February 2024

Page 14: How a one-owner 80 from 1950 came home after half a century on a remote Italian hill farm

LANDY

FEBRUARY 2024

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Pre-ordering now open for Range Rover EV

Issue 123: Feb 2024

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JLR HAS OPENED THE PRE-ORDER BOOK for the Range Rover Electric.

A fully electrified version of the current model, which was launched in traditionally powered form during 2021, the vehicle will be built in Solihull alongside existing mild and plug-in hybrid variants – a move which coincides with the opening of a new £70m underbody facility at Land Rover’s original home.

While the main focus with the electric Range Rover is to ‘amplify its modern luxury credentials,’ JLR promises that it will remain a workhorse for those who want it to be. ‘Its go-anywhere capability will ensure towing, wading and all-terrain technology surpass any other luxury electric SUV,’ to quote.

Also to quote, ‘towing will substantially affect EV range,’ but at least they said it – and will 800V electric architecture, owners will be able to make the most of the fast-charging options available in the public network.

Indeed, JLR says its customers will enjoy ‘a seamless electric ownership experience.’ This includes ‘effortless charging, energy partnerships, software-over-the-air updates and intelligent technology to maximise range.’

The vehicle’s batteries and motor units will be assembled at JLR’s Elec-

tric Propulsion Manufacturing Centre in Wolverhampton. That’s the new name for the Engine Manufacturing Centre, which itself hardly seems to have been open for five minutes.

JLR says that by the time the new vehicle hits the road, it will have been the subject of more patents than any other Range Rover. Prototype examples, which are currently undergoing what it describes as ‘one of the most rigorous engineering sign-off programmes ever,’ were created following a year of virtual development concentrating on front-end robustness and analysis of the demand on the chassis.

At the present moment, these prototypes are being tested in temperatures ranging from -40C to +50, in locations from Sweden to Dubai, as well as all driving conditions and every kind of terrain. Specifically, the latter will be required to prove a wading depth of 850mm – while the programme in general aims to prove electric drive system

robustness, battery durability, chassis integrity and vehicle dynamics.

‘We are on target to create the quietest and most refined Range Rover ever created,’ says JLR engineering boss Thomas Müller. ‘The magic ingredients that underpin the success of Range Rover remain unchanged: timeless, reductionist design, a serene cabin and go-anywhere capability – but now offered with zero tailpipe emissions.

‘The Range Rover will continue to set the standard. The first of its type.

An electric luxury SUV that can deliver on the Range Rover promise. A true global luxury product, as yet unseen in the industry.’

It’s not yet possible to buy a Range Rover Electric. The pre-ordering process which is now open allows would-be customers to register in advance for the opportunity to be among the first to put their money down – something you can expect to be able to do some time in 2024.

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JLR introduces own-brand insurance for current vehicles

DA5502 Heavy Duty Steering Bars 90/110 £99.00 incl VAT

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earing face masks to the shops didn’t turn out to be the new normal after all.

Ridiculous insurance premiums, on the other hand, are an epidemic you can’t get away from by staying at home.

That’s why JLR has introduced Land Rover Insurance, a range of policies designed to prevent would-be Defender, Discovery and Range Rover clients (the word ‘buyers’ no longer applies, apparently) from being priced out of the market.

Pause while you enjoy the irony.

Ready to continue? So, the policy is comprehensive, of course, and any repairs are done by a JLR authorised bodyshop using genuine parts. It’s based on a monthly subscription model

and is fully flexible, with no charges for amendments or cancellations.

With the theft of luxury cars a burgeoning problem, some owners of high-value vehicles are finding it increasingly hard to get cover – and when they can, the price can be little short of preposterous. JLR says that the new service provided quotes to more than 4000 clients in its first two months of operation, with an average premium of less than £200.

Unfortunately, that’s per month. Even more unfortunately, though, in the current climate it still looks like quite good value for money.

Better news, if you’re in the market for a new Range Rover, is that they’re highly resilient to theft. Since January

2022, when JLR introduced its current electrical architecture, only 9 of the 12,200 new models on the UK’s roads have been stolen (0.07%). The figure for the Range Rover Sport is 13 out of 13,400 vehicles (0.1%), so both are a very safe risk. So safe that they can cost less than £2400 a year to insure.

• JLR’s impressively low vehicle theft figures come after a £10 million investment by the company in complimentary security updates. Since 2018, these have been rolled out to more than 65,000 vehicles – the result being a 40% reduction in thefts. Owners of eligible vehicles built since 2018 who haven’t yet had the upgrades installed are urged to contact a main dealer and arrange to get the work done.

NEXT MONTH’S ISSUE OF THE LANDY IS PUBLISHED ON 6 FEB You can pick up your copy of our March 2024 issue from selected newsagents and Britpart dealers – or read it online at www.thelandy.co.uk 01283 742969 • enquiries@assignment-media.co.uk • www.thelandy.co.uk • www.facebook.com/thelandyuk Group Editor Alan Kidd Art Editor Sam D’Souza Contributors Graham Scott, Alan Idle, Dan Fenn, Paul Looe, Tom Alderney, Gary Martin, Gary Noskill, Olly Sack Photographers Steve Taylor, Richard Hair, Harry Hamm, Michelle Thruxton, Vic Peel

Advertising Sales Manager Colin Ashworth Tel: 01283 742969 Publisher Sarah Moss Email: sarah.moss@ assignment-media.co.uk

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Green Lane Association flying the flag for all rights of way users

W

hen we’re on social media, we frequently come across people grumbling about the price of GLASS membership. On one occasion, somebody was even asking if anyone knew of a cheat code to let them get on to Trailwise 2, the association’s green lane database, without paying.

It’s always worth a gentle reminder, then, that GLASS members’ subscription fees go directly towards the prodigious work it does to keep the lanes open. This includes fighting against unwarranted legal action and criminal behaviour by anti-access factions when necessary – but most of the time, the association can be found engaging with the wider public and fellow stakeholders to help them understand that that sort of activity isn’t necessary in the first place.

In September, GLASS’ Cumbria rep team exhibited at the Westmorland Show, the biggest agricultural event in the county, which is attended by many farmers and landowners. ‘It is an occasion where we believe we can start to make our presence felt in a positive way,’ they explained, ‘to promote responsible use of unsurfaced routes and to highlight their importance in keeping the history and heritage of the area alive.’

The GLASS stand got some decent traffic, with quite a few visitors showing interest. ‘It was fairly busy,’ say the reps, ‘but it may take a few years for us to get established in what we see as an important area.’

Association members who would be interested in volunteering to staff the stand at future shows are encouraged to get in touch at cumbria.rep@glass-uk.org.

Rob Tongue, the Green Lane Association’s Essex Rep, is constantly demonstrating that dialogue is more constructive than conflict. The latest example comes from Newport 20, also known as the Saffron Trail, a byway in the north-west of the county.

Rob explains that a parish councillor from Debden was trying to gather support for an attempt to have the byway downgraded to a footpath. Something of a sleeve-clutching notion without very good reason indeed, but a threat nonetheless.

‘I contacted Newport Parish Council and attended their next meeting to talk to them about this,’ says Rob. ‘The outcome was that they informed Debden Parish Council they were not interested and preferred to work with us instead. They now come straight to me with any rights of way problems and we have formed a great working relationship.’

Much as there are some elements who want to thrive off discord, most rational people are all on the same side. This is the same in the countryside as it is anywhere else, and apathy is the key to letting the poison spread – it just takes the rational people to speak up.

‘So far we have spent two Sundays here clearing the lane and cutting back overhanging branches,’ continues Rob. ‘We have broken the back of the worst section which, leaves us about half of the lane to finish – probably about another day’s work, which we will be arranging shortly before moving on to our next project.

‘Volunteers for work like this are always in short supply. So if you can help, it would be much appreciated, not just by us but to all users of the byways.’ You can contact Rob by at essex.rep@glass-uk.org.

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Bad weather is a chance to be a hero

Issue 123: Feb 2024

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I

t’s that time of year when being the guy in a Land Rover means being able to plough through floodwater while everyone else is turning back or, if they drive a BMW, giving it a go and getting marooned. Yes, other forms of not-very-good-in-floodwater vehicle are available but it’s amazing how often the dead motor turns out to be a Beemer.

Obviously, your first instinct is to be smug. Or it might be to squint through the steamed up windscreen and try to see if the driver is a fit woman, in which case you might think about stopping to help. Or it might even be just to stop to help, without any far-fetched ideas of getting laid in return.

I’m writing this having just watched a video in one of the many Defender groups on Facebook. It’s from a dash cam (or at least a phone held in that sort of position), looking ahead as the vehicle drives through a hefty flood on a road somewhere in early December. Full of the Christmas spirit, the guy mutters ‘you knobhead’ just as he drives past a stranded 1-Series.

Now, the 1-Series is stuck in what looks like perhaps four inches of water, maybe six at a push. And it may be that before matey set off through in his Defender, he was treated the sight of an oncoming Beemer sending roosters fifteen feet into the air, in which case his verdict is probably quite right.

