'95 D90 Overhaul w/ 2.8L Diesel

[Chris Vitale]

After my first MAR in 2004, the obsession took a turn for the worse...or better, depending upon how you look at it. However, things really started to steamroll when a friend of ours made me an offer I couldn't refuse and persuaded me to take my obsession to a whole new level.

Too many upgrades to mention in one post...but attached are a few pics to get things going.

Enjoy!

[ini88]

That axle housing with the gold rotors & black hubs is pure porn.

is the 2.8 in and running? how do you like it?

[Crash303]

This is like the first time I found my dad's porn mags... I just can't get enough of the pictures.... Please!!! More pics.

[rijosho]

Chris, looking good, man!

[TDI Guy]

I like your new avitar picture... a great MAR parts find..

[bjf]

how about a high level. galv chassis and bulkhead?

[Chris Vitale]

Yes Randy...it felt like christmas morning, at MAR!

Higher resolution photos of chassis and engine coming shortly.

In the meantime, another sexy pic for you sick people!...

[KKilo23]

ohhh nicee. Where did you get the chassis/bulkhead from?

[130Tdi]

Eastwood Epoxy Chassis Black ?

[Lucasd2002]

Did the motor come from M&D?

[Chris Vitale]

Doug...Yes, that is the stuff.

David/Kenny. I purchased the stuff through a friend. Not sure who he sourced the goods from...He simply helped me identify what I wanted and he delivered.

Here are the high resolution photos.... I am really looking forward to waking up this motor!

[KKilo23]

Doug...Yes, that is the stuff.

David/Kenny. I purchased the stuff through a friend. Not sure who he sourced the goods from...He simply helped me identify what I wanted and he delivered.

Here are the high resolution photos.... I am really looking forward to waking up this motor!

Nice, I just called you btw. I am going to swing by tomorrow 12ish to pick up that ARB bumper.

[bjf]

are you painting the bulkhead? Is that a new one? changing dash?

[Chris Vitale]

Sounds good Kenny.

Barry...It is a new bulkhead that will be painted and at this point, I plan to restore my original dash. However, my wife says that she only cares about the interior...so who am I to disappoint her! :hmm

[bjf]

is the bulkhead galv?

[Chris Vitale]

Yes. The bulkhead pick above was taken shorthly after galvinizing. Not too much warping either!

[Chris Vitale]

New Rubber.

[jorge]

You know I like these .

[jaygoss]

New Rubber.

Nice- what size are those tires?

[Chris Vitale]

Thanks...315/75/16

[Chris Vitale]

The hubs are coming together.

[jaygoss]

Thanks...315/75/16

Look forward to seeing those on the truck! How much loft over stock will those springs be?

[Chris Vitale]

Springs will add ~3 inches of loft.

Bulkhead painted.

[KKilo23]

Springs will add ~3 inches of loft.

Bulkhead painted.

Nice progress.

[Chris Vitale]

Thanks Kenny!

I have to admit...I have a magic garage. I simply lockup the garage and upon my return, poof...my D90 project miraculously progresses from where I left off!

Thank you magic garage.

[bjf]

is the truck staying black? hard to tell from the bulkhead pics

[KKilo23]

Thanks Kenny!

I have to admit...I have a magic garage. I simply lockup the garage and upon my return, poof...my D90 project miraculously progresses from where I left off!

Thank you magic garage.

Well in that case, I have some projects to drop off for the garage! :cool:

[Chris Vitale]

Full color change to Stornoway Grey Metallic. It's the latest grey color introduced by Land Rover.

[DD90]

Chris......which tranny are you using?? NAS R380?? TdI??

[rijosho]

Full color change to Stornoway Grey Metallic. It's the latest grey color introduced by Land Rover.

Pretty cool color.

[Chris Vitale]

Joe, I am selling the NAS R380 and will use a new tdi spec tranny.

Here is another pic of the Stornoway Grey color. My finish product will have more black and silver accents to offset the grey depicted in this photo.

[DD90]

Is gearing the same between the two??

I think the difference is bellhousing and input shaft a bit thicker and longer.....correct?

If you use the NAS R380 what mods are necessary to bolt to 2.8??

[Chris Vitale]

New wheels and tires mounted. It's starting to look like a new D-90. I should keep track of my hours spent with the bench wire wheel...but well worth the effort to get everything back to tip-top.

[MUDSUX]

Thanks...315/75/16

Hey Chris, can you give me regular dimensions for these? Diameter and width? Too lazy to calculate from those figures. Thanks

[Chris Vitale]

(34.8x12.3)

[MUDSUX]

(34.8x12.3)

Nice, thanks!

[ini88]

I know where you magic garage is... :) looks very familiar!

