Turning three 109s into a single Landy-based homage to the long-bonnet Bentleys of yesteryear
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20 EPIC ADVENTURES This Disco 2 looks nice, for sure, but unremarkable. And that’s what makes it a wolf in sheep’s clothing… Full story: Page 22
Harcore Landies are a boys’ game, right? Not according to Theresa Arnold, whose 90 might be pink – but can still out-macho whatever the lads around her show up in Full story: Page 18 There’s one thing every Land Rover owner has in common.
And that’s a taste for adventure. Whether it’s close to home or thousands of miles away, there’s no better way to explore the world. And our Top 20 will inspire you to get out there and start doing it!
Full story: Page 30
The days of turning Series Is into triallers are long gone. The original Landies are serious classics now – but are they the best to drive? Full story: Page 14
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Land Rovers to be built in Slovakia We’re on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thelandyuk
Mike Trott
Land Rover is set to join a raft of other motor industry heavyweights by choosing Slovakia as a new location for its manufacturing activities. Following months of rumours as to the location of its next factory, JLR has signed a letter of intent with the Slovak Republican Government with a view to establishing a new manufacturing plant in Nitra, 25 miles from the Austrian border in the west of the country. And the company’s plans mean the first vehicles could roll off the production line as early as 2018. Slovakia already has a strong motoring manufacturing industry, with the likes of the Volkswagen Group, PSA Peugeot-Citroen and Kia all operating bases in the country. JLR’s intentions illustrate the need to diversify the company’s manufacturing options as it continues to grow apace, and a presence in Slovakia will add weight to its brands’ strength in mainland Europe and beyond. The UK will remain the central hub for all of Jaguar Land Rover’s design,
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engineering and manufacturing needs, however. After an investment of more than £11 billion in the last five years, which has seen its workforce more than double to in excess of 36,000 people, Britain is still the main focus of the company’s investment. Castle Bromwich, Halewood and Solihull have all received substantial improvements in recent times, for example. And the new £500 million Engine Manufacturing Centre in Wolverhampton created an additional 1400 jobs alone. Dr Ralf Speth, JLR’s Chief Executive Officer, said: ‘The expansion of our business globally is essential to support its long-term, resilient growth. As well as creating additional capacity, it allows us to invest in the development of more new vehicles and technologies, which supports jobs in the UK. ‘With its established premium automotive industry, Slovakia is an attractive potential development opportunity for us. The new factory will complement our existing facilities in the UK, China, India and the one under construction in Brazil.’
Above: The Engine Manufacturing Centre in Wolverhampton opened last Autumn and cost JLR approximately £500 million to develop. Establishing a foothold in Eastern Europe with Slovakia would be another string on JLR’s ever-expanding bow After evaluating other European locations, as well as the United States and Mexico, Slovakia was identified by JLR as its preferred setting thanks to its proximity to a strong supply chain and solid logistics infrastructure. A final decision on the proposal is expected later in 2015. Ahead of that, JLR will work with the Slovakian government to assess the
feasibility of its plans over the coming months, looking at how it can establish a plant capable of building 300,000 vehicles over the next ten years. There is not yet any indication of which models will go together to make up that number. However export-market Discovery Sports and Evoques have been touted as likely contenders, as have the Discovery 5 and even the next-generation Defender. ‘The Slovakian Government is delighted to be selected as Jaguar Land Rover’s preferred location for this feasibility study,’ said Slovakian PM Robert Fico. ‘We are committed to developing Slovakia’s premium automotive industry and, should we be successful, this investment would represent a significant step forward in achieving this. It would provide a boost to our country’s wider industrial strategy as well as benefitting the European Union as a whole.’
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Issue 20: October 2015
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Wall damage reported at Hollinsclough
Staffordshire Police are investigation an apparent case of criminal damage after stones were taken from the wall adjoining Limers Rake, Hollinsclough, on Sunday 28 June. It’s alleged that the stones were placed on the track surface to smooth out the rock-crawl section towards the top of the lane, and were not then reinstated. While there is no direct evidence that the damage was done by recreational 4x4 users, the finger of blame will inevitably point this way. Hollinsclough has been the scene of
fierce opposition to motor vehicle use in recent times, however, and is one of the Peak District National Park Authority’s so-called ‘priority’ routes - with this in mind, the possibility of foul play aimed at defaming 4x4 users clearly does exist. While it is unlikely that those responsible for damaging the wall at Hollinsclough will be traced, all rights of way users should be acutely aware that this behaviour is illegal as well as being deeply anti-social towards those who live and work next to the lanes. In
A popular lane in the Peak District has been rescued from closure, after Derbyshire County Council confirmed its status as that of a Byway Open to All Traffic. Hurst Clough Lane, near Bamford, which was previously an unclassified public highway, was subject to a BOAT claim filed prior to 2006 when the
NERC axe fell. The claim was initially rejected by the county council, but following the submission of further evidence it conducted its own investigation following which, in 2012, it proposed to classify the route as a BOAT. Confirmation of the decision has been delayed since then by objections from anti-4x4 campaigners, however
a case like this, it only needs one vehicle in your convoy to be carrying a set of waffle boards for all to be able to get through without incident. Every little helps when it comes to the preservation of our lanes. Right: The lanes in the Rakes area at Hollinsclough are celebrated for their tricky rock-crawls. There has been an element of hostility towards 4x4 drivers from some local residents, however – and now it’s alleged that green lane users have damaged a wall adjoining one of the lanes by taking stones from it to fill in between the rocks
Hurst Clough Lane confirmed as byway
with Hurst Clough Lane now correctly classified this corner of the Peak District can look forward to receiving more visits from motor vehicle users – whose contribution to the local economy has dwindled since the closure of nearby Stanage Edge. Commenting on the happy news from Derbyshire, the Green Lane
Association (GLASS) pointed out that it demonstrates the importance of user evidence. Without this, byway claims made prior to NERC which are still being processed may end in lanes being incorrectly downgraded. All county councils are required to list current Definitive Map Modification Orders (DMMOs) on their
websites. You can check there to see if any are in process for unclassified county roads you’ve driven in the past – if so, submitting a user evidence form can help tilt the balance in favour of the lane being correctly recorded as a BOAT. For more information on how you can participate, visit the GLASS website at www.glass-uk.org.
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Pristine 90 surfaces at 4Most 4x4 Right: They don’t make ‘em like this anymore and few have covered as little ground as this beautiful V8 90 from 4Most 4x4. 24,000 miles is not a lot in a vehicle that is five years old, yet alone over twenty-five! Oh and we should probably mention now that it’s for sale right now. Read on for more details...
Every now and again, a real gem turns up out of the blue. And one such Land Rover is currently to be found down Worcestersire way at 4Most 4x4. It’s an original V8 90, and that’s rare enough as it is. But this County Station Wagon sits proudly with less than 24,000 miles on its clock – and that puts it in a different league. This 90 has been cared for by 4Most 4x4 since 1989, when the original Land Rover warranty ran out. It was owned by a lady local to the company for many years and ended up coming back to 4Most 4x4 – which had originally sourced it for her all those years ago. It’s a vehicle that has always been garaged and kept inside, with even the original wheel cover still intact – and, according to its current owner, 4Most 4x4’s Mike Foster, ‘with tyres still full of the original 1988 air!’ Mike adds: ‘This superb Land Rover drives and handles just like new. It has only ever been used for leisure and pleasure, and has only rarely towed a
Vanroyce luxury caravan. The tow bar is original dealer fitted.’ There are surely very few Land Rovers left like this. And while Mike has loved owning it over the years, it’s a timeless classic – which is now on the lookout for a new owner. It’s the type of vehicle that would be ideal for the North American market, being original to a totally bomb-proof degree. And cheap? Of course not. Though at just shy of thirty grand, it does actually look like a bit of a bargain next to some of the other time-warp Landies you see coming out of the woodwork. If you’ve got that sort of money about your person and don’t intend to set the 90 on the road to ruin and depreciation, there could be few safer vehicles to put it in than this hero from the Eighties. Look after a Landy like this, and it’ll hold its value in a vicelike grip. Interested? Mike’s on 01584 819396, and we’re pretty sure he’d love to hear from you.
To advertise in The Landy, call Ian Argent on 01283 553242 w w w. t h e l a n d y. c o . u k We’re on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thelandyuk
Comment
I remember the first time I drove my 90 up Stanage Edge. I’d heard about this beautiful, nerve-wracking rock crawl of a lane, so I sort of knew what to expect. But the sense of adventure as we picked our way up was so acute, I can still feel it to this day. I drove Stanage many times after that, enjoying the sublime terrain, the glorious scenery and the wonderful sense of freedom. And each visit was a whole new adventure. Which is what I’m on about this month. We often tend to think that using your Landy in Britain is just ‘play’ – to have a proper adventure, you need to go abroad. And the destinations in our 20 Adventures article this month do indeed suggest that the greatest experiences are to be found a long way from home. Maybe I’m just easily pleased, but I get that tingle in my spine just from being on a lane and seeing traffic on some far distant motorway, or arriving at Salisbury Plain knowing I’ve got the rest of the day to myself. I guess the point I’m making is that with a Land Rover as your companion, you can find adventure wherever you seek it. And that doesn’t have to be from behind the wheel, either. When Matt Manders disappeared into his workshop and started building the creation you can read about on page 26, what was that if not an adventure? And I think anyone who’s set out on a project will get that. As you open up your toolbox and get to work on the new Landy you’ve just dragged home, there’s a whole world of possibilities in front of you. There are hazards, pitfalls, risks, challenges… but more than that, there’s the opportunity to come out of it having had an experience that will change you. And if that’s not a good definition of adventure, I don’t know what is. Whether you do it in your truck or underneath it, there’s nothing quite like a Land Rover for transporting you into that parallel world of wonder, uncertainty and excitement. I didn’t know what to expect on the way up Stanage – but I knew something memorable would happen. And thanks to my 90, so it did. Alan Kidd, Editor
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Adventure Overland returns for fourth year
If you can’t wait to satisfy your thirst for exploration at the Adventure Overland & Travel Show later next month, then check out our travel feature this month which covers 20 of the very best destinations you and your Land Rover can visit Land Rover MENA @ flickr.com, CC by 2.0
We’re in the midst of the show season at the moment and with the summer being typically British, and therefore completely miserable, Land Rover owners around the country are dreaming of packing up their wagons and taking off to distant destinations as they seek a taste of exploration they’ve never achieved before. If you’ve missed the boat, however, and maybe you’re looking at getting some ideas for where, when and how to travel next year, the fourth Adventure Overland and Travel Show should answer some of your questions. This will take place at Stratford-upon-Avon Racecourse in Warwickshire on the weekend of 26-27 September.
Catering for Land Rovers, 4x4s, adventure motorcycles, expedition trucks and all other overland vehicles, it’s now established as a must-do event for enthusiasts with a sense of adventure. Better still, copies of The Landy will be getting distributed to visitors across both days – making it more worthwhile than ever to attend! The show opens at 10am on both days and draws to a close at 5pm and 4pm on the Saturday and Sunday respectively. Tickets will cost £12 per adult, and the children under 16 get to walk in for free. Camping is available and costs £25 for the Friday to Sunday. For more information on the show, visit www.adventureoverlandshow.com
To advertise in The Landy, call Ian Argent on 01283 553242 w w w. t h e l a n d y. c o . u k We’re on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thelandyuk
NEXT MONTH
Second Glance: Believe it or not, this 90 was once a green Truck Cab. Simmonites converted it to being this gorgeous red Soft Top – and it’s all better for it PLUS
Iceland: the place God must visit when he fancies a little off-roading fun, but it is also the playground for Venture 4x4 – and maybe your Land Rover too...
Fancy Flatbed: Adam Norton has put the finishing touches on this Series IIA 109 Flatbed, bringing a class finish to a classic Land Rover. We catch up with him to find out how it was all put together
NEXT MONTH’S LANDY IS PUBLISHED ON 28 SEPTEMBER You can pick up your copy of our November 2015 issue from
newsagents or Britpart dealers – or read it online at www.thelandy.co.uk
01283 553243 • enquiries@assignment-media.co.uk • www.thelandy.co.uk • www.facebook.com/thelandyuk Editor Alan Kidd Assistant Editor Mike Trott Admin and Editorial Assistant Gemma Pask Art Editor Samantha D’Souza Contributors Dan Fenn, Gary Noskill, Paul Looe, Mark Bailey Photographers Steve Taylor, Harry Hamm, Anthony Singer
Advertising Sales Manager Ian Argent Tel: 01283 553242 Advertising Production Tel: 01283 553242 Publisher Sarah Kidd Email: sarah.kidd@ assignment-media.co.uk Every effort is made to ensure that the contents of The Landy are accurate, however Assignment Media Ltd accepts no responsibility for errors or omissions nor
the consequences of actions made as a result of these
nearest Britpart dealer can be found at www.britpart.com
When responding to any advert in The Landy, you should make appropriate enquiries before sending money or entering into a contract. The publishers take reasonable care to ensure advertisers’ probity, but will not be liable for any losses incurred as a result of responding to adverts
Where a photo credit includes the note CC-BY-SA, the image is made available under that Creative Commons licence. Details are available at www. creativecommons.org The Landy is published by Assignment Media Ltd, Repton House, Bretby Business Park, Ashby Road, Bretby DE15 0YZ
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Issue 20: October 2015
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Stopping corrosion in its tracks CORROSION. The very word is enough to strike fear into your heart. And your Land Rover’s, too. There are ways and means, obviously. But for every Defender that’s been reborn with a new bulkhead or galvanised chassis, there’s a dozen Rangeys and Discoverys whose sun finally set amid a sea of crumbling sills and floors. In other words, it’s way better if you can stop the rust from taking over in the first place. Again, there are ways and means. And Buzzweld’s S2 Corroless Southern Primer is one of them. Not just any old one, either. This is an industrial grade solution that has been used for offshore, marine and military applications, not to mention chemical factories, for well over three decades. It’s a product that has been used on industrial equipment in the harshest environments, the likes of which would normally be too much for the sort of
products you often see being sold under the automotive banner. Corroless is a rust inhibitor. But it’s not the same as simply putting a piece of ferrous metal in a carrier bag. No, no, this is a product you are instructed to use upon rusted steel – because Corroless uses corrosion for adhesion. This then transforms the rusted metal, chemically, to magnetite, followed by hermatite – stopping corrosion in its tracks. Corroless is a one-stop product that can be brushed, rolled or sprayed on to your chassis or other problem areas. The surface to be treated needs minimal prep work – all you need to do is make sure it’s free from oils and loose material, and away you go. Buzzweld even claims that this it can ‘outlast galvanised finishes,’ giving your Land Rover actually decades of protection. Yes, even if you’re welding nearby – it can resist temperatures of up to 300 degrees, so as long as you
don’t aim your torch straight at it you shouldn’t have a problem. Buzzweld also offers a chassis black topcoat and CCI vapour box-section treatment, so you’re looking at some comprehensive protection here. And it’s reassuringly expensive, too – Corroless S2 Primer costs £15 for 500ml, with the bulk price diminishing gradually until you hit £110 for 5000ml. Carriage costs £9.99 but becomes free after £200 – which sounds like a great reason to get together with some fellow Landy owners in your area to help keep your trucks nice and solid for the future. www.buzzweld.com
Look out behind you! If you want a good view of the road ahead, there’s nothing quite like a Defender. But if you want to know what’s going on behind you… Mud-UK has the answer to that (it seems to have the answer to most things, to be fair) in the shape of its new, improved Defender Sun Visor Mirror. This is, it won’t surprise you to
learn, a mirror for your sun visor – it’s a simple stick-on accessory, but one which has been CAD-designed to fit perfectly within the body of the visor whether it’s on the left-hand or righthand side of the vehicle. Simply peel away the backing, and you can fit it in just a couple of minutes. The mirror can be mounted in two
different positions and will provide not only a means of checking what your kids are up to in the back but also another spot from which to watch for traffic behind. Simple, effective and, more good news, cheap. The Sun Visor Mirrors are sold singly and cost just £16 each. www.mudstuff.co.uk
Owning a Discovery 1 or 2 means a number of things. Obviously, having a better car than most of your mates is one of them, but losing most of your small change down the hole surrounding the gearstick is another. Depending on how much change you tend to carry, Britpart’s new Gaiter Re-Trim Kit could pay for itself very quickly indeed. Suitable for the
Wooden models for the Landy fan who has everything… PEOPLE OFTEN DESCRIBE Land Rovers as being like giant Meccano sets. They’re not talking about Disco 4s, obviously, but you get the point. And so do the people at FCX, who have just launched a range of Landys in kit form. Unlike the Meccano you used when you were a kid, these dainty little trucks are made from wood. And they’re not like Meccano – think Airfix, rather, but with one or two interesting twists. The range of models on offer from FCX includes a 90 CSW, 90 Hard-Top, 110 CSW, 110 Utility Wagon, Series IIA Hard-Top and Series IIA with no top
at all. They’d make a great present for youngsters who need steering towards the Land Rover way – or indeed for someone who simply loves filling their home with an ever greater collection of Land Rover related objects. And like the real thing, it’s all about the accessories and mods you make afterwards. No, we’re not talking about mahogany veneers for your roof and bonnet – FCX offers a range of accessories to go with the kits, including roof racks and a Sankey trailer. With a price of £12 per kit, what’s not lot to love? www.fcx.co.uk
Discovery 1 and 2 alike, it includes gaiters for the gearstick, transfer lever and handbrake and comes with cable ties for keeping them in place. Shop around and you’ll find the kit available at about £20, give or take. A quick rummage down those holes where the original factory gaiters used to be should yield that. www.britpart.com
To advertise in The Landy, call Ian Argent on 01283 553242 w w w. t h e l a n d y. c o . u k We’re on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thelandyuk
Tailor-made headlamps bring DRL function to Defenders
Auto electrical specialist Mobile Centre has just launched its Model 8700 Evo2 headlamp range – a set of 7” round lights tailored for the Land Rover Defender. This features an integrated daytime running light (DRL), which is fully legal for road use and can be retro-fitted without any need for drilling holes or making new electrical connections. There are two types, the first a simple unit with high and low beam only which will fit as a direct replacement in most Defenders. The second version has an integrated front position light, which is required when using the SVX front end – in which the side light is integral to the headlight. The lights themselves put out almost 50% more raw lumens on high and low beam alike than the original Evo units they replace, and their highbeam function now has added comfort light to increase the size of the beam pattern. Another very useful feature is that their operating voltage range has been expanded downwards, from 11.432V DC to a massive 9-32, meaning they’ll still kick it out on trucks with rickety old wiring looms. Best of all, they’re cheaper than before and come with a limited lifetime warranty that’s the envy of their rivals. As with all the 8700 range, the Evo 2 lights offer a choice of Black or Chrome inner bezels. The basic high and low headlamps carry a recommended retail price of £499 plus VAT per pair. Add sidelights and DRLs, and that price climbs to £559 – not cheap, but since when was this a good area in which to cut corners? www.mobilecentre.co.uk.
