The Overfinch Discovery legend is true
Discussion
eliot said:
DonkeyApple said:
Have you checked yet that these aren't standard parts? Very, very few Overfinches had any beefed up drive train beyond the HD ZF box.
It was one long options list and most people simply specced the engine and dash trim and badges to save money.
Most didn't even have the HD box let alone diffs or brakes.
I've read that too. I suspect there's little you can do to beef the ZF box up anyway. Probably slightly better aftermarket clutch plates (if you are lucky) and increased line pressures (likely).It was one long options list and most people simply specced the engine and dash trim and badges to save money.
Most didn't even have the HD box let alone diffs or brakes.
That's the benefit of using yank boxes such as the GM hydramatic's - there's always someone who has put far more power and abuse through one long before us brits have to mess around. Although it took several iterations to get a 700R4 to last behind my engine, but it works fine now.
Reading through this thread you will come to see that my ZF gearbox is at Ashcroft awaiting their Stage 2 upgrade - I am hoping and praying things will be fine.
However I need a back-up plan.
I have a 700 sitting in my garage......................................................................
Bearing in mind I now have a 383 stroker that puts out well over 400lbs of twist, if I crossed your palms with many pieces of silver - ..................................................I don't need to elaborate further.
I know what you said on MEZ, but....................................
Landrovers must prevail........................
Chevy V8's must prevail...................................
Overfinches(up to 2002!) must prevail.........................
High-performance Landrovers must prevail..............................
Can you help?
Victor
Hi Victor - I'm in the middle of a house build at the moment, all my equipment is in storage and I'm typing this email from what is a glorfied shed which is where we have been living for the past 4 months!
The adapter isn't difficult to have made up -I've have all the information. I know somebody who's made a TH400 adapter with CNC and I have the 4L80e adapter (and box) still sat on the shelf. Remember that even a 700r4 will need a rebuild unless its in pretty good shape already.
Also remember that you need to lengthen the front prop and shorten the rear prop and cut some metalwork out underneath for clearance.
Suggest you stick with the ZF until its at least failed twice - then start looking at alternatives. The clutches generally start slipping first - so you know when they are on the way out.
The adapter isn't difficult to have made up -I've have all the information. I know somebody who's made a TH400 adapter with CNC and I have the 4L80e adapter (and box) still sat on the shelf. Remember that even a 700r4 will need a rebuild unless its in pretty good shape already.
Also remember that you need to lengthen the front prop and shorten the rear prop and cut some metalwork out underneath for clearance.
Suggest you stick with the ZF until its at least failed twice - then start looking at alternatives. The clutches generally start slipping first - so you know when they are on the way out.
Eliot
you are probably right - as usual.
I won't be doing any offroading/heavy towing etc with the vehicle.
When I was over at Ashcroft discussing my requirements with Dave he said that repeated full-throttle change-ups are what cause the real internal damage - I should have so much torque that I won't need to be doing many of those.
All the best with the house build - if you need any advice let me know - I am a chartered surveyor.
Victor
you are probably right - as usual.
I won't be doing any offroading/heavy towing etc with the vehicle.
When I was over at Ashcroft discussing my requirements with Dave he said that repeated full-throttle change-ups are what cause the real internal damage - I should have so much torque that I won't need to be doing many of those.
All the best with the house build - if you need any advice let me know - I am a chartered surveyor.
Victor
vjj said:
Damon is your man - might be worth getting him to do the install for you.
Morning Vic. Call made yesterday. Thanks for the heads up. Interestingly, after a long conversation it did transpire that our paths had loosely crossed on several occasions over the last few years as I have researched and sourced solutions for this build.
vjj said:
Eliot
When I was over at Ashcroft discussing my requirements with Dave he said that repeated full-throttle change-ups are what cause the real internal damage - I should have so much torque that I won't need to be doing many of those.
