Time for a frame swap, anyone done this?
#21
10-25-2017 | 09:17 AM
This is one of those things. Just pay the pro's and call it a day.
#23
10-25-2017 | 10:00 AM
Mudding
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 147
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From: Maine
#24
10-25-2017 | 10:08 AM
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Drifting
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 33
Likes: 3
#25
10-25-2017 | 10:35 AM
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Drifting
Joined: Oct 2017
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Paul Grant knows his stuff!! Just called Duncan Galv. Price is $500. Needs to be sandblasted first.
I paid $630 for the frame, going to pay $80 to rent a blaster, and $500 to galvanize for a total of $1210. That's a lot easier to swallow than $4500 from Rovers North.
Also, the seller is providing the title with the frame.
I paid $630 for the frame, going to pay $80 to rent a blaster, and $500 to galvanize for a total of $1210. That's a lot easier to swallow than $4500 from Rovers North.
Also, the seller is providing the title with the frame.
#26
10-25-2017 | 11:54 AM
1. Disco is at the bottom of the value curve right now. Remember when defenders were affordable? And the common thread between my boat, house, and truck is that I love them all. It's not all about the dollar value.
2. Sorry, but I just don't believe you. Literally every one I've seen around here is rusted to ****. I bought this truck 2 years ago for $1500 and have spent another few thousand getting all the bugs worked out. There may be $1500 rovers out there but at this point I'd much rather change a frame than chase vibrations and weird electrical problems for another 2 years. Ever heard the saying "better the devil you know than the one you don't"?
3. What do you suggest a disco is best for, a daily driver? No thanks, I put 35k/year on my daily driver, the disco wouldn't stand a chance. However, I don't like taking my $55k truck in the woods so I have the rover to play with. What would you suggest I have as a project car, a defender? Ya, that would be cool if I had an extra $50k+ to spend on a project car
..
4. Being "worth it" is completely in the eye of the person doing the project. I'm sure my wife would agree that it's not worth it, but that's why I'm talking to you guys about it and not my wife. I really figured people on here would understand why I'm doing this. People regularly spend $50-100k building old muscle cars that end up being worth about $15k at auction in the end, but they do it because they enjoy it. It's called a hobby. I am never planning to sell this car so dollar value is completely irrelevant. The only question is does my desire to still have my rover in 20 years and be able to show my kids what cool trucks used to be like warrant the amount of work in going to put into it? For me, the answer is yes!
5. I'm just going to have it undercoated inside and out. Not sure what you mean by "go in with other people." I don't know anyone else doing a project like this so that is highly unlikely.
6. Wow, you said something positive!
7. People pretty much rebuild these engines every 100k miles anyway. With the 4.0 you're less likely to slip a sleeve so I don't see why you couldn't keep changing the head gasket and keep it going forever. Also, I put less that 3k miles/year on the rover, it is strictly for fun!
In the end, it sounds like I just have way more motivation than you had to keep what I think is a very cool truck alive and well. Sorry you gave up on your disco
2. Sorry, but I just don't believe you. Literally every one I've seen around here is rusted to ****. I bought this truck 2 years ago for $1500 and have spent another few thousand getting all the bugs worked out. There may be $1500 rovers out there but at this point I'd much rather change a frame than chase vibrations and weird electrical problems for another 2 years. Ever heard the saying "better the devil you know than the one you don't"?
3. What do you suggest a disco is best for, a daily driver? No thanks, I put 35k/year on my daily driver, the disco wouldn't stand a chance. However, I don't like taking my $55k truck in the woods so I have the rover to play with. What would you suggest I have as a project car, a defender? Ya, that would be cool if I had an extra $50k+ to spend on a project car
..
4. Being "worth it" is completely in the eye of the person doing the project. I'm sure my wife would agree that it's not worth it, but that's why I'm talking to you guys about it and not my wife. I really figured people on here would understand why I'm doing this. People regularly spend $50-100k building old muscle cars that end up being worth about $15k at auction in the end, but they do it because they enjoy it. It's called a hobby. I am never planning to sell this car so dollar value is completely irrelevant. The only question is does my desire to still have my rover in 20 years and be able to show my kids what cool trucks used to be like warrant the amount of work in going to put into it? For me, the answer is yes!
5. I'm just going to have it undercoated inside and out. Not sure what you mean by "go in with other people." I don't know anyone else doing a project like this so that is highly unlikely.
6. Wow, you said something positive!
7. People pretty much rebuild these engines every 100k miles anyway. With the 4.0 you're less likely to slip a sleeve so I don't see why you couldn't keep changing the head gasket and keep it going forever. Also, I put less that 3k miles/year on the rover, it is strictly for fun!
In the end, it sounds like I just have way more motivation than you had to keep what I think is a very cool truck alive and well. Sorry you gave up on your disco
Discos are plentiful to find if you look. Hell, Bill got one for free. They're out there, and you'd be better off swapping your engine to a rust free one with a bad engine.(those engines fail all the time, 4.0 or 4.6. Usually it's just HGs, but it's a bad engine either way).
