Hi clever people!

Finally got the go ahead from the Mrs to give our series 3 a new lease of life as a sort of 30th birthday present to myself, and planning it as a joint project that she can get involved in too, should be fun, fingers crossed!

Planning on a galv Richards Chassis to start with, but ill need to re-furb my original g/box or I did think about getting a stumpy r380. I'll be putting my ex rangie 3.5 in, on a conversion plate...i wondered if anyone could confirm if the r380 came with a v8 bellhousing, or a 4 cylinder one? And if it is a four cylinder bellhousing will it be exactly the same as my original box (and so I would be able to buy the same conversion plate as I would if sticking with the original box).

Also is it possible to relatively easily put the original transfer box on the stumpy r380?

Many thanks for any input, and any experience of anyone using a stumpy in a series would be very interested to hear from! Thanks people!!

r380 came with several types of bellhousing, but the stumpy was produced by lr to replace the short defender lt77,the v8s all been longer bellhousing as std so no need, std lt230 fits its only front end that was altered,using a stumpy is the same as using the std defender 4 cylinder lt77

@jamesmartin

Thanks JM. I'm not 100% sure what you mean when you say no need...do you mean no need for r380? I've got the original series 3 gearbox and whatever the original series 3 transfer box is. I was wandering about r380 as you get 5 speed, and stronger box (I think), but keeping the original transfer to retain original levers and two wheel drive etc.

Gottschalk said:

@jamesmartin

Thanks JM. I'm not 100% sure what you mean when you say no need...do you mean no need for r380? I've got the original series 3 gearbox and whatever the original series 3 transfer box is. I was wandering about r380 as you get 5 speed, and stronger box (I think), but keeping the original transfer to retain original levers and two wheel drive etc.

Click to expand...

lr had no need to make a stumpy v8 type, you can get the conversion kit for original series t/box or fit a kit in the lt230 to make it rwd and 4wd when difflock engaged so same operation as series t/box

jamesmartin said:

no need to make a stumpy v8 type, you can get the conversion kit for original series t/box or fit a kit in the lt230 to make it rwd and 4wd when difflock engaged so same operation as series t/box

Click to expand...

Oh that's very interesting I had no idea at all about the kit for the lt230, I've never heard of that before. To be honest, if you think sticking with an original box with conversion plate is ok then ill go for that, cheaper and it'll be quite nice to retain some original numbers etc from an aesthetical point of view. Would it be possible to give an approx cost, or would it depend on the strip down and what was found? Cheers mate