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Home > My Defender > Td5 Auto - possible overland & race support vehicle

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J12Engineering Member Since: 06 Jun 2020 Location: Edge of the Cotswolds Posts: 30

Td5 Auto - possible overland & race support vehicle Having had an itch for my next Defender project for some time - it’s been 6 years since my last, a very early Bowler running a TVR Chimera with a 4-speed ZF auto. The itch in question This time is to build a Td5 auto overlander, but only using Land Rover parts so it’s repairable globally. At the end of lockdown a suitable vehicle presented itself - a naked 110 commercial that has been parked for 10 years without an engine in it! Consequently, the chassis is still there to the point that it still had the original stickers on it. A deal was struck and a socially distanced collection made. Click image to enlarge The first job was to drop in an engine from a suitable donor and connect to the existing R380, then head for a MOT and shake it down whilst I assembled the necessary parts. Whilst everything ran well from a donor perspective, sadly the gearbox was toast and so the auto conversion became the pressing need before we could even get to an MOT test station... Click image to enlarge I’ve not read of anyone else doing a Td5 auto conversion using the electronic ZF 4-speed, and grafting in the applicable Discovery looms. Most use either the early mechanical box from a Tdi, or Compushift from Ashcroft to use the electronic box. So armed with RAVE, a D2 Td5 auto and my new log cabin double garage, I set to work. Click image to enlarge A couple of weeks worth of evenings and weekends and she was equipped with a new Ashcroft electronic auto box, an Ashcroft heavy duty torque converter upgrade, and a D2 ECU and looms. One of the shortened and re-sleeved looms below, along with lots of silly string emerging from the under-seat ECU home... Every joint is either soldered and sleeved with heat shrink, or it has a waterproof plug incorporated. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge New radiator to assure longevity followed by oil cooler set up. A bespoke Allisport intercooler is currently on order, but they are pretty busy at present so the delivery date is TBD, so Ive used the original for the moment. Click image to enlarge Last Thursday she was given a clean bill of health with an MOT. Sadly, the first MOT didn’t go too plan and I had to wait an additional week as when I turned up for the first test it transpired she is a heavy duty variant (>3tonnes gross) so needed a class 7 test! I’ve run her around this weekend and I had definitely forgotten how small Defenders are in comparison to the D4 I run as my normal all rounder! However, I will start running her about more from tomorrow to shake her down and ensure she’s running perfectly (I’ve already had the MAF misbehave...) whilst I shape the next plans, such as bulkhead modifications to get the seat further back; seat retrim or replacement; building the centre console (yes I could buy the original copy from Ashcroft, but I may relocate the handbrake as I have a bruise on my left calf already!); repaint, but not sure of colour yet; additional gauges; rear conversion to create a small workshop and kitchen and, in time, a pop-top. It also needs the larger brake pedal grafting in... She's obviously in basic form at present whilst I shake her down... Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge The ultimate aim is an overlander and race support vehicle for my classic Mini race events. But it will all depend if I can get used to the small cab space, if not she will be up for sale. I took a D1 auto to the Sahara a few years ago and recall how the Defender members used to be battered at the end of each day, whereas I emerged from an air conditioned arm chair. Click image to enlarge Last edited by J12Engineering on 20th Jul 2020 7:29pm. Edited 3 times in total

19th Jul 2020 10:08pm

GREENI Member Since: 22 Aug 2010 Location: staffs Posts: 10382	Anybody else not seeing the photos?
20th Jul 2020 10:09am

Greyman110 Member Since: 29 Sep 2017 Location: London Posts: 327	Yes...can’t see pics! Sounds like an interesting, fun build too
20th Jul 2020 10:20am

mk1collector Member Since: 17 Sep 2009 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 6769	Me neither. Ray My build thread http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic17615.html
20th Jul 2020 11:27am

excossack Member Since: 22 Feb 2012 Location: North West Posts: 5843	No images in the gallery....  1999 Defender TD5 110 Regards John M0VAZ Econet Station 48 no clock
20th Jul 2020 12:44pm

J12Engineering Member Since: 06 Jun 2020 Location: Edge of the Cotswolds Posts: 30	sorry, first time posting on this forum. I uploaded all the images into my gallery and linked from there. I’ll take a look this evening.
20th Jul 2020 12:50pm

blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17386	Your gallery contains no photos. I think the linking bit has worked, but maybe not the uploading bit.
20th Jul 2020 1:05pm

