2 wheel drive to 4 wheel drive ?s

[autoguy]

well i found a series 3 rover that is within a 2 hour drive from me (finally)

it was an Ex Belgium military rover, that is 2 wheel drive, well of course i want 4 wheel drive, the owner has a front axle and transfer case from a 109, and all the bits to convert the rover to 4 wheel drive

how easy is it to convert to 4 wheel drive and has anyone ever done it ?

i might be able to go look at the rover over the weekend and if its all good than it might come home with me, i am taking a check and my tools

oh and the rover runs and the owner says it has a good bulkhead and frame it is an 88 with a soft top

[LaneRover]

If you have basic mechanics skills it shouldn't be too bad. I would check and double check to make sure that all the bits needed are really there.

That being said, there is a possibility that some collector type might be interested in said Rover as a 2wd.

If you do buy it and do the conversion that front axle you are taking off would make a great start on a Rover trailer that you know will fit Rover rims!

Brent

[autoguy]

If you have basic mechanics skills it shouldn't be too bad. I would check and double check to make sure that all the bits needed are really there.

That being said, there is a possibility that some collector type might be interested in said Rover as a 2wd.

If you do buy it and do the conversion that front axle you are taking off would make a great start on a Rover trailer that you know will fit Rover rims!

Brent

good, I have more than basic mechanic skills, it ought to be fairly easy

so what exactly is needed for the conversion ?

[LaneRover]

Complete front axle though the hubs from the original axle might be re-used.

Transfer case, transfer case shift levers and linkages, front drive shaft. Plus I am sure that there are a bunch of bits and pieces and bolts and so on that will be needed.

I think that it has the transfer case in place but the front is blanked off and there is no low range but I could be wrong. You may be able to leave that case in place and replace the internal bits but I honestly don't know.

A lot of this is just educated guessing on my part from stories I remember reading about the 2wd Rovers in the Rover Mags.

I am sure if you are missing a piece or two you could easily get it from our hosts or from fellow members.

Brent

[jp-]

Man I wanted one of those Belgian Rovers when they started showing up a while ago. I didn't have the $4k at the time that they seemed to be going for. Did you get a good price? Also, can you post any pics?

[autoguy]

Man I wanted one of those Belgian Rovers when they started showing up a while ago. I didn't have the $4k at the time that they seemed to be going for. Did you get a good price? Also, can you post any pics?

lanerover, thank you for the info

jp, I haven't bought the truck yet, but hopefully I can get there this weekend

[S11A]

Is it a "regular" Landie or a Minerva?

http://www.4wdonline.com/LandRover/Series/Minerva.html

I have seen a couple that didn't have the distinctive Minerva front wings that were said to be ex-Belgian military.

[autoguy]

Is it a "regular" Landie or a Minerva?

http://www.4wdonline.com/LandRover/Series/Minerva.html

I have seen a couple that didn't have the distinctive Minerva front wings that were said to be ex-Belgian military.

I think it is a regular rover, the owner did not mention anything different

[I Leak Oil]

What about the transmission? Does it use the regular series tranny? How does it make the passenger side drop? Parking brake setup? Got any pictures of the current tranny configuration? This is like Rover ****! I've heard of these but never seen one.
Jason T.

[autoguy]

What about the transmission? Does it use the regular series tranny? How does it make the passenger side drop? Parking brake setup? Got any pictures of the current tranny configuration? This is like Rover ****! I've heard of these but never seen one.
Jason T.

I assume it is the standard series tranny, I will post some Picts i got earlier, when I get home in a couple of hours mmmm rover ****

I'm using my iPhone now

[greenmeanie]

I think it is a regular rover, the owner did not mention anything different

The Belgians bought a bunch of 2 wheel drive Land Rovers for airfield work. They tried to save money and maintenance with them as they did not need 4X4 spending their lives runnign around on the tarmac. I think they weer SIII but could easily be proved wrong on that.

The Landy rags occasionally do an article on them.

I think the Minervas were all 4X4 and based on the Series 1.

Cheers
Gregor

[autoguy]

The Belgians bought a bunch of 2 wheel drive Land Rovers for airfield work. They tried to save money and maintenance with them as they did not need 4X4 spending their lives runnign around on the tarmac. I think they weer SIII but could easily be proved wrong on that.

The Landy rags occasionally do an article on them.

I think the Minervas were all 4X4 and based on the Series 1.

Cheers
Gregor

the rover im looking at buying is a series 3 and is not the Minervas, thanks for the info originaly this rover was fitted for radio

i will get the picts uploaded and posted soon

[autoguy]

Belgium 2wheel drive rover **** i havent bought it yet but if the weather is good than i am going to go look at it on saturday and hopefully bring it home sunday these arent my picts they are the owners picts

[Terrys]

The panels look very good, but the interior shot reminds me why I prefer S2A. There is a guy selling one of these on LRO, and one sold on ebay last month, soewhere on Long Island for VERY cheap money. Every EX Mil Belgian I have seen has been in very good shape, except where the new owner messes it up.

When you think about it, there must be something bolted to the back of the transmission, in order to get the rear driveshaft over to the right side, so why not a transfer case. How else would they mount up a parking brake. Guess if Autoguy buys it, we'll know soon enuf.

[LaneRover]

Though I don't know for sure, the cheapest option for Rover and the Belgians was probably to just put in a non driven front axle, not put in a front drive shaft and leave the transfer case (just the case) itself as is with just the 2W High gearing in place and a plate over the front where the output shaft would be. In fact I wouldn't be surprised if the transfer case is left as is on the inside as unless you are making thousands and thousands of these 2W drive Rovers it is probably cheaper to leave as much as is. It may just need levers! Of course there could have been simplified gearing in the transfer case but I would be very surprised if the case had been changed.

Either way it does look like a great Rover. Buy it, clean it up a bit make sure stuff is working and see if anyone is interested in it for the history and see if they want to make a trade. If not then go through the work of switching it over to 4Wdrive - but definitely keep all the components from the 2W drive that you are not using. You can either sell them on to someone or someday you may decide you like the history of the truck and want to switch it back.

Have fun!

Brent