Freelander 1 Can you retrofit Facelift Dials to a prefacelift hippo TD4?

I read a thread in here recently about people adding the facelift center console into a pre-facelift dashboard to give them space for a double din head unit and this got me wondering about the other dashboard improvement - the clocks... So I was wondering if it is possible to retrofit them to a pre-facelift dashboard and has anyone done it and got them all working?

Jayridium said:

I read a thread in here recently about people adding the facelift center console into a pre-facelift dashboard to give them space for a double din head unit and this got me wondering about the other dashboard improvement - the clocks... So I was wondering if it is possible to retrofit them to a pre-facelift dashboard and has anyone done it and got them all working?

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I'm sure I've read somewhere that the dashboard wont work in the older models because the speedo/ecu etc. are all interconnected and it isn't backwards compatible...

But you might be able to fit the older clock workings into a newer dash ... if you get my drift ...

That amount of electronics intimidates me.... Maybe have a play with it in the summer when I'd be less worried about grounding the vehicle due to user induced electrical problems arising from me faffing about. But thanks for the reply.

There were lots of wiring and data bus changes when the dash was facelifted. It is possible to do, but you'll need to change the wiring, CCU, alarm ECU, the engine EDC and probably the ABS modulator too. This would be on top of the wiring and it's associated relays, switches and the like. It'll easier to buy a facelift, which has been upgraded for you.

Plus it’s a different shape to the pre facelift pack so you’ll need to modify the dashboard or trims to suit

I was thinking on grafting the facelift surround onto my existing dashboard, but I cannae exchange the freelander for another, its been in the family since new. Started life as a van built by special vehicles for my father in law, we bought it at 4 years old still as a van, then the kiddley winks came along so I put a leather interior into it. Modifying it is fair game, but getting rid of it is not an option.

So far, in my ownership, it has had a 2" lift kit with camber bolts and extended braided goodridge brake lines, alloy sump guard, bearmach exhaust guard, custom exhaust, 225/75/16 KL71's, retrofitted leather interior including wheel excluding armrest, RoverRon synergy 2B with periburgh MAF, Hybrid turbo (rebuilt as effectively a GT1756V) full silicone engine turbo and vacuum hoses. The previous owner, my father in law, had specced it with all genuine land rover: light guards, rubber nudge bar, swan neck tow bar (which I modded the exhaust guard to go around), spotlights and front fog lights.

Future mods will be: extended breathers into the air intake between the MAF and turbo, a remap to compliment the synergy, additional sound deadening in the cabin (those tyres are NOISY), facelift centre console upgrade to allow double din hifi, front door (its a 3 door) wind deflectors (which I have in stock but I want to renew the window seals first), and SOMETHING to the speedo either a custom built facelift looking unit with prefacelift internals as per Dippypud's suggestion or maybe just some plasma dials from eBay. I was actually going to put the plasma dials on my xmas/birthday list when I noticed the fuel and temperature gauges are transposed so I've emailed the seller to question that...

I think some pics of this machine are required...

kernowsvenski said:

I think some pics of this machine are required...

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Here you go mate, these are some pictures of it as it sits outside the house just now, not staged or washed, muddied up or anything like that the only thing like that. The only thing I have done is blank out the numberplates using MS paint....

Jayridium said:

I read a thread in here recently about people adding the facelift center console into a pre-facelift dashboard to give them space for a double din head unit and this got me wondering about the other dashboard improvement - the clocks... So I was wondering if it is possible to retrofit them to a pre-facelift dashboard and has anyone done it and got them all working?

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Tried this with warrens one, the plugs etc all join up and the new clocks all link up etc, but the clocks will constantly show a couple of lights, it was engine management and something else. The rev counter worked i think, fuel guage read upside down and i think the temp and speedo wouldn't respond. Warren ended up going for fitting the entire facelift dash into it but keeping his old prefacelift clocks behind it. Worked pretty well and with minimal modding required.

I can’t comment on how easy the mods will be. But reading what you have done to vehicle mod wise already, and seeing the photos, I can understand why selling it is not an option!

Jim

I put full facelift dash in mine as Krisboats said but made the original cluster fit because so much didn't work. It made it fairly easy.

Diesel Do said:

I put full facelift dash in mine as Krisboats said but made the original cluster fit because so much didn't work. It made it fairly easy.

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I like your thinking Warren. Long time, no see. Hope all is good with you.

Nodge68 said:

I like your thinking Warren. Long time, no see. Hope all is good with you.

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It's been pretty busy. MM is growing slowly and is taking up all of my time. I did 3 of the shows this year with the owners club which was mostly wet and cold

Diesel Do said:

It's been pretty busy. MM is growing slowly and is taking up all of my time. I did 3 of the shows this year with the owners club which was mostly wet and cold

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Good stuff. I'm glad that things are growing for you. It takes a lot of guts to set up a new business. More than I have these days, that's for sure.
Keep working at it and you'll do OK. The MM site is looking good too. I pop on there to have a sneaky peek at what goodies you are adding to your growing stock list.

The sheddist hydraulic clutch kit by dark ice designs is going to be the next thing. It gets rid of all the bad bits of the L and K Series hydraulics including the bracket

Diesel Do said:

The sheddist hydraulic clutch kit by dark ice designs is going to be the next thing. It gets rid of all the bad bits of the L and K Series hydraulics including the bracket

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I made my own for my ZS 180 and my 50th Anniversary 1.8 FL1. It wasn't that difficult to do, so I'm sure you'll be fine.

Their rover kits are tried and tested with a good name and they've developed an easy way of mounting the master cylinder so there's no drilling or fabrication required. I've just got the first production kit to put on my blue one. Plus LRO are interested in doing a feature on it for me. So me doing a kit isn't really worth it so I'm happy to work with them on it. I've got a big Freelander outlet which they haven't.

Diesel Do said:

Their rover kits are tried and tested with a good name and they've developed an easy way of mounting the master cylinder so there's no drilling or fabrication required. I've just got the first production kit to put on my blue one. Plus LRO are interested in doing a feature on it for me. So me doing a kit isn't really worth it so I'm happy to work with them on it. I've got a big Freelander outlet which they haven't.

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I was too tight to buy a genuine Sheddist (when Sheddist actually made them). So I fabricated my own kit, twice. I used a Honda Civic master cylinder and an MGF slave, CW it's bracket. I think my own kit came in at under £90 at the time. This was a good saving on Sheddists £145. Dark Ice are charging far more than Sheddist ever did, but they'll have put some decent capital into it.

It's £175. There's even brake fluid included. I was surprised what you actually get. The brackets a Hefty 6mm steel job too. It is literally every clip and screw you need to do it. No bodging with cable ties. My concern is the price knowing how price sensitive Freelander owners can be. But I think if joe public was to buy all the bits it'd work out similar price plus there's two pieces made specifically for the kit that you just can't buy.

Diesel Do said:

...knowing how price sensitive Freelander owners can be.

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Is he saying we are tight

I swapped emails with you in the last few months, mind and PM me when you have some checkerplate bonnets made without the muddy mods engraved - and I got sorted with a sump guard as you can see in the pictures above