The Landy - February 2023

ROVER RECEIVED THREE NOMINATIONS in the 2023 4x4 of the Year awards –but came away empty-handed when the trophies were handed out.

Noting that the awards ‘come against the thoroughly depressing backdrop of what it means to be British in the early 2020s,’ the judging panel stressed that affordability is this year’s inescapable theme. Awards were not simply handed by default to the cheapest vehicles in each class, however the message is very much that every pound on the screen must now work harder than ever to justify being there.

Against this backdrop, the Defender failed to hold on to the overall title it had won in each of the last two years.

‘It’s superb on the road and a masterpiece of high-tech ingenuity on every kind of rough terrain,’ commented the judges, but ‘its ever-growing prices are getting harder to fathom.’

As well as losing its overall title, the Defender was supplanted at the top of the Off-Roaders class by its lifelong global nemesis the Toyota Land Cruiser, whose pricing has remained largely static over the last year while those for the Defender and Jeep Wrangler have been vaulting upwards. ‘Now that its

two main rivals have become yet more expensive,’ noted the judges of the Japanese vehicle, ‘it makes a stronger case for itself than ever.’

The Discovery also lost its Large SUVs class crown to a Far Eastern rival in the shape of the Kia Sorento.

‘The Discovery is still a remarkable vehicle whose range of talents is little short of sensational,’ commented the judges of a vehicle whose price range is now £57,225-£76,085. However, ‘Kia has come a long way since its days

of building cars down to a budget and the Sorento is certainly not cheap… (but) its price band finishes where the others begin.’

Finally, the new Range Rover was praised for its ‘imperious driving position, effortless performance and silky ride and refinement, plus box-of-tricks off-roading.’ Judges noted that ‘Land Rover is well known for its quality and reliability,’ too, while giving the Luxury SUVs award to the Bentley Bentayga for the third year in a row.

and Tithonous Owners’ Group take to the lanes in Devon

Wolf

Green

Lane Association

working

both behind the scenes and in the public eye to protect Cumbria’s

precious rights of way

If you use green lanes, chances are you’ve spotted evidence of the massive effort the Green Lane Association, its members and other affiliated organisations put into keeping them open. Chances are also that you might never have noticed it.

Sometimes, the Association’s volunteers are very visible in what they do. On other occasions, it’s what you don’t see that demonstrates the effort they put in. This can mean fallen trees, litter, damaged ground, illegal blockages or, indeed, official closure notices.

A good example comes from the Association’s efforts in Cumbria over the last year. This is always one of the busiest parts of the country, as the lanes here continue to be so popular.

Tilberthwaite Lane is one of the most popular of them all, even after the crass ‘repair’ work a few years ago which saw a beautifully rocky trail smashed down into a smooth ribbon of stone. Even after that, of course, maintenance remains an issue – and if you follow the Roadbook in this magazine, you’ll be blissfully unaware of the work GLASS has put in with the local authority to ensure the drains here are clear. Much as we liked the surface the way it used to be, the simple fact of it remaining undamaged by run-off is evidence enough that the Association has been busy behind the scenes.

GLASS has also been liaising with the local authority over repair work on

Breasthigh Road, which is currently closed with a likely reopening date in the spring or summer.

‘Some of the more damaged areas, such as the deeply scarred uphill corner from the western end, are being re-profiled to allow water run-off to drain away without causing further damage to the track,’ reports GLASS’ Cumbria reps team. ‘Drainage of surface water is a major issue on our steep lanes and this is being addressed well here. Some of the culverts have also shown to be in need of repair or replacement.’

It’s not unreasonable to speculate that without GLASS’ involvement, Cumbria County Council might well have seen the damage as an opportunity to close the lane for good. Other, less democratic local authorities certainly would, and opposing the bigoted anti-vehicle activity of rogue government is one of the areas in which the Association’s much more visible presence helps keep laning alive.

So too is the sort of public-facing exercise the reps were involved with recently at an Open Day at the Lakeland Motor Museum, which pulled in visitors from as far afield as Scotland. A welcome opportunity to wave the flag, and also to check out the Association’s new gazebo and exhibition materials, and the guy from north of the border went home with a special prize of an ‘I love GLASS’ CD (better known as

Even more visibly, GLASS continues to be involved with the local authority in marshalling open days on Gatescarth Pass. This is open once a month during the summer, by permit only and to vehicles with a maximum 100” wheelbase.

Open days marked down for 4x4 access in 2023 are:

• Sunday 2 April

• Saturday 13 May

• Friday 9 June

• Sunday 9 July

• Saturday 5 August

• Friday 1 September

• Sunday 1 October

‘The route is not for beginners as it’s steep, narrow, rocky and twisty,’ cautions GLASS. But it’s also a sensationally exciting and fabulously scenic drive, so if your 4x4 fits the guidelines and you feel confident in your abilities, you can apply for a permit via the Lake District National Park’s website.

Best of all, when you’re up there you’ll see GLASS’ marshals keeping an eye on the route to ensure it’s used safely and responsibly. And the actual process by which you applied for your permit has recently been streamlined by the local authority in consultation with… GLASS. A perfect example in one paragraph of how the Association is looking after our green lanes, sometimes very visibly and sometimes behind the scenes.

Heart of Glass by Blondie) presented by the reps.

Range Rover limousine by MacNeillie has the makings of a unique restoration project

IT’S NOT EVERY DAY you get the chance to restore what could turn out to be a completely unique Land Rover. But today could be that day, thanks to a MacNeillie limo listed for sale in the classified pages of this issue.

Walsall-based MacNeillie is best known for the armoured conversions it carried out on the Range Rover in the 1980s. However the company’s build plaque also appears on this stretched model from 1990 – whose seller says he can’t find another one anywhere.

Based on a bespoke chassis, the Rangey is largely complete – albeit in need of a complete ground-up restoration. It comes with all the unique parts that make it what it is, though it

doesn’t currently have an engine in place. It does on the other hand come complete with a ‘very good donor car’ which is ready to yield its running gear, dashboard, air-con and so on.

The Rangey has a Brooklands body kit, complete with extended side skirts to suit its longer wheelbase. It’s fitted with a one-piece tailgate at the back, which may or may not be original but is certainly very unusual.

‘Not a lot more work than doing a five-door,’ says the vehicle’s seller, who’s based near Glastonbury. You’ll take it home for £9950 – or a bit less, potentially, as the price is subject to genuine offers. You’ll find it advertised on page page 38 of this issue.

The Defender is the 4x4 of every year

The annual 4x4 of the Year awards have traditionally been a happy hunting ground for Land Rover. I remember the first I was involved with, back in 1993, when the newly launched Discovery 3.9 V8i did the impossible by wrestling the title away from the Toyota Land Cruiser V8 – and since then, Solihull motors have taken class and overall trophies year after year.

Most recently, the new Defender did something almost no other vehicle has ever achieved by winning the overall title two years in a row. That saw it going for a hat-trick in the 2023 awards – however instead of celebrating a unique triumph, Land Rover went home empty-handed.