Yes he's right - its pretty much the most stressful time for the box. People forget there are still clutches inside these things and they have to take the power during transition. 1-2 and 2-3 changes are the hardest. With standard(ish) wheels you will probably just end up spinning the wheels, rather than them actually gripping and damaging the trans.When I was over at Ashcroft discussing my requirements with Dave he said that repeated full-throttle change-ups are what cause the real internal damage - I should have so much torque that I won't need to be doing many of those.
That's why modern electronic automatics command the engine to reduce torque (torque management) and why I avoided removing torque management on my 6L80e when i remapped it.
morning gents,
Donkey - good luck with your RR 2-door project - I wouldn't mind seeing a couple of photos of the car now.
Eliot is a cracking bloke who knows Range Rovers as well as most - he has been of great help to me and is always a good place to start if you are in a fix. His website(MEZ) is well worth a read-through and has saved me a lot of time and expense over the years.
I have twice nomonated him for a knighthood for his services to the Landrover and Rover V8 communities but those miserable ******ds in whitehall all drive Priuses and appear to have no appreciation of greatness!
As you know My Overfinch Disco and lovely old 90 are about to become one 'Overchevdefender6.3'
This has left me with no Land Rover to see me through the winter/take stuff to the dump/emergency tow truck/excuse to go to the LR meet at brighton on 7th October/etc - a state of affairs which could lead me to the loony bin.
I therefore started looking around for a suitable winter chariot which could then be sold in the spring when the project is complete.
I went to look at a blue V8 Discovery that had a 'ticking' noise, but appeared to be otherwise in good order(1997, ES7, 72000 miles). When I got there I found this amazing car in Tahiti Blue that looked about a year old. Couldn't believe my luck.
Got it up on the ramp at a local garage and the underside was mint - not a spot of rust, all new bushes, and clear waxoyl everywhere.
Turns out it was a Japanese-spec car with 118000 kms that had been brought back here by Simmonites and sold to the owner for £8000 in 2010 - he then had an LPG System fitted(2grand) with underslung tanks - so a nice car.
In Japan they don't use salt on the roads and the car had belonged to the British Embassy so had been kept indoors and treated accordingly.
As the engine warmed up the ticking noise began - turns out to be more than a tick - a knock in fact.
I was so disappointed as I knew this was serious and was about to walk away - but I couldn't - the car was so lovely.
I did a deal with the bloke and two days later collected the car and drove it home.
We took the sump off and found three bits of piston skirt from number five cylider in the bottom.
So we stripped the heads off - and there is was - a slipped liner on number five - hence the knock when the engine was warm where the liner was jumping in the bore causing the knock - this also created the metal fatigue on the piston which caused the skirt to fall away. I wasn't too disappointed as I was expecting to have to do some work.
I had already sold my lovely TVR lump from my defender so I was in a bit of a pickle - do I buy a seconhand 3.9 and take a chance or do I shell out over 2 grand on a new short engine with top hat liners from local engineers Turners.
Needless to say, me being me, I bought the new engine together with a kent H180 Hi-Torque cam.
The heads were sent off for a light skim, and I have fitted a full stainless sports exhaust system with wrapped free-flow stainless headers, K&n Filter, ACT Trumpets and sfter running in the Tornado chip from the defender ECU.
All in all, with what I paid for it, the car owes me just under 5 grand - which I agree is a lot for a 97 Disco.
However I am confident I will get a lot of that back when I sell in the spring and it is probably the best V8 Mk1 Disco in the country.
Update - she fired first time and sounds fantastic so I am running in now before fitting the Tornado chip and dialing in a more agrresive timing profile.
Donkey - good luck with your RR 2-door project - I wouldn't mind seeing a couple of photos of the car now.
Eliot is a cracking bloke who knows Range Rovers as well as most - he has been of great help to me and is always a good place to start if you are in a fix. His website(MEZ) is well worth a read-through and has saved me a lot of time and expense over the years.