Chris are those progressive Rovertym springs up front?

[nikojo]

Chris.......any new pics?!?!

[Chris Vitale]

I will post some pics shortly John.

Most of the progress has been hooking up the new stainless steel brake, clutch and fuel systems as well as transferring over the steering components and pedal boxes.

Almost looks too good to wheel!...:stick
kidding.


Daniel...Yes they are.

[Chris Vitale]

And the promised pics...

Not much left to do except body work.

[KKilo23]

Looking good!!

[JimC]

Not much left to do except body work.

Not to insult your intelligence, since you are doing such a nice job, but do you know all the tricks to get the body all lined up and the doors closing properly?

[sonoronos]

Wow...I have to say...clean work.

Nice external reservoir shocks! It's bling for sure :)

[dave_lucas]

Not to insult your intelligence, since you are doing such a nice job, but do you know all the tricks to get the body all lined up and the doors closing properly?

Please post any tips / trick Jim, I am sure they will be handy when it comes time to build my 90

[JimC]

Its a combination of my trial and error combined with Mike explaining how to do it properly. Here is the basics:

Place bulkhead on bolts
Drop rear tub in place, bolt loosely
Run a string along each side of the body at the top of the barrel roll
Use the string as a guide to "aim" the tub at the bulkhead - you don't want the string to "break" anywhere
Shim as necessary to make the string line perfect
Bolt tub
Establish proper door gaps by measuring/test fitting doors
Add/subtract washers from bulkhead bolt to achieve proper door gaps
Ensure bulkhead is perpendicular to chassis (i.e. that front and rear door jams are parallel)
Bolt down bulkhead and install front braces

Everything else "floats" on the bulkhead and tub, i.e. the fit of the seatbox, floors, and fenders is variable.

If you do it right, it will be an easy task to hang the doors and get them to latch easily without slamming. The 110 5-door is the hardest body to set up and this method worked great when I was doing mine.

Sorry for the crappy pic, its the only one I could find in my stash over here.

[Tyler Wirken]

Thanks for that Jim. So I assume t posts are on during this process like your photo shows? Or do you line up bulkhead and tub only and assume t-posts will fit.

So you can only adjust the fit of the front doors correct as the middle doors are kind of set with how the t-posts attach to the rear tub?

This will be happening to me sooner than later so this helps!

[MUDSUX]

Awesome Jim, thanks! I am getting close to getting my tub back on and was wondering how to properly do it. Have read nightmare stories about improper fit, etc. I am also wondering about the T posts. I guess I need to unbolt my seat box and let it "float" on the T posts.

[dmarchand]

And the promised pics...

Not much left to do except body work.

Man do I miss the "eat from the drivetrain" cleanliness. Looks good.

[TDI Guy]

Man do I miss the "eat from the drivetrain" cleanliness. Looks good.


LOL... Me too...

Nice Work Bud....:grin:grin

[evilfij]

There are two bolts in the floor of the tub. They permit basically no fore and aft or side to side or up and down play, only rocking the rear and the front (even that is minimal). I am kind of in a bind on mine as I chopped off the rear crossmember and am going to get the body all together and then weld on the replacement (it is held on by ropes now).

[cgalpin]

Ron when I did the frame stretch on my trailer I setup a jig to get the right (or at least existing) crossmember alignment. I then cut and extended the rails, and the jig kept the crossmember in the right plane etc. You should have done something similar with your frame. It's so much easier to weld without the body.

[JimC]

Thanks for that Jim. So I assume t posts are on during this process like your photo shows? Or do you line up bulkhead and tub only and assume t-posts will fit.

So you can only adjust the fit of the front doors correct as the middle doors are kind of set with how the t-posts attach to the rear tub?

This will be happening to me sooner than later so this helps!

No! You definitely can't take the alignment of the t-posts for granted. I had to add a small shim between the t-piece and the bulkhead to get my front door gaps correct. Additionally, the back of my t-pieces were damaged (bent inwards) in shipping and I had to bend them back into the correct position. From talking to Mike, sometimes the only way to get the gaps perfect is to cut off the posts and re-weld. The rear door gaps should be very close if the t-pieces are made properly, but you need to line them up right so you have the right amount of flange sticking out from the tub (the flange that the door seal presses on to). You could conceivably have rear doors that shut OK but had bad door gaps since the striker attaches to the rear upright on the t-support but the visual part of the door gap is based on the leading edge of the tub and your placement of the triangle. I also had to shim behind my triangle piece to get it in the same plane as the body side.