Not only did the Defender fail to keep its overall crown, it also lost the Off-Roaders class title to the latest Land Cruiser. The Discovery, too, relinquished the Large SUV award to the Kia Sorento, while the new Range Rover was nominated in the Luxury SUV category but wasn’t able to unseat the Bentley Bentayga.

What went wrong? The answer is simple enough, and the judges laid it plain in the awards issue of our sister publication 4x4 magazine. This year, value for money matters more than ever before. Typical professional families of the sort who would previously have bought a Defender or Discovery have seen their monthly bills climb almost overnight by enough to wipe out their entire car buying budget. Spending money on a badge is something many people can no longer justify: every penny has to work for its living.

Cost of ownership is more critical than ever. And this, at least in part, is why the Defender and Discovery lost out to less expensive vehicles.

But while this may be bad news for the kind of 4x4s Land Rover makes now, it points to a truth which everyone reading this will know about. The most cost-effective vehicle to own is one which doesn’t depreciate – and that means a Defender. Not the new one, of course, but the real one. To people who know what they’re looking at, the Defender is the 4x4 of every year.

Alan Kidd, Group Editor alan.kidd@assignment-media.co.uk

4x4 Engine Rebuilds unearthing yet more catastrophic failures

The team at 4x4 Engine Rebuilds has been kept extremely busy during the last few months – not least by Land Rover owners neglecting to keep their vehicles’ oil services up to date.

Looking through the Essex company’s job list shows that an extraordinary number of Discoverys and Range Rover Sports have been through its workshop for repairs to their 3.0 SDV6 engines. But its expert team of engine specialists also work on petrol units –including the 5.0 V8 from a Range Rover SVR which came in having suffered catastrophic damage as the result of a missed oil change.

If you can afford to buy one of these vehicles in the first place…

Also destroyed for the same reason was a 2.0-litre Ingenium diesel in a Discovery Sport, which arrived at 4x4 Engine Rebuilds not long before Christmas. This too suffered catastrophic failure – though whereas the SVR’s V8 had turned itself into a very expensive piece of scrap, the smaller unit was

able to be fixed before going back to its owner in full working order.

It’s not just owners being lax that have left Land Rovers’ engines in need of specialist attention, though. Earlier in the autumn, yet another 3.0 SDV6 came in –this one with its timing out of kilter after being incorrectly rebuilt by another garage. Messy.

The company might get a lot of business out of people who neglect their vehicles, but it has a very simple reminder to every Land Rover owner: ‘Don’t leave engine servicing too late.’ The guys there can help you with that, too – they’re at 4x4EngineRebuilds. co.uk and always remember, a stitch in time…

Dirt Monkey launches

winch bumper for Discovery 3 and 4

DIRT MONKEY OFFROAD spent a large part of 2022 working on its biggest new product of the year – this Stealth Winch Bumper for the Discovery 3 and 4. Developed from cardboard concept to CAD and finally brought to life as a finished product, the bumper promises to be like nothing else currently on the market. ‘Our winch bumper is designed to offer a rugged but OEM ” appearance and integrates the factory wheelarches for a subtle look while remaining extremely strong,’ says Dirt Monkey. It incorporates an independent hidden winch tray of the company’s own design and is fixed using no less than 12 mounting points.

The bumper comes without a fairlead (these are available as an extra to suit your choice of rope or cable) and can be supplied painted to match your vehicle. Dirt Monkey is currently taking pre-orders for the unit, with prices to be confirmed.

Uprated PTU from Freelander Specialist

Price: £845 (reconditioned)

Available from: www. freelanderspecialist.com

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IF YOU’VE GOT A FREELANDER 2 (or an early Evoque) and its front Power Transfer Unit has done the usual thing and started trashing the splines on its crownwheel, FreelanderSpecialist.com has the answer. The company has developed a technique for reconditioning the unit – not just reconditioning it, in fact, but fully uprating it.

To do this, the company uses a technique which fuses new splines to the crownwheel – promising better fit and performance, no backlash and greater strength than before. The result is, in the compay’s own words, ‘so good we offer an extended two year warranty.’

Infamously, the drivetrain on the Freelander 2 is prone to failure as a result of different tyre pressures or tread patterns. This means that as the vehicles enter old age, damaged PTUs are incredibly common – and with new crownwheels not being available, reconditioning is the only option. Common symptoms of worn splines are a whining noise which increases under load and a loss of all-wheel drive (though this can also be caused by a failed rear diff, which is the other big consequence of mismatched tyres).

Freelander Specialist can recondition your own PTU and also offers readymade units on an exchange basis. The price above is for the part only, but there’s a fitting service too if you need it.

WIRELESS WINCH CONTROLS are not exactly the latest thing, but you don’t have to go a million miles to find someone whose sparkly new set-up isn’t so sparkly and new any more. And believe it or not, there are still those of us relying on ye olde wanderlead. Either way, Euro 4x4 Parts is here to help put things right. The company offers a wide range of options for getting your winch to do what you want:

The Leicestershire company, whose work has appeared in many of the very best resto-modded Defenders, has a decade-long record of creating top-quality handcrafted interiors, but until now these have always been

bespoked to individual vehicles and fitted on site.

Until now. Because Ruskin has just announced its new range of self-install seat sets for the Defender 90.

These comprise two fully trimmed front seats, a rear seat set or Ruskin’s own locally fabricated bench seats

(depending on model) and a matching signature cubby box. As the name suggests, they are designed simply to be bolted in at home. Because they are supplied already fitted to brand new hardware, they are immediately ready to replace the vehicle’s existing seat sets and cubby box.

Called the Ruskin Original Trim Set, the new range was developed in response to requests from Defender owners and dealers to whom travelling to Ruskin’s Leicester headquarters was too much of an ask. Instead, now those same owners and dealers can order one of four designs, allowing them to

enhance their 90 with the craftsmanship for which the company is known. These four options are:

• The Classic: Designed to be simple, sleek and elegant

• The Brunel: Inspired by Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s iconic bridges and featuring Ruskin’s signature quilting

RUSKIN DESIGN IS A WELL KNOWN NAME IN LAND ROVER CIRCLES.

Bottom

• The Boudicca: Embroidered, perforated and embossed with ancient Iceni designs

• The Attenborough: Created using sustainably sourced materials to demonstrate Ruskin’s commitment to the environment

In addition to these, Ruskin says there are a further three designs in the pipeline which will be available later this year.

‘We’ve been working on the concept of bolt in at home” seat sets for a number of years now,’ says Ruskin Design boss Stephen Castledine. ’So we’re extremely excited to finally introduce the Ruskin Original Trim Sets to the Land Rover Defender market.

‘We’ve listened and responded to what customers want from Ruskin Design and, spurred on by hitting our tenth anniversary milestone, we have expanded our offering to satisfy our growing global audience.

‘The Ruskin team has created the Ruskin Original Trim Sets for Defend-

er 90 owners who want the luxury of a Ruskin interior and a Great British brand, but location or logistics are a barrier to ordering. Alternatively, they just want the satisfaction of fitting a new trim themselves.

