Discourse THE MAGAZINE OF THE DISCOVERY OWNERS CLUB
D23 2006
Fat Air Precious Metal Assistance Register Make your own Boot Tidy ...and much, much more inside!
The Small Print For the purposes of this notice, ‘Discovery Owners Club’ and ‘Club’ are interchangeable and assumed to mean the same thing.
Discourse Articles
The Club reserves the right to edit or refuse articles received from members. Views expressed by members contributing to this magazine are those of that member and may not necessarily be those of the Club. Every effort is made to verify the contents of member’s articles, but the Club can not accept responsibility for the veracity of its content.
Caveat Emptor
Every effort is made to ensure advertisements are bona fide. The Club can not accept responsibility for the quality of goods or services advertised. The moral is “buyer beware”.
Public Liability Insurance
The Club has Public Liability Insurance for registered Club events of a non-competitive nature. Cover is provided for full Club members, their spouse or partner and children residing at the same address. Family members as defined in the Club rules travelling in a separate vehicle are also covered. Road traffic accident risks are not covered by the Club’s Public Liability Insurance. It is the responsibility of the member to ensure that they have proper and legal Insurance cover for themselves and the vehicle from leaving home until returning home.
Club Events
Activities in particular but not excluding off-roading and green-laning are undertaken solely at the participants’ own risk. Vehicles should be suitably insured and prepared for the undertaken activity. Participation in any Club organised event is on the understanding and acceptance that safety is the responsibility of the participant.
Green Lanes
All ‘green lanes’ are highways as defined by the Highways Act 1980. Green laning events require the same level of insurance, road tax, MOT and driver’s licence as normal roads.
Complimentary Show Tickets
From time to time, the Club receives complimentary tickets to shows the club is attending. The Club’s policy is to make these tickets available to those members willing to help on the Club stand during the event. If you are willing to help at the event on the Club stand and / or allow your vehicle to be displayed, please contact the Club’s event organiser (listed in What’s On) whose decision on the distribution of those tickets shall be final. Surplus tickets shall either be destroyed or returned to the event organisers.
Data Protection
The Club recognises its responsibilities under the 1998 Data Protection Act. The Membership Secretary is the Club’s Data Controller. The membership database of current and past members shall be for the Club’s exclusive use and shall not be made available to any third party. Elected Officers of the Club may have access to member information having shown good reason. Ordinary members may request contact information of another member. This shall only be through a Committee member who will contact the member to first ask permission.
Committee Meetings
Under the rules of the club, members may attend, but not participate at committee meetings. If you plan to come along, please let the Club Secretary know in advance.
Articles for Discourse When submitting articles for inclusion in Discourse, please save the document as a text file without embedded images. Images should be separate and sent either as photographs or digital images in .jpg format on CD. All files should be sent to the Club’s Editor for selection. They should only be sent to the Publisher directly by prior arrangement. Photographs will not be returned unless requested.
Contents
Association of Rover Clubs
The Club is a non-competitive member of the Association of Rover Clubs (ARC), an organisation bringing together all member Land Rover clubs for organising events (both competitive and non-competitive) and providing many essential services to member clubs. The Club’s ARC Representative is Alan Smart.
GLASS
The Discovery Owners Club supports GLASS (Green Lane Association). GLASS is a national rights of way user group representing the interests of motor car users on unsurfaced minor highways or ‘green lanes’ in England and Wales. GLASS promotes responsible off-roading and the Club endorses this.
Hot off the Press
4
Who wants Fat Air?
6
Jerry’s Disco
8
Mr Speaker
9
Reasons to be Cheerful 1
10
Boot Tidy
12
Assistance Register
13
National Event
14
Two ways for members to obtain Discourse back issues:
A Different Kind of High
16
Printed copies at £2.50 ea together with a self addressed A4 envelope stamped at 41 pence, or CDROM at £5.00 including postage (this would have all back issues).
What I do with my Disco
18
Cheques should be made payable to ‘Discovery Owners Club’ and sent with your order to the Membership Secretary.
Merchandise
19
Precious Metal
20
MSA
22
New Year’s Day Greenlaning
23
LSRs and Down Your Way
24
Club Web Sites & DOC Forum
www.discoveryownersclub.com and www.discoveryownersclub.org are the Club’s website addresses. www.doc-forum.co.uk is our forum address. For instant access, all you need is a valid membership number to register on site. Once registered, you can log on anywhere in the world to catch up with your favourite club, post replies and help fellow Discovery Owners. Subjects range from Caravanning to Humour. There’s optional email notification for individual postings, entire topics or forums.
Back Issues
Advertising in Discourse
Advertising space will be available in future issues of Discourse. Advertisements can be whole page, half page and quarter page in either black and white or full colour. Suppliers and dealers wishing to advertise in Discourse should contact Alan Smart for a Rate Card and details of space available.
Small Ads for DOC Members
Members can place small ads for Discovery stuff in Discourse for free. However, if you have a cottage to let or anything else that would bring in some income, then you’ll also be able to advertise in the small ads section but will be expected to make a contribution to the production costs of Discourse.
The Discovery Owners Club PO Box 12003 Birmingham B44 0ZQ
Executive Committee PETER GREENWAY
VACANT
Chairman 68 Bosworth Road, South Yardley, Birmingham B26 1EX Tel: 0121 680 6093
Mobile: 07956 825 867
Email: chairman@discoveryownersclub.org
Competitions Secretary - club officer Email: compsec@discoveryownersclub.org KRIS WILCOX Discourse Editor
ALAN SMART Secretary, Archivist, Wessex LSR. The Bales, Cow Lane, Kimpton, Andover, Hampshire. SP11 8NY Tel: 01264 772851
Management Committee
Fax: 01264 773300
Email: secretary@discoveryownersclub.org JON HUNT Membership Secretary.
Mobile: 07799 052751 Email: editor@discoveryownersclub.org MALCOLM BOURNE Events Co-ordinator Mobile: 07746 028833 Email: events@discoveryownersclub.org
18 Oakville Close, Lower Wick, Worcester, WR2 4XL
SEAN BUTLER-LEE
Tel:
Internet Officer - club officer
Mobile: 07813 803760
Email: memsec@discoveryownersclub.org Email: internet@discoveryownersclub.org
PAUL WALKER Vice Chairman. North Worcs. LSR. 17 Ditchford Close, Hunt End, Redditch, Worcs, B97 5XT Tel: 07939 411 995 Email: vicechair@discoveryownersclub.org JOHN FRANCIS
Merchandising Officer Mobile: Email: clubshop@discoveryownersclub.org STEFAN TAPP
Treasurer 8 Cottage Fields, Eaves Green, Chorley, Lancs. PR7 3QE Tel: 01257 270079
VAL FRANCIS & DEBBIE WHITE
Mobile: 07766 168869
Email: treasurer@discoveryownersclub.org
Publicity & Press Officer Email: publicity@discoveryownersclub.org
Committee Corner Since the last report the Committee met in January, membership has increased to 850 members. The ability to join and renew online has been a contributor to this but also the Club is getting more coverage in the press. The reprint of the Club flyers has also attracted more members. The Club’s finances are in a healthy state even with having held the membership fee at the same level for two years. It was decided to reprint a refreshed flyer for the 2006 season. Val Francis and Debbie White have been coopted as joint Club Merchandising Officers to ready the Club Shop for the new season. Discourse continues to provide the membership with a quality magazine at a reasonable price. It was agreed that we need to put more effort into the promotion of the local sections and
the forum will provide each local section with its own pages. It was noted that the news section of the forum needed to be refreshed more often and the Press and Publicity Officer agreed to take this on. The arrangements for the 2006 National Event are progressing but rely upon more members taking part. Our MSA recognition has been processed and we await the final paperwork - see page 22. As part of the Club’s ongoing commitment to the preservation of our byways, it was agreed to appoint a Rights of Way Officer to work with GLASS and liase with other like-minded clubs and organisations. We have investigated the purchase of a new trailer and (hopefully) this will be ready for the AGM. Alan Smart, Club Secretary
Hot off the Press... LAND ROVER SETS GLOBAL SALES RECORD IN 2005 Gaydon, Warwickshire, 6 January 2006 - Land Rover has achieved its best sales performance in the company’s history. In the record year of 2005, the 4x4 manufacturer sold 185,120 vehicles around the world, an increase of 14% on the previous year. The USA saw sales surge by 30% and for the UK it was another record year, marking six years of continual growth. Emerging markets like China and Russia witnessed sales increases of 105% and 67% respectively. In the UK, December’s cold snap sent buyers into the 4x4 specialist’s showrooms, giving an end of year boost which took sales to 48,777 - 3% higher than the previous year and the company’s fifth record year in a row. Andy Griffiths, Land Rover’s UK Marketing Director, said, “Drivers are obviously looking for the sure-footedness and versatility a Land Rover offers when the going gets tough. Our unique Terrain Response system, which has a specific setting for snow and ice, will help drivers deal with sub-zero conditions. With more wintry weather to come we expect to see many more people choose a Land Rover.” The sales growth has been driven by an exceptionally strong model line up. Range Rover Sport, the company’s fifth nameplate, experienced a sensational debut with 30,356 models sold worldwide in six months. Discovery 3/LR3, which has collected 54 awards, saw sales climb steadily throughout the year to 53,558. In the US, a record year ended on a record high, with Land Rover’s best December sales performance. Matthew Taylor, Land Rover’s Managing Director, said, “This fantastic achievement is a reflection of a strong, new model line up and is a reward for significant investment and hard work. We said 2005 would be the year of opportunity and the United States would be an increasingly important market for Land Rover. We set out to seize success and grabbed it with both hands. We now need to maintain that momentum.”
