109 Expedition rig build

[Mercedesrover]

Hi All,

After posting in the General Discussion section I decided to start a thread over here about the build I’m doing. I recognize a few names over here so some of you might be familiar with it. I’ve had an 88” Series III for a number of years that has been modified and prepared for long-distance trips, of which it’s been on a few. I’m very happy with this truck and it performs very well in all but two categories, the first being top-end speed. It’ll maintain 60 all day and do 65 in a pinch but it’s happier at 55. I’m building this new truck with the hopes of being able to maintain 70, even on grades and be comfortable on the highway. The second shortfall is the amount of available space. With my wife and two dogs along for the ride, packing is an adventure in frugality. With the extra 21” of wheelbase in the 109, it should have plenty of room. Besides that it will mirror the 88” in many respects. Changes have been made with simplicity and reliability as the first priorities followed by ease of repair, maintenance and availability. The 300tdi is a great motor but need a part in North Dakota and you’re out of luck.

I’m starting out with a ’67 NADA 2.6 truck that I acquired last year. Not much left of the truck, as you can see, but it has the desirable 2.6 bulkhead that affords me the extra room to use the engine I want.

The truck will get the following parts thrown at it.

New Stage-One galvanized frame, modified and re-galvanized
Mercedes 3.0L 5-cyl turbo diesel
Rebuilt NP435 4-speed with a Pangolin output shaft and adapter plate
Ashcroft high-ratio transfer case
Toyota 4:10 E-locker center differentials in Land Rover housings
Seriestrek 30-spline axles
FJ60 power steering

The bulkhead is done
The frame is modified and ready for galvanize
The motor is here and oil pan has been modified, motor mounts made.
The bellhousing is built and ready
Tranny and rebuilt kit are here
Waiting on Pangolin adapter kit
Transfer case is here
Differentials are here.
Axles are on their way

I hope to have a rolling chassis by spring when work on getting the body together will begin. Most of the original panels are shot, as you can imagine. I’ve found a decent tub but most everything else will be replaced with new.

It should make for a pretty reliable and capable rig with good range, and one that can spend a few days on the highway getting to different locations before heading into the bush.

I’ve posted a few pictures below and will keep adding to this thread as progress continues. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, feel free to add to it.

Jim

 

[overlander]

Sweet Jesus. You are going to have a fabulously interesting ride when all is said and done, but you'll be the Osama Bin Laden to purists around the world. It's like a romanesque marque orgy for expedition grade automakers.

so what marque are you going to put on it when you're done?

BTW, have you considered changing your userid to rovermercedes? just a thought...

 

[ChuckB]

Very cool!! I have been on your webpage numerous times. Looks like a great combination of reliable parts. I also love the old Rover looks. Too bad you couldn't use the H55F... you would have made a lot of Cruiser friends!!!! I'm hoping to convert my FJ55 to diesel. Just not sure which motor yet?

 

[Mercedesrover]

I thought about the H55F and almost did it for no other reason than the 5-speed. It's kind of an odd tranny here in the states though, and it's a little long. I'd also have to run the LC T-case which I didn't want to do. What I'm loosing in gears with the NP435 I'm gaining in cost, availability, reliability and the fact that I can keep the Series T-case.

If you're serious about mounting an H55F to the back of a 617/616 Benz, let me know. I've got a couple of brand new Benz bellhousings that I ordered from Germany and I'm thinking about ordering what's left over there. (There are only 4 more in the world.) If you give me the stick-out length, input bearing retainer diameter and the basic shape of the bolt pattern I can probably make you one.

Here's the finished bellhousing for the NP435

 

[bovw]

This is going to be a very good read. I'll be waiting for updates with the anticipation of the next Overland Journal!

 

[TeriAnn]

Hey Jim, :wavey:

Have you considered a 2 door rear tub on the 109? With bad panels it looks like a good time to think about what goes on behind the front doors. You can get more wall space for cabinetry & such out of a 2 door and those taller side benches allow more stuff to be mounted underneath at frame level. With two people you will need all the rear space you can get.

