the wiring is on the truck, not on the engine, so a full engime management rewire would also be required
DBT,
You must surely be getting the hint that pretty much everyone who has replied to this thread has dropped in the least subtle way possible - buying a 143 to run today will financially ruin you. If you want to run a truck today, it really needs to be less than 10 years old (and even that is pushing it a bit). Get yourself an XF, Actros, FH … even a Premium or Stralis (both of which I think are actually pretty good trucks if you look past the dash plastics and remember to tighten up the loose bits occasionally, and I’ve yet to see either sitting on the roadside with the cab tipped!)
143’s were great trucks, but that was 15-20 years ago! The are now best left to yard duties, truck shows and taking the odd trailer for test.
Your idea of engine swapping is interesting, but not practical I fear. The work (and expense) involved makes it unrealistic in financial terms at least - get a quote for the labour involved and add it to the purchase price of a half decent 143. Then of course you have to add the cost of a newer engine and all the required ancillaries - not just the ECU and loom, but things like compressor, alternator etc that would not normally be included, as the original 143 items probably won’t do the job! I would guess that the total cost involved would buy you a REALLY nice XF or FH which will be reliable, comfortable, fuel efficient and still be worth something in 3 or 4 years. Your 143 however will still be old, probably a bit tired both in looks and drive and due to it’s mutant state will be worth … sod all!
As others have said, if you want a 143 go and buy one as a hobby and have fun with it … but if you try and run one profitably you WILL fall out of love with it VERY quickly!
well i been sitiing on the side watching this, and mostly all the comments are right, but, yardshunting and testing duties, thats a bit harsh, we still run one one haulage on a fairly regular basis. im hurt now ! 
Point taken richmond, there are still a few tidy ones out there which are capable of doing a week’s work … for a bit longer at least.
But, would you buy one today?
well, im a bit skint today, but i bought mine two years ago, when i did have some, so maybe there is a hidden message in there!.
dbt:
im confused as to why the 460 144 is lez compliant but the 530 isn’t? i drive a 124 which is mapped to 500… its an xreg with rpc cert…this can go into london… surely the same age v8 can too?as for the engine swap… id hope that the wireing will come with the engine…
The 530 must kick out a bit more death from its exhaust as a result of the extra power, it’s basically a software change, although I know that some still run in the LEZ, they already had an RPC, typical of a government regulation, it makes no sense at all 
There is a firm at rainham essex still running a few 143s which i assume must have a particle trap for the exhaust.
From what we have been told on my firm by eminox when the 2012 london lez comes in to force it will only be euro 4 engines and ones that could meet the euro 3 regs without a modification that will now need to have a exhaust at about 5k that will meet the standard. so anything that currently has a exhaust to meet euro3 willbe redundant.
and if anyone thinks i am going to spend 5k per truck on an exhaust just so that they can go into London, they are very much mistaken!!
Since September last year, i have only been on the M25 3 times in a truck, once on the way to Erith, once on the way back and once on the journey between Risby and Southampton
all of those times, LEZ has not been an issue 
Joking aside, your man is right, use a modern truck
as for the cost… a rolling ‘shell’ (not half decent one) for around 3k… conversion is between 12-14k… what a normal 143 would cost anyway isnt it?
it seems this lez thing is a right pain in the ■■■■■■… not choosing to modify your trucks to go into london is one thing… but what happens when it goes to all major city’s? i know what im proposing is not a simple thing… but why not? buy a shell… have the cab re-trimed? and fit new engine and running gear? all for what it would cost to buy a 143 anyway… as for the no good anymore as a haulage truck?? you better tell the irish boys this because they mustn’t have been sent the info as i see them running 143’s alot still? last week i seen 4 irish wagons that i remember… 2 143’s and 2 164’s… theres a lad around the corner from where i live who only buys 143’s? there’s a certain Scottish haulier who ONLY buys 143… he has one exception and that is 1 124 purely for london work… they must be a good truck still or people wouldnt be running them? regardless of beeing 15-20years old…
but they dont go into london with them probably.
glenman:
but they dont go into london with them probably.
hence the engine conversion 
which everyone is trying to talk you out off. for a good reason. if you want a 143 to use everyday then just buy the best you can and dont go to london. simples.