But still, way to make it look like we’re the bad guys. Everyone in a Defender carries a tow rope (well, maybe not everyone, but you know what I mean).

And I don’t know about you, but when I’m out and about in the snow of floods, I kind of live for the opportunity to be the hero. That’s what makes me feel smug, and it helps someone who’s having a way worse day than me.

Apart from anything else, when people see us helping out rather than kicking water in everyone else’s face, they realise that those guys in their Land Rovers aren’t so bad after all. Given the number of them who want an excuse to hate us, that’s a big deal. Even bigger than being able to post a video of yourself having a massive irony fail while calling someone else a knobhead.

Alan Kidd, Group Editor alan.kidd@assignment-media.co.uk The Landy_2023_12_December_Richard Chassis_FP_A4.indd 1

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Book Review

Trans Africa Land Rover

By Martin Port Published by Porter Press (2022), £30.00

T

his remarkable publication, by classic car specialist and Land Rover enthusiast Martin Port, is a biography of Philip Kohler told through the story of his travels in Africa in the late 1950s and early 60s. It is, however, much more than that. It’s the biography of the 88” Series II in which he did it, and the story of a continent finding its way into the modern world.

C B 2 7 M H z F M / A M P O RT A B L E T R A N S C E I V E R Kohler’s name is not as well known as it should be, however as For the complete range of ALL CB Radios & Accessories visit a location manager in the movie industry he .99 worked on almost 40 different feature films T-x The NEW Handheld CB Radio including several in the James Bond franchise. Born in Australia in 1933, he set out to see the world in 1955 and spent time in London before buying he Landy_2023_11_November_Thunderpole_QP.indd 1 05/09/2023 11:08 a new Land Rover and taking to the road – on an expedition that was to last A huge stock over 2 800 m 2 three years as he explored a continent Established 1985 in a state of great change.

This was overland travel at its most straightforward, with none of the comforts we consider essential today.

Kohler’s Land Rover was not modified or accessorised, and he carried little with him aside from the absolute essentials needed to survive and keep the vehicle running.

He did, however, take a camera.

And the result was a fabulous set of images documenting not just the expedition itself but his life before and afterwards. These appear liberally throughout the book, along with an astonishing collection of personal documents – letters, tickets, receipts, passports and more – illustrating a story whose richness of breadth and For France only depth is hard to comprehend.

Some time in the 1990s, Philip Kohler parked his Land Rover in front of his home in London, Whether he knew that this would be for the last time is impossible to know, however it stayed there until after his death in 2015, becoming a well known local landmark to the people of Shepherd’s Bush. He had resisted all offers to sell it, saying he wanted to know it was there should he ever wish to travel the world again.

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Thus the final chapter tells the story of its restoration – a sympathetic process done by the author himself, whose over-arching policy was to keep it looking exactly as it was when its only other owner drove it home across Africa.

There could be no more fitting conclusion to sych a book.

However the Land Rover’s story continues.

Having bought and restored it, Martin Port now uses it as his daily driver – something which, one suspects, Kohler himself would approve of.

Perhaps another transAfrica expedition awaits? For now, this magnificent book is a superb testament to a man, and his Land Rover, whose lives should serve as

a true inspiration to all those who dream of seeing the world.

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The latest and best equipment, parts, tools, accessories and more for Land Rover owners

Next-level infotainment tech for Puma-era Defender Price: £999 From: www.mudstuff.co.uk FOR BRINGING THE PUMA-ERA DEFENDER’S in-car entertainment offering into the modern age, the new Stinger HEIGH10 from Mud-UK promises to be a bit of a game-changer. It’s an all-in-one 10” interactive touchscreen package whose fitting kit locates it high up in the dashboard, making it easy to look at and operate without taking your attention from the road.

Designed for a factory-look installation, the HEIGH10 is installed without any need to cut the flanks of the dashboard or extend the original wiring loom to relocate the vehicle’s existing switches. These all remain within the unit’s central fascia, making it look much cleaner and neater and allowing for faster fitting.

The Landy_2023_09_September_Ring Landy_2023_07_July_Ring Automotive Automotive_HP.indd Ltd_HP_2.indd 11

Issue 123: Feb 2024 The unit itself runs Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, providing large on-screen touch buttons for ease of use – and giving access to navigavtion apps such as OnX and Gaia GPS which turn the head unit into an integrated, tablet-sized navigation screen.

It also has a reversing camera input – plus three other camera channels, allowing you to create your own surround-view set-up.

For entertainment (as if a Defender isn’t entertaining enough without the stereo on), the HEIGH10 has Audiophile approved sound with a built-in amp, subwoofer control and a 15-band graphic equaliser.

It comes with a Defender-specific harness whose interface offers enhanced control over your infotainment system, allowing you to manage camera triggers while showing advanced vehicle gauges easily via the vehicle’s OBD port.

These include info such as battery status and oil temperature, which are available from the vehicle’s on-board sensors but don’t get shown on the factory gauge cluster. The display allows you to swipe between pages, with

11

others including off-road info such as pitch, roll and compass heading.

Mud-UK provides an instructional video on fitting the HEIGH10, though it does also advise you to seek the help of a specialist if you’re in any doubt.

When installed, the unit obscures the air vents and clock on the top of the facia – however it has a clock of its own, and the company says it has found no drop in the efficacy of the vehicle’s aircon even in temperatures of 30° plus.

12/07/2023 10/05/2023 10:42 10:24

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Cool light bar for Discovery 3 and 4 Price: £288.21 inc VAT From: maltings4x4store.co.uk, TF974

ROOF-MOUNTED LIGHTS ARE GREAT because they help you see at night. And because they look cool. Terrafirma’s Expedition Light Bar is a good example, as it has four mounting points and looks fit even before you’ve put anything on them.

Designed to be used in conjunction with the same company’s roof rack, it’s equally suitable for the Discovery 3 and 4.

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The headliner comes in three sections – front, middle and rear. GRP 4x4 says it will last for years to come, never sagging or working loose, and all the while it’ll be adding a touch of sophistication to your 110’s interior.

The full headlining kit normally costs £1050 – however at the time of writing, GRP 4x4 was offering it for £900.

South African style overland trailer from Bushwakka Price: POA From: www.expedition-equipment.com OFF-ROAD TRAILERS GET LESS ATTENTION THAN ROOF TENTS, but in the real world of expedition travel a good one offers a serious amount of usability while leaving the top of your vehicle free for things like jerry cans and spare wheels.

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14 A barn find – found in a barn w w w. t h e l a n d y. c o . u k

Issue 123: Feb 2024

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Barn finds tend to be found anywhere but in a barn. But that’s where this 1950 Series I was discovered – not just in a barn, but in a remote barn on a hill farm in the middle of Italy Words: Tom Alderney

Above: The engine is correct for the vehicle, hwoever with no number to be seen there’s no way of knowing whether it’s original Below: If you were to want the Series I to be a workhorse once more, you might want to recondition the Fairey winch that’s been sitting in the rear bed for who knows how long. More likely it’ll go to someone who sees the value locked up in its age and condition, and perhaps has an eye on its 75th anniversary next year

H

ow often do you hear the term ‘barn find’ being applied to a Land Rover that’s clearly just spent a few years with its owner tripping over it every time he goes to get something out of his garage? They’re almost as frequent as the ‘time warp’ classics for whom the description ought to be ‘quite low miles but still a shed.’

While we all know about dealers who use ‘barn find’ as a dodgy kind

The chassis has the right number stamped in it, so safe to assume it’s been there since the days when Clement Attlee was PM. There’s work to be done it it’s to go again, but for that very obvious reason, and the fact that the corrosion does appear to be limited, it’s work worth doing

of provenance patina, though that’s more patronising than deceptive. Either way, the worst thing is when the barn in question turns out to be a field, or a hedge. When there’s a tree growing up through the engine bay and a goat living in the back, and the seller insists that it’s a freshly discovered classic rather than a piece of toxic scrap his wife is sick of looking at while she’s washing the dishes, you know someone’s out to take the you-know-what.

At the other end of the scale is a nice dry barn. It might be full of spiders but if it’s also full of cool motors it’s heaven on a hillside. If the hillside is in Italy, that’s even better (the spiders might be big and haggard, but you can be pretty sure it’s a lot warmer and drier than if it was in Cumbria rather than Umbria and that’s got to be good for what you’ve come to see).

Actually, when the owner of this Series I found it on a farm in central Italy, he had gone to see something else entirely. His name’s Rob and he’s into vintage Italian bikes.

‘This Land Rover is a genuine barn find,’ he tells us. ‘How do I know?

Because I found it. In a barn.’

‘It was on a remote mountain farm in central Italy. I had gone there to look at an old Lambretta that the farmer wanted shifting – and found this.’

Dating from 1950, the Landy is an 80” model with the correct 1.6-litre engine. Correct but not necessarily original, Rob points out; having done the deal and trailered it home to Britain, he found that there was no engine number anywhere to be seen – so it might be the unit with which it came out of Solihull, but nobody can be sure.

