Missing aftermarket component?

[Oilburner]

What is in your opinion the most important LR fabrication/upgrade part that ISN'T on the market right now?

It was my opinion that until the Timm Cooper/Rovers North brake conversion hit the market, that was the significant hurdle in building a Series vehicle into decent daily drivers. Now that it is available again (and hopefully it will stay in production as it really is world-class) I have been wondering what else we would need.

My personal wanted list is:

- High-steer arms
- Heavy duty polyurethane seatbox cover (moulded cover that provides sound insulation)
- Reasonably priced door panels (I think Iron Goat may have this licked)
- Reproduction Stage One grills (instead of the crap Defender plastic)
- Good supply of transmission/LT230/Series T case adapters (Advance adapters is apparently working on this).

What do you want for Xmas??

 

[James86004]

- Heavy duty polyurethane seatbox cover (moulded cover that provides sound insulation)

Seatbox cover

 

[revor]

Now THAT's a good question!

I'm all about a molded seatbox cover but it's been done. What hasn't been done? Or at least tried.

 

[proper4wd]

A well done, effective, and efficient supercharger or turbocharger set up for Rover V8s. The crap that has been on the market before is, well, crap.

The high steer idea is tricky- pretty much impossible on a coil sprung axle (JL I know you've tried) but it could be doable on a Series knuckle.

There have been reproduction Stage I grills made, you just have to know the right people

 

[Oilburner]

I was thinking about a seatbox cover that would be molded so as to bolt in place around the perimeter and thereby be a permanent installation. Having something velcroed or duct taped in place sound like a bad plan. I think bedliner will be my best bet.

 

[James86004]

The high steer idea is tricky- pretty much impossible on a coil sprung axle (JL I know you've tried) but it could be doable on a Series knuckle.

Didn't the early SIIs have the high steering arms - the ones that used the top bearing instead of the railco bushing?

 

[greenmeanie]

- I have one of the molded mats imported from the UK when they were pretty new on the market a few years ago. It really doesn't need any kind of fasteners to hold it in place as it's own weight and close fit does this very well.

- I presume the high steer arms are for the coilers. On a series most people who go SOA end up going away from Rover axles anyway.

- I agree about the GOOD supply of adapters. They can be had without too much difficulty but, for good reasons, the people who do supply them do not do so over night.

- I can't criticize the quality of the Timm Cooper design but the price is pretty hard to swallow just to put discs on your truck. I see myself going to a full Toyota axle conversion before spending $3k on a set of front discs. IMO the Rocky Mountain kit is at a far better price point for what it offers.

For me I think that a supply of good quality body panels for series trucks would be top of the list. Things like SIIA wings, tropical top skins, both front and rear SW doors with removeable tops and a supplier on the west coast to stock them.

After that a pretty marketable kit would be a wiring harness based on a modern fuse block and incorporating upgrades such as relays. If designed well you could make it scaleable with such circuits add ons as electric fuel pump, extra lighting, radios, hazard warnings etc. If you know what you are doing wiring is not too difficult but most owners don'ty want to go there and many that do end up making a really nasty job. I know that Painless make such a product for Toyotas and Broncos. Of all the trucks on the planet with a reputation for poor electrics I'd have thought there would be a good market for replacement series harnesses.

 

[Alaska Mike]

I think the commercially-produced adapters are on the top of my list. Maybe a power steering kit. Cheaper brake upgrade kits.

 

[James86004]

After that a pretty marketable kit would be a wiring harness based on a modern fuse block and incorporating upgrades such as relays. I know that Painless make such a product for Toyotas and Broncos. Of all the trucks on the planet with a reputation for poor electrics I'd have thought there would be a good market for replacement series harnesses.

After the electrical engineers I work with flipped when they saw the wiring diagram for my Dormobile (There are only TWO fuses! And most of the stuff isn't even FUSED!), I bought and installed a Painless Performance 14 Circuit Micro Remote Mount Harness

Once I got it, I spent a few minutes each evening for a couple of weeks reading the instructions and looking at it. After that, it literally took me a Saturday to rip out the old harness and install the new one. The micro fuse block is about the same size as the Lucas one, and I put it in the same place. Everything worked the first time, and I am real happy with the results.

 

[greenmeanie]

I did the Pinaless thing on my 101 after it had a meltdown. RN wants $995 on the discount clearance for the original piece of crap instrument harness only. Of course, I complicated matters by adding a dual battery set up and a few other goodies but it all works. I then got very carried away by installing the harness and then removing the whole thing so that I could armour it up properly and then reinstall it again. That took a fair bit of time.

They are good for anyone who is reasonably competent but I could see a market for the precut, preterminated, pre insulated, pull it out the box and and stuff it in harness for the average guy wanting a replacement.

 

[R_Lefebvre]

A well done, effective, and efficient supercharger or turbocharger set up for Rover V8s. The crap that has been on the market before is, well, crap.

And probably will always be crap. The aftermarket has a really hard time developing these setups properly. And I'm not just talking Rovers. The vast majority of turbo kits are purely for "Carpet Queens", or at best "Dyno Queens".

I ended up abandoning the aftermarket kits after two unsuccessful attempts, and made my own kit from scratch and it's worked out well. IMO, the aftermarket is too concerned with appearances, and most aren't educated about engine management.

 

[Maryland 110]

- Reproduction Stage One grills (instead of the crap Defender plastic)
What do you want for Xmas??

That would do just fine. I can't tell you how long I have been watching for an original one to pop up. My current plastic one is broken in 6-8 spots

 

[Yorker]

The high steer idea is tricky- pretty much impossible on a coil sprung axle (JL I know you've tried) but it could be doable on a Series knuckle.

I'd like to see a reliable source for decent stainless steel gas tanks for series trucks and:

- Good supply of transmission/LT230/Series T case adapters (Advance adapters is apparently working on this).

Right now everyone has to go to Ike goss which is great, but there should be more available out there. Perhaps more 1:1 high range gearsets for the lt230 too?

 

[TeriAnn]

What I would like to see is a well engineered, complete conversion to put the Land Rover TDV6 engine and new 6 speed gearbox into a Series Land Rover ... And the availability of the parts in the US at a reasonable price.

Other than that I would just settle for ongoing availability of high quality replacement parts for Series & Defenders. A lot of that has been going away or replaced by cheapo pattern parts.

The tie rods on Series rigs are already reasonably well protected (at least compared to coilers). Scout II & RR P38 steering boxes are already proven to be good power steering upgrade paths. There are good seat box covers available aftermarket plus the stock Defender type. I'm very happy with My Torrel industries disc brake upgrade sold through Rocky Mountain. Last I looked they are less than half the price of Timm Cooper's conversion

Oh, one thing that would be nice would be inexpensive 7 & 8 inch wide 16 inch steel rims with the mounting point centered in the rim so there would be less inset than the Disco I steel wheels.

All in all I've found Defender parts to be acceptable upgrade paths for Series rigs. I'd love to get hold of a Defender rear door with factory heated window & wiper.

 

[Linus Tremaine]

power steering hoses?

Just kidding JL....


hows about boomerang mirrors for the series and defender wings?

AWESOME swing away tire/fuel can holder for series rear end

roof rack like teriann has on her dormobile- i made one for mine but all i see are things i would have done different.

shock mount extensions for series trucks


Agree with teriann on better rims. More offset please!