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and it has a growing presence in the off-road scene. It offers a variety of protection products for the Disco, and has grouped them into a trio of packages designed to keep a lid on the amount of money-chucking you need to do. The three options are… • Essentials: Front guard, compressor guard, rock sliders • Extreme: The Essentials package, plus sump guard, rear diff guard, front and rear suspension arm guards • Ultimate: Essentials and Extreme, plus centre guard Between that little lot, you’ve got a Disco that’ll shrug off more or less anything so long as it doesn’t actually explode. There’s a lot of different
intricately shaped metal there, too – so prices ranging from £1089 to £2685, while they sound like a lot of money, actually start sounding like strong value when you look at what you get. Now that the aftermarket has developed solutions for all the really nasty surprises the Disco 3 had up
Clubs
Tuning tricks for the TD5
Hardcore protection for Discovery 3 and 4 Prepping the Discovery 3 and 4 for off-road use is becoming an everbigger deal as the original vehicles come down in price. You’d need to be a bit of a daredevil to go for it with a really cheap one, given their reputation for needing horrendously expensive maintenance in old age, but if you’re in a position to chuck a bit of money at it a good middle-aged Disco is a fantastic family car that also makes a seriously tasty proposition off-road. Talking of chucking money at it, there are various ways of lifting the Disco’s suspension – most will do it by putting it on coils. But underbody protection will always be an issue – and that’s where Prospeed come in. This Yorkshire-based company is a big deal in the motorsport world,
Workshop
its sleeve, most experts in the Land Rover scene believe it’s only a matter of time before it catches on with offroaders the way the first two models did. When that happens, Prospeed are going to be getting a lot of business from these guard kits. www.prospeed-group.co.uk. The art of tuning used to be all about things like shaved heads and ported manifolds, but on modern engines the commonest thing to do is just shove in a bit of software. The results can be startling, particularly on diesels which come out of the factory developing only part of their potential output. That’s all very well but the latest 2.2 TDCi engine is so modern, with newer style piezo injectors, that you can’t currently tune it via the engine’s on-board diagnostic port. Fear not, however, Britpart is here, with a newly added Tuning Box for the 2.2-litre Puma engine. Contained in a waterproof housing which allows it to be located in the engine bay without fear of drowning, this is designed to plug directly into the vehicle’s wiring loom. Once installed, it boosts power by 27bhp and torque by 52lbf.ft – impressive results, especially the latter, which gives the Defender a meaty 317lbf.ft to go with its 149bhp. The tuning box is made by a manufacturer whose reputation is second to none and whose products are to be found on most of the Land Rovers you’ll see taking part in highend competition. Prices vary, but shop around and you’ll get it for not too much more than £350 including VAT. www.britpart.com
Stainless hinge pins for Defender doors
Sometimes the smallest changes can make a big difference. Bearmach’s new Stainless Steel Hinge Pin Kit for Series and Defender rear doors may not transform the vehicle’s appearance, but it will keep those joints protected from the elements for much longer than the factory-fitted equivalent. This small kit costs around £6 and is one of the many products Bearmach offers for those of you who like to subtly strengthen their pride and joy. Less rust on your fittings means a happier Landy, after all. And that means a happier owner. www.bearmach.com
To advertise in The Landy, call Ian Argent on 01283 553242 w w w. t h e l a n d y. c o . u k We’re on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thelandyuk
More space for your fuses
Raptor Engineering has launched another thoughtful and practical interior solution, in the shape of its Extended Fuse Box Cover. This provides space for additional switches, sockets, fuse boxes and other electrical points in a compact and central package. Taking just a few minutes to install, it’s constructed using powder-coated steel and finished in anodised silver or black with panels that can interchanged for a custom look. There are options available for outer panels and custom cuts available on request, too. Changing a fuse needn’t be a hassle either, because the front cover can be simply removed to access the fuse points. Cost? A sensible £62.50 including the VAT, so you needn’t blow a fuse over it. www.raptor-engineering.co.uk
Sealey’s new Slimline Inspection Wand may not be as magical a wand as the one Harry Potter uses to make his breakfast or do battle with against Lord Voldemort. But it is at least real. And really useful too. There are many different lighting options for your workshop, but sometimes the simplest ideas need putting right in front of you. Like Sealey’s latest big idea, indeed – simply a slim, bright light which allows you to highlight the tightest of spaces. The wand uses 12 super-bright SMD LED lights positioned along a 6mm slimline row, and can be powered either via the vehicle’s battery or from the 12V DC vehicle accessory socket. It’s resistant to oil, chemicals and water, making it as durable as it is useful. And all for £59.94 including the VAT. Even for a wand that can’t turn people into squirrels, or whatever, that’s a shiny bit of value. www.sealey.co.uk
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Appreciating Assets
Words: Mike Trott Pictures: Mark Griffiths
If you don’t already own an 80” Series I, you’ve already missed the boat on these most classic of Land Rovers. But the earliest of Landies still makes a sound investment – because their ever-increasing value shows no sign of easing off
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ew things can stir the soul of a Land Rover enthusiast like an 80” Series I. These are the original; the most sacred of all Land Rovers – because to people like you and I, they are genesis. The 80” is where the magic began and the reason it continues today, almost seven decades later. If you happen to own one of these fine machines, I’m sure the other less jammy readers of this publication will agree with me when I say I’m jealous. An 80” these days is like a fine work of art – beautiful to appreciate in its own
right, but particularly so in light of how much money they’re now worth. So, all you 80” Land Rover owners: keep hold of them. Not that it will be news to you I’m sure, but these vehicles are becoming about as common (and valuable) as gold dust. And even more of a reason to celebrate these great vehicles when you do happen across one. We spotted this delightful bundle slipping through the clutches of the Land Rover Centre Huddersfield on its way to one new lucky owner. But before this early 1949 model was de-
livered to its new home, we took some time to speak with Mark Griffiths, the company’s sales manager and general Land Rover encyclopaedia. This is a beautiful car, we asked. But is the 80” the best type of Series I? ‘The “best” is always a debatable topic,’ Mark replied. ‘Some people would argue that the later 88” Series I is a little bit more useable and has a bit more leg room – which is probably true. However, there is not much argument that the 80” is probably the most collectable. This particular example, being a ‘49, is very desirable.’
Dating from the 1940s, this is a Series I that carries some of the very earliest features. So if you happen to win the EuroMillions and run into some spare cash, here’s what to look out for. Naturally, you’ll want your 80” draped in the very finest Deep Bronze Green. And you’ll also expect to find the perky 1.6-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine under the bonnet. These early 80” Landies also have their headlights behind the grille, giving them one of their more standout features. This splendid Hudders-
field example also carries the early ‘ring pull’ gearbox and even comes with push-button start. However, you won’t get any exterior door handles for your money. Best of all, it’s a very original vehicle. We asked Mark what the Land Rover Centre had had to do in the way of preparation work before putting it up for sale. ‘We have owned the vehicle before, a couple of years ago,’ he said. ‘And apart from a steering box that was replaced last time, and a couple of brake drums this time around, it has really been a
To advertise in The Landy, call Ian Argent on 01283 553242 w w w. t h e l a n d y. c o . u k We’re on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thelandyuk Below: There was a time when Land Rover didn’t believe in providing its customers with door handles - simplicity at its most practical best
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Above: The 1.6-litre petrol engine is looking as clean as a baby’s backside and with servicing from Land Rover Centre Huddersfield this will be running sweet for many years to come. This motor is also the most original of all Landy power units case of basic servicing – and polishing of course!’ It’s a rare Landy fan who can afford to buy his way into 80” ownership these days. But there are benefits to being part of this elite group among the Land Rover tribe. And not having to pay tax or worry about MOTs is just a small part of it. You’ll be buying into the equivalent of something like a Ferrari 250 GTO or gull-wing Mercedes SL – among the rarest and most sought-after vehicles around. Had you rocked up to Billing last month in an 80” Landy, you’d have gathered a bigger crowd around you than any of the bling machines strutting their leather-clad stuff around the show. And there’s a simple reason for that. Blinged-up 90s and 110s are getting increasingly common. Original Series Is? The opposite. ‘As with all classic cars,’ says Mark, ‘they’re not being manufactured any more. So as each year passes, you tend
to see less and less on the roads. Also, as the value of some classics increases, they tend to become more precious and get used less frequently. ‘The other side of the coin, of course, is that as the Series I becomes more valuable, there is more of an incentive to restore them.’
THE ‘BEST’ IS ALWAYS A DEBATABLE TOPIC… There are, of course, still plenty of Series Is out there that were chopped up in the 70s and 80s and turned into triallers. Restoring these trucks would cost so much in terms of both time and money as to be uneconomical even now, but at least this means that as values climb ever upwards there’s still
a ready supply of basket cases to bring back. Unlike with most classic cars, very few Land Rovers have ever been scrapped in the conventional sense – even if so many have been hammered to death in woods and quarries. You could easily find yourself spending a few grand on one of these beaten-up old 80s now. And if you’re looking at an example presented to the same standard as the one in these pictures, you can expect to pay thirty grand or more. This 1949 survivor, with its green vinyl interior, is believed to have started life in the British military with the registration number 04 BC 29. It fell into civilian hands once registered in 1959 – and even has the original style buff logbook to this day. ‘Series I Land Rovers are increasing in value to the point where a really good one is beyond the pocket of casual owners,’ continues Mark. ‘I would say they are very quickly moving into the realms of “serious” collectors.
Above: The lights behind the grille here show this relic’s age, and there’s a nice period AA badge – though this is one Land Rover that shouldn’t need too many call outs
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‘The Series I is without doubt the most collectable of Land Rovers. It’s not ideally suited to everyday or frequent use, as some of the parts are getting a little hard to track down these days – but for someone looking for a long-term investment they can occasionally drive and enjoy, I don’t think you can beat a Series I!’ Talking of driving, Mark got the chance to spend a few hours behind the wheel of this particular 80” before it went on to its new owner. ‘I took it to a local car show – only about a 20-mile round trip, but it really was a pleasure to drive. One of the things about any Series Land Rover is that you know you are not going anywhere fast, so you relax, take your time and enjoy the drive. It brings a smile to your face, driving an old Land Rover!’ The 80’s new owner will be adding it to a collection which already includes another Series I as well as a couple of Defenders. With this one, he also
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Above: The classic green vinyl interior compliments the inside of this 80”, with the backrests the earlier curved variety, rather than the squared off bench seats Below: A split-fold rear tailgate... now which vehicle does that appear on today? This 1949 80” gives the odd indication to some of the design cues Land Rover carried forward over the years. There is always a pioneer, though become owner of a plaque commemorating its attendance at the Land Rover 50th Anniversary event at Shugborough in 1998. Will this Land Rover, and other Series Is like it, still be around come the 100th anniversary of the green oval? Now they’ve reached classic status, you have to assume that yes, they’re here for good. And who knows just how much these heroes of the British motor industry will be worth by then…
‘I don’t think you can beat a Series I!’
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Issue 20: October 2015
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What’s in a name?
Plenty of Land Rover owners have names for their trucks. We wouldn’t mind betting, though, that you never thought you’d see a Defender called Fanny. But while Theresa Arnold’s 90 is the hottest pink you’ll ever see, it’s also a fine example of how to modify your truck into an almost unstoppable off-road warrior
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’ve never been a girly girl,’ says Theresa Arnold. You want proof? She drives a modded Defender 90. The fact that this particular modded Defender 90 is pink and called Fanny… pure coincidence, surely? It does resemble something Barbie might drive if she was off on safari, but Barbie would never be able to wax lyrical about the 300Tdi or wide-angle props. That’s more the sort of thing you’d hear from Lara Croft, but she’d never be seen in a pink car. Which we put down to lack of confidence.
words and pictures mike trott ‘My husband Mat got me into off-roading,’ says Theresa. ‘He already had a Disco and was into off-roading when I met him. I’ve always been into cars and Mat took me along to see what it was all about, and I gradually got into it from there. ‘I got my own Disco four years ago, which was done up with big tyres and the rest, but I wanted a replacement. The Defender was my husband’s – he was going to get rid of it to start on another project, but I said “why not give it to me?” So now I have it!’ Complete with 36” Simexes, two winches and
enough suspension to almost never need them. Plus of course one paint scheme the colour of Turkish Delight. ‘When you look around,’ says Theresa, ‘most Defenders tend to look very similar with the greys and blues. I hadn’t seen one in pink before and I wanted something that would stand out.’ She succeeded. And if the colour is unusual, the name is surely unique. Fanny the Land Rover; it’s got a ring to it, you’ve got to admit. ‘It started out as a friend taking the mick about me painting it pink,’ continues Theresa.
‘Now it’s turned into a long-running joke! All our Land Rovers seem to have nicknames.’ The 90 has taken to its name so well, in fact, that it even has an ‘FNY’ registration number. ‘The private plate came up when I was looking for 90 ones,’ explains Theresa. ‘And it just fitted!’ That’s not the only thing about the truck that’s changed. Theresa and Mat rebuilt the entire vehicle from the chassis up in 2013. ‘We do all the work ourselves,’ she says. ‘I’ve learnt a lot from helping the hubby with the build.
Fanny was stripped and rebuilt within six weeks.’ They both appreciate the Land Rover marque, having each now owned a Defender and Discovery. They’re also working on a 2-door Range Rover Classic at the moment, returning that to its former glory. But back to Fanny again. She wasn’t just rebuilt, she was modified too. This is a true 300Tdi Defender on its original engine, not an older one running a swap-in. And aside from a tweak to the fuel pump, the engine is completely standard.
