Jeeves arrives in style

What Syncro Gearbox Parts Are You Using? : ZF S6-53 adapter and Defender Slick Shift

Happy Re-birthday to Jeeves!
Please welcome Jeeves back onto the road and the trail. Once upon a time, July of 2019, Vinnie the V8 needed some TLC and was the perfect base for my long nosed Land Rover project. With breathtaking alacrity I set to Vinnie with the reciprocating saw, cutting disks and grinder. As the parts flew off and metal went into the scrap bin, many of my friends questioned my sanity. But like a prophet of old, I had a vision and was determined to make it a reality. The inspiration idea was that this is what Land Rover would have built in 1928 (if they were in business then) when Bentley was making those gorgeous roadsters. Others have described it as “what Cruella de Ville would drive if she drove a Landy!” I think the latter is probably the most accurate!
Jeeves is built up from what was a 5 door V8 110 station wagon. I moved the bulkhead back to where to middle doors are making what were the back seats, now the front. Then moved the original V8 back 3 feet to see where it would land. A pair of Alpha Romeo GT seats were plopped in behind the steering and the proof of concept was a reality. That’s when I knew it would work. I had bought a BMW 528i here in the UK as my run-around vehicle when I was back in the UK on holiday. It was purchased specifically for the engine. To the purists, the concept of putting a BMW engine into a Defender seemed like sacrilege. But what many people do not know is that the M52 BMW engine actually IS a Land Rover engine! When BMW bought Land Rover in the late 90’s, the South Africa plant dropped the venerable old Rover V8 and put in their very own inline 6 cylinder petrol engine instead. By all accounts, it is the best petrol engine ever put in a Defender by LR. It also holds the Defender speed record of 0-100k/ph in 9.3 seconds!!
Once I moved back over to the UK full time I got busy on the build. The engine was pulled from my lovely BMW and I never looked back. The engine was married to a ZF 6 speed manual gearbox and then hung the world-famous Land Rover LT 230 transfer case off the back end of the drive train. The power train was bolted up to a set of stock Defender prop shafts turned back to front. The short front shaft is now the rear and the long rear is now the front. Once it was all lined up, the power train was bolted in.
Now came the real craftsmanship part. Jeeves was hauled down to RAC Parts for the hard fabrication. The new front end was built out of tubing just like the modern winch challenge Defenders use, just longer. Then the panels were built filling the front bodywork in. It was really starting to take shape. Many asked if I was going to put in a V12 Merlin engine, or a V12 BMW. Uh, no…I could not afford to feed either of those even though they would fit handily. Next came the floors, doors, seat mounts, shifters, radiator, plumbing, wiring, roll cage, and a million other things to make it roadworthy. After giving Jeeves a lick of Afrika Korps desert sand paint Jeeves went for his MOT. And he passed! The massive effort, cart loads of cash, and scraped knuckles, from July 2019 to April of 2022, were absolutely worth it!!! An extra special thanks to Rick and Tony of RAC Parts for making it come to life.
RAC Parts Ltd
One thing I know for sure; my pop would’ve been proud if he was here to see it.
Now comes the fun part of wiring up the air compressor, the heater, CB radio, intercom, etc. The new soft top went on yesterday. Bulkheads and rear deck are the plans for this week. Why? Because on the last day of this month, Lisa and I head for Newhaven to gather with the bulk of the Popski’s Private Expedition group.
Popski’s Private Expeditions
On the morning of May first, we all head south, across France, to Genoa, Ferry to Tunisia. This group of seven Land Rover Defenders will be searching for the remnants of the lost patrol of the Long Range Desert Group during WWII. We will be gone for the entire month. Nothing like a test by fire. So, if you see Jeeves out on the road, give us a wave and we hope to see you out on the trail!