The Rover-Landers of BC

So, after my virgin mid-show articulation ramp and see-saw attempts at Founder's Day 2011 (awesome job putting it on by the way guys!), there was quite a few questions about why my land-rover didn't seem quite right... and subsequent to answering a few of them, one of our fellow members suggested a get a build thread up on here...so here it is!

Synopsis: I'm running a late Series IIA 109" Land Rover Body, on a modified 1986 Toyota 4 runner frame, with an early 80's solid axle swap up front. It originally had the Toyota 22R 4 cylinder and 5-speed manual transmission, then I went to a 4.3l GM engine (initially carbureted, later fuel injected) - mated to the same Toyota 5-speed, and now I am moving to a 1996+ Toyota 3.4 V6 and automatic. I have found it a great project, largely due to the vast amount of information and products out there for custom Toyota projects, and still think it makes sense conceptually as a lover of the simple, modular, and mostly aluminum Land Rover body as well as the mechanical reliability, parts availability, etc. of Toyota - BUT there is no shortage of complications to work through and it's definitely not "bolt-on."

List of some of the complications I've encountered and the solutions I've implemented (which makes the whole things seem quite a bit crazier):

For body mounting, the front two outriggers were pretty straight forward to fab - the front ones were originally just cut off and then grafted on to the new frame - but I recently replaced them with heavier fabricated ones that I designed to accept custom rock sliders eventually. For the rear tub, the Toyota bed mounts were just cut off and moved to the inside of the frame instead of the outside (because the outside was too wide for the Land Rover tub), and then two 2x1 lengths of steel tube are drilled to adapt the body bolt spacing to the frame bolt spacing.

Because of the bump up on the Toyota frame for the rear box, it ends up being body-lifted - compared to stock - which, when combined with new Old Man Emu springs, gave it a pretty high ride height. So, in the latest iteration, I've mounted the axles spring-under instead of spring-over.

The front of the frame sticks out a bit further because of the Toyota having longer springs (to keep the wheel centered in the arch), which initially led to an unfortunate gap between the bumper and front of the fenders. But, in the latest iteration I'm just mounting the bumper stacked on top of the front crossmember, which places it about right relative to the fenders.

The stock power steering box initially poked out through the front radiator mount, but I've since converted to an FJ60 power steering box and steering knuckles, which moved it back into hiding (more fab work here, adjusting the mounting position on the frame).

Gas tank was an issue. Old saddle tank doesn't fit because the frame is wider. I initially had a custom saddle tank welded up, but have now moved to a larger chevy tank in the rear, which I'm going to fill through a new filler neck that runs up through the rear driver's side corner locker to a flush mount cap behind the license plate (have a flip down plate holder).

E-brake is also an issue because the Toyota's had a handle that pulled out from the dash, which created a lot more travel than the Land Rover lever. I'm happy with my latest iteration of that (RRC/Disco lever mounted between the seat and cubby - which is a nice solution to the Defender shin basher as well - leading to an intermediate pivot arm that multiplies the pull).

Finally, depending on what engine/transmission you're using, something will probably have to be done to the transmission tunnel (and mounting faces on bulkhead/seatbox).

Then there's all the wiring....

The last time it was all one color (as I update this in 2024, I am nearing the completion of v3 - which includes a full repaint to light green and new wheels etc.):
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... i-0W=w2400

The original iteration was pretty ugly, but it drove and was fun for a young guy.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... unPk=w2400https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... Q6Yk=w2400
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... gKbx=w2400
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... 0TDC=w2400
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... Tjer=w2400
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... aMUs=w2400https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... pBOS=w2400
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... 5tWo=w2400

Any insight as to why the code and not the images are showing up?? ...Doesn't work with flickr?

For some reason you had a couple of extra letters after the jpeg... seems to be OK now.

Nice truck, thanks for sharing the info / photos

Cheers, Andy

ANDYD wrote:For some reason you had a couple of extra letters after the jpeg... seems to be OK now.

Nice truck, thanks for sharing the info / photos

Cheers, Andy

Indeed it does! Thanks Andy :-)

Stunning!
myself, being new to rovers, am not a purist in any sense, and so love your ingenious Franken Rover!
Good work!
Would you happen to have any suggestions as to local (GVRD) fabricators/bodywork shops?
I have a serious sill problem; I have none!

Thanks!