To advertise in The Landy, call Ian Argent on 01283 553242 w w w. t h e l a n d y. c o . u k We’re on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thelandyuk The gearbox is anything but, though. In place of the original R380 is the ZF auto from a contemporary Discovery, behind which the standard transfer case runs an X-Eng disc handbrake. The tranny turns a Gwyn Lewis wide-angle front prop, along with a standard rear unit, and the axles these are bolted to contain Ashcroft locking diffs. Interestingly, the halfshafts have been kept original, though the drive flanges have been changed for heavy-duty units. ‘It prevents damage to the transmission with the halfshafts still the weak point,’ says Theresa. ‘And they’re easier to change.’ Between the axles and the chassis are two different pairs of springs. Up front are +4” coils from Scorpion Racing (a name which indicates their age), while at the back a pair of +2” Bearmach Blues are mounted on +2” spacer blocks. All four shocks, on the other hand, are by Cellular Dynamics; the fronts are +2” units, while at the rear a pair of +5” jobs is held in place by custom upper mounts. As that indicates, there’s more going on at the back, and this is borne out by the hardware locating the axles. Up front, it’s all standard, but at the blunt end the familiar A-frame is flanked by a pair of double-cranked heavy-duty trailing arms. The other blunt end (it’s a Defender) does still get its fair share of heavy-duty stuff, though. Like a brutish steel plate protecting the steering, not to mention the steering itself – the drag link and track rod are both pretty indestructible. And keeping the feedback from those huge Simexes in check is a DeCarbon steering damper, itself identifiable as being heavy-duty in its own way.
Above: No longer can you see the shape of an R380 gearbox under this Defender, but instead an automatic ZF unit that benefits from the aid of an X-Eng disc handbrake
Above: Protection for Fanny was key, so a full Whitbread exo cage has been installed, with the tubular front wings right through to the tree sliders Below: The spare Simex Extreme Trekker sits patiently on the back as the Defender shows its underside: the QT diff guards and Ashcroft lockers, plus the uprated shocks, springs and HD trailing arms
‘I wanted something that would stand out’
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Issue 20: October 2015
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Above: This 300Tdi is the original lump; a fine engine already, but Fanny has received a minor tweak on the boost to give her a little extra go
The 90 was stripped and rebuilt within six weeks
Said Simexes are 36x12.50R16 Extreme Trekker 2s, riding upon 16x8” MaxXtrac Mach 5 wheels and 30mm wheel spacers. Not even a 4” lift was quite enough to make space for these bad boys, so the wheelarches needed some trimming work to make for the extra clearance. Surrounding it all is a full exo cage from Whitbread Off-Road, fitted up using custom chassis mounts and running into a set of rock sliders and tubular front wings to provide end-toend protection. Talking of the chassis, it ends at a bespoke rear crossmember which incorporates a winch mount and swing-away spare wheel carrier (no small matter when the spare wheel in question has three feet of Simex wrapped around it). The winch behind the crossmember is a Goodwinch TDS with air freespool, Gigglepin Albrights and a 9.5mm synthetic rope, while up front a custom bumper is home to a Warn 8274 with Bowmotor2, more Gigglepin Albrights and an 11mm rope. There’s not so much inside in the way of toys, but a Mud dash and pod provide homes for the winch and locker controls, auxiliary lighting, aftermarket stereo and so on. A Mountney steering wheel saves some space (and looks nice), while the CB is located in a fiberglass headliner. Most interestingly, the cabin is home to not two but four front-facing bucket seats, making this a fun truck for all the family. Actually, it’s more than fun, and for more than just her immediate family. Because when she’s not at play, Fanny is used for marshalling and recovery at Muddy Bottom. There’s a type of Land Rover fan who refuses to be rescued by anything Japanese, and no doubt there’s a type of off-roader who refuses to be winched out by anything driven by a woman. We’d invite them to consider the irony in her Land Rover’s nickname…
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Above: A Gwyn Lewis wide-angle front propshaft turns the front diff. In the background here, the spring you see is a +4” unit from – blast from the past – Scorpion Racing Theresa’s not bothered by any of that stuff, though, anyway. ‘I enjoy it,’ she says of the marshalling game. ‘You get to meet lots of people and give them a hand if they need it.’ It’s as if she’s an ambassador for pink Land Rovers. ‘It could have done with a pokier engine,’ she admits. ‘But you can’t beat the reliability of a Tdi – it’s guaranteed to start each time. We’ve been thinking about a Td5, but then the wiring would come into play. We’re keeping the options open.’ It’s strange, isn’t it, how men are automatically attracted to cars and mechanical hobbies while few women see the point? Safe to say that Theresa has always seen the point, though. With this Defender, in fact, she makes the point. It’s pink, it’s girly, it’s called Fanny – and it’s one of the most macho Land Rovers you’ll ever see.
Below: This Defender has been installed with winches at either end, making it one serious tool around any play site. At the rear, the Goodwinch TDS uses air freespool and a 9.5mm synthetic rope, while the front utilises a Warn 8274 with Bowmotor2 and a wider girth of rope at 11mm. Both winches use Gigglepin Albrights and help Theresa marshal the Muddy Bottom site on the weekends when she and her husband Mat make it over from the Isle of Wight
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Issue 20: October 2015
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‘IT WILL GIVE A SUPERCHARGED SPORT A RUN FOR ITS MONEY’
A wolf in sheep’s clothing
Words and pictures: Mike Trott
What happens when you put Stuart Armson and a Rover V8 engine together? The answer hits you when you turn over your ‘newly-fettled’ engine; hit the gas, and take to the open road… leaving everyone else in your wake!
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o, a Discovery 2 with a V8 engine… nothing unusual about that, is there? Well, that’s until you see what we’ve got lined up for you here. There are plenty of people out there who adore V8 power units – myself included. But perhaps one of the most V8-impassioned people you will ever meet is Stuart Armson. He has started to develop a bit of a name for himself as one of the most knowledgeable and skilled Rover V8
engineers around, too. But for Stuart it’s just a privilege to work on such great motors. This Kinversand (or burnt orange to me and you) Discovery 2 is an example of his workmanship. Not only does it have a sweet exterior (the orange hue was only applied to some early D2s until the Range Stormer concept emerged with a similar shade), but there is also a smile to be placed on your face when you lift up the hood on this unassuming rocket.
A glimpse under the (probably warm) bonnet of this D2 reveals a pristine engine: a 4.0-litre block which has been given the crank and rods from the 4.6-litre eight-pot motor and accompanied by lightened and balanced pistons from the same engine. The pistons have been pocketed for a high-lift cam, with compression now standing at 10.25:1. ‘You can see now why I make sure this truck runs on super unleaded!’ smiles Stuart. And there’s more. The
heads are super big valve jobs that are fully gas flowed, polished and ported, with the inlet manifold also receiving the same treatment. Rocketsled Tuning, Stuart’s own tuning brand, has been used for the exhaust with Hedman Hedders, while the clutch is a Borg and Beck ceramic racing unit. There’s a bespoke Piper cam in the mix and a Revotec fan to keep things chilled in the engine bay. Much of the other running gear is standard, so the gearbox is the original
R380 with original transfer box. The brakes have been replaced with new stock items and the suspension and diffs are all as they came out of the factory, apart from the NAS rear springs. All this adds up to a package that gives Stuart 257.1bhp – meaning he tends to surprise his fellow road users when pulling off from the traffic lights! ‘I bought this off a friend, Ant, around five years ago, having already done the work to the vehicle for him,’ says Stuart.
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Above and right: As engine bays go, this is up there with the very best – and it’s pretty clean too. You’re looking at a lightened and balanced 4.6-litre V8, with bespoke Piper cam, giving out 257.1bhp ‘It had about 89,000 miles on the clock back then and I’ve now run it up to 114,000 miles. The engine was rebuilt over three years, trialling and testing parts as we went along until it was just right. It will give a supercharged Range Rover Sport a run for its money.’ But where did all this V8-tinkering curiosity start? And how has it got to the point where Stuart is the go-to guy in Leicestershire when it comes to sorting out your V8 woes? ‘At 16, I went and did an apprenticeship with Sturgess Land Rover, one of the main dealers in the country back in 1991,’ recalls Stuart. ‘I left the business after six and a half years to join a Subaru dealership. To be honest if I could have got insured on a Subaru Impreza at the time, I dare say I’d be a Subaru specialist now!’ We’re kind of glad he couldn’t, because the resulting performance and experience from this ‘tweaked’ engine is something to behold. As Stuart takes me for a quick spin to demonstrate what the Disco can do, we merge onto the A46 just outside of Syston in Leicestershire, where he exerts his influence over the right-hand pedal and the band begins to play. The noise is addictive and sounds like one of those wedding bands that actually know what they’re doing, once they’re in full swing and everyone has had enough liquor to make it to the dance floor. We should mention that this 275bhp edition isn’t even the full vindaloo either – at least not yet anyway. Stuart reckons he’ll be able to crack the ECU mapping soon and that could yield a total of 350bhp from the motor!
Above: While the passengers get genuine Land Rover seat covers, Stuart has added another aftermarket cover to his own seat, presumably to cater for any accidents…
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Above: You could almost be forgiven for thinking you were on some fancy jet with the fold-down DVD player installed, and also the fact that looking out the window can look a little like warp speed while onboard the starship Enterprise
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Above: Yes, that is a Range Rover Classic soft dash, which ended up being fitted because Stuart wanted just the little bit of trim around the dials. He also despises digital clocks, so it’s worked out rather nicely for him with the traditional analogue timepiece now onboard ‘In one way or another, I’ve been around Land Rovers since the age of ten,’ he continues. ‘I always wanted to be a main dealer mechanic; I love V8s and love Land Rovers. ‘In many ways, I don’t think a Land Rover is a Land Rover unless it has a V8 under the bonnet.’ How did Stuart get to where he is now, then? In 2009, he was made redundant from his previous job, so he filled up his van with his last £30 of fuel and became a mobile mechanic. Travelling around the country, working all days of the week, Stuart managed to get a bit of a name for himself and, in 2011, moved into his current premises, following which things have been snowballing nicely ever since. The Disco 2, while a great vehicle anyway, is also genesis for Stuart because it’s the first vehicle he worked on under his own company’s name: Armson Automotive Engineering. There’s also a bit of emotion that goes with it.
‘I’d done the work for Ant previously as we’d both lost our dads quite close to each other. Ant had never let anyone else work on his car other than his dad, so obviously I was really honoured when he asked me to carry out the work he wanted done on it,’ says Stuart. ‘And I’d always worked on vehicles with my dad, so it was pretty emotional once we finished the work. You had two grown men on the verge of tears! This was the car that started everything off.’ If this is genesis, we wonder what the next revelation will be like… In fact, Stuart told me he’d quite like to put this engine into a Range Rover Classic, unleash all the horsepower it has to offer, then let it run wild on the hill run at Goodwood and clock a faster time than the new Range Rover Sport SVR. You can’t say the man doesn’t have ambition, right? While we’re mentioning Classics, though, the dashboard in this D2 is the
To advertise in The Landy, call Ian Argent on 01283 553242 w w w. t h e l a n d y. c o . u k We’re on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thelandyuk softie from a Classic as well, complete with analogue clock dial. The vehicle also has the 2004 front and rear light casings and has been converted from a five-seater to a seven-berth cruiser. It was a GS trim model previously, but Stuart now reckons it’s closer to a Metropolis, especially with the folddown DVD player. Swish. ‘I just enjoy working on cars to be honest. I’m lucky that this is a hobby I can do as my job,’ Stuart adds. The Discovery has certainly taken up a decent chunk of Stuart’s pastime, but it’s an endeavour that has definitely
not been wasted. It’s an understated triumph and a street sleeper that can out-drag, and out-roar, some of the most confident of opponents at the traffic light. ‘If I could get the exhaust quieter at idle, I would. That said, it is still very civilised inside – until you put your foot down!’ he smiles. ‘I do love a wolf in sheep’s clothing!’ The smile on Stuart’s face is bound to be wide when driving this beauty. But it won’t be as much of a picture as the face of the person receding rapidly in his rear-view mirror…
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Issue 20: October 2015
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Why the long face?
Words: Mike Trott Pictures: Matt Manders
There’s no end of ingenuity among the ranks of Land Rover owners, and no apparent limit to their imagination. Just when you thought you’d seen everything, along comes Matt Manders – who turned no less than three 109s into a Landybased homage to a 1929 Bentley
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here are all sorts of interesting build projects out there – some of them more questionable than others. But it’s good to see us Land Rover enthusiasts putting our improvisational skills to the test to achieve what we think will be the best creation ever seen. We take our inspiration from lots of different cues, too. Perhaps our eyes are attracted to an exhibit at a show, or we’ve come across a good idea in a forum or other website. Sometimes that light bulb above your head will even spark up after having read an article in a magazine – which could well happen again in about five seconds. A long-wheelbase Series II is nothing unusual. But when it has been
modified by a man inspired to tear it apart by the appearance of a 1929 Bentley Speed Six… Whatever you’re thinking, it’s wrong. I say that with confidence because whatever you’re thinking, it’s bound to include reference to some sort of hallucinogenic substance. The truth was a lot simpler. And a lot less hazy. ‘The reason I built this Land Rover is because I went to do a job on a local farm and the dairyman there gave me a magazine,’ explains Matt Manders, the architect behind this unique and extraordinary design. ‘In the mag there was an article about long-nose Land Rovers being built in Germany. I read it and
thought to myself that I could probably produce a more basic version for a bit of fun!’ Of course, what starts out as a good idea can often seem like a never-ending can of worms once you start the project. And that was indeed the case with Matt when he reached the halfway stage. ‘I will admit that I started to regret ever starting the project,’ continues Matt, ‘and in the end it obviously took far longer, cost more and involved more technical obstacles than I had originally foreseen. But having previously abandoned a project involving a boat, I decided I must finish it, as much as anything to try and stop the next stupid idea germinating!’
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At least when you first step in the cabin things will seem pretty normal... that is until you look up and peer down that elongated bonnet, and you start to ponder how you’re ever going to park the thing As we all know, it’s amazing where perseverance can lead you. In fact, Matt needed to get this long-nosed Landy finished and on to the road because he was beginning to build up a number of bookings from prospective passengers… ‘I started with no clear end date for the project,’ smiles Matt. ‘But my youngest son wanted to go to his prom with his band mates in it, so I had to get it done by July last year. I also drove my niece to her wedding with her bridesmaids in it.’ So this unusual Series II is no stranger to the limelight and has proven to be cool enough for a group of teenagers determined to make a big entrance. Matt can be plenty proud of that if nothing else!
But no, that’s not all that he can be proud of. You might be struggling to like the look of a Land Rover with such odd proportions, but Matt created something rather wonderful when he built this car. And we’re about to show you why. It was always going to be a head-scratcher in some ways and, as it turned out, Matt would need three different 109” vehicles to provide enough metal and parts for what would become the Series II LB (Long Bonnet) edition. The chassis, to start with, is a complete 109” unit. A Series II 109” Hard Top provides the bulkhead, some of the wings and sides, while a Series III Station Wagon gives Matt his rear tub and doors.
None of this was going to be a walk in the park, but it was the bodywork that would ask the most of Matt. ‘Producing the front wings was a bit of a challenge,’ he admits. ‘They are made up from a pair of Series II wings, parts of a pair of Series III wings and parts from the side panels of the Series II van. ‘The bonnet is a combination of two, with a longer frame and a central gusset added.’ Located underneath the bonnet is a 3.5-litre V8 from a Rover P5B – needless to say there is plenty of room for it! The engine could have been from a Spitfire, but perhaps Matt is waiting for that idea to ‘germinate’. I think it’s right, though, that such an engine has been fitted. When drop-
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A V8, of course, was the engine of choice for Matt – he isn’t struggling for space in the engine bay, after all!
ping your youngest son off at his prom, escorted by his fellow band mates, a blip of the throttle should deliver a nice V8 purr, not a wheezy agricultural clatter accompanied by a belch of black smoke. When a boy wants to spend his evening chatting up girls, the last thing he needs is dad ruining their dresses with his Land Rover, after all. There’s a fine line between street cred and street shed… ‘I guess it is close to how I originally pictured it, but I am not sure how much I really thought about the end when starting the build,’ admits Matt. When every nut and bolt is lying scattered about your garage, you’d be forgiven for putting your head in your hands. But put the picture from that magazine article up on the wall, cue the music and put it all back together. Either that or collect up all the pieces into boxes and sell the vehicle as a work in progress. ‘Apart from the prom and the wedding, I have driven it around my local area when the sun has been out,’ says Matt. And who could blame him?
