#FGPSF UIF mSTU +VMZ JTTVF PG -BOE 3PWFS 0XOFS UIFSF XBTO U B NBHB[JOF EFWPUFE UP UIF HSFFO PWBM CVU JU TPPO CFDBNF UIF CFTU TFMMJOH Y NBHB[JOF PO UIF NBSLFU " MPU IBT DIBOHFE TJODF UIPTF FBSMZ EBZT CVU UIF POF DPOTUBOU JT UIF FOUIVTJBTN UIF -30 UFBN TIBSFT GPS -BOE 3PWFST BOE 3BOHF 3PWFST o GSPN 4FSJFT * UP UIF &WPRVF XF MPWF UIFN KVTU BT NVDI BT ZPV EP 5P DFMFCSBUF PVS MBOENBSL BOOJWFSTBSZ XF WF QVU UPHFUIFS B TQFDJBM QBHF TFDUJPO MPPLJOH CBDL BU TPNF PG -30 T HSFBUFTU NPNFOUT JODMVEJOH B SVO EPXO PG ZPVS GBWPVSJUF GFBUVSFT BOE QJUDIFE -BOE 3PWFS T NPEFMT BHBJOTU UIFJS FRVJWBMFOUT UP TFF IPX GBS UIFZ WF DPNF JO ZFBST "OE UP HJWF ZPV B nBWPVS PG XIBU T JO UIF TVQFSTJ[F QBHF UI BOOJWFSTBSZ TQFDJBM JTTVF XF WF QVU UPHFUIFS UIJT GSFF EJHJUBM QSFWJFX 8F IPQF ZPV FOKPZ JUĂ
.JLF (PPECVO o &EJUPS
25 YEARS OF
CONGRATULATIONS FROM
1
2001
In May, the first Range Rover L322s roll off the production line at the Solihull factory, but it’s not until November that the most expensive product ever to be developed by the UK motor industry (£1 billion) is revealed to the world’s press at the London Design Museum.
25 GREATEST ACCESSORIES
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
11 9 10 12
NEIL WATTERSON’S PICK OF THE 25 GREATEST LAND ROVER GOODIES OF THE PAST 4 QUARTER CENTURY
13
2 5
3
7
8 15
16
14
2002
6
On March 15, the first customers take delivery of their new L322 Range Rovers. The Discovery 2 undergoes a facelift, modernising the styling and bridging the gap until its successor is ready. It’ll be another two years before the Discovery 3 goes on sale.
JACK
2 RELOCATION 3 BF GOODRICH 4 X-ENG DISC CONE
ALL-TERRAIN
Land Rover’s coil-sprung suspension keeps the wheels in contact with the ground longer than rival offerings – but fitting relocation cones takes it even further. These allow springs that have dislocated from the mounts to relocate into their correct position, so the axle can drop further and the wheel can track the ground longer. Most extreme suspension kits wouldn’t work without a relocation device.
6 ELECTRIC WINCH
The BF Goodrich all-terrain tyre is one of those items that is described perfectly by its name. It works on every surface – from snow and ice to desert sand and everything in between. Other tyres may excel in specific areas, but if you want a great all-round tyre, the BFG AT is hard to beat.
HANDBRAKE
When they’re new and working properly, the transmission brakes on Land Rovers are excellent. But on vehicles used heavily off-road, the constant dunking in abrasive dirt takes its toll, clogging the mechanism. The X-Eng uses components from earth-moving machinery to produce a simple handbrake that shrugs off dirt, increases service intervals and holds the Land Rover securely, no matter what you do with it.
7 RAISED AIR INTAKE
Mechanical and hydraulic winches are great for sustained working, but because they tend to be quite an investment – both in financial and engineering terms – they’re beyond the reach of most recreational drivers. Electric winches brought self-recovery to the masses, thereby allowing drivers to take their vehicles further, safe in the knowledge that they’d be able to get themselves out of just about anything they drove into.
The engine is the most critical part of most Land Rovers. If it stops, you ain’t going anywhere. So, keeping dust and water out of it when off-roading or overlanding is vital – and that’s where the raised air intake comes in. If properly sealed, it allows you to drive through deeper water and stops the engine drawing in so much dirt when driving in convoy in dusty areas. But don’t forget – you’ll also need axle and transmission breathers.
