series 3 more work than i thought!

Evening all, just a quickie, started the strip down on my 74 series 3 88", and as I should have guessed, there's a hell of a lot more work than initially anticipated.
The bulkhead is pretty poor, however the top rail looks to be in remarkably good condition considering how crap the rest of it is, and now its got no front end, I've managed to see just how iffy the chassis repairs have been! It's been playing on my mind, but would it be better to get a 90 rolling chassis and bulkhead, preferably with a 200tdi and rebuild the old girl on that? I'm not fussed about originality, but wouldn't mind the better economy and handling and brakes of a defender but with the charm of a series.
Is this a logical option or is it a rediculously expensive way of having an old looking series?
Cheers in advance for any tips!

Just get an 88 chassis if you want

90 wont fit without a bodge

Each to their own, but it wont be a Series Land Rover anymore really...will only look like one from the outside - which is the bit you least see when you are driving it! You would be better off getting a Defender...to me a Defender which is not pretending to be anything else has more charm than a Series body on a Defender!

The only legal way to keep it as an 88 on its existing plate (and avoid costly inspection and q plating) is to replace the chassis with a brand new one - look on the VOSA site for more details. You could just bodge it and hope no one notices, there's plenty on ebay like this....

Looks like its a strip down shot blast and re-weld job then unless anyone has got one in good nick that they don't want much for, but I guess I've more chance of porking the queen than that happening!

Seen as its gunna be a massive job, I might as well do it right, so can anyone tell me what the correct thickness of steel should be for the chassis? Don't want any un-necessary weak points!

3mm mild is what i used

Nice one, ill have to see if I can source a couple of sheets