Landrover Series 3 to V8 ( Lexus/ Ls) Conversion
Discussion
I am planning to uprate my 109 Series 3 landy camper to a sleeper, has anybody undertaken similar projects and could provide guidance and expertise? Frontbrakes Disc defender , 5/6speed manual, V8 engine swap and lpg conversion are planned so far. Thanks for your helpful comments and contacts
Did any of the Series come with the Rover V8 in?
I don't know your skill / financial level (delete as applicable
) but that would likely be a simpler, cheaper and more well trodden path.
Unless you also want it to be 600bhp or something.
Curve ball.... electric swap? The Model 3 rear subframe includes the motors and suspension etc. all in one package...
I don't know your skill / financial level (delete as applicable
) but that would likely be a simpler, cheaper and more well trodden path.Unless you also want it to be 600bhp or something.
Curve ball.... electric swap? The Model 3 rear subframe includes the motors and suspension etc. all in one package...
SturdyHSV said:
Did any of the Series come with the Rover V8 in?
Not really, some where retro fitted by a garage in America, although I can't recall if it was the Rover V8 or not. I don't think it was. The factory built the 'Stage 1' which is a bit Series like, but quite a few changes.That said, it is a very well established conversion with lots of parts and knowledge. And pretty easy as far as engine swaps go. Also easy to retain its heritage status with an RV8.
Thank you very much for sharing your valuable insights, I was actually considering salvage teslas from Norway as a donor but could not find any reasonable offerings from German garages for an electrification project so far and therefore did not proceed with further clarification regarding the registration in in the EU afterwards.
I therefore did focus primarily on lpg as most cost efficient option for longer distances as the car is a camper and will be mainly used for recreational purposes.
Please let me know if there are any reasonable options and skilled mechanics in the Uk or even Eu to get in touch with while keeping the finances within budget.
Thanks a lot for the marvellous support and best regards!
I therefore did focus primarily on lpg as most cost efficient option for longer distances as the car is a camper and will be mainly used for recreational purposes.
Please let me know if there are any reasonable options and skilled mechanics in the Uk or even Eu to get in touch with while keeping the finances within budget.
Thanks a lot for the marvellous support and best regards!
If you want an LS swap, Craig & co. at DynoTorque have probably done more (and in a wider array of vehicles) than anyone else in the UK? They get everything working properly too... Craig is a great guy to talk to as well.
In terms of finances, if you're going LS that'll mean a gearbox and most likely a loom and ECM as well, at which point you're not going to have much change from £6,000 or so just for those drivetrain parts. Just in case videos of $500 junkyard LS engines in America have got your hopes up
In terms of finances, if you're going LS that'll mean a gearbox and most likely a loom and ECM as well, at which point you're not going to have much change from £6,000 or so just for those drivetrain parts. Just in case videos of $500 junkyard LS engines in America have got your hopes up
SturdyHSV said:
If you want an LS swap, Craig & co. at DynoTorque have probably done more (and in a wider array of vehicles) than anyone else in the UK? They get everything working properly too... Craig is a great guy to talk to as well.
In terms of finances, if you're going LS that'll mean a gearbox and most likely a loom and ECM as well, at which point you're not going to have much change from 6,000 or so just for those drivetrain parts. Just in case videos of $500 junkyard LS engines in America have got your hopes up
With anything more than a Rover V8 you'll need to change everything, axles, gearboxes (there are 2), steering. There really wouldn't be a lot of "Land Rover" left. And again would probably be a Q plate vehicle.In terms of finances, if you're going LS that'll mean a gearbox and most likely a loom and ECM as well, at which point you're not going to have much change from 6,000 or so just for those drivetrain parts. Just in case videos of $500 junkyard LS engines in America have got your hopes up
Are you wedded to the idea of doing this to your 109? Because it's the kind of thing where if you look at the scope of what you're after and what's involved, in can rapidly become a "well I wouldn't start from here if I were you" situation, especially if your intent is to commission someone to do it all for you.
What is the overall end goal ?
I presume as a camper...that would end up doing a lot of miles ? So is a V8 really the best choice ? It's going to be thirsty either way
Exactly what engine is in there at the minute ?
And would perhaps a modern diesel be a sensible option ?
For the LS, I'm sure there will be pretty comprehensive kits available, or as already said Craig at Dyno Torque has probably done more LS conversions than anyone to a variety of vehicles
For a dirty derv, Wisemans offer stuff using BMW engines.
https://www.facebook.com/WisemansEngineering/
I presume as a camper...that would end up doing a lot of miles ? So is a V8 really the best choice ? It's going to be thirsty either way
Exactly what engine is in there at the minute ?
And would perhaps a modern diesel be a sensible option ?
For the LS, I'm sure there will be pretty comprehensive kits available, or as already said Craig at Dyno Torque has probably done more LS conversions than anyone to a variety of vehicles
For a dirty derv, Wisemans offer stuff using BMW engines.
https://www.facebook.com/WisemansEngineering/
Exmod17 said:
Does anybody know who could provide some guidance and expertise regarding the Tesla route please?
