Vehicle & Technical > Series Land Rovers

ambulance conversion to 3.5

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Lucy1978:
If I were you I'd ditch the idea of the Auto, Yeah I know it's 'reconditioned' but how do you know how well it was done and how long ago, it also gives you headaches with the series front axle ( they have UJ's instead of the CV joints needed for full time 4wd) unless of course you can track down a stage 1 front axle (think rocking horse poo with hens teeth in, having said that there's two on Eblag at the moment clicky )

To be honest you'd be better off fitting a diesel anyway, yeah I know the V8 sounds nice, but the 109 doesn't have the biggest fuel tank in the world and there's not a huge amount of space on/in a series 3 ambi for storing extra fuel, you need to think of the range you need to get from the vehicle. (we even looked at putting a 300tdi in teh 101 before we went away, we fitted a gas kit instead purely on cost grounds, having a brand new 300tdi fitted was going to cost circa £7k the gas kit cost £700 so we did that and left a year earlier, though if the V8 in her had been knackered we would have replaced it with a diesel lump), and a tdi will bolt to the series gearbox.

On the suspension front, you'll probably be ok on standard springs, the ambi body will have enough weight to get them to flex, where as paras may sag a bit under the weight especially when fully loaded for a long trip. (we broke two springs on the 101, and ended up having extra, helper, leaves added). Don't go down teh coil sprung route, unless you have a new chassis from a specialist kit car manufacturer the truckwill end up on a Q plate (or at least should if you do it legally) and it will require an SVA, very difficult for an old truck to pass.

Brakes... you can get disc brake conversion kits for the series axles, BUT, properly adjusted and maintained drum brakes can be very effective (in dry conditions on initial braking they are actually more effective than discs, think of the surface contact area of the friction material on the shoe to the drum, compared with pads on a disc, they're not good a dissapating heat though and not so great when wet).
To illustrate the effectiveness of drum brakes...



yes it's a real photo.

TBM:
If you do insist on using the auto box, here are a couple of solutions that Ashcroft offer with regard to 5speed Defender manual boxes. They may be adaptable for your auto box.

http://www.ashcroft-transmissions.co.uk/part_66.html

Failing that, you could fit axles from a Defender by welding up new spring hangers for the leaf spring. You get the advantage of a wider track (about 4" I believe) and disc brakes. Depends on the amount of time and money, and on your ability.

kizz81:
 :lol: id love it to be an auto box but im swinging to the idea of a 200 or 300 tdi manual as i may need it as an everyday drie round at some point meaning insurance would have to be considered more closely plus i mostly know how to fix a diesel ( well the bits that have broken on mine anyway )
i have a deadline now aswell :lol: landy rally 2009 so a diesel would be quicker to fit

Lucy1978:
don't you need to find a diesel for pinky first?

kizz81:
i have one :lol: it just doesnt work

im going to have to leae land rovers alone for a couple of weeks untill i have finnished uni exams, earnt some money and got a plan i think :-k
in the bright side  that green rangie will be started within a week or so  [-o< and your engine will be on a trailer

cheers kieran

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