| Author |
Message |
    
francis manno
| | Posted on Saturday, March 23, 2002 - 08:19 pm: | 
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i am thinking about trading my disco for a 1986 defender. i only have 85,ooo miles and i just put a new custom front bumper on it. i also just lifted the disoc with 2inch rovertym making 31's. i am interested in the defender but i have questions. would the defender be as reliable as the disco? what kind of qas milage would a 2.5 petrol defender get if it was lifted on 35's? what kind of gas milage would it get normal? and all together what are main problems faced when owning a defender? and if any one has any other info they would like to add please do. |
Troy
| | Posted on Saturday, March 23, 2002 - 11:50 pm: |
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I'm assuming you're in the U.S. -- so, that's a grey market truck --- parts will be hard to find. Condition of the vehicle aside, the 2.5L petrol only makes around 80 hp. That's not much in a 5000 lb vehicle. Then add onto that 35s &, even when you regear, the truck is going to be a bear to drive around town, let alone the highway. It seems like you'd be better off selling the Disco and buying a NAS D90. You can find 94s and 95s for around $18-25k in relatively good condition and they have the 3.9L V8 -- good for ~180hp ... & even with that engine, the D90 can be sluggish at high altitude (& that's after you've regeared).
Overall, I love my 90. I have a wagon, so it's a bit more liveable than the STs, but can still be a little rough on long drive's on the highway. D90 are simpler vehicles (others may call it more primitive) than the Disco.
If you get a 90, accept the fact that water will leak in the cabin during rain storms (even on the wagons), they are loud, ride rough, & your wife will not want to drive it to the store( ... I don't know, maybe that's a good thing?!!!). They are definately more forgiving off-road than a Disco.
To sum it up, I've owned both a Disco and D90. I prefer the Disco heading to and from the trail and the D90 once I'm on the trail-
Good luck-
Troy |
francismanno
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 26, 2002 - 04:23 pm: |
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i can not afford i a 94 defender that is why i wanted a 1986 from canada. i am also wondering what process i have to go through to import the vehicle to the us from canada. what customs do i have to pay, and do i have to pay them since i am trading? let me know and any information would help me out |
Leslie N. Bright (Leslie)
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 26, 2002 - 04:29 pm: |
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An '86 from Canada isn't legal. You can import anything 25-years old or older. There's a LOT more to it all, but that's the short version.
-L |
Troy
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 26, 2002 - 09:27 pm: |
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Leslie's right. It sounds like you're probably out of luck. I know of people who have bought old series trucks (even one's that were junk) just to get a VIN# and then built a Defender with the series VIN. But, then you're talking about a considerable amount of time. And, unless you have a wealth of technical knowledge and some good connections, you could potentially end up spending more on the truck than what it would cost to just buy one.
Troy |
Jon Williams (Jonw)
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 27, 2002 - 09:38 am: |
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Shhhhhh  |
Leslie N. Bright (Leslie)
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 27, 2002 - 09:58 am: |
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LOL...
Yes, you can say that it's a rebuilt Series Rover predating 1977, and it'll most likely be fine. Or, take it apart, bring it in as "parts", then reassemble it then register it, maybe as a kit car, or again, as an older series.
You could bring a '94-'97 Defender in, legally, IF, IF, you convert everything on it over to match the US-spec ones, then pay a hefty fee through the importers to certify that it has been modified to meet DOT and EPA specs. But, you end up with a more expensive vehicle that way, than just buying a NAS Defender to begin with....
FWIW...
-L |
JB
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 27, 2002 - 12:50 pm: |
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They were selling Defenders in Canada in '86? I didn't know that... |
Leslie N. Bright (Leslie)
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 27, 2002 - 12:51 pm: |
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I don't think they were, but they are importable there.
-L |
niall forbes (Forbesn)
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 27, 2002 - 02:59 pm: |
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Yeah, we can import any car older than 15 years. Also there's a British Army base here and a bunch of LRs have come out of there, even though they're not supposed to.
Niall Forbes
66 IIa 88 - The Red Zit <--For Sale |
JB
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 27, 2002 - 04:16 pm: |
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Interesting! |
Troy
| | Posted on Thursday, March 28, 2002 - 12:27 am: |
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Did I say someone rebuilt a series truck using all Defender parts? No, not me, uh, I mean ... well, you know, I, uh .... 8^}
This is hearsay, but I think the only place you can get away with the kit car idea is Alabama. Also, if you can find a Registered Importer that'll even go near a Land Rover that's not 25 years old or older, let me know ... 2 years ago when I looked into it, no one would touch them.