When you have the t-pieces in, don't forget to install the rear section of the front seat to tie them together, otherwise they'll almost certainly flop inwards. I had to enlarge the holes on that panel to allow the t-pieces to spread apart far enough. Once the roof goes on, the position of the B-pillars should be good, but you want it to drop into place, and not have to torque on the B-pillars to spread them.

There are two bolts in the floor of the tub. They permit basically no fore and aft or side to side or up and down play, only rocking the rear and the front (even that is minimal). I am kind of in a bind on mine as I chopped off the rear crossmember and am going to get the body all together and then weld on the replacement (it is held on by ropes now).

? Which two bolts are these? The only ones I recall in the floor are the seat belt bolts. Otherwise, the tub just bolts at the back, and at the mounting feet for the rear seat supports, which in turn bolt to the crossmember that sits atop the frame. That crossmember has a great deal of left/right front/back adjust-ability and is height-adjustable with shims. In an ideal world, the tub would be perfect sitting on just its rubber bumpers.

I don't think you're too screwed as long as your body is still riveted together and the roof is on. Joe and I did the crossmember with the body on to make sure it lined up, and the rear end didn't appear to sag too badly, and we cut off more frame rail that you did. Of course we did finish welding with the body off, we needed to since we cut where the frame curves back up close to the tub.

[evilfij]

The two bolts next to the seat belt bolts that go all the way through the tub to the frame. Both of the donors I took apart had them.

I took everything apart. My plan is to put it all back together and then weld the crossmember on. I think it will be ok.

[JimC]

Oh, you mean the one that bolts through the little upright right next to where the shock mounts - I just put that sucker in last. That can be shimmed and fiddled with like anything else, or am I missing something...

I still think you're gonna be OK with your plan. I mean, I'm sure the results will be Ron-good :grin

[evilfij]

They go through the floor vertically, but the holes are not oval and, while suppose it could be shimmed up or down, it does not have any other movement and when I pulled both neither had shims.

I am pretty good with spacial relations so I think I can get it close enough.

[Chris Vitale]

Jim...Thanks for the tips!

Got stuff galvanized last week...thank you for the help John.

Wash, conditioned and primed the galvy for paint.

Magic garage does it again!... Dash is mostly together now.

[Chris Vitale]

Tons of prep work completed over the past month.

Sanded the seat box to bare metal and rhino lined both sides, prepared tub for paint and rhino, installed new A/C system, put new skins on galvanized door frames, replaced both front wing side panels with new, various items painted and many other small miscellaneous projects completed.

Next step...tub, doors, and wing panels are going for paint on Tuesday.

[dave_lucas]

That seatbox looks really nice :pimp

Do you know how thick they applied the rhino lining? seems thinner than the normal amount that you see on truck beds.

[Chris Vitale]

Thanks Dave.

It does seem thinner to me too...and I like it better this way. The rhino guy took his time to slowly build up the material so as to prevent any drips. Happy to report, not one drip.

The arrow, in the pic below, points to where I measured the thickness at 5.2 millimeters. Maybe you or someone else can provide a measurement without the rhino to back into the thickness.

I am having the front floor boards rhino lined too. I will take a before and after measurement in the coming weeks.

[grnrvrs]

3mm on my new seatbox.

[rijosho]

Chris, you need to get this truck finished! Drove past The Black Horse last night...will need to see your truck out front there in a few months. :)

[Chris Vitale]

For comparison, I wonder what the typical thickness is for a rhino lined truck bed?...


Josh,
Wishful thinking, but hopefully it will make it to MAR... ROAV at The Cove for sure.

[rover26c]

The attractive linings are typically sprayed on up to a ¼" thick on truck beds

[dave_lucas]

Looks like the diffrence is 2mm or .080, I like the way it looks but I wonder if it cuts down on noise at all when applied that thin?

[grnrvrs]

Perhaps Chris can confirm that at the point where he took his measurement, that the seatbox had 2 layers of aluminum. It looks like he has removed the boxes from the seatbox, which may result in his measurement only being 1 layer (?). If so the relevant comparison measurement would be 1.5mm

[Chris Vitale]

Not sure how much total noise reduction I can expect with a soft top...but point taken.

I plan to apply a slightly heaver coat for the front floor boards and rear tub floor to keep up with the heavier foot traffic, but not as thick as a typical bed liner (.25" or 6.35mm). From a looks perspective, floor boards are a little more forgiving than the seat box too, so I will likely go for a thickness in the range of 3 - 4 millimeters. Not too heavy, not too thin...but just right.

My overall rhino line goals in priority order:
1. Clean look
2. Durability
3. Sound deadening

------ Follow up post added September 6th, 2010 02:13 PM ------

Paul,
I did remove the battery box. I don't have my battery box with me, but correct me if I am wrong...when referring to the tab that my arrow points to, the battery box is not in play?... Did you take the measurement at the tab indicated in my pic?