When it did come out of Solihull, it went into the hands of the family who were to be its only owners up until 2021. They were Italian, but they kept it in Britain until 1974 (note that it’s right-hand drive) when they took it back home on a permanent export licence.

It spent the next couple of decades at work on their farm before they parked it up, some time when John Major was Prime Minster, in the barn where Rob found it.

All things considered, it had lasted well. The chassis was still original, with the correct number stamped in it to match the vehicle’s documents; it had a hole in it but it wasn’t a goner by

any stretch, and it didn’t take much for the vehicle to be drivable, at least in a rudimentary way. Enough, at any rate, for Rob to be able to note that it was jumping out of gear at times in second.

As always with almost any Land Rover of this age, the Series has had stuff done to it at various points in its life. That’s inevitable – but all told it’s still very straight and original indeed.

Straight, original and ready for what looks like it should, by Series I standards, be an easy restoration.

Only Rob won’t be restoring it. That was the plan when he brought it back, but time, money and his first love of old Italian bikes ended up dictating otherwise. Which is why you’ll find it in the classifieds on page 28 of this issue of The Landy.

Rob says the process of importing the vehicle back to the UK is complete,

however it’s not yet registered for the road so once its new owner has finally restored it that’ll be the final piece in the jigsaw. He’s done his research about this subject, though, having contacted the Series I club for their advice – which was that he would have a good chance of getting it back on its original registration.

With an asking price of £12,750, this is not a giveaway in the current market – though knowing what we know about Series I values, the opportunity is there to put in some work and earn a tidy sum for it. It’s a little tired and a little crusty in places, but nowhere near as scary a project as some we’ve seen – and a year from now, it’ll be celebrating the start of its 75th anniversary year.

If you’re not imagining what might be right now, take a moment and check you’re still breathing…

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INTRODUCING THE

bude

Bikini Hoods offer a stylish alternative to the full hood providing protection from the elements whilst offering an almost open top driving experience. The Bikini hood can be removed and put on in under a minute, a fuss free alternative so you can enjoy driving your Land Rover ‘Hood Free’ but still having the reassurance of adequate protection from showers and sun.

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Issue 123: Feb 2024

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Second thoughts…

19

When John Pinder decided that his first choice of truck was too expensive, his thoughts turned to a Defender 110. It definitely wasn’t just any old Defender 110 he had in mind, though…

Words: Paul Looe Pics: Harry Hamm

B

y and large, people in the Land Rover scene try not to talk about other makes of 4x4. So we won’t, but we need to for a moment because that’s where the story of John Pinder’s one-off 110 trayback begins.

John wanted a Toyota Land Cruiser.

Not the kind of luxury wagon they sell in Britain, but the HDJ79 – a proper Aussie-style ute which is basically a pick-up version of the legendary Troopie. These have only ever come to Britain through the side door and need a mountain of paperwork plus an IVA test before you can use them on the road, all of which adds to the cost – which was already enormous.

It’s safe to look now, we’re finished talking about Toyotas. Put off completely by the price, John started to cook up a Plan B. Actually, John and his close friend Leigh Platts started to cook it up,

and this is where things get interesting because if you want a truck building, Leigh is exactly the sort of bloke you want to have on the job.

There are many words you could use to describe Leigh and none of them would do him justice. Master, genius, artist, things like that – they all sound hackneyed and kind of trite when you look at John’s truck. So let’s do that instead and let it do the talking.

Looking at it, which is as much as most people ever get to do, should be more than enough to impress you. But when you learn about it, that moves things on to a whole new level. It goes from impressive to staggering.

Let’s start with the merely impressive bit. You’re looking at what was once a 1993 Defender 110 HCPU. It’s riding on 37x14.50R15 Maxxis Creepy Crawlers wrapped around steel modular rims,

courtesy of a custom air suspension system using P38 air springs, and the Hi-Cap back body has been fetched off for a flat tray. Behind the cab, it breathes out through a pair of vertical exhaust stacks measuring a cheerfully monstrous five inches in diameter. And just in case it didn’t look mean enough already, a coat of metallic black paint makes it more sinister than ever.

Not that you needed to know all that, because you can see the pictures and you know what we’re on about. Even among a whole show field full of modified Land Rovers, this one stands out.

We know this because when the 110 was fresh out of the workshop, John brought it to the Great British Land Rover Show and there was a crowd around it all day long.

So it looks as hard as an Aussie ute.

Which is a good start and would be

If you’re of the school of thought that says every original Land Rover part is sacred, this will probably bring you out in hives. If you’re a sucker for good engineering, though, and damn the badge, 5.9 litres of 24-valve common-rail heave from a tuned ex-dustcart Cummins is a sight to stir the soul

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Issue 123: Feb 2024

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enough for some people. But it definitely wasn’t enough for John, nor indeed for Leigh. These guys were only even going to be doing it right.

In this case, ‘right’ doesn’t mean just giving the original 200Tdi a wash and brush up and doing something optimistic involving a bigger intercooler. Under the 110’s bonnet is a 5.9-litre Cummins six-pot which used to spend its days shifting 18 tons of loaded dustbin lorry about the place.

This won’t be the first Cummins diesel you’ve seen in a Land Rover, but it’s probably the first of its kind.

Leigh already had a 12-valve version of the engine in his own vehicle, but this one’s the more powerful 24-valve, common-rail job.

More powerful and, of course, more complicated. There’s an ECU involved and it held on to its original home like one of those babies you hear about who like it in there and don’t want to get born. After a lot of head scratching, Leigh had to send the box of tricks away to be modified; when you consider that his day job involves mechatronic systems for top-end supercar makers, that’s an illustration of a) how good he is at this stuff, and b) what an absolute sod of a job we’re talking about here.

So, with the ECU finally back and

ready to talk, Leigh was able to set it up. Which he did, mapping it for as much power and torque as possible.

No, they haven’t had it on the rollers, but it shifts the 110 the way a driver shifts a golf ball off a tee. Acceleration from more or less any speed is irresistible – as is the noise from those two big-bore stacks, which bellow like a lion that’s just caught its missus in bed with his best mate. We’ll leave you to insert a joke here about having your pride dented.

Talking of having your pride dented, no-one wants to be the bloke sitting at the side of the road because his fancy new Carlos Fandango engine has trashed his gearbox. That’s never a good look. To spare John the potential (read ‘inevitability’) of suffering this ignominy, Leigh suggested going like-for-like and mating what is a lorry engine to a lorry box. A five-speed manual ZF box, to be precise, which was a deceptively brave thing to do because the big Cummins was designed to have an auto bolted to its back end.

Cue a new flywheel and housing. The standard Land Rover clutch was fine to go again, though.

Just checking you were paying attention there. Leigh went to Clutchfix and came back with the sort of

heavy-duty unit it takes to live with 37” tyres, enough torque to pull down a building and a vehicle whose engine alone weighs in at more than half a tonne. We’re in Big Stuff territory here, for sure.

So the engine was right, the gearbox was right, the drivetrain already weighed more than HMS Ark Royal and now the transfer case was cowering in the corner. Leigh stripped it down and rebuilt it with new bearings and a four-pin Ashcroft diff, at the same time changing the gear ratios to suit what was coming down the line. It still has high and low range, but if John ever actually moves the lever forward it’s because he’s found a way of driving up a vertical wall. You could put it in first, get out and walk beside it and given the traction, it would scale Everest.

That’s if it doesn’t twist its axles into bits of knotted scrap, of course. The 110 came to John with Salisburys at both ends, rather than just the back, which is good because these are strong old things, but even so they were specced from the factory with Land Rover’s own engines in mind. An initial test drive ended with the front diff getting torn to shreds; in a bid to stop that from happening again, both axles are now home to heavy-duty diffs and

In the cabin, you wouldn’t think there’s much about the 110 that’s non-standard – until you start looking at all the extra gauges in that Raptor dash

To advertise in The Landy, call our team on 01283 553244 w w w. t h e l a n d y. c o . u k We’re on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thelandyuk John’s friend Leigh, who’s a bit of a legend in the workshop, designed and built the 110’s suspension, which combines radius arm and panhard rod location up front with a rear A-frame and all-round air springs from a P38 Range Rover.

Steering is by Terrafirma, with an RTC damper, and the whole system allows articulation of up to 52”. Also notable here is the original chassis, which was galvanised after gaining a couple of new outriggers; the axles, meanwhile, are both Salisburys with Ashcroft internals making them stronger than ever

Issue 123: Feb 2024

21

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Issue 123: Feb 2024

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halfshafts, again from Ashcroft, which have so far proved up to the task.

So we’re looking at the sort of engine that makes little girls cry, and the sort of drivetrain that can live with the sort of engine that makes little girls cry, and that’s all very good but not much use if you put them on the sort of chassis that makes grown men cry.

Actually, considering this was the kind of 110 you pick up on the cheap, it could have been a whole lot worse.

Leigh stripped it down and found that in the main, all it needed was outriggers.

