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I've been gone for awhile!......
Is there a kit or does Trailhead have to do it?
I riddled this project for months with friends, here and elsewhere, and finally gave up......
Charlie V
Gone awhile is an understatement. I thought you you and Dusty were hanging out in Witness Protection.....
Welcome back and status is what you left it at. Only Trailhead.
Unless you want to break out the notes and find a machine shop. I'll take a flight out there and even do the wiring.
Originally Posted by Alex_M
Haha, that is the truth. We'll say that I'm not exactly disappointed that there was very little overlap between myself joining and the Disco Mike days. I think the two of us would not have gotten along.
It would be nice if we could get word out to all those he ran off that they are welcome to return. Now stay on topic or I'll ban you....
hahahhaahha kidding of course
Engine swaps are never about return on investment. They are about the challenge and gaining something you didn't have before.
With my 110 it came with an anemic 3.5, when the motor went I bumped it up to a cammed, polished and ported heads, edelbrock intake and a holly carb with some long tube headers out of a RRC. Now this not in the same class as you guys but their were issues to overcome and it was well worth it for the power gain.
Don't even get me started on the cost of the 302 swap into my MGB. I stopped tracking the cost awhile ago as it made my brain hurt.
Last edited by ArmyRover; Oct 30, 2017 at 08:05 AM.
Been watching this thread and others for a while, I'm thinking about jumping into the Trailhead 4x4 conversion, adding up all the cost of getting a 4.8(used) along with sourcing all the adaptors ends up in the neighborhood of 7k+ If I can get a complete swap to a newly rebuilt 4.8, installed and ready to drive for about 10k, that's a no brainer....Keeping my Disco for many years btw.
Been watching this thread and others for a while, I'm thinking about jumping into the Trailhead 4x4 conversion, adding up all the cost of getting a 4.8(used) along with sourcing all the adaptors ends up in the neighborhood of 7k+ If I can get a complete swap to a newly rebuilt 4.8, installed and ready to drive for about 10k, that's a no brainer....Keeping my Disco for many years btw.
Me, too. I've already had mine for about 18 years. I accidentally started at the beginning of this thread and had a panicky feeling that I'd inadvertently started the whole "can't be done" "why would you spend that kind of money" conversation. But it seems that nothing has really changed insofar as there is no kit, you have to love your Disco to the tune of another 10k and a trip to Ohio to get the secret sauce solution, and no one here has done it yet. Oh well, I'm patient. Hahaha!
Gone awhile is an understatement. I thought you you and Dusty were hanging out in Witness Protection.....
Welcome back and status is what you left it at. Only Trailhead.
Unless you want to break out the notes and find a machine shop. I'll take a flight out there and even do the wiring.
It's better this way.
What goes in WITSEC stays in WITSEC!
I got frustrated with the unknowns of the swap that persisted even after our considerable research effort, spent multiple times the cost of a swap on another vehicle that doesn't need any sort of swap (then immediately started upgrading it in a dozen ways), and had put Pig Demon in time-out because--and I know that sounds illogical--it was uncharacteristically running just fine. When mine is running perfectly it is better to not use it, in order to not ruin the moment.
Now I am out of projects. So I checked back, hoping for the news that a kit was done and tested.
Oh well, I wish Trailhead great success and a near term realization that it could extend its earnings by selling a few kits to the patient, admiring members of LRF.
Last edited by Charlie_V; Nov 2, 2017 at 06:52 AM.
I think I understand where trailhead is at right now though.
They are just starting out and getting the name built for a quality conversion.
I don't think I would want some of the folks on here trying to accomplish that task with a kit bearing my companies name either.
Let's be honest there are folks on here with plenty of cash that could buy this kit that think changing head gaskets is sorcery. Then they hit a wall and start blaming the kit etc.... Or do a total bodge job that looks like a bag of hammered butt holes and that is what people see and think the "kit" is
So until its a time tested thing why not control the product that is out on the streets.
Of course that doesn't make most of us happy because we want our shiny new LS toy under the hood and are perfectly capable to get the job done.
Except me who doesn't care because I want a 6.8 v10 ford motor under the bonnet of my 110 If I could get that with a supercharger on the side I would be even happier.
Last edited by ArmyRover; Nov 2, 2017 at 10:12 AM.
I'm calling them after they get back from SEMA, my disco is drinking water, and I'm pretty sure it isn't head gaskets. Don't feel like throwing good money at old, tired engine design that parts are not going to easily be found soon. With 4.8/5.3s being in every Checy truck on the planet, engines are a dime a dozen and parts will be around forever. I'll gladely be a "test" truck for Trailhead, the cost really isn't bad if you add up doing it yourself, including time. My truck is in great shape, so adding a 5.3, reliable engine that I can actually work on, or replace with little effort is more than worth it.
I think I understand where trailhead is at right now though.
They are just starting out and getting the name built for a quality conversion.
I don't think I would want some of the folks on here trying to accomplish that task with a kit bearing my companies name either.
Let's be honest there are folks on here with plenty of cash that could buy this kit that think changing head gaskets is sorcery. Then they hit a wall and start blaming the kit etc.... Or do a total bodge job that looks like a bag of hammered butt holes and that is what people see and think the "kit" is
So until its a time tested thing why not control the product that is out on the streets.
Of course that doesn't make most of us happy because we want our shiny new LS toy under the hood and are perfectly capable to get the job done.
Except me who doesn't care because I want a 6.8 v10 ford motor under the bonnet of my 110 If I could get that with a supercharger on the side I would be even happier.
Oooo, never considered the 6.8 for a rover, that's an interesting idea. Could put the 4r100 behind it (+transfer case) and have one of the stoutest drive trains to ever be shoved into a 110.... Damn I like that idea
I think I understand where trailhead is at right now though.
They are just starting out and getting the name built for a quality conversion.
I don't think I would want some of the folks on here trying to accomplish that task with a kit bearing my companies name either.
Let's be honest there are folks on here with plenty of cash that could buy this kit that think changing head gaskets is sorcery. Then they hit a wall and start blaming the kit etc.... Or do a total bodge job that looks like a bag of hammered butt holes and that is what people see and think the "kit" is
So until its a time tested thing why not control the product that is out on the streets.
Of course that doesn't make most of us happy because we want our shiny new LS toy under the hood and are perfectly capable to get the job done.
Except me who doesn't care because I want a 6.8 v10 ford motor under the bonnet of my 110 If I could get that with a supercharger on the side I would be even happier.
Oooo, never considered the 6.8 for a rover, that's an interesting idea. Could put the 4r100 behind it (+transfer case) and have one of the stoutest drive trains to ever be shoved into a 110.... Damn I like that idea
Why stop at the engine trans and TC? Put the axles under there to upgraded brakes stronger internals, axle ratios galore and parts at every AutoZone in the land.
Motor punches out with no effort 310 hp and 425 ft lbs of torque. A bit of massaging brings it to 400 hp and well over 500 ft lbs in case you bored.
Plus V10 Defender 110 hard to beat that level of cool