DISCOVERY 3 IS AXA CAR OF THE YEAR 2006 Gaydon, Warwickshire, 13 February 2006 – The Land Rover Discovery 3 has been crowned the AXA Car of the Year 2006 in Northern Ireland. The title was awarded by the Ulster Motoring Writers Association (UMWA) who chose the Discovery 3 as the winner of the AXA Leisure Car category before being crowned the AXA Car of the Year 2006, beating tough competition from Lexus, Audi and Toyota. Chairman of the Ulster Motoring Writers’ Association, Jim McCauley, said: “Of all the vehicles judged in this year’s competition the Discovery 3 scored consistently high. It scooped almost twice the number of points of its nearest rival which really sets it apart in its class. As well as its on-and-off-road capability, it offers a quality driving experience and is an outstanding testament to the UK motor industry.” Land Rover’s UK managing director John Edwards added: “We are incredibly proud that the Discovery 3 has won The AXA Car of the Year 2006. Since its launch in 2004 the Discovery 3 has won 70 awards around the world. This is a remarkable achievement and proves the strong appeal of a vehicle that demonstrates a true breadth of capability.”
LAND ROVER G4 CHALLENGE: UK COMPETITOR SELECTED FOR 2006 COMPETITION Eastnor Castle, Herefordshire, 3 February 2006 – Brian Reynolds, a railway engineer from Chesterfield in Derbyshire, has beaten two other UK finalists in the Land Rover G4 Challenge ‘International Selections’ to take his place as the UK representative on the 2006 global competition. At the end of five gruelling days of international selections at Land Rover’s off-road driving home, Eastnor Castle in Herefordshire, Brian was the clear winner in the final trials stage before the G4 ultimate global adventure kicks off in Bangkok on 23 April. The two other competitors – RAF doctor Andy Grieve from Tiverton and tour guide Suzanna Madge from Brighton – made it very difficult for him, and it was only on Friday afternoon, the last day of the selections, that Brian confirmed his place on the 2006 Challenge. The international selections, which hosted three competitors from each of the 18 nations taking part in this year’s G4 Challenge, saw blood, sweat and tears at the freezing cold Eastnor estate with competitors camping throughout the week with frequent surprise middle-of-the-night challenges to test the competitors’ character. Challenge director, Niki Davies, said: “This has been an extremely tough week for the competitors, with the temperature gauge seldom rising above zero. We wanted to select the best all-rounder from each country; physical ability is just a part of it – strategic thinking, endurance and team-working skills are all key to success in the G4 Challenge. You really get the measure of someone’s spirit when they are awoken from a tent at 4.00am at -3 degrees C to recover a vehicle from a freezing cold lake – followed by 17 hours of competition before returning to camp.” Brian Reynolds added: “I am worn out, exhausted and just about ready to drop, but it’s the most amazing feeling to have got this far. I tried to qualify for the 2003 Challenge, but didn’t make it into the top ten UK competitors, so I went away, assessed the areas where I felt I was weakest and worked extremely hard on my endurance, mountain biking and kayaking skills. It has paid off, and I am ecstatic to be representing my country at last – it was my dream, and it’s come true. I can’t wait for the actual Challenge in April, and I will be training my heart out from now until then.” The Land Rover G4 Challenge 2006 takes place over four weeks from 23 April, incorporating 4x4 driving and multi-sport challenges in Thailand, Laos, Brazil and Bolivia.
THE SOCIAL EVENT OF THE YEAR was when Wessex members Dawn Page and Andy Simmonds tied the knot in July at Petersfield Registry Office. Club Secretary, Uncle Alan, gave away the bride and supplied the bridal Discovery whilst the groom had to bring his own (or is it now Dawn’s?). Dawn and Andy are active members of the group and we wish them all the best for their future life together.
***STOP PRESS*** Congratulations to Nigel Bennetts on competing in, and completing, his first R.T.V. Trial. As a result....one pair of slightly modified side steps for sale!
So who wants fat air? Back in the sixties when Morris Minors ruled the road, petrol was less than six bob a gallon and radio was steam powered, there was a programme called I’m Sorry I’ll Read That Again. It starred many of those who went on to become the Pythons and the Goodies. One particular sketch featured a hot air balloon that was floating out of control and the dippy heroine was concerned about floating up where the air was thin. At this point a disconnected transatlantic voice declared “So who wants fat air?” The programme announcer then said, “We think this is the punch line to an entirely different joke. If anyone can remember the lead up then send it to us and we’ll be happy to include this in a previous programme.” Now things like this worry me. Why in Mission Impossible (the original sixties version) did Jim bother turning off the tape recorder when it was going to self-destruct in five seconds? Why did Concorde have frosted glass in the lavvie? Who’s going to look in at 55,000 feet?? Which brings us back to fat air. Who wants it? I do! Let me explain. Many of us drive turbo-charged diesel engines but first, a little history lesson. In the eighties Land Rover bored out their diesel engine to 2.5 litres with the resultant increase in power to 67bhp and torque of 114 ft/lb. The performance was not startling (especially in a One-Ten) and in 1986 a Garrett turbo-charger was added boosting the power to a heady 85bhp and torque of 150 ft/lb. Performance was acceptable but the engine soon gained a reputation for unreliability due to the extra thermal stresses and piston failure was common. Companies like Allard offered after market intercoolers and by 1989 Land Rover had launched the Discovery with the Gemini 200Tdi engine with intercooler producing 111bhp and 195 ft/lb torque. The thermal stresses of turbo charging is a result of the air being pushed in to the engine is thinner and therefore burns leaner. Lean burn equals a hotter burn. Typically the exhaust gas from a diesel is about 800 degrees. Think of the turbo vane spinning at about 120,000 rpm, one end at 800 degrees, the other (induction) end is going to be pretty hot as well. Plus as you compress air, it
heats up (think of the old-fashioned bicycle pump). The induction temperature can rise to about 180 degrees so the air is thin but if you can reduce the temperature you will gain more power and torque. Land Rover’s intercoolers on the 200 and 300 Tdi engines are a compromise for different territories having to deal with differing qualities of the diesel fuel, altitude and humidity. By fitting a larger intercooler in the UK a substantial increase in performance can be obtained. We use our trusty 200Tdi powered One-Ten for towing and I wanted a bit more oomph on hills. I had a chat with Andrew Graham of Allisport (01452 830226 or www.allisport.com) and he advised me that my best bet was to fit an uprated intercooler. It’s the same physical size as the original but give a better air-to-air contact area and reduces backpressure. We also increased the waste gate boost. We took a trip down to deepest Gloucestershire where the job was done. A road test with a boost gauge connected showed all was well with a boost of about 12 psi. The waste gate was performing well but sometimes engines that are driven lightly, the waste gate soots up. Back in the workshop the pump diaphram was checked and then the new intercooler was installed and the hoses replaced with silicone ones. The waste gate boost was adjusted as well. One turn equals (approximately) 1psi change in boost pressure. Turn the rod clockwise to increase the boost, anticlockwise to decrease. Ours has been set at 16psi with no changes to the fuelling and the performance difference is startling. If all my research is to be believed, I reckon our engine is now producing about 125bhp and 225 ft/lb of torque.
