Road Going 'Off-Roader' ?

[dtmpower]

Looking at getting a new 'daily' car. Not doing any long commutes any longer.

I have always wanted an '4x4' such as a Defender , or a Landcruiser or G-wagon.

But I only seem to like them if they are either jacked up on a lift kit and balloon mud plugging tyres. But then I found this picture of an early Landcruiser and got the idea that it might be possible to make a Defender a bit more road friendly.. dropping the suspension and making it slightly stiffer, followed by a road car alloy and a wide low profile tyre. How much work would be involved, geometry, ground clearance ? And what fitment wheel does a Defender use ?

[taldo]

if you plan on completing a daily journey steer away from a defender ! certainly one of a similar vintage to mine anyway! dont get me wrong i love the bloody thing but christ does it need fixing on a regular basis!!! its just a good job i enjoy the spanering!

[workx]

Hi DTM.
I have a landcruiser FJ40 for sale if you interested in it (like the one in your pic). It needs putting back together so to speak. I have 3 fj40 cruisers and off road them every month with no problems, drive them to events and back without any breakdowns.

[dtmpower]

workx said:

Hi DTM.
I have a landcruiser FJ40 for sale if you interested in it (like the one in your pic). It needs putting back together so to speak. I have 3 fj40 cruisers and off road them every month with no problems, drive them to events and back without any breakdowns.

Any more info ? Pictures ? Price ?

[antond]

For affordable modifying go for the defender everytime.
If you want to get to 60 in under 2 days and have to have air con. electric accesories and a heater that does the job go for the merc. and take out a second mortgage for mods and fuel, same for the toyota.

[Liszt]

fesuvious said:

search ebay for 'kitted discovery TD5'

Might fit what you are after

Edited by fesuvious on Monday 23 November 17:06

But not until after 7pm when you can get it on there then?

[dtmpower]

What's the smallest wheel/tyre package that will fit on a Defender ?

[normalbloke]

Oh no, you didn't??

[dtmpower]

Not yet buy thinking about it unless there are any other budget suggestions...

[normalbloke]

Good with the spanners?
I have a very capable red CJ7 for sale,but if it's going to be lowered and on road tyres, you can bog off!

Seriously, good luck with whatever you decide,and bring it past when you get it for a brew and natter.

[dtmpower]

normalbloke said:

Good with the spanners?
I have a very capable red CJ7 for sale,but if it's going to be lowered and on road tyres, you can bog off!

Seriously, good luck with whatever you decide,and bring it past when you get it for a brew and natter.

Will do... As you said my ideas would bring the CJ to tears...

[V_cirellio]

Lowering a 4x4 I thought that is unheard of in the off road culture? Would it just be the case of shorter dampers and springs to match?

[fb902350]

if you want it to be good on road, and to do offroad, then looking at your selection, I would say none, but get a discovery... as good as a defender offroad and drive on the roads well.

however I reckon a Cherokee XJ (95ish)would be the best bet. very very good on road, awesome offroad, quite close to the discovery in reality.
though the cherokee stock is slightly worse than the discovery, as soon as you start lifting them etc, the cherokee will do better. But mainly for you, the cherokee will be much better on the roads.

[JohnnyRevPants]

One of the best redeeming features of the Defender is it's agility off road. To lower it would just be pointless as you'd just have all the bad points. Instead, go for something that's road biased in the first place such as X5.

[Kermit power]

If I've understood this correctly, the OP wants to take a proper, off-roadable 4x4, and then modify it so that it retains all of the negatives of such a vehicle, but is no longer able to go off-road?

WTF??

OP, maybe this might be a good starting point?

[SystemParanoia]

this is what the op wants..

[Kermit power]

Here you go, OP....



A slammed Vitara! Fill your boots!

Edited by Kermit power on Saturday 23 January 10:00

[normalbloke]

Kermit power said:

If I've understood this correctly, the OP wants to take a proper, off-roadable 4x4, and then modify it so that it retains all of the negatives of such a vehicle, but is no longer able to go off-road?

WTF??

OP, maybe this might be a good starting point?

Is it similar to taking a reasonable 4x4 from the factory,and making so many modifications to it that it becomes almost unuseable on-road?

[dtmpower]

normalbloke seems to have come to my defence - thanks Kermit power for your genuine vision and offers of advice.

The project in my 'head' may well be hard to comprehend - but the idea of a road capable upright, fast (but I admit somewhat clumsy) 4x4 is my vision of a cheap G55 or the insane Nissan Patrols with tuned turbo petrol engines as found frequenting the Middle East and displayed humiliating several well know sports cars on youtube videos.

[Rum Runner]

SystemParanoia said:

this is what the op wants..

SystemParanoia
Do you have link for that Ad as the other thread going on the "Horror's In Ads" want to read if you still have it.
Other thread http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a... in the PH Classifieds&mid=59488

Edited by Rum Runner on Saturday 23 January 14:59