[grnrvrs]

So the comparison measurement is 1.5mm v 5.1mm i.e. 3.6mm (1/8") of rhino. 1/8" should be good enough to cut down on vibration of the panel but not absorb much sound.

[Chris Vitale]

Brought the seat frames back to life as well as treated them to new foam cushions and upholstery.

Sad to report, at this point, it doesn't seem like this project will be complete in time for MAR...but hopefully it will make it's debut at ROAV at The Cove.

Many of you may not know, but Randy, AKA TDI Guy, has been the mastermind behind this build all along.

While the project has progressed better and faster than I ever imagined, I believe more recently the pace has slowed ever so slightly, so that Randy's D90 can bask in glory at MAR, for one more year, before his envy kicks in. :hmm

Kidding.

Thank you Randy...If it were not for you, I am sure I would never have even had the courage to rotate my tires. You the man Randy!

[TDI Guy]

Seats look nice....

[rovertrader]

Chris- looking good, she's come a long way since I saw her for sure!!
My '95 is rocking, motor is doing great- thanks!!

[Chris Vitale]

Thanks Dale. Great to hear the motor is working out well.

Just picked up some stuff from galvy. Only missing one rear seat bracket from the galvy dip process...The bracket shouldn't be too difficult to replace.

Progress will be picking up shortly with everything coming back from galvy and paint. Will post more pics shortly.

[Chris Vitale]

Tub is back...and back at home on its chassis.

[rijosho]

Maybe I missed it along the way, but who did your paint work? I may need one some day.

Looks great!!

[KKilo23]

Tub is back...and back at home on its chassis.

Chris looks great!
+1 Where did you get the paint work done? Did they have to do any body work or was it a re-spray?

[Chris Vitale]

Thanks.

Had the paint work done by a family friend. Body work wasn't needed...all the panels were in excellent shape.

[KKilo23]

Thanks.

Had the paint work done by a family friend. Body work wasn't needed...all the panels were in excellent shape.

Does he do work on the side or own a shop.

I am doing a frame up this winter and will need to get the truck re-sprayed somewhere...

[TDI Guy]

When you are ready for paint, shoot me a PM...

[KKilo23]

When you are ready for paint, shoot me a PM...

Will do. It's going to be a couple of months.

[Chris Vitale]

Much more progress:
1. Aligned tub with bulkhead
2. fastened down the Seat box
3. Installed battery in battery box
4. Completed fuel assembly
5. Installed rear door
6. Restored and installed rear ID plate
7. ERC LED lights installed...these are worth every penny.

Ran into a glitch with galvanizing hood support bracket...When it came back from galvy, it was all jangeld at one corner. It must have gotten hung from this corner and the weight of the bracket must have warped the bracket. It's not worth repairing the support bracket as the hood needs considerable repair too. As a result, looks like I am in the market for a new hood...

[rijosho]

Is it going to make it to ROAV at The Cove?

[bjf]

Looks like you are ding a great job. Love Randy's truck in the garage. Wish there were more pics of it on the board.

[Chris Vitale]

Thanks!

Josh - Rove at the Cove is a no go. While the truck is coming along nicely...it was a bit ambitious to think it was going to be ready for Rove at the Cove. However, I am thinking it will be ready in time to present it to my wife for Christmas!

Barry - Randy is not happy to have his truck in the garage...his engine bay has a huge void in it!

[Tyler Wirken]

Looks great Chris! It is nice to see it coming alone.

Can I ask what size tires you are running?

Thanks

[bjf]

What happened to Randy's engine?

[Chris Vitale]

Thanks Tyler. They're 35 KM2. I really like the look of the tread pattern.

Barry - http://www.d-90.com/forum/showthread.php?t=27770

[Tyler Wirken]

Thanks Chris. I like them also and will be running them on my truck as well. I did not know they made a 35" in a 16" wheel. Or are they the 315/75/16 size with spacers?

THanks

Tyler

[Chris Vitale]

Yes Tyler. They're 315/75/16 with spacers. You won't be disappointed.

[KKilo23]

Yes Tyler. They're 315/75/16 with spacers. You won't be disappointed.

Chris, what size spacers are you running?

[Tyler Wirken]

Thanks man. So what size spacers are needed to run these? I ran 35x12.50's on 15's with 4.5 back spacing before and was good. I want to get as close as I can back to that but with some boosts or something similar.

THanks for the help.



Yes Tyler. They're 315/75/16 with spacers. You won't be disappointed.

[bjf]

So can you use a 300 tdi engine cover on a 2.8?

