The Landy May 2025 by Assignment Media Ltd

www.allmakes4x4.com

To advertise in The Landy, call our team on 01283 742969

We’re on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thelandyuk

Land Rover Classic launches Jungle Track driving experiences

LAND ROVER CLASSIC HAS ANNOUNCED THAT IT IS TO OPEN UP ITS COLLECTION OF HISTORIC VEHICLES FOR THE PUBLIC TO DRIVE ON A SERIES OF EXCLUSIVE EVENTS. Defender Classic: Icons Off-Road will take place at the original Land Rover Experience centre in Solihull, where clients will get behind the wheel of ‘some of the finest examples of historic Land Rover vehicles from over the years.’

For the price of £595, you’ll also learn about the Land Rovers you’re driving. ‘Each experience will also include the history of the subject vehicles, with every JLR instructor on hand to make sure that guests get to know the car they will be driving in the finest detail, down to the last rivet.’ In addition, the day starts with a tour of the Jaguar Land Rover Classic Works facility, demonstrating the specialised work done there as part of its restoration and customisation programmes. Solihull is particularly appropriate as the location for the driving experience as it was here that the company’s original test and demonstration track was created back in 1949, using terrain

around the site’s old wartime bomb shelters. This was later replaced by the famous Jungle Track, which remains largely intact today and which will host the driving element of the experience.

‘Using JLR’s finest and most knowledgeable instructors, Land Rover Classic has carefully curated itineraries that display the most incredible selection of cars and the extent of their capabilities. On off-road dirt tracks, guests will have the opportunity to drive each vehicle exactly how they were designed to be driven, all on specialist courses.

‘It’s on these tracks where early vehicles have been tested by engineers, where media first drove groundbreaking models and where owners have had their first true taste of their vehicle’s unmatched all-terrain capabilities.’

With vehicles still being made at Solihull today, the driving experience is a great way of bringing together Land Rover’s past and present. The JLR Classic facility in Coventry, meanwhile, is ‘a hub of heritage, craftsmanship and engineering excellence (which) offers the chance for guests to see the process of sourcing authentic parts, bespoke commissions and even

continuation models of legendary models.’ The collection of rare, special and one-off Land Rovers within the building should keep you busy for more than just a few seconds, too.

‘We have carefully curated these experiences to appeal to everyone who loves the iconic Defender and its predecessors,’ commented JLR Classic’s recently appointed new Director Dominic Elms. ‘It’s not often you get to drive such cherished classic vehicles in a way as immersive as this, or on tracks as evocative to the history of Land Rover.

‘We believe that these experiences are a truly unique opportunity for every guest that attends – one that they will never forget – including seeing our dedicated specialists applying their skills here behind-the-scenes at our Ryton-on-Dunsmore factory.’

The Defender Classic: Icons OffRoad experiences are scheduled for 13 May, 18 June and 15 July 2025, and the price includes catering. Places are subject to availability, so get your £595 ready and head for www.jaguarlandroverclassic.com/classic-experiences to book your place.

Issue 139: May 2025

High Court quashes unlawful closure of Hollinsclough Rakes

Land Rover owners who love the countryside are celebrating after the High Court confirmed that two much-loved Staffordshire rights of way must remain open to motor vehicles.

Swan Rake and Limer Rake, a pair of unsurfaced roads in the hamlet of Hollinsclough, were closed in 2017 for a £1.7 million programme of repair work – only for the local authority to impose the permanent TRO in August last year which has now been declared unlawful.

During the statutory consultation period for the closure, Staffordshire County Council received some 400 objections to its proposed TRO. These included a submission from the Green Lane Association stating that the closure was discriminatory to motorised users and that, in particular, it would deny access to disabled people who were unable to use the routes on foot, bike or horseback. GLASS also suggested alternative measures for management of the routes. When

these were ignored, the Association challenged the TRO in the High Court – which, ultimately, the authority chose not to contest. The subsequently issued an agreed Consent Order confirming that the TRO should be quashed, and that Staffordshire County Council must pay the Green Lane Association’s costs – which, along with its own, amounted to a substantial sum.

Throughout much of the 20th Century, Swan Rake and Limer Rake were known for the steep, challenging nature which made them awkward to drive – attracting the organisers of traditional sporting car trials to use them. Latterly, with an almost total lack of maintenance allowing them to become increasingly washed out and rocky, the lanes became a technical challenge for 4x4s, requiring serious ground clearance, good suspension and a skilled driver and spotter. Even then, it was easy to damage your vehicle on the rocks, particularly on Limer Rake.

Repairs to the routes have included drainage works and a new surface which has been designed to make them easily accessible to all users. However Staffordshire County Council claims the work was only done to a standard suitable for bridleway use, seemingly in anticipation of being able to close the lanes to motor vehicles. While it’s hardly the fault of anyone in a 4x4 who exercises their right to use these lanes that they’ve not been properly repaired, GLASS is encouraging drivers to treat them particularly gently as a result.

‘The Association regrets the need to take legal action like this and believes it could easily have been avoided if the Council had discussed its concerns with motorised user groups before applying a complete ban,’ says GLASS Chairman Chris Mitchell. ‘Going forward, we are keen to develop open and constructive communications channels with the Council to discuss ways that all user groups can share these routes without the need to remove access from any one group.

‘I would encourage Green Lane Association members and all motorised users to use these routes appropriately, including avoiding them during periods of bad weather so that the surface can be maintained. I would also ask drivers and bikers to drive carefully at all times, especially in proximity to the residential properties along the roads in accordance with the Association’s Code of Conduct.’

Issue 139: May 2025

Campaign to demonise SUVs issues staged photos of Range Rover endangering children

Picture: Crispin Hughes

AHEAD OF AN ANNUAL MASS BIKE RIDE IN CENTRAL LONDON whose stated purpose was to highlight the importance of making roads safer for vulnerable road users, anti-4x4 campaigners issued a wide-ranging set of claims about SUVs – accusing them of being dangerous to children.

The organisers of the Kidical Mass Spring 2025 event say the theme of this year’s event is ‘space’ – going on to expand on this as ‘children, cyclists and pedestrians being crowded out of space on our streets by supersized SUVs.’ Participants in the ride were encouraged to dress up as astronauts, stars or planets in keeping with the theme.

‘“SPACE” also means space for cycling, walking and scooting,’ point out the organisers. ‘Supersized SUVs (that word again) reduce the space available for children and other vulnerable road users to cycle, walk and scoot.’ They don’t clarify whether the walking and scooting road users are aware that pavements exist. Nor indeed whether any of the organisers dressed up as Uranus.

It is certainly not to be denied that a vehicle’s size and weight are among factors which contribute to the risk it poses other road users in certain situations. Over-simplifying a complex issue is a sure sign of intellectual bankruptcy, however, and the organisers talk of ‘the dangers from supersized SUVs’ and ‘a 30% increased risk of death for vulnerable road users’ without providing any context at all.

Undeterred, and with the zeal of a fanatic, the organisers supplied the press with a set of photographs showing young children face to face with SUVs. Most of these are shot from very low down, to make the vehicles look more menacing.

Others include a child trying to squeeze between the bumpers of two vehicles parked about six inches apart; seen here, meanwhile a Range Rover is stopped with its nose encroaching around a third of the way on to a zebra crossing. Rank bad driving in each case and in no way SUV-specific. Yet another image shows a child waving her arms in panic in the face of a stationary vehicle with a hyperspace-style filter used to make it look as if it’s travelling at warp speed. These are of course staged images, not candid reportage.

Hating SUVs has been a popular hobby for many years among a certain type of urban dweller, and the claims made ahead of the Kidical Mass ride are nothing new. As always, listening and understanding are the golden rules of any debate – while trying to paint your opponent as evil personified is the very best way to drive two sides further apart. In particular, wherever road safety is an issue, the type of vehicle you’re shaking your fist at always matters a great deal less than the way it’s being driven.

People, not their 4x4s, are to blame

This morning, I had an idle scroll through Facebook. A largely pointless activity these days, I find, but I happened upon a post someone had put on the Green Lane Association’s local page for the Mid Wales area. He had spotted videos on Tiktok done by some guys in challenge spec 90s who were using them to rip up the hillside next to Strata Florida.

Where I saw it was on a club’s page, where it had been reposted. Almost unbelievably, ‘concentrate on ya self ya little tell tail girl’ (sic) gives you a flavour of the early comments.

I went back later and I’m pleased to say that sensible grown-ups had taken over. I’m also pleased to say that the Green Lane Association has reported the culprits to the police.

A fixed penalty is the likely outcome, if anything is done at all. But severe punishments are available for repeat offenders – and quite right too when they appear to be perfectly well aware that what they are doing is wrong.

I wonder if the people who issued a load of utterly misleading photos trying to make Range Rovers look like child killing machines knew (or cared) that what they were doing was wrong? The story is on the opposite page – it’s the usual stuff about SUVs, brought out here by people who want more space on the roads to walk, scoot and cycle.

On the roads. If you want SUVs banned from here so you can walk or scoot on them, what you’re after is lebensraum. I’m all for road safety – I was run over myself once (on the pavement). But garnering support for your cause by putting the blame for something on a group of people unlike yourself is the classic tool of a fascist. Road safety is about driving, not what you’re driving. An SUV might look scary but guess what? Cars don’t crash: people crash cars.

People vandalise green lanes, too. Which is why it’s so important that those responsible are dealt with as individual law-breakers. Because it they’re not, the blame will fall on everyone in a Land Rover. Wrongly – but when did the truth ever get in the way of a good story?

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

EUROPE’S NO.1 RECONDITIONED LAND ROVER ENGINE &

PARTS SPECIALIST

ENGINES START AT £2000

The

The dash will be available in plain, powder coated and textured powder coated finishes. It can be used with the Defender’s standard heating system, though AlliSport says there is some work to finalise on the controls. The final prototype was being prepared for fitting at the time of writing, with an estimated onsale date some time in March.