I looked at the 5 cylinder once and was dismayed by all the hangy down parts on the right side of the engine. Are any being moved? How do you plan to thread the front prop shaft through the obstacles? :bowdown:

You didn't mention it but I assume you are planning on a front disc brake conversion. Holding a 109 stationary in a steep nose up attitude immediately becomes an extreme isometric exercise. Those dual leading front shoes help in forward braking but provide very little help in the reverse direction. Its on my list as an important safety upgrade.

I'm glad you are documenting the engine swap. There has been a lot of interest in it but people usually just look at all the hangy down stuff sitting around frame level and walk away. :yikes:

Good luck with it

 

[Mercedesrover]

Nah, I really want a 4-door. Just easier with the pups and reaching things in the front of a long bed is a pain. I can survive for weeks at a time in an 88" so the extra room of the 109 will be gravy.

Them hangy bits aren't that tough. I had the same problem with the 4-cyl Benz engine in the 88". A little chop and weld to the upper aluminum pan and a little chop and weld to the lower steel pan and you're good to go. No need to move the pick-up tube or oil pump. Keep in mind I'm running hypoid type Toyota diffs and the pinion is a bit lower in the case than with a Rover diff. Still, I had the Benz engine in the 88" before I changed diffs and it was fine.

Call me crazy but I'm keeping drum brakes. Don't know what all the fuss is about disks. All they've ever done for me is get stones stuck in the calipers and scream going down the road. My 88" is still on drums and it stops like a dream. Bleed them properly and keep them adjusted and I think they're fine.

jim

 

[ChuckB]

I thought about the H55F and almost did it for no other reason than the 5-speed. It's kind of an odd tranny here in the states though, and it's a little long. I'd also have to run the LC T-case which I didn't want to do. What I'm loosing in gears with the NP435 I'm gaining in cost, availability, reliability and the fact that I can keep the Series T-case.

If you're serious about mounting an H55F to the back of a 617/616 Benz, let me know. I've got a couple of brand new Benz bellhousings that I ordered from Germany and I'm thinking about ordering what's left over there. (There are only 4 more in the world.) If you give me the stick-out length, input bearing retainer diameter and the basic shape of the bolt pattern I can probably make you one.

Here's the finished bellhousing for the NP435

Thanks for the offer!!!! I wish I was a little bit closer to the reality stage of my buildup... but unfortunately I need more time and $$$$. I'll keep this in mind though for the future.

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

Hi Jim congrats and great...
I wish I had better photos but I have a H55F in the 109 in the truck for sale in my sig. The only real odd thing was they had to fab a custom dog house which was a little unrover like and was done decently but not excellently.

My daily driver was the OM617 through about last winter when at 340K miles it finally stopped starting well in the cold (-6F here in the mornings sometimes), but was a great engine. I think it will go well into a 109. It can cruise as you know as high as 3500 rpms easily and enjoys the higher revs. That said I probably would have considered the overdrive option a little more heavily but you will be fine. And the NP435 is a hell of a reliable old school transmission.

There are excellent writeups on retrofitting the e lockers to different vehicles. I did it with my last 55 and did not use resistors in the path it fried my locker in about 6 months of regular use and nearly caused a fire at out on Kane Creek during Cruise moab, camping one night, two years ago. The single pull double-throw momentary switch method also works great and I've heard of no failures that way even without resistors. I am doing e-lockers with my current build and plan to use the OEM switch and computer. That said, you can wire from scratch easily and use resistors and relays, or even convert to cables (the best/easiest option) using a kit from Downey.

Good luck and looks great. Also be careful not to breath those fumes when welding.. I have heard they are a ********** with the illness and that the sickness actually can lead to permanent damage contrary to most reports. I plan on galvanizing my chassis and only hope I get most of the fab done before then.

