Series 3 Chassis Swap - specialist recommendations?

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Pete236

Active Member
Posts
55
Location
Berkshire
Series 3 chassis swap... now say it again after a few pints!!

Evening all,

Series Landy Newby here.
Dad and I bought a 2a/3 bitsa a few years ago. Short wheelbase with a covered back with windows (don't know the correct term for this, apologies!) It was pretty good, but with our lack of knowledge, we missed a lot of rot in the chassis.
We set out to tackle it....and as usual, the weather changed/ran out of enthusiasm/insert usual excuse here.

The poor thing has been neglected for about 3 years, but we have finally found some enthusiasm to get going again.

We have found more rot however. The rear axle bump stops, and about 8 inches fore and aft, would be great to use as a tea strainer.
So we are going to splash some cash and get it onto a galvanised chassis.

We've had two estimates from places near to us. One was £5k all in, the other was £5,700 +vat (but that included parabolics)
Both seem a bit on the steep side, even though father and I both know the tricks of seized bolts, stripped threads etc etc.

First question:

Any recommendations for a company that would do a good job of this? We are on the Berks/Oxon border, and the landy is a non-runner.

Dad and I have the drivers footwell still to finish welding, and we will go over it and make sure that the important nuts and bolts/components either come out or are so knackered that they can be chucked.

2nd question:

What areas should we be looking at for this? (Obvious ones are the steering relay, spring shackles and body fixings)

Third question:

Are there any places that we should steer clear of?

Unfortunately doing it all ourselves is out of the question. We don't have the space or the equipment to tackle it. I was hoping I do it at my work in my spare time (classic car restorer) but I've been made redundant thanks to Covid, so that option is out of the window!

Any ideas and recommendations will be very gratefully received

Cheers,
Pete.
 
£5000 seems cheap for a chassis swap, have they done one before cos it's not as straightforward as it seems and the purchase of the chassis alone is around £3500

Col
 
Colthebrummie said:
£5000 seems cheap for a chassis swap, have they done one before cos it's not as straightforward as it seems and the purchase of the chassis alone is around £3500

Col
Click to expand...

Yup they do a lot of them, it seems to be their bread and butter (or so the website says)
It's Safari Engineering in Eversley.
Chassis are about £2.5k though aren't they, unless I'm missing something?
 
Pete236 said:
Yup they do a lot of them, it seems to be their bread and butter (or so the website says)
It's Safari Engineering in Eversley.
Chassis are about £2.5k though aren't they, unless I'm missing something?
Click to expand...
I think the well known chassis makers, e.g. Richards, charge about £3000 to £3500 for a galv chassis depending if you want any alterations. That may or may not include vat and delivery and it be for a 109. If I was going to replace my chassis, which I'm not cos mine still looks ok and I can't afford it, I would also wanting to be replacing lots of other stuff at the same time such as brake pipes, suspension bushes, new shocks etc. The price quickly adds up.

Col
 
Beneagles said:
Safari advertise Richards chassis for just under 2.5k : https://safari-engineering.co.uk/ne...lete-richards-chassis-land-rover-series-3-swb
For defenders we usually recommend customers allow £800 for additional bits as required. For the series swb that probably equates to about £600. So £3k for parts, £1200 for labour, then the dreaded vat...shrugs...£5k isn't far off
:)
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info, very much appreciated.

I know that with all old vehicles, trying to get a price is like finding the length of a piece of string. When we asked around, we asked for the best possible, if nothing goes wrong and nothing needs replacing, and the worst possible if everything is knackered and seized, and we reckon on it averaging out somewhere in the middle.

The chap who quoted £5,700+vat is that bit too dear unfortunately. It's a shame as I know him quite well, and I know his standards are good, plus he is local. But its just that bit tok much. If that was his price WITH vat, the old girl would be with him already!

The other option is that I do it myself with a mate of mine who has been playing with Landies since he was a toddler. The only question is where we would do it. I'm hoping that he has a mate with a decent workshop, space and some lifting gear that we could rent. We have worked together before and rub along quite well.

Dad and I have been out fiddling this morning, galvanised into action to finish the drivers footwell repair and get things loosened off and moving.
The steering relay does not want to leave it's comfy home, so it might be a new one, and the steering box drop arm is fighting back too. But apart from that things seem to be ok. It's quite nice to be doing odd jobs again!
 
Pete236 said:
The other option is that I do it myself with a mate of mine who has been playing with Landies since he was a toddler. The only question is where we would do it. I'm hoping that he has a mate with a decent workshop, space and some lifting gear that we could rent. We have worked together before and rub along quite well.!
Click to expand...

