conversion to coils

foster · Post by **foster** » Tue May 17, 2005 12:04 am

I have a Stage 1 across the pond here in the US. I've run over 100,000 miles on it myself and it probably had 60k to start. It's at the need a new frame stage and I'm considering upgrading to coils and Disk Brakes on a Defender 110 frame.

There are a number of ex-MOD diesel Defender 110 frames and rolling chassis' floating around.

Stage 1's are very rare here since they were never officially imported.

How simple of a swap is this? Outside of the Front and Rear Axles, will everything else line up reasonably close?

Thanks.

Bumpkin · Post by **Bumpkin** » Tue May 17, 2005 7:35 pm

Hi
Welcome to the Forum. It certainly can be done, but it is a time consuming process. People this side are always building thier Series Land Rovers on to coil chassis.
Terry

foster · Post by **foster** » Tue May 17, 2005 8:54 pm

I understand the time involved. I guess my feeling is if I'm going to spend the money and time, I might as well make a few solid upgrades along the way.

I've never ridden in a rover with either Coils or Parabolics. Is there a big benefit of Coils over Parabolics?

My choices here are to either go the D110 route or get a New Stage 1 Frame. Cost will be slightly more with the D110 frame.

Bumpkin · Post by **Bumpkin** » Tue May 17, 2005 9:35 pm

Hi
I have 3 Stage 1s. A Java green HCPU, a Cream hard top and a CSW which is being stripped for bits because like yours the chassis is finished.
I had a 90 for a while which i do admit is a nice ride, and my brother has paras on his swb series, not as good as coils. My LWB has a lovely ride on new springs which someone has fitted while fitting a new galvy chassis.(Lucky me)
Good luck with your conversion.
Tel

redrover · Post by **redrover** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 9:49 pm

You ,ight want to look at a rolling 109 coil sprung chassis with 4 wheel disc breaks avail. from East Coast Rover (www.ecrover.com). This might be the easier than converting to a 110 chassis, or about the same. Dunno.

arcticrover · Post by **arcticrover** » Thu Oct 27, 2005 4:59 pm

Hey all. I was looking into this today. East Coast Rover e-mailed me and said:

Sorry, our suppliers don't offer chassis for the Stage 1 (leaf or coil).
You might want to try these guys:

info@richardschassis.fsnet.co.uk

I have e-mailed Richards, but not heard back yet.

Basil · Post by **Basil** » Fri Nov 04, 2005 1:50 pm

Hi, i have a stage 1 csw that i re-chassised with a galv richards chassis and it was spot on, everything fitted perfectley, the quality was brilliant.
Before i bought it i considered changing to coils, but the thing that nagged at me was would it still be a stage one? I am not a purist by any means and theres more mods on my truck than on Brighton beach on a bank holiday monday but in my opinion converting to coils would spoil its idenity.
I believe that the stage 1 was still offered by landrover when the first 110's were in production, so i came to the conclusion that if i fitted coil's, you also need defender axle's an arch spats that i would have a hybrid not a stage 1 but not a 110 either, and that if i wanted coil springs that bad i might as well buy a 110, so i went with parabolics and must say they do give a comftable ride and am pleased that i went the route i took.

Post by db » Fri Nov 04, 2005 7:38 pm

Hi Basil,

Welcome to the forum.

It's good to hear that there's a source for a decent quality chassis - mine needed some patching and a replacement outrigger this year which hopefully will last a while but the time may come when it's better to go for a replacement than patch it up.

I agree with you regarding coils and I have parabolics which seem fine (apart from needing re-bushing which hopefully will make it handle less like a blancmange) but that's not to say that fitting coils would be wrong - part of the attraction of Land Rovers is how adaptable they are.

David

Basil · Post by **Basil** » Sat Nov 05, 2005 2:33 pm

Thanks David, I have owned mine for six years and it was a case that i was needing to put plates on top of earlier repairs thats why i changed the chassis.
I also agree with you that it is not wrong to convert to coils as i believe its a case of each to his or her own and landrover's have got to one of the most modified vehicle's on the planet.
I have a pal who bought a IIA 1-ton, he rebuilt it on a galv coil chassis with TDI engine, five speed gearbox defender axles and he made a very good job of it, it is infact a superb landy and to him it is his IIA 1-ton but none of the features that made it a 1-ton still exist he might just as well bought a standard series truck and converted it.
By the way i had a very bad experience with a very well known make of parabolic spring a couple of years ago with the 2 rears snapping the eyes was a bit of an eye opener i can tell you.

Basil

stretchlandy · Post by **stretchlandy** » Fri Dec 16, 2005 8:42 pm

Hi basil,
sorry to be butting in here, but may be pertinent.
Where did you source your parabolic springs, and roughly how much did they cost?

Basil · Post by **Basil** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 1:48 pm

Hi stretch landy, the springs that are on at the moment was supplied by britpart, cannot for the life of me remember how much they cost though, i used to be in the trade so got a good discount.

The ones that broke were on the truck when i bought it and they are a very well known make.

Cheer's Basil

Basil · Post by **Basil** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 1:52 pm

P.S stretchlandy ,just been looking at your website , i have defender seats fitted in my stage one, no probs getting at the battery's as the bases just pull out, i have a battery under the driver's seat and the passenger's

cheers Basil

stretchlandy · Post by **stretchlandy** » Sun Dec 18, 2005 3:28 pm

cheers for that information Basil.
Should be able to get prices from there.
yeah, I'll definately go with defender seats now that i know i'll still be able to get to the battery.
thanks.

Stage 1 V8

conversion to coils

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