Rover TLC

[CMS3900]

Howdy, I've been stalking these forums for a bit and it seems that the series forum has been more alive as of late. You guys seem like your the premier rover club in my area (Delaware), and I have a lot of ideas and questions rolling around in my head about my series that I figure I would finially post about.

About a year and a half ago I purchased a 1974 Ex Mod 109 that was formerly a sky top rover. I bought it from the "first" owner after sky top. It was in decent shape, needed minor frame repair but the engine and drive train were very straight. After a long battle with motor V I had the rover on the road. Traveling where ever I needed to go at 45 mph :> gotta love it.

So I had been gathering parts ever since I got it and now its time for its first major mods. So far I have gathered a PTO, various bits for a snorkle, two ramsey industrial 8k hydrualic winches, normal stuff (highlift jack ect..) CB, antenna, fog lights, and soon a lightbar.

So here goes my list of querys.

First, I need new tires and are currently looking at super swamper tsl 9x34x16 's I drive primarily in mud, rocks, deep woods, and snow (when it falls :P). Im trying to mainly get a little more clearance and bite.

Secondly, Are there any minor improvements to my suspension that I can do to make it articulate better. I know parabolic's are sweet but there out of my price range for this set of mods. I was considering fabing a set of revolving like shackles. I'm trying to stay low with droop. Has anyone ever attempted making longer dumb irons with the stock springs? and just shim the axles?

Third, will I get murdered by the land rover public If I remove the stock heater, put a inside Mojave type heater in and then use the hole in the wing for the snorkel. I really would rather have it in the bonnet, but I haven't found one for sale.

Forth, People on this forum that have done the Prima 2.0L conversion, Im trying to find out what type SAE the bolt holes are on. the diameter of the "bell housing adapter" and the number of holes. I have a guy here in delaware who is a Perkins dealer, and he may know of some more readily obtainable engines that will fit a series with the prima adapter if the back of the prima uses a SAE style bolt up.

Any experience on these topics would be a great help.
-Morgan

Oh, and I am looking for a hard top for my rover, so if anyone can point me in a good direction that would be cool.

[scatterling]

Greetings!!
Any photo's of your truck, mine is also from Skytop. 12v or 24v?

[CMS3900]

Hey, thanks for the welcome. I plan on pic's when I get back, I'm in NM with the national guard for the next week and a half. My rovers a bit confusing about 12 or 24, its 12, through and through, copper wiring, no marks on the bulkhead where 24v junk was but yet, it has a brown expanded metal "rack"-ish thing between the bed and the seating area, with a braided steel cable conduit with various cables running from the rack to the right hand wing to a breakout box. I've talked to AB and Rovers north and no one can give me a definitive answer of what it was for


-Thanks
Morgan

[scatterling]

I would guess it would have something to do with the radio setup, mine had lots of braided cables before I sorted the radio/charging mess out - much more straight forward now. the boxes on the wings were for corded headsets. I might have a hardtop and rear door if you are interested.
looking forward to the photo's.
Later Neil

[CMS3900]

As soon as I get home i'll post the pic's, Before I left on AT I was in the process of stripping all the paint off for a fresh coat of tan. Luckily I have only come across 6-8 coats in areas. Damn military, paint, paint paint, and paint over it again.
Very interested in Hard top. PM sent.

[solihull109]

Greetings, you asked about 'revolver' shackles. I built a set(f & r) for a 109 I had. Worked very well, also ran a set of 34 " swampers...great tyre.
Then I got really bored and converted to S.O.A....with the revolvers......very spooky on the road. I've set up numerous Jeeps S.O.A.that I've owned with no problems, but combine that with the revolvers proved to be a little ......hard to handle with the 109. Then tossed all that work and converted to coils( I know...boo..hiss..from the purists) and never looked back. Coils DOMINATE off road, any day of the week. I'll dig up some specs on the revolvers and shoot them to you.

[CMS3900]

Awesome, Coils would rock, and eventually I'm looking toward 4 link with coils, although a coiler ECR frame is a bit steep in my wallet. The specs for the shackles would be much appreciative. Did you have any ground clearance issues with the TSL's? Or Tire rub issues?

[solihull109]

The tyres would rub at full lock, I actually adjusted the stops all the way out for maximun turning radius HA, now that's funny in a series(or any rover for that fact), anyway, I also swapped out the stock springs for looooong 56" Chevy 1/2 ton springs. I tried very hard not to lift the truck too much taller than stock, but have a ton of droop...mission accomplished.
I converted my stock frame to accept coils, didn't buy anything premade for that fact.
If you run a stock set up without parabolics....you might need to trim a bit with 34's under full compression....I dunno, you'd have to check once fitted.

[Willard]

My Ex Mod is running (i think) 235 (for sure) 85 R16, no rub and no problems

These were put on somewhere i think in Norway.
i have some new pics to post so you will see that soon.
Best way to see if yours was 24V is to see if you have the battery try in the middle seat area and room for 2 12 V batteries.
If not then it may be 12V stock.

i think converting to Coils requires a new frame does it not?
As for changing the heater.....he just do it. When i restore mine i will be putting in a heater that works (my smith just does not cut it but the 24V gas heater does.....to bad i am pulling it)

[CMS3900]

No, I do not have a tray for the batteries, but I'm still wondering what the heck this breakout box is, end of next week i will have pics of everything and meeby then someone will be able to tell me what it is