‘While the sets differ from our trademark Ruskin Inside, which is a truly bespoke interior, individually designed to reflect our client’s personality and lifestyle, they are similarly handcrafted with our marque of excellence and have been pre-designed by our inhouse design team.

‘There are currently four designs to choose from, but we will be adding a further three to the Defender 90 range later this year. We’re also planning to roll out ranges for the Defender 110 in 2023 – so watch this space ’

To support the trim sets, the Ruskin Design team are producing a detailed information pack and a self-fit reel (available via the company’s website, social media and YouTube channel). In addition, it will be providing a fitting

tool and technical support helpline to aid fitting.

Each Ruskin Original Trim Set will be individually crafted upon order and, Ruskin says, will stay true to the company’s marque of quality. You can purchase them directly via the Ruskin website at ruskindesign.co.uk.

Above Embroidered perforated and embossed with ancient Iceni designs the Boudicca is the top option in the initial range of Ruskin Original interior packs at 7773 plus VAT

Inspired by the iconic civil engineering structures of Isambard ingdom Brunel Ruskin’s Brunel interior features the company’s signture quilting and costs 3 plus VAT making it the least e pensive option in the range

In at the beginning

Forty years ago, in February 1983, Land Rover invited the motoring press to a lavish event where it unveiled a new model – the One Ten. Cue much musing from an intrigued Brian Hartley, who attended the occasion for Overlander magazine and left wondering whether this strange new vehicle, which looked like a 109 but drove more like a Range Rover, could in fact be the birth of a new legend. This, in edited form, is his report…

weight’ of seven tons, you are entering the truckers’

league

The suspension is coil springs with hydraulic shockers all round, the front axle being located by radius arms and a panhard rod and the rear by trailing arms and a central A-frame. The Boge Hydromat self levelling unit is fitted as standard to the County 12-seater and is optional on all other models.

The front axle is Range Rover, suitably re-bracketed, while the rear is a wider version of the old faithful Salisbury 8 HA, which has gained an excellent reputation for itself in the Series 3 LWB as a virtually indestructible unit. The Salisbury differential is geared to give a 3.54:1 ratio, identical to the Range Rover and Series 3 V8.

To stop the whole thing in its tracks there are the 11” servo-assisted drums of the Series 3 LWB at the rear and fractionally larger than standard Range Rover discs on the front (11.81” as opposed to the Range Rover’s 11.75”). As you might expect, the handbrake is the traditional Rover transmission drum set up, but 10” in diameter.

For the first time ever in a Land Rover, factory fitted power steering is optional. Both the manual and power steering boxes are from the Range Rover with an all new but very spindly looking shaft from the chassis mounted box to the bottom of the steering column. The Range Rover steering equipment has brought the ’field and a half’ turning circle of the old Series 3 LWB down from 49 feet to a fairly reasonable 42 feet.

Acold, bright February afternoon in the pleasant Warwickshire countryside around Stratford-upon-Avon. All was well with the world as I swung my Range Rover into the long tarmac drive that wound its way through spacious grounds to the Welcombe Hotel. We had been invited to the press launch of the Land Rover One Ten, a beanfeast I had been looking forward to for weeks and one which would surely vindicate my earlier ideas as to the shape of things to come from Solihull.

The hotel is a huge, imposing place, fitting my expansive mood of carefree affluence to a tee. I had just decided that this has to be the way to enjoy yourself when I saw it. Just peeking its plastic nose round the corner of a

shadowed archway was a Land Rover shaped object. The flared wheelarch wasn’t familiar, though and neither was that plastic grille across its amiable looking snout.

Feeling like a schoolboy playing truant, I nonchalantly strolled under the arch. The grille badge boldly proclaimed, as it came into focus, LAND ROVER 110. To use an eloquent if somewhat earthy expression, I was totally gobstruck. It looked like an ordinary 12-seater Safari! I could see the one-piece screen, fancy flares and new grille, but surely that could never be construed as a new model?

In something of a daze, I retired to the hotel to claim my room, feeling sicker than a whole flock of sea-going parrots. Life can change awfully

sudden, can’t it? How could I have been so wrong?

Finally locating my room somewhere deep in the mansion’s bowels, I dropped my bag and slumped into a chair to read the glossy bulk of the press pack. Thirty minutes later, I was still engrossed as I came to terms with Land Rover’s new Land Rover.

Therein lies the One Ten’s biggest weakness. It looks like any other Land Rover when in reality, the outcome of this cross-breeding exercise is a completely different animal. I am convinced that most people were, like me, expecting something totally new, so it follows that most will be surprised, if not dismayed, to see the same familiar outline as before. If Land Rover dealers do not bridge the credibility gap by

giving test drives to anyone who looks remotely interested in a One Ten, they will be doing themselves and the vehicle a criminal disservice.

The One Ten can only really be appreciated from the driving seat. It is there that all regular and seasoned Land Rover, and for that matter, Range Rover drivers had better prepare for a severe case of culture shock!

On the Level

Though based on the Range Rover chassis, the One Ten has a unique frame, suitably strengthened and modified to take the extra engine options in the range, to cope with the three-ton gross weight and to provide the potential to tow a maximum four tons. With a possible all up ‘train

All the One Ten models have steering dampers fitted as standard and are equipped with pressed steel rims carrying 7.50x16 radial tyres. It was interesting to note that all the road test vehicles were shod with Avon Rangemasters, while the off-road test machines were shod with the chunkier patterned Michelin XS rubber.

Export Experts

To digress from the technicalities for a while, I had the chance to talk to Alex Mackie, Director of Engineering at the company, about Land Rover in general and the One Ten in particular. I could not help but express my disappointment at the bodywork of the One Ten.

The view from the opposite side of the fence, however, is somewhat different.

Land Rover’s direct exports are currently running at some £220 million per year. Over 70 of worldwide sales are LWB models, which is probably in direct contrast to what you would expect from the number of SWB Land Rovers seen on British roads, and it is for this reason that the One Ten is a LWB vehicle.

Although no-one would actually say so, it became apparent that demand for the One Ten is expected to be such that the Series 3 LWB, in all its versions, will be phased out eventually.

Over 50 of Land Rover sales are to fleet customers, including of course the military, and this again is another strong reason for using the tried and trusted aluminium Land Rover bodywork with its many different cab and body options. All the familiar silhouettes are there from the chassis/bulkhead

for bodybuilders through to soft-tops, pick-ups, hard-tops, 12-seaters and of course, the HCPU.

Another plus point for fleet users is of course the interchangeability of most body panels, though this is now much reduced with the advent of the bigger screen and other minor modifications, and the retention, at least for a while, of the old range of engines.

Perhaps the overriding reason for keeping the traditional bodywork is the fact that Land Rover are tilting firmly at the utility market with the One Ten, albeit with a very much upmarket model from now on. The range as they see it spans the two extremes, from the workhorse ruggedness of the Series 3 through the equally rugged but far more refined One Ten to the luxury of the four-door Range Rover.

What about the SWB? Again, a ’no comment’ stonewalled any real discussion on the subject, but obviously the idea must have been thought of. Leaf spring suspension is simple and robust, a popular point with operators in third world areas, but then to me coils are even simpler, lighter and equally robust – and a broken coil doesn’t mean the loss of axle location as it can with a leaf spring. Probably a far bigger problem with the SWB would be getting the ride right; coils and short wheelbases can be a very unhappy combination.