Don’t look back in anger

Price: £638.52 (black), £649.32 (light grey)

Available from: maltings4x4store.co.uk, TF3694 / TF3694B

HEADLINERS ARE AMONG THE MANY THINGS IN LIFE that start out proud and magnificent but somewhere along the line turn floppy and a bit embarrassing. You can’t take a little blue pill to fix this but you can replace it altogether, and we’re fairly sure you’ll be glad this only applies to headliners, not anything else.

Terraﬁrma’s kits are manufactured to replace sagging or deteriorating cloth headliners in Defender 90s with Alpine lights, giving the vehicle’s interior a much-needed injection of youth and beauty. They’re made from a rigid composite material with a textured ﬁnish, giving them enhanced durability and longevity compared to cloth. Their surface makes them easy to wipe clean, too, so keeping your Landy’s cabin looking and smelling fresh is that much less effort.

Installing the kit is easy, too, as the new headliner is fitted using the original clips already in your vehicle. A quick and easy job, then – not least because Terrafirma promises that its headliners are precision-moulded to ensure a precise fit, ‘adhering to the contours of your Defender for a professional and smart appearance.’ If only the vehicle itself could be relied upon to be similarly accurate in its proportions…

At 13kg, the headliner kit is lighter than you might expect. There’s a choice of light grey or black colour ﬁnishes, with the former costing just over a tenner more at Maltings 4x4.

Swing out mister

FEW NOISES IN

wagons, where you want to be able to open the spare wheel carrier independently of the rear door or tailgate. The single-arm carrier is beautifully engineered for a smooth, easy action,

helped by a gas strut which assists it on opening and keeps it securely held in place, even on side slopes and in strong winds. This prevents the carrier from closing under its own weight and also allows comfortable access to pick-ups. When closed, the unit is held equally ﬁrmly in place by a clever over-centre lockable lever arrangement.

WHETHER YOU’RE RELAXING BY THE CAMP FIRE AFTER A LONG DAY IN THE SERENGETI, stopping for a brew on Strata Florida or marshalling on a comp safari, or indeed slumped by the motorway waiting for the AA to turn up, there are times when you need to be sitting in a seat that doesn’t have a steering wheel in front of it.

For those times, Maltings Off Road’s Expedition Folding Camping Chair is the ideal thing to have waiting in the back of your Land Rover. It’s light in weight, at just under 5.5 kilos, and it lives in a handy carry bag with a carry strap and drawstring closure. And when it emerges, it has a drinks holder, a storage pocket and padded arms to make it so comfortable, you might not miss that steering wheel in front of you after all.

Cool for Tools

Price: £45.00

Available from: stitchandrivet.co.uk

THE PHRASE ‘CHUCK A FEW ESSENTIAL TOOLS IN THE BACK’ is taken all too literally by some of us. It’s a great way of being sure you won’t be able to ﬁnd the right one when you need it – and that when you’re off-roading and things get lairy, something hard and sharp is going to jump up and bite you on the back of the head.

Far better to keep your tools properly organised and protected. And best of all if you can do so using a cool tool roll. Such as these high-quality examples from Stitch and Rivet which, being made from the company’s classic 600D material, are water repellent, durable and ‘ready to withstand any level of vehicle tinkering or unavoidable breakdowns!’

Five colours are available, along with a couple of dozen or so thread options and a choice of either the company’s logo or your own name or initials. You can also provide club or business artwork of your own and they’ll embroider it with that for a mere £15 more.

The tool rolls are made with twin brass eyelets allow for easy hanging in your workshop, and of course they can be tucked away safely in whatever corner of your Land Rover you ﬁnd easiest to get at when the inevitable happens. Check out stitchandrivet.co.uk for custom ideas.

It’s in the bag

Price: £70.00 | Available from: stitchandrivet.co.uk

STITCH AND RIVET HAS BEEN MAKING A WIDE VARIETY OF COOL STUFF FOR A LONG TIME NOW, but what you’re looking at here is the company’s ﬁrst ‘bag for everything.’ Everything? It’s a ‘heavy-duty market bag designed to carry everything from tools to groceries and picnics!’ So, yes.

The bags are available in black, sand, green, navy and berry colours, with 20-plus contrasting stitch options for an extra ﬁver. Green with Hot Pink thread? You’re the boss.

‘Handy to have around, our utility bag is fully customisable with thread colours and it’s all done right here in the UK,’ says the Northamptonshire based company.

‘Our made to order, minimal waste utility bag is luggage you didn’t know you needed for 2025!’ But you do now…

Rovers are returning to Bath & West this April for a weekend filled with Land Rovers! Exhibitors old and new will join us, selling everything from parts & accessories to tyres, clothing and toys Talk to overland adventure specialists about your next trip, discuss modification options with companies with the know-how and other experienced Land Rover owners.

www.allmakes4x4.com

THE GREAT BRITISH LAND ROVER SHOW

BATH AND WEST SHOWGROUND 26-27 APRIL 2025

The Great British Land Rover Show Celebrates Ten Years

he Great British Land Rover

TShow ﬁrst took place at Donington Park back in 2015 and has graced a number of venues over the years since then including Newark, NAEC Stoneleigh and here at Bath & West Showground.

Our third year here in Shepton Mallet, you’ll soon notice how the show is growing and evolving over time.

To celebrate our ten year anniversary, we’ve released a new type of ticket which allows any Land Rover and its driver into the showground for less than a standard adult ticket in

advance.

As well as saving your walking for the stands, your vehicle becomes part of the show for others to admire, and you’ll receive a free GBLRS Bath & West window sticker!

As always at the GBLRS, there’ll be a wide range of trade stands in a variety of show areas. And in addition to this, we’ve reserved a section for the clubs that are the lifeblood of the Land Rover scene. See overleaf for a list of those attending Wiith the show’s timing in late April, it’s the perfect opportunity to catch

up with other regulars on the circuit and discuss progress on those winter workshop projects.

We’ll be hoping for brilliant Spring sunshine like last year because as is always traditonal at weekend Land Rover shows, camping is available –and you’ll have every opportunity to party the night away on what promises to be a memorable springtime Saturday night!

Yes, our two-day show was a proper social event last year –and we’re going for it again with live music and plenty of family entertainment. The venue

Ticket prices and visitors’ info

OPENING TIMES

• Saturday 10am-5pm, plus evening

• Sunday 10am-4pm

CONCESSIONS

• Under 14s and Disabled Carers go FREE

PARKING

• FREE car parking

• Land Rover Owner Pass includes parking inside the show

FOR THE KIDS

• Under 14s get free entry to the show. There will be a variety of inﬂatables as well as ride on Land Rovers.

OFF ROAD COURSE TICKETS

• Tickets are valid for one lap for one driver in your own vehicle. Passengers including children are welcome to join you for the experience

• To avoid queues of vehicles waiting to drive round on the day, you must select a timed slots to arrive within when you buy your off road course tickets

DOGS

• Dogs are welcome but must be kept on a lead. Please clean up after your dog!

• Dog stations with waste bins and drinking water are available throughout the show and on the campsite

has a bar and restaurant as well as all the facilities you need to make a proper weekend of it.

During the days of the show, the off-road area will be given over to a drive-round route – marshalled by the Green Lane Association and sure to be as popular as ever. It’s suitable for Land Rovers of every kind, from a basic old Series truck to a fancy new one bristling with electronic everything, and there’ll be marshals to keep you right if you’re new to the off-road game – and tow you out if it all goes wrong!

If you purchase a Land Rover

Owner Pass, you’ll also have the option to be part of our Show & Shine Competition, sponsored by 4x4 Tyres. Visitors to the show will be able to vote for their favourites in various categories and winners will be announced on Sunday.

There’s a full run-down of the attractions overleaf. And don’t forget – you can save money by purchasing your tickets in advance at gblandrovershow.co.uk. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of our Show Sponsors but especially our Headline Sponsor Allmakes 4x4

TICKET PRICES

Adult Show Entry - Weekend (Fri 6pm-Mon 9am)

£18.00 in advance

£20.00 on the day

Adult Show Entry - One Day (Sat or Sun)

£12.00 in advance £15.00 on the day

Land Rover Owner Pass - Full weekend access for Land Rover & Owner/Driver + FREE sticker + Optional Show & Shine Entry (when booked in advance only)

£15.00 in advance

£20.00 on the day

Off-Road Course (In Your Own Vehicle)

£12.00 in advance £15.00 on the day

Camping Pitch (3 Nights)

£40.00 in advance

£50.00 on the day

ADVANCE TICKETS CLOSE ON TUESDAY 22ND APRIL

• Restaurant open all day

• Well behaved dogs on leads permitted

• Fully licensed

• Fully accessible venue for disabled visitors. Carers go free of charge

THE GREAT BRITISH LAND ROVER SHOW

BATH AND WEST SHOWGROUND 26-27 APRIL 2025

Based in the heart of the South West, with branches in Bovey Tracey and Plymouth, Brookwells is your trusted Land Rover specialist, offering top-quality parts and accessories with the convenience of online orders and in-store collections

We stock all the best brands, including Terraﬁrma, Allmakes, Britpart, Exmoor Trim and many others. Whether you’re working on a Defender, Discovery, Series, Freelander or Range Rover, restoring a classic or upgrading your modern Land Rover, we’ve got you covered.

Our easy-to-use webshop lets you search by model, year and engine size, or part number. And if you need extra assistance, our highly knowledgeable sales team is just a call or email away, ready to offer the insights you need to make the best choice.

We’re passionate about all things Land Rover and are always here to support you, no matter where you are in the country.