I have twice nomonated him for a knighthood for his services to the Landrover and Rover V8 communities but those miserable ******ds in whitehall all drive Priuses and appear to have no appreciation of greatness!
As you know My Overfinch Disco and lovely old 90 are about to become one 'Overchevdefender6.3'
This has left me with no Land Rover to see me through the winter/take stuff to the dump/emergency tow truck/excuse to go to the LR meet at brighton on 7th October/etc - a state of affairs which could lead me to the loony bin.
I therefore started looking around for a suitable winter chariot which could then be sold in the spring when the project is complete.
I went to look at a blue V8 Discovery that had a 'ticking' noise, but appeared to be otherwise in good order(1997, ES7, 72000 miles). When I got there I found this amazing car in Tahiti Blue that looked about a year old. Couldn't believe my luck.
Got it up on the ramp at a local garage and the underside was mint - not a spot of rust, all new bushes, and clear waxoyl everywhere.
Turns out it was a Japanese-spec car with 118000 kms that had been brought back here by Simmonites and sold to the owner for £8000 in 2010 - he then had an LPG System fitted(2grand) with underslung tanks - so a nice car.
In Japan they don't use salt on the roads and the car had belonged to the British Embassy so had been kept indoors and treated accordingly.
As the engine warmed up the ticking noise began - turns out to be more than a tick - a knock in fact.
I was so disappointed as I knew this was serious and was about to walk away - but I couldn't - the car was so lovely.
I did a deal with the bloke and two days later collected the car and drove it home.
We took the sump off and found three bits of piston skirt from number five cylider in the bottom.
So we stripped the heads off - and there is was - a slipped liner on number five - hence the knock when the engine was warm where the liner was jumping in the bore causing the knock - this also created the metal fatigue on the piston which caused the skirt to fall away. I wasn't too disappointed as I was expecting to have to do some work.
I had already sold my lovely TVR lump from my defender so I was in a bit of a pickle - do I buy a seconhand 3.9 and take a chance or do I shell out over 2 grand on a new short engine with top hat liners from local engineers Turners.
Needless to say, me being me, I bought the new engine together with a kent H180 Hi-Torque cam.
The heads were sent off for a light skim, and I have fitted a full stainless sports exhaust system with wrapped free-flow stainless headers, K&n Filter, ACT Trumpets and sfter running in the Tornado chip from the defender ECU.
All in all, with what I paid for it, the car owes me just under 5 grand - which I agree is a lot for a 97 Disco.
However I am confident I will get a lot of that back when I sell in the spring and it is probably the best V8 Mk1 Disco in the country.
Update - she fired first time and sounds fantastic so I am running in now before fitting the Tornado chip and dialing in a more agrresive timing profile.
Edited by vjj on Tuesday 25th September 09:36
Edited by vjj on Tuesday 25th September 09:39
[quote=Jam Spavlin]Any pics of your new disco?[/quote
here
I also binned the comedy Jap-spec squishy suspension and fitted new uk springs and uprated De Carbon shocks.
Also had Aircon regassed, tracking done, wheels balanced ,rattling rear door fixed(common problem) and lpg system serviced.
Tornado ecu upgrade fitted - goes like the clappers, handles well, looks cool in Tahiti blue, sounds awesome.
Generally very pleased ...........................but it now owes me a grand total of 5900 pounds.
here
I also binned the comedy Jap-spec squishy suspension and fitted new uk springs and uprated De Carbon shocks.
Also had Aircon regassed, tracking done, wheels balanced ,rattling rear door fixed(common problem) and lpg system serviced.
Tornado ecu upgrade fitted - goes like the clappers, handles well, looks cool in Tahiti blue, sounds awesome.
Generally very pleased ...........................but it now owes me a grand total of 5900 pounds.
Edited by vjj on Wednesday 3rd October 09:41
Edited by vjj on Wednesday 3rd October 09:44
Edited by vjj on Wednesday 3rd October 09:46
Hi Guys
reading this thread took me back a few years. I drove an Overfinch 570i converted Disco after it came into a friends LR garage in Bucks.
