1994 MK1 Disco Offroader/Monster Truck, More Lift : - O.

[markgenesis]

Been thinking about buying a Land Rover for a while, not that into offroading just fancied something different, fataly a jacked up Disco 1 appeared in my street, next door in fact (who are always buying and selling stuff), a casual enquiry if it was for sale and five minutes later the beast was in my drive.







It has been offroaded so is pretty battle scarred, rear lower 1/4's were totaly FUBAR so I chopped them off



Then started to have a dig around and found RUST and lots of it, I knew these things have a reputation but Jeez, they rot like an old pear.



Rear X-member and body mounts are gone.



Chassis rust, spent the afternoon removing the fuel tank to gain access to this, also cut the rear step off as I'll be running it with the rear bumperless.





Also rust in the outriggers, front floor pans and behind the headlights etc, etc, would post pics of this but it's just too traumatic, hoping to patch up the boot floor for now but long term it'll need a new one, it's a stinking rotter, would have made more sense to buy a more solid Disco but this one could'nt have been any more local. was cheap, I like welding and a challenge so hey, ho.

After finding all that rust I cheered myself up by buying a single box straight through performance exhaust (yes, unbelievably, the exhaust is rotten too)



As it sits at the moment, stripped and looking a bit sad.

The tubular front bumper was bent to funk so was fit for scrap, (it had been bent into the bonnet which it dented then pulled back out) will be buying a new one (with the option of mounting a winch), roof mounted light bar will be powder coated along with the steering guard, plan on buying new roof lights (round 6" ones this time)



If it had been sold to any other (sane) person it would have undoubtedly been a breaker but the welding does'nt phase me, it's needing oil cooler pipes (leaking), a good bonnet, lower door hinge on the rear door, pads and discs all round, tyres (going for bigger MUD terains), probably a ton of other stuff, already changed the oil and filter (diffs and gearbox next), it runs and drives fine (around my vast private estate ), have BIG plans for it including a funky Camo paint job, TONS of work to do before then though.

[loudandproud205]

What size tyres are they? I may be interested in them for mine when it comes round to you changing them.

I hope you didn't pay alot for it as I was struggling to get interest in my 95 ES V8 LPG J import (so zero rust) for £1500, so I've jacked it up and fitted 750-16s Deestones and went playing

[markgenesis]

I paid £600 for it, figured it was worth that in parts alone (healthy 300Tdi motor, lift kit etc)

Tyres are 235/70/16's, (Bronco something ?) they look ok in the pics but are pretty cracked up (old), don't think they'd be worth posting IMHO, I'm going for new INSA Special Tracks in 265/75/16 (will wait to see how the welding pans out first though).

[mattfletcher]

Failed one of these on an R reg last week for rot, the 4 rear body mounts had rotted, you could see daylight through the footwells....... turned up in Crewe two days later and recieved a pass certificate, needless to say VOSA are investigating. Love these with a lift on them always fancied one for offroading. Good luck with the project

[robbie77]

Looking at the pictures, you got a good deal at £600, but for the weight of the car, the fact it's a 300 and for the extras bolted to it.

As you've already found out, Discos rust really bad.
Have you checked the sills and the battery tray yet ;-)

I am into off roading, especially Landrovers and my advice would be to unbolt all the extras, sell the engine/boxes/axles and weigh the rest in to but yourself a better base car to bolt all the extras to.

Oh, and your tyres look like Bronco Grizzley Claws.
It also looks like its had a body lift too.

Robbie

[markgenesis]

May 25, 2013 21:32:30 GMT mattfletcher said:

Failed one of these on an R reg last week for rot, the 4 rear body mounts had rotted, you could see daylight through the footwells....... turned up in Crewe two days later and recieved a pass certificate, needless to say VOSA are investigating. Love these with a lift on them always fancied one for offroading. Good luck with the project

Cheers man, that sucks, used to be a tester myself (back in the mid 90's), when i get an older car i go right though it top to bottom regardless of MOT sevice history etc so will do the work as a mater of course.

I've read that with a lift kit and good tyres Disco's are just as good offroad as a Defender, would like to have maybe tried greenlaning but not much of that is possible in Scotland (from what i've heard), though this Disco has (apparently) been up to it's door handles in mud.

[markgenesis]

May 25, 2013 21:38:21 GMT robbie77 said:

Looking at the pictures, you got a good deal at £600, but for the weight of the car, the fact it's a 300 and for the extras bolted to it.

As you've already found out, Discos rust really bad.
Have you checked the sills and the battery tray yet ;-)

I am into off roading, especially Landrovers and my advice would be to unbolt all the extras, sell the engine/boxes/axles and weigh the rest in to but yourself a better base car to bolt all the extras to.

Oh, and your tyres look like Bronco Grizzley Claws.
It also looks like its had a body lift too.

Robbie

Hi Robbie, yes, i reconed it was a fair deal, sills are fair (will need patched but not totaly gone), battery tray is decent, will be going through the whole car though, breaking it and buying a more solid one to transfer the good bits onto sounds far too sensible, i'm an IDIOT when it comes to cars and projects, a sucker for lost causes , i know i'll be chasing it when i start welding, realisticaly the car is lucky to have another five years in it but if i extend it's life by this much (and get my use out of it) i'll be happy

You are right, Bronco Grizzly Claw tyres (but as mentioned they are pretty old), recon it has a 3" sususpension lift, newish white shocks and blue (Bearmach ?) springs.