At Brookwells, we’re not just a parts supplier – we’re passionate Land Rover

enthusiasts. We don’t simply sell the components to keep your vehicle running smoothly; we use them ourselves, both on and off the road. Our Defender 110 Trayback is a key part of that, as we put it through its paces at trials and punch hunt events. Whether we’re tackling rugged trails or navigating tricky obstacles, we understand the importance of high-quality parts because we rely on them ﬁrst-hand. Our team’s deep connection with the Land Rover community means we’re not just knowledgeable; we’re truly invested in making sure your Land Rover performs at its best, no matter the challenge. What sets us apart? It’s our unmatched customer service, deep knowledge of Land Rovers and commitment to providing friendly, efﬁcient and competitive service. Whether you need replacement parts, original equipment or genuine Land Rover components, we offer a range of options to suit any budget.

With over 9000 Land Rover and Range Rover parts in stock, ready for immediate dispatch via land, air, or sea, Brookwells is your go-to source for all your vehicle needs. And our service just keeps getting better! Enjoy FREE UK courier delivery on orders over £75 (excluding VAT), making it even easier to get the parts you need quickly.

With over 30 years’ experience in supplying Land Rover parts to thousands of satisﬁed customers, from

individuals to government organisations, we’re the trusted partner for your Land Rover needs.

Join the ranks of satisﬁed customers and make Brookwell Suppliers your ﬁrst call for all your Land Rover parts, spares, and accessories.

Visit us at the Bath and West Great British Land Rover show for a hands-on experience with our display of premium products and expert advice.

Get the Best Land Rover Parts with Brookwells – Fast, Friendly & Reliable Service!

Brookwell Suppliers – over 30 years of experience in Land Rover parts. Pay us a visit us at our website: www.brookwell.com.

Explore our online store today or come chat with us at the show!

Stand: SPD3

THE GREAT BRITISH LAND ROVER SHOW

BATH AND WEST SHOWGROUND 26-27 APRIL 2025

Lots to see and do as spring comes to Bath and West

Land Rover Owners

Our aim this year is to get as many Land Rovers into the Show as possible. If you’re bringing a Land Rover, book a Land Rover Owner ticket, which gets both you and your Land Rover into the show for the whole weekend. You’ll also get a free window sticker and be part of our Show & Shine Competition if you’d like to.

If you want to be included in our Show & Shine Competition, please include brief details about your Land Rover including your reg no. in the Notes box at checkout.

Show & Shine Competition Sponsored by

The Show & Shine Competition is sponsored by 4x4 Tyres, and the categories are Best Defender, Best Discovery, Best Heritage, Best Overland and Best Modiﬁed. Show & Shine entry must be booked in advance. Winners are selected by a combination of public voting and our expert judging panel. Prizes: 1st Prize - 2 x Tickets & camping for GBLRS 2026, 2nd PrizePower Maxed Valeting Pack, 3rd Prize - 1 Year Postal Subscription to The

Landy. Prizes will be awarded on Sunday 27th April. Vote for your favourites at gblandrovershow.co.uk/ showandshine

Camping

Camp at the show and enjoy our bar, food, children’s entertainment, music and getting together with friends.

Camping pitch for 1 car and 1 tent or 1 campervan/caravan costs £40 in advance or £50 on the day and gives you campsite access from Friday at 6pm until Monday at 10am. Show Tickets must be purchased separately.

Evening entertainment

On the evening of Saturday 26 April, you’ll be able to make the most of the

bar and restaurant, with its outdoor terrace, and there’ll be entertainment to keep the kids happy. All in a Land Rover soaked atmosphere.

From 8-11pm Twist of Rock, an electrifying 5-piece band will be bringing you high-energy, rock-infused party anthems. Whether you’re into Queen, AC/DC, Bon Jovi, Guns N’ Roses, or love belting out tunes from Beyoncé, Shania Twain, and Britney Spears –this band has it all, performed with their unique Twist of Rock!

Off-Road Course run by the Green Lane Association

The course has several levels of difﬁculty and is suitable for all levels of driver ability and experience. The course is also suitable for all makes and models from Series I’s to New Defenders and everything in between! What’s more, the Green Lane Association will be on hand to offer advice and tips on how to drive off road and even help you out should you be unfortunate enough to become stuck! Advance booking is highly recommended to avoid disap-

pointment and to be able to select your preferred start time around the course. Tickets are valid for one lap for one driver in your own vehicle. Passengers including children are welcome to join you for the experience. In order to avoid queues of vehicles waiting to drive round on the day, you must select one of the timed slots to arrive within when you buy your off road course tickets.

The Green Lane Association is a national, not-for-proﬁt organisation that exists to preserve our historic network of green lanes and to encourage responsible and inclusive usage of these byways and unclassiﬁed roads. In 2025, we are celebrating our 30th anniversary, and we are delighted to be exhibiting at the three Great British Land Rover Shows. We will also be designing and running the popular off-road courses at the Bath and West Showground in April and the Newark Showground in August.

We’ll be on hand to explain how to ﬁnd legal and sustainable routes and to offer our top tips on how to drive or ride responsibly, ensuring you have an enjoyable and safe day out laning. We offer a range of beneﬁts for members, including our unique TrailWise2 mapping software, which shows which routes are legal to drive and provides real-time information on the condition of green lanes, including any restrictions or obstructions. This invaluable tool is essential for planning a day out and is only available through membership in the Green Lane Association.

Our core belief is that everyone has

the right to access the countryside and to share multi-user public rights of way without prejudice to their method of travel. We are dedicated to promoting inclusive countryside access for all users through education, physical works, and legal action. We are a friendly and welcoming organisation with a network of local Area Reps across England and Wales, who can provide advice and guidance on how to start green laning. Many areas arrange group laning trips to give new members a social and fun way to gain knowledge about how to lane responsibly – from what routes to take to recommendations on what equipment to carry and what to do in case of problems.

We take our responsibilities as countryside users seriously and seek to work with local authorities to repair and maintain green lanes, ensuring they remain open and accessible for all to enjoy. This may involve a ﬁnancial contribution, where appropriate, or

the time and labour of our volunteers. We have representatives on many local authority access forums who advocate for the rights and responsibilities of motorised users. As a last resort, we take legal action against local authorities that fail in their statutory duty to maintain public rights of way. In recent years, we have successfully reopened routes that local authorities and landowners sought to close to certain user groups. We will continue to pursue legal action, when necessary, to preserve this principle of inclusive countryside access.

We look forward to meeting attendees at the Great British Land Rover Shows and will be on hand to answer any questions about green laning, both at the off-road courses and at our show stands. Please do come and say hello!

For more information about the beneﬁts of membership see www.glass-uk. org

THE GREAT BRITISH LAND ROVER SHOW

BATH AND WEST

SHOWGROUND 26-27 APRIL 2025

New products and great offers from Exmoor Trim – your trusted partner for Land Rover upgrades

Stand: SPD1

Exmoor Trim is your trusted partner for Land Rover upgrades. Elevate your driving experience with our premium quality accessories that are meticulously crafted to enhance performance, comfort and style.

From rugged off-road adventures to urban exploration, Exmoor Trim offers a range of products carefully designed to suit every Land Rover enthusiast. Discover the difference with Exmoor Trim and unlock the full potential of your Land Rover...

We will have our new Wing Top Vents on offer at the show (www. exmoortrim.co.uk/cnc-defender-wing-top-vent-pairs), as well as our extremely popular Billet Aluminium Exterior Door Handles.

We will also have our Discovery 1 Early type Retrim Kit on show, with the new 60/40 Retrim Kit.

In addition, we will be bringing our exclusive Ofﬁcially Licensed Land Rover Branded Clothing Range, as well as our own merchandise range including our new Wax Canvas Adventure Bag Range.

We will be offering 15% off these products at the show Plus, look out for a range of new Exmoor Trim products:

• Billet aluminium

• Evo Corse Wheels

• Elite Sport Seats

• Moto-Lita Wheels

• Yeti coolers

• Hoods

THE GREAT BRITISH LAND ROVER SHOW

BATH AND WEST SHOWGROUND

HERE AT WHEELCOVER.COM WE SPECIALISE IN CRAFTING BESPOKE WHEEL COVERS THAT SEAMLESSLY BLEND QUALITY WITH CUSTOMISATION. We stock a range of covers including semirigid covers, moulded covers and soft vinyl covers in a variety of sizes. Our range of covers come with high-quality crafted skirts that are available in a range of colours.

But what truly sets us apart is our commitment to personal expression. Whether you prefer a minimalist aesthetic or a bold statement, our array of design options has something for everyone. Choose from blank canvases awaiting your creative touch, long-lasting cut vinyl designs, captivating printed motifs, or the breathtaking allure of full-wrap designs. We can also create moulded covers and screen-printed covers. With WheelCover.com, your vehicle becomes a canvas for your individuality.

Elevate your vehicle with WheelCover.com – where quality meets individuality, and every journey begins with a touch of personal ﬂair.

EXPLORE THEGREAT OUTDOORS WITH CONFIDENCE

Embark on your next camping and or expedition with confidence, armed with the right equipment and invaluable tips for a memorable outdoor experience.

Expert Tips for a Smooth Trip:

Plan Ahead: Research your destination and map your route in advance.

Stay Flexible: Embrace spontaneity and make the most out of your trip.

> Inflatable Structure

> Erects in 2 minutes

> Integrated Mattress

Pack Wisely: Prioritise essential gear while optimising space in your vehicle. Pack efficiently to minimise clutter and maximise accessibility during your expedition.

> 420D PU Oxford Fabric Roof Tent - TF1710

Respect Nature: Leave no trace and practice responsible camping etiquette to minimise your environmental impact. Respect wildlife, adhere to safety protocols, and leave your campsite pristine for future adventurers to enjoy.

Terrafirma Camping:

Gear Selection Essentials:

Reliable Shelter: Invest in a sturdy and versatile tent designed to withstand the elements. Look for features like waterproof materials, easy setup mechanisms, and ample space to accommodate your camping crew comfortably.

