110 Defender or Series III?

[Allen Bosely]

If you were to chose between a 110 Defender and a 109 Series III.To be used for overlanding and general use in Southern Africa.

Either one would get a ground up rebuild and up grades in the process.
Such as up graded suspension and axels and ARB lockers front and rear and other mods that are good to do on Land Rovers.
I'm just learning about Land Rovers.

Would want the biggest Diesel possible, which is the 300TDi or TDi5 correct? And the appropriate 5 speed tyranny.

Is the coil springs suspension that much better than the parabolic leafs? would it be worth changing a Series III over to coil springs?

I like the look of and simpler dash of the Series III better.Do I need a D110 to be able to fit a 300TDi or TDi5?

Allen

As I have been looking around more, maybe I should ask is what do I get on a D110, over the Series III? Things such as 200TDi, Power brakes & steering ect.. Is there a web site or chart that lists the changes?
Is there shch a thing as a TDi5 and can it be put in a D110?

Thanks, I look foward to learning about Land Rovers, and apericeate the help.

[bovw]

I do like the look of the series better, but the coil springs will ride more comfortably than the leafs. Personally, I would convert the series to coil, change to a Stage 1 bulkhead, and put in a diesel. That's just my humble opinion though.

[gjackson]

With the right parts and a ground up, you can make just about anything you want. If you like the series interior better, you could easily put that on a coil sprung frame with a 300tdi or a td5 with the 5 spd tranny. Only problem I see with the series interior is fitting AC which you will get with a td5 and is an easy option for the 300tdi.

Just figure out what you want first as you will have to make sure that the frame has the appropriate engine/drivetrain mounts as well as suspension mounts.

From what you are looking for I would say it would be easier to start with a 110 frame, but certainly not impossible if you started with a 109.

cheers

[overlander]

With the right parts and a ground up, you can make just about anything you want. If you like the series interior better, you could easily put that on a coil sprung frame with a 300tdi or a td5 with the 5 spd tranny. Only problem I see with the series interior is fitting AC which you will get with a td5 and is an easy option for the 300tdi.

Just figure out what you want first as you will have to make sure that the frame has the appropriate engine/drivetrain mounts as well as suspension mounts.

From what you are looking for I would say it would be easier to start with a 110 frame, but certainly not impossible if you started with a 109.

cheers

What he said...

[Allen Bosely]

So basically take a 110 frame,engine and tyranny and put a 109 body on it.Plus change out the bulkhead.

What all does the D110 that the 109 doesn't?as in breaks steering and such?

Allen

[Martyn]

The Series Rovers are disappearing. Last time I was in the UK and South Africa all I saw was Defenders, LR3 / Discovery 3, and Range Rovers.

So from the stand point of volume if your buying overseas the Defender would be a better buy.

With the stricter road test / MOT required most of the Series have ended up in scrap heaps.

[TeriAnn]

If you were to chose between a 110 Defender and a 109 Series III.To be used for overlanding and general use in Southern Africa.

Would want the biggest Diesel possible, which is the 300TDi or TDi5 correct? And the appropriate 5 speed tyranny.

I'll just throw some stuff out:

The 200tdi with Defender intake and exhaust manifolds is a relatively easy swap into a 109 and the Series 4 speed gearbox can stand up to 200 tdi stock power levels. A 300tdi or TDi5 with five speed would require swapping in a different seat box, floors, prop shafts, inner wing panels, moving the under bulkhead cross member and a few other mods. 200TDi manifolds and cylinder heads are NLA so any future needs would have to come from used parts.

All the tdis will fit a Defender frame.

Stock articulation is better in a Defender.

Pre 1994 Defenders (drum rear brake) and SIII 109's are both Salisbury rear axles.

SIII front swivel balls are stronger than coiler ones. The steering arms on a Series rig site higher and are better protected. Power steering is standard on a 110 but if you want it would need to be fabricated on a 109. Same with front disc brakes. The booster on Defender power brakes is stronger than the booster on SIII power brakes and wil not fit under a Series bonnet.

109 front brakes have 2 leading shoes, which provide OK breaking in the forward direction. Almost all the rear directional braking is done by the 2 trailing shoes in the rear brakes. Makes it hard to keep a 109 stationary on a steep uphill angle with stock brakes.

109s have thicker birmabright sheet metal and the trim is galvanized 110s have thinner gauge aluminum alloy panels and are made from an alloy that is not as resistant to corrosion as birmabright. Also the painted steel trim will rust where the galvanized bit tend not to.

If it were me making choices from the options you threw out, I'd go for a 300tdi Defender frame and drive train and bolt a Series body and Defender front clip to it.

If it were me making a choice from any parts, I would get a 101 rolling frame, stretch it to a 110 to 120 wheelbase. Add a turbocharged Cummins 6BT inline six diesel engine and fit a series IIB cab at the front and build a camper body in the rear.