Old Motors, New Cogs

The three engines offered in the One Ten are old favourites. The 2.25-litre diesel is unchanged in its five bearing crank form, except for the inclusion, at last, of an electrically operated engine

stop control, activated by key. The 2.25-litre petrol engine has undergone a power increase with the use of a revised camshaft, twin choke 32/34 DMTL Weber carburettor and revised inlet and exhaust manifolds.

The increase? Would you believe 4bhp? No, I didn’t either and no-one could tell me the reason for it. Considering the amount of work involved, the increase is as laughable as it is insignificant. It does, however, continue to allow the use of 2-star petrol in this 74bhp unit.

Of far more importance to the performance of the One Ten is the new optional 5-speed gearbox fitted behind either of the 2.25 litre engines. This gearbox, as used in the Jaguar and Rover SDI range, has been offered before by various outside agencies,

but it is the first time that Land Rover have seen fit to grace their products with anything other than a 4-speeder. This, the LT77 gearbox, is mated to an LT230R transfer box, as fitted to the automatic Range Rover and also containing, of course, the lockable differential of a full-time four-wheel drive system.

Transfer gears are selected by a single stick control that also operates the diff lock control by pushing it sideways. A neat and practical set up. For the V8 engined applications, the honour falls to the standard Range Rover gearbox set up of the latest, high ratio, integral transfer case design.

The old Series 3 gearbox is now relegated, in One Ten terms at any rate, to an option for those customers who don’t want the full-time four-wheel drive

Left: One Ten interior with vinyl de-luxe seats. Clearly shown is the new one-piece door trim with map pocket and repositioned door handle. An excellent passenger grab handle is moulded into the dash Right County’ equipped interior. Note the revised dash layout, new steering wheel, plastic moulding covered air vents, narrower top dash rail and ve-speed gear shift

Test vehicles warmed up and waiting. Inset Top of the range One Ten County Station Wagon complete with plastic grille. Note also the ared wheelarches angled sliding front windows and useful plastic ip-back’ door mirrors

offered as standard. Freewheeling hubs are included with this option package. Four-cylinder engines use a 9.5” diaphragm clutch and the V8 a 10.5”.

Down to the Jungle

Any vehicle can look impressive on a specification sheet, but only driving and working the beast will give you a true idea of what it is all about and whether it lives up to the maker’s promises. The driving was to take place in two stages: a lengthy ramble through leafy lanes and metalled motorways to Solihull and then a jaunt or two round the factory’s famous Jungle Track.

All the road test models were equipped with the extremely comfortable County seats, along with pressed felt head and cab linings, sound deadening plastic mats and newly designed one piece plastic door mouldings. As the latter now have the release handles mounted further forward, it soon became obvious who the regular Land Rover drivers were…

Can this really be a Land Rover, you ask yourself? The door shuts with a

clunk; comfortable seats for the nether regions; an updated, easily viewed dash layout; wipers, horn, washers, indicators and lights all stalk controlled and column mounted, with heater controls to either side.

The revised dash layout gives more cab space due to a narrower top rail but by far and away the biggest improvement was the extra light and visibility provided by the new screen. It gave the whole cab a spacious, airy feeling and meant not having to peer under the top edge of the screen.

I started out with a V8 engined High Capacity Pick Up. The ride and handling are superb! Gone is the sickly ’Range Rover’ body roll, the suspension being stiffened just enough to iron out the huge ’leans’ but still giving a jolt-free ride. At first I thought it may be due to the HCPU’s heavy duty rear springing, but all the other models displayed the same excellent manners.

The absence of body roll meant that spirited cornering could be done in comfort and confidence, the Avon Rangemaster tyres being well behaved

Left: Lost in space: a 2.25-litre petrol engine with new twin-choke Weber carb and revised air cleaner position. Note the relocated heater intake on the left wing, galvanised wheel valances with cover plates for shock absorber turrets and spindly steering linkage on right. The large radiator to engine gap has meant extremely long hoses and an air tunnel on the 2.25 versions

Right: The well resoected V8 power unit producing a mere 114bhp and 4000rpm

and very quiet on the road. The Range Rover type steering wheel and power steering, one of the few power systems I’ve ever really liked, were quiet, easy and responsive. The handbrake, never one of Solihull’s strong points, felt as if it could hold a tank.

The Range Rover 4-speed gearbox, on the other hand, even in its latest form, must rank high among the very worst gearboxes ever built. All the familiar features that Range Rover owners have learned to live with were there: the clunks, whines, argumentative syncros and general backlash. The noise was muted by the One Ten’s soundproofing, but it was still apparent.

The high/ low range lever is mounted on the gearbox tunnel and the centre diff-lock button sprouts from the seatbox. The double sliding windows give better part ventilation by opening just the front section and the rear part opens wider than the Series 3 ever did, giving more room to poke your head through (a necessary improvement for some of us ). The plastic window lock affair was a different idea altogether,

taking three grown men to operate it at one point.

Brakes are again in the top league. Some of the more fairy footed among as might find the pedal pressures a little high but there was always plenty of reserve. This is important as the One Ten has a high loading capacity and, at its maximum weight of 3.1 tons gross and a maximum velocity of 85 mph for the V8, good anchors are essential.

The One Ten cruised quite happily at 80mph, the new door seals and aluminium door tops reducing wind noise to acceptable levels. The main source of noise on the HCPU is the flapping of the rear canvas, which now comes right down the back of the cab and has a transparent panel for rear vision.

Man Made Obstacles

Once in the Solihull back yard, we parked our road vehicles and were allowed to choose our off-road mounts. This time, we settled for a 2.25 petrol Station Wagon.

The famous Solihull Jungle Track is a cleverly designed off-road course. Clever in that it appears far more daunting than it actually is, thereby giving tarmac-lubbers a great sensation of adventure without actually doing anything too daring. Nevertheless, one enterprising journalist had managed to roll a One Ten the day before.

To prove my point, the Station Wagon was taken round the whole course in high range at a nice sedate pace. The suspension kept the ride smooth, upright and drama free and its full-time four-wheel drive enabled a greasy hill start to be undertaken, still using high range, with no fuss.

It did appear from the ease with which the 2.25-litre power unit motivated the One Ten in this particular manoeuvre that the engine mods have made a marked improvement on its low-speed torque. Many impressive man-made obstacles were tackled, including an uphill concrete step section

Left: Mechanical components of the V8 model exposed

Facing page, top: Coil springs and front disc brakes are two major distinguishing features on the One Ten model

which would have needed far more gusto in a leaf sprung Land Rover. True to form, the gremlins struck when the gear lever of the new 5-speed jammed in neutral while attempting a side slope. We were whisked away by Land Rover personnel to have another go in a V8 Safari while the offending One Ten was seen to. The suitably chastened vehicle was back within 20 minutes, proving that nothing too drastic was amiss, but I did wonder about the selector mechanism particularly as it seemed too easy to flop straight into 5th when aiming for 3rd.