> BBQ Grill Included

> Stainless Steel

> Stores Flat

> Storage Bag Included Fire Pit - TF1730

Off-Road Essentials: Equip your vehicle with the necessary tools for navigating challenging terrains. From recovery gear like winches and traction mats to tyre inflators and spare parts, being prepared ensures you’re ready for any obstacle that comes your way.

> Heavy Duty

> Aluminium Frame

> Cup Holder

> Carry Bag Included Chair - TF1720

Cooking Gear: Opt for compact stoves, durable cookware, and versatile utensils to whip up delicious meals amidst the wilderness.

Lighting Solutions: Extend your outdoor adventures into the night with reliable lighting solutions. LED lights, headlamps, and campsite lighting can illuminate your surroundings and create a cozy ambiance after sundown.

Comfort Enhancements: Prioritise comfort during your camping escapades with quality sleeping gear and camp chairs. Invest in comfortable and durable camp chairs for relaxing around the campfire or enjoying scenic views in comfort.

> Heavy Duty

> Lightweight

> Easy to Assembly

> Storage Bag Included Table - TF1722

ADVENTURE AWAITS – LET’S MAKE IT EXTRAORDINARY!

THE GREAT BRITISH LAND ROVER SHOW

BATH AND WEST SHOWGROUND 26-27 APRIL 2025

Exhibitors’ Guide

HEADLINESPONSOR

Allmakes 4x4 / Terraﬁrma

Accessories and upgrades for Land Rover vehicles. The Terrafirma range of Land Rover accessories has been created to meet the exceptional demands of Land Rover enthusiasts and is distributed worldwide through Allmakes 4×4 authorised parts and accessory dealers. Terrafirma offers choice, clear product identification and application, making sure the correct product can be selected from the extensive range of accessories. www.terrafirma4x4.com / www.allmakes4x4.com 01235 821122

Showering Pavillion SPB4

SHOW SPONSOR

Brookwells Parts & Accessories

We have been supplying Land Rover parts to thousands of satisfied customers for over thirty years and provide an effi cient, competitive and above all friendly service. No order is too big or too small and customers enjoy coming back time and again. Our motto is ‘If it fits a Land Rover, you can get it from us.’

With over 9,000 different Land Rover and Range Rover parts always available in stock for immediate dispatch by land, air or sea - make Brookwell Suppliers your ﬁrst call. www.brookwell.co.uk | 01626 832 555 Showering Pavillion SPD3

SHOW SPONSOR

4x4 Tyres

Find quality wheels and tyres for your 4x4, SUV or van from leading brands.

4x4tyres.co.uk

01789 653552

Heritage Land Rover

Heritage Land Rover is a new magazine celebrating the ﬁrst half-century of the Great British 4x4. Produced by Land Rover experts and enthusiasts, it covers the era of the Series I, II and III as well as the original Range Rover, and on to modern classics such as the early Discovery and Defender. Published four times a year, Heritage Land Rover is a high-quality magazine combining great writing with beautiful photography. It’s printed on the best paper in the business, too –ensuring that like the vehicles itself, this is a publication you will keep hold of and treasure. Outside

SHOW SPONSOR

Exmoor Trim

Exmoor Trim offers a range of high-quality seating solutions for Land Rovers, including front, rear, and specialist seats. Explore their products and ﬁnd the ideal seating for your Land Rover today! exmoortrim.co.uk

01984 635 060

Showering Pavillion SPD1

SHOW SPONSOR

Green Lane Association

Outside

MEDIA PARTNER

The Landy

A unique free newspaper, The Landy takes a straightforward, unpretentious approach to coving the whole of the Land Rover scene. It’s available to pick up from many Britpart stockists and Land Rover specialists, in WHSmith or by subscription – and you can read it free online, too. www.thelandy.co.uk

Overlander 4x4

Overlander 4x4 reﬂects Britain’s new-found interest in an outdoor lifestyle. We’re not a magazine about camping, but a magazine about the sort of adventures that involve it. Primarily, we focus on overlanding – showcasing both trip-of-a-lifetime expeditions as well as adventures that are more modest and, for most of us, more attainable.

As always with anything four-wheel drive, it’s going to be a journey worth making, so join us for the adventure.and subscribe for just £6 for your ﬁrst 6 issues of Overlander 4x4. overlander4x4.co.uk

Outside

THE GREAT BRITISH LAND ROVER SHOW

BATH

THE GREAT BRITISH LAND ROVER SHOW

BATH AND WEST SHOWGROUND 26-27 APRIL 2025

Below: Showering Pavilion

Exhibitors’ Guide

Here are just a few of the exhibitors you’ll ﬁnd at the Bath & West Show 2025. For an up-to-date list including stand numbers, visit gblandrovershow.co.uk/exhibitors or scan the QR code below:

Airsoft Sabre Troop

Mobile Airsoft Riﬂe Range

Outside

HEADLINE SPONSOR

Allmakes

Andrew Cole

Autojumble

Atkinson Bespoke

Engineering

Atkinson Bespoke

Engineering are Land Rover & Range Rover specialists. Parts, repair work or a complete restoration we are here to help.

SPA1

Autosparks

Autosparks uses their decades of expertise to create wiring harnesses that rescue classic cars and “spark” them back to life. The small business manufactures each loom on site, by hand, to the specifi cation dictated by their library of patterns – curated over the firm’s decades of trading. They are even finished to the manufacturers’ original colours and finish.

www.autosparks.co.uk

Outside

Bespoke Fabrications

Intricate art pieces, including Jerry cans and ﬁre extinguishers. thebespokefabrication.co.uk

Outside

Blackdown Off Road

Blackdown

Offroad was founded to help Land Rover owners and enthusiast across the globe ﬁnd the parts and accessories they need to maintain and improve their Land Rovers. Our aim is to provide you with genuine Land Rover, OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) and high quality aftermarket parts and accessories from the world’s leading brands.

www.blackdownoffroad.co.uk

Outside

SHOW SPONSOR

Brookwells

Parts & Accessories

brookwell.co.uk

SPD3

Brown Bird and Company

At Brown Bird and Company Limited, we take pride in our expertise in creating stunning, custom-built campervans. Our goal is to provide you with the ultimate freedom to embark on unforgettable adventures, whether it’s a quick weekend escape or a longterm off-grid living experience.

SPB8

Catherine House

Outside

Country Bumpkins Catering

Unique menu of Yorkshire pudding wraps and loaded roast spuds all served up from our converted army ambulance Land Rover!

Outside

Country Stitches

Wide range of Farming/Country prints and styles. Now including our very own Land Rover range for your little ones.

Outside

City Gearboxes

SPC4

THE GREAT BRITISH LAND ROVER SHOW

BATH AND WEST SHOWGROUND 26-27 APRIL 2025

Crossways

Overland

At Crossways

Overland we understand that your vehicle is a major investment and if anything like our staff, a big part of your life. So that is why we believe in taking care of our customers’ vehicles as if they were our own.

crosswaysoverland.com/ Outside

Current & Classics

Autojumble

DES Renewable Energy

desrenewables.com

SPE3

Dometic | CADAC

Selling a wide range of outdoor leisure and patio products designed for durability, portability and convenience.

www.cadacuk.com/ Outside

Drivelodge Pop up roof systems for Campers and Defenders.

www.drivelodge.co.uk/

SPC3

SHOW SPONSOR

Exmoor Trim

Our Passion for Land Rovers and our Dedication to Quality. Exmoor Trim manufactures and supplies a wide variety of products for the Land Rover range of vehicles. exmoortrim.co.uk

SPD1

Green Lane Association

The Green Lane

Association is a national, not-for-proﬁt organisation that exists to preserve our historic network of green lanes and to encourage responsible and inclusive usage of these byways and unclassiﬁed roads.glass-uk.org

Outside

Helﬁre Surplus Supplies

Suppliers of Genuine Military Surplus Clothing and Outdoor Accessories.

Outside

MEDIA PARTNER

Heritage Land Rover Magazine

Heritage Land Rover is a new magazine celebrating the ﬁrst half-century of the Great British 4x4. Produced by Land Rover experts and enthusiasts, it covers the

era of the Series I, II and III as well as the original Range Rover, and on to modern classics such as the early Discovery and Defender. Published four times a year, Heritage Land Rover is a high-quality magazine combining great writing with beautiful photography. It’s printed on the best paper in the business, too – ensuring that like the vehicles itself, this is a publication you will keep hold of and treasure.

Outside

Hugo’s Plates SPC2

Ian Saddington Auto Jumble

Iceman Blasting Ltd

Looking for a cleaning service without harsh chemicals or abrasive methods?

Look no further than our dry ice blasting service! Our method leaves your vehicle spotless and reaches areas that traditional cleaning methods can’t. Trust us to give your vehicle the deep clean it deserves.

www.icemanblasting.co.uk

SPE2

Jake Smith Outside

JRL Parts Ltd

We are a vehicle Repair, Service and Parts business based in Somerset near the city of Wells. We are specialists in Land Rover & Range Rovers but also diagnostics, repairs and service all makes and models with over 40 years experience in the motor trade.

Outside

MEDIA PARTNER

The Landy A unique free newspaper, The Landy takes a straightforward, unpretentious approach to coving the whole of the Land Rover scene. It’s available to pick up from many Britpart stockists and Land Rover specialists, or by subscription – and you can read it free online, too.

Outside

Lynne Darlow Auto Jumble

Martin Mustow Auto Jumble

Motoglide

Outside

Nomad Coffee 110 Defender converted into an awesome mobile coffee van serving you 200degs coffee and tasty bakes!

Outside

NDP Tools Outside

Nomadia Outside

O’Donnell Moonshine

Following traditional methods, we only use the best natural ingredients for our spirits and liqueurs. Just like the gangsters during the American Prohibition, we bottle these in original Mason Jars, resulting in a unique tasting experience.