The worst kind of sill problem! haha

Unfortunately can't be too much help, all of the fabrication on my truck was just done in the garage .... though a lot of guys in the toyota off-road scene seem to go to these guys for their custom fabrications:

http://www.bigcountrycustoms.com/

Regarding body work, I've got even less idea ... if we're talking landy, the trouble is finding someone that is skilled with aluminum. I'd be interested in knowing if you find a place though!

Steveep,
Bigcountry just wrote me back!
I have a few people I'm running this project by.
Worst part is timing...I have no good time for this!
No time off between gigs and I can't be without a vehicle..bleagh!
Ill let you know about the aluminum handling if I find anyone.

Wow fantastic job on the 109, wish I had those mad skills.

This was mid full rewire #1 (cleaning things up), I later went to a Painless Performance harness that had better wire coloring/labeling

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/J75Su ... 60-h945-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/YWJaJ ... 09-h946-no

This was power plant 2.2, moving from carburetion to central port fuel injection on the GM 4.3 swap

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/bAAd5 ... 78-h945-no

New Paint and Sensors:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Mxkv6 ... 78-h945-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Ov49S ... 78-h945-no



Wanted to close up these speed holes in the firewall as well :P :


https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/6oygU ... 60-h945-no


Voila!:


https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/eRPhA ... 60-h945-no

Before:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/KSfEo ... 78-h945-no


After:


https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/VwVym ... 78-h945-no


https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/nooIG ... 78-h945-no

Engineering a solution to the Toyota steering box sticking out the front and giving me away. This involved mounting a later, forward-swing, steering box and an aftermarket Toyota "high-steer" kit. I later modified the the mount again and moved to FJ60 steering knuckles to facilitate going spring-under on the axles (to compensate for the high ride height created by new old-man emu springs and my body mounting solutions).

Before:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/VRADA ... 60-h945-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/cKb1c ... 60-h945-no


After:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/9YHXt ... 09-h946-no

Closing the whole in my custom radiator support waiting for another day....

How I learned that it's not just your eyes you have to protect from the UV radiation emitted when welding :P

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/N8S_t ... 09-h946-no

Modifying Seat Box to fit Smart ForTwo seats, fit an under the (centre) seat custom battery tray, and a cubby box:

New aluminum top sheet, with layout for seats and battery box/cubby:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pnQdf ... 78-h945-no

New supports and modified driver's side cubby:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/jsiYK ... 00-h945-no


Custom made shifter ring/boot (vinyl sandwiched between some aluminum rings made with a milling machine):

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/oOEYN ... 00-h945-no

Under structure painted, battery disconnect installed, front access to cubby cut/framed, new transmission tunnel support fashioned:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/4aWKz ... 78-h945-no


Top, under seat pans (for clearance of seat underside), and custom aluminum batter box installed (decided to just order an optima battery tray off of EBay):

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/zUZSu ... 78-h945-no


Installed in truck:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/KA43J ... 09-h946-no


https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/r1O9g ... 09-h946-no


New Transmission Tunnel fabricated & Fitted:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/WN4Ic ... 78-h945-no

For the version 2.2 dash I closed up the right hand side of the dash with aluminum panels, hiding the fuse block to the left of the steering column and installing a keyless ignition from China off of aliexpress to the right of the column, for fun:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/HMHyD ... 00-h945-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/6z7hl ... 00-h945-no

The RFID antenna for ignition couldn't transmit through the aluminum I was using on the dash, so I bought a cheap plastic cutting board, painted it black, cut the aluminum accordingly and ended up with these:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/RYuCD ... 78-h945-no

Installed:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/sanhL ... 00-h945-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/qJhU8 ... 00-h945-no

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/XlYyu ... 00-h945-no

Still had this ECU to hide. I ended up closing off that side of the dash with another aluminum panel that included some 12v charging ports, but I never really liked losing the whole dash tray in this manner. So, later, in version 3.0, I moved all of the dash electronics to under the seat and reopened all of this back up.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Trq8a ... 78-h945-no

Found I was victim of the usual door frame erosion:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/xKxEk ... 78-h945-no


https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Zd5zb ... 78-h945-no

Ended up getting two new doors off of Jeremy, which stayed conspicuously primer grey for far longer than they probably should have :lol:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... jjWU=w2400

Lots of good progress, quite the adventure!

Is it a little too hopeful to think we would see it see it ready for Founders Day 2016 on Feb 20th?

Hey Andy!