It does come on a bit like a contraption from Wacky Races, but it has that classy, British look to it – as if there should be an aristocrat in the back waving to envious onlookers. Matt, for the time being, hasn’t thrown himself into any new projects. But we’ll see how long that lasts. He clearly does love his Land Rovers, at any rate: ‘I have previously rebuilt a Series II 88” and I own a very original 1955 86’” Series I – which I can assure you I won’t be chopping up anytime soon!’ This is a guy who knows what he can afford to tinker with and what should be left well alone. Matt may have used up three Series II and IIIs in the process of making this imaginative Landy, but he’s created a vehicle that is far more jaw-dropping. It’s more than the sum of its parts, this truck – and that was a lot of parts. Whether you like it or not is up to you – but either way, this is a Land Rover borne of imagination, ingenuity and lots of hard work. And most of all, it’s a sight to make you smile.
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Issue 20: October 2015
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Coming of Age
The Range Rover Sport was never meant to be seen as a work wagon, but being based on the same chassis as the Disco 3 gave it a huge breadth of abilities. It wasn’t until the arrival of the 3.0 TDV6, though, that it became apparent just how good the Sport was in front of a trailer
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he Range Rover Sport has been around for more than a decade now, yet there are still people who think its name sounds like a contradiction in terms. A Rangey is a luxury wagon, they say, not a sports car, and Land Rover should stick to doing what it’s good at. Well, experience has shown that making ‘sports cars,’ albeit the kind that can also climb mountains, is what Land Rover’s good at. The original Range Rover Sport was less of a wagon than the Discovery 3, on which it was based, or the Range Rover, after which it was named. But one very important wagon-like trait it retained was the ability to tow right up to the legal maximum of 3.5 tonnes. That’s got to be appealing now, with assorted early 2.7s, high milers, Cat C/D jobs and barge-pole fodder with
unknown faults now available for less than ten grand. But that 2.7 TDV6 was never really suited to the Sport: far better, if you can afford it, to leap forward half a decade to when the 3.0 diesel came in to replace it. You still don’t see many of these for less than £20k, and you can add another 10-15% to that for anything with less than 100,000 miles on the clock. But this engine doesn’t just transform the Sport as a driver’s car – it turns it into a much nicer proposition as a tow barge, too. The vehicle tested here is a 3.0 HSE from 2009; its 09 plate puts it in the first few months of production with the new engine. It’s typical of the Rangeys that would have cost someone a grand a month on finance when they were new but should now be likely bets for a second-hand punt. As always, the miles
they’ve done are less important than the love they’ve had along the way. It’s a good start if the vehicle you find on the used lot still has its owner’s manual in place. Especially if you want to tow with it, because the section on this subject packs more useful knowledge into eight pages than some others manage in half as many again. It’s common for manufacturers not to include simple towing advice for customers who don’t do it often, but by the time you’ve been through the information in here you’ll know more than most people who’ve been doing it half their life. Some is very specific to the vehicle, but there’s plenty of useful general stuff, too. Talking of vehicle specifics, the Sport’s towball is detachable which can be unlocked and stowed if you want to keep its tail end looking trim. The same can be said for the twin electric sockets; neatly hidden away behind the lower bumper with a detachable plastic shroud coming off to reveal them. Thus hooking up is a pleasure, and there’s a ring for the breakaway cable that looks like you could hang the vehicle on it. Loading your trailer is much easier than it might be, too, thanks to a function which inhibits automatic height changes in the air suspension when the socket is in use so as not to confound your efforts to get it level. No small matter, this, when you’re hauling the sort of weights the Sport is capable of pulling around. We chucked
around three tonnes on the back of it, which is approaching 20% more than the vehicle’s own kerb weight – definitely a good time to be making best use of its noseweight limit. And what a limit this is: 250kg, so long as you’re not pushing the gross vehicle weight or leaning too much else on the back axle. So you’ve got plenty of scope for distributing your load – get a wobble on with this thing, and the guy who spotted for you while you were loading up deserves to get his teeth glued together. Bearing in mind that the 3.0 TDV6 replaced the 2.7 as the smallest engine in the range, we wondered how well it was going to pull with a heavy trailer on the back. We needn’t have worried; suffice to say that we actually had to check the paperwork to see that they hadn’t sent us a TDV8 by accident. The difference between this and the old V6 really is that remarkable. It’s smoother, quieter and way more powerful, and it makes you question the need for the TDV8. It also glides away from rest with a trailer in tow, and pulls so strongly from just about any speed that you barely even notice your load. It won’t surprise you hugely, then, to learn that steep hills simply aren’t an issue. Whether pulling away from stationary (the electronic handbrake works well here, though it’ll roll back alarmingly in Drive if you try to hold it on a lazy throttle) or gassing your way past a mobile roadblock in the crawler
lane, the accessibility of the engine’s 442lbf.ft is stunning – this is a vehicle that requires absurdly little effort to drive with a trailer on, as evidenced by the average 18.2mpg we achieved with the trailer loaded. What goes up, as they say, must come down, and here too the Sport is resolutely unruffled. There’s a smooth, progressive supply of bite from the very top of the brake pedal’s travel; if you ever find yourself wondering whether you’re actually going to get it to stop in time, it’s because something big’s kicked off in front of you or your lack of observation is bordering on the criminal. It doesn’t pitch, and it doesn’t wander from side to side: it just stops. Where we did find it wandering a bit was on the standard, ordinary sets of tramlines that are the slow lanes of most British motorways. You’d assume this wouldn’t be a problem in countries where the road surface isn’t made of licquorice, but it did seem to find out the HSE model’s standard-fit 20-inch alloys and 50-profile tyres a bit. Land Rover offers 19-inchers as a no-cost alternative (the same alloys that are standard on the SE model), and with 55-profile rubber instead we’d expect them to do a better job in the ruts left by artics. Thus it’s actually more relaxing to be in the fast lane keeping pace with traffic than idling along paying attention to the speed limit and trying to prevent your rig from swaying around on the
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Modern Landies tend to come on strong with headline-grabbing technology, but the original Range Rover Sport was an object lesson in doing the simple things well. The towbar itself is demountable, meaning it doesn’t have to sit there being an unwanted ploughing attachment (or shin basher) when it’s not in use, and above it is a sturdy anchor point for your breakaway cable – no need to loop it round the towball and keep it there by crossing your fingers. Twin electrical sockets are located with a bit of intelligence, too, to prevent them from being dragged along the ground if you use your Sport properly off-road or, more likely, keep them away from the slop and water that’s especially prevalent if the towing you do involves a lot of horse boxes and wet fields Great British highway. Relaxing but, of course, illegal; however you decide to do it, anyway, you’ve got cruise control on your side in this model, and unlike with some 4x4s the handbook doesn’t say there’s anything wrong with using it. Our test vehicle was fitted with Adaptive Cruise Control, which sounds like a good idea until you actually try to use it. Far better is the vehicle’s behaviour on rough and slippery ground, which really reminds you that this is a Land Rover you’re sitting in. It might be a new-generation Solihull wagon in which the nebulous concept of ‘sport’ takes precedence over the doughty willingness that made the marque what it is – but bling or no bling, it’s tremen-
dously sure-footed, and the fact that there’s three tonnes trying to drag it back seems to make as little difference here as it does on the road. We hauled our rig up some pretty heavy hills with grotty, muddy surfaces and the traction control only rarely needed to kick in to keep us moving. Likewise, we took the no-brains route back down, flexing the suspension to the point where wheels were starting to lighten up, and it never felt like even beginning to run away. Even with manual mode engaged, the auto box means you’re best getting it into low range early, but use all the technology at your disposal and you’ll be in control all the way. That’s very much the case with everything about the Range Rover
Sport. The Mark 2 model that replaced it is more of a techno-fest than ever, but even this one was a magnificent, self-propelled exhibition of in-car electronics at their finest. More than that, it was a supremely unruffled vehicle in every situation – whether in front of a trailer or not. If you need the last word in practicality, a Discovery 3 or 4 is better suited to you, and for ultimate luxury at this money it’s got to be an L322, but the arrival of the 3.0 TDV6 was the moment when at last the Range Rover Sport started to feel like the best of both worlds. It might not be to your taste, but in fact this much derided style wagon was exactly the sort of heroic tow truck Land Rover does so well.
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It’s a Landy adventure! Nick Taylor @ flickr.com, CC by 2.0
When you own a Land Rover, adventure need never be far away. And when the adventure you crave is far away, a Landy is just the way to get there. Here’s twenty of the world’s best – each of them unique in its own way, and all very good reasons to get behind the wheel and start exploring the way only a Land Rover driver can! African Safari
This is an adventure that gets right to the heart of what overland travel is all about. You’re self-contained, you’re miles from anywhere and you’re watching, spellbound, from the window of your Land Rover as a pride of lions brings down a zebra. There’s nothing quite as exhilarating as camping out in your roof tent and hearing the sounds of unknown wildlife calling out in the darkness – unless it’s rounding a corner and spotting a herd of elephants in the distance, giraffes cruising through the treetops or a cheetah on the tail of a fleeing impala. Best of all, you’re doing it from behind the wheel of a Landy you’ve driven all the way there. Six months ago, it was
parked next to your neighbour’s caravan. Now it’s perched on a crest in the Masai Mara as half a million wildebeest trample across an endless landscape spread out before your eyes. Now, that’s adventure travel.
Andalucia
If you get this close to Africa’s wildlife, make sure your windows are up… Land Rover Our Planet @ flickr.com, CC by 2.0
This beautiful, mountainous region in southern Spain is sparsely populated once you get inland – and a sprawling network of tracks makes it ideal for exploring aboard your Land Rover. You’ll struggle to find one to hire, but for a proper adventure you should think about taking your own – there’s certainly enough in the way of driving to warrant the extra expense. And when you get tired, Granada is a really
vibrant city – from which you can easily see the peaks of the Sierra Nevada beckoning you to get out there and explore some more.
Arabian Peninsula
Much of it is off-limits thanks to the political machinations of its rulers, or those who’d like to be, but in places like Dubai and Oman the Middle East offers a driving experience like no other. Day trips into the wilderness make for an odd concept, but with golden cities rising amid deserts of rock and sand, adventure is never far away. Escape from the cities (and that’s exactly what it will feel like), and even the desert roads are reason enough for leaving the Rollers and Lambos far behind.
Your Land Rover will be urging you to keep exploring, though, and doing so is rewarded by a stunning combination of landscapes and driving challenges. That’s what hordes of British ex-pats do every weekend, as they enjoy a form of adventure they’re never be able to get back home.
Atlas Mountains
As overland destinations go, Morocco could be described as Africa-lite. But the Atlas Mountains are no less of an adventure for all that. Stunning trails set amid equally stunning scenery see to that. For a lot of people, the only experience of off-roading they’ll ever have is on an excursion flogged to them by
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a holiday rep. You see whole convoys of Toyota Land Cruisers hammering around, packed with disappointed tourists, as their ‘guide’ tries to prove what a big man he is by overtaking everything in sight. But you’ll also see groups of 4x4s that have come over from Europe to discover this piece of heaven. You can go it alone or join a trip led by a UK-based overland specialist, which is the perfect way to explore this Land Rover paradise on the doorstep of Europe.
Above: The sand dunes of the Middle East are heaven for Land Rovers Below: The Atlas Mountains provide a true taste of Africa, but it only takes a few hours’ driving to get there once you’ve taken the ferry from Spain Both pictures Land Rover MENA @ flickr.com, CC by 2.0
Australian Outback
What’s the loneliest you’ve ever felt? Multiply it by a hundred, and you’ll still be a million miles from the absolute isolation of off-roading in the Outback. You don’t go there to use your Land Rover, you use your Land Rover to go there – and ultimately to get out again. Imagine day after day, potentially even week after week of sand dunes and baked plains, surviving only on what you packed in your Landy and seeing nothing, ever, not a building, not an animal, not another person. To start with, your mind tells you there’ll be something over the next crest… scale it, and in front of you there’s another crest. The solitude is liberating, stifling, magnificent, horrific. At the end of it all, your wheels touch tarmac again and you vow never to go back. But you already know you will.
Darien Gap
Located between Panama and Columbia, 200 miles of untamed swamps and jungle present a massive barrier in the middle of the Trans-American Highway. Hence the name – the Darien Gap is almost literally a lost world for travellers. It’s bandit country, too, with guerrilla activity common in the area. Famously, however, the 1972 British Trans-Americas Expedition made the crossing with two Range Rovers, one of which is now on display at the Heritage Motor Centre in Gaydon. They needed a little help from the Army, though. And some boats.
What’s over the horizon? More horizon. That’s the Aussie Outback for you As 4x4 adventures go, you’d need a death wish to mount an assault on the Darien at present. Depending on your point of view, that might just make it more of an adventure than ever…
Dempster Highway
The road from Dawson City to Inuvik in Canada’s Yukon territory is maintained so as to be passable to non-4x4s, even in winter. But with a surface that’s either gravel or ice, this thousand-mile round trip through frozen tundra and
soaring mountains is crying out to be tackled in a Land Rover. A huge truck tyre marks the point at which you pass into the Arctic Circle, stopping of course for photos (unless there are bears around). Beyond this are two river crossings – ferries operate in the summer, but for most of the year you simply drive across the iced-up surface. All the while, you’re surrounded by nature at its very best – and most of the time you’ll have it all to yourself. It’s a road – but it’s Land Rover heaven.
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This huge sand island off the east coast of Australia might be crawling with tourists, but that doesn’t stop it being a wonder of the off-road world. You need a 4x4 simply to get about – indeed, no other kind of vehicle is allowed on the island, and with newbie tourists doing much of the driving there’s a whole lot
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live on. The 1000 Rivieres offer four days of seriously technical driving on eye-poppingly steep trails amid the glorious mountains in the south of the country, and there are many other weekend-long events held by local clubs – ranging in difficulty from Freelander-friendly to super-hardcore.
The Dempster Highway might be a road, but you wouldn’t want to be here without your Land Rover
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of getting stuck going on even then. The real treat is 75 Mile Beach, a wide strip of smooth sand on the seaward side of the island which you can drive on to your heart’s content. Hire a Land Rover at Hervey Bay, where operators are ten a penny, and take the beach all the way to Champagne Pools – where surf on the
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Some of the smaller events are members-only, but Brits are normally welcome. Indeed the one-day Triangle Vert, just across the Channel in Pas de Calais, typically attracts more entries from the UK than from France itself. Not a travel adventure, exactly, but way more than just another short break.
Mr Hicks46 @ flickr.com, CC by 2.0
incoming tide creates a natural jacuzzi accessible only by 4x4. It just doesn’t get any better than that.
French Randonnees
The Croisiere Blanche and Trophee Cevenol may have fallen under relentless attacks from quack environmentalists, but France’s mighty off-road adventures
Randonnees like the 1000 Rivers give you an organised taste of adventure for no more effort than it takes to yomp your way down through France
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Iceland
The range of off-road adventures you can enjoy in Iceland is almost limitless – but what springs to everyone’s mind are the massively lifted, huge-tyred 110s in which tour operators run expeditions across glaciers and ice fields. These monsters run on the sort of rub-
ber not even a top-ranked challenge competitor would fit – and the level of engineering it takes to build them marks them out as some of the world’s most highly evolved vehicles. Even if you don’t go that far offpiste, the roads in Iceland’s interior are an adventure in themselves. Most
are just gravel and ash, and some go through more fords than you’d think possible – as well as taking you through other-worldly mountain landscapes that are as bizarre as they are isolated. And even in summer, it all comes with the glorious prospect of being caught in a white-out.
A Freelander 2 makes haste on one of Iceland’s dusty and isolated roads. It’s one of Europe’s classic 4x4 adventures
Kaokoland
A landscape from a dream. Wildlife rarely seen by human eyes. A tribal population barely touched by modernity. And you can only get there by 4x4. Kaokoland, a mountainous region in north-west Namibia, is overland adventure personified. This is an area twice the size of Wales – with the same population as Stowmarket. The majority are Himbas, a nomadic tribe whose ochre body paint is instantly recognisable, and who have become to part of the travel experience. The perfect moment on many an expedition has come with the descent of Van Zyl’s Pass, which drops out of the sky to the ancient glacial valley of Marienfluss. It’s so steep and rocky that you can’t drive back up again afterwards and have to take the easy route out. In this case, ‘easy’ means two days of boulders.