SPA2

MEDIA PARTNER

Overlander 4x4

Overlander 4x4 reﬂects Britain’s newfound interest in an outdoor lifestyle. We’re not a magazine about camping, but a magazine about the sort of adventures that involve it. Primarily, we focus on overlanding – showcasing both trip-of-a-lifetime expeditions as well as adventures that are more modest and attainable.

As always with anything four-wheel drive, it’s going to be a journey worth making, so join us for the adventure. and subscribe for just £6 for your ﬁrst 6 issues of Overlander 4x4. overlander4x4.co.uk

Outside

Ohsocheesy

Outside

Photography UK

Photography UK will be photographing Land Rovers on arrival, as well as on the Off-Road Course during the show.

View your photos and order at their stand, you can even have your Land Rover photo printed on a mug, keyring, mouse mat or bottle opener! www.photography-uk.com

Outside

Picnics4Fun

SPB2

RAC Parts

Independent

Land Rover specialist who offer a full ﬁtting service on all our products.

Outside

Exhibitors’ Guide

Raceline Vans

Whether you’re planning a weekend getaway or embarking on a long-term adventure, Raceline is here to provide the performance, style, and luxury you deserve. Let’s make your Adventure Van dreams a reality.

racelinesportsvans.com

SPB5

Richards Chassis

The UK’s largest range of replacement chassis for Land Rovers.

SPB3

RoofVenture ROOFVENTURE

Rooftop Tents Ltd is small, family and friends hobby inspired business, specialising in Rooftop Tents sales and hire. At ROOFVENTURE, we offer a wide range of hard-shell rooftop tents which are currently available as buy to pre-order or on hire basis. Our Rent a Tent service provides economical access to any of our tents which is ideal if you’ve never tried rooftop tent camping before.

Outside

Severn Ropes

Outside

Simtek

Simtek (UK) is probably

one of the friendliest and most helpful companies in the Motorsport engineering world and was founded in 1999 and incorporated in 2006 as Simkins Technologies Ltd t/a Simtek (UK), later changing our name to Simtek (UK) Ltd. We aim to provide the most comprehensive and knowledgeable service and range of products, making affordable good quality, well thought out products accessible to all levels of Motorsport and automotive leisure.

SPE1

Somer Valley Brewing Award winning beers served directly from two 250L horizontal tanks located on the back of

our converted 110 High Capacity Land Rover. somervalleyfarms.com/somer-valleybrewing

specialists! We have been operating as a vehicle rust prooﬁng specialist for almost 10 years and have experience working with a huge variety of cars from classics to brand new off the production line.

SPB1

The Driftwood Artisan Outside

The Fudge Cottage SPE4

Things You’ll Love Outside

Totalcool

Totalcool Cooling Solutions for Camping, Touring & Vehicles. Discover a fantastic range of cooling solutions tailored for recreational vehicles and camping adventures with Totalcool. totalcool.co.uk

Outside

Veterans In Action

Veterans In Action (VIA) help veterans who have suffered the effects of war or who have found the transition to civilian life difﬁ cult.

Our main project, Veterans Expeditions Overland involves veterans stripping and rebuilding Land Rovers and preparing them to expedition standard. These vehicles are then used to undertake overland expeditions and to carry out humanitarian aid.

We look forward to seeing you at our outside stand at the show.

Outside

Walker Components Vehicle Lighting & Accessories. Outside

Wavi Coffee

We are a brand new female-founded artisan coffee Landrover Defender 110, providing top notch coffee, soft drinks and cake. Outside

Wheelcovers (Signmaker)

Southwest

Our soft vinyl fabric tyre covers are made with a soft vinyl fabric disk, before being ﬁnished with a black piping edge to which the elasticated skirt is attached. We use a top quality, heavy weight and durable fabric unlike alternative cheap imposts you will see for sale elsewhere online. With WheelCover.com, you’re in safe hands.

SPC5

THE GREAT BRITISH LAND ROVER SHOW

When your Land Rover needs a new dashboard – get Simtek on the case!

The DashDapter3 from Simtek is available in S, C and A models (Standard, Comprehensive and Advanced), each of them bringing increasing levels of capability and functionality. It acts as an interface for vehicle converters, resto-modders, customisers, upgraders and engine transplanters.

The unit promises to be ideal for a wide range of purposes:

• When you want to remove your engine and replace it with a different one

• When you want to put a Puma dash in a resto-mod 90

• When you want to upgrade your Puma Defender with a late Freelander dash

• The Advanced model allows operation of the original AirCon functions in the 2.2 Puma ‘So far,’ says Simtek, ‘we have focused on the Land Rover Puma dash (2.2 and 2.4). Our most recent addition is the more colourful Freelander 2 dash, which offers more functionality.

DD3 is available with a plug kit, generic harness or bespoke harness, and comes with a user interface. To fnid out more, call 01706 854857 or email bodylogic@ simtekuk.co.uk.

Stand: SPE1

Manufactured to exacting standards to maintain your vehicle’s ride and handling.

PROEVO+ Steering and Suspension products are selected to meet the stringent level of performance & durability associated with Land Rover and Jaguar vehicles.

To advertise in The Landy, call our team on 01283 742969

We’re on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thelandyuk

Sleeping Beauty

You can tell by looking at it that this Disco 2 has been mildly modiﬁed. But under the bonnet is the beating heart of a true sleeper

Everybody loves a sleeper.

Fast, ﬂashy cars are fun, in an obvious, mid-life-crisisy kind of a way, but there’s nothing quite like an unassuming everyday motor that’s got the beating of everything around it. The editor still speaks of the time he test drove an early Defender 110 whose owners had ﬁtted it with a 5.0-litre Ford V8 race engine on nitrous but left it looking like a manky old farm wagon, with predictably hilarious consequences on the mean streets of Croydon.

This late-model Discovery 2 doesn’t look like a farm truck. But it’s not entirely standard to the eye, either. It’s on a +2” lift, for starters, with heavyduty Old Man Emu springs and shocks located in Dirt Monkey turrets, and the

extra room under its arches is occupied by a set of 255/60R18 Toyo Open

Country A/T IIIs. No, that’s not the ﬁrst size we’d have thought of either, but your ride, your rules.

Actually it’s Nick Thain’s ride, and therefore his rules. He’s the man behind the Disco, whose appearance is also enhanced by a Safety Devices roof rack up top.

Even today, however, there’s no shortage of Discos out there that look like they’ve been done along the same sort of lines. A bit of lift, a rack and away you go.

The difference being that this one can provide an unusually immediate response to the phrase ‘away you go’. Because when he puts his foot down,

Nick is rewarded with the sound of a big V8 singing its lungs out.

The Americans may have enjoyed their Discos with a 4.6-litre Range Rover engine on board, but here in Britain we were only worthy of its 4.0-litre sibling. Plenty reﬁned in standard form but not exactly exciting.

The solution? Take the vehicle to RPI Engineering and get them to retroﬁt one of their 4.6 V8s. This gives it ‘smooth, powerful performance and a deep, throaty exhaust note that turns heads.’ Did we mention that it’s got an uprated sports system out the back?

Something else it has is a Romano LPG system. Yikes, you might think, but the aforementioned smooth, powerful performance happens when

LPG is held in a dougnut tank under the rear body. The vehicle has been undersealed since it was ﬁtted

the truck’s running on gas, so who are we to argue. The good stuff is stored in a 100-litre doughnut tank under the boot ﬂoor, with a 25-litre reserve in place for when it’s time to switch back on to petrol. Nick says the set-up gives him ‘around 24mpg on the motorway, while still delivering the raw driving experience of a proper V8 Land Rover.’

One thing that wasn’t replaced was the chassis. Before you run away screaming, that’s because it didn’t need to be. This Disco is, according to Nick, a shining example of what happens when you look after them properly. And don’t use them for reversing boat trailers into the sea, not that it ever took anything as extreme as that to turn one into toast. It’s not a rusty piece of scrap, anyway – the dreaded corrosion did pop up as an advisory in September 2020 (yes, he had an MOT done in 2020, there’s a rarity) but it hasn’t appeared again since and, just as importantly, there’s been no ugly warnings about the whole thing being slathered in underseal. Though as the pictures show, this has indeed done since the LPG system was ﬁtted.

Those all-terrain tyres may not be the stuff of hardcore off-road action, but elsewhere it’s not just the Emu suspension and Dirt Monkey shock towers that tell a tale of serious ability. Dirt Monkey also provided a suite of underbody armour, and Nick ﬁtted higher-performance brake pads along with grooved and vented discs – we know from experience that it doesn’t take much of a hike in tyre height to provoke brake fade in a Disco 2 with an auto box, and it’s deﬁnitely not an

experience we want to repeat so this is an upgrade we’d be making too. Overall, this is clearly a Disco that’s had a lot done to it. The majority of the £12,000 Nick says he’s spent has gone into the engine conversion, of course, but between the off-road stuff and a variety of small details around the cabin, has taken several other steps towards making it into a more comfortable, more usable all-rounder. Of course, you could see it as a hardcore lane wagon in the making –and with taller, more aggressive tyres, bumpers that mean business and a winch worthy of the name, that’s what it would become. It would still have that big, brawling engine to make every mile a joy, too – plus of course the relative economy of LPG to make the pleasure that bit less guilty. But that’s less of the point. Mainly, while the MOT record highlights that fact that it’s deﬁnitely not as-new, it’s a Disco that’s been intriguingly modded into a cool and capable enthusiasts’s daily driver. Which, when you think about it, is very much in keeping with what the Discovery was all about in the ﬁrst place.

