Mad LWB disco idea (Now ultimate overlanding disco thread of rubbish

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LetsHopeItFits

Active Member
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379
Location
North Wales
So, Im a newbie, this could be in the wrong place, if so, move it.
Anyway, after doing some shopping for a new toy, I tried a defender, too cramped in the shoulder area. I tried a RRC, not enough headroom, so I looked for a disco. Perfect one came up, 3.9 V8i, manual, 86k miles, decent enough condition, no rust, lovely. Bought for £2100 with a set of terra firma shocks in the boot. Superb.
So having owned it for a few months, I have only 2 complaints. Its thirsty. 14mpg, and its on standard size AT tyres. The only other complaint I have is that the boot isnt quite as big as I thought, and its not big enough to sleep in with the seats folded, although thats not an issue, Ive got a tent.
So, now we get to the meaty bit of this post. How could I make it bigger? Probably turning it into a double cab pickup. So as for making the chassis longer, I could chop the chassis, extend it, voila - what process do I need to go through to make it road legal?
Alternative option, use a defender chassis, probably a 130. So my question is, do the body mounts line up? (Not the 2 furthest back, because the body would be chopped, removing the rear side window)
Also, is it easier to get a 130 and swap the body, or swap the chassis of the disco? And does it make a difference which 130 chassis I use (tdi, td5, etc)
As for which engine Ill use, Im currently looking at OM606 stuff, but open to suggestions. The V8 is powerful enough, but thirsty, the tdis Ive been in are slow.
Also, does it matter if I use a D1, D2 or RRC body?
Thanks!
 
LetsHopeItFits said:
So, Im a newbie, this could be in the wrong place, if so, move it.
Click to expand...
Er being a Newbie doesn't give you the right to be obstreperous, so I suggest you cool it if you want some help.

LetsHopeItFits said:
Its thirsty. 14mpg,
Click to expand...
Really? It's a biggish V8 propelling a vehicle that weighs over 2 tonnes? What the feck did you expect?

LetsHopeItFits said:
So, now we get to the meaty bit of this post. How could I make it bigger? Probably turning it into a double cab pickup. So as for making the chassis longer, I could chop the chassis, extend it, voila - what process do I need to go through to make it road legal?
Alternative option, use a defender chassis, probably a 130. So my question is, do the body mounts line up? (Not the 2 furthest back, because the body would be chopped, removing the rear side window)
Also, is it easier to get a 130 and swap the body, or swap the chassis of the disco? And does it make a difference which 130 chassis I use (tdi, td5, etc)
As for which engine Ill use, Im currently looking at OM606 stuff, but open to suggestions. The V8 is powerful enough, but thirsty, the tdis Ive been in are slow.
Also, does it matter if I use a D1, D2 or RRC body?
Click to expand...
For a 19 year old I hope you have inherited a lot of money and have a huge garage with at least a four post lift and loads of welding equipment.
If you are thinking of extending the chassis you are into SVA territory.
If you are not prepared to get into the above then you are in cloud cuckoo land.
I'd suggest you buy a 130, if you can find one and fit a V8 in it, but do remember there is always a trade off speed/power versus economy. Diesels can be tuned and very well.

LetsHopeItFits said:
Thanks!
Click to expand...
Well at least you managed that!!!!!
The very best of British luck!:):):)
 
My apologies if that came across the wrong way, not my intention, I gus know its common that people post stuff in the wrong place and it gets moved alot.
As to what I expected in terms of mpg, well, a friend of mine has a 1994 RRC with the same engine and a 4 speed auto, he gets 17mpg, so I assumed that more gears and no torque converter would give me a little more than that, given that they weigh nearly exactly the same, and both have brick-like aerodynamics. Maybe Ive got a heavy foot.
As for garage/tools/wallet thats what Im trying to work out. The parts arent extreamly expensive, but of course it depends how much fits. A disco 2 with a rotten chassis, a defender 130 chassis (with V5), a 130 rear prop shaft, and some materials and many many hours, thats 1000s, but its not 10s of 1000s
If I was just getting the chassis extended, I would take it to someone else and pay them to do it, and then figure out a bed/tray and chop the body myself.
Ive seen a picture of one, only one, a black d2 on a 130 chassis.
Like I say, its all in the "working out" stage of stuff. Trying to see if its possible, if so, how much it will cost, if its the sort of thing me and a few mates could do over a few long weekends, or if its a job for the pros.
 