There was a tray there for a rear winch, which he was able to leave in place as John already knew by then that he wanted a flat bed at the back, and this in turn meant there was no need for a conventional rear crossmember. So with that done, he sent the chassis off for shot-blasting then had the whole thing galvanised so that John won’t face the same trouble in a couple of decades’ (read five years’) time.

Where there’s a chassis, there’s also a bulkhead. Well, to a great extent there was a bulkhead but when the

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truck came down it was clear that instead there was now a rotten mess.

Leigh had to cut away the footwells, vent panel, door pillars and plenty more besides, before welding in enough new metal to make you wonder why they didn’t just get a new one instead.

But here’s why they didn’t just get a new one instead. The Cummins takes up a teeny bit more space than a Tdi, and cutting up a new bulkhead would be another very good way of making grown men cry. Leigh fitted the engine so he could measure up the mods that were going to be required, then having fetched it back off again he bolted up the bulkhead and shaped it in situ.

With that, the 110 had a solid frame and a drivetrain to make it shift. Job done? Well, no, as anyone who’s ever buit a Land Rover will tell you. Mainly at this point, let’s revisit the suspension, which we earlier mentioned uses the air springs from a P38 Range Rover.

These are fed from a 600cc twin compressor, with a set of in-cab controls allowing John to adjust each corner individually. By no means is it just

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Buyers

a reused Range Rover set-up – Leigh fabricated brackets to fit the springs, and the flexibility in the system gives it a massive 52” of travel at the front. And this is a Land Rover that wasn’t even built to be an extreme off-roader.

Instead, it’s basically an extreme everything. It’s a load-hauler of the very highest order, a supreme toy, the sort of daily you grew up having wet dreams about and on top of everything else, a show truck that’s not a show truck put puts actual show trucks to shame. Fundamentally, it’s a lorry in a Land Rover’s body… and what a body. Those Toyota Land Cruisers are brilliant, brilliant things – but since deciding he couldn’t justify that kind of money, John Pinder has never looked back.

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The Sporting Life

T

Range Rover Sport is seen by many buyers as a part of the main Range Rover line up. They’re wrong, but they’re closer to the truth than they once were – the original was actually more closely related to the Discovery 3.

Launched in 2004, the first Sport shared much the new Disco’s radical all-independent chassis – and most were powered by the same 2.7 TdV6 engine.

But at the top of the pile, it was offered with a 4.2-litre Supercharged petrol engine whose 385bhp and 406lbf.ft

Series I (1948-1958)

The Series I, particularly in its 80” guise, is the most sought-after of

all Land Rovers. Its engineering and design give it real charisma, but parts aren’t readily available.

Restoration projects require deep pockets, but see it through and the result will be worth mega bucks.

Gone are the days where you could use a Series I as an actual Land Rover. Because with restored examples changing hands

Series III (1971-1985)

The Series III wasn’t too dissimilar to the Series IIA in mechanical

terms, keeping the same 2.25-litre engines throughout the length of its production run.

In 1980, the engines switched to a more durable five-bearing crank rather than the old threebearing setup. The transmission also received syncromesh on all forward gears to make it easier to live with.

Lightweight (1968-1984)

These military vehicles can easily be distinguished from regular

Land Rovers. To mimic the civvy Series machines, the Series III model built from 1972 onwards, also had its headlights switched out to the wings.

Lightweights add an extra dimension to owning a Land Rover.

Their military history and details mean you get a truck with more stories to tell – and that stands

90/110 (1983-1990)

This is Land Rover at its best: a no nonsense workhorse that can

also take you just about anywhere in the world.

Early 90s and 110s are starting to be a real collector’s item. But you’ll likely be searching far and wide for a pristine example.

These Land Rovers had coilsprung suspension, new engines and a world-beating level of rugged off-road capability.

made it one of the fastest SUVs you could get at the time.

This is now one of the fastest you can get for the money, though you’ll have a job to find one that hasn’t been hammered. Superior off-road ability makes it more likely to have been used in the mud, too, and like all Sports and Disco 3s it’s a supreme tow truck.

Also like all Sports and Disco 3s, it’s a money pit. If you can accept the running

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costs, though, the 4.2 Supercharged is a monster of a vehicle with all-round skills and a gorgeous interior. Feeling brave?

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£5000-£85,000 Series II/IIA (1958-1971) for millionaire money, preservation is the aim of the game.

The earlier the vehicle, the more it will be worth. The sky’s the limit – but can you really put a price on such an icon?

Pros: Heritage, charm, a true classic, the original Land Rover Cons: Availability of parts, price tag on early 80s

£2500-£45,000

much of that early charm. Prices are on the increase, however, as these vehicles start to come into their own as collector’s items.

A 2.25 petrol 88” would be our pick, as the diesel engines were underpowered and rather noisy.

The Series II/IIA has a wider stance than its predecessor and adds an extra (thin) layer of

refinement. While the engines have excellent longevity, they need to have been maintained properly. Be thorough in your checks, both under the bonnet and underneath the body.

Pros: A sound investment to restore. Some now MOT exempt Cons: Bulkheads and chassis rot, springs prone to seizing

£2500-£30,000 Series IIA/IIB FC (1962-1971)

£2500-£15,000

They still carry the simplicity of earlier Land Rovers, but can be obtained for a fraction of the price... for now.

Pros: Most affordable way into Series ownership. Still has the Series pedigree. Parts still widely available Cons: Not yet as desirable as the earlier Series models

The Series II/IIA is more affordable than a Series I, yet it still carries

Forward Control Land Rovers are a cult within a cult. They’re a real

rarity – with all the cachet, pride and immense awkwardness that comes with this status.

By ‘rare’, we’re talking about less than 2500 Series IIA FCs in total. And they tended to have a very hard life, so not many have survived to tell the tale.

Forward-Control models differed from everyday Series IIs by

£3500-£22,000 101 (1972-1978) out from the crowd. They’re a rare breed, though – so if you’ve got one, it’s worth keeping hold of.

Pros: Not like all the other Land Rovers out there. Military background. Lovely 2.25 petrol Cons: Appearance isn’t to everyone’s taste. Exclusivity over regular models means they command a price premium

Only ever sold to the Army, the 101 became a cult vehicle when

£7500-£26,000 the time came for demob. They were flogged off at very low prices and turned into off-road toys – not something you’d do with one today, given the rarity and classic value they’ve taken on.

Compared to the IIA/IIB FC, the 101 is more fun thanks to its V8 engine. It’s still a military tool, though – some still have fixtures

£3500-£35,000 127 (1985-1990) A very early 2.25 petrol 90 is a rare thing, and a beautiful one too. But perhaps try for a 2.5 natasp diesel: they’re robust and as simple as they come.

Pros: Excellent parts availability. Easy to work on. Unlimited potential for mods and restos Cons: Puny engines (V8 apart) Not many left in good condition

The 127 was built on a special production line in Solihull which

having heavy-duty ENV axles, but engine-wise they had the familiar 2.25 petrol and diesel lumps. So, don’t expect performance – but do expect to be given an ‘interesting’ time in the workshop…

Pros: A Land Rover like no other, if that’s what you want Cons: Especially brutal to drive, and to find parts

and fittings from their Army life, which adds interest. This is a vehicle for enthusiasts, though, with costs that are sky-high even

by Land Rover standards.

Pros: Master of the road. Lovely V8 soundtrack. Everybody who sees one loves it Cons: Monumental running costs. Expensive to buy, too

£6500-£27,000 took 110 chassis and stretched them. It was designed for military and commercial users and came as a high-capacity double-cab.

These days, it’s very rare to find a 127 that hasn’t been hammered, restored and/or converted, or all three. People looking for a work truck tend to go for a later 130, so the 127 is more of an enthusiast’s

motor. It’s popular for homebrewed overland conversions, too.

Almost all 127s have had an engine conversion by now, too.

Lots to be wary of, then – but it’s a hell of a lot for your money.

Pros: Enormous size means limitless potential and character Cons: Unwieldy. Sure to have had a colourful life

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Defender 200 Tdi (1990-1994) £4000-£38,000 Defender 130 (1990-2016)

The Tdi engine, which arrived with the Defender name, can last for

decades if it’s looked after. Find one that’s had all its oil changes (a tall order) and it’ll go round (and round) the clock.

The good thing about the earlier 200Tdi is that it’s simpler than the later 300. What you gain here you lose in refinement, but this is seen by many experts as the best Defender of them all.

The LT77 gearbox in the 200 Tdi is more truck-like than the later R380, and these vehicles didn’t come with bling. Just be sure it’s an original Tdi you’re getting, not an old Discovery conversion.

Pros: The perfect combination of tradition and modernity Cons: Lots of horrible and/or deceptive ones around

Defender 300 Tdi (1994-1998)

The 300 Tdi engine is very different to the 200 unit it replaced, though

the two are related. It’s much more refined and smoother to drive, though there are more electronics involved so later versions in particular are less of a DIY fix.

The arrival of the 300 Tdi also brought with it the R380 gearbox.