Thanks to Nick Thain for his help in compiling this article. The vehicle is currently for sale at £11,995 – you’ll ﬁnd it listed in the Classiﬁed ads on page 30

Words: Gary Martin Pictures: Nick Thain

are not the ﬁrst thing you’d expect to see on a lifted Disco, but they’re in keeping with the sleeper image. The lift comes from +2” heavy-duty springs and shocks from Old Man Emu, the latter located in towers from Dirt Monkey

We’re on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thelandyuk To advertise in The Landy, call our team on 01283 742969

Home Comforts

Life with a roof tent is a wonderful thing. But if the time comes when you want a more comfortable time of it on your overland travels, a Land Rover can still provide the answer

When you’re prepping a vehicle for overlanding, you have many choices to make. Some are very basic – like which make and model you’re going to start with – while others are right down in the details of the plan. But one of the most fundamental is whether you’re going to live out of it – or in it.

A classic overland rig might have two seats up front, a tent on the roof and an arrangement of pull-out fridge and kitchen sharing the back with a world of storage. But it’s becoming more and more common to see people turning 4x4s into compact motorhomes, with a rear box body containing a selfcontained living area.

Michael Troup has experience of both. His first overlanding experiences came aboard the former kind of vehicle – but then with bigger trips in mind, he moved on to the latter.

‘For several years, we spent our holidays travelling, camping and seeing the sights in a Land Rover Defender 110,’ he reminisces. ‘We managed to visit France (including Corsica), Spain, Portugal, Holland, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania, Iceland and Morocco.

‘The 110 did an excellent job of keeping us mobile in comfort. Yes, I really do meancomfort! Over time, we did make a few modifications to improve it off-road, such as improved

suspension and a locking diff, and easier to live from, like a hot shower and a better roof tent.

‘But I always had bigger plans. Around 2012, I had a conversation with a colleague who came from Uganda, and he persuaded me that it was a must-see destination. That gave me the idea of doing an overland route from Cape Town to Cairo, and the more I looked at the trip the more appealing it became.’

The years passed and Michael never got round to taking that trip, but he kept ticking off the classic European destinations. Then the summer of 2017 saw him exploring Romania – and, on the way home, stopping off in Germany

Words: Olly Sack Pictures: Michael Troup

20

www.thelandy.co.uk

Issue 139: May 2025

to visit Custom Campers (www.customcampers.de).

This is a company which specialises in converting 4x4s into motorhomes. As its name suggests, it’s well versed in the art of the bespoke – and this ticked a very big box for Michael, as he had a clear idea of what he wanted.

‘While travelling in Iceland, we relied on showers in the camp sites,’ explains. ‘That was a hit or miss solution as some of the national park sites only had cold showers, and a few had none. This meant we were convinced we would want a shower, toilet and fixed kitchen – otherwise we could just stay with the 110 and its roof tent.

‘Initially, I was thinking about using an Iveco Daily 4x4 as a base vehicle. However after seeing the space and civility Custom Campers achieved with a Defender 130, a plan quickly formed. The pop-top roof on a Defender is nothing new, but the body and finish were unique to them – and the cars we looked at which they had built proved it’s possible to fit a lot of nice-to-have things inside a normal sized 4x4.’

As it happens, there was a UK-spec, right-hand drive Defender 130 sitting there for sale. But its layout wasn’t right for Michael, and he’s not a man to make do with second best for the sake of an easy life. Anyway, Custom Campers wouldn’t very much live up to its name by being inflexible – so

Michael left with the assurance that they could create exactly what he had in mind.

All he needed now was a 130.

‘We stopped off in Blackburn on the way home (he lives in the north of Scotland). Sadly, it was a little more rusty than I was looking for. But then, several weeks later, there was another candidate in Sheffield. It was an ex-utility Defender 130 with a mobile workshop rear body. Nothing fancy –no electric windows, no heated mirrors, no central locking, no air con, no cruise control. But it did come with a front winch and it had a solid chassis and bulkhead. It was in a good, honest condition and a deal was struck.’

Its gearbox wasn’t in the greatest condition, however, and in Michael’s words the seats were ‘rather tired.’ But his plans ran a whole lot deeper than just sorting out whatever issues it threw up. ‘We had plans to keep the 130 for a long time,’ he explains. ‘So I decided to put maximum effort into keeping the rust away.

‘This meant a full strip down of the vehicle, followed by sending away almost every steel part for blasting, galvanising and powder coating.’ Cue a long list of late nights in the workshop as the whole truck was stripped down. The rear body was removed and put up for sale and the body panels were sent

Left: This is the 130 as Michael found it, with a utility body on its back chassis and a white vinyl wrap on top of what turned out to be an orange body

Right: And this is the 130 as you would have found it a while later. It was stripped down to individual parts; almost everything made of steel went away to be galvanised before the rebuild could begin

Far right: Here’s the 130 starting to go back together after all the parts had come back from being galvanised and powder coated. At this point, Michael had less than three months to go before he had to drive it to Germany for its date at the Custom Campers workshop

for painting – having first been stripped of the white vinyl wrap the previous owner had applied over the orangey red paint dating back to its days in the utility sector.

When the steel parts came back, looking as good as new, the rebuild could commence. There’s no better time to make modifications, of course,

Mechanical stuff, meanwhile, included front and rear locking diffs, an air compressor, extra fuel tanks, a new recovery hitch and Fox shocks, as well as the gearbox and transfer case. Much of this was the result of lessons learned while building the 110; ‘The plan was to build the 130 only once,’ says Michael, ‘so it made

Hence all those late nights. There was still time for some very cool details, however – including one which many an overlander might wish they had known about.

‘I had spent some time driving an Iveco Trakker,’ he explains. ‘It had a dual colour interior light. One is the standard white and the other is red.

“We learned that the upstairs bed is big, with plenty of space – even in November, we were perfectly warm and only used the heating occasionally. It was really nice to have an area inside to shelter, relax and cook when it was raining, too”

and safe to say Michael had a few to add as the 130 went back together. Soundproofing from Wright Off Road, electric windows, central locking, heated mirrors, heated windscreen, air conditioning, new heated seats, additional front lights – you know, little details like that. All of which means the easiest thing to do was install another small mod in the shape of an additional wiring loom.

Talking of wiring, in went a split charge system along with an additional battery. ‘Of course there was still a lot of wiring to be done for additional kit like transfer pumps, air compressor and solenoids and cruise control,’ says Michael. Cruise control. This is serious. The winch had had an electronic limiter installed by its previous owner; with this removed, it was capable of a 12,000lb pull.

sense to do all the modifications at the same time.’

Many of these parts came from Tomcat Motorsport, and Michael gives a big shout to Paul there for his part in the project. Safe to say he did more than just send boxes on the long road north.

‘Paul was involved heavily in the supply of all the Land Rover parts, including wiring,’ Michael explains. ‘He was also the first port of call for advice on the suspension. In the end, all the suspension components including new front turrets, 2.5” Fox shocks and new springs came from Paul, and that included calculating the required spring rates for the rear.

All of this was being done on a clock, as Michael had already booked a build with Custom Campers and he had a delivery date looming in the diary.

Sometimes, it’s the little things that make life much easier, and reading maps and finding things in the cab at night was much more pleasant with a red light.

‘I looked around and managed to find an interior light that does just that – and it was made specifically for the Defender. Great news!’ Better still, his other half took charge while he was otherwie occupied with work. ‘Claire made a sneaky purchase and installed the new interior light while I was away –and wow, what a difference. Even the white light is a big improvement on the standard interior light. Both colours are LED; it works in the same way as the original but you can switch from white to red. If you want to improve your interior lighting, I can 100% recommend the Mud Stuff LED interior lamp!’

Michael discussed many things with Custom Campers before the build, among them the siting of three water tanks. The company left space for a 60-litre fresh water tank in the middle, flanked by two 40-litre tanks – a second for fresh water which can be isolated and used on its own for short trips, then one for grey water. There’s a fair bit of weight in all that – potentially upstairs of 140kg with all of them full – so siting them low down beneath the floor made sense for every reason you can think of. Michael had the tanks themselves made up from stainless steel and insulated the space before plumbing them in

Above: On the ferry. There is, as the saying goes, no going back now. Not that Michael had any intention of doing so

Right: Two-tone interior LEDs are not the first thing you might jot down on your overland wish list, but they’re the sort of detail that turns a good build into a great one. With the lights set to glow red, jobs like reading and finding things are much less stressful on your eyes and therefore your mind – and red light doesn’t attract mosquitoes and other flying bugs, which is less stressful on every part of you you can think of

Elsewhere, several parts were replaced or serviced as preventative maintenance. An example was the fuel filter housing, which fell apart when Michael tried to remove it; on went a new billet milled version in its place. He fitted a new fuel pump at the same time as the old one was sounding tired. Talking of fuel, when you’re intending to travel the length of Africa you’re going to need as much diesel as you can carry. So Michael bought a pair of stainless steel sill tanks which would add around 140 litres to the Land Rover’s capacity – however despite claiming to have been designed for a 130, they didn’t fit. ‘There were several problems with the brackets and disappointingly they couldn’t be fitted before the 130 went to Germany to have the camper body made,’ he says. ‘There was a potential risk that the body would foul the tanks. Again, the guys at Custom Campers did a great job with limited info in drawings from the manufacturer.’

In general, however, the rebuild went smoothly. To check for fit, Michael and Claire had cleared a room in their house and marked out the proposed floorplan using electrical tape so they could be sure that there was enough

space in the vehicle for everything and, no small matter, everyone.

They made several trips to a local motorhome and caravan dealer to familiarise themselves with different layouts – there are places where they’d have been shown the door for this, but they’d obviously found someone who knows what they’re doing and it paid off when they went back later on to buy a number of major parts for the interior build.

So it was all coming together, and now it was time to take the truck to Germany for things to really come together. A quick test drive and… oh.

The pinion bolt in the newly rebuilt front diff hadn’t been torqued up. Happily, the original was still sitting in Michael’s shed – not a job you want to be messing about with when you’re booked on a ferry, but better that than something letting go on the way there.