Khardung La
At 18,380 feet, the Khardung La Pass claims to be the world’s highest driveable road – and that’s exactly how it feels as you bump along its unmade surface while looking down on snow-capped mountain peaks far below. You’ll find people willing to tell you that there’s another pass in the Himalayas that’s actually higher, or even that locals exaggerated its altitude to claim the record. But as you look down at the world from the driver’s seat, that will feel a lot like splitting hairs. You need a permit to make the trip, and altitude sickness is a real threat, but even the route to base camp is a treat. Fording glacial meltwaters, climbing
Moab: rock-crawling paradise
Nick Taylor @ flickr.com, CC by 2.0
rock-by-rock at crawling speeds as your vehicle and your body gasp for oxygen in the thin air… the ascent to Khardung La is a real battle. Strictly speaking, you don’t need a Landy – but there was never a better reason for having one.
Moab
Moab, Utah is much like any other small town in the arid Midwest. But it’s surrounded by a world-class network of trails which are famous the world over. Set amid a stunning landscape of incised red sandstone, these are rated to varying degrees of difficulty. Something that will seem incredible to British off-roaders is that 4x4s are positively welcomed by the local tourist authority, which provides guides and advice to all. It’s not all good news, though: the Lion’s Back, probably the world’s great-
est piece of slickrock, was closed a few years ago after a development company bought the land at its base. By and large, however, the Moab trails are classed as public land and can be driven by anyone. Anyone in a suitable 4x4, that is. You can rent one in the town or join a guided tour, though neither of these options is likely to put you aboard a Land Rover. A few Brits have taken their Landies out there, though – adding a whole new dimension to the adventure.
Route 66
Known variously as ‘the Mother Road’ and ‘America’s main street,’ Route 66 once stretched from Chicago to Los Angeles via Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. It’s no longer in use as an A-to-B highway, but remains very much alive
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thanks to its history – and of course the lyrics of Bobby Troup. Most of it remains under tarmac, but here and there it disintegrates into a gravel ribbon – the kind of unpaved highway that’s far more prevalent in the US than people tend to realise. In the case of Route 66, these portions tend to see very little use, simply because the old road runs parallel to the Interstate for so much of its length, so it’s like green laning on a colossal scale.
Rubicon Trail
The most famous off-road route in the world: it’s that simple. The Rubicon is a 22-mile ‘road’ west of Lake Tahoe in Northern California, including a 12-mile section of almost non-stop rocks amid the jaw-dropping scenery of Eldorado National Forest. Much of the time, you’ll be travelling at hours per mile, not the other way round. The hills really are that steep, the rocks that severe. Few would venture here without big tyres, lifted suspension and at least one diff-lock, but what’s most important is to drive incredibly gently on the unrelenting rock surfaces.
Sahara Desert
The great desert of northern Africa mixes tough driving on all manner of terrain with the sort of exotic locations and civilisations that make expeditions what they are. On its southern fringes, Timbuktu is a place whose name symbolises the back of beyond, while further north you can simply take a detour off-tarmac in Morocco and go for a play in the dunes – knowing that if you keep going, the next town you see will be in about a thousand miles. Sadly, the blight of national politics and the infernal growth of the terrorism
Land Rover itself used the Silk Road to prove that hybrid technology could be used on long-range expeditions
Siberia
Unless you’ve got some way of crossing the Bering Strait, Siberia is the world’s biggest dead end. But what a place – if the terrain doesn’t get you, the weather will, and if you somehow manage to cheat both there’ll still be a horde of very efficient Bad Men with their eyes on your Landy every step of the way. Siberia is about as hostile as it gets, with temperatures so low you have to leave your engine running just to stop it freezing solid overnight. Go there at your peril – but when you come home,
much of the original road is buried beneath the desert sands – though many relics have survived intact and remain as they were a thousand years ago. The result is that a Silk Road expedition can follow a variety of routes. You might just want to miss out Iraq and Syria, but head through Uzbekistan, via the World Heritage City of Samarkand, before venturing into the Tian Shan Mountains and the Gobi Desert, and you’ve got a world-class adventure taking you all the way to China.
Tibet
You need to jump through hoops to drive your own Land Rover in Tibet, with the Chinese authorities insisting that you stick to set routes and timetables and even that you carry an approved ‘guide’ with you at all times.
That alone is enough to put many people off, contrary as it is to the classic overland notion of wandering free. But as you drive for mile after mile on the stone and loose gravel that passes for a road surface on all but the biggest highways through this deserted mountain land, you’d need a pretty glass-halfempty approach for the euphoria not to get you. On top of its culture and spiritual riches, Tibet is simply a mountain range on a scale we in Britain can’t imagine. Truly vast in its height and its extent, it’s a challenge for any overlander.
Uyuni
The world’s largest salt pan, the Salar de Uyuni (also known as Salar de Tunupa) is half the size of Wales. Part of the Altiplano in south-west Bolivia, it was
formed over tens of thousands of years as a series of lakes dried to form a crust of salt whose thickness ranges from a few inches to several metres. To make this haunting landscape even more extraordinary, it’s completely surrounded by mountains. And here and there, ancient volcanic peaks poke up like islands through the shimmering white crust. Normally, the surface is parched. During wet periods, however, flood waters from nearby Lake Titicaca can spill through to cover it to a depth of an inch or two. Because the surface of the salt is so very flat, this doesn’t actually stop you from driving your Landy on it, making this an otherworldly destination all year round. Food for thought indeed, but everyone should be putting at least some of these on the bucket list.
The Sahara Desert isn’t what most people expect. It’s not just sand dunes – but it is pretty much hostile all the way across Picture by Mark Bailey industry in North Africa mean a lot of routes across the Sahara are now either closed or too dangerous to contemplate. You’ll still find adventure here, though, and on an epic scale. Cross it from north to south or, if you’re really brave, east to west (thus going against the ‘grain’ of the dunes), and you’ll have conquered one of the truly great offroad challenges.
everyone will want to hear about it. Joining an organised tag-along tour is the best way of ensuring that you do.
Silk Road
The Silk Road is more of a concept than one easily defined route. It linked Turkey with the Han-dynasty capital of Xian, but split into several tracks on the way through north-west China. Today,
Uyuni’s gigantic salt pan is like a landscape from another world
Jen Morgan @ flickr.com, CC by 2.0
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The Project Has Landed: Part One
F
oreword: Many men across Britain start tinkering with vehicles in their garage and experience epiphanies that transport them into their wildest brainstorms. Not everyone decides to put his or her Land Rover rebuild into words, though, and get published as a result. Nicky Smith, however, is a guy who did just that, after seemingly stumbling into a Land Rover rebuild. Over the course of the next few months, we’re going to follow the memoirs of this 40-something Landy fan on how he set about filling his spare time not with a mid-life crisis but a mid-life challenge.
Words and pictures: Nicky Smith
I
gave up smoking on Boxing Day 2013. Now this wasn’t a planned event, but more of a ‘stumbled into’ type thing. I only smoked two or three a day, and when I got to work on Boxing Day I only had one cigarette left, so I made a mental note to pick some up later that day. Two weeks later I realised I hadn’t bought any, so that’s when I thought ‘What’s the point in it?’ Subsequently, I started to save up the money I would have spent on them each month, to go towards a Land Rover project. I’d always fancied a Landy, but could never afford one. However, the money I would have been smoking soon started to add up and I figured that within
the year I would have enough to buy a good project base. Much to my surprise, as we headed into the end of April, I saw on the local Gumtree website an old ex-military LWB Series III Land Rover. The poor thing had been stood in the corner of a farmyard for a couple of years and was covered in mould, with all three doors rotting away beyond repair. But the most important piece – the chassis – was in near mint condition. So, seeing as that is surely the base for the project, a deal was struck. The princely sum of £375 was agreed as long as it was delivered to my house ten miles away. I sat and waited on delivery day as excited as a kid at Christmas, but the time for delivery came and went. I told myself not to be impatient; perhaps
there had been traffic. However, when my Landy was over an hour late, I called the seller… only to be told it was too heavy for his transporter. Not to worry, he knew someone who would bring it over on a bigger one, but it would have to be tomorrow. The next day I called the seller as soon as I got in from work, to be told the Landy would be with me in a couple of hours. I needn’t have worried, as 90 minutes later it arrived in a fanfare of flashing orange lights… and the goodwill of my neighbours, who helped out by pushing the Landy uphill with a flat tyre on to my drive! I couldn’t contain myself and started to scrub the mould off until the daylight faded away and my wife came outside and made me go in. It reminded me of being a kid who didn’t
The Arctic heater conundrum: to keep or not to keep? It’s a bulky thing, this, and in the summer you know you’ll be wishing it away. But in the winter…
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We’re on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thelandyuk want to stop playing just because the streetlights had come on! That brings me to April 25th, with a plan of action forming in my mind on how to bring this old girl back to life. First up, a good clean and a good scraping inside and out to reveal what I was dealing with. I started in the front cab and it didn’t look too bad. It’s an old communications Landy and there is lots of wiring inside that I wouldn’t be needing, but I couldn’t make my mind up on whether to keep the Arctic heater or not, as they’re pretty bulky. The floor panels were in better condition than I thought they would be, with only a 6”x 2” strip needing patching on the passenger-side footwell… so far! The ignition barrel was also beyond repair. I had a happy hour scraping and brushing and washing before the heavens opened and put paid to any more work outside. But now I was in the zone, looking forward to the weekend in the hope that I’d get some time to keep on plodding away with the cleanup operation. But then I awoke to find it raining heavily, which put a stop to any early work on the Landy, so a morning of running around doing family chores was on the agenda instead. I hate picking up all the bits we need as a family – call me old-fashioned, but buying dog food and choosing paint colours is just plain dull! The sun finally broke through, though, shortly after lunch, so I dropped whatever it was I was supposed to be doing in the house (something about cleaning drawers out comes to mind, but who knows what it was the boss had in mind?) and set about the Landy with a scraper and a dustpan and brush. It’s amazing what a difference a good clean-out can do – and what you can find! I knew there were a couple of bits of what I thought was junk in the back, but what I found surprised even me.
I am still surprised at how well the body on this old motor had held up. I was expecting a lot more rot. I started to remove some of the old military bits that were no longer needed for the radio equipment it used to haul. I did get a little carried away with myself, though, and soon realised I had taken two bits of the 24v system off the bulkhead… I promptly told myself off and put them back on! I also gave all the leaf springs a good dose of WD40, along with any nuts and bolts underneath that I could find. I figured this was worth doing a few times as the old girl had been stood stationery for too long! Little did I know how much grief my fellow Landy owners have had from rusted-up fixings down the years, so it was probably a good plan…
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If you would like to hear the full story of Nicky’s Series III rebuild, or if you can’t wait to hear how he got on with the rest of the job, you can purchase a copy of The Project Has Landed from Amazon, at www.amazon.co.uk It’s amazing what a good clear out will turn up. Although in this instance the tyre had perished, Nicky found the wheel to be in sound order, and he even ended up with a new front wing to boot
Above: The very start of the long journey ahead – this is about as sorry as the Series III would look in the whole time under Nicky’s ownership. Work commenced straight away with the general cleaning down and scraping of the vehicle
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Issue 20: October 2015
Series I
Series 1 2.0 88” Hard-Top (1957). Hard-top with windows. Engine complete. Radiator disconnected. Exhaust downpipe missing. Engine turns over freely by hand with spark plugs removed. Good compression on starting handle. SU fuel pump running but no output. Engine will probably run. Clutch not operating – most likely seized from lack of use. Last MOT was 1992 but vehicle was running until about 2005. Chassis and bulkhead rusted. Logbook and V5. Possibily ex Civil Defence. Good, non-transferable number plate. No tax or MOT needed. £4150. Beccles, Suffolk, 07544 147066 06/15
Series II
Classic Series II 109” pick-up (1964). 97,500 miles. Tax-free, with MOT. Perkins engine in excellent condition. Comprehensive
restoration with chassis repairs, new brakes, wheel cylinders, brake and clutch master cylinders, rad, recon injectors and pump, new battery, lights all round, new starter motor, top-quality seats. FWH and draw bar. £5500. Stanton Harcourt, Oxon, 01865 883208 or 07769 824913 07/15
Series II 88” (1961). Perkins 4.203 with overdrive. MOT May 2016, tax exempt. Fortune spent on giving it sound underpinnings. New rad, starter motor, electric fan, injectors, fabricated manifold, front bumper, propshaft, front springs, dampers, swivels, brakes and halfshafts, fully recon Fairey overdrive, Disco diffs and recon gearbox plus new clutch. Drives really well, starts first time and has hot (flame) start for winter. Does 60mph on the motorway, has freewheeling front hubs. Body has dents, paintwork needs attention and door frames have rusted out. Also comes with a radiator muff, spare wheel, new rear mudflaps, a canvas divider to help keep the front of the cabin warm in winter and, subject to price, two aluminium door tops. £4950 ono. Southampton, daryl@agcl.com 08/15
Series III
Series III 109” 24V FFR (1983). Winterised ex-military 2.25 petrol. 24,000 miles. Fully rebuilt and first registered in January this year – only done 205 miles since then. Demobbed 17 years ago and sat unregistered in a farmer’s field ever since until I bought it to restore. I’ve fitted full new fuel, brake and clutch systems (every last component in each is new). Repainted, full engine service, new wiper arms and blades. Engine now runs nicely and never fails to start. Being a winterised model, this Landy has a massive heater between the seats which keeps it really warm. I have its Forces history along with a letter proving the date of build, which helped me get it registered. So this really is a 1983 Land Rover with one owner in the logbook! I can’t justify keeping it sat on the driveway (plus if I am honest I rather enjoy the rebuilding, so when this is sold I will be buying another project). This is a 33 year old Series Land Rover so will need regular maintenance, but that is the norm! £3000. Nottingham, 07969 724374 08/15
GUMTREE 4x4 SpecialiStS in land rover, range rover, diScovery, freelander and all 4x4s servicing, repairs, conversions, rebuilds & chassis replacements. performance and off road modifications. established in 1981, located in mid-sussex
tel: 01444 241457 info@gumtree4x4.co.uk
Products
Lightweight
Series III 109 (1973). Complete one-off – quite simply one of the best Series III 109s for sale. Fully rebuilt on a heavy-duty military chassis, with every component new or reconditioned. Only the best materials used throughout. 2.5 petrol Turner Engineering engine (just over 4000 miles on it), fully reconditioned 4-speed gearbox, new Fairey overdrive. Hand-made coachbuilt body panels in 3mm alloy, all flawless with not a single dent anywhere. The rear is done in stainless steel with built-in lockers on either side and ready to be customised to suit. Custom alloy safari roof, stainless steel sills, side steps, seat bases (with Mercedes seats) and custom front bumper with spotlights. Fully rewired. Exmoor Trim carpet set and door cards, custom alloy dash with LED lighting, custom storage boxes in driver’s and passenger’s floors, rear bulkhead removed. Brand new wheels with General Grabber TR tyres. The attention to detail and workmanship are exceptional, and it drives better than any Series vehicle I have driven. Serious offers considered. £14,999. Glenrothes, Fife, 07463 507099 09/15
Series III Lightweight (1980). Galvanised chassis in 2010, LPG with certificate, just had full respray and body renovation. Reconditioned engine 6000 miles ago. Overdrive, Parabolic springs, Rocky Mountain shocks, FWH, Arctic heater, brake servo, La Salle headlining with speakers and stereo, rear seats and belts, Exmoor Trim front seats and full matting set (sound deadening covering seat box, tunnel and floors). 4 new tyres, new door tops, twin fuel tanks. Big bundle of receipts. £6995. Guisborough, Cleveland, 01287 654333 08/15
Vehicles
Landy, but work commitments means it’s time to go (sadly). It has been an off-road toy for me so please don’t expect it to be clean, polished and dent free! This is a fantastic off-roader – a great bit of cheap fun. Some will use and abuse as it as is, others will want to iron out its wrinkles. £3250. Stafford, 07880 715028 08/15
Minerva
Minerva TT (1952). Belgian Army medical officer’s car. LHD. Extensive restoration. Prize winner (2nd in class) in 2012 London to Brighton Historic Commercial Vehicle Run, then 1st in class in 2014. £7500. East Sussex, 01424 773637 10/15
90
Lightweight hybrid (1969 / 1980). This is a V8 off-roading beast! Road-legal and MOT’d. Range Rover engine and auto box. Grizzly-Claw tyres (with the usual off-roading cuts and cracks). I’ve had so much fun with this
Defender 90 SVX style soft-top. Recent MOT. Nut and bolt ground-up rebuild on shotblasted, undersealed chassis.
