THE WELLY
Rovers Magazine is a publication of Rovers North, Inc. Publisher: Mark Letorney Editor: Jeffrey Aronson Art/Creative Director: Thompson Smith Copy Editor: Erin Menut Social Media: Dave Sweetapple, Steven Herr Web Designer/Developer: Steven Herr Photography: Zack Griswold, Gavin Kiker ©2022 Rovers North, Inc. Rovers Magazine is published for the enjoyment of Rovers North customers. Please understand you need to be a current customer in order to receive this magazine. We often hear from owners inquiring why they are not receiving their copy. So here are some of the common reasons for not receiving your very own copy of Rovers Magazine: Most common - It has been over two years since you purchased anything from Rovers North. Second - You moved and forgot to notify us. Third - Your shop buys all your parts, so we are unaware you are a customer. Finally - We messed up. To receive a complimentary copy of Rovers Magazine, simply call us, or subscribe on our website [https://blog.roversnorth.com/sign-up/] and we will mail you our latest edition. Then remain a customer to continue receiving Rovers Magazine. This magazine’s content cannot be reproduced without the express written permission of Rovers Magazine. While we at Rovers North make every effort to ensure accuracy within these pages, we are not to be held liable for typos and or omissions. Please be advised that all prices are subject to change without notice. Rovers North Inc. 1319 VT Route 128, Westford, Vermont 05494-9601, USA Sales: (800) 403-7591 Tech Line: (802) 879-0032 www.roversnorth.com www.roversmagazine.com Hours Monday-Friday: 8:00 am -5:00 pm EST Sightings submissions should be sent to: Sightings@roversnorth.com Letters to the Editor should be sent to: Editor@roversnorth.com Connect with Us @roversmag
Our mission is to support all original Land Rover models that are no longer supported by your local Land Rover franchise. We offer the entire range of Land Rover Genuine Parts direct from Land Rover UK, providing the highest quality parts and accessories at the best prices. In addition, we offer our own line of parts called ProLine. Sourced from a variety of manufacturers, ProLine is our alternative when a Genuine Part is no longer available or a lower cost replacement is preferred. Visit our website www.roversnorth.com for a more complete view of our selection, or call us. All new parts and accessories sold by Rovers North are covered by our two-year unlimited mileage warranty. We invite you to experience our knowledge, products and friendly service. Thank you for choosing Rovers North.
2
roversmagazine.com
Spring 2022
GOING FOR WARD / ALL GREEN
W
ith apologies to actor/children’s book author Max Greenfield, “I Don’t Want…” a 13-inch screen on my dashboard with a menu of options I didn’t request and a propensity to cease functioning when I might actually need it. I do not want to select “modes” for different driving conditions. I want levers, knobs or buttons, not touch points. At least, that’s what I thought. Then I peered inside Bill Cooper’s ’51 Series I – the most analog vehicle imaginable – and spotted an EZ Pass electronic reader, a cellphone mount, a Garmin GPS, Garmin Maps and a digital cylinder head temperature reader. Hmmm, maybe he’s onto something. He is, after all, driving it cross-country for the Barbara Toy Tribute Run. It might seem incongruous, but why not let digital gear help with our analog Land Rovers? This support becomes even more important in daily driving. Simple digital devices would let enthusiasts retain the tactile, direct connection with our heritage vehicles while improving safety in today’s conditions. Long gone are the days you could pull over and spread out a paper map, confident that other drivers were paying attention. Today, while distracted motorists tap, text, eat or take phone calls, you might wind up as a traffic statistic while scouring a map. There’s every reason to let your Google/Apple Maps or Waze app announce your route. Or you might want a rear-view camera when you’re backing up to connect a trailer or avoid a tree when on a trail. Why not use a camera mounted to your wing or door mirrors to help guide you over difficult terrain? You might also appreciate the ease with which digital instrumentation can help with your Land Rover. Mark Kellgren, Charlotte, NC, wrote to express his delight with the addition of a Rovers North digital speedometer in his early RoW Defender 110: “My Defender 110 had the standard factory cable-driven speedometer that read in kilometers. After switching to a different tire size, I knew I wanted a programmable speedometer so I could have accurate mileage and odometer readings. I didn’t want to lose the odometer reading, as I am sure many do with restorations. Switching from a mechanical to digital speedometer offered me the luxuries that come with a digital upgrade without the complicated ECU integration to the powertrain that so many of us loath in modern vehicles.” “For a daily driver and overland vehicle, reliability and simplicity are paramount to me. The digital speedometer allows me to easily calibrate to different tire sizes while maintaining the accuracy of my speed, as well as keeping to a proactive, odometer-driven maintenance schedule. Plus, the Rovers North kit was turnkey, including well-documented instructions." [Rovers North also offers a digital gauge cluster with voltage, temperature and fuel readings. See page 65 for RNSKIT2 and RNSKIT3 kits –ed.] Editor I prefer an analog Land Rover with digital aids over a Jeffrey digititally-controlled Land Rover any day. /// Aronson Vinalhaven, ME has written about Land Rover for over 30 years.
Art/Creative Director
Jeffrey Aronson Editor, Rovers Magazine Contributors
Thompson Smith
Dave Sweetapple
South Lake Tahoe, CA, Defender 90 and Range Rover Sport enthusiast
Brattleboro, VT, @vermontrovers
Cole Hanson Vermont Engineer and Land Rover Enthusiast
Stepan Pance Czech Dakar Classic Rally driver