So the truck was delivered and the guys at Custom Campers got down to business. ‘Despite a full work schedule,’ says Michael, ‘they were very good at sending photos and keeping us up to date with progress. They made some very good suggestions on the interior and roof arrangement – for example we had the kitchen at the back of the car

The bed in the roof is actually longer and wider than a standard king-size – and Michael says it’s every bit as comfortable. Scot Seats made a pair of seats for in the camper body which had legally certified belts, meaning the 130 could remain a four-seater

and with a bed length of two metres, that would mean there was no space to put a ladder up to actually get into bed! That was something we didn’t spot when planning the layout.’ A good illustration of the value of experience, there. So the plan was adapted and now the bed in the roof comes all the way to the front, above the windscreen – meaning it’s bigger in both length and width than a standard UK king-size!

The camper build, which took five months, was very much a two-way thing. As it progressed, it became apparent that installing the wiring would be best done using the cavities around the body which would no longer be accessible once it was fully together. So Michael got back on to Paul at Tomcat Motorsport, who burned the candle at both ends to make up the looms and get them over to Germany.

It was a two-way thing in an even more literal sense, too. The idea was that with the body built, Michael would instal the interior before Custom Campers set the seal on it with the poptop liner – for the very simple reason that it would be vulnerable to damage while all that work was going on.

This is where the room marked out with electrical tape came into its own.

to pick up yet more parts on the way home from Germany.

He also paid a visit to the company that had supplied the sill-mounted auxiliary tanks, so they could see where the brackets needed to be modified. ‘They had pre-fabricated some brackets that “should do,” so I handed them the keys and they took it to the workshop to fit the tanks. After a few hours, they returned with the keys and explained all was fine.’ You know what’s coming, right?

Next stop was at Scot Seats in Kilmarnock, who had been building a pair of legally approved seat-belted rear seats that would retain the vehicle’s ability to carry four people. The number of people who cut corners in this area, or take an ‘if I ever get nicked for it it’s because everyone on board is dead anyway’ approach, is frightening, but you’ll have figured out by now that Michael doesn’t think that way.

Back home and with an Irn Bru or two on the go, Michael got back down to work. ‘Almost all the wiring, plumbing, seating and interior fittings were made and installed in the shed,’ he says. And the teamwork continued here, too.

‘Claire was in charge of fabricating the interior. To keep it as light as possible, I decided the weight of the panels could be trimmed down by making them from polypropylene honeycomb instead of wood. Each

panel was bonded together, cut to size, framed and installed by Claire, while most of my time was spend installing water tanks, pumps, filtration, the heating system, extra lights, CCTV and additional wiring.’

It was while Michael was checking out a problem with the rear lights that the auxiliary tanks re-entered the chat. ‘I discovered two things,’ he says. ‘First, the brackets for the tanks were awful – poorly designed and very poor workmanship. Second, while fitting the tanks, the folks had drilled through the wiring loom that runs inside the chassis.’ Sometimes you don’t need dual-colour LEDs to make you see red.

As if to prove that it doesn’t need to be that way, the 130’s water tanks went in perfectly. ‘I wanted to keep all the weight of the water, which can be more than 140kg, as low as possible to aid stability. We discussed it with Custom Campers before the build and they made space under the floor. I had three stainless steel tanks made up and, having insulated the space, secured them under the floor.

‘I’m really happy with this solution as the fresh water tanks are split, so you can isolate the 60-litre tank in the middle and just use the 40-litre one if you are only going away for a short time. Then the 40-litre grey water tank is mounted to their left.’

Scot Seat, too, did a great job. The rear seats fitted perfectly, even taking into account the slight angle on the side of the rear body. The

As did all that empty space in the truck, as Michael stopped off at Tomcat

Towing a comp safari racer is not your typical shakedown job for an expedition motor, but it was a useful one as it showed that the engine was less than excited about the task. Step forward the guys at Allisport, who had emailed a new map to Michael within an hour of him sending them the info they needed. With a Nanocom already on board, he was able to instal it there and then – after which the 130 pulled the 100” Tomcat with ease

upholstery was spot-on and the seats came with a full fitting kit which included spreader plates, stainless bolts, seat belts and spacers.

As it turned out, the only way to get the seats into the vehicle was by craning them up and over the top of the body then lowering them in through the pop-top aperture. Leaving that bit to last was looking like a better idea all the time…

By now, the water tanks were in, all with the appropriate filler and drain valves, the wiring was almost complete and the split charge, solar panels, external hook up, inverter and 240v wiring, battery charger and battery monitors were all fitted. The Webasto heating system was installed and working, too.

Michael dropped the truck with Custom Campers for them to finish the job and a few weeks later, it was done. There were still a few details to take care of back home but it was fully ready to be lived in and, as it happened to be not long to Christmas, they decided to spend a few days enjoying

Dortmund’s Christmas markets before driving home.

‘This was the first time that we had both spent time living in the camper,’ he says. ‘We learned that the upstairs bed is big, with plenty of space – even in November, we were perfectly warm and only used the heating occasionally. It was really nice to have an area inside to shelter, relax and cook when it was raining, too.’

Michael admits that having previously been used to his 110 with its roof tent, using a hook-up cable to the camp site’s 230v mains supply took some getting used to. ‘While we had a large leisure battery and twin solar panels we also had a fridge and freezer running, in addition to the lighting and heating. We used the shower, too, so with not much solar energy coming in to top up the battery we were grateful for the hook-up facilities.’ Not that these things come free: ‘I think we used about one Euro for the two nights and three days we were parked up…’

Something else they learned was that you need to have all your own

hoses and connections for filling your water tank. ‘Previously, we would just fill cans from petrol stations or find an outside tap,’ Michael admits. ‘However with the camper we needed to find a tap that we could drive to. The parking place had a water point but it was just a tap – we tried to find a solution with some of the spare parts and the shower hose, but it wasn’t the most successful and I ended up getting soaked.’ Just in case he was getting nostalgic for the old roof tent days…

Something else they did for the first time was use the toilet, which involved first filled the flush tank then putting chemicals (eco-friendly, of course) in the main tank. ‘It was just another one of the things that made life easier,’ sys Michael. ‘If you have ever woken up in the middle of the night in a public area when camping in a roof tent and needed the toilet, you’ll understand how convenient it is to have one onboard!’

A few months later, Michael headed back down the road to visit Coolair Logan so they could finish off installing

the air con. This used a slimline condenser, meaning he could keep the 130’s original grille and winch bumper, as well as the standard compressor used in Land Rover’s own air-con systems – meaning that if it lets go in the future, any Land Rover dealer or aftermarket seller will be able to supply a replacement.

You could call these shakedown miles, and sure enough they pointed up an issue. ‘At the same time I had arranged to collect a Tomcat 100 from

Tomcat Motorsport,’ explains Michael. ‘With the shape of the body, the extra weight and the trailer, the 130 was somewhat slower than normal. ‘I had plenty of time to contemplate this problem on the 400-mile journey south, so I dropped an email to Allisport who were excellent and gave me all the details that were required for a remap. I had a Nanocom in the vehicle and within an hour of me emailing Allisport with the info they needed, they had emailed me a new map and I had it

installed and running in the 130.’ It worked like a charm and the big, heavy truck was now able to pull a heavy trailer with ease.

So now Michael and Claire had driven in it, towed with it, slept and cooked in it… all that was left now was for them to get up and go to Africa in it! Well, almost. As always with a project, the first experiences are the ones you learn from and even with a meticulously planned and professionally executed build like this there were always going to be finishing touches to be made.

These included some interior doors and panels, plus various aluminium grilles – some to ensure the heater fans had a supply of fresh air and others to protect the fridge. There was a kitchen drawer to make, too, and a slide for the freezer, and a short trip to Aviemore pointed up the need for additional clothes storage space on longer hauls. Michael also wired up the dump valve for the grey water tank and installed a Garmin inReach – a potentially lifesaving device which facilitates tracking and emergency communication from offgrid locations.

Talking of potentially lifesaving devices, Michael sent the Ramsey winch to the UK agent for a service. The next-day courier was in fact sixdays-later, but BHW Group themselves were spot-on and checked, pull tested repainted, stickered and returned the winch within a day of receiving it.

Also with Africa in mind, Michael fabricated a bull bar to go on top of the 130’s winch bumper – which, like everything else, was galvanised and powder coated before being fitted. He installed a snorkel, too, as well as ordering up a set of BFGoodrich KM3 Mud-Terrains. ‘We were planning to take most of our six-month trip in the rainy season,’ he explains. Very wisely, he stuck with the standard 235/85R16 for size – and, interestingly, he contented himself with just the one spare. ‘In all the travelling I’ve done, I have never needed to change a wheel due to a puncture. We have five matching BFGoodrich tyres, all new, and a very good repair kit.’

Talking of the spare, it had been mounted on the roof until now. But this wasn’t ideal – not just for weight distribution but because it wouldn’t

fit inside a shipping container. ‘The solution was to fit the spare wheel on the bonnet. It’s not quite as straightforward as it might sound, as the Td5 style bonnet is not designed for the weight of a spare, but with some strengthening it has worked really well.’ When we say weight distribution, we’re not just talking about the obvious centre of gravity thing – with the camper body at the back, shifting the spare to the bonnet helped balance the truck front-to-rear, too. However, the gas struts for the pop-top were specced with the spare in mind, and now it was hard to get it closed – until Custom Campers, for whom nothing is ever too much trouble, came up with a new set that suited its new weight perfectly. And that was that. Well, almost. The logbook had to be updated to reflect the colour change, but more importantly the truck had to be reclassified as a motorhome. This sounds like a nightmare but in fact it was far less of a bureaucratic nightmare than you might expect – there are very specific requirements to fulfil, but so long as the vehicle ticks those boxes it’s just a case of sending off the forms, plus

supporting photos, and waiting for the new V5 to come your way.

