2 Door Range Rover project
Discussion
jdw1234 said:
Can we get an update DonkeyApple???
Hi. Yes. Not a lot. 
In terms of exterior parts it is all ready. I just haven't any time at all to fit them myself and it is something I'd like to do.
Wheels have been a little bit of an issue. It would be sensible to upgrade the brakes. If I just go with a late Classic set up and maybe the larger Defender calipers this would probably be enough and they will fit in the 16" rims.
However, I think it would be prudent to go for larger discs and brakes which would require a larger wheel. Now, I've found a company that will take the ROStyle centres and weld them into larger rims but I'm not comfortable with the increase in weight of the steels or the overall use of steels anyway.
I had a result the other month when someone in the local pub pointed out that nearly all Leyland wheels were copies of classic US muscle car wheels and sure enough the ROStyle design was actually licensed from the US and was called the Magnum. I've now found a company that will make a set off 17 inch AR500 Magnums with the correct fittings and offset as a bespoke job. Not cheap but will give me modern tech with the original look so ideal.
Now, back to engines. I have recently made two descisions. Firstly, I am going to do this as a manual. I had been planning to use the ZF24 auto uprated by Ashcroft but I'm having to spend a lot more time than I used to in an auto car (blame the wife) and so I decided that as this will be a fun car it will be an auto. I'll use the 6 speed ZF which will give a very lazy top end cruise.
The engine itself, since inception of the project I've been focussing on the use of the AJ-V8 unit to replace the Rover. I spent some time investigating the SC RV8 option and just found that while several builders raved about their product, several clients certainly did not. So, the RV8 is well and truly shelved. A fellow PHer contacted me re a garage who would do an AJ-V8 conversion and they seemed genuinely very good but the installation of the unit would mean bulging the bonnet, cutting the bulkhead, modifying the sump and still result in the engine being further forward than is ideal. JE are still a very obvious choice, but as their Zulu product is perfected for the Defender there is going to be additional work with a Rangie and at this point I just can't justify that amount of money on what is always going to be a toy.
So, where does this leave me? Well, you have probably already guessed
. I'm looking at using the one unit that I frothed and ranted against in the first place, the Chevy!!!!!!I found a great Chevy specialist in West London when I owned the Overfinch who fixed that in a day or so when many other garages had just made it worse and tried to rip me off for stupid amounts of money. I think when you find a garage who proves themselves to be honest and competant you tend to want to keep using them, like I found with Graham Goodyer in Amersham.
The LS3 has the power target I'm looking for without being clever, fits without butchering a 1972 car and has the added advantage of being done before so I won't be paying someone to do anything too clever.
The final area now that I am looking into is what to do in the boot. I am pretty sure that the removeable floor panel could actually be re-designed to give quite a drop down with only the fuel pump to be maybe relocated. This would mean a false floor would be possible. This in turn means that one half could be used as the gun cabinet and the other half could conceivably host a flat folding 'dickie' seat meaning the car becomes a more versatile 5 passenger car (two baby seats in all the other cars mean this is an ocassional problem and having one car which will take 5 is going to be handy).
So, at the moment I am trying to research which modern car manufacturer has a folding boot seat that folds into the shallowest space. The Discovery ones need too deep a recess but I am wondering if the ones in Ford Focuses are better etc?
Anyone who has a car with a folding boot seat and can give me a rough idea as to what depth the storage needs to be etc would be a huge help. So far I've found asking people at supermarkets when they are loading their boot doesn't get good feedback
Presumably by folding boot seat you want a forward facing solution.
I would have thought than an XC90 would be a decent possibility - safe, integrated belts, pretty shallow mounting depth, similar boot floor area.
If you want to check the XC90 seats out, drop into Volvo on Cleveland Street/Warren and ask one of the guys to let you have a poke around with a measuring tape. I know all of the team in there and can forewarn them about the odd tyre kicker that wants to measure seats!
I would have thought than an XC90 would be a decent possibility - safe, integrated belts, pretty shallow mounting depth, similar boot floor area.