ALLISPORT
Acceleration is improved and the engine if far more flexible especially at low speed. You can still ‘drop off the turbo’ but overall it’s a great improvement. Mid range is markedly better and at 70mph it will actually accelerate! Towing is greatly improved as well and the fuel consumption has not noticeably changed. On the way home it zoomed up Birdlip Hill as if it had a V8 under the bonnet! There is a downside. Smoke! On the previous MoT test it scored a very healthy 1.14 on the smoke test (limit 3.0), this year’s test was 2.4. If you let the engine labour under load, it will smoke like a Royal Navy destroyer laying a smoke screen. Hard acceleration also produces smoke so at some point I may have the fuelling adjusted. Allisport offer Club members a discount. They make all their own intercoolers as well as custom aluminium products such as fuel and header tanks. They’ll also do a TD5-type intercooler for the 200/300Tdi but that will require fuel pump recalibration. They also offer upgrades for TD5 engines that involve those microchip thingies…. I never can find a spanner to fit them! If you fancy a bit more oomph from your diesel, you need fatter air! Alan Smart
picture of Alan’s truck
SP Dartons
Jerry’s Disco
Hello, my name is Jerry Thurston and I own a Land Rover Discovery I need a car that will do 25k miles per year without complaint, swallow a big load and drag an old racing car around the country when required. A BMW 5 series estate car used to fulfil this criterion, until the day that it was rear ended on the notorious A14. I’m left with an insurance payout and a bicycle; I needed transport in short order Because I was writing about my Series 1 for LRO magazine it would have been folly not to have something from the Land Rover stable. A Discovery was the perfect option. My little brother is a motor dealer and he was on the case straight away, Within a couple of days there was a choice of two, a lovely Gas converted V8, reluctantly turned down because of no paperwork for the gas kit, and P---PBJ a Disco 1, 300 Tdi, in metallic red with alloy wheels. 82,500 miles, clean, tidy and best of all cheap.
The engine performance has been transformed by the fitment of a K&N air filter courtesy of Rimmer Brothers, a huge intercooler, and Hybrid Turbocharger from Allisport (01452 830226) and a Tornado big bore exhaust from Twisted Performance (0845 8 909 909). These modifications are all highly recommended and complement each other well, transforming the way she goes. Put your foot down and you get nearer to V8 levels of urge. In fact she is much quicker than a pal’s 3.5 litre Classic Range Rover. Best of all, I’m still getting 28 to the gallon. There is also a secret weapon courtesy of Allisport - gas injection. It’s like NOS for diesels, flick the switch and once the boost has reached 4-psi revel in an instant extra 30bhp and 50 ft/lbs of torque. This is because the burning gas in the cylinder helps to ignite all the diesel that has been injected, increasing power and torque dramatically. The handling has been tamed with Koni Heavy track Shock absorbers on all four corners, poly bushes, and a thicker (1 inch) rear anti roll bar all from Bearmach (02920 856550). There has been no need to go for up-rated springs and any harshness that these may cause in the ride, the vehicle is now tight, responsive and a pleasure to ride in. It is no good getting ‘em to go better if they won’t stop. The retardation issue has been dealt with by front brake upgrades. These being cross drilled ventilated front discs and a set of much larger callipers sourced from a Defender 110, Pads are EBC Kevlar supplied by Bearmach which seem to have better initial ‘bite’ than any of the others I have tried, the pedal is slightly softer because of the larger ‘pots’ in the callipers but push a little harder and the speed falls off without any fuss at a rapid rate.
Making the vehicle look different has been low on the priority list but I have been tempted by a few non-performance options. A genuine wood trim On test the vehicle drives well but feels dog slow and kit supplied by Rimmer Brothers has livened up corners like the QE2, no matter, all that could be the inside and proper tailored rubber mats keep worked on. the carpets clean. Outside I have modified the front grill to allow a bit more air through the intercooler, I embarked on an improvement program designed although I would dearly like one of the Saudi spec to improve what I had and to try and bring it into grills. Just for fun I fitted Bearmach’s clear indicator line with the performance and handling offered by kit and a set of light protectors which brings the the TD5 Discovery 2 models. Today, 22,000 miles front much more up to date. and 12 months later the Discovery is where I want it to be.
For off-road there is a whole other set of modifications. When I’m out to play I bolt on a set of 205 section Greenway Macho tyres mounted on steel Wolf rims these give superb grip in the mud, keeping the sills safe from the inevitable knocks and scrapes are a pair of Bearmach galvanised rock sliders, which have saved the Discovery from damage on many occasions. A common problem when reaching the limits of articulation is the springs coming out of their housings they now can’t thanks to Scorpion Racing (0208 211 4888) and their relocation cones, which guide the springs, back with the minimum of fuss. The old tow bar used to plough the ground as soon as any hills were attempted; now it does not as it has been replaced with a Scorpion special that has a demountable drop plate and hitch. Equipped like this the Disco can tackle all I dare to throw at it, but in case I do bite off more than I can chew there is a T-Max 11000 winch complete with plasma rope mounted discreetly under the front bumper to drag me out of trouble. The vehicle has not been altogether perfect, on top of the usual servicing she has cost me, an alternator, head gasket and a clutch which on reflection is not too bad considering it is nine years old 104,000 miles and well tuned. I’m not finished yet though, the Discovery is very much work in progress there is just so much one can do, I can’t see myself parting with it for a good long time. Jerry Thurston
Mr Speaker I’d just treated myself to the new album ‘Finally Woken’ by Jem and was looking forward to listening to it in the Discovery (300Tdi) when within a few minutes the rear passenger side speaker decides to blow and buzz rather annoyingly! I didn’t even contemplate getting a genuine rear speaker from the dealer, so set about a ‘suitable’ alternative. The front and rear speakers are 10cm in diameter and I browsed the web for an alternative. I settled on a pair of Sony XSF1034 speakers and found them for £23 a pair at www.empiredirect.com (£4.95 for delivery), a real bargain compared to the £39.99 retail price as charged by Halfrauds.