IIRC it belonged to a local farmer who was also a racing driver/instructor at silverstone. It was a metallic red in colour and ES spec.
I recall we had to set up the holley single point injection system on the newly opened Tingewick bypass (circa 2000) I think the car was a '97/'98 MY.
reading this thread took me back a few years. I drove an Overfinch 570i converted Disco after it came into a friends LR garage in Bucks.
IIRC it belonged to a local farmer who was also a racing driver/instructor at silverstone. It was a metallic red in colour and ES spec.
I recall we had to set up the holley single point injection system on the newly opened Tingewick bypass (circa 2000) I think the car was a '97/'98 MY.
E-B said:
Hi Guys
reading this thread took me back a few years. I drove an Overfinch 570i converted Disco after it came into a friends LR garage in Bucks.
IIRC it belonged to a local farmer who was also a racing driver/instructor at silverstone. It was a metallic red in colour and ES spec.
I recall we had to set up the holley single point injection system on the newly opened Tingewick bypass (circa 2000) I think the car was a '97/'98 MY.
That makes three then - reading this thread took me back a few years. I drove an Overfinch 570i converted Disco after it came into a friends LR garage in Bucks.
IIRC it belonged to a local farmer who was also a racing driver/instructor at silverstone. It was a metallic red in colour and ES spec.
I recall we had to set up the holley single point injection system on the newly opened Tingewick bypass (circa 2000) I think the car was a '97/'98 MY.
1. Mine - in Jewish Racing Gold
2. The red one mentioned above
3. the pale blue one for sale on Ebay with the manual gearbox.
I also know of a silver one that was only a 300 tdi but had all the overfinch bits(rack, suspension etc) but that died a few years ago.
That's it for mk 1's.
I know of one black Discovery 2 that was built with a 5.7 with chevy's own Tuned Port Injection.
Any more for any more?
DonkeyApple said:
vjj said:
morning gents,
Donkey - good luck with your RR 2-door project - I wouldn't mind seeing a couple of photos of the car now.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=23&t=1200926&mid=198273&i=0&nmt=BMW+E93+Convertible+seats&mid=198273Donkey - good luck with your RR 2-door project - I wouldn't mind seeing a couple of photos of the car now.
BUT if you want more poke and cruising economy, why not put a TVR 5.0 in it with Hotwire, Tornado chip, etc and run it on single-point LPG with chassis tanks? - put in beefed-up Ashcoft stage 2 ZF 4-speed auto like mine with a 1.2 ratio transfer box.
You will be cruising quietly at 85 at 2750 rpm sipping LPG at 74p per litre.
Ok so you can't go on the eurotunnel - so you'll have to go on the ferry and have a beer, some steak and chips and a stroll afterwards followed by a quick game of blackjack in the casino - not too bad methinks!
vjj said:
DonkeyApple said:
vjj said:
morning gents,
Donkey - good luck with your RR 2-door project - I wouldn't mind seeing a couple of photos of the car now.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=23&t=1200926&mid=198273&i=0&nmt=BMW+E93+Convertible+seats&mid=198273Donkey - good luck with your RR 2-door project - I wouldn't mind seeing a couple of photos of the car now.
BUT if you want more poke and cruising economy, why not put a TVR 5.0 in it with Hotwire, Tornado chip, etc and run it on single-point LPG with chassis tanks? - put in beefed-up Ashcoft stage 2 ZF 4-speed auto like mine with a 1.2 ratio transfer box.
You will be cruising quietly at 85 at 2750 rpm sipping LPG at 74p per litre.
Ok so you can't go on the eurotunnel - so you'll have to go on the ferry and have a beer, some steak and chips and a stroll afterwards followed by a quick game of blackjack in the casino - not too bad methinks!
