Land Rover series 1/2/3 body on a Rover P4 chassis?

[bagpuss86]

To cut a long story short ever since I sold my last black pit of a car I've been wasting many hours planning what to build next. I've wanted to build a rat rod for a long time now, and remember seeing a few articles on a Land Rover Series 1 body being bolted on to a Rover P4 chassis, in my mind a series 1/2/3 body with the bonnet and front arches left off and a big whack from the lowering stick would make for an interesting take on the typical american rat rod!

Now from what I understand the original land rover series 1 chassis was actually just a Rover P4 chassis modified for 4x4 use, so by my logic that would mean putting a land rover series body on to an original Rover P4 chassis should be a bolt on affair, however I can't find anything that says either way for sure, so does anyone here know more on the subject?

[mylittletony]

It should work, but a land rover with no wings would look gash.

In fact most of the rat rod creations based on full bodied cars with the front taken off just don't work due to the full width bulkhead.

[bagpuss86]

Well there's some good news at least, as long as it's an easy enough fit I can start planning more!

As for the look I guess there's no harm in trying it out before accepting it's wibblepoo and buying the extra panels, what's the worst than can happen right?

[penski]

Feb 3, 2017 19:05:39 GMT bagpuss86 said:

what's the worst than can happen right?

You sink a lot of time, money and effort into a 'rat rod' which looks awful due to the proportions, then put more time, money and effort into fitting a front end on it... And then realising that it just looks like you're copying That Land Rover.

*n

[edessex]

Series 1 parts are probably very pricey too. The Series 3 might be the end to opt for.

You might end up having to severly modify or even fabricate a chassis though.

[bagpuss86]

Feb 3, 2017 19:16:08 GMT edessex said:

You might end up having to severly modify or even fabricate a chassis though.

This would be the main factor for me, as I say from what I've read the chassis in the series 1 was essentially a Rover P4 chassis on stilts, if this isn't the case it'd be easier for me to stick with the P4 body and work with that (although I still reckon the series body would look cooler).

As far as copying "That Land Rover" goes I'd be lying if I said it didn't inspire me, but hey, if every modified car had to be 100% unique it'd be a very small community indeed!

[welshpug]

yeah the no wings wouldn't look great I doubt, its just too square and boxy to work.

otherwise, look up this one, its pretty much exactly what you describe.

retrorides.proboards.com/thread/125964/'THAT' Land Rover: Photobombed by a hobo. (P26)

[welshpug]

www.speedhunters.com/2016/02/not-land-rover-land-rover/

[mylittletony]

I think you could make something cool and different to Bryn's old one, there's plenty of potential there.

Check wheelbases, decide on a style and crack on.

I'd previously planned a low but not mega low 109 truck cab on a p4 chassis, but more patina less rat rod.

[welshpug]

farm9.static.flickr.com/8710/28774942952_49672a382b_b.jpg

[bagpuss86]

It wouldn't be a copy that's for sure, for starters I have an irrational hatred for soft tops.

I have the basic plans there already, something along the lines of chassis rail scraping lows with a 200/300tdi (bolts straight up to the P4 gearbox), the finer details to it's looks would come with time, a shell covered in surface rust always appeals, but would a weathered land rover look be more fitting?

Time to start pricing up Series shells.

[mylittletony]

I'm about to send you a pm

[bpirie1000]

Saw a flat 4four subaru turbo engine in an old landy defender.. went like the clappers and we'll dump falve in a landy.......

Awesome...

My tuppence worth is - find out what you actually want the car to do....track or offroad.

Then find a power your happy, get it reliable then play with the car body... (like the Citroën advert with the elephant sits on it to make the 206...)

Had lots of fun in small power cars as don't have to break.... just accelerate and fuel....O.K. occasional break, only traffic lights and deer running across the road....

[bagpuss86]

Feb 3, 2017 20:04:27 GMT welshpug said:

farm9.static.flickr.com/8710/28774942952_49672a382b_b.jpg

That'd do it, is that a cummins 4bt I spy in there? Might be a bit out of my budget by the time you factor in a gearbox and an axle strong enough to take that 

[welshpug]

I'm not sure if its a 4 or a 6 with hefty tunnel/bulkhead mods, I have seen pictures on the net a few times but am struggling to find more!

[stinkynails]

lots of nice willis jeep rat rods around. not a million miles difference in boxy terms.

...willys even

: /

[penski]

Feb 3, 2017 20:11:48 GMT bagpuss86 said:

a 200/300tdi (bolts straight up to the P4 gearbox)

As far as I know, that's an InternetFact®

LowStandards may know more...

*n

[penski]

retrorides.proboards.com/post/2266506

*n

[bagpuss86]

Feb 3, 2017 20:44:14 GMT penski said:

Feb 3, 2017 20:11:48 GMT bagpuss86 said:

a 200/300tdi (bolts straight up to the P4 gearbox)

As far as I know, that's an InternetFact®

LowStandards may know more...

*n

I'm not going to say you're wrong, but I've seen a few builds that say otherwise. The rover 80 P4 uses the same 2.25 petrol engine found in the land rovers, which in turn shares engine mounts and bellhousing patterns with the 200tdi. As far as flywheel and clutch setups go there is a slight mix of parts but they're all rover p4/land rover parts and they line up fine.

Of course I've been wrong before and like you say it could be a case of internet facts (stealing the phrase) but that's the first person I've seen saying it doesn't bolt straight up.

[edessex]

I'm sure people have kept the original 2.25 gearbox when doing the 200di conversion to a Series II/III.

But, bear in mind that the P4 gearbox could be weaker than the Series gearbox, which is weaker than the 200Tdi gearbox.