LetsHopeItFits said:
My apologies if that came across the wrong way, not my intention, I gus know its common that people post stuff in the wrong place and it gets moved alot.
As to what I expected in terms of mpg, well, a friend of mine has a 1994 RRC with the same engine and a 4 speed auto, he gets 17mpg, so I assumed that more gears and no torque converter would give me a little more than that, given that they weigh nearly exactly the same, and both have brick-like aerodynamics. Maybe Ive got a heavy foot.
As for garage/tools/wallet thats what Im trying to work out. The parts arent extreamly expensive, but of course it depends how much fits. A disco 2 with a rotten chassis, a defender 130 chassis (with V5), a 130 rear prop shaft, and some materials and many many hours, thats 1000s, but its not 10s of 1000s
If I was just getting the chassis extended, I would take it to someone else and pay them to do it, and then figure out a bed/tray and chop the body myself.
Ive seen a picture of one, only one, a black d2 on a 130 chassis.
Like I say, its all in the "working out" stage of stuff. Trying to see if its possible, if so, how much it will cost, if its the sort of thing me and a few mates could do over a few long weekends, or if its a job for the pros.
Click to expand...
You're right, there are stretch RRs out there, so why not a stretch Disco.
Do read up on SVA before you go too far, even with a 130 chassis and V5C it is not something to take on lightly.
Speaking as a Kit Car fanatic that used to run a KC club.
 
Does anyone have pictures of both a 130 and a disco/rrc chassis, taken from a nice side-on or top view (i.e. not at an angle when looking at pictures of new galv chassis)
Ive looked at some of the dimensionless pictures and it looks like the disco body mounts MIGHT line up perfectly with where the body of the 130 sits on the chassis. The bed may or may not fit too
 
LetsHopeItFits said:
Does anyone have pictures of both a 130 and a disco/rrc chassis, taken from a nice side-on or top view (i.e. not at an angle when looking at pictures of new galv chassis)
Ive looked at some of the dimensionless pictures and it looks like the disco body mounts MIGHT line up perfectly with where the body of the 130 sits on the chassis. The bed may or may not fit too
Click to expand...

I did have a photo of a LWB disco 1, there was two of them with Mobil 1 decals all over at my local race track Bands Hatch, LRO magazine ask for photo but they didn’t send it back, thats was in 1997, the no digital camera then :(
Both of the Mobile disco did look a bit longer than my disco parked near by, the area of the B post had a wide panel adding 2 foot or more maybe a bit like the early RR, of course there are the six wheel discos around that are even longer, much like the six wheel RR.

As for fuel consumption, 14mpg is low perhaps your vehicle is in need a service, my disco is usually 18mpg from day one then on a long run 22mpg i.e Kent, via the infamous M25, M3, A303 to Devon, on the way back a fast run via the M5, M4, M25 was 17mpg.
Could have been in my 3.5 RR that did 16mpg everywhere, even a non-stopping run Kent-Germany and back home a couple of times, just a few stops for petrol of course. :)
 
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LetsHopeItFits said:
Does anyone have pictures of both a 130 and a disco/rrc chassis, taken from a nice side-on or top view (i.e. not at an angle when looking at pictures of new galv chassis)
Ive looked at some of the dimensionless pictures and it looks like the disco body mounts MIGHT line up perfectly with where the body of the 130 sits on the chassis. The bed may or may not fit too
Click to expand...
Look at a disco outriggers they are lower than a landrover.

Buy a 130 as you cannot extend a disco chassis without an SVA inspection.
You also cannot cut/reweld on the old chassis as this is a modification. Now unsure if the chassis company could do this as it could be classed as a new build.

It’s a challenging build but could be possible
 
MPG - Swansea to north wales and back, about 300 miles, saw me break into the 17s. Around Swansea it was 12s. Will be getting a service soon.
How much is a defender 130 rolling chassis these days?
 
I found this on ebay the other day........... If I was building one id go & have a look at it.
Land Rover Discovery 6 wheeler camper conversion project | eBay
s-l1600.jpg
 
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