Adventure
Workshop
Refitted with a fully serviced 200Tdi ‘Gold Seal’ engine (new cambelt, clutch and filters) with silicone pipes and electric fan conversion. Gas shocks all round, 30mm wheel spacers, SVX alloy wheels. Puma style bonnet, SVX style sport seats, military roll cage, NAS rear half door on newer style walk-through rear tub (filler cap at rear) and tank conversion. Facelift SVX style grille, some new wing panels and doors, halo LED headlamps. Fresh out of the paint shop and a real head-turner! £8750. Grantham, 07943 411160 or 07531 949273 10/15
90 V8i (1987). MOT June (no advisories). Originally a 2.5 petrol, owned by my family since 1996. Rebuilt last year as a V8 on a galvanised chassis. Engine has been rebuilt from the bottom up with brand new pistons, 20 thou over-bore, rings and shells, big valves, new guides and strong springs. Injection system cleaned through and checked, 4-branch manifolds and a custom exhaust the rest of the way. Discovery V8 LT77s gearbox, professionally gone through and converted to Defender long-stick by Ashcroft Transmissions, and good transfer box from a 300 Discovery V8. Both Salisbury axles, rebuilt with the rear one converted to discs. TD5 dash and speedo, Range Rover P38 heated black leather seats, heated windscreen, iPhone compatible radio, brand new folding rear bench seats, Exmoor Trim carpets. Very rare Stage One V8 grille and Series headlamp surrounds. Bodywork is okay but the door has some dents and the paintwork lets it down a bit, and the price reflects this. Soft top in good condition but the rope at the rear could do with changing, hood frame and roll bar in good condition. £6500. Rochester, Kent, 07549 28244 (evenings best) 10/15
Defender 90 (1995). 174,443 miles. Galvanised chassis. Recent cambelt, runs mint, straightthrough exhaust so very loud and gets heads turning. Off-road mods include Terrafirma +2” springs with +5” shocks all round, Terrafirma steering damper, Sumo steering bars, Adrenaline front and rear radius arms, extended brake hoses, Britpart wide-angle props and poly bushes. Syncro Gearboxes Slickshift, Timber Trail boost pin, winch bumper (please note the winch in the picture is not included in the sale). Defender snorkel, front diff
Clubs
guard, 265/75R16 off-road tyres under Terrafirma +2” arches. Defender cubby box with lock, dual alternator (not wired up), Bolt-On Bits roof light (not wired up). Lots of dints and scratches, could do with a clutch slave cylinder and the speedo doesn’t work as the truck has a Disco transfer box and the cable wouldn’t fit. Selling as I don’t use it any more. £5900. Worksop, Notts, 07506 395076 10/15
Defender 90 2.2 TDCi Station Wagon (2012). 17,000 miles. Immaculate, with full service history. £18,000. Leicestershire, 01509 507801 or 07970 723265 10/15
Defender 90 200 Tdi (1992). 69,000 miles. 12 months’ MOT at sale. ARB Air-Lockers, +4” Terrafirma life with dislocation cones, tubular shock turrets, cranked arms, steering guard, big uprated intercooler, silicone hoses, disk handbrake, Qt diff guards, rock sliders, winch bumper and winch, rear winch plate, 35x12.50R15 BFG Mud-Terrains on deep-dish modulars, straight-through side exhaust, internal roll cage mounted to chassis, Safari Snorkel, wading kit, LED front bar, side and reversing lights. Qt bucket seats and harnesses, Raptor dash, CB, removable steering wheel, on-board air compressor, fire extinguisher, high-lift jack. Private registration included. Family car forces sale. £9000 ono. Birmingham, 07473 054953 09/15
Defender 90 2.4 TDCi County Hard-Top Overland Edition 1 (2011). 30,150 miles. Santorini Black. Huge Spec includes Style Pack, Convenience Pack, Exterior Pack and Roof Appointment Pack. Full Overland Edition 1 conversion comprising 160bhp performance upgrade, Black LR Overland badges, KBX Premium Grille in bright silver, 18” BFGoodrich tyres on gloss black Boost Sport alloys, front and rear RDX white light kit, halogen crystal headlights with HID bi-xenon bulbs, privacy glass, Twisted Performance alloy steering guard, chequer plate kit, NAS rear step with towbar and electrics, Goodwinch front winch on heavy-duty bumper, Momo Evo 350mm steering
To advertise in The Landy, call Ian Argent on 01283 553242 w w w. t h e l a n d y. c o . u k We’re on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thelandyuk wheel, sound deadening in rear hub, panelled and carpeted load area, Alpine audio with Bluetooth phone prep, rear seat conversion with Genuine Span Modus cloth seats and belts. Serviced by Land Rover. £19,000 inc VAT. Bradford, 07770 995017 08/15
Defender 90 TD5 Heritage Limited Edition (2000). 87,500 miles. One of only 300 that were made. Bronze green, green leather seats (7), winch, tow bar, usual Heritage touches. Private registration plate included. Owned for over 3 years, selling as I have bought a new one! £12,750. Sidmouth, Devon, 01404 540332, adam.chinery@computercomponents.com 10/15
Defender 90 TD5 (1999). 93,441 miles. Chassis, bulkhead, footwells, door bottoms all sound. Bodywork generally good, with minor dings and a small dent in nearside front wing but good all-round condition. Battery, starter motor, fuel pump, rear shocks, crank sensor, EGR bypass, steering damper, front bumper (with rubber corners), track rod ends, window rubbers, door seals are all new. It also has a new immobiliser with fob, rebuilt ECU and all engine harness has been removed and checked for the common wear and damage. 5 alloy wheels, 4 almost-new tyres, new CD stereo with Bluetooth, new cubby box, retrimmed front seats, all new lights (except headlights) plus additional rear lights on top corners, fog lights to front and additional brake light to rear door. The vehicle also has central locking on the front doors and an alarm system. It has had a recent full service, including new oil in both diffs, and in the time I have owned it I’ve tried to eliminate all the usual things that go wrong. Bought a year or so ago but lack of use forces sale. £6995. Launceston, Devon, 01566 451360 or 07990 558959 09/15
Defender 90 TDCi Truck-Cab (2007). 68,000 miles with some service history. Good all-round condition, apart from a small dent on nearside front wing and some age-related marks. 265/75R16 tyres on Boost alloys. Chequer plated rear tub with Ifor Williams back. Sports steering wheel. Front mounted winch with wireless controls. Uprated suspension and steering damper. Please be aware that the 90 was a Cat D write-off with front wing damage, however this has been repaired to the highest standard.
Issue 20: October 2015
It drives perfectly and the price is a little less than the rest for a Landy of this age. Any inspection welcome. £8500. Cardiff, 07508 346026 10/15
Defender 90 TD5 (2004). 139,236 miles. Good, clean condition. Must sell as no longer required. £6500 plus VAT. Staffs, 07977 383598 08/15
Defender 90 200Tdi (1989). 145,000 miles. Galvanised chassis, new doors with Rocky Mountain tops, Mach 5 wheels, leather seats. Excellent condition. £8900. Galmpton, Devon, 07905 696626 08/15
Defender 90 TD5 XS (2002). 107,400 miles. MOT February 2016. Engine runs really smoothly and has plenty of power – the TD5 engine is absolutely bullet-proof. Transmission works fine, no issues with brakes, chassis in really good condition. Electric windows, half-leather heated seats, heated front and rear screens, air-conditioning, CB, CD stereo, Skytag vehicle tracker (can be transferred to new owner). Engine chipped and EGR removed, with silicone hoses and stainless de-cat exhaust. Ashcroft gearbox (still under warranty) with heavy-duty bearings and Discovery 5th gear for better MPG. Heavy-duty clutch. Terrafirma +2” shocks and springs. Terrafirma trailing arms, front top shock mount and steering damper. Bearmach heavy-duty steering arms. Twin batteries and T-Max split-charge system, with Anderson outlet and custom plug-in leads. Warn 9.5 front winch on bull bar bumper with Land Rover spots. Warn dual-beam roof lights. Mantec rear window grilles. LED bulbs. Rock sliders and body protectors. Patriot aluminium roof rack and ladder. NAS rear bumper. Towbar and electrics. Metal snow cowls both sides. 285/75R16 BFG Mud-Terrains just fitted, with wheel spacers and locking nuts. Recent front screen rubber, engine belt and adjuster pulley, batteries, alternator, braided brake pipes, handbrake cable. Will come with a number of new spare parts. Owned for six years and maintained to a high standard, with most work being done by Ayto Land Rovers. Great fun and very reliable. £11,500. Sherburn, Malton, North Yorkshire, 07768 682803 09/15
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News
Issue 20: October 2015
Products
Vehicles
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South-East England
South-West England
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Foundry 4x4 Ltd
Cast Iron Quality & Service The Old Bakery, Rear of Vale Terrace, Tredegar, Gwent, NP22 4HT
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North East England
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Adventure
Workshop
Defender 90 300 Tdi (1988). 142,080 miles. MOT November, recently serviced. Full 300 Tdi rebuild. Starts and runs perfectly with no knocks or unwanted noises. Chassis in great condition with no welding, but a small hole is appearing on the rear crossmember. +2” Old Man Emu suspension, cranked trailing arms, heavy duty halfshafts and CVs, GKN wide-yoke props, vented front discs, oversized rear discs and calipers, Teflon coated swivels, strengthened steering bars, Polybushes, oversized bump stops, 265/70/16 Insa Turbo Rangers with min 10mm tread on alloy rims (steel spare), rock sliders, sump, diff and steering guards, galvanised front bumper, chequer plate, rear winch tray, side-exit stainless exhaust, alarm/immobiliser, Angel Eye style headlights, LED and Angel Eye front lights, cubby box, Recaro buckets (used and worn), Equipe roof console and lining. Bought as a project but family demands mean I have not been able to complete it. Tired bodywork with lots of dents and scratches, but well above average for the price. With a new body on it’s easily a £10,000 Landy. £3500. Sutton Coldfield, 07807 153104 10/15
“Independent Specialists in Land Rover, Range Rover, Discovery and Freelander.” Unit C17, Ditchling Common, West Sussex, BN6 8SG
www.gumtree4x4.co.uk admin@gumtree4x4.co.uk • 01444 241457
East Midlands
Defender 90 TD5 Hard-Top (2003). 186,000 miles. MOT 28 September. Full main dealer service history, with the most recent done by a local Land Rover specialist. Two owners from new. Boost alloys with good tyres, heated rear screen, Wipac front spots, electric windows, unmarked Techno cloth interior (always had seat covers), radio cassette stereo with original CODE card, height-adjustable tow hitch with electrics, dog guard, two remote keys. Drives brilliantly with finger light steering and goes into all five gears with no problems. No rot at all, but a few war wounds and some scabbing on the paintwork. For sale as I need a more practical family car, so would consider part-ex with cash my way for a Discovery 2 or 3. Open to realistic offers but not in a rush to sell. £8600. Etchingham, East Sussex, 07872 478163 10/15
www.island-4x4.co.uk Online Land Rover Part Specialists Offering Worldwide Mail Order
* Free Mainland UK Delivery Over £50 * * Delivery France, Germany and Belgium £10 unlimited weight and parcels *
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West Midlands
North East Scotland
110
Defender 110 200 Tdi HardTop. 101,000 miles. MOT June 2016. Lots of receipts. Recent oil and filter, fuel filter, air filter, alternator belt and PAS belt. Original 2.5D professionally replaced
Clubs
with an early Discovery Tdi with new radiator and intercooler, also a new heater matrix and all pipework. Fuel pump slightly tuned to increase performance, and has K&N air filter fitted. LT77 box with short-shift kit, 1:6 transfer case, Salisbury rear diff. Immaculate chassis (just one small hole in rear crossmember). 2” suspension lift, General Grabbers AT2s with huge amount of tread left. Exterior in fair condition for its age with a few bumps and scratches. Door bottoms rebuilt and protected, door and bonnet hinges replaced. Carpeted inside, ply lined in back. Mountney steering wheel, Sony CD player with aux and Bluetooth. Spares to come with the truck include a 50” LED light bar, two LED spotlights, four halogen spotlights, four original steel wheels with good tyres, a pair of brand new rear bench seats, NATO tow hook and spreader plates, plus all nuts and bolts, and a A-bar. I’ve owned this Land Rover for two years and just used it to potter around the village. £3750. South Petherton, Somerset, 07508 852467 09/15
Defender 110 300Tdi (1996). 230,000 miles. MOT Feb 2016. Great condition for year, and no rust. Engine rebuilt 20,000 miles ago with complete cylinder head, radiator, water pump and viscous fan as well as complete clutch kit. Also fuel tank replaced, all re-bushed, rear chassis replaced. Snorkel, mechanical winch, full roof rack. Owned by a dedicated Landy enthusiast, only selling due to a new family member arriving shortly! £5500. Ashford, Kent 07850 638620 10/15
Ex-RAF 110 (1991). 32,000 miles. No rust, Waxoyled every year and like new underneath. Drives lovely. 2.5 diesel, 5-speed box. Power steering fitted and cambelt changed, plus the water pump was changed at the same time. Will have a new MOT. Kept in a warm, dry garage. Any inspection. Can quote for delivery. £6500. Lydney, Gloucs, 07860 279194 10/15
Ex-Army Defender 110 TD5. New release with only 75,000 miles. Year’s MOT at sale. Fully serviced and virtually rot-free – military vehicles come with no history but from the way it drives I would say this is totally genuine. Very smooth transmission and gearbox, good brakes (light pedal and stops evenly), exceptionally straight body. Wolf rims, tyres showing very little sign of wear. Very good interior with new Exmoor Trim seat bases. Bulkhead,
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110 V8 Station Wagon (1984). 67,500 miles from new. Just passed MOT with no advisories. Chassis all good, had a couple of plates on bulkhead, outriggers and new rear crossmember. Engine and four-speed manual box are original; the box does make some noise, but just what’s normal for an LT95. This is a tidy original vehicle (except the colour) – the body panels are straight and virtually corrosion free, the rear door frames are suffering a bit from rust but they are still solid and everything closes well. The carpet is missing from rear seat area, and the back seats are clean but not the original colour and don’t match the fronts. The roof rack and alloy wheels are not included in the price, and the vehicle will be returned on to its original steels. Any viewing welcome. £8000. Bromsgrove, Worcs. 07495 084859, gne@ newlro.co.uk 10/15
Defender 110 with TGV 2.8 (1991). Current MOT. Ex-Army three-door with Maggiolina roof tent, Foxwing awning, ARB compressor and lockers, Recaro seats, uprated suspension and axles. Includes other parts and spares. Full work history. Needs new fan belt. Owner emigrating. £9000 ovno. 07700 088283 10/15
127/130 Defender 110 Td5 HCPU (2002). 76,000 miles. MOT November. Owned since 2006, used for commuting and carrying bales of hay. Approximately 20 mins from M62 Junction 34. £6950. Goole, 07754 174365 or 01757 617418 10/15
Defender 127 / 130 200 Tdi Quadtech (1991). 44,000 miles. Deluxe cab. Fully restored in 2011 with all the aluminium replaced
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Defender 110 300Tdi. Off-road monster. Built on a 1987 chassis and solid bulkhead that have never needed welding. Body put together using modern panels, so nice and straight. New chequer-plated floor from front to rear. Lifted suspension, full wraparound external cage, solid front and rear bumpers, heavy-duty winch, new spotlights and snorkel. 300Tdi with ally intercooler, stainless exhaust and electric fan. Front and rear bucket seats, fourpoint harness and internal roll cage. CD, CB. Will sell with a year’s MOT. £13,000. Edinburgh, 07514 497258 10/15
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footwells and chassis are in very good condition for their age, showing no signs of rot. Even the heater works! £6295. Bath, 07785 231522 10/15
Classic and Modified Land Rover Display
on the rear Quadtech box. The roof comes up so you can stand up and walk around in the back, which contains a workbench with 12v, 24v and 240v electrics – and it all works! Rear diesel heater, TD5 axles front and rear (rear Salisbury with disc brakes), anti-roll bars, new drop links, new cambelt kit, new doors, wings and bonnet, brand new R380 gearbox, new shocks all round and turrets, new Wolf rims with G90 tyres. There’s nothing this Landy has not had – it’s mint, you won’t find a better one! £9250 (no VAT to pay). Hare-field, Middx. 07807 844703 09/15
Range Rover
