you say you have not chosen a winch yet, but the type of winch will determine the type of bumper needed. My preference would be for a Huskey (worm drive, unbelievably reliable) but this will need a different bumper to the inline winches.

+1 for the original seats. The vinyl covers can be a bit sweaty though. I've found a sheepskin draped over them and held in place with wire around the back makes them cool in summer and warm in winter. 1200 miles around Wales and England in September this year without a complaint from SWMBO.

Stealth winch bumper? Its not very stealthy is it? Any pics of your truck? 84 as Im sure you know it will be one of the first One Tens, and its still got the original engine, original paint? Doors? It would be interesting to see it.

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Looking at your piccies that is one lovely example. If all is sound, keep it as is and don't cock it up by putting an extra 1/2 ton of extra metal on it.
You would be better off keeping it as an investment and spending the "upgrade" funds on something else if you can.

I’d agree, it looks much better as is. It’s a very nice straight 110.

Same here, that's a nice unmolested example, keep it that way.

jee said:

Same here, that's a nice unmolested example, keep it that way.

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I think the chequer plate makes it slightly molested

I'd definitely keep that looking standard. At least go with period-looking upgrades- when I had my early 90, I put a cassette radio in as something modern wouldn't have been right. If the paint looks tired, do it in an original colour (not necessarily the original colour). Generally be a bit cautious with the mods you make as if you're not careful you'll lose all the history and it will look just like every other 110.

Looking at the pictures I would agree with what has been said above, try and keep it original/period look and make sure everything you do can be easily reversed, so no cutting or drilling lots of holes in the bodywork. If you want the more "off road" look I would take inspiration from things like the camel trophy vehicles from the period rather than today's shiny tubular addons. Taking inspiration from something like this:

Would be much in keeping than something like this:

But I personally do not like the modern tubular style and have based mine on the utilities company and camel trophy vehicles, everything on mine however can be unbolted and put back to standard.