This used to have a terrible reputation for relability, but most have been put right by now and they’ve

Defender TDCi (2007-2016)

The last Defenders gained modern 2.4 and 2.2 TDCi engines and

smooth six-speed gearboxes, They still had phenomenal off-road ability and were even okay to sit in. Famously, this was the Defender that actually had a dashboard Many people dislike the TDCi, especially the earlier 2.4, but they still change hands for huge money – especially when the likes of Kahn or Twisted have been

When Land Rover introduced the Defender name, it was actually the

£12,500-£35,000

130 that changed the most. That’s because unlike the old 127, it was built on a proper chassis of its own rather than a stretched 110 frame.

The advent of the Tdi engine was the making of the 130, too. At last, Land Rover could make them pull properly without returning single-figure fuel economy by using a hard-worked V8.

£4500-£43,000 Defender Td5 (1998-2007) become sought after for their light clutch and better shift action.

It was during the Tdi era that Defenders started getting things like alloys, too. You might even find one that’s not been off-road…

Pros: Strength and simplicity.

Perhaps the definitive Defender Cons: Sure to be very different to when it left the factory

The Td5 engine is arguably Land Rover’s most reliable unit and it’s

involed. You will always pay a premium for a Puma, and a Tdi or Td5 may turn out to be a better purchase. Even then, though, look after it and you may well never see depreciation.

Pros: Efficiency, creature comforts, off-road prowess Cons: Price, electronics, TDCi engine is unloved

If the subject of the new Defender comes up in enthusiast circles, try

still be a DIY machine. Parts are in plentiful supply, as is specialist knowledge – and it’s one of the best Land Rovers ever.

Pros: Off-road capability, power, overall reliability. Very well suited to being modified Cons: Rear chassis, premium prices, monstrous road tax on later vehicles

£55,000-£165,000

to steer it away on to something safer. Like Brexit, for example.

Much as it may infuriate purists, however, the Defender is actually a very wonderful thing. It’s kind of like an old one, only with space, comfort and equipment.

The big difference is that you can’t work on it yourself. This goes for maintenance and, crucially,

making modifications – a market Land Rover wants to take back and have for itself. It won’t hold its value long-term the way an original-shaper does, either. But this is still a superb vehicle.

Pros: Comfort, capability, rugged fitness for purpose Cons: Not cheap to buy. Lacks the old one’s basic charm

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a strong performer. It does lend itself to being tuned though, so watch out for abused ones and knackered examples that have been pushed beyond the limit.

As with all Defenders, you’ll need a rear crossmember sooner or later – or even a new chassis.

Despite having more electronics than the Tdi, a Td5 Defender can

£8500-£195,000 Defender (2020-on)

As a result, you’ll find many more original(ish) 130s than 127s.

Some are even still in service with the utility companies they were built for. If you want a Defender for overlanding, look no further.

Pros: A proper truck with huge capabilities in every area Cons: It’s a big lump if you don’t actually need that much size

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Freelander (1997-2006)

The Freelander 1 is a cheap gateway into Land Rover ownership.

£400-£5500 Freelander 2 (2006-2015)

It’s also a notable classic in its own way, as it heralded the start of the company’s modern era.

It has its issues, though. The viscous coupling is expensive to replace and can be upset simply by running mismatched tyres.

The 1.8 petrol used to be notorious for head gasket failures.

Today’s replacements are much

more robust, but a late diesel is your best bet. Even these can go calamitously wrong, though. This was a more complex car than it needed to be, and buying one for sweeties now doesn’t change that.

Pros: Cheap to buy, no big rust issues, surprisingly able off-road Cons: All sorts of things can go wrong, some very expensively

The Freelander 2 was a massive improvement on the model

£2000-£17,500

it replaced. It’s a refined and affordable SUV with a strong engine, good equipment and a decent level of practicality.

It’s become one of the most reliable Land Rovers out there, too.

But do be aware of the rear diff and Haldex unit for costly outlays.

The 2.2-litre diesel engine is a strong performer, though for a

Range Rover Classic (1970-96) £4000-£275,000 Range Rover (1994-2002)

The original Rangey is a classic you can use everyday – and there

are people who do just that, preferring to invest new-car money in a restoration than spending it on a current model.

It’s a smart policy, too. An early two-door can cost mega money, but any Classic will appreciate in value if kept in good condition – and sought-after rarities like the CSK and LSE can be a gold mine.

Range Rover (2002-12)

The Mk3 Range Rover hit new heights of luxury and was more re-

The fifth-generation Range Rover takes its position as a luxury car

A Mk2 Rangey in good working order is still a sensational car to

This isn’t a DIY motor, but it certainly is a Range Rover, with brilliant off-road and towing skills.

It relies a lot on electronics, but they work wonders – and the deepdown engineering is very robust.

Pros: Great off-road, luxury, image, TDV8 powerplants Cons: Very complex. Huge running costs

The current Range Rover is a majestic 4x4. All the engines in the

£1000-£28,000

own, even today. The problem is that they’re very complex and very, very good at going wrong.

Air suspension failure is the norm. Head gaskets can let go.

Electronics are laughably flaky.

And parts can cost the earth – as will the labour bills. Perhaps worst of all, nowadays it’s very hard to find one you can be sure hasn’t

£2200-£27,000 Range Rover (2012-22)

liable than the P38. It’ll still cost a lot to run, however, and drivetrain faults and underbody corrosion are not unknown.

The TDV8 engine is sublime, but you’ll pay more to get one – especially the 4.4, though the 3.6 has all the power you need. The V8 petrol, on the other hand, is temptingly cheap. Guess why…

Range Rover (2022-on)

An awful lot of Rangeys have been neglected and/or abused, and you can still buy they cheap.

But if you’ve got the skills, and access to parts, restoring one would be the ultimate hobby that pays.

Pros: Most usable classic Land Rover, V8 power, ride quality Cons: Rust, availability of parts for early models

bargain search out one with the unpopular 3.2 petrol unit. Either way, it’s a fine SUV to drive.

Prices have fallen since the production ended, too – £10,000 now gets you one worth having.

Pros: Reliability, refinement, economy of diesel engine Cons: Transmissions can wear quickly if used for towing

spent at least part of its life being worked on by idiots Still, you’ll get a classy motor with proper off-road and towing skills. It’s becoming a classic, too, and prices are still tiny considering everything you get.

Pros: Luxury, price, a Land Rover that doesn’t rust Cons: Electrics. Be very afraid

£20,000-£150,000

range supply copious amounts of power, and its road manners are absolutely impeccable.

It’s startlingly capable off-road, too, even if getting one muddy would feel like bad form. Most that leave the tarmac probably do so only when their owners are in the mood to blow some grouse out of the sky.

Inside, the Range Rover’s cabin is superb, with sumptuous trim and cutting-edge equipment.

Prices are, of course, as immense as the vehicle itself. But if you can afford it, so too is the presence a Rangey will give you.

Pros: Class, luxury, engines, vast all-round capability Cons: Price

£99,000-£220,000 Range Rover Sport (2005-2013) £2500-£20,000

to greater extremes than ever, with lavish equipment and endless opportunities for personalisation.

It’s a supreme lifestyle wagon for the rich: to many of Land Rover’s traditional fans, on the other hand, it’s the supreme irrelevance.

If you can afford one, few cars could be as pleasing. However if you can afford one and you love

Land Rovers, you’re likely to be thinking about how many real ones you could buy with this sort of money. It wouldn’t make a bad way to tow your collection about the place, though…

Pros: Immense prestige, and sublime both to be in and drive Cons: To at least 99% of people it’s utterly divorced from reality

The Sport is mechanically similar to the Discovery 3 – meaning it’s

a supreme off-roader as well as being a funky road ride. It doesn’t handle like a sports car, but is agile enough for an SUV. A Discovery of the same era is far more practical, however, while a full-fat Rangey has more class.

The Sport is still a massively able tow barge, though, in addition to all its other virtues.

You’re looking at a car which many people associate with rich chavs and criminals, however. And being based on the Discovery 3, it can’t help but share that vehicle’s reputation as a money pit.

Pros: Decent performance and all-round dynamics Cons: A Disco 3 is more usable.

Expect horrific running costs

Range Rover Sport (2013-22) £19,500-£140,000 Range Rover Sport (2022-on) £80,500-£145,000

The second-generation Range Rover Sport is 400kg lighter than

the original, meaning it’s almost economical to run. It feels really nimble and agile on the road, too, and it comes with a range of engines giving it a brisk turn of pace.

Some won’t like the flamboyant posture, while others will love it.

Either way, inside the cabin it’s very nearly as luxurious as the full-fat Range Rover.

The only stumbling block with such a fine motor is going to be how to pay for it. Depreciation has started to bring down the purchase price – though you’ll never run one on a shoestring.

Pros: Performance, refinement, glorious interior Cons: Marmite image. Pricey to buy and run

Hilariously, this is what counts as the affordable way in to owning a

new Range Rover. The Sport is less about being chauffeur driven and more about lording it over other aspirational school runners, but once again it’ll be lovely to drive.

Like the full fat Range Rover (a phrase which has never felt more appropriate), the Sport is available with an old-school V8 engine that gives you racecar performance in

return for NASA-level emissions.