Range Rover Classic off-roader (1983). Converted to the bullet-proof Isuzu 2.8 turbo-diesel, with fuel pump turned up and boost increased to 1 bar. Mods include 40mm body lift (CNC steel spacers, not cheap nylon), 3” spring lift, dislocation cones front and rear, 2” front tubular shock turrets and 2” rear shock mounts, Pro-Comp extended gas shocks, Qt 6-degree castor correction radius arms, extended braided steel brake lines, front mount steering damper conversion with Cellular Dynamics damper, Qt solid steering bars, roll cage, front and rear diff guards, X-Eng rear radius arms, heavy-duty box-section steel sills and tubular rock sliders, double cardon TD5 front and wide angle rear propshafts, 24-spline rear ARB Air-Locker, Kenlow twin electric fans with Pacet controller, Warn 8274-50 with 100’ 12mm Plasma and competition hook, raised breathers, Jag XJS leather
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seats, Sabelt harnesses, custom dash. A few odd marks and dents, stiff door handles and front diff is slightly noisy on over-run (replacement supplied), and the vehicle has no MOT and will need to be trailered away. For sale as I have lost interest in off-roading. £3900 ono. Canvey, Essex, 07817 740267 10/15
24A
Hemington Lockington
DONINGTON EXHIBITION CENTRE
for last 10 years, maintained regardless of cost. If you want a very nice example, this is the one! Any inspection welcome – any mechanic will confirm that this is a nice example. £2000. Worksop, Notts, 0844 4827122 08/15
A453 M1 24
Castle Donington
Kegworth
EAST MIDLANDS AIRPORT A453
23A
Cornwall. Email tor@assignment-media.co.uk, quoting box number L07/15/001 09/15 Range Rover L322 6-cylinder diesel. Blue. 114,000 miles. 12 months’ MOT. With extras from the Supercharged model. Some age-related marks and the wheels could do with a refurb. Part-ex to clear. Shrewsbury, 01743 441787 Trade
@ Donington Exhibition Centre, Donington Park, Castle Donington, Derby, DE74 2RP. Just off the M1 junction 23a. Seated restaurant and bar. A fully accessible venue for the disabled. FREE CAR PARKING
done to the underneath, sills and arches. Engine, box and transfer case extremely strong. It still pulls really well, and fuel consumption is about 25-30 mpg. Fully off-road ready with BFG ATs on 16” alloys, rock sliders, heavy-duty roof rack and nudge bar. New exhaust and EGR plate. JVC CD stereo, sunroofs work and don’t leak. Owner emigrating. £1750. Bolton, Lancs, 0781 555 8935 09/15
straight-through exhaust, jate rings etc. Newly fitted timing belt, water pump, starter motor, CD stereo and bucket seats. Starts every time and transfer lever works correctly, though the syncro is a bit worn between 1 and 2 and there are a few dents in the wings. It’s served me well but I don’t have time to use it. £4000. Brecon, 07983 146665 08/15
Discovery Range Rover 4.4 V8 auto Vogue (2004). 103,000 miles. MOT July 16 (no advisories). Full Land Rover history. Massive spec includes sat-nav, premium sound system, TV, multi-CD and media, grey leather memory seats, heated fronts and rear, Bluetooth, winter screen pack (includes heated steering wheel), folding heated mirrors, leather dash and 20” alloys with 4 new tyres. Just magnificent throughout, looks amazing and drives, feels and smells like a newer car. Two owners only. Cost £70k new, has been cherished throughout and must be driven to appreciate it. £6950 ono. Warwick, 07710 028025 10/15
Range Rover 4.0 HSE Auto LPG (2000). 209,000 miles. MOT May 2016 (no advisories). Very nice inside and out, drives superbly with no issues. All electrics work fine. Recent new trabsfer box, ECU, oil cooler, front diff, air suspension compressor, ball joints, exhaust, heater and alternator. One owner
Range Rover Vogue SE 300 Tdi auto (1990). 92,000 miles. Looks well and sits up and drives as it should. Tow bar, electric windows, central locking, 3 keys. All the usual welding has been done and no further work is required. Work done includes body mounts, boot floor, inner wings, chassis rails, crossmember, inner sills , offside and nearside floors. This Range Rover will not need any structural work for a very long time . New calipers fitted front and rear, brake pads, discs, pipes etc. Full MOT. Very small split in the driver’s seat piping. £4650. Lincs, 07960 870446 09/15
Range Rover P38 4.6 Vogue (2001). 139,939 miles. LPG converted, runs on petrol and gas. MOT June 2016. Lovely condition. Recent new radiator, thermostat, water pump and tyres. Tow bar fitted. Radio and sat-nav not working due to disconnecting the battery – they were fine before this, not long ago, so I assume it just requires to be reset. Selling the vehicle as we have purchased a newer model. £2950. Tehidy,
Discovery 2 TD5 7-seat. 137,000 miles. 12 months’ warranty. Full service prior to sale. Very clean inside and out. £2950. Shrewsbury, 01743 441787 Trade
Discovery 200 Tdi 5-dr (1993). 134,872 miles. 4” lift (2” springs, 2” body), Insa Turbo Special Track tyres on modular wheels with spacers, wide arches, diff and steering guards, twin batteries, snorkel, bucket seats Starts and runs great. £1500 ono. Ripley, Derbys, 07584 086086 09/15
Discovery 300 Tdi Auto (1995). 160,000 miles. MOT Nov. Hundreds of pounds of welding just been
Discovery 3.9 V8i auto (1996). 120,000 miles. MOT January. Ex-Police, so well looked after all its life. Age-related body and interior, but runs very well and with a little TLC would be great. Would also be ideal to turn into a serious off-roader. £1100. Denstone, Staffs, 07791 534444 08/15
Discovery 4 3.0 SDV6 Auto 245 Commercial (2011). 124,000 miles. FSH, MOT July 16. Two owners. Leather, dual-zone climate, Bluetooth, cruise, load liner, full-size alloy spare, factory towball and electrics, Harmon Kardon stereo, 4 new tyres. £16,000 + VAT ono. Worksop, Notts, 07531 866624 10/15
Discovery 300Tdi (1995). 198,000 miles. 12 months’ MOT (no advisories). Modded with +3” springs and shocks, HD winch bumper (no winch), sump and diff guards, Safari snorkel,
Discovery 200Tdi ute (1992). 96,100 miles. MOT April 2016 (no advisories). Built by a professional fabricator. Good engine, gearbox, chassis and body, with no rot and no welding needed. It has the odd dent but looks tidy and is useable without having to worry about scratching it. Flat-bed body made from box-section with trailer wood boarding. Off-road mods include +2” HD suspension, rear dislocation cones and heavy-duty cranked trailing arms. £3250 ono, Ashbourne, Derbyshire, 07891 573087 08/15
Discovery 200Tdi (1998). 182,470 miles. MOT Oct. Hybrid turbo, alloy intercooler, EGR delete, straight-through exhaust. New clutch and bearing about 12,000 miles ago, gearbox and transfer box all good. +2” lift, dislocation cones, HD steering and suspension arms, rock sliders, guards for tank, diffs and steering. As-new off-road tyres. Starts on the button and drives with no faults, but head gasket has gone so will need to be trailered away. £1150 ono. Southend on Sea, Essex, 07584 279319 10/15
42 USED LAND ROVER PARTS FOR SALE w w w. t h e l a n d y. c o . u k
News
Issue 20: October 2015
Engine
Discovery 2 Td5 alternator. Tested. 30-day warranty. £42.50. Glastonbury, Somerset, 01458 834930 Trade
Discovery 2 Td5 auto 2002 flywheel and ring gear. Removed from a 2002 Disco 15p engine in good working order. Original Land Rover part number TKB10020. £58. Ramsgate, Kent, 01843 850600 Trade
TD5 10p engine. Taken from a Discovery. Bare engine, has been heard and seen running with no nasty knocks or bangs. 60-day warranty. £840. Glastonbury, Somerset, 01458 834930 Trade
Discovery Td5 cylinder head. 10p engine from a 2000 model. Complete with injectors, fuel regulator and exhaust. £300, 07899 783396 10/15
Discovery Td5 engine block. With pistons in good condition. Needs new big ends. £200, 07899 783396 10/15
Discovery Td5 starter motor. 2000 model, also fits the 90. £50, 07899 783396 10/15
calipers and EBC Green Stuff pads, a heavy-duty track rod and ARB armoured diff cover (if I get full asking price). Please note this is for collection only, from GL54 2EY. £900. Lower Slaughter, Gloucs, 07814 071771 08/15 Discovery Td5 front brake calipers. Set of 2. Taken from a 2000 model, with good pads and all parts to fit. £50, 07899 783396 10/15
Transmission
Genuine Land Rover intermediate gear shaft cluster. Part number FRC9460 OR IEH000120. In new shop-soiled condition. For 22D 1:410:1 transfer box. Fits models from 1986 to 2007. Usually more than £200 from Land Rover, even pattern ones are not available for less than £100, so grab a bargain! £72. Hassocks, West Sussex, 01444 241457 Trade
Freelander 1.8 manual gearbox. To fit 1997-2006 Freelander 1 models. Used item, fully tested and in working order. £60. Glastonbury, Somerset, 01458 834930 Trade
Discovery 2 V8 Auto rear propshaft. £38. Hassocks, West Sussex, 01444 241457 Trade
Discovery 300 / TD5 rear propshaft. Genuine Land Rover part, 3-bolt flange type, part number FTC 3705. Removed from a Discovery 300 Tdi, but also fits the Disco 2. In good working order. £22.50. Ramsgate, Kent, 01843 850600 Trade
Axle & Diff
Discovery 3.54:1 differential. Late 300 type. Good used condition. This is the type fitted to the later Discovery Mk1 models, with a rubber joint on the rear of the rear propshaft going on to a 3-cornered flange. The halfshafts to suit this diff have 24 splines on the inboard end. £95. Hassocks, W.Sussex, 01444 241457 Trade
Discovery 300Tdi ABS Accumulator. From a 1996 Disco, as removed by us. Good used condition. £95. Hassocks, West Sussex, 01444 241457 Trade
Suspension
Freelander 1 rear differential. Rear diff assembly to suit 1.8 petrol or 2.0 Td4 diesel. Removed at our yard, carries a 30-day warranty. £80. Glastonbury, Somerset, 01458 834930 Trade
Defender rear Salisbury axle with ARB Air-Locker. Removed from my 200Tdi 90 after the pinion bearings collapsied due to a bad rebuild (pinion nut wasn’t done up!) Locker is in good working order and has had a new air ring and pipe so it seals well and locks when required. The axle does need a rebuild; included in the sale is another part-stripped axle to make one good one. However the ARB armoured cover in the picture is not included in the sale as I need it for my 110. Please note this is for collection only, from GL54 2EY. £400. Lower Slaughter, Gloucestershire, 07814 071771 08/15
Defender 110 rear axle radius arm. Genuine Land Rover part. This item was removed from a Defender TD5 110. The bushes might need replacing. £39.95. Ramsgate, Kent, 01843 850600 Trade
Steering
Discovery 300 Tdi steering column. For late vehicles with airbags, complete with ignition lock and 1x key. Land Rover sticker still in place, showing part number ANR3654. £60. Hassocks, West Sussex, 01444 241457 Trade
Discovery 300 Tdi lower steering column shaft and knuckles. Suits 1994-1999 models. Genuine Land Rover part number ANR3171. £37.50. Ramsgate, Kent, 01843 850600 Trade
Body
Brakes Discovery 2 4.0 V8 air flow meter. In good working condition. £28. Hassocks, West Sussex, 01444 241457 Trade
Discovery 2 TD5 exhaust manifold. Removed from a 2002 Discovery TD5 engine in good working order. Original Land Rover part number LKC 102030. £85. Ramsgate, Kent, 01843 850600 Trade
Defender Salisbury front axle. The diffs in these are pretty much unbreakable! Removed from my 200Tdi Defender 90, which was used on-road and off – other than replacing the bearings and seal, I didn’t have a problem with it. Diff has had new bearings. Good chrome balls, one swivel weeps slightly. No noise from CV joints. Good drive flanges, good discs and pads (surface rust on discs due to storage). Comes with
Products
Defender wheels. Sets of 4 and 5 available. Prices depending on spec and condition. £80-£300. Mells, Somerset, 01373 812011 Trade
Defender Td5 brake servo and master cylinder. Removed from a 2003 90. In good working order. Genuine Land Rover part SJB101891 (Lucas). £127.50. Ramsgate, Kent, 01843 850600 Trade
110 rear load rack. Fits single-cab pick-up. Complete with wind-out side canopy. £200. Mells, Somerset, 01373 812011 Trade
Hard-top for Series II or III 88”. With side panels. Rear door possibly also available if required, please ask. £145. Hassocks, W.Sussex, 01444 241457 Trade
Range Rover Classic LSE roof assembly. Good used condition – some small marks but way above average and better than a damaged or dented one. These are ultra rare as they are unique to the LSE model, being longer than any other Classic. £475. Hassocks, West Sussex, 01444 241457 Trade
Defender front wings. Large choice. £100 per pair. Mells, Somerset, 01373 812011 Trade
Range Rover Classic offside front outer wing panel. Early exposed-hinge type. Right-hand (driver’s) side. Good used condition. Removed from a 1980 2-door. It has some rather ghastly ‘styling’ trims fitted which could be removed with care, but is a lot better than many we reuse these days. £45. Hassocks, West Sussex, 01444 241457 Trade
Discovery 2 nearside headlight. Passenger’s side. From a 2000 model, so pre-facelift. One of the light fitting clips has been removed. These are a simple job to change with a small screwdriver. £34. Hassocks, West Sussex, 01444 241457 Trade
110 rear canvas canopy. Fits single-cab pick-up. Frame in good condition, canvas could do with a pressure wash but good overall. £150. Mells, Somerset, 01373 812011 Trade
Vehicles
Discovery 200 Tdi or early V8 door mirror. Early electric driver’s door mirror for Mk1 Disco from 1990 to 1994, in good used condition. £24. Hassocks, West Sussex, 01444 241457 Trade
Defender bonnets. Huge choice. Price depending on condition. £50-£100. Mells, Somerset, 01373 812011 Trade
Interior
Defender footwell insulation and soundproofing. 1998-on. Rubber insulation mats to cover left and right footwells. Good used order. Sold as a pair. £87.50. Ramsgate, Kent, 01843 850600 Trade
Adventure
Workshop
working order and all functions were checked prior to removal. There are minor blemishes on both the wood and the leather, but the leather is not torn and the stitching is in good condition. The leather could be re-coloured to make it look like new. £225. Ramsgate, Kent, 01843 850600 Trade
Off-Road
Land Rover Defender heavy-duty front winch bumper. Brand new and never been used. Heavy-duty to suit Defender 110 or 90. Heavy-duty recovery points, ready painted with POR15. Collection only from Mansfield, Notts. £125. stig@ exup1000.co.uk 09/15
Unimog 4x4 axles. Taken from a 404 model and therefore have locking diffs. One is complete, the other has been partially stripped in preparation for a disc-brake conversion. Ideal for building the ultimate off-road Land Rover! £1000, offers invited. East Midland, 07968 960619 09/15
Wheels & Tyres Discovery 2 TD5 heater assembly with air-conditioning. From a 2001 Disco, as removed by us. Good used condition. £48. Hassocks, West Sussex, 01444 241457 Trade
Matching set of 5 tyres. 235/85R16C. Road-going pattern, reasonably chunky but nice and quiet. Removed when I fitted off-road tyres. As new. £275. Chichester, 01243 788811 08/15
31x10.50R15 BFGoodrich Mud-Terrains. Set of 5. Not mounted on Land Rover fit rims. These are the old-style BFG Muds Defender TD5 seat box. Various colours available, with and without carpets. Some minor blemishes, dents and corrosion, but all are in good used condition and you can take your pick when collecting. £80. Ramsgate, Kent, 01843 850600 Trade
Range Rover P38 wood and leather steering wheel. Lightstone finish. In good general condition and full working order, with radio and cruise control buttons. This item was removed from a 2001 P38 Vogue model in full
Clubs
from before the KM2. Part-worn, with some war wounds but plenty of tread left on them. £400. South Derbyshire. shrek. donkey@hotmail.com 10/15 Set of 4 Land Rover Tornado alloys. 16”, Defender fit. All are in a good, clean condition. £80. Stafford, 01785 255563 or 07913 021857 09/15
Breakers 300Tdi 90 parts. Removed from a vehicle I’ve refurbished. Includes chassis, in need of some welding but has had new rear crossmember a few years ago; 4 springs and shocks in good condition; complete exhaust; radiator; one seat frame; door frames; and various other bits and pieces. Buyer collects. Available separately or in lots to suit you. Priced depending on what you’re after, offers welcome. Evesham, Worcs, 07795 447184 09/15 Discovery 2 (1999) rolling chassis. Complete with TD5 engine and automatic box, axles, propshafts, fuel tank, ACE and air suspension, five 18” alloys with tyres (two as new, two very good). Chassis rusty at the rear. Complete with V5 logbook. £900 ono. 07788 535957, Essex 06/15
Series III parts. Front grille, rear tub, bonnet, steering box, 2 door skins, clutch pressure and friction plate, brake servo, oil bath air cleaner. £100 the lot. Manchester, northernmicroplant@ gmail.com 10/15 R-registered petrol Freelander. Breaking all parts. Nice 17” alloy wheels and good tyres, engine (cambelt) broken, good gearbox, axles and propshaft. Buckinghamshire, 01494 758539 10/15
Listings your parts for sale on this page is FREE for private sellers and existing advertisers. Just call Gemma Pask on 01283 553242
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Calendar
Off-Road Playdays Mud Monsters
East Grinstead, West Sussex
North Yorks Off Road Centre Robin Hood’s Bay, North Yorks
26 September Kirton Off Road Centre
Kirton Lindsey, North Lincs