I wish! But it's more the driver than the truck that is the problem. I was pushing hard to have it drive-able for this month, hoping to make my first Founders' Day in years (have been out of the country the last few years), but didn't anticipate the the change to February. Now I'm scheduled to be in Montreal that weekend :cry:

I'll certainly be there if anything changes though. Picked up a new set of door bottoms from Jeremy last week, along with some miscellaneous seals, and I think that was the only major thing standing in my way (though how soon the doors will become the same colour as the rest of the truck is a whole other story .... hoping to get some feedback from the community on paint options as soon as I'm back in town next week)

Hope all is well

Came across this old old old thread. This thing still around?

Still around! I've got the body off and am in the midst of prep for paint.

Hey no way, that greats. You should update this thread with pics. Also do you know know what year Toyota frame you used? Sounds like it was a single cab log box version?

franko wrote:Hey no way, that greats. You should update this thread with pics. Also do you know know what year Toyota frame you used? Sounds like it was a single cab log box version?

Sorry for the delay! Just setup access through a mobile app. So, hopefully more responsive moving forward.

In getting the frame sandblasted recently, I uncovered a VIN on the frame and discovered that I had misremembered what the chassis I started with was from. It actually came from under a 1986 4runner.

Not really sure whether that was the best place to start or not. At this point, all spring hangers and shock mounts have been moved/reworked, I fabricated custom outriggers to mount the body, and four of the six cross members have been replaced/modified (transmission, rear shock, rear above axle and rear bumper)

Fabricated some new custom body mounts for the bulkhead and the front of the tub. The plan is to have them double as mounts for custom side-sill rocksliders, and be nice and strong for jacking.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AD ... yJM6=w2400
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AD ... F7RV=w2400

Also fabricated a new cross member and hangers mount a new 18 gallon, EFI ready, tank from Tanks Inc. in the rear - a definite upgrade from the under seat tank I was running - though still not quite as big as the later 109 rear tanks I think?

Still have to figure out where I'm going to direct the fill spout to. I was originally thinking to mimic the defender fill spot, but that really intrudes on the interior space. So, I might take it to the rear and possibly hide it behind the license plate.

Thinking of using the original front fill cap and tank position for a little diesel tank to feed a cabin heater - but also thought it could be fun (albeit more ambitious) to use it as a hidden air hose port for a compressor.

This is the tank (think it only fits mine because of the wider toyota rails): https://www.tanksinc.com/index.cfm/page ... prd568.htm

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AD ... pXcM=w2400

With the latest modifications done, it was off to the sand blaster!

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AD ... 7ai9=w2400

In the meantime, the archaeological work on the body began

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AD ... authuser=0

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AD ... authuser=0

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AD ... authuser=0

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AD ... authuser=0

Reasonably happy with my amateur aluminum shrinking effort. The panels are a lot flatter than before, and I didn't melt any holes in them!

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AD ... authuser=0

That is *a lot* of bondo. 😬

oldgravy wrote: Thu Nov 30, 2023 7:59 pm That is *a lot* of bondo. 😬

I was starting to think that the previous owner must have owned shares in 3M!

Although, to be fair, I had the truck for about 15 years, parked outside, before I noticed it had any bondo (it separated from the metal at the heater duct intake on the fender)...and I had NO idea it was this extensive. So, other than the tendency for it to crack rather than dent - it could probably be argued that it wasn't really a problem (anywhere that the aluminum was all still there and just dented). Still, I thought it was worth getting rid of as much of it as possible. If nothing else, the truck is going to be about 50lbs lighter now - might save me a few $$$ on fuel :p

Bulkhead repair/modification underway.

New footwells, outers and A posts from YRM metal solutions.

Custom made the new inboard footwell walls out of sheet metal.

Changing to the later style hood hinges and modifying the dash/tray to be removable, will be using a new piece of sheet metal to replace the part of the bulkhead that's currently missing above the footwells/behind the dash. //uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202401 ... 4ddd5d.jpg

Sent from my Pixel 8 Pro using Tapatalk

Cut new floorboards from aluminum sheet and designed a new transmission tunnel (and firewall and bench panels) to fit the Aisin A340e automatic gearbox and shifter (from a 4runner) that's going into it. //uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202401 ... c67e46.jpg

Sent from my Pixel 8 Pro using Tapatalk

Decided that it was silly for the dash to not be as modular as the rest of the vehicle, so drilled out all of the spot welds and cut and removed the dash tray upper portion of the bulkhead. Then welded a new support frame to the bulkhead, new upper and lower mounting flanges to the dash tray, and cut a new piece of metal to serve as the firewall portion of the bulkhead. Finished product seems just as sturdy but the dash tray and upper firewall are both now removable.