The original speaker grill on the rear set is larger than standard, but thankfully they do separate from the existing speaker, resulting in a very easy straight swap replacement, simply place the old grill over the new speaker, plug in and screw back in to place. (You may need to tighten the crimp in the existing connectors). The sound improvement is excellent, a nice deeper bass, which compliments the subs in the rear door, and no annoying distortion when you turn up the volume ‘a little’. Some preliminary checks indicate that the same speakers would be a straight swap for the fronts too, either with the old grill or the posh black ones that come with the speakers. Mounting depth on the front shouldn’t be an issue, with maybe only 1 or 2mm more depth required, but there is a foam rubber block which can be removed, so I think I’ll go and order a pair for the front too…… Stefan Tapp
Reasons to be cheerful 1 July 2005 Began “Car Shopping”, a pastime I thoroughly enjoy, so off I went with my 10k burning a hole in my pocket searching websites, local papers and the few used car garages in my area. A 4x4 was the choice of us all what with 5 kids between us and a yearning for the great outdoors, so we began to view the multitude of vehicles that are now available….. Now I had owned Jeeps and 3 Range Rovers over the years and had been involved in an Off-Roading club for my sins - this was a point I did not really share with SWMBO as I thought it would be a “nice surprise” for us all to use the weekends for some muddy fun with said Vehicle. From memory I think we looked at, pondered over, debated, tested, drooled and considered over 20 different options - a Nissan Patrol with its chunky urban looks and awful drive; the Jeeps on the market were soon taken from the list as they lacked the seating we needed; the Ssyang Yong “bloody” Musso the cheap, ugly, drives-like-a-van thing (which after 3 seconds deliberation and some explaining about “blokes cars” was swiftly removed from and should never have even been on the list). So we eventually came to Land Rover. With a meagre 10k we were more limited than I had imagined and began looking seriously at the 300 TDI and the TD5 Discovery which I found both sluggish and a little bulky to say the least - so back to the drawing board it was. August 2005 Fed up of looking now so a shortlist was drawn up and minimum requirements set in stone, we needed a 4x4, 7 seats, something urban as opposed to flashy and weak spirited, a vehicle that would suit our needs and my personality? So off I went and tried again with the Discovery idea, drove I think 5 from a local “specialist 4x4” bloke who assured me that the Disco was the best seller he had and the good ones flew out on a daily basis and he sells more than Land Rover do locally... Well the TD5 was in my opinion trying to be a bit too tech and not really getting there with its Hill climb/descent thingy and its colour coded body affair. The two 300 TDIs on sale were from around 4k up to 7k, and the higher priced model was an import with LR half leather, cruise, air-con and some other bits and pieces. 70k on the clock and green which I like for a 4x4 being all countrified myself, so I took the car for the afternoon after some deliberation and the promise I would bring it back intact and not take it up mountains. It drove like a …well like a Disco; un-responsive and under-powered, heavy and not too comfortable….. I loved it! I felt safe and relaxed in the realisation that I didn’t need speed for what I
planned for my new purchase nor did I require race type handling. In fact this car was all and more than I had ever given it credit for. Now the most interesting feature of this green, bulky, slow yet perfect choice was a little white triangle in the front passenger side window a sticker reading “Discovery Owners Club” Hmmm further investigation was needed I felt, so off to my PC and to find the site was my next step; in pursuit of all the answers I was (sound like Yoda now). Found the site and had all my questions answered with the speed I now expect from the DOC, my concerns about the TD5 were confirmed and so much more information was at hand from lift kits to ECU issues, performance upgrades, tyres to suit and then… low and behold “off-Roading”, “green laning” and Camping were all to be had on this site for members. Off I went and purchased said Disco. Joined the DOC same day and soon was delving for more information on so many things that excited me; they were organising a camping trip in Northumberland, Green laning in Derbyshire, I can get discount for the required insurance and people were so helpful and knowledgeable on all things Disco. Now please bear in mind at this time my driving expertise was not in question and I had driven off road for over 10 years in Jeeps; I had been in quarries, MOD tank training sites and the purpose built “pay and play “ sites we all know… But my mechanical knowledge was to say the least a tad sketchy. I mean I knew the car needed oil and water sometimes and you should check the tyres for adverse wear but that really was as far as my skills went. “Get a man in” had been my catchphrase for some years now and cars were great to drive but too messy and tech for the likes of moi! Men in flat caps and oily blue overalls who knew the tension of a sprocket torque verbaliser to the exact thou were always associated with Land Rovers and I failed to understand the attraction of the grime and oil soaked hands. All was soon to change….. Gary Patterson
Full page Rimmer pdf black & white ad
Boot Tidy/Storage Box Series One Discovery It seems many owners of Land Rovers including the Discovery find at some time they need a means to carry and store either tools, recovery equipment or a few loose items in the load area. For a long time I have been using the side bins behind the rear wheel arches, where the sixth and seventh (Dickie) seats would otherwise be. As time has gone on and I have acquired more recovery kit etc; the plastic sides to these bins have started to bulge under the weight so I decided it was time to find a better solution. There are many solutions to storage boxes available, from a few pounds for an old ammunition box to some more expensive purpose made systems as advertised in the magazines. I did not like the idea of an ammunition box or similar just left to float around on the rear load floor space. Some of the larger manufactured boxes can take up the whole of the floor space and could require bolting down. Being a carpenter this could mean lifting tool boxes that little bit higher to get them in my Disco so they didn’t seem too practical either. It seemed the best way would be to make a box myself, so I started to have a look on the clubs forum to see if anybody had also gone down the self build route. I found fellow member Darren Burgess who has his own web site had designed himself one and it looked as if it would suit all my needs plus would be fairly cheap and simple to make. The box sits directly behind the
rear passenger seats between the wheel arches and under the load space roller cover. If you have the rear “Dickie” seats it will still allow them to be used as normal. Another good feature of this box is the base goes under the rear seats so once the seats are locked in their normal position the box is effectively clamped to the floor by the four feet under the seats, but only takes a few seconds to remove when not needed. After looking at Darren’s design I decided I would increase the height of the box from 250mm to 305 to allow for a four pint plastic milk bottle to sit inside the box so I could carry taller items if needed. The box is made from 9mm plywood and you will need about half a sheet depending on what height you decide to make the box. Start by marking out the plywood components and don’t forget to mark and cut holes in the base and back for the seat belts to pass through and the four slots in the front of the base for the seats to locate the box in place. Once you have neatly cut the ply, glue and screw together, I used some 12 x 12mm softwood in the corners of all of the joints to save screwing into the plywood’s end grain. Where Darren has used Aluminium to add protection to lid edges I have used hardwood glued and screwed to the ply which then allowed me to use piano hinge for the lids. Once you have made your box check the fit in your discovery and make sure all the holes for the seat belts and seat feet line up, then fill the screw heads and paint and you have a useful lightweight storage box. As you can see from Darren’s drawing all the sizes for the
box are given except the overall length which is 1070mm and the angle of the back of the box is 66 degrees. I was able to acquire a couple of lengths of piano hinge for the top and front lids. The only other item to purchase to complete the box was a couple of over sprung catches to keep the lids closed. I would like to thank Darren for providing the drawing and idea for the box. If you would like any further information about this box or design take a look at Darren’s web site at www.landroverdiscovery.net. You will be surprised what you can fit into a box like this and it’s fairly cheap to make. So if you have a few hours spare and are able to use a few simple tools such as a jigsaw, hand plane and screwdriver and think you can make use of a box, give one a go. Bill Jones
DOC ASSISTANCE REGISTER At the Committee meeting in September 2005 it was agreed that the Assistance Register (AR) would be resurrected. For those who are new to the Club or those longer standing members who have forgotten, the AR was a list of members who were willing to provide help to any member who is in their vicinity and is experiencing difficulties. A list will then be drawn up and available as a download from the website and will also be published in Discourse. Information that will be made available to members would include: Name, contact telephone number(s) Willing to provide assistance within a __ mile radius of_____________ Times likely to be available Type of assistance, for example (but not exhaustive): - Tow - Access to tools - Access to garage - Floor to sleep on - Shoulder to cry on etc. The AR will be kept up to date by removing
members who leave the Club but any current member can request to be removed at any time. Bear in mind though that it will take a little time for updated lists to be published in Discourse. Foolishly I volunteered to co-ordinate the AR as I think it is one of the best ideas that anyone ever had, but if anyone with more time on their hands would like to take it on I will be more than willing to provide support, guidance etc. In the first instance, would anyone who would like to offer their services in time of need to other DOC members either e-mail treasurer@discoveryowners club.org with the above details or write to me at the address in the front of this magazine. Approximately 30 members have already volunteered through the Forum, now it’s your chance. Many thanks in anticipation of your help. John Francis Treasurer
National Event As most of you are now aware the Discovery Owners Club has set in motion plans for a National Event. This will take place over the weekend of Saturday 3rd & Sunday 4th June 2006, at Cladswell Hall Farm, Lower Cladswell Lane, Cookhill, Worcestershire. OS map grid Ref: SP 047 586. Due to the complexities involved it has been decided that this event should be self-funding, which has led to the issue of ‘Pre-booked Tickets only’. There will be no tickets on sale at the gate, so I urge you to book soon or attend the Club’s AGM in Stratford-on-Avon on Saturday 25 March 2006 to purchase your tickets. So what is the idea behind it then? Well it will not be just an off road course, it will be a club social event, which means any member of the club can attend, with the relevant tickets, to meet other club members, to talk and swap stories, sell or buy parts, or just watch the cars on the off road course. You DO NOT have to drive round the course. We are hoping that a few members of the “Shiny Blue Crew” will attend and put on a demonstration of car polishing, There will be an arena set aside for this, along with an area for members to set up an auto-jumble sale. If you are interested in setting up a stall in the auto-jumble area, can you please contact me ASAP to book a pitch. We hope to have some traders there, and of course the club shop will be in attendance. We hope to arrange for some members of the club to give demonstrations on such topics as GPS, how to modify your Discovery, etc. There is camping & caravanning available on site, and for those of you who do not own tents or caravans, a list of local Hotels, B&Bs, and Travel Lodges can be forwarded to you on request. There will be toilets on site and hopefully a shower unit too. Due to the fact that the camping area is a farmer’s field there will be NO electrical hook-up points, but generators are allowed. There is a possibility of a pig-roast and beer tent, however these will only be feasible if enough members purchase tickets. For the children we are looking in to the hire of a bouncy castle & mini-quad bikes. For those of you who do not wish to off-road but don’t want to spend the whole day watching, there is a whole host of local places to visit to either shop or just visit. Two stately homes within 5 miles of the site, the GWR preserved steam line at Toddington, Horse racing at Worcester & Cheltenham, and several local historic towns, like Alcester, Evesham, Redditch, and Stratford-on-Avon are all within easy reach. On behalf of the committee and myself, I would urge you to try to attend this inaugural National Event, just to be able to say hi to names from the forum, and to say “I was there at the beginning”. Paul Walker - Vice-chairman & National Event Secretary Rates: 2 days camping & caravanning, plus off-roading: £50 per vehicle 2 days Camping & Caravanning only: £30 per vehicle Off-Road Course only: £25 per day per vehicle Auto jumble: £ 10.00 a pitch if not camping, otherwise £5.00 a pitch Day visitors only: £5.00 (on sale at the gate) Please note all tickets, except for Day Visitors, must be prebooked!