27 September Cowm Leisure Dates are apt to change, so always check with the site before travelling
Whitworth, Lancashire
Frickley 4x4
29 August
North Yorks Off Road Centre
Frickley, South Yorkshire
Kirton Off Road Centre
Parkwood 4x4
Mouldsworth, Cheshire
30 August
Picadilly Wood
Kirton Lindsey, North Lincs
Kirton Off Road Centre
Kirton Lindsey, North Lincs
13 September
31 August
Essex, Rochford and District 4x4 Club
Kirton Lindsey, North Lincs
Cowm Leisure
Whitworth, Lancashire
Hill ‘n’ Ditch 4x4
Mouldsworth, Cheshire
Kirton Off Road Centre
Kirton Lindsey, North Lincs
Thames Valley 4x4
Avon Dassett, Warwickshire
6 September Bala 4x4
Bala, Gwynedd
Devil’s Pit
Barton-le-Clay, Bedfordshire
Dundry Off-Road Dundry, Bristol
Muddy Bottom
Minstead, Hampshire
Robin Hood’s Bay, North Yorks
Hill ‘n’ Ditch 4x4
Tong, Bradford
Kirton Off Road Centre
Bolney, West Sussex
Slindon Safari
Rayleigh, Essex
Fontwell, West Sussex
4 October Bala 4x4
Bala, Gwynedd
Hill ‘n’ Ditch 4x4
Devil’s Pit
Thames Valley 4x4
Dundry Off-Road
Mouldsworth, Cheshire Mannington, Ringwood
19 September Burnham Off-Roaders Tring, Hertfordshire
20 September Burnham Off-Roaders Tring, Hertfordshire
Barton-le-Clay, Bedfordshire Dundry, Bristol
Frickley 4x4
Frickley, South Yorkshire
Muddy Bottom
Minstead, Hampshire
North Yorks Off Road Centre Robin Hood’s Bay, North Yorks
Picadilly Wood
Bolney, West Sussex
Explore Off Road
11 October
Frickley 4x4
Essex, Rochford and District 4x4 Club
Muddy Bottom
Thames Valley 4x4
Silverdale, Stoke-on-Trent Frickley, South Yorkshire Minstead, Hampshire
Rayleigh, Essex
Oxley’s Shaw, Reading
Green Lane Convoy Events 29 August
7-8 September
27 September
UK Landrover Events
4x4 Treks Galloway
UK Landrover Events
2-3 September
9-10 September
28 September
4x4 Treks Galloway
4x4 Treks Galloway
UK Landrover Events
5-6 September
12-13 September
3-4 October
Lost World Adventures
Atlas Overland
Trailmasters
6 September
21-26 September
18 October
UK Landrover Events
4x4 Treks Galloway
UK Landrover Event
East Yorkshire
Galloway Forest
Wales
East Yorkshire
Forrest Estate, Galloway
Galloway Forest
Wessex
Galloway
Lake District
Peak District
Yorkshire
Lincoln and Belvoir
Issue 20: October 2015
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w w w. t h e l a n d y. c o . u k
Issue 20: October 2015
News
Products
Vehicles
Adventure
Workshop
Clubs
Riding easy with NERO
Words Stephen Busby Pictures Mike Trott NERO’s green lane run on 19 July was aimed at attracting more novice drivers, so we took to a series of lanes around Slaley Forest, not far from the West of Consett. We started the day at Carterway Heads on the B6278/A68 junction. When we arrived, we found Steve and Brian in an 06-plate Range Rover and Stuart and his dad Gary in a 90 – which incidentally was previously featured in Total Off-Road after Gary
had re-purchased it in 2013, having sold it years before. Both the 90 and the Range Rover looked very smart and I was pleased I had washed my 110 for the first time since we got back from Tunisia! Kevin and Steve arrived in Kevin’s 90, as well as Phil in his newly painted 90, which is currently undergoing a rolling restoration prior to an adventure to Tenerife. The first lane started a mere ten yards from the meeting point and was successfully navigated by all five cars. As part of our novice focus, Barbara
was driving the 110 and I was navigating. I must say her driving was better than my navigation… The second lane looked rather daunting; it branched off the side of a road and was totally overgrown. When we first entered the lane, which had quite deep ruts, we failed to follow my own rule of always engaging low range while on the road. After a few goes, we managed to find low box. Barbara had never driven in deep ruts before and tried to drive out of the rut at a sharp angle, stalling a couple of times. Watching this was enough to prompt Steve in the Range Rover to meet us at the next lane, while the four Defenders had no problem with the lane once they got going. It’s quite nice to drive through very long grass; it’s rather like floating through a white mist, with the added obstacle that you can’t see where you are going and have to rely on the ruts to guide through. The third lane, which began with an interesting right turn directly from the A68 we’d recced earlier in the day, was strategic. We had our grandkids staying so thought ice cream would be good call, and it took us directly to Wheelbirks Ice Cream Farm! Following this, we retraced our steps to the
A68 where a simple left turn lead us to Kiln Pit Hill and into Slaley Forest. Slaley has some nice lanes but also many TROs in place to keep people away from the logging activities. They’re mainly quite hard-packed but could be interesting in the wet as some sections are clay, which will get nice
were out driving in the forest but had no idea where they were going. Not the right thing, that. We invited them to follow us rather than driving around aimlessly and ending up stuck. The guys were thinking of getting a Defender, so we gave them contact details. Result.
and slippy when mixed with some water. We always make Kevin tail-end Charlie, the idea being that his 90 could pull any of the other motors out if they got stuck… and also it means we have Steve to shut the gates. While in Slaley, Phil was stopped by a couple of guys in a Nissan. They
The highlight of the day was the lane from Slaley down into Blanchland, which offered magnificent views. The next green lane run will be Sunday 27th September 2015. If you are interested in joining, please let me know by emailing stephen.busby@ sulzer.com
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Destination: Warwickshire Words and Pictures: Noel Watson The forecast for Warwickshire on Saturday 25 July was dry with sunny intervals. The reality was something entirely different: cloudy with occasional light showers and fairly humid. But whatever the weather, it’s always good to go laning. This classed as a ‘long haul’ destination for the Cheshire LRC. The main group set off from the Red Lion at 8am, minus Steve J who had experienced a last minute cam cover gasket failure which became terminal in the process of trying to fix it! A pick up point at Stafford Services swelled the numbers, who then enjoyed rather too much M6 scenery and the joys of the Birmingham area rat runs following a motorway closure. Meanwhile, I travelled separately, preferring to be sympathetic to my 200Tdi by avoiding the motorways and taking the scenic route via Bridgenorth. I did manage to get lost in the Redditch maze, resulting in a slightly late arrival at the first lane where Eddie and Tracy were exercising their dogs to pass the time. An hour later, White Leader hove into view, leading the remaining trucks – making a grand total of ten. A quick briefing and a cuppa later, we split into two groups and set off in different directions to try and make up the lost time. We had the route on
Mark’s laptop and my OS maps, but no navigator. Fortunately, new member Peter had hitched a lift with Fraser and volunteered to handle the maps, bravely jumping into the hot seat. Lane 1 was easy and gave us the bonus of a shallow ford, but the following lane had been turned into a cycleway, which was confirmed by the large lumps of concrete blocking our way. Lane 4 had a longish ford with an undulating pebble bed – genuine rock and roll masquerading as the River Alne. It started with a fairly steep approach, then disappeared around an island, getting beyond hub depth and then deeper again (cue snorkel). We then arrived at a river crossroads where the main river flowed through,
the problem being that the exit route wasn’t obvious. With some encouragement from Peter to carry on, we headed for the least overgrown section of bank and hauled ourselves on to dry land, as luck would have it, coinciding with the continuation of the lane. I think it’s fair to say that no one had been tending the hedges, thickets and fallen trees bordering all the lanes, and it was quite challenging in places just to make progress, even with frequent use of the bowsaw. Mike had chosen this trip to christen his D3 following six months of fixing an assortment of ailments that come with early models. By the end of the day, it was obvious that despite all their advanced electronics and trick suspension, D3s are slightly wider than D2s and Defenders! The last lane of the day took us through woods and across several field tracks ending in… a farmyard! We had to ask for directions from farmer Giles (that is once his dog would let me out of the vehicle) and there followed a rather tentative discussion as to where we should be going – it seems he had suffered a number of thefts and was very wary of strangers. He seemed to take a liking to us and insisted on photographing all the trucks’ number plates… just for the record! We parted amiably (I think) with a set of much appreciated directions. A strange end to an interesting if long day, with everyone heading back north – the Discos opting for the motorway while the Defender drivers took the scenic route home!
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Keep your cake on! Issue 20: October 2015
Words: Mark Baitup Pictures: Sharon Baitup
In 1976, some members of the Southern Rover Owners Club (SROC) provided tow vehicles for the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) to take their vessels on the Lord Mayor’s Parade. In thanks they donated to the club a carved trophy. Since then we have held a yearly gymkhana at Renhurst Farm, a site we have been using since the early 70s that involves trailer handling skills – including reversing around the course with a trailer, which isn’t easy as we all know! The winner of the event also gets the privilege of laying out the following year’s event… so a good one to come second in! This year, the day’s proceedings were organized by Damian Mackay and myself, Mark Baitup. We started the contestants parked forward in a ‘garage’. We timed them reversing out of the garage, turning to drive through a slalom, then reversing to the trailer and connecting up, including electrics and breakaway cable. Time stopped when all occupants were seat-belted in.
On the trailer, there were a secured table and four not-so-secured chairs. Atop the table were several cups and plates of cakes, representing a committee meeting. Once hitched up, the trailer had to be taken across a bumpy field, with some large wooden blocks for good measure, and through another slalom where some canes had to be moved along the course in a relay fashion. Any items that fell off the trailer cost penalty points. At the end of the slalom, the trailer had to be reversed so that it ended up with the rear nearside wheel on a target on the ground, while the hitch had to be over a second target. The distances from each target were measured and became the score. Finally, after negotiating the slalom, replacing the canes in the correct place and conquering the wooden blocks again, the trailer had to be reversed into the ‘garage’, close to the back wall, without ‘knocking it down’. The distance from – or, in one case, through – the back wall was measured. A good selection of vehicles were entered with a range of drivers, from
newly qualified to quite a bit more experienced. It was Jon Aldridge who started off proceedings, seemingly forgetting the aim of the game and losing all the cups and a chair while going over the first log. Surprisingly,
none of the competitors lost their cakes, although they were full of water from the spilt cups! The eventual winner was Franklin Ashe, who is relatively newly qualified and has not done a great deal with
trailers. Despite this, he was very accurate in getting the wheel and hitch on the targets. Everybody else, meanwhile, breathed a sigh of relief for not having to come up with a devious plan for next year!
SORC settle in at East Fife Words: Graham Somerville Pictures: Christine Judd The Scottish Off-Road Club held the fourth round of this year’s Trials Championship at a brand new site in East Fife, which attracted a fantastic gathering of 26 competitors. It’s been a while since we’ve had these kind of numbers, so long may it continue! Splitting into two groups, we leapfrogged the sections so as to get everyone through them all. After a busy briefing, we spent the morning in one field, which was large enough to do the whole day, consisting of different angles and slopes – one or two of the top-heavy vehicles had an interesting time on these! With only three sections down and lunchtime upon us, our master-setter scurried off up the hill with two of his helpers to get everything ready for the afternoon. Meanwhile, in glorious sunshine and a nice breeze, lunch was had, with the children being entertained by the ‘magic disco minibus’. Sensing unrest amongst the eager groups ready to get back to play and to
stem some time for the course setters, we lined up for a photo shoot. Kickstarting the afternoon, the convoy of vehicles was led round a couple of barley field headlands, and up the hill to a beautiful view (and more sections of course). What a ball we had on those four sections; some thinking must have certainly gone into them to make them as interesting and challenging as possible for each and every vehicle. With the sun beating down hard, by 5pm we were all knackered and ready
for bed – what a brilliant day we’d had, on a great site with lots of scope for different activities. We’re now looking forward to our Punch Hunt on the West Coast, but by the time you read this we’ll be having our on-road treasure hunt and social activity night out, complete with fast cars and slick tuxes – yup, you guessed it, it’s a Bond theme! As always, keep up to date with all our activities at www.sorc.org.uk or through our Facebook group.
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Issue 20: October 2015
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Bowler debuts Dakar-prepped 110 in Defender Challenge
Words: Gemma Pask Changeable weather made for a tough third round of the Defender Challenge by Bowler Series, which was held from 18 to 19 July at the All Wheel Drive Club Allisport Hillrally at Walters Arena, Swansea. Walters Arena, famous for its coarse, challenging terrain, saw ten modified
Defender 90s take on 16 stages, as well as the unveiling of the Bowler V6 supercharged Defender 110 prototype ahead of an additional Class Two set to launch at next year’s event. Jon Chester, Bowler Motorsport’s Brand Director, said: ‘Opening an additional class to the Defender Challenge is the next evolution in our progression to bigger events. The Defender 110
with the V6 is a genuine and credible rally-raid car, it has the handling characteristics and power appropriate for desert racing and will give our Defender Challenge drivers opportunity to experience the bigger races on a more competitive level.’ The first and second stage saw most of the vehicles avoid any serious issues, except for car 20 and its team, which
ran into trouble and were forced to resign. In Sturgess Land Rover’s car, Edd Cobley and John Tomley were on top at the end of the first two stages, followed very closely by ‘The Defenderists’ in car 9, Ryan Cooke and Paul Mansfield. Thanks to some mechanical problems, Cooke and Mansfield dropped into fourth place by lunchtime, leaving the competition wide open. By the end of the day, Brian Palmer and Calum MacPhail in car 19 were sitting pretty in third place, behind car 11’s Gareth Carruthers and Wallace McKay who had snuck into second. But it was Cobley and Tomley who held strong and finished the day in first place, with an overall time of 01:34:59 taken to complete nine stages. Rainfall overnight made for an even more challenging course on the Sunday and slowed all the teams’ progress at the beginning of the final stages. Despite conditions improving as lunchtime approached, several teams faced difficulties with their vehicles, including car 27, whose nearside front and offside rear corners fell victim to the testing grounds. Several other teams came to the rescue, however, working together to repair the damage and get
the stricken Defender back on to the course in under an hour. Iain Peever, Bowler Technician, said of the repairs to car 27: ‘This is the true spirit of the Defender Challenge. The Northern Irish Team jumped in to help us out and we just kept going until the last minute.’ Once again, it was Cobley and Tomley who reigned supreme, having completed the 16 stages in 02:45:29 – a time that ranked them fifth on the overall rally leaderboard. Despite the difficulties of day two, Carruthers and McKay still managed to hold on to second place with an overall completion time of 02:56:47; whilst Palmer and MacPhail took the bronze for a time of 02:58:54. As for the Bowler V6 Defender 110, the weekend passed without any problems, making for a very pleased Drew Bowler, Managing Director of Bowler Motorsport, who said: ‘We have a few suspension modifications to make but the development is coming along very well.’ The Defender Challenge has a total of six rounds and Yorkshire’s Trackrod Rally is set to play host to the fourth on 26 September.