If you want to check the XC90 seats out, drop into Volvo on Cleveland Street/Warren and ask one of the guys to let you have a poke around with a measuring tape. I know all of the team in there and can forewarn them about the odd tyre kicker that wants to measure seats!
JimexPL said:
Presumably by folding boot seat you want a forward facing solution.
I would have thought than an XC90 would be a decent possibility - safe, integrated belts, pretty shallow mounting depth, similar boot floor area.
If you want to check the XC90 seats out, drop into Volvo on Cleveland Street/Warren and ask one of the guys to let you have a poke around with a measuring tape. I know all of the team in there and can forewarn them about the odd tyre kicker that wants to measure seats!
The only possible issue with forward facing is the headroom loss caused by the sloping rear screen. By the time you have moved the seat back far enough to create leg room I suspect there will be no headroom?I would have thought than an XC90 would be a decent possibility - safe, integrated belts, pretty shallow mounting depth, similar boot floor area.
If you want to check the XC90 seats out, drop into Volvo on Cleveland Street/Warren and ask one of the guys to let you have a poke around with a measuring tape. I know all of the team in there and can forewarn them about the odd tyre kicker that wants to measure seats!
My thinking is that the only option is the rear facing ones you used to get in estates. However, for all I know it may have since been decided that rear facing seats are now dangerous? Certainly the Landy dickie seats that went down the sides were not exactly safe by any means but I would have thought that rear facing with the belt coming off the C pillar would be safest and give the most leg room etc?
Thanks for the heads up on the Volvo. If that is the chunky 4x4 model then there is one in my garage in town so I'll ask my neighbour if I can have a look.
Have you ever seen the ones in Merc estates?
1998 to 2005 Volvo v70 seats would be of use then (or retry much any Volvo estate with the option from 1987, but the later ones have better integrated adjustable headrests.
They were a retro fit option
Slimmer base than the merc ones, or try first generation Audi A6 (fairly rare option though). Peugeot 406 estates with a family pack also have them.
Working in Volvo dealerships for a few years inevitably meant that you get to know your product and your competition!
Overfinch also used to do a rear facing seat option, but I thing that lowering the floor and fitting V70 seats is a neater solution. They probably only take about 4" out of the floor depth and the locking mechanism for the backrest is integrated.
They were a retro fit option
Slimmer base than the merc ones, or try first generation Audi A6 (fairly rare option though). Peugeot 406 estates with a family pack also have them.
Working in Volvo dealerships for a few years inevitably meant that you get to know your product and your competition!
Overfinch also used to do a rear facing seat option, but I thing that lowering the floor and fitting V70 seats is a neater solution. They probably only take about 4" out of the floor depth and the locking mechanism for the backrest is integrated.
Edited by JimexPL on Thursday 26th April 23:37
JimexPL said:
£395 on eBay, including belts.
Item 200748689941
Thanks. I suspect most solutions for estates are double seats whereas I'm only intending on a single. Item 200748689941
The idea is to have a single that folds down flush to the current floor level. It may be that this isn't plausible but I'm sure that there are options like this on cara like the focus?
jdw1234 said:
Could you use some form of rail system so the seat can be removable rather than fold flat?
Like a Skoda Yeti or something, but with one seat?
The W124 E class estate has a folding rear seat option that people retro fit.
Ultimately, if I can't find a fold flat seat that will do the job then a single removable one will do. It's just another thing to have to store and remember when you might need it. Like a Skoda Yeti or something, but with one seat?
The W124 E class estate has a folding rear seat option that people retro fit.
I'm sure that the mini MPV makers have exactly what I need whether it's Ford, Vauxhall or whoever. I'm convinced I've seen adverts with the boot seats lifting out of the boot floor space etc.
DonkeyApple said:
eBay item 31948157293
I think this is what I need. The modern ones seem to be more shallow making it easier to fold flat.
