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ROW 110s LHD/RHD and 2.5NA/200/300tdi

5K views 38 replies 20 participants last post by  mgreenspan 
#1 ·
Greetings.

I don't post here much but I do read up often. I could not find these topics discussed in the search forum so I thought I'd ask away.

When comparing early 1980s ROW 110s in either LHD and RHD, I understand that the masses in the US most likely prefer LHD for obvious reasons. However, I'm curious to know:

1. What are the real pros and cons to a RHD 110?
2. If any, what are the real cons to a LHD 110 that may make RHD look more desirable?

Regarding diesel engines:
3. In general, is the track record for a 2.5 NA diesel a considerable engine or is it best to stay away and focus on either 200tdi/300tdi engines or even a Td5?

Sorry, I have a lot of questions but I'd like to know exactly what I'm up against before I jump in. I'm open to your feedback.
Thanks very much!
Jayson
 
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#2 ·
Greetings.

I don't post here much but I do read up often. I could not find these topics discussed in the search forum so I thought I'd ask away.

When comparing early 1980s ROW 110s in either LHD and RHD, I understand that the masses in the US most likely prefer LHD for obvious reasons. However, I'm curious to know:

1. What are the real pros and cons to a RHD 110?
Pros: cheaper to source, picking up your mail is easier
Cons: toll booths, drive throughs, some central american countries require special permission for RHD vehicle passage/entry, etc...


2. If any, what are the real cons to a LHD 110 that may make RHD look more desirable?
None -


Regarding diesel engines:
3. In general, is the track record for a 2.5 NA diesel a considerable engine or is it best to stay away and focus on either 200tdi/300tdi engines or even a Td5?
No benefits to a 2.5 and parts are slowly becoming more difficult to source. 200 or 300Tdi are plentiful and reliable with minimal electronic parts (more so than a Td5)

Sorry, I have a lot of questions but I'd like to know exactly what I'm up against before I jump in. I'm open to your feedback.
Thanks very much!
Jayson
Answers in bold, not many questions at all...
 
#4 ·
200 tdi is possibly the better of the engines.
Retro fitted engines from a discovery (plentiful) don't fit quite as well as the defender engine which will bolt straight in in place of either a 2.5 NA diesel or a 2.3/2.5 4 pot petrol.
300 tdi engines are I believe the same, largely, between the defender and discovery but don't bolt in quite so easily - different engine mounts and different engine position needing a long bell housing and different transmission covers in the cab.
 
#5 ·
if you re-sell in the States the LHD will be more desirable and, to date, bring a higher price. Some people really love driving the RHD while others hate it.
The engines are a hit and miss while most people would prefer the 300 but a lot will argue the 200 is better. The Td5 has loads more power and is better on the road but being computer controlled may not be as easy to work on. Finding parts on the tdi's and Td5 is easy in the UK and not too bad here in the States.
 
#6 ·
I have a RHD 90 with a 200TDI. I do not mind the RHD at all and adapted almost immediately to driving on the other side. Certainly don't let it scare you away from a truck. The 200 has decent power and after speaking with people who have n/a diesels, I'm glad I have a TDI. The n/a in a 110 would probably keep you from cruising at a decent speed (close to 70) on the highway. With the 200 I can cruise close to 75 no problem on flat ground
 
#7 ·
My take on RHD VS LHD

It seems most people have a hard time wrapping their mind around drive a RHD vehicle but it is just as easy and only takes a few mins to get used to shifting with your left hand.

From a practical standpoint there are a few reasons that I think RHD is nice on a 90.

- There is more foot well room on the RH side

- The engine compartment is already crowded on the LH side with the exhaust, air filter, turbo / intercooler pipes, power steering, alternator, clutch slave, starter, windscreen washer and the tube that goes from the air cleaner to the wing. Adding pedals and steering stuff would make it even more crowded and hard to work on.

- My old LHD 90 the floorboards would get really hot and so would my feet, with the 200 my exhaust pipe runs under the LH floorboard so no heat transfer on the RH floorboards.

- The 200tdi motor, trans and transfer case are all offset to the LH side. Inside the cabin this makes for less room and further crowds things under the bonnet

- People freak when they see you driving on the wrong side of the truck :)

It is almost like they designed it to be RHD

With that said if you are going to a drive up window or toll booth RHD is a bit of a PITA would be less so if you had auto windows but trying to roll them down and reach across sucks

It cost a bunch of $ to convert to LHD so if you are thinking to buy a RHD and convert down the road to save money i doubt that you would save anything in the long run

A LHD truck will bring more money and sell faster the conversion is expensive and takes time so people are willing to pay extra for one that is already LHD
 
#8 ·
Stay out of fast food drive thrus ( wow some of them you can even park, go in and order food from another human being!) and get a EZPass or equivalent, or like many of your fellow travellers, simply breeze thru the toll plaza without paying.
There are many theories why there are RHD countries and LHD countries. Many say it was Napoleon. Who knows for sure. In any case there is no physical reason why you can't use a RHD car on LHD roads.
 