The V8 was subjected to a much more rapid circuit of the Jungle Track and again displayed its inbuilt tenacity. Despite a belly flop into deep water, not a drop entered the interior – although the engine developed a cough for a moment or two. This was despite the new galvanised steel inner wings, which are shaped to fit over the wheels completely, leaving no gaps over the top of the chassis. Besides reducing the amount of mud and gunge entering the engine bay, these wings have the advantage of reducing road noise.

Luxury Land Rover or Utility Range Rover?

The One Ten’s on and off-road driving manners came as something of a revelation to one who was weaned on the old type of Land Rovers. Indeed, it has aged the original vehicle at a stroke.

Taken as a whole, the driving experience was more impressive than either the Range Rover or the Mercedes G-Wagen. The latter vehicle in particular is going to have a hard time against the One Ten in every aspect except the passenger compartment. Here, the One Ten’s improvements over the standard Land Rover cannot fully compensate for the lack of leg and elbow room, particularly in the case of the rear passengers in the Safari versions, who still require short legs and necks for a comfortable journey.

It would require far harsher conditions than those we encountered to really test the mettle of the One Ten, but I would happily put money on its coil sprung rump to match any of the competition, from whatever continent, in an all out off-road test – including its own stablemates.

Just how other people will view the One Ten remains to be seen. Land Rover’s top brass are in no doubt that it is firmly in the utility sector. However, the vehicle’s design team of Mike Broadhead, Bob Lees and Brian Anderson have produced such a good hybrid with their cross-breeding of the Land Rover and Range Rover that they may just have made a vehicle with a built in identity crisis.

Personally, I see it as an ideal combination of two unique vehicles. Could it be, I wonder, that we are witnessing the birth of a new legend? ..

www.thelandy.co.uk

FreelanderSpecialist.com aids mission of mercy delivering medivac vehicles to Ukraine

THE WAR IN UKRAINE has brought forth many stories of heroism over the last year, and of incredible acts of compassion shown towards the nation by people in Britain and all around the world. In the Land Rover scene, the extraordinary efforts of Gordon Jackson-Hopps, a building surveyor from Norfolk, have seen him delivery humanitarian supplies, ferry refugees across the country, deliver children to relatives and help evacuate vulnerable civilian to neighbouring Romania.

Most recently, Gordon launched Operation Freelander – a project whose goal is to deliver 12 vehicles to the Ukrainian Territorial Defence Force, which will use them to move casualties and aid. Each of the dozen Freelanders needs to be sourced, prepared and equipped for use before being driven across Europe – with the first two being delivered just before Christmas by Gordon himself and Sue Maddock of FreelanderSpecialist.com.

Based in Methwold, Norfolk, Freelander Specialist is a family company which has become known for its expertise in everything to do with Land Rover’s original baby SUV –parts, service, repairs, mods, you name it. The company’s own expedition-prepped Freelander 1 is a self-propelled example of the potential within these vehicles, too.

As well as being part of the driving team, Freelander Specialist’s involvement in the project has seen it donate two 2004 Freelander Estates along with the time and knowledge required to check them over prior to being delivered to Ukraine.

However it is just one of several businesses who are helping to make Operation Freelander happen. Bell Engineering donated new VCUs for the vehicles, Euro Car Parts helped out with spares and Camskill supplied the vehicles’ tyres – which were then fitted by Graham Gillis Autos in King’s Lynn. Speaking from the road across Europe, Sue also

praised Nobert, Ngwenya and Mihai, ‘who have worked tirelessly to make sure these Freelanders can not only make the journey to Ukraine but can then perform their duties to save precious lives’, and Gordon’s wife Vicki – ‘who, even as we are driving, has been raising money to cover our fuel and costs.’

The driving itself started on 17 December, with an early ferry crossing followed by a 16-hour journey to Krakow in Poland. ‘The sudden rush to get these Freelanders to Ukraine was because of a desperate plea from the medivac team of the 23rd Battalion of Special Assignment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine,’ explains Sue. ‘Out of 80 medics in the Battalion, 50 have been killed or injured and most of the vehicles destroyed by shelling.’

To prepare it for its new life, one of the Freelanders had been fitted with a brand new heater matrix, thermostat, water pump and so on. Despite this, it lost all heating on the way to the ferry. With the vehicles being so desperately needed, however, turning back was not an option – leaving Gordon with the particularly grim task of driving across Europe in a temperature of about 12°C.

The following morning, having stopped to buy auxiliary heaters, Sue and Gordon continued towards the Ukrainian border with the latter driving in full cold-weather gear and wearing a balaclava. The temperature had dropped still further, meaning the heaters were no use – and worse yet, at one point one of them fell to the floor next to Gordon’s feet, distracting him enough for the Land Rover to end up in a field next to the road.

’In my rear view mirror,’ explains Sue, ‘I saw the Freelander swerving over the icy road. Then the worst thing in the world happened and it went over the edge’ It was a steep drop into the field, deep in snow there was no way the car was going down without rolling.

‘I pulled over and ran back, and to my absolute delight the Freelander was on all four wheels with Gordon moving through the thick snow. I never thought it was going to come out so easily.’ A little reminder of why Gordon chose Land Rover products to donate – this was one little mishap along the way, but these vehicles are destined to work for their living on soggy battlefield where off-road ability is essential every step of the way.

Even so, says Sue, the all-terrain tyres they had fitted were barely enough just for the road conditions.

‘We had been advised to cross into Ukraine at a more remote, less busy border post. As we left the beautiful main roads, we began to realise this was not the best advice we had received. These road conditions needed proper winter tyres ’ That was the prelude to Gordon’s wild ride, and after that Sue says the roads went from bad to worse. ‘Mountain passes with hairpin bends and steep falls, completely covered in ice and snow. What a slow journey that was ’ With the border now just two minutes away, the two vehicles were pulled over by the police for running a stop sign neither Sue nor Gordon had actually seen. What do you need most in your life when you’ve taken unpaid leave from work and sold personal possessions to fund a mercy run? To be fined, of course. Charmingly, the Polish cops made Sue and Gordon stand outside while they sat in their warm car doing the paperwork. Not a good precursor for dealing with a border crossing, but happily the officials here were as good as the police had been bad. ‘After we finished with immigration and were moving on to customs,’ says Sue, ‘the immigration officer gave us both an orange. We were starving, having not eaten or even had a coffee break since morning – I never thought I’d get a gift from an immigration officer ’

Crossing into Ukraine also meant dealing with the endless bureaucracy that goes with arriving in a vehicle you’re going to leave behind. And the customs officer wanted to know what all the equipment in the back of the Freelanders was for, too. ‘That’s for stopping the blood flow when somebody has been shot or had a limb blown off’ is one of those things you kind of hope you’ll go through life without having to say.

By the time the two vehicles cleared customs, it was dark and they still had a three-hour drive ahead of them to Lviv. The weather wasn’t any better, either – but they made it. Late and, presumably, exhausted, but you can only imagine the satisfaction of knowing that Operation Freelander’s first two vehicles were at last in their new home and ready to be handed over the following day.