Now it was time for a proper shakedown. Michael and Claire had been offered three weeks’ work, once again in Aviemore, giving them an opportunity to spend time living out of the vehicle. ‘It let us understand how long the water tank would last (about one week with showers), how often we needed to empty the grey water tank (every 3-4 days) and how often we needed to empty the toilet (every 3-4 days).

‘Even with normal Scottish weather, we found the solar panels were more than capable of keeping the batteries fully charged. All the electrical kit worked as we had hoped – and having hot showers each day has become an easy part of camping.’

There were still a few little jobs going on, even now, like installing USB ports. And with their expedition on the horizon, they were busy arranging shipping, travel insurance and a carnet de passage, as well as anti-malarial drugs and flights out to Cape Town.

‘In addition,’ says Michael, ‘we really needed to forge ahead with planning the route and arranging bookings for Christmas and New Year. The problem was that our planning was so fluid, even deciding on a country to stay in was difficult!’

Talking of plans, after arriving in Cape Town and collect the 130 the idea was to start by heading north towards the Namibian border. From there it would be up the Skeleton Coast then east through Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Malawi

before turning north via Uganda and into Kenya then south again through Tanzania, Mozambique and finally South Africa. Six months sounds like a long time but actually, that only allowed a fortnight in each country, so it certainly wouldn’t be a case of just drifting on the breeze.

Shaking the vehicle down showed that its camper fit-out was working well. With the weight of the winch, bumper, bull bar and spare wheel, however, the original front springs were struggling. Come in Tomcat Motorsport, yet again, where Paul did some calculations and had a new set on the way the very next day. Verdict? ‘The result was a huge improvement both on and off-road.

Just as well, because next up was the 600-mile journey from Aberdeenshire to Tilbury in Essex, where the 130 was to be loaded into a container for the voyage to Cape Town. The plan was to reverse it in, to make it easier for the driver to get out again afterwards, but as it turned out the back body didn’t have enough clearance for that. So Claire, who had taken it down there while Michael was working, had to drive it in nose first. It was tight but she made it and, with the vehicle strapped down and everyone successfully extracted from the corten steel box around it, everything was ready.

The next six months were going to be an amazing experience, and we’ll tell you that part of the story in next month’s issue. Getting the 130 ready had taken a lot longer than that – but it had been quite the experience too.

Seats up front are by Scheel-Mann – a manufacturer whose name is a byword for comfort in the overlanding game

Above: Having a toilet, kitchen and shower on board was what prompted Michael to start planning the 130 in the first place. Thanks to Custom Campers’ prodigious skills, not to mention his own efforts in the workshop and a refusal to do the job to anything less than the very highest standard, he ended up with a Defender-based motorhome fit to travel the world – and built to last well into the future

Right: The culmination of the build phase of the story came with the start of the overland part, when the truck was safely loaded into a container in Tilbury docks and ready to be shipped to Cape Town

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.

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

£5000-£85,000

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 Series I (1948-1958)

Cons: Not yet as desirable as the earlier Series models Series III (1971-1985)

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.

£2500-£35,000

They still carry the simplicity of earlier Land Rovers, but the Series III remains the most affordable way into owning a leafer.

Pros: Most affordable route into Series ownership. Still has the Series pedigree. Parts still widely available

Lightweight (1968-1984) £3500-£22,000

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

Early

These

Rovers

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

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

Don’t be fooled by high prices. Values have dropped in the last two years, and only a real rarity in pristine nick is worth the money that used to be commonplace.

Pros: Excellent parts availability. Easy to work on. Unlimited potential for mods and restos

much of that early charm. Prices seem to have peaked now, however they still remain strong for good examples.

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

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.

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

Cons: Bulkheads and chassis rot, springs prone to seizing Series

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

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.

Pros: A sound investment to restore – and enjoy

Pros: A Land Rover like no other, if that’s what you want Cons: Especially brutal to drive, and to find parts Series IIA/IIB FC (1962-1971) £2500-£15,000

Forward-Control models differed from everyday Series IIs by

Only ever

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.

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…

£7500-£26,000

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

The 127

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

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

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

was built on a special production line in Solihull which

Croytec are dedicated to developing products with style and quality

We give form to our components by machining detail into them with chamfered edges and rounded corners, under cuts, engraving and much more. We take time with care and attention to detail to ensure we deliver quality products. Our products have become a feature to many Land Rovers worldwide.

Alongside our aluminium interior and exterior trim range, our Special Order Service offers leather trim which can be designed to your requirements incorporating our colour anodised parts, to give you the ultimate Enhanced by Croytec Defender.

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

£3500-£40,000

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

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

(2020-on)

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

£45,000-£185,000

Cons: Rear chassis, premium prices, monstrous road tax on later vehicles Defender Td5 (1998-2007) £3000-£35,000 The last Defenders gained modern

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 You can find special editions and boutique conversions to TDCi models that cost obscene amounts of money. You will pay a premium for any these late

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

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)

Mk3 Range Rover hit new

Defenders, however the era of skyrocketing prices seems to be over and TDCis have dropped further in value than the Td5. So a good 2.2. could now be quite a shrewd investment

Pros: Efficiency, creature comforts, off-road prowess

Cons: Price, electronics, TDCi engine is unloved

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

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

£2200-£24,000

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

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,

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

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

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

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 – £15,000 now gets you a late one on tiny miles.

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

and was more reliable 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…

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 fourth-gen Range Rover is a majestic 4x4. All the engines in the

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.

a supreme off-roader as well as

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

The

heights

luxury

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

Range Rover Sport (2013-22)

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-house Range Rover.

£13,500-£65,000

If you can afford the SVR model, you’ve got a super-SUV with rap star image. In every case, though, running costs will be vast. Parts don’t get any cheaper because you bought it second-hand…

Pros: Performance, refinement, handling, glorious interior

Cons: Marmite image. Pricey to buy and run

Range Rover Sport (2022-on)

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

£80,500-£145,000

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

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

and

Evoque (2011-19) £4500-£31,000

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 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.

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.

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

Pros: Economy, handling, iconic concept-car 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

it came out. It was very much designed to be a trend setter. 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 Range Rover Velar (2017-on) £22,500-£85,000

The interior was Land Rover’s most advanced cabin yet when

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

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.

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

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.

There are some tidy deals to be had on late high-spec examples now – though if you do a

The Disco 3 is an astonishing allround vehicle.

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 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

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 Discovery (1989-1998) £800-£15,000

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: The phrase ‘money pit’ crops up time after time

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

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

The Velar a competent cruiser

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

It’s

Disco Sport came along only four years

LOWERING THE COST OF OWNERSHIP, WITHOUT COMPROMISING ON QUALITY

Manufactured to exacting standards to maintain your vehicle’s ride and handling.

PROEVO+ Steering and Suspension products are selected to meet the stringent level of performance & durability associated with Land Rover and Jaguar vehicles.

Tdi CSW (1994). 228,000 miles. 7-seater. Serviced and cam belt just done. New front doors, rear axle and brakes. HD spare wheel carrier. Year’s MOT. £14,995. Bingley. 07768 006445 03/25/004

Defender 90 Adventure (2015). 48,000 miles. Uprated stereo, dash cam, reversing cam. Lazer LED bars, Fox suspension, 1” lowering kit, Mantec wheel carrier. Two owners. MOT Feb. £40,000. Chichester. 07383 002212 03/25/007 Defender 90 Tdi (1992). 110,810

Defender 90 XD Wolf FFR HT (1997). 55,000 miles. Remus upgrade. 300 Tdi. Refurbed wheels, Exmoor front seats, Raptor coated chassis. Comes with soft top, gun racks, radio kit. £16,995. Peterborough. 07740 411919 03/25/005

Defender 90 (1987). 184,180 miles. 200Tdi, 5-speed, PAS. Galv chassis, Disco engine and axles. New clutch, brakes, bulkhead, seat box, exhaust, fuel tank. SVX wheels, NAS step. MOT Oct. £17,500. Worcester. 07711 591000 03/25/002

miles. Sawtooths, chequer plate, rock sliders. New seats and

Carry That Extra Load...

These roof racks are manufactured from aluminium with a smart black powder coated finish. Fully welded, they are extremely strong, versatile, with a low profile and are easy to use. The floor plank profiles are orientated longitudinally which results in a reduction in wind noise. There are nut channels on all the extrusions to allow for easy fitment of 3rd party accessories.

DA2901

Defender 2020 - 110

4 feet per side / Weight - 22kg

2,100 long x 1,260mm wide

Vehicle gutter to top of rack - 110mm

More images and video at www.britpart.com/DA2901

DA3072

Defender 90

3 feet per side / Weight - 32kg

2,050mm long x 1,500mm wide

Vehicle gutter to top of rack - 265mm

DA3070

Defender 110

4 feet per side / Weight - 38kg

2,750mm long x 1,500mm wide

Vehicle gutter to top of rack - 265mm

DA3269

Defender 110 Double cab pickup

Defender 130 Double cab pickup

3 feet per side / Weight - 27kg

1,600mm long x 1,500m wide

Vehicle gutter to top of rack - 265mm

DA6529

Discovery 1 & Discovery 2 - without roof rails

3 feet per side / Weight - 26kg

2,050mm long x 1,500mm wide

Vehicle gutter to top of rack - 265mm

DA6629

Discovery 1 & Discovery 2 - with roof rails

3 feet per side / Weight - 27kg

2,050mm long x 1,500mm wide

Vehicle gutter to top of rack - 340mm

DA6537

Discovery 3 & Discovery 4

4 feet per side / Weight - 23kg

2,300mm long x 1,260mm wide

Roof to top of rack - 120mm

Note - May need roof rail kit (CAB500120PVJ or CAP500090) to be fitted to vehicle prior to roof rack installation.

DA6537

DA6629

DA6529

DA2901

DA6629