DOC logo
Proudly Presents
The Club’s First National Event to be held on
Saturday 3rd & Sunday 4th June 2006 At
Cladswell Hall Farm, Lower Cladswell Lane, Cookhill, Worcestershire. OS Map Grid Ref: SP 047 586 By Kind permission of Mr. R.B. Lea & Sons.
BOOKING FORM All tickets must be pre-booked.
Name: Address:
Membership No.
Post Code: Details 2 Days Camping & Caravanning + Off Roading (£50.00 per vehicle)
Tick as Required
Camping & Caravanning Only (2 Nights) (£30.00 per vehicle) Off Road Course Only (£25.00 per day) Tick here to receive a list of local B&B’s, hotels and motels if you do not own camping equipment, but wish to stay local. [ ] Photocopy is acceptable
All tickets must be pre-booked and a £10.00 deposit is requested for each ticket. This deposit is returnable if the Discovery Owners Club Committee cancels the event for any reason; however it is non-returnable if the Club Member cancels. The balance is payable by the end of March 2006. The event is open to Club Members only, but any suitable road legal vehicle may be driven on the Course. Cheques should be made payable to “Discovery Owners Club” and sent with a copy of this booking form ticking which option is required to: Mr P.A. Walker, National Event Secretary, 17 Ditchford Close, Hunt End, Redditch, Worcs, B97 5XT
A DIFFERENT KIND OF HIGH It was around nine-thirty on Christmas Eve morning that the text message came through…. “Been stuck on A9 since 4am, camper van gone bang. Sounds pretty terminal” This wasn’t good news. In the short term it meant my long-term mate Wes, accomplice of several off-beat New Year’s Eve exploits, was immobile and possibly unable to get home in time for Christmas, and looking longer-term towards December 31st it meant he and girlfriend Julie would be unable to join us for New Year’s Eve. With the intention of marking the arrival of 2006 in a more memorable fashion than past years, our plan was to meet at England’s highest pub. Regardless of what was on offer at the hostelry, at least we’d be able to remember where we were at the start of 2006. A little Googling back in the Autumn steered us towards Tan Hill Inn on the Penine Way near Kirkby Stephen, and at 1732 feet above sea level it’s the widely heralded as the highest so I e-mailed the landlord and enquired as to their plans. “We’ll just open the beer taps and go to bed when they run dry”
Sounded like a good scheme, so I replied saying we’d be there and shrugged off a warning about the lack of accommodation with a swift “That’s ok, we’ll camp outside”…in December….nearly two thousand feet up in the Yorkshire Dales. With the demise of Wes’s campervan though, his attendance was thrown in to doubt and the whole motivation of a remote rendezvous for the evening would be lost. Undeterred, Kate and I decided we’d go anyway. Over Christmas there had been a lot of debate, with endless questions from Wes about how we were getting there, what we’d do if it really rained and so on. Eventually, I forced the issue, simply declaring we’d be there, and hoped he and Julie would be too, by whatever means. December 31st started out reassuringly well in terms of weather and progress, and by midday day we were well North of Birmingham having departed Hampshire around 8am. But I was already feely pretty weary, for only the night before and with the invaluable help of a fellow club member, I’d completely overhauled the near side front hub. Barely more than 12 hours earlier the passenger side of the axle had been totally stripped
back to the axle casing, with the swivel ball and housing separated to replace the bearings. But the effort was time well spent with noticeably less play in the Discovery’s steering as we cruised further towards Yorkshire. Stopping in Kirkby Stephen for the final suck of gas for 2005, (and some vital matches to light the cooker in 2006) we left the village and headed out over the open moors with rising hills before us. At every junction we turned on to narrower roads, eventually passing along thin tarmac tracks barely wider than the Landrover’s wheelbase. With the GPS showing an altitude of well over 1000 feet the tops of the hills were shrouded in mist, with remnants of recent snow still laying in places. Just 100 feet to go and less than half a mile over the ground we still couldn’t see the pub though. But we couldn’t get lost on one of only two roads which meet at the pub so GPS or not, navigation wasn’t difficult. Stepping out of the parked up Disco, the wind was strong and blustery taking a few degrees off the already chilly air. And it was all a bit damp too, not actually raining, but damp none the less and the thick grey stone walls of Tan Hill Inn were gleaming with rain.
Inside the pub was, it has to be said, hardly more inviting with only a small fire at the end of it’s useful life glowing in the grate. From the outside Tan Hill gave the classic impression of offering furnace-like heat once indoors but it was only adequate, and I kept my fleece on at first. Mike the landlord, with whom I’d exchanged e-mails a couple of months previously, served us drinks and in the process I asked where was best to pitch our suitably snug tent. Following his directions I moved the Landy off the gravel car park a little, so we had both a little privacy and shelter where we pitched. The hill top breeze never relented, although once fully pitched, the two-man tent was surprisingly comfy and stable. Not exactly cavernous on the inside, but I figured this was a good thing, meaning it’d warm up quicker once occupied. Venturing back inside the Inn, we staked our claim for the evening at one of the larger tables in the bar, in preparation for dining as well as being joined by Wes and Julie. But they weren’t to be our only company that evening. In the darkening drizzle outside, a slightly war-torn 200-Series Sandglow Discovery, with a confusing mix of Camel Trophy and Ambulance markings, clattered in to the parking space right outside the window. In one of those “small-world”
coincidences fellow Disco owner Andy and his partner had also made the journey to Tan Hill in their ex-Camel 200Tdi, which now earns a living as a motorsport ambulance. I just managed to get a photo of Andy’s quite remarkable vehicle before the light turned totally to night….but still no sign of Wes and Julie.
when I woke up. It was totally quiet, with just an occasional gust of wind. Poking my head outside, the pub stood grey and silent over my shoulder, with the mist now much lower and visibility down to around 50 metres. And it was still icy cold although after the previous night it was actually quite refreshing.