The “Scottish haulier” you speak of - is this the same one (local to me) who just ditched their 143’s in favour of a bunch of second hand 4-series Scanny’s because they were struggling to keep the 143’s on the road?
And as for the Irish boys - they have the benfit of cheap(er) fuel and a slightly less strict operating environment, but even then the number of 143’s in operation in Ireland is drastically falling!
And if you are genuinely going to spend the best part of 20 grand creating the mutant truck you think is so good, then you are welcome to go on your way. I fear you will become one of the many trucknet members who have ignored the common sense approach, ignored the advice and wisdom of those who actually run trucks (presumably profitably) and stuck to your (flawed) plan, and fairly shortly after starting you will be back on here banging on about how business is too hard, the rates aren’t enough and how it just isn’t fair. Then the ■■■■-taking will begin …
£20k will buy you a really nice (modern) truck in the current climate - plenty of late model XF’s, FH’s or even Scanny’s for that kind of money - which will happily trundle on with nothing more than a 6-weekly inspection, the odd minor repair and an oil change.
When it comes to things like this there is a simple formula for gauging the likelyhood of success - how many other people are doing it? If you can’t find plenty of other people doing it (and as far as I can see you can’t even find someone who agrees it is a good idea!), then there is probably a reason for it …
that would be good mate but the problem occurs when all the other major city’s decide to go the same way as london… i respect everyone’s views on here and am happy with the non sarcastic reactions… thank you everyone… the ‘most logical’ thing to do would be buy a more modern truck and not bother with what i am planning. i understand this and agree. but the easy option isnt always the best for individuals… i have a passion for older trucks… imagine a F16 with a 660 engine pulling a fridge fully loaded up telegraph hill 
what a sight that would be lol… a 143 with a 580 lump thumping along does it for me too… not a simple task but not outrageous either… look at spankys truck… the ‘easy’ thing to do for the owner who had the conversion done would of been to leave it as it come… but he wanted something different…
When it comes to things like this there is a simple formula for gauging the likelyhood of success - how many other people are doing it? If you can’t find plenty of other people doing it (and as far as I can see you can’t even find someone who agrees it is a good idea!), then there is probably a reason for it …
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im not looking for anyone else who thinks it s a good idea… my post was about plating 143 and the euro rating. i orignally wanted to just buy a 143 and run it… but seen as the lez is a problem and other city’s are set to follow there isn’t much point in doing that… truck choice is a personal opinion… in ‘my’ opinion the 3 series has the best cab… ok its not the most modern or tallest… but it is very well built… much better then the newer scania’s… ask spanky about my 4series i drive now… the renault premium i had previous to it was quieter inside… im not saying the 4 series is a bad truck i love it to bits!! but the 4 series is no where near as well built as the 3 series… nor are most trucks ive been in… so in ‘my’ opinion having the best cab built coupled to a very good strong engine for the price of a more modern more shoddy built truck with no guts is a good idea 
Buy a fh 12 globey, there good tools
FH16Globetrotter:
When it comes to things like this there is a simple formula for gauging the likelyhood of success - how many other people are doing it? If you can’t find plenty of other people doing it (and as far as I can see you can’t even find someone who agrees it is a good idea!), then there is probably a reason for it …
I’ve always took a slightly different view when everyone else does one thing do the opposite (although that probably works better in agriculture than haulage)
There are some seriously stupid people on this site…
dbt:
ask spanky about my 4series i drive now… the renault premium i had previous to it was quieter inside…
there is the reason i don’t call you as much these days, in the premium it was nice and quiet, now you are in the scrapia, it always sounds like you have got the windows open and the noise coming down the phone is unbearable
dbt:
look at spankys truck… the ‘easy’ thing to do for the owner who had the conversion done would of been to leave it as it come… but he wanted something different…
there is one major difference there, the conversion on the truck that i now own, is a cosmetic alteration, the one that you are looking at is a major mechanical/electrical conversion
something else to consider, the truck was brand new, a few months old when it was done, so they were paying for that, then they spent approx £20,000 on the conversion 
i purchased the truck from the finance company as a reposession vehicle.
that alone speaks volumes!