J12Engineering Member Since: 06 Jun 2020 Location: Edge of the Cotswolds Posts: 30	Lord knows what happened there as the hyperlinks were still pointing at 'My gallery'. I've reloaded the photos and amended/expanded the original narrative
20th Jul 2020 7:31pm

90 Dreamer Member Since: 13 Jul 2019 Location: Oop North Posts: 2154	Pix now there, looks very intriguing......
20th Jul 2020 7:35pm

blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17386

Your MoT station is, like so many, mistaken. Since your Defender is legally a Dual Purpose Vehicle it should have a Class 4 MoT test, not a Class 7. Many test stations make this mistake, not helped by some very misleading information supplied a few years ago by the DVSA. I had quite extensive correspondence with DVSA on this subject not all that long ago, since amongst other questions I was intrigued whether it was an offence to use a vehicle on the road which had the wrong class of MoT test certificate. DVSA was evasive on this but did say it was unlikely that you would be prosecuted for having a Class 7 when you should have a Class 4 since a vehicle which passes the former would have passed the latter, but not necessarily vice versa.

20th Jul 2020 7:45pm

J12Engineering Member Since: 06 Jun 2020 Location: Edge of the Cotswolds Posts: 30	Hi Blackwolf, sadly the DVSA's MOT computer said no! Or, more specifically, words to the effect that 'your Approval is incorrect for testing this vehicle'. Consequently, the tester could go no further.
20th Jul 2020 7:54pm

blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17386

If your vehicle has an unladen weight not exceeding 2040kg (which it will, unless it has something exceptionally heavy concealed within it) and a maximum authorised mass not exceeding 3500kg, then it should be tested as Class IV not Class VII and your tester has made a mistake. It is entirely possible however that the MoT Test Database records it as having a Class VII MoT, since this is simply the opinion of the tester who gave it its first MoT, who was probably as uninformed as subsequent testers. The advice from DVSA in these circumstances is that you should refer the tester to the DVSA enquiry unit. Incidentally there is no reason at all why the tester cannot test it as a Class IV if he believes that that is what it is, testers can change the test category. It is a surprising and generally unsatisfactory fact that the decision as to what class of MoT should be applied is left entirely to the judgement of the tester, and there is nothing (other than experience) to help him decide. If your Defender was a Light Goods Vehicle with an MAM between 3000kg and 3500kg it would indeed be Class VII, but since it is a Dual Purpose Vehicle and not a Light Goods Vehicle, it should be tested at Class IV. Unless you are particularly bothered there is no real advantage in making the amount of fuss needed to correct this, unless of course you are averse to being mis-sold a more expensive MoT test than you require.

20th Jul 2020 8:14pm

J12Engineering Member Since: 06 Jun 2020 Location: Edge of the Cotswolds Posts: 30	Intriguing... Consequently I checked the out the V5 and it is indeed listed as Light Goods Vehicle with a MAM of 3500kg revenue weight. Click image to enlarge I've changed taxation classes and other specifications, weights etc before on vehicles, but that was in the 90's and around the PLG grouping. Perhaps I'll drop a note to the DVLA to get their take on whether I can shift it to PLG.
20th Jul 2020 8:34pm

blackwolf Member Since: 03 Nov 2009 Location: South West England Posts: 17386

Its taxation class is "Light Goods Vehicle", that is correct, but it is only a taxation class. Its Type Approval classification is N1. However its type under the Construction and Use Regulations is Dual Purpose Vehicle (as a result of the fact that it has an unladen weight not exceeding 2040kg and full or part time all wheel drive). It is the C&U type classification which determines the MoT classification, and, for that matter, the maximum speed limits which apply when driven on the road. As I said earlier, this is an area where confusion reigns, and much of that confusion reigns amongst the people who should know better. Be that as it may, any vehicle which is a Dual Purpose Vehicle under the C&U Regulations should be tested as a Class IV and not as a Class VII.

20th Jul 2020 8:57pm

J12Engineering Member Since: 06 Jun 2020 Location: Edge of the Cotswolds Posts: 30	Back from paint Picked up from the paint shop on Friday 😀 Now for replacement of all of the seals and get her back together👍 Click image to enlarge
30th Aug 2020 8:50pm

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