The insane
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Hi im looking for anyone that could help with advice and info on fitting a freelander body to a discovery 1 chassis
Thanks everyone
Thanks everyone
Freelander body onto a 3.9 disco chassis
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Never done it but can't be hard, biggest probs will be finding the optimum mounting point for steering shafts and fitting the tunnel.
Post it up in the members vehicles forum and show us what you're upto.
The insane
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If not started it yet iv got two other discovery's that if got to finish building first. I'm just starting to plan it all now, iv seen a couple that other people have done and I don't like how high the body sits so want to get the body lower down as well
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I've seen a couple now and I've never liked the height of the body above the chassis as it looks just like it is, a freelander plonked on top of a D1/RRC chassis.
I thought about it many times and was in two minds, one way I thought would be to chop the floor pan out and then fabricate the whole lot for the mounting and the like as a means of getting the body lower on the chassis, loads of strength can be added when you build it back up. The other way would be to build a space frame with the Freelander profile and then clad it in the body panels, doors etc, as it would give a much better look and certainly reduce the height of a body on top of a chassis with the advantage of giving a good strong and safe cage to sit inside.
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Where is the pics of these motors I did think about doing this a while ago but ive never seen one
The insane
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That's it I don't like the loom of a body pluncked on top of a chassis I want more of a (north D-lander) look which is a space frame cage with fibre glass freelander panels. It's just money that's the problem I'm looking at removing the whole floor pan and welding up a new custom floor to lower the body down
Hippo
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The unibody construction of the Freelander gives it it's strength. Chopping the bottom off it will kill it. Having to make your own floor and mount on a disco... Why not just drive a Freelander or disco instead.
A number have done it. Cube on lro was the first I remember. The big problem is the transmission tunnel. Yer will need to cut it out of the Freelander to fit the body on. If you want the body lower then yer going to have to do even more work to compensate for the transmission intrusion into the cabin.
A number have done it. Cube on lro was the first I remember. The big problem is the transmission tunnel. Yer will need to cut it out of the Freelander to fit the body on. If you want the body lower then yer going to have to do even more work to compensate for the transmission intrusion into the cabin.
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Hicap phill
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Cage & panels
Easiest way unless you have a plasma cutter for fiddle removal of the floor.
There was one in comp safari race from up north always performed well.
Easiest way unless you have a plasma cutter for fiddle removal of the floor.
There was one in comp safari race from up north always performed well.
300bhp/ton
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Have seen it done a couple of times. None looked right tbh. Wheelbases do not align.
Also the weight must be horrendous. The Freelander body is not a body it’s a unibody or monocoque. Ie a chassis and body. And must weigh more than a Disco body does, by some margin.
300bhp/ton
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But here lies another problem. You want to do it in a way not done before. So there will be little help out there.
It’s all possible. This is crux of how hot rods are often built. But will require significant fabrication. Which is generally beyond the average home mechanic (myself included). And fabrication will normally result in higher cost and longer build times too.
For example. Cutting the floor out of the Freelander will also impact seat and seatbelt mounting and may stop much of the stock trim and interior fitting. And may also result in the doors needing to be chopped or something to clear the chassis. Or hacking up the ladder chassis to better fit the Freelander tub.
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Nothing wrong looking about this.
Weight is an odd thing to point out as the D1 has a full size body on top and the Freelander minus it's running gear and sub frames will be the same or lighter, as high weight items have been negated from chassis with running gear, axles and suspension already fitted to it.
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This is in the freelander section.
https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/freelander-body-discovery-chassis-build-info.266204/
https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/freelander-body-discovery-chassis-build-info.266204/
300bhp/ton
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None I’ve seen in person look right. Don’t know anything about the one you linked. Has huge arches though. Presumably to cater for the 5” mismatch in wheelbase.
As for the weight. You are missing the point. The Freelander shell is also part chassis. It has chassis rails and structural members. They are just incorporated into the body. The Disco body is just bodywork pretty much and very light. Most of it is aluminium Birmabright. This means most of the Freelanders weight is in its body tub.
So putting one on a Disco chassis is a bit like taking the Disco body off. Putting another ladder chassis on the first chassis and then putting the Disco body back on again.
300bhp/ton
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Just read the thread you linked. Seems this is a spaceframe and D2 running gear. So not really the same thing as plonking an FL onto a Disco chassis.
300bhp/ton
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Most seem to end up looking like this.
Hicap phill
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Not got any photos of the maestro van on freelander running gear. This was a test motor & was at bicester early in the year & built by rover
So any thing is possible if you have time
So any thing is possible if you have time
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Needs air ride to enable access and egress LOLZMost seem to end up looking like this.