I also designed the pieces to accept a new cab heater with the heater core in the cab under the dash, and the Spal dual cage blower on the engine bay side. The combination appears to have stats that match or outperform the RoversNorth heaters, but at a fraction of the price: https://infernoheaters.com/product/infe ... 2-3-ports/

Old metal cut out:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... authuser=0
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... authuser=0

New support frame/mounting surface welded in:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... authuser=0

New upper flange welded onto dash tray:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... authuser=0

New lower flanges on dash tray, new sheet metal cut for firewall and holes cut for new heater
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... authuser=0

Painted and installed (also added some dividers to enclose the section behind my steering wheel mount):
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... authuser=0
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... authuser=0
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... authuser=0

Latest creation, mechanism to marry RRC/Disco e-brake lever to Toyota e-brake mechanism (the old Toyotas have a very long-pull e-brake lever in the dash)

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... XnxY=w2400

New 18 gallon expanded capacity GM tank, from Tanks Inc, hung and plumbed. Plan is to have the fill tube come through the rear quarter locker and be fed through a flat-mount aluminum filler cap behind the license plate (using a flip down plate holder).

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... s-dO=w2400

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... Jcjy=w2400

Wiring progress

Under-seat box modified to:
- have a front compartment, that will be accessible through a flip down door, containing fuse and relay blocks + battery disconnect; and,
- have a drop down to fit two optima batteries

Under cubby tray fabricated to hide away the Toyota engine/transmission electronics.

Toyota harness modified and married to Painless Performance aftermarket body harness (the latter, annoyingly, required a fair amount of lengthening in order to go under the seat).

Aftermarket gauges wired - using Deutsch connectors in this iteration - for easy cluster removal in the future. Would eventually like to get some combination gauges to make more like the original, and despair at the thought of doing all of this cluster wiring again when that happens, but it's too big an expense at the moment.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... 451L=w2400
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... Zy69=w2400
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... u5rb=w2400

Re-galvanized cappings and shiny new rivets installed. Pretty pretty IMHO!

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... z2kP=w2400

Also installed some insulating tape and a thin neoprene strip under the cappings to protect the aluminum and hopefully provide a tighter sealing surface.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... LKn2=w2400

Operation hidden fuel filler complete. Flush mount aircraft style filler from Tank's Inc and flip down plate bracket from Torklift.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... wHkS=w2400
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... Kpmg=w2400
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... 6mY7=w2400

Looking Great!

ryancr500 wrote: Sat Dec 14, 2024 8:37 am Looking Great!

Thanks Ryan - Hoping to make some significant progress over the holidays and join your land rover gang on the streets of Tsawwassen early in the new year!

Stripping and painting all of the small bits! All of the silver pieces I primed, then sprayed with krylon wrinkle finish, then finished with an automotive clear coat. Door handles were additionally finished with large heat shrink and a bit of plasti-dip on the end to close them off:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... bbt8=w2400
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... tC0X=w2400
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... fyLq=w2400

Tropical roof and vent restoration/sealing/painting - including removing and regalvanizing the roof channel (something like 150 semi tubular rivets), and making new sunshield standoffs (replacing the aged plastic with aluminum):

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... u76H=w2400
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... ihZ9=w2400
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... LwPc=w2400
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... yDMy=w2400
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... spjY=w2400
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... Ggaz=w2400
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... lKJs=w2400
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... puaE=w2400
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... HNjx=w2400
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... GAfD=w2400
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... J2yF=w2400
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... x61c=w2400
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... rCtP=w2400

Cutting/installing larger, sliding, windows - custom ordered from sunview industries in the Okanagan: https://www.sunviewindustries.ca/ - and installing roof, sides (after painting) and doors on truck

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... gfxE=w2400
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... fH5w=w2400
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... _3Aq=w2400
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... Z57A=w2400
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... 7vR7=w2400

Installing a Defender/RR Hand Brake Lever, custom modular seat box top and lids, and custom seat risers (to fit Smart ForTwo seats):

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... PctV=w2400
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... Xzzi=w2400
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... 0pqQ=w2400
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pw/AP ... PYbu=w2400

Plastidip door handles is a great idea. I hope they wear really well!