[discotdi]

Nice to see an LR4 in the background, It's a great truck!

[Grover]

So can you use a 300 tdi engine cover on a 2.8?

I guess so...

[bjf]

finally someone answered my dumb question. Is that your engine?

I like that the cover can be used. Gives it a factory look. The 2.8 uses the same block right?

[Grover]

Not my motor...I am still a member of the gas guzzlers club. I found the pic here (http://www.discoweb.org/terrygillard/)

Cheers...

[Chris Vitale]

Tyler - The spacer is 1 1/4 inches wide.

[Tyler Wirken]

Tyler - The spacer is 1 1/4 inches wide.


Thanks man! The build looks great keep it up!

[Chris Vitale]

Lots more progress:
Doors installed and properly aligned
New door cards get treated to JL audio speakers
Also added speakers to lower dash and dedicated them to CB radio

[bjf]

looks really good. I like the silver center td5 dash

[cwilder]

Truck looks great! I sure wish I had the mechanical know how to do this stuff!!

[ELCIDd90]

Lots more progress:
Doors installed and properly aligned
New door cards get treated to JL audio speakers
Also added speakers to lower dash and dedicated them to CB radio

Chris, where did you get the lower dash with the speaker cut outs? Are they originally for a 110?

[bjf]

that lower dash is the AC unit. I think it has speaker holes in it.

[tjfslaughter]

td5 A/C has speaker holes

[dmarchand]

Chris, where did you get the lower dash with the speaker cut outs? Are they originally for a 110?

Those are the newer AC units that safari rover and RN are selling. Solid and nice upgrade.

[ELCIDd90]

Thanks!

[BCR]

Great Build :cool:

[cwilder]

Lots more progress:
Doors installed and properly aligned
New door cards get treated to JL audio speakers
Also added speakers to lower dash and dedicated them to CB radio


Where did you get the parts for your dash? i really like how you added the center console unit in there. Any updated information? Truck is looking great.

[Chris Vitale]

Many projects coming together at the same time as the cabin gets buttoned up, including:
roll cage, floor boards, front/rear seats, trim, dash, doors and wiring all of the accessories.

Chad, Randy can get you a dash if you need it.

[airbornrover]

Very nice

[jaygoss]

Springs will add ~3 inches of loft.

Bulkhead painted.

I never did ask- who manufactured those springs? Thinking about 3" springs myself now.

[TDI Guy]

RYM Springs..

[jaygoss]

RYM Springs..

Is that short for Rovertym? (RTE)

[TDI Guy]

Is that short for Rovertym? (RTE)

Yes sir...

[Chris Vitale]

1st pic - Center Console gets a few upgrades:
1. Heated Seat Switches (Red)
2. 12V Accessory Receptacle - Continuous Hot (Green)
3. Cobra 75 CB Flush Mount Connection (Yellow)
4. ARB Front & Rear Locker Switches (Blue)

2nd Pic - Truck is further along:
1. Seat belts installed
2. Passenger wing assembled and installed

[Chris Vitale]

Front end and engine bay continues to come together. You can also see that we customized the galvanized front wheel wells to fit external shock mounts.

[surf110]

Looking good. What kind of heated seat elemts did you use.


1st pic - Center Console gets a few upgrades:
1. Heated Seat Switches (Red)
2. 12V Accessory Receptacle - Continuous Hot (Green)
3. Cobra 75 CB Flush Mount Connection (Yellow)
4. ARB Front & Rear Locker Switches (Blue)

2nd Pic - Truck is further along:
1. Seat belts installed
2. Passenger wing assembled and installed

[rijosho]

Was your B hoop already split?

[bjf]

easy fix with roof flashing

[Campbell]

Damn this is going to be a sweet truck.

[genie90]

man i love that color... and that engine!!!

keep us in the loop!


Regards,
Jay

[alastair]

Wow! Just when I was getting ready to put my ugly little truck on the road I had to see this. I think if I pulled up next to this truck at a stop-light I'd just drive mine into a lake... Spectacular.

[ini88]

I stopped over to Randy's place this past weekend to drop off some parts. Chris's truck looks amazing! It was cool to see two newly built diesel trucks in the garage.... the garage was full of crap everywhere :)

His suspension set up is great. Should be unstoppable in the nasty.

[Chris Vitale]

The seat heating elements are from RN.

As for the roll cage, I will be installing a new C hoop and Cantrails...thanks Barry. Now, all I need is to find a new/near new B pillar.

Thank you for all the compliments!

[tjfslaughter]

Wow! Just when I was getting ready to put my ugly little truck on the road I had to see this. I think if I pulled up next to this truck at a stop-light I'd just drive mine into a lake... Spectacular.