#10 ·
I own a 2.5 NA RHD 110 SW. As of a month ago it is my daily driver.

I completely agree with the posts above -- do not be scared away from a truck that is RHD. At least for me, the transition was seamless and I think nothing of it. I'm pretty sure the RHD has more space for the driver as well.

If I were to do it all over again I'd wait around for a 200/300 tdi. Mine cruises at 55-60 but will rarely go much faster than that. Its slow speed is borderline dangerous on the highway, depending on where you drive. However, the thing has been incredibly reliable and runs well. I just finished a 500 mile trek to Eastern North Carolina from West Georgia without any hiccups. I just wore my ear-pro and kept the pedal to the floor. I want a tdi but it is bottom on my priority list because my truck runs so well as-is.

Bottom line of my 2 cents: jump on a good truck even if it is RHD. Unless you are only planning on weekend cruising around town, avoid the 2.5 NA. If a good, original truck with no rot comes around with a 2.5 and a good price you oughta get it. You can upgrade later and save the 2.5 for a series project or something.
 
#13 ·
To be honest i HATE RHD. It just feels unnatural to me! Maybe some of you can get use to it but it just feels strange. SO it is just you personal preferences. There are lots of RHD out there not so much original LHD. So it is normal that they are more expensive then a rhd.
I own a 200 and a 300 tdi. I have to say i like the 300 better. It is smoother, drives nicer on the high way and more power when i am accelerating! The original 200 tdi defender engines are in my opinion rarer then the 300tdi. I am not talking about the disco ones. But in any case it does not matter what you choose as long it is a defender!:)
 
#14 ·
I have a RHD 90 with a 2.5 n/a. I drive the truck 4-5 times a week always on the weekend.
Drive thru and tolls are as said a PITA
it took me 20 min behind the wheel to feel comfortable on the right.
2.5 n/a is not the fastest most powerful but it is very reliable. I can cruise on the flat at 65-70 going up hills 55-60 steep hills 40-45.
I would recommend a viscous clutch on the fan motor or an electric fan motor. I have not done this as of yet but it is on the list (very soon).
This will increase the above numbers by 5-10 mph.
I would recommend buying a truck in excellent working order. Spend the money on a pre purchase inspection by a reputable shop. It can save you $$$$
Don't worry about what side you're on. Just get a solid truck
And ENJOY!!!
 
#15 ·
Agree with all that has been said here. I have driven both RHD and LHD and have to say that while RHD is easy to get used to, it is more risky and even dangerous (can't see when pulling out to pass - though passing not something you'd be doing in a NA diesel) in N America. I much prefer LHD over here. The Td5 is not that much more power than a 300, and with a few tweaks the 300 can easily match the Td5 for power output, and is easier to work on, plus the Td5 throttle by wire is considered by many to be off-putting.

Good luck with the hunt!
 
#16 ·
Skeena river rover said:
To be honest i HATE RHD. It just feels unnatural to me! Maybe some of you can get use to it but it just feels strange.
i personally love my rhd but it definitely was not love at first drive. when i test drove janey, i was going 25 in a 45 and still felt like i was constantly going to run off the road, or run into someone in the oncoming lane.

after having put some miles on mikes old truck, i find rhd is quite enjoyable, if not for the uniqueness of it ("is that legal?") then the convenience of getting out on the curb side when city driving.
 
#18 ·
This is great information. Being 6' the extra leg room is nice. As for the 2.5, I think it might not be powerful enough for highway driving. It would take a lot longer to get out of FL

What's the average going rate for a rebuilt or decent running 200 or 300 Tdi plus installation?

As for a SD cage, obviously it offers additional safety which I prefer., who sells these cages and what should I budget for one?

Thanks again!
 
#20 · (Edited)
I don't get the "more dangerouse" comment but to each his own. I have put well over 100k on rhd defenders. Much of that in major metropolitan citys like Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington DC. Much of that mileage while towing a car trailer loaded with another defender. I have two EZ passes (toll passes for the Eastern US), one for just the truck, and the other for the truck and trailer. Aside from the occasional drive through atms and fast food places (which we should all avoid anyway) I don't find myself inconvenienced. That said we all have different skill sets.