I did my Disco 2 on the front drive. Won't say it was easy, but it was definitely doable. Main requirement was an engine hoist - which lifted the engine, the gearbox, and the old and new chassis's. Made painting the galv one a doddle when it came to turning it over etc.
There is less weight and less bodywork with the S3 - and more of it can be taken apart if needed :)
 
Beneagles said:
I did my Disco 2 on the front drive. Won't say it was easy, but it was definitely doable. Main requirement was an engine hoist - which lifted the engine, the gearbox, and the old and new chassis's. Made painting the galv one a doddle when it came to turning it over etc.
There is less weight and less bodywork with the S3 - and more of it can be taken apart if needed :)
Click to expand...
I would agree with this, as long as you have or have access to an engine crane it should be doable yourself on a driveway. Although I have not done a chassis swap I have done nearly every job required for one quite happily on my one. I Have removed axles and changed springs, removed gearboxes and engine, swapped bulkhead, just never all at the same time. The only parts that may need a second person are some of the larger pieces of body work to lift off and on like the tub so if there are two of you all of the time it should be very straight forward. I also do not think i own any special tools for the sereis and all of the work I have done has been done with a basic (all be it comprehensive) tool kit. For 5k I would buy the chassis, buy everything else you could possible need/want to replace (wiring loom, springs, etc) and buy all the tools to do it yourself. Then with the change let over you can have a jolly good celebration on a job well done down the pub when you finish!
 
dag019 said:
I would agree with this, as long as you have or have access to an engine crane it should be doable yourself on a driveway. Although I have not done a chassis swap I have done nearly every job required for one quite happily on my one. I Have removed axles and changed springs, removed gearboxes and engine, swapped bulkhead, just never all at the same time. The only parts that may need a second person are some of the larger pieces of body work to lift off and on like the tub so if there are two of you all of the time it should be very straight forward. I also do not think i own any special tools for the sereis and all of the work I have done has been done with a basic (all be it comprehensive) tool kit. For 5k I would buy the chassis, buy everything else you could possible need/want to replace (wiring loom, springs, etc) and buy all the tools to do it yourself. Then with the change let over you can have a jolly good celebration on a job well done down the pub when you finish!
Click to expand...


Unfortunately doing it on the drive isn't an option. There just isn't the space for any parts when they are between chassis, and although I have a few of my tools from my work toolbox, most of it is in storage 200 miles away until I can find another job. (Covid :()
Plus no engine crane or anywhere to store one. Doing it on the drive is just no feasible unfortunately!
Hats off to those of you who have/do it though, braver than I!

It's looking more likely that we will give Safari another call, especially now we've seen the waiting time for a Richards chassis!

Thanks for all the input folks, much appreciated.
 
Pete236 said:
Unfortunately doing it on the drive isn't an option. There just isn't the space for any parts when they are between chassis, and although I have a few of my tools from my work toolbox, most of it is in storage 200 miles away until I can find another job. (Covid :()
Plus no engine crane or anywhere to store one. Doing it on the drive is just no feasible unfortunately!
Hats off to those of you who have/do it though, braver than I!

It's looking more likely that we will give Safari another call, especially now we've seen the waiting time for a Richards chassis!

Thanks for all the input folks, much appreciated.
Click to expand...

It may still work out cheaper hiring a space to do the work, A local farmer to me hires out secure barn storage a t £50 a month which would make the ideal temporary workshop for a couple of moths to do a chassis swap. Even ignoring the price, do not underestimate the satisfactions, and benefit gained by knowing every single nut and bolt on your vehicle and knowing everything has been put together properly with copper grease etc, and will be easy to remove for future maintenance. I am at this point now with both of mine, but it has taken several years of working on them and cursing everything i touch to now be in a position where i know what ever job is needed it will come come apart nicely and be a relatively straight forward job.
Your view may be different to mine but for me half of the joy of owning a land rover is doing the work on it yourself. for me even if it is broken and i cannot drive it it is still fun to won and work on and then when it is back on the road i know I did that, which makes driving it even more enjoyable.
 
Afternoon all,

A decision has been made!!

Dad and I managed to get a rolling chassis off Ebay. Richards galvanised chassis with parabolics and rebuilt axles, repainted wheels already fitted up. The seller is going to deliver it to our door in the week.
Meanwhile, a mate of mine who has had more Landy's than I've had changes of underpants is going to give me a hand and do the job at his yard. He has lifting gear, engine crane, hydraulic press etc and a bit more space than Dad and I. But part of the deal is I have to help him rebuild a tractor in order to make the space for the Landy!

