DastardlyDan · Mar 6, 2014

Hey all! New to the forum, and will no doubt have many questions for my oddball project (fitting mk1 freelander running gear into a R45... quite a lot of it is bolt-on parts, only the steering to sort now) but I digress...

How many L series engined Freelanders are modded? I mean beyond just maybe a backbox, air filter, and variable resistor on the pump feedback (I forget the correct name for that mod)

With one of my Hybrids on an L series powered MGZR, it made 180Bhp - a friend made 212Bhp, and my next target is 300Bhp (lots of tasty bits I've designed to achieve this)

So, is there actually a market for people wanting modded mk1 derv freelanders? If so, who currently makes what?

Or... does nobody care for the early ones?

Kizzeh · Mar 6, 2014

A lot more happens on the rover forums as far as engine modding. A few people on here do though

SES88 · Mar 6, 2014

All I ever hear about is Dark Ice Designs

Winu · Mar 6, 2014

If so, who currently makes what?

i got a plan for 125-130 Bhp, but something goes wrong when fit one of major components :suspicious:

Nodge68 · Mar 6, 2014

Hi Dan. I'm curious, however did you find the space to fit a Freelander rear diff into the chassis of a R45?
As to the Freelander tuning, many Freelanderers tend to be more restrained where power is concerned.
Partly because the Freelander chassis won't handle lots of power, nor will the drive train. The IRD and gearbox splines fail, even with the modest torque the 1.8 produces.

Nodge68 · Mar 6, 2014

SES88 said:
All I ever hear about is Dark Ice Designs

A company in the states called Callaway did a supercharged KV6 Freelander some years ago. That's what I would love.

SES88 · Mar 6, 2014

Nodge68 said:
A company in the states called Callaway did a supercharged KV6 Freelander some years ago. That's what I would love.

That she same Callaway that makes the 'Vettes?

Nodge68 · Mar 6, 2014

SES88 said:
That she same Callaway that makes the 'Vettes?

I suspect so, they do a lot of special mods on a variety of different vehicles.

SES88 · Mar 6, 2014

Nodge68 said:
I suspect so, they do a lot of special mods on a variety of different vehicles.

Busy making a bunch of supercharger cradles to suit the Lexus IS200, they use the Mercedes kompressor 'charger, wonder if it'd work with the KV6

Nodge68 · Mar 6, 2014

SES88 said:
Busy making a bunch of supercharger cradles to suit the Lexus IS200, they use the Mercedes kompressor 'charger, wonder if it'd work with the KV6

Now that's an interesting idea

There used to be a KV6 kit but they were big money and not super reliable, well the bottom end wasn't anyway

Basically all that's needed is the charger and a way to mount it!! The rest is messing about with pulley sizes, piping and mapping.

SES88 · Mar 6, 2014

Nodge68 said:
Now that's an interesting idea
There used to be a KV6 kit but they were big money and not super reliable, well the bottom end wasn't anyway

Yeah the Toyota TTE kits sell for over £2k when they come up for sale second hand, all the parts can be bought off the shelf from Toyota, apart from the cradles, and a full supercharger setup can be had from the Merc for £250 ish....just the cradles that people need

Nodge68 · Mar 6, 2014

SES88 said:
Yeah the Toyota TTE kits sell for over £2k when they come up for sale second hand, all the parts can be bought off the shelf from Toyota, apart from the cradles, and a full supercharger setup can be had from the Merc for £250 ish....just the cradles that people need

2K is cheapish compared to what MG sold the ZS/ ZT kit for. From memory it was over 4 Grand!! It did make reasonable power though, but good value it wasn't.
I might look into the Merc compressor as a possibility.

DastardlyDan · Mar 6, 2014

Nodge68 said:
Hi Dan. I'm curious, however did you find the space to fit a Freelander rear diff into the chassis of a R45?
As to the Freelander tuning, many Freelanderers tend to be more restrained where power is concerned.
Partly because the Freelander chassis won't handle lots of power, nor will the drive train. The IRD and gearbox splines fail, even with the modest torque the 1.8 produces.

Fuel tank will be heavily chopped about, but that's only really to make space for the propshaft. The R45 is very similar to an early Honda civic in terms of floorpan/suspension/everything (even the interior light is identical!). Have a look for 4wd Civics, and it gives a good idea what's needed

The PG1 is amazingly tough - so far coping with 300lb ft on a daily driver, and has been for the past year, with a driver who had his foot surgically replaced with a lump of lead

Incorrect, or low oil will do more damage than torque - but I await to be proven wrong! lol

130Bhp should be as simple as fitting SDi injectors, and swapping the turbo "core" to one from a late-spec Rover (25, 45, MGZR, or MGZS). Simply remove the 4 bolts holding the turbine housing to the turbo, remove the housing, and swap over. Up the boost to 19psi, and you're good to go.

Swap the pump head for an 11mm item from an SD or SDi pump, and you could easily see 155Bhp

But.... I've been looking into 300TDi things... lots more scope for tweaks there

JC600 · Mar 6, 2014

I need to see pics.

Nodge68 · Mar 6, 2014

DastardlyDan said:
Fuel tank will be heavily chopped about, but that's only really to make space for the propshaft. The R45 is very similar to an early Honda civic in terms of floorpan/suspension/everything (even the interior light is identical!). Have a look for 4wd Civics, and it gives a good idea what's needed

The PG1 is amazingly tough - so far coping with 300lb ft on a daily driver, and has been for the past year, with a driver who had his foot surgically replaced with a lump of lead Incorrect, or low oil will do more damage than torque - but I await to be proven wrong! lol

130Bhp should be as simple as fitting SDi injectors, and swapping the turbo "core" to one from a late-spec Rover (25, 45, MGZR, or MGZS). Simply remove the 4 bolts holding the turbine housing to the turbo, remove the housing, and swap over. Up the boost to 19psi, and you're good to go.

Swap the pump head for an 11mm item from an SD or SDi pump, and you could easily see 155Bhp

But.... I've been looking into 300TDi things... lots more scope for tweaks there

I know lots about the R45 body. I've had ZS180's since they came out.
The R45 body was a licence built Civic anyway. The R45 / ZS suffered the same faults as the Honda such as the windows coming out of the runners.
The PG1 box is pretty tough but the drive shaft splines fail regularly on the Freelander setup.

DastardlyDan

Active Member

Kizzeh

Well-Known Member

SES88

Well-Known Member

Winu

Active Member

Nodge68

Well-Known Member

Nodge68

Well-Known Member

Attachments

SES88

Well-Known Member

Nodge68

Well-Known Member

SES88

Well-Known Member

Nodge68

Well-Known Member

SES88

Well-Known Member

Nodge68

Well-Known Member

DastardlyDan

Active Member

JC600

Well-Known Member

Nodge68

Well-Known Member

Similar threads