[robbie77]

It sounds like its got Pro comp shockers with Britpart springs - it's the most common budget ish lift combo and is well regarded.

It will probably be a 2" lift, any higher and you'll need extended brake hoses and it will chew propshaft U/Js.
I was guessing at it also having a body lift as the steering guard looks quite low.

Robbie

[robbie77]

Can of worms time.... Is a Disco as good as a Defender off road??

In my opinion, no.

It's not far off, but look at the overhang behind your rear axle compared to a Defender - ideal for catching when climbing or descending a steep angle.

The Disco has a 100" wheelbase which is favoured by people who are building their own hybrid off roaders - it's obviously better than a 110, but not as good as a 90 on the break over angles.

Also, a Defenders panels are all bolt on/off affairs, but a Discos aren't.

However, a Disco is infinitely more comfortable to be in, especially if you're my size!!!!

Robbie

[markgenesis]

Ah, the brake hoses look standard, probably a 2" lift as you say, body mounts are all standard, was guessing 3" Bearmach springs but a workmate did mention Britpart.

Cheers for the advice, once it's done it'll probably only see road use (posing) anyway

[markgenesis]

May 25, 2013 22:28:12 GMT robbie77 said:

Can of worms time.... Is a Disco as good as a Defender off road??

In my opinion, no.

It's not far off, but look at the overhang behind your rear axle compared to a Defender - ideal for catching when climbing or descending a steep angle.

Well it said so in LandRover Owner International so it must be true , BUT going buy the damage to the rear bumper (bent upwards) and the mashed rear lower 1/4's (now cut off) i'd be inclined to say you are right, but i bought this for the pose 1'st offroading 2'nd (offroading is an option but i probably wont)

Probably why you see so many Disco's and Rangie's bob tailed.

[camper damper]

Nice disco good luck with the welding also there is one the exact same only red going around my local town just a bit more bashed in

[loudandproud205]

Once you get in to some off road forums you will see quite a few bob tailed.

I've not had an issue with my Disco 2ish inch lift (front is higher than the rear???) and 750-16s. It went everywhere that a friends 90 went, aslong as you use sense where you are going and ignore the "super stars" then really you shouldn't worry about much.

I have done my mods as a prevention to damage not just to make it "go anywhere"

[markgenesis]

Can understand the logic of bobtailing RR's and Disco's but i think they just look odd (not to mention potential IVA issues), besides the rear space in mine will be handy for throwing the bike in, tip runs etc.

Managed to make a start on this today, fired up after reading the latest in the Oldsmobile thread

Only got the rust chopped out one side and the first plate in, the bit of steel i bought is just short in height to make the other section so had to leave it at that but it's a start



Scrap pile is growing, will NEED to get the Disco done to clear this lot.

[Alpina99]

Looking forward to following this,
You are a brave man !!
:-)

[loudandproud205]

Yeah you mention the space in the back, its strange but the Td5 is only a small bit larger in the boot but it makes so much difference.

I can get my 750-16s laid down in the back of my Td5 but my 300 I have to lay the seats down also.

[markgenesis]

May 26, 2013 19:51:38 GMT Alpina99 said:

Looking forward to following this,
You are a brave man !!
:-)

Brave or as Daft as a Brush, i'm not sure , keeping my options open at the moment as i'm still digging bits and finding more rot (jeez, it'd give a 70's Datsun or Alfa a run for it's money :, found some on a triangle section on top of the chassis which will be quite hard to get to also one of the rear outriggers looks quite bad, could still cut my losses and bail out, certainly going to hold off buying tyres or fancy bits for now.

If anyone is buying a Disco 1 i'd recommend getting right underneath and sticking your hand up behind the rear lower 1/4's, the extensive rot in the above pics would have been hidden buy the rear fold down seats and other trim so would be unseen, most of the trim was ripped out in this car so i knew what i was buying, all the seat/seatbelt mountings were either weak or totaly rotted away, quite scary realy, this car was a 7 seater but will be a two seater for the rest of it's days

From what i've gathered Disco 2 body's fair a bit better but the chassis still rot just the same.

[loudandproud205]

Disco 2 body is much better but the chassis rot worse.

My D1 was a Japanese import, althou the paint work has suffered over the years the body is rock solid as a rock, its the first Disco I've seen that hasn't started to get crispy in the rear doors.

Then people were telling me £1500 was over priced

I take my hat off to you and wish you good luck with it.

[mt2man]

That looks pretty solid to me! Well compaired to mine haha

[optimusprime]

May 25, 2013 22:28:12 GMT robbie77 said:

Can of worms time.... Is a Disco as good as a Defender off road??

Depends on your definition of 'offroading' i suppose.


I bought an old 200tdi for 500 note about 4/5 yrs ago, all it 'needed' was a new clutch (hence the price)it was an ES spec with the twin sunroofs,therefore meaning more places to leak .......... it had a replacement rear floor and the chassis was good ... was quite a tidy motor ... till i got chunky muds,modular wheels,2inch front lift,3inch rear lift (to level it out,they do sit front high when lifted) snorkle etc etc ...green laned it great little truck ... till i killed ...... right before the bad winter of 2010.


So good luck with it,looks like a great project, i'm jealous.