That would at least prevent fires.. I hope to see this truck soon, it is in the town next to me.

[mrossi]

Chris -

Awesome rebuild!

What size tires are on the truck in the PIC in the top attached thumbnail? I have a black 95 as well. I am in the middle of a simple restore and need to decided on tires and suspension. Can you make a suggestion or just reply with what you have installed in the PICs above? Thanks

Mike
585.314.7377
mrossi@amdex.com

[TDI Guy]

The original tires were 255/85's

[97-D90-736]

Front end and engine bay continues to come together. You can also see that we customized the galvanized front wheel wells to fit external shock mounts.


What headlamps are those? I like them.

[TDI Guy]

IPF I think

[Chris Vitale]

Ok...It's been a while since we have worked on the truck. Most of our free time was spent on mission trips to Lake George for snowmobiling.

Today was the first day back in the garage, since December, and much progress has been made.
1. Engine bay and front grill completed and now waiting for hood installation
2. Front shocks and bump stops installed
3. All dash wiring completed and coming back together
4. Floor boards, sound proofing and transmission tunnel cover installed
5. Wiring in the battery box completed and getting sorted
6. All fluid reservoirs topped off with premium liquids

[rijosho]

How many more hours do you guys suspect?

[Chris Vitale]

Not sure, but I am not in a rush. Much more concerned with what I will do with my time, once it's complete.

[bjf]

In your third picture, is the metal piece that your hood latch goes in (not sure of name) radiator support maybe galvanized?

[EWR]

you might as well remove the grill, you'll need access to the latch for adjustment when you set the hood.

[bjf]

I just went through this whole build again. Damn it is impressive.

[EWR]

Agreed. He's doing a fine job and taking his time to make sure it's right..... something most people don't do. Nice work!

[TDI Guy]

you might as well remove the grill, you'll need access to the latch for adjustment when you set the hood.

It just has 2 screws in it now for looks... and a photo lol

[junkyddog11]

Nicely done. I love that color. In fact everything about this build is spot on man!

[Chris Vitale]

Traded my black wingtop protectors for these that are bare aluminum. Thanks Dan.

These were in great condition but in desperate need of cosmetic TLC. I have never polished aluminum before and I must admit, I am still shocked...this was undoubtedly the dirtiest part of this entire build!!!

Anyways, I got a tip from a local fire department volunteer, who regularly enters into fire truck show competitions. He suggested his three step process for restoring aluminum: (1) clean aluminum of all contaminants, (2) buff with Liquid Metal Polish (fine grit) followed by (3) buff with Mothers Metal Polish.

The wingtop protector on the left, was my starting point after a thorough cleaning with various detergents. The wingtop protector on the right, was the result immediately after the Mothers Metal Polish.

It may be difficult to tell from the pic, but I can assure you that the result is amazing...like new.

[tjfslaughter]

You might have to wear sunglasses every time you drive... Nice looking truck!!! Hope you can make it out to the beer garden on April 2 (look at the NYC meet up).

[ini88]

These were in great condition but in desperate need of cosmetic TLC.

hehe, yeah i don't think i ever washed those.

[T1G UP]

wow, just read the whole thread. that is one quality 90. love the 2.8 TGV, shame it's not hooked up to an auto

[cwilder]

I couldn't pay you to do this kinda work on mine could I?? :)

[v-nakk]

I second that. I would be willing to pay you for this kind of work as well considering ECR is about three years out on their waiting list and your work is some of the finest I've ever seen.

[Chris Vitale]

Thanks for the compliments!

We worked on the truck for a few hours yesterday.
1. Adjusted front and rear pinion angles to mitigate drive shaft vibrations
2. Attached bonnet and installed Dynamat on the underside
3. Installed Silblade wipers

From this short list, you can tell the project end is near. :sad :grin

[rijosho]

chris, once again it looks great! Do the diapers help catch any oil drips?

[ssbartley1]

Great looking truck, nice build

[Chris Vitale]

Latest work done:
1. Bonnet aligned and complete
2. Fender Flares added
3. Tunnel cover installed
4. Wing top protectors and vent covers added
5. Roll cage...almost complete
6. Interior trim around the windshield complete

7. And a successful trip around the block! :)

Mostly interior stuff left!

[bjf]

Damn nice!

[bjf]

Just was looking through this again. Where did you get your frame? Did it come galvanized? NAS frame with 300 tdi engine mounts?

[Chris Vitale]

Frame came direct from England.

Lot's of interior items completed:
1. Battery box wiring
2. Center console wiring
3. Dash wiring
4. Stereo install
5. Horn install
6. Soft top install
7. Floor mats install

[airbornrover]

wow, very nice. You going to the NYC meetup in new jersey this weekend?, with that of course.

