Buying a SIII 88"

[colin]

Hello. This is my first post here. I am relatively (well, very) new to LRs. A long time fan, occasional user, but never an owner (yet).

Next summer I'll be moving to Napoli, Italy, and I'm going to need something rugged and reliable to get me there, and to use while I live there (hopefully for good). I am strongly considering an 88" rag-top (don't like hard tops, don't want a truck cab. I like the rag-top for summertime).

The thing is, I don't have oodles of cash to spare. So it's got to be reliable and as economical as possible, and also survive a 1,600 mile drive to the south of Italy. In the summer. Carrying me, my dog, and a couple of boxes of my posessions.

Naturally I was thinking diesel is the way to go. I don't really like the standard 4-pot diesel that came with the SIII. Agonisingly slow, ear-burstingly noisy and not that economical. I am therefore considering a replacement engine.

Bearing in mind that I am not overly well-off, and my need for reliability, easy access to parts, and economy, I was thinking that the Transit 2.5DI is the way to go. What problems might this present re. fitting the engine/gearbox into the SIII chassis?

I would also be buying a left-hander since it will most likely spend the rest of its life in Italy.

If anyone has any ideas, suggestions, insight or anything else to say, I would really be exceedingly grateful.

Regards

Colin

[onslow]

The transit diesel is a good reliable conversion it has bags of power and is economical however good ones are expensive and all are very noisy but then again all DI diesels are,another highly rated engine is the 2 litre Turbo perkins prima the same as can be found in old Montego 2l TD's its power is comparable to a 2.5d with reported economy of 35+ to the gallon these engines are held in high regard for there reliability and performance and conversions are relatively cheap also engines themselves can be acquired for no more than 100quid if you find a montego with one fitted even cheaper.

[colin]

I had never heard of anyone putting a Montego diesel engine into a Land Rover. I presume the gearbox would fit, also? What modifications would need to be made, and what problems could I expect? 30-35mpg would be very nice indeed.

[onslow]

Its a common conversion now,the full kit can be bought from dudleigh engineering have a look on google for them ive got an email for a guy who does them too ill try and dig it out