Most UK customers with opt for an altogether healthier plug-in hybrid, but they’ll still get a vehicle that’s brutally fast a well as being able to do the normal Range Rover stuff.

Pros: Smooth, refined, comfy… and game for a laugh, too Cons: Still hasn’t quite shed its proceeds-of-crime image

Range Rover Evoque (2011-19) £7500-£41,000 Range Rover Evoque (2019-on) £31,000-£60,500

When the Evoque was launched, it signalled JLR’s intent on hitting

the masses. Given that it was the company’s fastest-selling vehicle, they clearly hit the brief, even if it wasn’t for the traditional Land Rover owner.

It’s actually still a capable thing off-tarmac – but it’s definitely more at home on the road.

Nevertheless, it is economical

by Land Rover standards and

because there are so many out there, used prices are tempting.

There’s a Convertible model, too, as well as three and five-door tin-tops. We say stick to the latter, and be sure to get one with 4WD. Pros: Economy, handling, iconic concept-car image Cons: Cramped rear seats, not as practical as a Disco Sport

Most Range Rovers all look the same at the front now, but the new

Evoque has adopted a similiar back end to the larger Velar. It’s not just the exterior that mimics the looks of the larger vehicle, however, as the Evoque has gained the latest Touch Pro Duo tech and a hike in quality.

The main highlight of the new Evoque is the fact the majority of the range is made up of mild

hybrids, available with diesel and petrol engines combining to an electric motor. Only the base D150 Evoque escapes the electrification, and we’d avoid it as it doesn’t have four-wheel drive.

Pros: Feels like a proper Range Rover inside Cons: Petrol engine is poor on fuel economy, even as a hybrid

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Range Rover Velar (2017-on) £27,500-£75,000 Discovery (1989-1998)

The Velar a competent cruiser and has received numerous accolades

because of its particularly handsome exterior. It’s based upon the same architecture as the Jaguar F-Pace but has greater off-road ability and is available with a wide choice of engines, most of which combine good economy with usable everyday performance.

The interior is Land Rover’s most advanced cabin to date, with

Discovery 2 (1998-2004)

The Disco 2 is powered by the Td5 engine, one of Land Rover’s most

most reliable units ever. It drives well, too – mated to a manual box it has more guts even than the V8 option, which is surprisingly bland but predictably thirsty.

Whereas the Disco 1 was prone to body rust, the D2 is fine here.

Instead, its chassis rots like a carrot, especially towards the back end. Also at the back, seven-seat

Discovery 4 (2009-2017)

Somewhere between a facelift and a whole new model, the Disco 4

is basically an evolution of the 3.

It looks similar and is still a practicality monster, as well as being hugely impressive on and off-road and a hero in front of a trailer, but despite being only subtly tweaked inside feels far more luxurious.

That hasn’t prevented it from suffering all the same issues as time has gone on. You need to

Discovery Sport (2015-19)

The Discovery Sport packs seven seats into a Freelander-sized

body and dishes up an appealing all-round blend of comfort, kit and general driving manners.The third row of seats is only suitable for little ‘uns, though, and off-road it’s a Discovery in name only.

It’s a more practical proposition than the closely related Evoque, and you won’t need to live with the fear of Posh Spice jokes. You

other models expected to follow the Velar in due course.

But is there a whiff of style over substance? Well, it’s a very good SUV. But you don’t half pay a premium for those suave looks...

Pros: Stylish design, chic cabin, excellent tech features Cons: Feels like an indulgence, especially at such a high price

The original Discovery was based on the Range Rover of the time,

with the same 100” wheelbase and a slick body containing a spacious, flexible cabin. It was well equipped and refined, and it came with the wonderful Tdi engine.

Over time, the Disco’s epic ability meant almost all of them were hammered at playdays. Lower body rust is a big killer, too. So it’s rare to find a good one now,

£1000-£11,000 Discovery 3 (2004-2009) models had air-suspension, with all the horrors that brings.

Mainly, D2 owners will tell you about rogue electronics. And leaky sunroofs. They still love their trucks, though, which says a lot.

Pros: Td5 power and reliability, great all-rounder, lots of choice Cons: Chassis rust, electronics, leaky sunroofs, air suspension

The Disco 3 is an astonishing allround vehicle. It’s good on the road

and capable off-road, genuinely luxurious and a giant of a tow truck, and as well as being able to seat seven adults it can be turned into a van with a totally flat rear load area.

But it was also astonishingly complex, and these days it has a reputation as a money pit.

Air suspension and electronic

£6000-£30,000 Discovery 5 (2017-on) start off by buying the best you can possibly afford – and at the top of the market, they don’t come cheap. Get it right, though, and this is as good as a modern Land Rover has ever been.

Pros: Most LR fans’ idea of what a Range Rover should be like Cons: Still a potential money pit, and the best are expensive

£12,500-£33,000 might shudder at the price if you’re buying new, though – but on the used market, there are some tidy looking deals to be had, even on high-spec examples.

Pros: More practical than an Evoque, and less vulgar. Seven seats. Capable enough off-road Cons: Back seats only for small mammals. Price of top models

The Discovery 5 is a versatility monster. As an all-rounder, at

launch it was the most capable Land Rover on sale – the new Defender will be going some to wrest that crown from it.

All the engines in the range are refined and flexible, and its chassis is remarkably supple for such a big vehicle. There’s no end of electronics working away in the background, but the effect is very

Discovery Sport (2019-on)

The second-generation Disco Sport came along only four years

after the first. That’s because once again, it’s related to the Evoque, which was ready for a full new model in 2019.

The Sport is a premium midsized SUV with seven seats and a decent level of off-road ability. It’s a massively popular choice for the school run – and, with the arrival of a plug-in hybrid option last

£800-£18,000 and when you do they tend to be priced with a lot of optimism.

Very early ones in tip-top condition are full-on classics, too. For a sound one to own, we’d look for a tidy 300Tdi. Pros: Price, practicality, parts availability. Epic off-road ability Cons: The body rusts like it’s been doused in sea water

£1850-£16,000 handbrakes are big sources of woe, cam belts are a body-off job to change and rust is becoming more of an issue. Get a good one, though, and it’s all the car you’ll ever need.

Pros: Good at everything. Lots of accessories available now Cons: As fragile as you expect, and then some

£24,500-£95,000 convincing – as is an interior that might make you wonder why you’d bother paying more for a Range Rover. Just be careful not to go wild with the options and end up paying more for a Discovery…

Pros: Immense blend of comfort and practicality Cons: Feels more like a softroader than a proper Discovery

£21,000-£62,000 year, as a company car. Quality has taken a step up from the first model – it’s now a convincing premium vehicle, and the range offers enough choices to suit anybody with the means to buy one.

Pros: Classy and practical cabin, all-round good to drive Cons: You can get a Defender for the price of some models

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w w w. t h e l a n d y. c o . u k

News

Issue 123: Feb 2024

Products

Series III 109 (1977). 27,000 miles. Ex-Navy, restored to original on galv chassis in 2020. History from before and after disposal.

2.25 petrol. Heritage cert. Only 100 miles since resto. £18,500. Rugby.

07801 566804 13/23/004

Series I (1950). Literal barn find in Italy. One owner before seller.

Original chassis (needs work), correct engine,. Drives well. All docs to register in UK on original number. £12,750. Chelmsford.

07808 939796 13/23/006

Series IIA 109 Pick-Up (1969).

Very rare factory-approved Air Drive conversion with PTO-driven compressor. Signwritten with great patina. Original and complete vehicle for restoration. £3000.

Evesham. 07507 934457 13/23/005

Defender 90 Td5 Utility (2006).

75,000 miles. Alive Stage 2 tune, Fox/Eibach suspension, soundproofed, bespoke interior, Alpine head unit. Galv 1/3 chassis. Waxoyled. MOT Nov 24. £23,000. West Sussex. 07780 704080 02/24/002

Defender 90 TD5 Nighthawk (2000). 139,489 miles. Built by Rugged Guide. Stage 2 Alive tune, galv chassis, uprated intercooler, LEDs, upgraded radio, new clutch.

MOT Sep. £24,975. Southampton.

07799 804625 13/23/007

Defender 90 Td5 Soft-Top (2007). 146k miles. Auto. 6-seater.

Tow pack, Sawtooths, CarPlay, reverse camera, cubby box, side runners, upgraded lights, electric windows, leather seats. £28,500.

Bath. 01225 752358 01/24/001

Defender 90 (1987). Ex-MOD, with Sankey Ammunition Trailer.

152,000 miles; 65k-mile 200Tdi in 2022. New shocks and springs 2019. Interior carefully maintained.

Dry barn stored. MOT May. £15,000 ono. 07748 692691 13/23/001

Defender 110 300 Tdi CSW (1998). 161,000 miles. 12-Seater.

Roof rack. Original chassis, new rear crossmember. Cubby box, all good seatbelts. Excellent tranny.