There is a youtube channel called SuperfastMatt. He's made an old Jaguar run off Tesla running gear, so could at least give a few hints as to what's involved, although I'm sure there are lots with more in depth coverage.In case the internet has masked the subtlety in earlier posts, anything other than a Rover V8 is going to be very expensive and very complicated.Oh, and a Rover V8 is just going to be expensive and complicated.
The drivetrain in any classic landrover is basically made of small cheese gears and shafts.
The most powerful engine they ever put into a leafer was the stage 1 v8, and that had inlet restrictor plates inserted under the carbs to limit the, already pretty pathetic by modern standards,Rangie rating of 140 bhp down to just 90 bhp and 225Nm, and they still had to put in the gearbox/xfercase from the then range rover!
if you actually want to use the car, and can't afford the significant cost of upgraded diffs, halfshafts and gearbox parts, stick in a tdi and go careful on the loud pedal because even a rattly old Tdi can turn the transmission inside out fairly easily......
The most powerful engine they ever put into a leafer was the stage 1 v8, and that had inlet restrictor plates inserted under the carbs to limit the, already pretty pathetic by modern standards,Rangie rating of 140 bhp down to just 90 bhp and 225Nm, and they still had to put in the gearbox/xfercase from the then range rover!
if you actually want to use the car, and can't afford the significant cost of upgraded diffs, halfshafts and gearbox parts, stick in a tdi and go careful on the loud pedal because even a rattly old Tdi can turn the transmission inside out fairly easily......
Max_Torque said:
The drivetrain in any classic landrover is basically made of small cheese gears and shafts.
The most powerful engine they ever put into a leafer was the stage 1 v8, and that had inlet restrictor plates inserted under the carbs to limit the, already pretty pathetic by modern standards,Rangie rating of 140 bhp down to just 90 bhp and 225Nm, and they still had to put in the gearbox/xfercase from the then range rover!
if you actually want to use the car, and can't afford the significant cost of upgraded diffs, halfshafts and gearbox parts, stick in a tdi and go careful on the loud pedal because even a rattly old Tdi can turn the transmission inside out fairly easily......
Yet loads of people happily run 3.9’s on stock Series transmissions. Tdi’s tend to break more gearboxes than petrol V8’s too. The most powerful engine they ever put into a leafer was the stage 1 v8, and that had inlet restrictor plates inserted under the carbs to limit the, already pretty pathetic by modern standards,Rangie rating of 140 bhp down to just 90 bhp and 225Nm, and they still had to put in the gearbox/xfercase from the then range rover!
if you actually want to use the car, and can't afford the significant cost of upgraded diffs, halfshafts and gearbox parts, stick in a tdi and go careful on the loud pedal because even a rattly old Tdi can turn the transmission inside out fairly easily......
300bhp/ton said:
Yet loads of people happily run 3.9’s on stock Series transmissions. Tdi’s tend to break more gearboxes than petrol V8’s too.
Indeed they do, and they also break diffs, halfshafts and gearboxes regularily too. If you drive carefully and don't use the extra performance of the bigger enigne then yes, obviously you can indeed "get away with" using the std trans/axles, but if you are doing that, what is the point of fitting the bigger engine?The gearbox in a series landrover remember is that from a pre-war (1932) Rover car, and for most of the Series's existance, the most powerful engine fitted was a 2.25 litre 4 cyl petrol enigne weezing out 74 bhp and 163Nm of torque. The "high performance" 6 cyl engine offered in the LWB leafers stuck out a whoping 84 bhp and 180Nm of torque.
By comparison with a Tdi engine (109 bhp / 255Nm) or a 3.5 V8 (160 bhp / 285Nm) you can see why that pre-war trans gets a kicking. Large wheels and tyres often fitted to raise the vehicle and increase the gearing after such an engine conversion obviously also directly affect the powertrain, in particularly halfshafts and diffs. On my 100" hybrid, with it's 4.2 JE motor and 35" tyres (which was a v.large tyre in 1994) would basically use diffs and shafts as a consumable service item before i saved up and fitted ashcroft axles......
Yep, I wouldn't put a beefy engine in front of a series gearbox, and I've got half a dozen spares in my shed!
The transfer cases are very strong, though, as are Salisbury axles.
You can get adaptors for all sorts of varied gearboxes to a LR TC, but then the issue is where you place things in the chassis.
If you keep the TC located as standard, it makes the props etc straightforward... but almost anything you swap for the LR gearbox will be longer, so the engine has to go forward.
OK then, keep the engine mounted as standard? Now the TC has to move backwards, you'll need to dick about with different props, and you may well have interference with the chassis on the front prop in particular.
It's all stuff you can resolve, but I'd be very wary of thinking something like this is a "hoick it in there, all done by lunchtime" proposal.
The transfer cases are very strong, though, as are Salisbury axles.
You can get adaptors for all sorts of varied gearboxes to a LR TC, but then the issue is where you place things in the chassis.
If you keep the TC located as standard, it makes the props etc straightforward... but almost anything you swap for the LR gearbox will be longer, so the engine has to go forward.
OK then, keep the engine mounted as standard? Now the TC has to move backwards, you'll need to dick about with different props, and you may well have interference with the chassis on the front prop in particular.
It's all stuff you can resolve, but I'd be very wary of thinking something like this is a "hoick it in there, all done by lunchtime" proposal.
Gassing Station | Engines & Drivetrain | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff