cheap and cheerfull defender project , rechassis and modifying pics :)

Well done mate it will be nice to have another defender back on the road, i am currently doing a rolling restoration on mine atm just completed most of the mechanics just got the g/box to sort out but i will do this when i replace the chassis in the new year

thanks for moving the thread admin/mods
the identity of this vehicle has not been decided yet as ideally i want the defender reg as its just been rechassied to defender spec with original gearbox,body and possibly engine(tdi model anyway) , may be able to keep the reg just on the number of points left , can also push it in my favour by using the original axle casings and using the discos diffs and shafts

cornish rattler said:

Well done mate it will be nice to have another defender back on the road, i am currently doing a rolling restoration on mine atm just completed most of the mechanics just got the g/box to sort out but i will do this when i replace the chassis in the new year

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cornish rattler what chassis are you using ? stnadard steel or galved? if my vehicle turns out tidy i have no intension of selling it so when i can afford it may fit a standard spec galv chassis in a few years

shaggydefender said:

the identity of this vehicle has not been decided yet as ideally i want the defender reg as its just been rechassied to defender spec with original gearbox,body and possibly engine(tdi model anyway) , may be able to keep the reg just on the number of points left , can also push it in my favour by using the original axle casings and using the discos diffs and shafts

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.gov website says you need the original chassis or bodyshell, or a new replacement, plus two original major components to keep the original registration. Strictly speaking, I think that use of an old chassis (modified at that) would mean a Q registration.

It's one of those cases where the law really isn't set up with land rovers in mind. On most vehicles the bodyshell is the car, whereas on an old land rover any individual part can be replaced á la Trigger's brush. The use of the shortened disco chassis would seem to be the sticking point- whether you'd be able to argue that the chassis is just a replaceable component (and that the bodywork is effectively the car) I don't know. It's silly really, as the disco is no longer usable, and you're using spare parts from it (admittedly a major one) to repair the defender to essentially standard specification.

it looses ID unless it was a new chassis with reciept.....

people have had their cars cubed for less...

reality - who would know so long as the numbers match......I do not condone this approach but it highlights the difficulty in policing it.

top drive said:

reality - who would know so long as the numbers match......I do not condone this approach but it highlights the difficulty in policing it.

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Say nothing, no harm done!

that would be the way i would try and go is by saying the body is the car, in a reverse role that is certianally the case with the discovery the chassis was removed from , nobody who looks at it would call it a discovery and how many defenders have had rear half chassis replaced? then patches, then dumbirons ect...... mayjor components could be the gearbox and axle casings so thats not too much of an issue , i will have to find the inns and out on it legally but if i can keep the original reg then i will , as i may decide to fit a standard but galv chassis when i can afford it in a few years and after the body has been restored enough to make it worth it

top drive said:

it looses ID unless it was a new chassis with reciept.....

people have had their cars cubed for less...

reality - who would know so long as the numbers match......I do not condone this approach but it highlights the difficulty in policing it.

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when it comes to this if i do fit an orignal galv chassis when i can afford it then this one is a tempory measure much like replacing a TDI engine with an old TD as a tempory measure untill you find another TDI as for my original chassis i woulnt have been able to do anything with the numbers as that front dumbiron had a birds nest in it although there are probabbly numbers elsewhere on it somewhere

if they start fishing around you wont get a say......

There is clear guidance on chassis replacement - basically unless its new and with reciept then its a Q plate.

"If a second-hand chassis or monocoque bodyshell is used a car must pass an Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) and light goods vans must have a enhanced single vehicle approval (ESVA) or single vehicle approval (SVA) test after which a "Q" prefix registration number will be allocated."

VOSA quotation from the horses mouth. Yours is second hand.

but as i said - whos realistically gonna know from looking at it. ..... just dont have an accident in it - insurance people are scary !

top drive said:

if they start fishing around you wont get a say......

There is clear guidance on chassis replacement - basically unless its new and with reciept then its a Q plate.