2.5 naturals (12J engines) are boat anchors in a 110 and are unsafe on metroploitan area interstates where the average speed of traffic is often 70-75 in the slow lane. In a 90 they are just painfull. Propelling a 4600 lb 110 5 door with 68 hp isn't going to put a smile on your face. Not sure I buy that switching from a fan clutch to electric fan will gain you 5mph. In principal it shouldn't.

A lhd dash and heater assembly, brake lines, accelerator cable, and wiper change over parts are typically over $5k now for just the parts. Installation involves swapping out the steering and installing another steering knuckle as well, so conversions typically cost well in excess of $10k if performed by a pro. Done properly a conversion should appear and perform exactly as a lhd truck would have left the factory. My one exception to that with my conversions is I like to leave the parking brake on the right side as its an easy reach from the left and the damn thing digs into what little space there is on the left side, but move them if asked.

One can easily spend in excess of $20k converting to tdi and converting to LHD. There is one forum member who recently posted that she spent in excess of $40k.
 
#21 · (Edited)
One can easily spend in excess of $20k converting to tdi and converting to LHD. There is one forum member who recently posted that she spent in excess of $40k.
:eek: Cost me £3500 ish in 1998. at Dunsfold Land Rovers. Drive in 2.3 petrol with 1.6 transfer box drive out 200tdi with 1.44 transfer box about 5 days later. That put a smile on my face. What a difference, from painfully slow to quite nippy.:)
 
#22 ·
The vehicle that I've owned longest in my life was RHD (100" hybrid). Drove a RHD 200 Tdi 110 for year and a half commuting 3.5 hours a day before I converted it.

That being said, if you are going to be driving it everyday, I'd spend the extra and buy a LHD.

But that's my opinion.

Also, and I know I'm sounding like a broken record saying this again, but don't buy a truck with a disco 200 and try to convert. Turbo is in the way of the steering shaft, and 90/110 200 Tdi manifolds have been NLA for a long time now....I've had to make two piece steering shafts that wrap around the turbo, they were reliable, but I still didn't like doing it. LHD dash parts are getting hard to find too. I don't think I'd ever again do a LHD conversion for myself, and someone would have to pay me dearly and supply ALL the parts before I did one for someone else.
 
#27 ·
Also, and I know I'm sounding like a broken record saying this again, but don't buy a truck with a disco 200 and try to convert. Turbo is in the way of the steering shaft, and 90/110 200 Tdi manifolds have been NLA for a long time now....I've had to make two piece steering shafts that wrap around the turbo, they were reliable, but I still didn't like doing it.

Why didn't you simply bolt the readily available 300 tdi intake and exhaust manifolds onto the disco 200 engine and roll with that ?
 
#23 ·
I agree with many of you, I wouldn't go through a RHD to LHD conversion process when I could just pay more for an original LHD with the right engine. As for a RHD, if this in the end, worked out the best, I would take as is and enjoy it. Along the way, I'd make some changes like new seats, add a NAS cage, and maybe add A/C. This is all assuming that the frame/body/and engine are all solid. Same goes for a LHD too. After listening to everyone's comments, I'm leaning towards the 200tdi or possibly a 300tdi would be the best way to go- especially for long trips but I'd still like to experience the performance of the 2.5.

My big picture thoughts are that I think I'm so focused on the idea of a NAS 110 that the best way to get close on a budget is with a ROW 110. My daily driver is a 2006 LR3 that is perfect for transporting the kids and family, long road trips and overland travel when we actually get out. To date, with 98k, it has been a flawless performer. My goal for the 110 would be to have the option to tinker with it when necessary (maybe too often than I'm thinking), drive it a few days a week and possibly take it on overland/camping trips with my kids.

My far alternative to a ROW110 is a 1997 D90 SW:white, red or green... Its smaller but I would make it work. Yes its money but I might be persuaded this way too. Yes, I have a lot of decisions to make but for now, I'm going to enjoy the experience in viewing multiple trucks and then decide what will work the best. Thanks!!!

Lastly, who here makes their own biodiesel at home and what processors work the best? Anyone have a EZBiodiesel processor?
 
#28 ·
Doug I'd love to know where to find these 300 Tdi manifolds are that are so readily available. I've been looking for months and have had no love.
 
#31 ·
Yes well I have been down the Ebay road a few times. Shipping one of these is about 175 UKP. If you can get the seller to ship, that is.
I can't understand why they balk when I tell them I will pay for the ride and all they have to do is box it up. They act like I'm some third world scammer.
 
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