With these two down, however, that still leaves another ten to go. And though this first chapter in the story has been completed, there’s still so much to be done – which means Operation Freelander is still in desperate need of funds.

Which is where you come in, dear reader. There are various ways of helping this incredibly selfless mission – you may be able to help in person or, if you can spare a few quid, make a donation towards the cost of getting 12 Freelanders into the hands of people to whom they will make the difference between life and death. You can contact the organisation on operationfreelander@gmail.com, or donate at www.justgiving.com crowdfunding operationfreelander. It’s on both Facebook and YouTube, too.

‘When people ask what I’m doing driving all this way into a war zone,’ reflects Sue, ‘my answer is that I am saving lives for Christmas.’ War creates heroes – and as Operation Freelander shows, it’s not just on the front line.

Royale

Words: Graham Scott Pics: Legacy Overland

Yeah yeah, we know. You’re faintly unhappy about another restored Range Rover story. This feature may contain a warning for mild envy and grumpiness as yet another very rich person lavishes hundreds of thousands of dollars on some old vehicle whose heritage may mean

very little to them at all. It’s just another toy in the toybox. We get that. So this isn’t one of those.

In fact, if you’re not careful, this may contain the sort of story in which gentle, faintly sad background music starts to fade in behind a saccharin voiceover. However, rest assured, it also features

someone who is considerably richer than yeow.

What were you doing in 1985? There are many possibilities, everything from waiting to be born to, oh I don’t know, test-riding for SuperBike magazine or wondering why your second marriage appeared to be going the way of the

first. Other options are available. What the people at Solihull were doing was rolling this Rangey off the line. You could argue that was time well spent. It rolled off the line and headed to its destination market, France. We like to send things to France, often armies intent on either conquest or defending

the natives. In this case, we sent them a 3.5-litre V8-powered Range Rover, complete with the very latest in technology and materials. This included beige vinyl. Yet another of our little jokes at France’s expense.

However, compared to a Citroen 2CV it was a rolling palace of course,

When the Range Rover arrived chez Legacy Overland, it was horrendous in that way only Range Rovers seem capable of being. Dismantling it to individual parts, the US company found that while the body and cabin needed to be carrying a public health warning, at least the running gear down below could be refurbed and made to go again. Important, because while replacing absolutely everything is one way to restore a vehicle it’s not the way that involves said vehicle still being anything more than an imposter wearing its victim’s number plate

and was the prized possession of our hero’s father. What car did you learn to drive in? In my case it was a Renault 5. In the case of our hero it was this Range Rover. You tend to have a soft spot for your first Range Rover don’t you? And clearly this one afforded our hero many happy kilometres and memories. But, sadly, we all have to grow up.

At some point in the 1990s, the Range Rover was cast aside, like

Woody and friends in Toy Story 3, the one that makes everyone cry. Yes, cue sad music as the Range Rover is sold, discarded, forgotten. It disappears into the past as our hero ventures forth into the world, a world that included the New World.

A successful life follows, but in the background not just the Range Rover but our hero’s father fades and grows old. And so it is that our hero decides that he needs to do something to honour his father and honour all those great memories back in France. So he sets out on a quest to find the Range Rover. You can imagine that wasn’t an easy thing after decades and being in another country. Given the proclivity for rust, did it even exist?

It turns out it did. In 2018, our hero found it. Given the number plate, it was probably down in Provence, but not the

fancy eastern part like Cannes or Nice, instead further west near the mouth of the Rhone. That dry climate might have saved it, but clearly man rather than rust had been the main enemy.

It was in a shocking condition. If it was a horse it would have made everyone gasp at the visible signs of abuse and neglect it had suffered over many years. Bits were missing, the cabin was a disaster and there was rust and filler where paint and gloss used to be. In fact if it had been a horse they would have been putting up the screens round it and bringing out the gun. (Cue They Shoot Horses Don’t They by the Racing Cars.) Instead, very carefully, the wreck of this once-proud Range Rover was transported all the way across the Atlantic Ocean to the workshops of Legacy Overland.

It would have been considerably easier and massively cheaper to simply buy a new Range Rover. A modern one that has all the attributes that this one lacks, like all the electronics we’ve come to use without thinking, from assistance with cornering to stopping in a hurry or working out where you are

The Range Rover’s owner will remember it as a thing with the stopping power of a supertanker. At least he will if he doesn’t have his rose-tinted specs on. No such trouble for his own kids though thanks to a set of EBC pads whichclamp down on new discs. The rubber betweeen them and the road sits on refurbished and painted Rostyle steels; it’s BFGoodrich O2 All-Terrain in nature which is up for it without being gung-ho ideal for a Range Rover built to see the right kind of action though at 2 5/75R1 in si e it de nitely gives the vehicle some stance

without getting out a paper map. But where’s the story in that, where’s the epic tale, the happy ending? But will it have one?

Instead what was left of the original was taken apart nut by bolt, panel by sub-assembly. After cleaning, repairing and rebuilding what they could, they started the task of putting everything back together again. It’s a tricky

balance isn’t it, do you go totally 100 original or do you add things or replace things with things that, like, work better? In this case it’s a fairly seamless mixture of the two.

For example, the original didn’t have a sunroof, but it does now as the roof is from a Range Rover Classic about ten years younger than the original. And then there’s that vexed issue of

The cabin has been restored back to French-market condition. That doesn’t sound especially onerous until you learn that the seat fabrics don’t e ist to be bought anywhere.

Problem Not when money talks Legacy Overland simply went out and had the fabrics specially made. The sunroof, on the other hand, was original. Just not to this vehicle…

the beige vinyl and the plastics in the cabin. Sorry, memories aside, they had to go. It’s entirely possible that beige vinyl is illegal in some American states. The writing was on the wall. Actually the writing was there from Legacy Overland themselves. When they start to say things like: ‘While vinyl is period correct and all…’ you know the game is up.

Full grain leather went in throughout the cabin, with the fascia and console areas wrapped in black leather. The steering wheel itself is the original, as gripped by our hero as a younger man, and this too has been rewrapped in black leather. That was relatively simple, although of course simple is rarely easy. But when it came to restoring the original fabrics it got rather

trickier. The issue was that the original fabric and patterns were special choices used for mostly French models. As such, they don’t exist to buy anywhere, so to keep it right Legacy Overland would have to have them specially made, just for this vehicle. So they did.

There are more subtle details. Our hero clearly wanted to carry children,

The UK’s largest range of Land Rover chassis

to continue the relationship with the Range Rover, so Isofix seat anchors for child seats were installed and custom painted. The seat belts themselves were again custom made so they matched in material and colour to the original, while representing the latest in safety for the occupants.

Naturally the cabin is gifted with the latest entertainment technology, including the best from Alpine, Blaupunkt and Pioneer. But you knew that. And outside this Project Cassis, as it is known, there was a copious respray over the restored panels. Russet Brown was the original colour and so that’s what it is, although perhaps Cassis would have been more attractive – but not original.

