Which Chassis to Rebody

[bfrieck]

I have a 73 Series IIA which is pretty much junk except for the body (motor is shot, chassis is rotted out, much wear on the spring shackles, etc. - don't know about the tranny and transfer case - I paid $500 for everything maybe 10 years ago and the motor was frozen so it's never run). I'm thinking I might like to start a project whereby I rebody an existing rolling chassis. The obvious candidates are probably Range Rover Classics or Discos (maybe '86-'96 my's) but I would like to hear what the forum has to say about other candidates. My goal is the classic series look with more speed, power, less noise, etc.

What say y'all?

[TeriAnn]

I'm thinking I might like to start a project whereby I rebody an existing rolling chassis. The obvious candidates are probably Range Rover Classics or Discos (maybe '86-'96 my's)

I have seen a couple RR classic SWB rebodied with an 88 body. So I know it can be done & look nice.

Seeing them is about as close as I have come to your plan though.

[SafeAirOne]

There are more than a few hybrids where a RR/Disco chassis has been lengthened or shortened and fit with a Series body or a series body has been modified to fit the 100" donor chassis/drivetrain.

There's a bunch of experience and talk of these hybrids over here, in the hybrid section.

[bfrieck]

Well, I've got a bit of egg on my face. It never occurred to me to look in the hybrid section. I asked this question on one of UK dominated forums and got a lot of good suggestions - most were more applicable to stuff that's more available across the pond so I thought I'd see what had been done here where I am.
Thanks.

[o2batsea]

If you are going to put a Series on a RRC chassis, I would suggest that you go forward with a 100 inch conversion using a SWB RRC. This is considered by many to be the perfect wheelbase and I tend to agree. The conversion to coils allows you a wide variety of options, but the prevailing wisdom is to use a 200 or 300 tdi, r380 transmission and an LT230 transfer case. You can do all this and retain the "Series-ness". You may also use the existing RRC drive train with some slight mods. That would be the least painful way to go.
A hard top version will require shortening a 109 roof and ideally 109 regular roof sides with Defender windows (if desired).
No matter how you slice it it involves taking everything apart, modifying quite a lot of stuff, re-galvanizing and refinishing many items and then reassembling the whole shebang.

Go to you tube and search for the series "a 4x4 is born" or poster ini88

[RNZack]

I agree with 100" being the perfect wheelbase, it's the best mix. There were definitely a few hybrids up at the Winter Romp in Maine this year. The two I checked out were an 88" hard top converted to an 84" and a 109" pick up. Both were on RRC chassis, both did VERY well off road and were amply powered by V8s.

[yorker]

just for fun watch this before you embark on the project.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6bSMMHifp0

the rest of it is on youtube.

[o2batsea]

Yah but don't build a roll cage that keeps the bonnet from opening (oopsie!)
Or put 8 lights on it, or keep the fr shiz Strombergs, or not extend the truck cab so you can't fit behind the wheel with the corbeau buckets installed, or put jigsaw puzzle treadplate and plywood in the tub or....oh well, you'll see what I mean. He does do a nice build if you ignore the bad stuff.