If you do decide to do the swap, by all means. It's a project for sure, but it can be done. The galvanizer I was referring to was Duncan's, which is pretty reputable. I meant to say perhaps post up on here if anyone is in the area and needs anything galvanized as well. The only way I'd ever do a frame swap is with a galvanized frame, waste of effort otherwise.
I didn't really "give up" on my D2, I just knew what it was worth in the end, and swapped everything I could over to a rust free D1 that I put a diesel & 5 speed into. It's a lot more fun & reliable, and I don't have to worry about doing a frame. All about personal preference, and I'm not going to attack you or talk down to you, I am just trying to caution you.
#27
10-25-2017 | 12:17 PM
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Drifting
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 33
Likes: 3
Defenders here were never cheap like Discos, ever, so no, I do not remember that. I realize my comment has a negative tone to it, I'm only trying to sway you in a better route. Rust is cancer, and if your chassis is gone it's likely many other metal items aren't far behind.
Discos are plentiful to find if you look. Hell, Bill got one for free. They're out there, and you'd be better off swapping your engine to a rust free one with a bad engine.(those engines fail all the time, 4.0 or 4.6. Usually it's just HGs, but it's a bad engine either way).
If you do decide to do the swap, by all means. It's a project for sure, but it can be done. The galvanizer I was referring to was Duncan's, which is pretty reputable. I meant to say perhaps post up on here if anyone is in the area and needs anything galvanized as well. The only way I'd ever do a frame swap is with a galvanized frame, waste of effort otherwise.
I didn't really "give up" on my D2, I just knew what it was worth in the end, and swapped everything I could over to a rust free D1 that I put a diesel & 5 speed into. It's a lot more fun & reliable, and I don't have to worry about doing a frame. All about personal preference, and I'm not going to attack you or talk down to you, I am just trying to caution you.
Discos are plentiful to find if you look. Hell, Bill got one for free. They're out there, and you'd be better off swapping your engine to a rust free one with a bad engine.(those engines fail all the time, 4.0 or 4.6. Usually it's just HGs, but it's a bad engine either way).
If you do decide to do the swap, by all means. It's a project for sure, but it can be done. The galvanizer I was referring to was Duncan's, which is pretty reputable. I meant to say perhaps post up on here if anyone is in the area and needs anything galvanized as well. The only way I'd ever do a frame swap is with a galvanized frame, waste of effort otherwise.
I didn't really "give up" on my D2, I just knew what it was worth in the end, and swapped everything I could over to a rust free D1 that I put a diesel & 5 speed into. It's a lot more fun & reliable, and I don't have to worry about doing a frame. All about personal preference, and I'm not going to attack you or talk down to you, I am just trying to caution you.
I also agree that Discos are plentiful and if someone gave me a free one (or even a very cheap) with no rust and all in perfect working order then we obviously wouldn't be having this conversation, but I have not been so lucky as to find such a deal. My truck's body is near perfect (only rust i can find is inside the rear wheel wells right where the mud flaps mount), the engine has a fresh head gasket and runs well, the electrical and ABS system finally has all the bugs worked out, it has all new hubs in it, and I'm going to go through the entire suspension and add a lift when I do the swap. Obviously the bolts will be rusty when disassembling but that's what they make torches and grinders for.
Now that I have run the numbers, galvanizing sounds like a great option. I didn't know it would only be $500, which is roughly equivalent to a good undercoating job. The guys at Duncans sounded great on the phone.
I guess it's not giving up if it's just moving onto a different Rover. It sounds like you completed a pretty large and complicated
(and expensive!) project as well; i'm surprised you think my project is so crazy.
Thank you for the words of caution. The way I see it I have two options: let the rover die and waste all the time and money I currently have into it, or swap the frame and have a very nice Rover that will last another 20+ years with an investment in the frame of less than $1500. Spending thousands on a rover in perfect condition is not an option for me right now, and I've already spent thousands making this $1500 Rover work properly. I know its a lot of work, but I don't think you can argue with the economics (as long as you're not paying for the labor).
Last but not least, the fact that this project is something that is rarely done and a little crazy actually makes me want to do it more. I take great pride in accomplishing tasks that few others would ever even consider.
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#29
10-25-2017 | 12:31 PM
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Drifting
Joined: Oct 2017
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I wish I had it all figured out! At this point I am just excited that I can see a future for my Disco. I was told by a welder that the frame was beyond repair 3 days after my dog died and it really hit me hard. We always joked that it was the Dog's car, so I was determined not to let that die too.
I'm having my first child in a few weeks so I promised my wife I wouldn't start this project until the spring, so don't think I gave up when you don't see any posts for a few months. When the project starts, there will be posts and lots of them. Thanks for the interest!
I'm having my first child in a few weeks so I promised my wife I wouldn't start this project until the spring, so don't think I gave up when you don't see any posts for a few months. When the project starts, there will be posts and lots of them. Thanks for the interest!
#30
10-25-2017 | 02:48 PM
Recovery Vehicle
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,126
Likes: 11
From: mini soda
