opinions on my series build.

[killahaas@gmail.com]

These ideas are great but the cost of a used engine is deal breaker for TDI stuff plus partsare expensive. 10 million hillbillies can't be wrong the small block Chevrolet is the universal replacement engine. I have less than 1k in my engine.Parts and machine work. Granted I assembled the engine, it's tough to beat.


Tapatalk sucks, sent from Matthew's IPhone

i am assuming you made your wiring harness? all custom do you happen to have a schematic for it? could you give me like something like a parts list? my buddy thinks i should put a small block into it as well which that would be the only option if i went gas. he builds chevy engines in his spare time. so he can help a lot with that

 

[JSBriggs]

SBC is the most bang for the buck. My dads 109 has a SBC, SM420 (though id recommend a 465 instead) and serise Tcase. Its still sprung under and has 88 rears on the front. Its got a Scout 2 steering power steering box as well. It rides well and can easily cruise at freeway speeds. If you are planning on hauling anything id recommend a Salisbury rear. I'm doing something very similar with my 109 P/U.

-Jeff

 

[killahaas@gmail.com]

what does he have in the rear for leafs? and what is the difference for the 88 rear springs up front?

 

[JSBriggs]

Stock (worn out) 109 rears. The 88 rears in front are longer (requires extending the frame horns) but offer more articulation and a more supple ride.

-Jeff

 

[blue bomber]

i am assuming you made your wiring harness? all custom do you happen to have a schematic for it? could you give me like something like a parts list? my buddy thinks i should put a small block into it as well which that would be the only option if i went gas. he builds chevy engines in his spare time. so he can help a lot with that

I used a painless wiring 18 circuit only because I had one. The 12 circuit is plenty good. Any electrical part that carried more than 20 amps has a water proof relay to operate it. For example my head light are hella h4s with IPF 150 watt bulbs. I still use the cool old style switch, all it does now is carry the "tickle" to pull down the relay, I even retained the original starter button. All it does now is power up the solenoid on the gear reduction starter . All of my gauges are VDO, less the speedo. I have a few pics.


Tapatalk sucks, sent from Matthew's IPhone

 

[killahaas@gmail.com]

Stock (worn out) 109 rears. The 88 rears in front are longer (requires extending the frame horns) but offer more articulation and a more supple ride.

-Jeff

awesome thanks maybe i'll look into that.

I used a painless wiring 18 circuit only because I had one. The 12 circuit is plenty good. Any electrical part that carried more than 20 amps has a water proof relay to operate it. For example my head light are hella h4s with IPF 150 watt bulbs. I still use the cool old style switch, all it does now is carry the "tickle" to pull down the relay, I even retained the original starter button. All it does now is power up the solenoid on the gear reduction starter . All of my gauges are VDO, less the speedo. I have a few pics.View attachment 125402View attachment 125404


Tapatalk sucks, sent from Matthew's IPhone

wow Matt, you did an awesome job. if i go the chevy 350 route, i know who i am going to talk to!!
now here is another question are there really any good parabolics? that just drop right in? i hear good and bad things about them. i would feel bad to cut into such a nice example for a rust free 109 frame.

 

[UnfrozenCaveman]

Hey Matt,

Can we see the front of your instruments too...and maybe the exhaust routing underneath?

Believe it or not, the old 109 may actually be getting close to those points in it's re-construction.


Thanks,

Keith

 

[blue bomber]

awesome thanks maybe i'll look into that.

wow Matt, you did an awesome job. if i go the chevy 350 route, i know who i am going to talk to!!
now here is another question are there really any good parabolics? that just drop right in? i hear good and bad things about them. i would feel bad to cut into such a nice example for a rust free 109 frame.

I have Santana rears. The fronts are stock 88. The problem with the fronts is the length. They are short and they cycle a lot more than the rears. I will do the long springs on the front eventually. For now they are ok. I just love driving it. It's not that difficult to do the swap. I just haven't done it yet.


Tapatalk sucks, sent from Matthew's IPhone

 

[blue bomber]

Hey Matt,

Can we see the front of your instruments too...and maybe the exhaust routing underneath?

Believe it or not, the old 109 may actually be getting close to those points in it's re-construction.


Thanks,

Keith

Nah, I don't believe you. You like squishy coil springs.;-) I took a few pics. Notice the absence of oil stains on the ground. I just came back from a 400 plus round trip.All the camping gear is still loaded up.
Cheers, Matthew.
California is so boring, don't come here!!



Tapatalk sucks, sent from Matthew's IPhone

 

[killahaas@gmail.com]

I have Santana rears. The fronts are stock 88. The problem with the fronts is the length. They are short and they cycle a lot more than the rears. I will do the long springs on the front eventually. For now they are ok. I just love driving it. It's not that difficult to do the swap. I just haven't done it yet.


Tapatalk sucks, sent from Matthew's IPhone

what are santana rears? where can i get them from? i have heard from RM and RN parabolics never santana. also do you have any pictures of your shock set up? did you make hoops for them? or are they in the stock mounts? also has anyone ever put the leafs on top of the differential? i dont think i have ever seen it done? is there a reason why?

 

[blue bomber]

Santana's are the original ones use on their cars. All the others are knock offs. Heystee springs were pretty good but I don't know where you can get them. "Spring over" is what you are referring to. That is a whole new engineering project. It's a lot of work. I'll have to dig up some photos of a couple that have been done. It a cool way to get big tires. Like I said, doing a spring over is a big project.


Tapatalk sucks, sent from Matthew's IPhone

 

[killahaas@gmail.com]

i figured it is a lot of work. where did you get your santanas from? i heard Rocky mountain parabolics are nice.

 

[blue bomber]

I got the springs from Great Basin rovers about 17 years ago! I'm sure some genuine Santana's can be sourced from Spain.


Tapatalk sucks, sent from Matthew's IPhone

 

[frans]

For what it is worth, I have a series 109 and my friend has an 88. Both of us have done an engine and drivetrain conversion. I did a Chevy v6 4.3 throttle body, chevy truck transmission (sm465 & np205 transfer box) and finally toyota truck axles with a rear disk conversion and drivetrain parking brake. My friend put in a automatic in his.
The idea was to use reliable readily available parts. I used rocky mountain parabolics on mine and did a spring over. Having a computer is not a big deal. It gives you better fuel consumption and a throttle body is one of the simplest set ups to use. Much more reliable than a carburetor.
Engine wiring harnesses are easy to buy and install and reliable. I used a Howell Engine harness for the engine and a Painless for everything else. Every wire is labeled and all connections are supplied.
Before I did the conversion I looked into using a 5 cylinder mercedes turbo engine but passed simply because I wanted a set up where I could easily get parts anywhere for it cheaply. Most junkyards have these parts on hand. I hear people talk about the economy of a diesel but the reality is that you will not really see any savings after the conversion expense for quite some time. Of course a diesel sounds good. But in terms of actual savings...
I guess it depends on where you live, but for me the rover is a working vehicle that gets driven and used, not a garage or trailer queen.

 

[UnfrozenCaveman]

Nah, I don't believe you. You like squishy coil springs.;-)

Perfect, thanks.

The front is extended and has rear para's up there too now.

I thought there was plenty of room to put that exhaust crossover in front of the cross-member, thanks.

You haven't killed that Rover rear axle yet, eh?

Thanks,

KAA