History. MOT July. £13,500. Halesworth. 07564 911160 02/24/003

Defender 90 200 Tdi Hard-Top (1989). 192,928 kilometres. Steel bumper, snorkel, LED roof, work and fog lights, BFG ATs. Puma seats. Part service history. Well maintained.

MOT June. £9500. East Grinstead.

07864 283836 02/24/005

Defender 90 200 Tdi (1991).

131,000 miles. SD cage, 2” lift, Cooper STTs, steel bumper, Superwinch X9, rock sliders, snorkel, steering guard. Raptor dash, frontfacing rear seats. £14,995. Swindon. 07765 043966 02/24/004

Discovery 1 300 Tdi van (1989). dislocation cones, steel bumpers, 5” lift, 285s, 52” LED bar, 13,500lb winch, 80-amp marine batteries, rock sliders, galv tank guard.

Solid. Long MOT. £4480. Chertsey.

07748 206225 02/24/001

Discovery 200Tdi (1993). 200,600 miles. Rust-free. New floors, sills, footwells, inner wings etc. Engine rebuild, new suspension and brakes, rad, water pump, cambelt.

FSH. Full MOT. £7495. Dulverton.

07967 362090 01/24/006

Discovery 300Tdi (1998). 123k miles. 7-seat. Air con, electric windows, new Insas. Straight, unmolested, everything works. Sunroof sealed. Cam belt at 115,000 miles.

MOT June. £2700. Pontypool.

07564 259781 01/24/002

Discovery 3 Camper Van (2005).

157,000 miles. Roof rack, snorkel, camping conversion in rear with bed and storage. Ideal for overland build and coil conversion (air susp light is on). £4000. Cleckheaton.

07845 132166 01/24/005

Range Rover 4.6 Vogue (2001).

105,000 miles. Top spec vehicle with enormous equipment list and high refinement level. Mostly good condition. Stainless exhaust, new discs and pads. Full MOT. £4250.

Bolton. 07834 228199 01/24/003

Range Rover 4.6 Vogue (2002).

212,000 miles. LPG. Rebuilt engine and gearbox, air suspension works.

Drinks cabinet. LEDs, EBC brakes, rear DVDs, reversing camera, headlining replaced. £2750. Sheffield.

07599 136288 01/24/004

Range Rover Vogue Turbo D (1991). 137,000 miles. 5sp man.

Rust-free, excellent mechanically.

Recent restoration and respray. Uprated suspension, many new parts.

FSH. MOT May. £8750. Hampshire.

07721 495543 13/23/008

90” Hybrid. 3.5 Mazda TD, Td5 intercooler, LT77, coils, discs, PAS, massive tyres. Galv rear quarter chassis. Harnesses, twin batteries, big bumper, electric fans. Tax/MOT exempt. £4250. Walton, Somerset.

07958 258770 13/23/002

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PERFECTION

West Midlands

• Two very different home-built overland 110s – and a stunning boutique 130 camper

• A roundup of the latest restorations, premium EV conversions and much more

EVOLVED DEFENDER

The Coolest Camper

Street and overland come together in a stunning 130

Air springs, auto gearbox: not your typical 90…

Land Rover Parts, Ex-Military and General Surplus

• The biggest ever gathering of Land Rovers from behind the gates of the Royal household • Exploring Europe in a whistle-stop Discovery expedition • The trip of a lifetime reaches its conclusion as a pioneering Range Rover reaches Cape Town

The Smithy, Wood Lane, Hinstock, Shropshire, TF9 2TA

✔ Enhanced ✔ Restored ✔ Preserved ✔ Modified

One great Land Rover after another inside

88” TO AFRICA

Overland to Liberia in a £950 leafer

2024 Yearbook Cover AWAITING BARCODE.indd 1

• London to Liberia in the sort of Series III you’d normally treat as a restoration project

07/11/2023 11:01 NEW 4x4S

NEWS

Goodwood Revival hosts largest earliest royal family goes back to the very Land Rover’s relationship with the a rich variety of all kinds of vehicles days of the Series I. Today, there’s on the first anniversary of with connections to the crown – and Land Rover brought Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s death, them that’s ever together the biggest collection of been in the same place at once.

GOIN’ DOWN SLOW

Defender or of vehicle is between an old-shape For most overlanders now, the choice to Liberia on a 7000-mile expedition from Britain mile into an adventure, try embarking

W

hen you’re getting ready for a lengthy vehicle-dependent expedition though

Words and Pictures: Oscar Scafidi

one of the world’s most arid and hostile regions, it’s advisable to buy the newest 4x4 you can afford.

Having done this, you should as spend as much time and money possible ensuring it’s loaded up with

top quality equipment – including anything that will help you cope with the extreme temperatures.

That’s the sensible approach, but there are two major drawbacks to doing things the right way. One, it’s

of the way.

It didn’t take very long at all for us we to realise that for this to happen, do were going to need to be able to at more than just change a tyre. And this point, our collective mechanical knowledge barely stretched to doing even that.

We needed expert help. And they don’t come much more expert than John Bowden, the main man

at Gumtree 4x4 in East Sussex.

Although we weren’t sure if our old Landy was realistically capable of

his year’s Goodwood Revival got underway on 8 September – the first anniversary of the late

static display.

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The procession featured Landies and Range Rovers used by the Royal family in either an official capacity or privately as part of the household collection. It included vehicles from the Royal fleet and JLR Classic as well as those now in private hands.

The pair of Land Rovers remainthe ing on static display were two of earliest Royal vehicles – the first Series I State Review vehicle and

another Series I ordered by HM King George VI. While all these vehicles are well known to enthusiasts, this was the first time they had ever

been brought together.

Land Rover has had a long assoas ciation with the Royal Family, and dispart of JLR today it continues to play the Royal Warrant in recognition of its status as an official supplier.

Lennard Hoornik, JLR’s Chief Com-

carrying us across the obstacles of the Sierra Nevada, the sand of the Sahara, the swamps of Senegal and the forests of Sierra Leone, John told us he was optimistic about our chances – and £1000 later our Land Rover had a brand new air filter, timing chain and front suspension, together with a box of spares (or ‘bodging kit’ as John put it) and a high lift jack. We left the workshop assured that as well as now having a suitably prepped vehicle, we also had the firm belief

mercial Officer, said: ‘We are proud of our Royal associations, which stretch back to the very origins of the business, and wanted to honour HM Queen Elizabeth II with a fitting tribute on the anniversary of her passing. We have never gathered such an extensive collection of Royal vehicles in this way and the commemorative parade was a fitting

of a Land Rover expert.

moment of remembrance.’

2024 Land Rover Yearbook

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2024 Land Rover Yearbook

2024 Land Rover Yearbook

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his quite took me back.

Not to South Africa, which I motorbiked to in the 1980s. But that quote: ‘The last thing you want to do is break down; if the heat doesn’t get you, the wildlife might.’ Those summer nights in The Projects in

South London, ah yes.

David Lane, heading up Oshe to Automotive, probably doesn’t go that part of town. His Land Rover certainly wouldn’t. It looks far more of comfortable in the surroundings the Royal Automobile Club in Pall in Mall, further north in London than Sarf Lunnun.

a When we looked there were only couple of properties for sale in Pall Mall, both of them just one-bedroomed apartments, both of them with price tags of over one million pounds. To be fair, one of them had a tiny balcony and if you leaned out

(assuming you weren’t a Russian who would never now do such a thing) you could see the RAC Club.

And there, inside, not outside, you

would have found the Okavango. but Fortunately not the African river, the latest in a long line of Defenders that have been upgraded into the stratosphere but with a price tag that means, if you didn’t buy the

2024 Land Rover Yearbook

Nobody sets out to do a Land Rover badly, but few have ever reached for the stars like the owner of this Series IIA. It was built to a mixture of Rolls-Royce and superyacht standards and, rather unusually for an old Landy, finished with the most expensive paint in existence

to necessities. I’m not sure I’d want have a crash with that mahogany steering wheel in front of me but maybe owners will employ a driver so they won’t worry too much. camera cars in Bexleyheath.