It had been an hour since they’d sent a text message saying they were just leaving Kirkby Stephen. An hour to cover seven miles? Something was up, so I went outside to phone Wes, whilst Andy I’m sure geared himself up for another potential motorsport rescue. But it wasn’t to be and next to the Land Rover I could see a second tent going up in the headlights of Wes’s regular car. With our accommodation now sorted and everyone present we returned to the now busy and thus warmer pub and counted down the last few hours til midnight. As the hours lapsed in to minutes we all tramped outside once more, for some celebratory fireworks at midnight, although this meant we never got to actually hear Big Ben over the radio or witness people throwing themselves in the Trafalgar Square fountains on TV. But our New Year was equally memorable, purely based on location.
After the typical challenge of getting fully dressed in and then gracefully exiting the tent the next step was to get some water on and set sights on breakfast. There something about breakfast outdoors, no matter how bad it is, it’s still somehow better than having something out of a fridge, cooked in a proper kitchen and served on a table at home. Perhaps it’s the idea of taking a few evolutionary steps backwards and eating outdoors. There had been a thinly veiled offer the night before of breakfast at the pub that morning, but even towards 9am all the lights were still out and the curtains drawn so resigned to self-sufficiency we huddled round the stove savouring just the smell alone of bacon frying.
I’m not sure exactly what time we zipped ourselves in to our repsective tents, but what I do know is my watch said 07:45
As the first day of 2006 wore on in to morning, Tan Hill still showed no sign of life. It was a little disappointing. After their amazement and admiration at our hardiness, or was it foolhardiness, at camping outside on December 31st, I was half expecting some inquisitiveness from the pub residents as to how we’d got on. But there was nothing. So with little ceremony we re-packed the wagon and headed down hill. But I was happy. For the majority of people New Year’s Eve usually involves getting very, very drunk. Although we’d had a few beers throughout our stay, at the end of it we were higher than anyone. Bob Larcombe
What I do with my Disco “I need it for work” is how I always justify having a Discovery… and while this is certainly true, it has been particularly useful whilst making two documentaries about the Royal Observer Corps. I bought my Discovery in 2000 having postponed the inevitable for several years. Whilst researching this purchase, visiting a wide variety of dealers across the South of England, and putting far too many miles on my Peugeot 306, my co-producer (and brother in law) David and I started looking for the little 3 or 4 man nuclear explosion and radiation monitoring bunkers which we were told were scattered across the country - 1700 or so we believed! It is curious to know that wherever in the UK you are reading this (apologies to our overseas members), you are within 10 miles of one of these small bunkers! Anyway, to cut a long story short, David and I decided that these bunkers were quite interesting, and thought that a video telling what they were used for would be particularly so. A few phone calls and meetings later, we started a series of trips to meet several ex-members of the Corps, travelling across the country (Cornwall, Liverpool, Lincoln, Newhaven, etc), from our base in Guildford, with the Discovery loaded with camera equipment. (Here’s the justification for the Disco!) Now you might imagine that these days, when you can nip into Dixons and buy a (according to the terribly knowledgeable assistant) “broadcast quality” camera that will fit in your hand, that the new Mini might be more than suitable for a day’s filming. However, this isn’t quite the case when you include lights, tripods, a monitor, a jib arm, a large fluffy microphone, etc. Not to mention a camera that DOESN’T fit in your hand! Now, as if the load carrying ability of the Discovery wasn’t enough justification, the locations of many of these bunkers certainly was! In order to get a clear view all round they tended to have been located in the
middle of nowhere, across fields, and at the top of hills. You know, the kind of places Discoverys were built for! Having visited all these exotically rural locations to disappear below the ground into caravan sized holes, it was quite pleasant when, a couple of years later, and having been badgered by all the ex-ROC Observers we had spoken to, we set off on another mission, this time to interview wartime Corps members. The role the Corps played then was quite different and involved being “the eyes and ears of the RAF”. The wartime posts, again scattered across the country, were sited above the ground so that the Observers could spot aircraft and report them to control rooms which collated the information before passing details of hostile raids to the RAF. Of course, the posts again needed to be sited in places to get a good view, and tended to be located in the middle of nowhere, across fields, and at the top of hills! Both programmes are now finished and available to buy on video. (Please give generously - Big Diesel habit to support!) And if you look closely, you will spot my Disco in both of them! The Discovery goes from strength to strength, with only the occasional stumbling! Well, why not have a shower from the sunroof when its been raining? It’s quite refreshing actually….
Andrew Denyer (pictured on right, with co-producer David) www.cyclops-prods.co.uk
DISCOVERY OWNERS CLUB MERCHANDISE M
1. T-shirt Short sleeves, screen printed logo, available in Khaki / Yellow / Red. Sizes S,M,L,XL, XXL. £8.00
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2. Sweat Shirt SALE PRICE! Long sleeves, available in Black / Green. Sizes S,M,L,XL. £9.99
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4. Spare wheel cover Semi-rigid “Discovery Owners Club” wheel cover. State tyre size when ordering.. £20.00 (Made to order. Not stock item)
TO
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3. Polo Shirt Short sleeves, available in Black/Green/ Claret. Sizes S,M,L,XL. £12.50
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5. Triangle Window Sticker White with Black text vinyl window sticker. £2.00 6. Tax Disc Holder New style tax disc holder with space for membership card. White with black text. £2.00
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7. Key Fob Leather with DOC insert. £2.00
8
8. Silver Club Sticker Vinyl weather resistant sticker. 33” Silver Sticker - £3.00 22” Silver Sticker - £2.00
9 10
9. White “dot com” Sticker Vinyl weather resistant sticker. £3.00 10. DOC Alpine Light sticker Vinyl weather resistant sticker, choice of colours. 250mm x 90mm £3.50, 150mm x 50mm £2.50 11. Discourse Back Issue CD-Rom CD-Rom containing all back issues of Discourse in Adobe Acrobat Format (PDF). £5.00
UK Postage & Packing
11
Items
Cost
1,2,3
£2.95
4
£9.95
5 to 11
£0.50
Merchandise Order Form Order Details Item No. Description (Inc. Colour)
Size
Qty
Price
Name: Address:
Telephone: TOTAL: £
Membership Number:
Send this form (or a copy) along with payment payable to “Discovery Owners Club” to:
The Discovery Owners Club Merchandise, PO Box 12003, Birmingham, B44 0ZQ. email enquiries: clubshop@discoveryownersclub.org
Precious Metal
left in the greenhouse to dry out naturally. I only hope no one uses them as planters in my absence!
Next I tackle the nearside locking wheel nut that still refuses to release the wheel. I’ve borrowed a larger tool and am confident that I will be able to get the nut off today. The nut is cleaned up with the angle grinder to give the extractor a good start. I wind the tool on and all seems to be going well, as The story so far*: Flood damaged and sodden, the tool bites into the metal I have to use a longer W279 MCN was destined to be broken up for scrap. bar to get the purchase, any In steps Derek Cole who rescues this once fine lady moment now and I will be from such an ignominious end. Now, Precious able to feel the nut give way Metal sits dripping gently all over the paddock. But to the inevitable. Crack! It does he know what he’s let himself in for? wasn’t the nut that gave way! The tool lies at my feet in two ***************************************** pieces! The wheel will have to remain on until the next time! Tuesday 10th May 2005 Day Three. Over two weeks since my last day off and I really don’t I decide to give my aching back and fraying temper want to spend all day working on a Land Rover, I a rest and have some lunch. After fish and chips I want to spend it sat in the beer garden of the local, start on vacuuming the engine bay. It never fails playing my guitar, seeing friends or just lounging to amaze me just how much debris has found its around in bed! But here I am about to crawl under way into the vehicle. After a couple of hours the ‘Precious Metal’ to grind off the exhaust bolts. engine is clear and I am able to Waxoil the battery I’ve bought a new angle grinder and set to work box compartment and underseal most of the engine cutting through the bolts. Ouch! I extinguish the bay and front before re-fitting the compartment hairs on my bare arms as the sparks ignite them! plates. As an afterthought, I remove the centre box I turn to the Humberside Police once again and heatshield from underneath; again it’s full of more don a pair of their flameproof overalls. These are combustible debris. more often used to shrug off petrol bombs and are little troubled by the sparks. As I grind through Before going home I re-fit the carpets, interior trim the metal of the bolts the metal heats up and steam and passenger seat. Precious Metal is beginning to pours from the exhaust. The entire centre box is look a little more like her old self again. full of black sooty water; it’s poured out then the exhaust is left with clean water running through it The total cost of the restoration so far is £70.49 and to get rid of any silt left in there. The sections are 30 hours in labour.