Number doesn't appear to be valid, but have you looked at zafira seats? Mum had both a zafira A and B, and the seat on those don't seem to take up much depth. the seats themselves are certainly very thin, and fold away quite neatly. The zafira used the same method of belts anchored to C pillar.I think this is what I need. The modern ones seem to be more shallow making it easier to fold flat.
abbotsmike said:
Number doesn't appear to be valid, but have you looked at zafira seats? Mum had both a zafira A and B, and the seat on those don't seem to take up much depth. the seats themselves are certainly very thin, and fold away quite neatly. The zafira used the same method of belts anchored to C pillar.
It should have linked to a Zafira seat. I think this is the right item number: Item #: 180868861554
It does look like it might fit flush or nearly flush.
The other question is mounting points and how to ensure they are solid.
The standard floor is an alli plate and sinking it is easier in alli but steel is probably most suitable for this.
Paw said:
I have an Overfinch 7 seat conversion for a P38 in the garage if its of any use. It could give you a removable option.
Regards
Paw
Hi Paw. That could be an interesting fallback if our conclusion is that we can't find a single seat that folds flat enough or can be mounted safely enough. Regards
Paw
Shall I pm?
A short update.
The project hasn't moved forward since the last one in physical terms but the final spec has been settled upon and work is about to start.
Having spent the last couple of years collecting all the period 1972 Suffix A parts I sat back and looked again at the project.
I like the dark green colour of the car and the paint job is really good quality. Fitting all the original exterior parts just wouldn't look right without respecting the car to one of the original colours. This car was Lincoln Green originally. Combine this with the fact that or the interior I always planned to use later spec seating and adding aircon gives the dash the look and feel of the early 80s model and my new plan is to build this more to the spec of the early 80s where the darker green will work better with the external trim from this era.
I'm going to use CSK style seating as it is simply more comfortable and I'm currently thinking of replicating the two tone brown that was done in the mid 80's but in leather rather than teddy bear.
I'm still aiming to also leather the dash.
Running gear is still going to be a match of uprated Ashcroft and Rakeway parts.
I'll fit a 4 speed ZF to start with but I have a plan for a later 5 speed box but mapping is hard work and time consuming and frankly I just want to get this bloody thing on the road.
One of the big issues was the engine. We couldn't get an AJ unit to fit without cutting the bulkhead etc. I wanted to avoid the LS route and RV8s just aren't going to be reliable at the output levels in after.
Anyway, thanks to some posts in the TVR forum I found a nice little engine that is the same size as a Rover V8, isn't top heavy with DOHC kit, will produce approaching 400bhp and same in torque from 5.5 litres and sounds like a Spitfire.
So, body work and drivetrain are starting in the next few weeks then it'll be off for the engine transplant and finally the interior will be trimmed.
The project hasn't moved forward since the last one in physical terms but the final spec has been settled upon and work is about to start.
Having spent the last couple of years collecting all the period 1972 Suffix A parts I sat back and looked again at the project.
I like the dark green colour of the car and the paint job is really good quality. Fitting all the original exterior parts just wouldn't look right without respecting the car to one of the original colours. This car was Lincoln Green originally. Combine this with the fact that or the interior I always planned to use later spec seating and adding aircon gives the dash the look and feel of the early 80s model and my new plan is to build this more to the spec of the early 80s where the darker green will work better with the external trim from this era.
I'm going to use CSK style seating as it is simply more comfortable and I'm currently thinking of replicating the two tone brown that was done in the mid 80's but in leather rather than teddy bear.
I'm still aiming to also leather the dash.
Running gear is still going to be a match of uprated Ashcroft and Rakeway parts.
I'll fit a 4 speed ZF to start with but I have a plan for a later 5 speed box but mapping is hard work and time consuming and frankly I just want to get this bloody thing on the road.
One of the big issues was the engine. We couldn't get an AJ unit to fit without cutting the bulkhead etc. I wanted to avoid the LS route and RV8s just aren't going to be reliable at the output levels in after.
Anyway, thanks to some posts in the TVR forum I found a nice little engine that is the same size as a Rover V8, isn't top heavy with DOHC kit, will produce approaching 400bhp and same in torque from 5.5 litres and sounds like a Spitfire.
So, body work and drivetrain are starting in the next few weeks then it'll be off for the engine transplant and finally the interior will be trimmed.
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