[Grover]

Great looking build.
What rims are you using?

Cheers...

[cgalpin]

My wife caught me looking at this post last night on my phone. She could see the look in my eyes and took one look at me and said... NO! :grin

[dmarchand]

Dig the seatbox. Is that alloy or just galvy shiny?

I like shiny.

[rijosho]

Great looking build.
What rims are you using?

Cheers...

They're called "Deep Dish" rims.

[diesel_jim]

They're called "Deep Dish" rims.



Standard fitment on 110's over here.

[Chris Vitale]

Should be ready by the next meet up...hopefully it will be at the entrance of a trail.

The battery box was galvanized and the seat box was Rhino Lined.


Charles, four years ago, I contemplated selling my truck and my wife stopped me. She said I would regret it. Bottom line, everyone needs a Build Plan...and if you're married, it starts with the spouse! ;)

[TDI Guy]

Updates?

[Chris Vitale]

:toast

[rijosho]

How did you get one for 2 years and mine was only 1?

[tjfslaughter]

How did you get one for 2 years and mine was only 1?

Mine has always been 2 years.... might be a diesel thing..

[TDI Guy]

Nj is 2 years on everything..... Tom, I will get u that info today

[rover26c]

Nj is 2 years on everything...


Not really....I believe if you have a new car you get 5 years now :)

[TDI Guy]

Yes.. For new cars only...

[bjf]

How did you get one for 2 years and mine was only 1?


Assuming they figured your car wouldnt last two years the way you drive behind salt trucks.

[tjfslaughter]

according to page 2 of this document http://www.state.nj.us/mvc/pdf/Inspections/FAQinspection.pdf it appears that you dont even need and inspection????? I would still get one to make it easier to get through check points. Damn Bergen County Sheriffs can be difficult..

[airbornrover]

They have a sign at the dmv inspection stations that if your diesel is before a certain year then you do not have to be inspected.

[cwilder]

How about some pics all around! Your Defender looks awesome! Congrats!

[Chris Vitale]

Front bumper installed with accessories.

Will add rock sliders and rear tire carrier next.

[KKilo23]

Chris, truck looks amazing!

[cwilder]

Chris, I love your truck! Great job and thanks for updating the pics!

[rover4x4]

Beautiful

[Chris Vitale]

Installed a battery cutoff switch:

Option 1: All power except winch
Option 2: Winch power only
Option 3: Both Option 1 + 2
Option 4: All Power Off

[thewap]

jaw dropper!

[Chris Vitale]

I took a few beauty shots while I was in Maine.

Shots moving forward will most probably be taken while on the trail. Finding good trails to wheel in Maine proved more difficult than I initially imagined and I will undoubtedly need some local knowledge. Probably for the better as I likely avoided many trying to hunt during this holiday.

Also, one image includes my latest purchase/project. It's an M416 trailer that I plan restore as well. More on that to come.

[rijosho]

Looks good. Do you have a steering guard to put on?

[tommyd]

One of the nicest 90s out there. Great work, looks amazing.

[bjf]

Looks good!

[draaronr]

Damn that truck is sexy, now put some boosts on though. :)

[Manimal]

Beautiful truck!

Hey Chris. What kind of system is that? Do you have dual batteries? I have a similar switch for a Blue Sea Systems dual battery charger but I have yet to install it as I am still considering other options.

Installed a battery cutoff switch:

Option 1: All power except winch
Option 2: Winch power only
Option 3: Both Option 1 + 2
Option 4: All Power Off

[phoenix37]

I took a few beauty shots while I was in Maine.

Shots moving forward will most probably be taken while on the trail. Finding good trails to wheel in Maine proved more difficult than I initially imagined and I will undoubtedly need some local knowledge. Probably for the better as I likely avoided many trying to hunt during this holiday.

Also, one image includes my latest purchase/project. It's an M416 trailer that I plan restore as well. More on that to come.

Wow just looked at this thread for the first time.. beautiful truck. Too bad you didnt let us know you were coming up. A bunch of guys went out wheeling this past weekend. We can show you some trails but Id cringe if you brought that out with us. Some trucks are just too nice to put in the woods.

[Chris Vitale]

Carl - I am running a single battery...on a 4 position blue sea 350A battery switch. I set it up so that I could isolate the winch power (switch 2) and only run that wire hot when I need it. Everything else is run off switch 1...and this is where I keep it most of the time.

John - While I don't intend to inflict sever damage during wheeling, I did intend to wheel it nonetheless. I'll let you know when I plan to come back up...it would be great to learn the area as well as test the truck's capabilities...and maybe grab a beer too.