LPG is a big issue. I use the Tunnel quite a bit and won't use ferries as they are too slow. Once this project is complete it will be used for runs to Italy as well as needing to go to Holland regularly.
In addition, our run out of town for the weekend only has one LPG station en route and where we are when in Italy isn't flush with it so it would be a big hinderance in reality.
I've contemplated the RV8 route but even a 5.4 from V8 Developments won't deliver what I am after. A couple of turbo options have appeared recently but I don't think this will make any sense. The RV8 is just too old a design.
I've spent a lot of time trying to avoid the LS3 route but all options seem to lead back to there unless trying to completely re-invent the wheel and all the costs that go with that.
Sounds fair enough to me bro'
I think an aluminium Chevy lump could be a good option - I don't know why you need an LS3, though - a 5.3 Vortec truck engine in Aluminium(LH6 or LC9) with some Edelbrock heads/manifold/efi and a roller cam will give you over 350bhp and 400 lbs torque all at the front end - where you need it.
They can be found quite easily and are bulletproof - RealSteel in Uxbridge can source and build you one for less way than an LS3 and it will have a much more period look - a round air cleaner like a carburettor car for example.
The LS3 is great for TVR's etc but it is a bit of a revver.
Just a thought.
I think an aluminium Chevy lump could be a good option - I don't know why you need an LS3, though - a 5.3 Vortec truck engine in Aluminium(LH6 or LC9) with some Edelbrock heads/manifold/efi and a roller cam will give you over 350bhp and 400 lbs torque all at the front end - where you need it.
They can be found quite easily and are bulletproof - RealSteel in Uxbridge can source and build you one for less way than an LS3 and it will have a much more period look - a round air cleaner like a carburettor car for example.
The LS3 is great for TVR's etc but it is a bit of a revver.
Just a thought.
Edited by vjj on Wednesday 3rd October 20:45
Ls3 will give better consumption and should be smoother and easier with the Syvecs management system I plan to use.
It's interesting that you mention it being a 'screamer'. It has been one of the reasons I've hovered between manual or auto.
Interestingly, the JE Liberator in manual for has the same 0-60 as the Zulu in auto form. It's easy to forget in the world of modern auto boxes just how much performance was sapped by old auto boxes.
I don't know what manual box Overfinch used but the pedal in Damon's Discovery was bloody awful. The Liberator I drove used the 6 speed ZF manual and was as light as a feather.
There is a side to me that really wants to use the AJ engine and also a side that wants the car to be manual.
One day I'll make my bloody mind up.
It's interesting that you mention it being a 'screamer'. It has been one of the reasons I've hovered between manual or auto.
Interestingly, the JE Liberator in manual for has the same 0-60 as the Zulu in auto form. It's easy to forget in the world of modern auto boxes just how much performance was sapped by old auto boxes.
I don't know what manual box Overfinch used but the pedal in Damon's Discovery was bloody awful. The Liberator I drove used the 6 speed ZF manual and was as light as a feather.
There is a side to me that really wants to use the AJ engine and also a side that wants the car to be manual.
One day I'll make my bloody mind up.
vjj said:
That makes three then -
1. Mine - in Jewish Racing Gold
2. The red one mentioned above
3. the pale blue one for sale on Ebay with the manual gearbox.
I also know of a silver one that was only a 300 tdi but had all the overfinch bits(rack, suspension etc) but that died a few years ago.
That's it for mk 1's.
I know of one black Discovery 2 that was built with a 5.7 with chevy's own Tuned Port Injection.
Any more for any more?
Damon has one in silver. 1. Mine - in Jewish Racing Gold
2. The red one mentioned above
3. the pale blue one for sale on Ebay with the manual gearbox.
I also know of a silver one that was only a 300 tdi but had all the overfinch bits(rack, suspension etc) but that died a few years ago.
That's it for mk 1's.
I know of one black Discovery 2 that was built with a 5.7 with chevy's own Tuned Port Injection.
Any more for any more?
Couldn't find the one on EBay?
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