Cheers,
Andre

 

[Linus Tremaine]

I want one too!

Jim,
what a beautiful thing you are building. the 5 cylinder is one engine I would love to have in a rover. They are great.

Alas, I dont have the equipment (or brain power/patience) to make one for myself. Thus stuck with the rover engine for now.


Any chance there is a distributor in that 2.6 that you dont need anymore??

and a water pump?

or a distributor drive gear? thats still decent???

Just wanting to collect spares for my dormobile.

 

[Mercedesrover]

Andre -

Those are great motors, aren't they. I can't wait to get this on the road and see how it pulls. The 616 in my 88" is perfect for that truck and has never let me down. I just keeps running and running. Funny to have an old Rover that you don't have to open the hood every time you want to go for a ride.

I agree that the overdrive might be nice but if push comes to shove I can always add one to it. I don't really think there is a great solution for overdrives for these trucks. The Fairy shifts nice but is noisy and doesn't last very long. The Roverdrive is quiet but shifts like a bus and runs VERY hot. I've got one of those in the 88" though, and it really helps with the low horsepower of that truck.

I've already got 4:56 e-lockers in my 88". Did it a few years ago and as far as I know was the first one to stuff them in a leafer housing. (I actually sell axles for that conversion as well as 24-spline axles for Series trucks.) I'm a little worried right now that the 4:10s are going to be a little tall for this truck. If it ends up they are, I'll switch them out with the 4:56 diffs in my 88" and rebuild these with 5:29s for that truck. Here's a picture of the front one for the 88" done and ready to go in the truck:

I wired them through the limit switches and have no trouble with them at all. The wires all run to a box on the tunnel with momentary switches.

There's a right up about the conversion on my site. http://www.seriestrek.com/toyotadiffs.html

Sorry Linus, I sold that engine and tranny months ago. It was a good running motor that went somewhere out west. Utah maybe? I forget.

jim

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

Yeah I agree about the aftermarket overdrives, no real nice options and I feel like they add a lot of clunk to the drivetrain too...

Neat to see those diffs in the Rover housings, very cool! I had the old 4.10, 4.56 philosophy but things changed a little with these low revving diesels that have their sweet spot under 2000 rpms. I'm running 35's with this current truck I'm building and thought is 4.1 should now be too tall too But I'm stuck with them with gears/diffs from a FZJ80. 8" high pinion front, 9" rear. They make slower (4.56, 4.88) but nothing faster than a 4.1. 3.73 would get me down to bout 1800-2000 rpms at cruising speed on the freeway in OD which would be perfect. With the 4.1s my mileage will go down and rpms up at the higher speeds, 70-75+, but not that big a deal...

I think 4.1 will be great and you'll be at 2500-3000 which should be perfect with ~31" tires that I imagine you'll run?

Cheers Jim and nice to see another Rover project from you! I love the old original Mercedes Rover!

 

[dieselcruiserhead]

Jim just checked out your site. I really dig those axles, very cool! When I had my '88 I was always worried I would break an axle out somewhere. Cheers and that is great. Are there good brake upgrades for Series axles these days?

 

[Loras BR]

A Mercedes-Toyota-Rover!!!

The perfect design and the perfect mechanic together... :bowdown:

Very nice plans!!!

Please, keep us updated!!!

 

[4Rescue]

Call me crazy but I'm keeping drum brakes. Don't know what all the fuss is about disks. All they've ever done for me is get stones stuck in the calipers and scream going down the road. My 88" is still on drums and it stops like a dream. Bleed them properly and keep them adjusted and I think they're fine.

Seriously, for all the great work you're doing, I know you're not... Well, seriously... All disk brakes have done is get rocks stuck in them??? Good brakes have as much to do with a rig as anything else. From your statement, I can only be led to believe that you are either:

A) My grandfather

or

B) My grandfather after falling down a flight of stairs...

Go 4wheel disks, this is not an oipinion thing...

Cheers and No Worries

Dave