Thank you for all the compliments. It's been a blast to build it with Randy.

[phoenix37]

A beer sounds good. You certainly can opt out of the trails or take bypasses around the ones that are likely to cause real carnage but seeing that beautiful paint job get brushed with tree branches would be a painful thing to witness. The trails tend to be narrow and that kind of scratching is inevitable.

[don]

Wow! Truck looks amazing. My vote for the most dialed/best NAS build on the board. Really clean and doesn't look like any detail was left undone.

I know you have a bunch of stuff to take care of up north but if you have a chance I have a couple o' questions on the KM2s:

- Did they beat you up on the ride up to ME or were they pretty smooth on the highway?
- Any rubbing?
- Any idea what their height is mounted on the truck?

I'm running 285 SSR's which I love but always looking for something better and a little taller. The SSR's are 33" mounted on truck at 30 PSI and I would love to get something right around 34" and lighter/smoother when at higher speeds. I've read the KM2's are really good off road and might be just as good as the SSR's.

[junkyddog11]

So, this rig had a t-case meltdown on the way back to NJ and just spent a couple of days at my shop. I can say that this is one of the sweetest rigs I have ever had my hands on (couldn't do any better myself) and it was indeed a pleasure to work on something so clean and well built. Made my job all the easier.....hardly even got my hands dirty, in fact I think my hands get dirtier just getting in my junk!.
I just looked at the photos of this build and Chris will probably have a stroke that his rig was even parked in the disaster area that my place has turned into lately........LOL

[Chris Vitale]

Thanks Matt!

I am not kidding when I say that this T-Case is the one part on the vehicle that we did not restore. Go figure...

So, a few lessons learned:
1. Rebuilding a Defender is never a project that can be completed. Such as life, it's not the destination, it's the journey.

2. Matt, take no offense...even though you are one of the best and have bailed me out big time...it will never feel right having another man's dirty hands touching my baby! You could be the Rover God himself...and I would still feel the same way about this lesson.

3. This D-90 Source community is one of the best support systems...not only for diagnosing issues, learning about new products and helpful tips, but also a network of trusted friends you can rely on in a moments notice. Thanks Jimmy Salmon!

4. Last but not least, my wife and I have gotten closer in our marriage...as she didn't wince at the thought of another road trip in the D-90. Good thing too...she just might have missed out on many great trips! :)

I am currently on my way to reunite with my Baby.

[junkyddog11]

2. Matt, take no offense...even though you are one of the best and have bailed me out big time...it will never feel right having another man's dirty hands touching my baby! You could be the Rover God himself...and I would still feel the same way about this lesson.

.

I did wear gloves........and am now saying a few "Hail Marys" and a couple "Our fathers"

[TDI Guy]

I did wear gloves........and am now saying a few "Hail Marys" and a couple "Our fathers"

Lol....

[Chris Vitale]

The D90 went into Matt's shop like a lady and came out like a bitch with a serious attitude!

Ton's more torque for zip around town and for passing people on highway hill climbs...while in 5th gear! I can honestly say, thank God for the 1.2 T-case meltdown as I might never have otherwise converted to the 1.4.

Massive performance improvement. :)

The only drawback...running at higher RPMs. Approx. 3,400 vs. 3,000 at 70mph.

[nathanwind]

Chris, any plans to bring the 90 up to Lake George this summer? Would like to see the finished product (we met last year when I dropped the springs to Randy's place and the trucks were a work in progress).

[323jamie]

I am in need of an engine I am looking for some help with this.

[junkyddog11]

[QUOTE=Chris Vitale;314171]The D90 went into Matt's shop like a lady and came out like a bitch with a serious attitude!/QUOTE]

Thats what happens when she gets parked next to shopgirls Series rig for a couple of days. Went right to her head.......

[Overlander]

The D90 went into Matt's shop like a lady and came out like a bitch with a serious attitude!

Ton's more torque for zip around town and for passing people on highway hill climbs...while in 5th gear! I can honestly say, thank God for the 1.2 T-case meltdown as I might never have otherwise converted to the 1.4.

Massive performance improvement. :)

The only drawback...running at higher RPMs. Approx. 3,400 vs. 3,000 at 70mph.

I haven't read through this whole thread, but I have a 1.4 on my r380 with a 2.8, and I'm at 2800 at 70mph with 255/75/16's. I'm not understanding how you are at 3400k. I'm thinking I might want to go to a 1.2, as my 2.8 has power to push it.

[Chris Vitale]

Mark - I am running 3.9 gears in my diffs..not sure what ratio is in your diffs, but that could be the difference?...

On a similar note, an overdrive is now on order. I know it seems counter intuitive...but I like the option to use it, if desired.