We plan on doing an engine swap for a 2¼ petrol at some point, but since we don't have one ready to go, we will just swap the diesel over for the time being.

So the shopping list has started.

Steering relay (the old one is well stuck in the chassis)
Copper/nickel brake pipe set
Wiring loom (but need to decide what we need/want to cope with the diesel and the petrol...)

A big selection box of UNF nuts and bolts....

Anything else that you experienced chaps can think of?

Thanks very much for all the input though folks, it really is appreciated.
 
As for the jammed steering relay, Is the old chassis due to be cut up and scrapped?

When I disposed of my old chassis, I cut out the part with the steering relay into a section that could be easily lifted onto a hydraulic press.

Despite seeming to be jammed in there solid, it slid out smoothly under the press. The press pressure gauge did not even move off the zero mark.

If you have access to a press it should be easier to remove. For this job I made up a piece of thick-walled steel tube to clear the bottom relay shaft. I also cut steps into the end of the tube to clear the heads of the four bottom relay bolts so it was pressing on the end plate.
 
TheMegaMan said:
Doesn't stainless cause bimetallic corrosion problems with aluminium?
Click to expand...
All non ali fitting cause bimetal corrosion issues with the ali panels, but it is better the have stainless that can be removed than mild steel that rusts solid. just make sure things are painted, get a big box of little plastic washers, cover it is grease and then use stainless for anything that is non load bearing.
 
Paint will help, but is easily damaged when pushing a bolt though a hole.

It's probably swings and roundabouts, but given the amount of aluminium I've already lost from the bolt holes, I'm putting my faith in BPZ bolts. Zinc is closer to (and the right side of) aluminium than stainless, in the galvanic scale.
 
Webley1991 said:
As for the jammed steering relay, Is the old chassis due to be cut up and scrapped?

When I disposed of my old chassis, I cut out the part with the steering relay into a section that could be easily lifted onto a hydraulic press.

Despite seeming to be jammed in there solid, it slid out smoothly under the press. The press pressure gauge did not even move off the zero mark.

If you have access to a press it should be easier to remove. For this job I made up a piece of thick-walled steel tube to clear the bottom relay shaft. I also cut steps into the end of the tube to clear the heads of the four bottom relay bolts so it was pressing on the end plate.
Click to expand...

I've thought about this. But I think the amount of work needed to chop it out outweighs the cost of a new one. If I had plenty of time and no cash I would probably get it out, but I think the more sensible solution at the mo is to just have a new one. Plus, the old rolling chassis might be worth flogging and would be worth more if it wasnt chopped up.

tottot said:
Stainless steel fixing's for wings, floor panels.
Click to expand...
Cheers!
TheMegaMan said:
Paint will help, but is easily damaged when pushing a bolt though a hole.

It's probably swings and roundabouts, but given the amount of aluminium I've already lost from the bolt holes, I'm putting my faith in BPZ bolts. Zinc is closer to (and the right side of) aluminium than stainless, in the galvanic scale.[/QUOTE
]
Click to expand...

My mind still isn't made up on this. I would like to do something to try and limit the corrosion but I'm not sure what. I'm tempted to slap on a layer of red oxide primer and leave it at that. The original panels and bolts etc have lasted 40+ years with virtually no corrosion, with a bit of care it ought to go another 40 with no issues!
 
Your truck must have lived a kind life if the original bolts/screws came out after 40 years, would not be so here on the welsh coast.
What I don't get is if you think the old chassis is good enough to sell why are you changing it?
Besides I think under today's rules you have to scrap it as the vin number stays with the vehicle. One should keep the bit of chassis with the vin on it [ if still there ] as proof of identity.
 
Last edited:
tottot said:
Your truck must have lived a kind life if the original bolts/screws came out after 40 years, would not be so here on the welsh coast.
What I don't get is if you think the old chassis is good enough to sell why are you changing it?
Besides I think under today's rules you have to scrap it as the vin number stays with the vehicle. One should keep the bit of chassis with the vin on it [ if still there ] as proof of identity.
Click to expand...

It's been pretty well looked after, so far everything has come undone with relative ease apart from the steering relay. It's a bit of a bitsa though, so it's probably been apart once or twice!

The chassis would probably be savable by someone with the enthusiasm, time and equipment. It's rotten at the back where we can't get to it, and we have no space to put the body while any repairs are being done.
The front dumbirons have been repaired at least twice in the past and there's no trace of the chassis number left. But it might do for someone with a project but a small budget.
As for the chassis numbers, it's obvious that I need to check the laws - its so easy to get something wrong and I appreciate the heads up.
 
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