Puma dash in a 300tdi with TDCi bulkhead

hi all, on my 300tdi rebuild i am adding a puma dash, i know alot of people will say it will take up all the room and wont fit and im an idiot for doing it but its down to preference at the end of the day and i like the look of the dash! i have a pic of someone doing the same thing at a local landrover company and the issue they have that i also will have is the R380 gear stick, i was wondering everyone says the disco r380 is longer so the gear stick sits further back yet you cant have the centre seat which doesnt bother me, will it solve this problem or just create another one? do the gear box x-member need to be moved back also?

disco and defender r380s are the same length ,but gear stick for disco does sit further back ,it comes straight out of rear of box which would place it behind the high low lever in pic

so am i gona need a disco box or can i mod mine? is a disco transfer better for on road driving compared to the defender?

jamesmartin said:

disco and defender r380s are the same length ,but gear stick for disco does sit further back ,it comes straight out of rear of box which would place it behind the high low lever in pic

Click to expand...

is this definitely correct... ive fitted a disco r380 and as you said the stick comes through the front of the seatbox....

the box is bolted onto the standard x member which lines up with 3 of the 4 chassis holes perfectly....

I went from a v8 so fitted engine n box together with gearbox in correct position then welded new engine mounts to suit...

however the rear of the engine is at least 40cm from the bulkhead.. so much room im fitting the intercooler there and a full width v8 rad up front....

im certain genuine 300's ive seen have the engine far closer to the bulkhead?? which surely means the defender box / bellhousing must be less?? or am I just imagining things lol

cheers steve

cheers steve

ebbadger said:

is this definitely correct... ive fitted a disco r380 and as you said the stick comes through the front of the seatbox....

the box is bolted onto the standard x member which lines up with 3 of the 4 chassis holes perfectly....

I went from a v8 so fitted engine n box together with gearbox in correct position then welded new engine mounts to suit...

however the rear of the engine is at least 40cm from the bulkhead.. so much room im fitting the intercooler there and a full width v8 rad up front....

im certain genuine 300's ive seen have the engine far closer to the bulkhead?? which surely means the defender box / bellhousing must be less?? or am I just imagining things lol

cheers steve

cheers steve

Click to expand...

disco box and defende are identical apart fro internal selector shaft and yoke plus top and gear lever,hi/low housing fits the same position for both so its behind gear lever on def and in front on disco ,that would but lever very near front edge of seat box ,it also means front props for 300 and v8 are the same disco and defender,a 200 tdi has engine and transmission 2 inches further back so a disco box would come out in seat box

cheers james.. for some reason I was convinced the factory 300 was a lot closer to the bulkhead... maybe i'm thinking of the 200's... I have enough room to sit between engine n bulkhead and thought that was wrong lol

cheers steve

so if i buy a disco r380 gearbox and transfer box this will bolt straight onto my xmember and engine, i can use the original prop shafts and the gear stick will come out behind the transfer lever resolving the issue in the above photo? sorry just trying to idiot proof this before i fork out for a disco box! i imagine ill then get good money for my r380 defender gear box as u dont see many around?

or you could modify stick so it has a couple of bends and extra length

not a massive fan on the bent gear stick,

it could be done better than that with use of a welder ,the disco box option wont be perfect, id mod a stick

+1 that gear stick looks far to low.

I personally much prefer the position of the stick with the disco box... does take work to the seatbox but the gear knob falls naturally to hand...



falls very nicely under my palm when arm is on the armrest...



plus there are plenty of cheaper disco boxes around

cheers Steve

that seems further back than a std 300tdi which has bulge in tunnel for t/box high low lever

And now that flickr has decided I can copy bb code tonight.......

James.. this is what I meant about the engine... didn't realise factory 300 tdi sits as far forward as mine in this pic....



cheers steve

same place as v8 right up to rad once fans fitted

jamesmartin said:

that seems further back than a std 300tdi which has bulge in tunnel for t/box high low lever

Click to expand...

I don't need a bulge with a 3" body lift.... however the gearbox is a standard 300tdi box on a standard 300tdi crossmember bolted through the 3 of original 4 bolt holes ...(the ones that line up)

cheers steve

jamesmartin said:

same place as v8 right up to rad once fans fitted

Click to expand...

ah right so she is in the right place... thx

cheers steve

on a second look without bend in stick it would just be level-ish with front edge of seat box ,wouldnt be to far back then

That looks mint with the puma dash id weld another stick to it no bother how much it set you back?

this picture the guy recons its a disco box on 300tdi defender with puma dash but the high low is side by side to the gear stick? that wouldn't be possible? but i like the look of a disco gearbox, im not worried about a middle seat so will mod the seat box as you have and carpet it nicely will a cubby box fit as standard or will that need modding also? or just positioning further back?