"If a second-hand chassis or monocoque bodyshell is used a car must pass an Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) and light goods vans must have a enhanced single vehicle approval (ESVA) or single vehicle approval (SVA) test after which a "Q" prefix registration number will be allocated."

VOSA quotation from the horses mouth. Yours is second hand.

but as i said - whos realistically gonna know from looking at it. ..... just dont have an accident in it - insurance people are scary !

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I would just use the disco id, chassis number and docs will match!

Any issues, just say you used a few Def bits to rebuild after accident damage!

youllget tugged all the time cause it clearly doesnt look like a disco.

true , if the disco ID was used especially round here i wouldent be able to drive 500ft between getting pulled over , id never get anywhere on time after explaning , when it comes to it the main disco part used is 2 chassis rails as body mounts,crossmember ect iss all defender , 2 pieces of metal isnt such an issue

which leads to the fact its a heavily modified chassis .... so which ever way your cut it - you dont want tugged.

top drive said:

which leads to the fact its a heavily modified chassis .... so which ever way your cut it - you dont want tugged.

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heavily modified or heavily repaired? as untill galvanised chassies became common there were many defender whos chassis was nothing but patches and fabricated repairs

i think when it comes to it as the chassis is being made to defender spec with all old brackets removed , theres no trace of the join where it has been shortend as the welds are flat , and if i change the front few inches i think it would be very difficult to tell that its not a standard defender chassis even by an insurance company or the dvla

as for what it is im not trying to con anyone by building something cheap and selling it on, i built it as it was on its way to the crusher as the farmers who owned it had no issues about pushing it around with tractors and even suggested loading it onto the trailer by picking it up by its roof ! , i plan to keep her for myself , if for whatever reason she was sold the new owner would be notified beforehand and the price would be accordingly matched

just done a deal on an original 200tdi defender engine out of an accident damaged 90 , will post pics up when it arrives on the weekend , if anyone has some to sell i need timing case and turbo oil pipes , the timing case is slightly distorted on the bottom bolt

In the real world, there must be hundreds of land rovers going round that have been put together out of bits of several (and so still more where all that's left is a couple of VIN plates that are on SORN.)

Sometimes you have to consider what's the most pragmatic solution when the law isn't quite explicit. Long term solution would be to buy a galvanised chassis to replace the original

Brilliant project.

I hate the way the engineering side can be so easy and then the dvla and insurances cock it all up

FlyingPete said:

In the real world, there must be hundreds of land rovers going round that have been put together out of bits of several (and so still more where all that's left is a couple of VIN plates that are on SORN.)

Sometimes you have to consider what's the most pragmatic solution when the law isn't quite explicit. Long term solution would be to buy a galvanised chassis to replace the original

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There are! And provided the number on the chassis and the number on the docs match, doesn't seem to be a problem for most.

Think the reason there is such a focus on this is actually to do with vintage cars, which can quite easily been made from scratch, often didn't have id numbers, and can sell for millions. If someone can make a Bugatti and sell it for 3 million, it isn't only the motoring agencies want to know. HMRC and Trading Standards are also going to take a keen interest!
Landrovers have been caught up in the legislation, but provided the vehicle is of fairly low value, none of the bits are stolen, and it isn't trying to fraudulently obtain a free tax disc, I doubt if there will be much investigation.

It's a Defender which had rust damage to the rear half of the chassis so the rear half was replaced then rust damage was found on the front half and so that was replaced, simple! And if they look carefully they'll even see the join proving it. Problem solved

Looking forward to seeing how your project turns out Shaggydefender.
I found this on a site sorry don't look too good for you keeping Defenders ID

http://www.glencoyne.co.uk/vosalaw.htm

shaggydefender said:

the only thing on here is there dosent seem to be much interest in my project although im doing it because i love it lol

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As much interest as any mate Give people chance to see it and not everyone comments even if they are following avidly.
It's also good to show what can be done on a budget too. Especially as others (me included) well sort of, spend silly money rebuilding them, but hey, we love it...