Alloys/tyres/spacers/early 110 headache...

I've just bought a 110. It's an early one, a 1986 station wagon (although re-engined with a 200Tdi), so being early it has a drum braked rear axle.

At the moment it sits on 235/85/16 road(ish) pattern tyres on modulars. It came with a set of fox racing alloys, which have 265/65/16 Insa off road tyres. In an ideal world, I'd like to fit those alloys/tyres. However, although the alloys fit the rear drums fine, they don't fit the front discs. The bolts on the ends of the half shafts just foul them ever so slightly. Of course I found this out after fitting both rears first...(bugger!)

I understand that 265/65/16 is the biggest tyre that will fit on a Defender without going for a suspension lift etc. However, I'm going to need spacers for them to fit.

So my question is, if I fit 265/65/16s, with spacers, will I still get full axle articulation without fouling the bodywork or needing suspension mods? And will any old spacer kit do or do I need to factor in the fact I have the earlier axles...I've heard I might need Series model spacers?

Thanks in advance

(I do realise I have some option on fitting the Insas on the modulars etc, swapping axles to the later type, but right now I'm after an answer on the spacers on the current running gear thanks!)

I remember reading something years ago about removing small amounts of metal from the wheel hub to clear the bolt heads. Maybe replacing the bolts with cap heads could also help?
No personal experience of any of this, just thinking out loud.

Thanks, I did think of this, and I think a teeny bit of dremmeling will do it. However, it's not ideal, so right now I just really want to explore the spacers option.

Anyone?

As defender wheels will fit a series I would say that you just need normal spacers. Hubcentric are the better ones as then the hub takes the weight and not the studs. Personally I wouldn't recommend grinding the alloys

Fit some proper wheels and forget about it.