OF course, it’s still a 90 and no In this Adventure spec the Oshe amount of magic is going to make Land Rover has semi-active suspenthe interior a truly comfortable place sion, with the five mappable settings to lounge. But they’ve done their electronically controlled, assisted best, with reprofiling of the heated by a G-sensor to further smooth seats, and different pedal and out the handling. Add in AP Racing handbrake arrangements to try to brakes and even a bespoke wiring Words: Paul Looe make more room. You can’t say that loom. There’s attention to detail here had a reallyHarry Hamm Oshe Automotive hasn’t Pictures: – even the bulbs in the headlights at good, thoughtful and thorough go have ‘Oshe’ tags. autoconverting a 90 into a luxury auto Much of that remains unnoticed mobile, yet one that is still capable here are many reasons for restoring at rest, but the interior, sometimes of tackling some serious outdoors.a Land Rover. Some are good, others covered with a bikini hood, is all some solid, real-world experience Which is good as prices start at not so much. But we’ve just come about being noticed. You will notice although it’s quite hard to see how £225,000 but we all know the end across the best. the Muirhead red leather seats and as sweating round a game reserve in point will be nowhere near ‘Ithat did it to stop my husband from spending red German woven carpet, with acadding owner this open-top Land Rover 90 would owners never can resist the money on something else,’ says the cents of both mahogany and acacia is appeal that, we’ll end well. Perhaps the red interior more. David Lane puts the of this gorgeous Series IIA. And with wood – very African of course. the this is to disguise all the blood that might like this: ‘For the connoisseur, boldly predict that every bloke reading The dash has been reworked exnotice noticeget spilled. improvements will be very now jealous of her husband. tensively so now features more retro improveIIA. Or The idea is that this is what Land able and are a dramatic improve You might also be a fan of her Series dials, an Audison and Moreli audio is you, think Rover might have been or might ment.’ If that connoisseurmaybe you won’t, actually, because if you system feeding through Burmester Hardly into. at developed did, well, no have been you can find the company they should look the way they once speakers, Bluetooth audio, wireless before. a novel idea, as it’s a rich seam www.osheautomotive.com Land Rover EVER looked like this charging and all the other modern leave her several companies are currently Its owner herself (who asked us to truck do the mining. This is ‘a clean, historically name out of the story and let her of opinion right respectful, modern interpretation talking instead) admits that it splits all. pictures the Land Rover legend.’ Ain’t they down the middle. ‘When people see apartment, you could afford about they’ll like it However, hurrah, they haven’t of it,’ she says, ‘it’s 50:50 whether four of these vehicles. not one gone down the electric vehicle or not. But when you see it for real…

Which would be tricky as prothe founder’s doubtful it’s – route it.’ person hasn’t loved duction is planned at four vehicles a restorapast involved finding many electric That’s because this is the story of a year. With just a handful coming with a Land recharging points amid the ronis tion with a difference. Yes, it starts on stream (sorry), the Okavango V8 up with one davels. Instead there’s a ‘beating Rover that was knackered and ends the beginning of a range that will in this case a 3.5-litre but the also a Land is heart’, this but ever, you 90 than the to better that’s add the 110 model go down the long-wheelbase versions will have Rover whose owner didn’t want to see here. Further projects will be way it looked an LT1 6.2-litre V8 to make the heart normal route of returning it to the called Zambezi, Sabie and Limpopo. beat a little faster. when it was new. She had other ideas.

(Or ‘the great grey-green greasy do as Feeding through an auto box, this ‘It is what it is because of what I Limpopo River, all set about with whether in the so should give decent grunt an everyday job,’ she explains. ‘I work fever trees’ as the Just So Stories a standard for deep in the Serengeti or deep in superyacht industry. We work to eloquently put it. There’s a wraparesults.

Sloane Square traffic. And while it high-end clients who expect high-end round graphic that needs doing.) truck.’ may look like all the effort has gone That was the standard I put into the So what’s with all the Africa vibe? restorers into the shiny, fancy bits, there’s a There’s only a limited number of (Not exactly channelling Rudyard technical you’d go to for a job like this. Clearly, to matter, just skills and knowledge were going a Kipling I’ll admit.) To be fair, this is programme based on heart and life and experience, as well as pampering the one percent. Owner David Lane grew up on a South African you wildlife reserve, and that’s where learn how important a reliable vehicle is when you’re out in the bush.

In those early days there were Land Rovers and old Willys Jeeps and that’s when he made that quote at the beginning of this story. True enough. After adventures around the world, he settled in London and started a company with the name of an African thunder god. Oshe Automotive therefore is based on

just wasn’t going to happen.

Instead, we bought a 1973 88” Series III Land Rover, fitted with a 2.25-litre petrol engine, for just £950. It was old, it was loud, it was slow and it was very thirsty, but we still hoped that this classic off-road workhorse would carry us every step

Queen’s death. To mark the event, Land Rover put on a unique show of historic royal vehicles in Her Majesty’s honour, with a total of nine lapping the Goodwood circuit while two more were presented on

OR NOT?

suspension • V8 engine, auto gearbox, semi-active Boutique restification programme from £225,000 to four vehicles per year • Priced • Luxury interior • Production limited

often boring. Two, it’s sometimes just not possible.

When my friend Mark and I began planning a 7000-mile trip to the West African nation of Liberia, we had £2000 to spend. Doing it aboard a heavily modified new Land Cruiser

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YACHT

NEW 4X4S

Oshe introduces thunderous take on Land Rover Defender

to turn every or maybe a pick-up. But if you want Discovery, a Land Cruiser or Wrangler Just don’t expect to get there quickly… aboard an 88” Series III Land Rover.

MPB 4x4

Unit 2, Holme Mills, Holme Mill Lane, Keighley, West Yorkshire, BD22 6BN www.mpb4x4.co.uk mpb4x4@gmail.com • 01535 661203

• A 90 with the engine from a BMW – and the suspension from a Disco 2

• A restified Range Rover with the sort of engine that makes a Rover V8 look tiny

Brought back from the brink of oblivion, this Series IIA has probably the best paintwork ever applied to a Land Rover

John Richards Surplus

Independent Land Rover Specialists Parts, Repairs, Service, MOT and Breakers

• A stunning restored Series IIA reputed to have the most expensive paintwork ever applied to a Land Rover

• Fitting a galvanised chassis in one of the country’s leading Land Rover workshops

Sponsored by

01299 250174 • www.apbtrading.co.uk

Yorkshire

Highlights of the 2024 Yearbook include…

• One of the first 90s to get the best from air suspension

Unit 38, Hartlebury Trading Estate (North), Kidderminster, Worcestershire, DY10 4JB

www.johnrichardssurplus.co.uk

Every year, the Land Rover Yearbook brings together the best stories from the pages of The Landy and beyond. Lavishly illustrated and printed on high-quality gloss paper, it’s a bumper read – and great value at just £9.99!

• 11 pages of the latest and best parts, accessories and tools for every Land Rover

Leading Independent Land Rover Specialists

info@johnrichardssurplus.co.uk • 01952 550391

HIGH STREET, DOWNLEY HIGH WYCOMBE HP13 5XJ

2 024

YEARBOOK 11

Glebewood Lodge, Brandon Rd, Methwold, IP26 4RH

“Independent Specialists in Land Rover, Range Rover, Discovery and Freelander.”

www.foundry4x4.co.uk

info@foundry4x4.co.uk • 01495 725544

TIME TO LOSE YOURSELF IN A WORLD OF LAND ROVERS!

Freelander Specialist

Gumtree 4x4

The Old Bakery, Rear of Vale Terrace, Tredegar, Gwent, NP22 4HT

enquiries@a1british4x4.co.uk • 0161 763 4300

tel: tel: +44 +44 (0)1843 (0)1843 844962 844962

sales@island-4x4.co.uk

Cast Iron Quality & Service

www.a1british4x4.co.uk

steeringwheelrestoration.co.uk steeringwheelrestoration.co.uk

* Free Mainland UK Delivery Over £50 * * Delivery France, Germany and Belgium £10 unlimited weight and parcels *

Foundry 4x4 Ltd

Independent Servicing and Performance Specialists for Land Rover Vehicles.

Unit 4, Fernhill Street, Bury, Lancashire, BL9 5BG

Unit N5, R.D. Land Park, Essex Road, Hertfordshire, EN11 0FB Rover I, II, Hoddesdon, III

Online Land Rover Part Specialists Offering Worldwide Mail Order

Wales

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tel: +44 (0)1843 844962/ 01992 445630 Phone: 01992 445634 steeringwheelrestoration.co.uk E-mail: ajd@ajdoffroad.co.uk

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North East England

2024 Land Rover Yearbook

really solid underpinning that should engender confidence whether or tackling a rocky slope in the Cape driving over one of the hated ULEZ

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2024 Land Rover Yearbook

2024 Land Rover Yearbook

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The 2024 Land Rover Yearbook, from the makers of The Landy, is in the shops now. £9.99 at WHSmith – or buy direct at shop.assignmentmedia.co.uk/books-merchandise

Minilite Alloy Wheels Iconic Genuine Minilite Wheels now available for Land Rover’s!

DA3785

The original Minilite wheel, was probably the most successful competition wheel of the 1960’s and 70’s. As the name suggests, it was originally developed as a magnesium competition wheel for the then revolutionary new Austin ‘Mini’, but its instant success meant that it was soon to be seen on many of the serious race and rally cars of that era. A new iconic style was born, and to this day, all genuine Minilite wheels are made to that original classic design. Originally conceived for race and rally, demand soon grew for road car applications, and has remained so ever since. Minilite wheels are ‘Low-Pressure’ die cast, in high grade aluminium alloy; machined on the latest CNC equipment, 100% pressure tested, and finally powder coated for maximum protection against the elements.

Series 3, Defender 1987 - 2016 Range Rover Classic & Discovery 1 DA3785 8 x 18 Anthracite DA3786 8 x 18 Black DA3787 8 x 18 Silver > Load Rating: 1,220kg > Offset: ET0 > PCD: 5 x 165.1 > Weight: 11.7kg > Test Standard: JWL DA3785

DA3787

DA3786