Im so confused here. If a perfect example of what your after is a Suburban, why not go buy a Suburban, and the Defender 130 is like a limousine.....

But, whatev's.

Im still really interested in how you plan on making this happen. I know how to switch chassis, I thought you had a video of extending the length (without the extra wheels) and thats what I am most interested in hearing about. Do you plan on actually lengthening the chassis? Once again, I ask about the ACE working properly with an extended chassis (and honestly, with such a long vehicle, I cant see the point in having ACE). If you plan on lengthening the wheel base, are planning on adding a third door like the 130, or do you have a better plan of where to put that added length (I don't know where you would put it because of the rear door directly over the wheels). Custome driveshafts? How would the transfer case and transmission like the added length. Wouldnt it create a huge strain on just about every portion of the truck?

Let me put it simply.

How do you plan on doing this and making everything work.

Not trying to knock you down, I am actually really excited to see you start work on this, I am just interested in how you plan on making it all work. Disco's have a lot of issues, the shortened ones have even more, I cant even imagine how many would arise with a lengthened one.

 

Wasn't one of the things you so hated about the 'S' trim the 16" wheels instead of the 18's?

 

Im not saying I have all the answers here and remember this is only a proposal, something Im considering in the next 4 years. There is no video on how to extend your Disco but seeing the vids I posted above plus the pics I posted above of the extended Disco inspired me. If I went through with this project this is how I would like to go about it:

1.) Order a custom made D2 chassis, which is a foot longer and has a longer wheel base. Still 4x4, no added wheels. OR cut off a small portion of the chassis from a scrapped Disco and weld it to the rear end of the new chassis and modify the wheelbase.

2.) Either modify the ACE with longer lines and re-calibrated computer or scrap the ACE idea all together.

3.) No additional doors would be added. Still a 5 door SUV. I would increase second row passenger space and expand the door entryway's afew inches to make entering the vehicle easier and increase leg room.

4.) Using used body panels from a scrapped Disco, to fill in the new space. Lots or precision cutting, welding etc. Probably use same rear end windows, just add more paneling between the second row windows and the cargo area windows.

5.) Add 2 additional half foot long roof rails to the rear portion of the roof.

6.) Heavy duty suspension and bigger tires to accommodate the added weight.

7.) New or professionally rebuilt Rover V8 engine and any other recommended mods to the driveshes/transmission engine etc.

 

Ive seen many SE trims with 16" wheels installed. I just do not like how the wheels look. None of them appeal to me. But the Defender wheels are a different story and I would buy them if they were compatible. I made it clear earlier that the defender wheels are Beautiful. Slick, modern, shiny but not to "bling" or fancy like the Range Rover wheels.

 

If you don't offroad, why wouldn't you just covet a new Range Rover instead of wishing to create some kind of abomination from a Discovery II? Or if that's not big enough, some transit van?

The Richards chassis have a practical application to replace rotted chassis on Series and Defender vehicles that are more than 25 years old but still retain significant value. They feature a few upgrades but they are essentially stock-spec. It would be far easier and more cost-effective to strip a stock chassis, reinforce it with plates and thicker brackets and have it powder-coated. But since you're not offroading, the stock chassis is perfectly serviceable as-is.

 

Fair enough. I could never personally justify paying $400+ for a single wheel, but some have the cash flow I suppose.

 

The whole point of waiting 4 years is to save up enough $$$$$ and drive my current chassis in the ground. No sense in wasting money now when the chassis is still in perfectly good condition. I just anticipate rot over the next number of years because the chassis already has 130K and the truck is my only daily driver.

Recently I have considered shooting for a 2003-2005 full size Range Rover, but around here they still value around $15-20,000! and I cannot afford the cash up front - have to be through making payments like I did for all my former vehicles. Maybe even a 05 LR3 HSE but again they are still pretty expensive around here. I still love the off-road capabilities of the Disco and I still want to enjoy those features (just not as often as most of you do) and I really need more space. If I was rich Id own between 2 and 5 Land Rovers!
- 2004 D2 HSE
- 2004 full size Range Rover HSE
- 2012 LR4 HSE
- 1990+ Defender 110 or 130

But in the real world Im cheap so either keep my lovely D2 and make some serious additions or swap it for a slightly newer Rover.

 

Im not rich by any means at all. If those wheels fit my Disco then it would have taken me like 3-5 months to save up enough $$$$ to buy 5 of them! I dont go out and blow money on ****. When I find something I need or want I either save up $$$$ all awhile making sure my other priorities are met then buy it or find a vendor or private seller whos willing to accept payments for the items I need. Thats how I purchased my current D2, and most all my former vehicles. Also have purchased afew parts for my rover through making payments. So dont misunderstand me because I do not have loads of cash flowing in. Just high ambitions and many ideas in my little head. I love these vehicles to much and like some of you guys, I like to tackle projects and alter things I consider flaws in the original design.

 

You plan on driving your truck into the ground in only 4 years? What happened to you wax oiling your truck all the time, and cleaning it, and taking care of it? If you really take care of your truck as much as you say you do, then you should have it a lot longer then 4 years. I beat the living **** out of my Fiat X1/9; never wax it (honestly I never even wash it), take it off road, redline shift everytime I drive it, drift it like crazy, cant even remember the last time I bothered looking at the oil, and I have had it for 6 years now, and its still in pretty decent shape. (still has never left me stranded and is shiny after it rains, and no serious amount of rust, and will still pass California emissions and missouri safety tests)

You realize paying for a new engine, lengthening, or buying a new chassis, and paying someone to do all of this, and build all the one off parts is going to cost a more the 15 grand right? And, the Disco is already a large wheelbase to seriously do anything with off road, lengthening is only going to make it worse. Unless your talking about driving on a dirt road, and if thats the case I dont even know how to respond.

 

If you want more space why not remove your seats? Extending the rear end is just going to add more stress to an already underpowered engine.

I think your proposal of building on a galvenized chassis is ambitious and cool and is probably the best way to tackle your desire to get an ACE system on a Disco. But doing all that chopping, adding 2 more wheels, etc.. is stepping on territory that could be considered dangerous if not very costly. It would be a ton of work to have a job like that look good.


However I think creating a 2nd trunk to attach to your tailgate would be pretty sweet. You could put two rear end DII's together, someone has done that before and it looked pretty neat.