Part II
by Derek Cole
Sunday 15th May 2005 It’s Sunday and the second day of the Land Rover International Owners Spring Show at Driffield. I’ve decided not to go as ‘Precious’ has been taking up much of my meagre spare time and so with a few days off I decide to hitch up the caravan and head for a couple of days in Norfolk. I’ve decided not to go to the show as I would probably spend too much and I’m sick of Land Rovers! It’s 10.30am and I’m ten miles from home and have just climbed a hill known locally as ‘Arris Hill’, it’s a place I know well as this is where my beloved 200 Tdi’s cam belt snapped last
September! As I reach the top I notice a thin trail of blue smoke from the rear axle and a strange smell of burning in the cab. I pull into the lay-by at the top of the hill and find that the off-side rear brake calliper is almost glowing red hot. The brake has stuck on and is now welding itself to the disk. At least I’m in the AA. It’s a warm sunny day so I sit down with tea and sandwiches and enjoy the panoramic view. I’ve been told that the recovery truck is coming from Leeds so I have about an hour wait. Bang on one hour and the AA truck arrives and ‘Waggy’ is winched aboard. The caravan is hitched to the back of the recovery truck and the electric hook up is connected. Its then that the trouble starts! The electrics on the recovery truck throw a double six and stop working, in short the AA breakdown truck is now broken down and a second recovery truck is summoned from York to fix the first!
After a few pints in the local pub I return home and look at the centre box I removed the week previously. It’s still full of water! It’s a glorious night and there’s a lot of wood needs burning, an idea begins to form! Monday 16th May 2005. Today, I intend to get ‘Waggy’ back on the road but before I start there is one little thing to do. The bonfire from last night is almost out but the embers are still hot. I lay the centre box on the ashes and leave it there to gently steam while I go to buy the new calliper. While at the motor factors I buy some manifold paint. Then it’s back to put my old Discovery on the road again.
1pm arrives and with it so does the second recovery truck! One hour later it’s decided that the first truck cannot be repaired at the roadside and it will need a third recovery truck to recover truck, Discovery and caravan!!! 4.30pm. I’m sunburnt, full of sandwiches and need a wee from all the tea I’ve been provided with. But, at least I’m mobile. My not so little convoy of three AA recovery trucks, one Landrover Discovery , one caravan and one English Bull Terrier head towards my workshop in Lincolnshire. We pass eight stricken Land Rovers at the roadside, all covered in light brown silt from the ‘bombholes’ on the off road course of the LRO show. I smile and wave apologetically as we pass as their owners attempt to flag us down and quickly join the AA. Sorry boys. By 5.30pm ‘Waggy’ sits alongside ‘Precious’ and I realise that my holiday in Norfolk isn’t going to happen. I’m going to have to spend my holiday working on both ‘Waggy’ and ‘Precious’.
The fire has done its job and the box is dry. I give it a rub down with ‘wet n dry’ and then spray it with the paint. Tomorrow, I’m going to get down to business and set about ‘Precious’. The total cost of the restoration so far is £76.86 and 32 hours in labour. * Part I was published in D20 - contact the Club Shop for back issues! Look out for Part III in D24.
MSA - A NEW ERA BEGINS It is with great happiness that I am pleased to inform all members that the Discovery Owners Club has been accepted by the ALRC to become recognised as a competitive club under MSA rules. This brings about a new era for the club and opens many doors for all of us. It gives all members and family members the ability, should they so desire, to attend and compete in any trial under the Banner of the DOC. It also gives a greater scope for the club to organise its own events using MSA permits to insure them, just as we are going to do on 3rd & 4th June 2006 at the Discovery Owners Club National which will be run as a promotional event under a MSA permit. There will have to be a few changes to things in the club. You will all require new membership cards and the committee are working on those as we speak. We also require a Competition Secretary - someone who either knows the blue book (often referred to as the bible) or who is willing to read it and learn as the job progresses. This change is a big one for the club and we hope that it will help introduce the Discovery Owners Club to many more people and to help our many members to enjoy competing in trials or enjoying promotional days. I look forward to meeting many more of you during this year and if any of you are going to compete in any events, then please let us know so that we can keep an eye on your scores and Good Luck to you all. Peter Greenway
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New Year’s Day Greenlaning After spending much of the Christmas holiday cooped up indoors, a day greenlaning was greatly looked forward to. Alan and Janet Smart with Stefan had organised a route around the top of Salisbury Plain for some friends of whish I was included. After some frantic picnic making we were off to Alan’s for the start. Unfortunately Alan couldn’t make it as his mother had fallen badly the day before, so Janet navigated for one group of 3 and Stefan navigated for the second group of 4. After introductions over a very welcome cup of coffee, we were off. I ended up following Stefan in his 90, me in my 200Tdi Disco, then Bob in his standard series 11 V8 and Graham in his modified series 11 td5. After a short drive down some country lanes we hit out first by-way. This lane was very rutted and in quite dense woodland. The main worry on this lane was the barbed wire fence on offside, the posts of which clipped a few mirrors. After about a mile the lane turned to gravel and before long we where up on the open grassland with excellent views and even a windmill.
After a short tarmac drive through Burbage, we were on the next by-way, after about half a mile we spotted 3 deer, I don’t know who was more surprised us or them! Lunch was beckoning so we arranged to stop at a pub in Everleigh “The Crown”. After a quick drink and using the facilities we retreated to the cars for our picnics in the car park, and exchanged views about The Crown, I think the quote “if brains were dynamite, the bar staff wouldnt be able to blow their noses!” gives you some idea. It was agreed this would be a good meeting place for the RR Register!! The afternoon lanes were mainly around Everleigh ranging from gravel to very rutted with great views across open farm land and the Plain. Then it was back to Alan and Janet’s for hot drinks and a marvellous supper.
The next day (Bank holiday Monday) saw yours truly down the jet wash. £1 for 45 minutes and it was still running! If any of you haven’t yet ventured “off road” give it a go. I was very nervous first time wondering what damage I would cause but after a good blast off the car looked like new again. Although Stefan and Graham had mud terrains, Bob and myself had road tyres and had no problems. A couple of times I got cross rutted and was looking through the passenger window to see where I was going, but that all adds to the fun. Many thanks to Stefan, Janet and Alan for organising a great day out. Dave Dorling
Local Section Representatives ‘Down Your Way’
You may have noticed this section is looking a little different. The LSRs play a big role in the DOC, and this is where you can find out what’s happening near you. Local meets, days out laning and pub nights are an important part of the Club, and we want to hear what you have been up to. WESSEX
NORTHAMPTON Contact:
POST VACANT
Telephone:
Contact:
Alan Smart
Telephone:
01264 772 851
Email:
secretary@discoveryownersclub.org
Where:
The Rack & Manger, Crawley, Winchester Hampshire, SO21 2PH
When:
2nd Wednesday of each month
Time
7:30pm onwards
Email: Where:
The Toby Carvery, Wooton
When:
1st Thursday of each month
Time
7:30pm onwards
SCOTLAND Contact:
Mark Hooghiemstra
Telephone:
01307 830 441
Email:
mark@hooghiemstra.fsnet.co.uk
Where:
tbc
When:
tbc
Time
tbc
NORTH WORCS. / SOUTH MIDS Contact:
Paul Walker
Telephone:
07939 411 995
Email:
vicechair@discoveryownersclub.org
Where:
Centre Point, Ipsley St., Redditch
When:
2nd Tuesday of each month
Time
8:00pm onwards
SOUTH STAFFS / N.MIDLANDS Contact:
VACANT
Telephone: Email:
CHESHIRE Contact:
VACANT
Where:
Great Barr School, Aldridge Road
When:
1st Monday of each month
Time
8:00pm onwards
Telephone: Email: Where:
Red Lion, Barony Rd, Nantwich
When:
2nd Tuesday of each month
Time
8:00pm onwards
NORTH WEST / MANCHESTER Contact:
POST VACANT
Telephone: Email: Where:
The Railway PH, Stockport
When:
2nd Wednesday of each month
Time
8:00pm onwards
Over the next 3 pages, you’ll find details of your LSR, your local meeting, and also, our Down Your Way bites - this is where your LSR’s tell You what’s going on. If you spot a gap in the country where there isn’t an LSR, then volunteer to be one! Contact Paul Walker - see North Worcs/South Mids LSR for details.
