Rover 109 Projects

**Chessbay** · 10-12-2020, 08:06 PM

Figured I'd put something in here other than squatted out Chevy's.

Picked this up a month or so ago, I know the guy that built it and have always wanted it.

It's a 1965 109" Series IIA.

It has a galvanized chassis, bulkhead, door frames, hood frame, door top, etc. Everything else is aluminum.....it will last forever.

Drive Train is the most interesting part. It has a 283 Small Block Chevy, New Process 435 Transmission with an adaptor plate to a Land Rover Series Transfer Case. It sits on Land Rover Discovery Axles that are 24 Spline and has disk brakes at all four wheels. It has 3.54:1 Diffs that make it much more friendly and power Steering out of a P38.

It's a sleeper for sure.

I have started down the rabbit hole of projects and have completed the following:

- New Side Window Canvas Top
- New Exhaust - I cleaned it up and went from true duals @ < 2" to a single exhaust with two tailpipes. I have a magna flow muffler and 2" pipes.
- I had some 255/85/16 tires and put them on this truck.
- GPS Speedometer Custom made from Speedhut.
- Rock Sliders/Sills - I made these out of 2"x4"x3/16" Tube Steel and had them powder coated. They were an absolute bitch to make. I have made a couple of sets before, but these were hard as hell to mount and weighed a ton. Anyway, they turned out pretty good.

In Progress:

Truck leaks like shit. I pulled the motor apart over the last week and have started to put things back together. I have installed a new oil pan gasket, timing cover gasket, timing cover oil seal, water pump gasket and intake gaskets. This is pretty much as far as I have gotten as of tonight. I need a few more parts and some more time before putting it all back together.

I have ordered all new suspension as well. I am having a company called ALCAN make me a set of custom leaf springs. They are made to my specifications. I have weighed the truck on the scales and have each axle weight and they are making my springs accordingly. We are going to put a 2" lift into them and level the truck out some. The 255's are huge and narrow and I get a slight body rub in the front at articulation. The springs should fix this........the small block weighs almost 600 pounds which is not helping. Once I dial in the springs, I will figure out new shocks.

Anyway, this is a work in progress and will continue to evolve. A small block in this truck is pretty amazing and will smoke the tires if you want.

Enjoy some pictures of before, after and during......more later.

**Chessbay** · 10-12-2020, 08:09 PM

Top and Tires

**Tater** · 10-12-2020, 08:13 PM

Looks like a VW Thing.

**Highstrung** · 10-12-2020, 08:14 PM

I'm already picking out my outfit to pose beside it Thanksgiving morning

**Chessbay** · 10-12-2020, 08:14 PM

**Chessbay** · 10-12-2020, 08:17 PM

Harmonic Balancer has a huge groove in it and is leaking like shit. I order a new one.......you can see it in the picture and it's actually already been speedy sleeved.

I do not intend to paint the entire motor......what you see is what you get.

**willk** · 10-12-2020, 08:20 PM

Man that is cool!

**Five Oh** · 10-12-2020, 08:21 PM

I feel like I just saw this at the carwash at Two Notch and Beltline recently

**Fowlmouth30** · 10-12-2020, 08:21 PM

Awesome project. I’d love to take on one of these old rovers when things slow down.

**Chessbay** · 10-12-2020, 08:25 PM

Originally Posted by Tater

Looks like a VW Thing.

A little better looking.

Originally Posted by Highstrung

I'm already picking out my outfit to pose beside it Thanksgiving morning

Can't wait.

Originally Posted by Five Oh

I feel like I just saw this at the carwash at Two Notch and Beltline recently

You did......probably washing off the mud.

**Tater** · 10-12-2020, 08:29 PM

I’m afraid to engage any further because I don’t want to see a pic of your nuts hanging out.

**We Jeep Inn** · 10-12-2020, 08:32 PM

Cool Ride

**KRT** · 10-12-2020, 08:33 PM

I’m not sure I’ve posted any squatted out Chevy truck builds on here. Just on my insta where it appeals to more of the crowd that brings them to me. Just had a 17 year old kid drop 12k on an 05 Silverado with us last week.

I have another CJ 7 build to post with a LS and a 4L60 and a 35 Chevy coupe build with a LS and a 4L60 to post.

**LMR** · 10-12-2020, 08:36 PM

Great looking rig.

**KRT** · 10-12-2020, 08:36 PM

So a series IIA with a 283 small block.

**BullJakeGrappler** · 10-12-2020, 08:39 PM

Originally Posted by Tater

I’m afraid to engage any further because I don’t want to see a pic of your nuts hanging out.

May look like a filson wax sack.

On the real, nice ride and mad respect for the wrenching/ fab work. Most folks today haven't the patience nor the know how to take a partial build to completion. While LR's are not my thing, that's a real nice resto-mod that will last a lifetime.

Most of all, it's 1 of 1.

Hats off CB.

**Chessbay** · 10-12-2020, 08:43 PM

Great looking rig man

Originally Posted by We Jeep Inn

Cool Ride

Thanks

Originally Posted by KRT

I’m not sure I’ve posted any squatted out Chevy truck builds on here. Just on my insta where it appeals to more of the crowd that brings them to me. Just had a 17 year old kid drop 12k on an 05 Silverado with us last week.

I have another CJ 7 build to post with a LS and a 4L60 and a 35 Chevy coupe build with a LS and a 4L60 to post.

Haha, I’ve watched the CJ’s, they look awesome. Post them up!