On the original theme, you’ll be relieved but not surprised to hear that they didn’t rip the heart of the beast out and replace it with a Duracell. Instead the 3.5-litre V8 was taken back to its component parts and rebuilt, as was the five-speed manual gearbox and the transfer case. One of the few upgrades under the bonnet is a high-flow Weber carb but otherwise it runs probably much as the owner remembers it, albeit rather better.

And it stops better too with new discs all round gripped by EBC pads. These slow the Rostyle 16” wheels which are painted silver and shod with BFGoodrich All-Terrains. We can’t imagine this will be used for serious off-roading but perhaps a trip round the vineyards would be fun.

There are satin black bumpers front and rear and the overall shape of this older Classic reminds us that it was clean, light and suitable out of the box for some real-world off-roading before later models added more bodywork, more weight and more complexity.

Judging by the pictures, this hasn’t happened to the Range Rover, nor its doting owner. Instead he can drive around in his boyhood memories with his own children on board. Okay, so they’re probably already bored of hearing stories of how he learned to drive in it all those years ago in France, but it would be astonishing if, when they’re old, they don’t remember the feel, the sounds and the textures of Papa’s old Range Rover.

107” Pick-Up that’s a self-contained restoration project

WHEN SOMEONE TELLS YOU that their Land Rover is affectionately known as the boy named SU,’ you might be forgiven for assuming that there’s going to be a carburettor involved. But no: the die was cast for this 107” Pick-Up back in 1955 when the Ministry issued it with its distinctive registration number.

It was green back then, and fitted with a 2.0-litre petrol engine. Now it’s blue, something which happened during a restoration about ten years ago, and under the bonnet you’ll find a 2.5-litre 19J turbo-diesel.

This turns what seem to be the original axles, via the correct type of non-syncro gearbox and transfer case. So, while a concours judge would tut and shake his head, no way has this Series I been butchered the way you sometimes see.

Having said that, the bulkhead has been modified slightly to accommodate the more modern engine. The truck’s owner says it’s rust-free and solid for all that, though – as is the chassis, which

has been sealed with clear Lanoguard to help keep it that way.

This is all the more impressive as the 107 is not just part of a collection. It’s a true working classic which is regularly to be seen earning its living on the owner’s smallholding.

At least it was, but it’s for sale now. Its owner says he had intended to turn it back to its original specification, which sounds like good business sense to us, but that he already has too many other projects on the go and it’s time to get out.

What this means is that for the right price, you could buy yourself an all-inone resto job here. The truck’s owner has already collected an example of the correct 2.0-lire engine in need of a complete rebuild, plus the majority of the ancillary parts to go with it, as well as a Tex Magna turn indicator, a pair of Lucas FW2 wiper motors and a Smiths heater, all of which are available along with the Land Rover itself.

The 107 has 84,100 miles on its clock, for what that’s worth. ‘This is a 67 year old vehicle, so it has marks and

blemishes in keeping with the age and type of vehicle, but is a very useable classic,’ says the seller. ‘It starts and stops exactly as it should.

‘It could be used as is for many years or restored to its original specification.’

Both those routes sound pretty appealing to us. So does an asking price of £13,995 (not including the extra parts), which definitely puts this among the more affordable Series Is we’ve seen recently. The 107 is based in Cornwall you’ll find it advertised on page 28 of this issue.

The Series I is not on its original engine (you’re looking at a 1 2.5 Turbo-Diesel here), but it can be supplied with the correct 2.0-litre petrol unit if you want to take it back to original. The bukhead behind the engine has been modi ed very slightly to make it t but at least it’s rust-free and solid – as indeed is the chassis, which has been getting annual treatments of Lanoguard for some years now

The Landy Buyer

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turn vehicles into something more than they ever were in the first place.

The Range Rover had long since become known as the ‘king of the off-roaders’ by the time the Mk1 model reached the end of its quarter-century production run. And it had long since turned into a luxury wagon fit for a king, too. But

back in the early years of the two-door original, the Rangey was a utility vehicle with a hose-out interior.

These days, it’s a classic in more than just name. The very earliest Range Rovers make six-figure money in good condition, as do the sort of restos that

But for a true, unadulterated classic, an unmolested two-door is definitive. It’s unlikely to be unrestored, because their chassis and floors rusted like mad, but don’t let that faze you. An original-condition Rangey is as desirable as anything with a Land Rover badge can be.

A really nice two-door needn’t cost silly money. It won’t be cheap, either, but

Series I (1948-1958) £5000-£85,000

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.

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?

compared to the price of classic Jags and Astons it’s a lot for your money – and if you want to drive a classic as your everyday car, it’s nothing short of perfect.

Insure a Range Rover with Adrian Flux from £115

• Based on a restored 2-door Classic from 1974. Valued at £35,000, limited to 3000 miles per year. 50 year old driver, fully comp, £200 excess

Series II/IIA (1958-1971) £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.

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

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

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

Series III (1971-1985) £2500-£30,000

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.

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

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

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

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 ’

E

101

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

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: A ’ ’ E

over regular models means they command a price premium

Only

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

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.

127 (1985-1990) £6500-£27,000 The original King INSURANCE FOR THE INDIVIDUAL Authorised & regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority Call 0800 587 5480 or visit adrianflux.co.uk

Pros: Master of the road. Lovely V E sees one loves it

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.

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: EE U

potential for mods and restos

90/110 (1983-1990) £3500-£35,000 The 127 was built on a special production line in Solihull which

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: E

(1972-1978) £7500-£26,000 This

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

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

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

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

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) £4500-£43,000

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

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

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.

P D

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

Defender TDCi (2007-2016) £8500-£195,000

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

The last Defenders gained modern 2.4 and 2.2 TDCi engines and

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

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: Eforts, off-road prowess

Cons: Price, electronics, TDCi engine is unloved

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

Defender Td5

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.

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: I ’ ’ actually need that much size

(1998-2007) £5000-£40,000

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

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

Cons: Rear chassis, premium prices, monstrous road tax on later vehicles

Defender (2020-on) £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.

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,

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

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

Cons: Not cheap to buy. Lacks ’

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

Freelander (1997-2006) £400-£5500

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

Freelander 2 (2006-2015) £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

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.

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

Range Rover (2002-12) £2200-£27,000

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

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

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…

Rover (2022-on)

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

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 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 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

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: R economy of diesel engine

Cons: Transmissions can wear quickly if used for towing

Rover (1994-2002) £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

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 R ’

Range Rover (2012-22) £20,000-£150,000

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

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

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

Range Rover Sport (2005-2013) £9500-£20,000

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…

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: P glorious interior

£99,000-£220,000 Hilariously,

Cons: Marmite image. Pricey to buy and run

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: E concept-car image

Cons: Cramped rear seats, not as practical as a Disco Sport

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. E

Range Rover Sport (2022-on) £80,500-£145,000

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.

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: S and game for a laugh, too Cons: S ’ proceeds-of-crime image

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

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

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

The Freelander 2 was a massive improvement on the model

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

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

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

Range

Rover Velar (2017-on) £27,500-£75,000

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

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

Discovery 2 (1998-2004) £1000-£11,000

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

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

Discovery

(1989-1998) £800-£18,000

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,

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 E

Cons: T ’ been doused in sea water

Discovery 3 (2004-2009) £1850-£16,000

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

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

Discovery 5 (2017-on) £24,500-£95,000

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

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.