YORKSHIRE Contact:
James Wood
Telephone:
07801 923 563
Email:
DragonOak@aol.com
Where:
Squires Cafe Bar, Newthorpe, Leeds
When:
3rd Tuesday of each month
Time
8:00pm onwards
Well, what a good start to the year. We had a great day out on the 2nd January starting off in Bawtry and finding some local lanes in North Notts. We stopped for a late lunch at the Blacksmiths Arms in Everton, and then finished the day with two more excellent lanes. The day was very well supported with twelve vehicles. It was nice to see some new people I had not met before. One who had only joined the club four days before his first Discourse landed on the matt (well done Jono), to me getting a phone call asking if he could join us. We had a good pub meet in January and decided to organise an evening’s Go Karting. This will take place on the 16th March at Avago Karting Swinton, Mexborough. Mini Prix - £32.50 Per Driver 6 to 8 drivers racing over 15 lap qualifying, 15 lap semi-final, 20 lap final with a trophy awarded to the winner. Ring me to book your place. http://www.avagokarting.co.uk for those that want a look at their website. We have just had a great weekend’s camping at Skegness. This was open to all and not just Yorkshire members .We had 15 Discoverys, a 110 and a Range Rover (see picture below!) We had an afternoon’s lanes and then just a very social weekend. There is a scout hut on the site which we had full use of, and even a table football game that came out for a tournament one evening. There is talk of coming back for the Easter weekend. On a final note the meeting day has been changed again. I have moved it to the 3rd Tuesday of the month so this months meeting will be on 21st March. Then, if we are away at shows or other events we won’t have to miss the meeting as happened this last month. I hope to see lots more new faces at the next meeting we have a growing section so lets keep it that way; come along! They do great tea and coffee as well as beer. So why not make the most of your membership, and meet new friends in your local area. See you soon. James Wood.
We have been meeting as the local Kent Discovery KENT Owners Club for over 4 years now and the venue Contact: Don Hoaglin we have set is the Black Lion, Southfleet near Telephone: 07789 931185 Gravesend, North Kent. This also alows for DOC Email: don_hoaglin@hotmail.com members from both South London and Essex to get Where: Black Lion, Southfleet to out meets. As a group we try to organise some When: 1st Wednesday of each month local events and runs. Last year we had a night Time 8:00pm onwards time navigation fun trail (which we will probably do again this comming Spring), convoy runs to the major shows and events including the London 2 Brighton which I was the comentator at last October’s event (no money passed hands over the DOC win “pull and landy” competition!). We will be organising some local green lane trips and a camping weekend some time in the near future, watch this space! Come along and meet us; all are welcome. Don Hoaglin
Camping and Caravanning Events - Easter Me again. We have had a good start to the camping year with a gathering near Skegness. This was very well supported with 17 units (some in tents and roof tents). This was a mainly social weekend but we did do a little green laning one afternoon. For the Easter weekend we are planning a Midlands get-together (venue to be confirmed) and one at Thorpe St Peter, Skegness again. These will be on the forum so please book on line. For those not on line please feel free to call me out of work hours 01302 711567. Regards James Wood. Yorks LSR and Camping & Caravanning Officer SOUTH WALES Contact:
Matthew Yeoman
Telephone: Email:
THAMES VALLEY Contact:
Emma Rix
Telephone:
07713 647 646
Email:
emma@specialistspeakers.com
Where:
Banstock House Stables
When:
tbc
Time
7:30pm onwards
CAMBRIDGESHIRE Contact:
Paul Stevens
Telephone:
07979 962980
Email:
paul_s-v8i.disco@tiscali.co.uk
Where:
Anchor Hotel, Tempsford
When:
Last Tuesday of each month
Time
7:30pm onwards
Where:
Fynnon Wen Pub, A469 Thornhill Rd
When:
1st Sunday of each month
Time
12:30pm onwards
NORTH WEST / LANC’S Contact:
Gary Patterson
Telephone:
07915 663774
Email:
garypattersonops@aol.com
Where:
Douglas Valley Golf Club, Bolton
When:
1st Wednesday of each month
Time
8:00pm onwards
Hello from the far West, thats Devon & Cornwall to you who aren’t good at geography. Hope you all had a enjoyable festive season and have all got new goodies bolted to the love of your life. Yes, I mean your Discovery!!! By the time you read this we will have had our 2nd meet of the year and I’ve missed them both. Not a good start to the year, but I will try harder. Plans for this year include a trip to Exmoor in March to do some lanes that may not be there soon. We will be at the National in number, hopefully ,so please drop in for a beer. Cornwall DEVON/CORNWALL & Devon L.R.C. are trying to organise an inter Contact: Paul Shapter club R.T.V. weekend in early July. I will get Telephone: 07709 939181 details if any one is interested in taking part or Email: marshalling . So to all members in the Devon & Where: The Marsh Mills, Plymouth Cornwall area , see you at the meet in March... When: 2nd Monday of each month Details in this issue. Time 8:00pm onwards Paul Shapter.
I hope you all had a very happy Christmas and didn’t suffer from too many hangovers. Our planned post-Christmas run in Derbyshire didn’t come off as planed. We did get out there on the Tuesday, but as Steve lost a U/J and so had to remove his from propshaft (meaning he had rear wheel drive only) we all went out in my D3. One vehicle meant no laning so a country walk was decided on instead. Steve and Sue are in the process of making an awning to fit on the side of their roof rack and needed some more canvas to finish it, so a stop at Anchor Supplies (www.anchorsupplies.com) was made on the way. While Steve and Sue looked through the crates of canvas (there was a sale on at the time!) I took a few photos of the Land Rover stock that’s for sale.
NOTTINGHAM Contact:
Roger Spencer
Telephone:
07766 222 386
Email:
rspencer-airdales@ntlworld.com
Where:
Wilford Bowles Club, Main Road
When:
1st Monday of each month
Time
8:00pm onwards
Because I didn’t get to try out LARA’s snow and ice setting on the traction control while in Derbyshire I went out the next day to have a quick play. Near where I live there is a rough track over a canal to a weirfield by the river Trent. Not once did I feel a wheel spin or slip, even when driving a steep grass side slope (flood embankment), what an awesome machine. I took a few photos for Kris to use in future issues. Note the size of the gap the air suspensions ‘off road’ setting gives between the wheels and their arches and the embankment I drove part of in the background.
Even I had to buy a few ‘bits’ while in this armed forces Aladdin’s Cave. Chatsworth House (www.chatsworth-house.co.uk) was chosen as our base for the day out, so we headed for the large car park at the garden centre within the grounds. There was a fine covering of snow from the over night snow falls that had covered the South-East but the sun was out as we started off on the first of two walks that day. The first route took us from the back of the car park in a large circle over the hill that faces the big house across the river. After an hour-and a-half we had a car park picnic while a light snow fall came down. The afternoon saw us walking along the river Derwent to the bridge that carries the road to the main entrance of the house. Two hours later saw us returning to the Disco just in time for the start of some heavy snow. You can see how dark the low clouds made the car park look as we were leaving for home.
The Notts Sections next outing is due to be the caravan weekend at Skegness in February 2006. We are hoping to be the largest section there but the guys from Yorkshire just may beat us to it. On a personal note, in the first week of January, I will be heading to Rockingham Castle for my free half-day Land Rover Experience. I’ll let you know how I got on later. Hope to see some of you on a show ground during the summer. Happy Discoing Roger Spencer