Defender Ute Cab onto Disco Chassis

[discokid]

Hi All

The Disco body has seen better days and Im wondering if anybody has looked at putting a ute cab from a Defender on the Disco chassis.

I think this will do a couple of things

1) take care of my existing problem with the Disco body splitting and starting to rust
2) make the car somewhat lighter as I will get a custom tray made up (light) and ditch the heavy front and rear bars as well as the body and most of the electrics
3) give me a ute on 100in wheel base
4) Give me the ability to keep the engine and gearbox combo I have

My current Disco has:

34 JTs on 8in rims
Salsbury rear with maxidrive
Fine spline axles up front with Air Locker
Custom Bar work
3in body lift
4in over standard Scorpion Racing springs,retainers and shock mounts
Scorpion racing rear track bars and bearmach front steering arms
4.6 lt V8 with haltech etc
Custom seats, Fuel tanks etc
8000lb front winch and 9000lb rear winch

Obviously I want to keep the rest of the car its just the body that is the problem

The issues I can see are:

Mounting points are they the same?
Will the cab fit on my body lift (I have 3" blocks welded to every mounting point)

Will I be able to use the same steering column, What dash to use?

Will all the periferals fit eg air conditioning



Or should I try and source a Defender 110 and swap all the gear over???

[LOCKY]

I have just sold a Hybrid 90 inch on Rangie chassis. Needs all new body outriggers fitted, use new pieces from suppliers. Lot of work or cut Disco into a ute or trayback, several Disco utes and heaps of Rangie utes and traybacks around Melbourne. Or use a Rangie Body on the Disco.

Jason

[Strange Rover]

Yea what Locky said,

You will have to redo all the body mounts cause the setup is totally different (stick your head under a 110 and it will be plainly obvious). That said it definately is possible to do and if you got all the fabrication skills and gear to do i then it may be the best way to go (depending on how cheap you can get a cab) although it will be alot of work.

Would be easier to buy a 110 ute and swap everything over. If you can afford to own both vehicles for the short time to change over everything and then sell the disco it may actually work out cheaper??

IMO a 110in WB is better than a 100in WB but it really depends on what stuff you drive.

Sam

[DiscoDino]

Tube it!

[discokid]

Thanks guys

Ill fix the Disco up for now. Need to weld in a new floor section and fix some minor splits in the rear . Ill checkplate the floor to give it a neat finish. ( Most of the problem was in the floor) This should make it last a little longer then Ill get a 110 later when funds allow.

Buy the way with all the carpet and sound proofing out of the floor. It gets quite hot. Is there any sort of spray on stuff that will block some heat

[N*A*M]

You can use a roll/spray on bed liner like Rhinoliner which will protect the floor and provide some insulation. I imagine it would also dull some noise too because it is composed of rubber granules.

[discokid]

Sam

I drive on all types of terrain. Im going to stay away from the beach as much as I can. I think this has had a fair degree of impact on my rust problem in the floor of the Disco. ie I found heaps of beach sand under the carpets when I pulled them all out

I mainly try and 4wd in winter in the SWest hillclimbs rocks and mud. I find it takes a greater degree of skill to drive in that type of terrain than the beach. It also provides better entertainment and carnage ( Im up to about diff no 9)

Would like to try some of the organised events you guys have over East when funds allow

I have noticed that a slightly longer wheel base (in other lesser brands) do some climbs in the rocks with more ease. I guess less horsepower and all 4 wheels on the ground makes for better traction.

My biggest problem before the latest suspension mods was keeping the front wheels on the ground with the lockers engaged

There are bugger all 110s over here I can compare with. Whats the theory behind the 110 performing better?


NAM

Thanks for the hint on the paint. I will try and source some once all the floor is repaired. Ive had to go to a mate who is panel beater in the end as I couldnt get replacement sections to do it myself. To many curves for me to do


Keeping the noise down will help to. The landy extractors run real close to the floor and make a fair amount of noise

[Strange Rover]

Its juat a personel preferance that 110in WB is better than 100in. Most custom built competition rigs in the US are all 104in to 112in WB so there must be something in it. I think that longer is always better as long as you dont get high centered and your manouverability is still ok. When I rebuild my landrover is going to be about 112in WB

Sam

[lowbox]

The wheelbase thing is always a compromise. Steep uphills and downhills a LWB is better - they don't go end over end so easily and they climb ledges better. In the tight stuff a SWB is soooo much easier to point in the right direction.
Looks like you have to build a variable wheelbase truck

ct