Discovery Sport (2015-19) £12,500-£33,000

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

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

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

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.

monster. As an all-rounder, at

Cons: Feels more like a softroader than a proper Discovery

Discovery Sport (2019-on) £21,000-£62,000

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

Pros: M LR ’ a Range Rover should be like Cons: Still a potential money pit, and the best are expensive Back Issues Available Online Visit amedia-shop.co.uk

year, as a company car. uality 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

The Velar a competent cruiser and has received numerous accolades

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

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

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

The second-generation Disco Sport came along only four years

Series IIA 109” 2.25 diesel (1968).

Galv chassis. Fairey overdrive. Very good engine, box, running gear. Factory paint. Same owner 19712002. Original registration docs.

All matching numbers. £13,500. Devon. 07783 051634 02/23/005

Series III Lightweight FFR (1984).

2.25 petrol (original engine). RHD. New fuel tank. Excellent soft top. Original chassis (some minor repairs, then Waxoyled). Enthusiast owned. £8995. Peterborough. 07452 950853 02/23/006

Series III 109 (1980). 2289cc petrol. 7-seat. Ex-MOD with full service history provided and military parts and insignia still in place. Solid chassis and bulkhead. Very original condition. £9000. Bristol. 07547 351653 13/22/004

Series I 107 (1955). 84,112 miles. 2.5 TD 19J engine fitted 10 years ago. Solid undersealed chassis and bulkhead. Starts and stops right. Various parts also available inc correct 2.0 engine. £13,995. St Austell. 07792 621848 01/23/002

Defender 90 2.2 TDCi HT (2014). 64,000 miles. 2-seater. BFG A/Ts, Momo wheel, KBX grille and vents, Sony/Alpine Bluetooth stereo, hi-top cubby. Professionally waxed every year. £33,000. Saundersfoot. 07495 041333 02/23/001

Defender 90 300 Tdi Truck-Cab (1989).

Defender 90 Td5 SW (2003). 87,000 miles. Alloys, nav, leather. Tuned. Full LEDs, upgraded grilles and vents, alcantara wheel. No rust, drives very well. FSH. MOT Sept. £22,500. Sevenoaks. 07834 550510 02/23/002

Defender

Defender TD5 110 County (2001). 161,000 miles. Limited edition special vehicle. Internal/ external roll cage. Boost alloys, chequer plated sills. Good condition inside and out. £12,000. 07775 616106 13/22/001

90 300 Tdi (1987). 155,000 miles. Galv bulkhead. Disco engine, box and tranny. Rear discs. Slickshift, snorkel, winch, Optimas, cage, sliders, +3” suspension, 33” Fedimas.

MOT Oct. £10,000. Melksham. 07961 847850 01/23/009

90 2.25 CSW (1985). 56,000 miles. Very early 90. 18-month restoration using only the best parts. Impeccable chassis and bulkhead, superb body, drives beautifully, lovely interior. £27,500. Cranbrook. 07715 267424 13/22/008

Defender 90 300Tdi (1998).

120,000 miles. Restored on galv chassis. New brakes and clutch, swivels, fuel tank, handbrake. 2” lift, dislocation cones, alloys, swingaway wheel carrier. £14,000. Stroud. 07771 798099 01/23/008

Range Rover Macnellie limousine (1990). Unique. Bespoke chassis. Comes with all bespoke parts, including Brooklands body kit, and a good donor car for the running gear, dash, air-con etc. £9950. Walton. 07958 258770 02/23/007

paint, loose headlining. 15 service stamps. Starts and drives well. £2500. Manchester. 07501 328255 13/22/007

Whatever your taste in Land Rovers, there’s one annual publication you can’t afford to miss. The Land Rover Yearbook is an eclectic blend of classics, modified motors, new Landies, product reviews, travelogues and more. This year’s Yearbook includes a range of 90s and 110s that have been brought back to life with a twist. And a 107” Station Wagon, too, restored and modified into a Series I like no other. If you prefer your classics to be more, well, classic, you’ll find an 88” Series IIA rebuilt with a devotion to originality that borders on the fanatical. And how about one of the very earliest Freelanders? Not everyone’s idea of a classic, but everything about Land Rover’s history since then says it’s one of the most significant vehicles the company has ever made.

The Discovery, for example, was a truck in the pre-Freelander era. Now it’s a premium SUV. We’ve tested the current model in entry-level D250 form in a bid to find out whether you really need to stretch all the way to a top-spec engine. And we’ve driven the basic Defender 90, too – steel wheels and all. Not just on any test drive, either, but a mighty green lane trip on some of the best trails in the country.

That’s one kind of travel story. Getting up close to Africa’s wildlife is definitely another, and so too is the Dakar Classic. Loads of historic Range Rovers and Series trucks were involved in this marathon desert rally – yet not one of them had a British driver. So be warned

spend a day or two poring over the 2023 Land Rover Yearbook and you might come away on a mission to put that right!

RRL660

Utility inspection light that has Chip On Board (COB) LED technology that emits up to 180 lumens. With a swivel hook and magnet, the RRL660 is perfect for hands-free use. Anti-slip grip and ABS material with rubber paint finish make it durable and ideal for use in a demanding workshop environment. Batteries included.

3W COB Flat Inspection Light

180 lumens

Anti slip grip and ABS material with rubber paint finish Magnet and 360° rotating hook for hands free working www.ringautomotive.com

Land Rover: The Great British Classic celebrates this magnificent heritage by focusing on the best of Land Rover from its early days. A high-quality publication from the makers of 4x4 magazine and The Landy newspaper, it covers a broad spectrum of historical vehicles: not just Series I, II and III Land Rovers from the postar years ut a so the first generations of Range Rovers, Discoverys and Freelanders, as well as the 90s and 110s that were later to become the legendary Defender.

Covering the vehicles’ history, spotlighting case studies of restored and otherwise much-loved examples and searching out stories of adventure behind the wheel,

Land Rover: The Great British Classicc is a publication for everyone who admires Land Rovers from the early days.

Steering Wheel Restoration

Steering

Defender

Once installed, this easy to fit, hard wearing carpet will transform your Defender’s interior. The 5mm woven pile carpet is manufactured with a hardback which ensures it holds its shape for years to come. All holes are pre-cut for a precision fit. No glue is required and with only 4 strips of double-sided tape (supplied), fitment is quick and easy with no mess. The carpet also has the added advantage of improving soundproofing within the cabin. Floor mats are edged for a smart finish and the driver’s side mat has a reinforced heel mat which will keep wear and tear to a minimum.

Kits consists of Bulkhead panel Gear box tunnel Floor mats Under dashboard panels Kick plate panels Seat box panels

Note - The carpet kit will not fit over rubber moulded mat sets. As a general rule, our carpet will however, fit over sound proofing kits such as Dynamat. Why not Dynamat your vehicle at the same time as fitting this kit. See our extensive range of kits - www.britpart.com/dynamat