Troy |
Greg French
| | Posted on Thursday, May 30, 2002 - 09:51 am: |
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What do you think about turkys.com?
I am seriously considering buying from them.
Please advise. |
Leslie N. Bright (Leslie)
| | Posted on Thursday, May 30, 2002 - 09:56 am: |
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Don't know a thing about them. Nice pics on the site, but I REALLY am curious about how they're getting their 110s in legally....
You may do fine, you may get bit.
Caveat Emptor...
Good luck!
-L |
Greg French
| | Posted on Thursday, May 30, 2002 - 12:39 pm: |
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I am going to test drive and check things out tomorrow. I'll keep the Disco Web-Heads informed.
Any questions I should ask? |
Troy
| | Posted on Thursday, May 30, 2002 - 11:33 pm: |
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Yeah, how do they register the trucks? |
Ron
| | Posted on Friday, May 31, 2002 - 01:07 am: |
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This is hearsay, but I think the only place you can get away with the kit car idea is Alabama
Hogwash. Lots of states let you do it. The key is to use multiple vehicles as donors (I got at least twelve in the 110 now)
••••••
Rear body and roof and most glass
bulkhead
rear door
T-case
front axle and PS box
Steering set up
rear axle
front fenders
Hood
fender flares
rear driveshaft
ALL came from Different existing vehicles but the majority or rather plurality is a 64 109 so thats what it is titled as. Not as a kit car. It has parts from 1959 to 1999 used and some new ones too. Now to get my garage finally finished, buy it an engine, and get the thing on the road.
Ron |
MTB
| | Posted on Friday, May 31, 2002 - 02:44 am: |
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Ron,
what does PA say about kit cars.
With your 110 project what did you use as your frame. Same 109 or did you go with different frame
And what part is the main part you need, for you to be able to keep it Reg. under a 64 109 |
Jon Williams (Jonw)
| | Posted on Friday, May 31, 2002 - 10:30 am: |
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The serial number.
As far as the Virginia DMV is concerned, the 130 crew cab pick-up my son and I are building is a '61 109 pick-up (great for property taxes, too, as a 1961 model vehicle is tax-exempt in VA).
I know a few people who have imported late-model Defenders into this country by going to England, getting a serial number plate off a scrap Series Rover, and applying it to the newer Defender. Customs cosidered it a "restored vehicle," and no questions arose. Of course, you probably wouldn't want to put an 88" pick-up plate on a 110 5-door - that might raise some flags LOL But people salvage newer parts to put on older vehicles all the time, so a "new-looking" old Rover probably isn't too suspicious. But I've never done it myself. I usually buy the body parts and stuff I need in England, ship it here, and put it together. Because I can, and it's cheaper.
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Ron
| | Posted on Friday, May 31, 2002 - 11:11 pm: |
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I have a replacement 109 SW frame which is what the bill of sale from designa says (however it is much more of a 110 frame)
The main part? I don't think it matters much in NY its what it looks like and thats where it is going to be registered (and where it is now). I had the title and VIN plate to the 64 and since it is special interest (a dormobile) I wanted to keep it as a 64 (also last year for no seat belts in NY).
I still have the original frame and bulkhead in one piece in case I ever decide to restore it back to original. Since I had a decent spare IIa bulkhead to restore I just used that instead.
Not too sure about PA. There are some favorable laws here but some unfavorable ones too. PA seems to be WAY more concerned with the title than NY (to register a SIII I sold I had to provide the owner with the customs docs from canada did not have to do that in NY or South Carolina). NY I was able to get a title for Noah even though I only had a VIN plate. Nothing needed other than to say I owned it.
I know NY does kit cars. And you should go through their special inspection if you change a lot of things but I think it is more of an insurance CYA thing and is really for hot rods (ie special constructed vehicles).
Ron |
MTB
| | Posted on Monday, June 03, 2002 - 10:09 pm: |
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Thanks Ron & Jon
I have only a couple months before my Disco is paid off So i am debating on what I want next. My dream Rover is a crew cab 110 P/U. Just don't know if I want to spend all that time. Or just buy a Series II OR III(SWB) To many Rovers I want. |
eric
| | Posted on Monday, June 10, 2002 - 12:46 am: |
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NEED to make a correction for you all..
first off here is a link for the vehicle elgibiltiy list...
also everybody talks about us customs...yes you can get trucks thru us customs but at any time another agency can come and check out your trucks...that are 1972 110s' or whatever..
they are the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration...thats the people that that you need to be aware of..those are the people that can and will eventually take all these illegal trucks away...somebody mention that you can get an RI to import a 1997 D90..sorry the only Defender that can be imported is the 1993 one but no RI will touch it.. |
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