LDV pilot RWD gearbox

[THE_Liam]

Right, this may just be a daft pie in the sky idea but I've been wanting an epic project for a while so here goes...

I've been offered a pretty clean Vauxhall Victor FE with a cracked head very cheap. I've been thinking for a while about dropping an XUD in a classic to have a nippy retro ride that runs on veg for everyday use. I'm thinking possibly a 2.1 on an LDV Pilot box, connected to the Vauxhall axle with a custom propshaft. I know obviously ill have to sort a lot of other issues such as mounts, gear linkage etc, but a few questions...

Would the Pilot gearbox just mount up to any XUD?
Is it known to handle power well?
Any idea of rough dimensions?
Has anyone done this before so I can steal all their ideas?

Feel free to laugh

[karl1989]

Isn't the kit car on here using the pilot box? That's rear wheel

[THE_Liam]

I'll have a look mate

[Piggy]

Yeah the kitcar sprung to mind too...

wonder what happened to that?!

[Xud Missile]

My MK is still out and about, I was at Newark kit car show yesterday

Would the Pilot gearbox just mount up to any XUD?

Yes, all pilots were powered by N/A XUD engines (bar a few turbo'd) To bolt mine up I used a HDi flywheel and pressure plate and a custom friction plate.

Is it known to handle power well?

The Pilot box is a LT77 if that's any help for searching on what power they'll take. They were superseded by the R380 which is so called as it can handle 380n/m. Whether that's folklore or not, I don't know. I went with the pilot box as they are cheaper! If it goes bang, it goes bang ^_^

A Tata Loadbeta box will also bolt on (if it came from a Tata that had the peugeot based engine, I believe some had merc engines) but I don't know about flywheels, clutches or how much power they will take (could be made of cheese). They have a much nicer bellhousing though, if you're tight for space they'll save room.

Any idea of rough dimensions?

I could get some for you in the next couple of days if that's any use. Generally they're quite narrow after the bellhousing (compared to the volvo box I used to use in my kit car anyway)

[THE_Liam]

I was hoping you'd post dude, thanks for that. Yeah some rough measurements would be great, although looking at the trans tunnel on the Victor I'm not sure it would be any issue. I'm so tempted to do this, 50mpg on veg and 150bhp+ in an old 70's motor with a few period mods like slot mags...

[Piggy]

do it do it do it do it.

xud's for the win

[cully]

id be more worryed about what brakes would fit than the engine transplant

[Dum-Dum]

Do it mate!!

The pilot box fits to any XUD. I considered doing it when I got my dutton

[THE_Liam]

id be more worryed about what brakes would fit than the engine transplant

Already looked into that mate, Astra GTE discs and pads *should* fit...

---

Do it mate!!

The pilot box fits to any XUD. I considered doing it when I got my dutton

I'm very tempted, always wanted to do this since I heard about the Pilot box

[Jonny81191]

id be more worryed about what brakes would fit than the engine transplant

Already looked into that mate, Astra GTE discs and pads *should* fit...

Same as the GTi6 setup IIRC?

Also,

DO IT!!

[THE_Liam]

Well, just had a look at it, not quite as clean as it was made out to be. Looks mint from 5 feet away but there's a fair few areas that aren't exactly ferrous if you know what I mean...

Actually runs with a cracked head though!

[Xud Missile]

I was hoping you'd post dude, thanks for that. Yeah some rough measurements would be great, although looking at the trans tunnel on the Victor I'm not sure it would be any issue. I'm so tempted to do this, 50mpg on veg and 150bhp+ in an old 70's motor with a few period mods like slot mags...

That'd be awesome, I'm quite a fan of Victors. Tune up the XUD and give Red Victor 3 a run for his money!

Rough dimensions of the box btw, I yoinked a pic from google images and put my rough measurements in. I can't get proper access at the mo to get the full length of the box all the way back to the flange but gives you a rough idea.

[THE_Liam]

You absolute legend! That really helps, im almost certain it'll fit. Just got to decide if it's worth a lot of welding, I think it may be mostly filler

[nominous]

Yeah the kitcar sprung to mind too...

wonder what happened to that?!

Take a look on youtube.

Head from a TATA loadbeta (valve cover looks epic, gotta get me one...) , and running both a turbo and a kompressor off a 230CLK !!

[Danny Wideboy]

Holy thread revival!!

Tis a wicked kit car project tho.

[maxlee]

found my info here 

what cluch plate to use  

and there's a well know kit car picture

[madwelshman]

I'm on the lookout for a Pilot to rob the box out of as well. I've got a Hillman Avenger that I want to XUDT and run as a daily

[Chairchild]

as I stated on that retro rides thread - any RWD XUD thread will always (eventually...lol ) get my attention

The R380 was indeed initially designed to cope with 380Nm of torque - but revisions have meant it's now far in excess of that capability. The guts from a Land Rover TD5 R380 are generally "the best" you can get your hands on. But the stock LDV Pilot R380 will still be more than enough for a tuned XUD

Don't forget the LDV Pilot spigot bearing - otherwise the input shaft bearing on the gearbox won't be your friend for very long!


Also, helping a mate fit a XUD11 into his Land Rover Defender - but only using the LDV input shaft and bellhousing, as he's rebuilding an R380 with the Land Rover 4wd output, so it won't be rwd.... it'll be a 4wd XUD11

---

PS: easy way to tell the difference between an R80, and the earlier LT77

LT77 - reverse is to the left, and up (dog leg setup - no syncro)

R380 - reverse is to the right, and down (below 5th, and with a syncro, on reverse!)

[nominous]

Also, helping a mate fit a XUD11 into his Land Rover Defender - but only using the LDV input shaft and bellhousing, as he's rebuilding an R380 with the Land Rover 4wd output, so it won't be rwd.... it'll be a 4wd XUD11

Please do keep us informed on how that goes or if there is a project thread ??

[Xud Missile]

PS: easy way to tell the difference between an R80, and the earlier LT77

LT77 - reverse is to the left, and up  (dog leg setup - no syncro)

R380 - reverse is to the right, and down (below 5th, and with a syncro, on reverse!)

Awesome, I have an R380 then. Thanks for that info! Now I just need this and I'm sorted!:

shiny new things

[Chairchild]

Please do keep us informed on how that goes or if there is a project thread ??

No project thread I'm afraid - but in general:

# Landy Defender, currently with a 300TDi lump.
# Fitting a XUD11 lump.
# using LDV pilot bellhousing and input shaft, with Landy R380 'box.
# TD5 hydraulic mount.
# Fitting a GT1752 turbo, with a simple adaptor plate to the stock manifold. Modified stock oil drain, stock oil feed.
# larger camplate fitted. IIRC, only got a 9mm head.

We got impatient retiming the pump with the new camplate, as the stock timing points are now useless... and we ended up wrecking a cam rocker

Bought myself a proper DTI mounting kit for the pump, rather than just trying to bodge a DTI gauge into place. Will save tears in the long run, even thought we're just losing patience with this pump (already had to strip it 100% to de-gunge every single part)

[nominous]

yeah, I had some fun with a pump back in sept/oct having to strip it back several times to get it working.
Plus side was much better knowledge of the inner workings

[THE_Liam]

Glad this thread was some use!