5 OVERDRIVE For every owner of a four- or five-speed Land Rover who is happy with the vehicle’s cruising speed, you’ll find another who’s crying out for an extra gear. The overdrive was created for these people, raising the comfortable cruising speed significantly by dropping the engine speed relative to road speed. It’ll also improve your fuel economy, as you won’t be thrashing the engine everywhere.
8 DOG GUARD Land Rovers and dogs are natural companions, but if you don’t want Fido jumping on your lap as you trundle down the lanes, you need a dog guard between him and you. But a dog guard also makes a great cargo barrier, allowing you to maximise your carrying capacity without worrying about your kit falling into the passenger area. Plus you can attach essentials such as hi-viz jackets to it – close to hand, but out of the way.
9 SILICONE HOSES
Rubber hoses have two things against them: they don’t have a very long life expectancy, especially when they make tightradius turns on vibration-prone diesel engines; and they expand under pressure. Silicone hoses, on the other hand, last for ages and maintain their bore fairly steadily, giving more consistency when driving. And they brighten up the engine bay, too.
10 SATNAV/GPS RECEIVERS
Many drivers have never used a satnav or GPS receiver, but the number is dropping every day. Satnav is brilliant – key in your destination and it’ll take you there with little fuss. A GPS receiver tells you where you are at any given time – thoroughly indispensable for adventurers. Everyone should still know how to read a map, but this technology has made travel to unfamiliar places so much easier.
11 LED LIGHTS Fitting something that saves money and could save lives has to be worthwhile. LED lights draw far less power than filament bulbs, so you’ll waste less fuel producing the electricity to power them, plus they come on much quicker – so drivers behind can react sooner.
12 ARB AIR
LOCKER
Irrespective of how good your suspension is, there will be times when your Land Rover gets crossaxled, with diagonally opposite wheels spinning. The ARB diff air locker operates with a reassuring hiss as the compressed air activates it, locking the halfshafts together and restoring traction. There are other lockers, but the ARB was instrumental in taking Land Rovers further off-road than they ever had been before.
14 DEEP-CYCLE BATTERIES
15 DIXON-BATE ADJUSTABLE
So much electrical equipment is carried in Land Rovers, keeping the engine running is only half the work of the battery. A winch, auxiliary lighting, fridge and other high-drain items take their toll on batteries and can quickly kill standard fitments. Deep-cycle batteries tolerate abuse more readily and, when used with a splitcharge system, let you power everything without ever risking running your main battery flat.
You need a good tow hitch to work with Land Rovers – and the simple-to-use Dixon-Bate adjustable unit fulfils the role perfectly. You can choose the perfect towball height for your trailer, whatever it is. Have a separate slider for each tow hook and you’ll be ready to tow in no time. It’s incredibly robust – it’ll simply shrug off knocks on rocks and being dragged through mud.
TOW HITCH
13 TIRFOR/
ROPE HOIST
Mechanical simplicity is the key to the Tirfor/rope hoist’s success. It can pull in any direction, can be stored out of harm’s way inside the Land Rover and can be used away from the vehicle – all issues with front-mounted winches. Admittedly, it’s hard work using one compared to an electric equivalent, but you’re probably less likely to drive into a deep bog as you’ll know how much effort it will take to get you out!
LAND ROVER TREASURES
16 KINETIC ENERGY
RECOVERY ROPE
PHOTOS: STUART COLLINS
1 HIGH-LIFT The high-lift jack is more than a device for lifting Land Rovers – it can be used for lifting out fence posts, as a rudimentary winch and as a cramping device, as well as many other applications. Once the ultimate Land Rover accessory, it has fallen out of favour due to more vehicles having ‘soft’ bumpers. Best suited to a Defender or Series, it works with any vehicle that has accessible steel crossmembers.
If your Land Rover is properly stuck, the quickest way to recover it is often a sharp tug with a stretchy rope. A vast amount of force is transferred from the recovery vehicle through the rope to the stricken motor, allowing the stuck vehicle to pop out. But accidents have been caused by inexperienced operators using the kit incorrectly on unsafe recovery points, so treat it with respect.
26 LRO July 2012
July 2012 LRO 27
WORDS: JOHN CARROLL
148 CLASSIC LRO July 2012
July 2012 CLASSIC LRO 149
BEST GEAR & PARTS
CLASSIC VEHICLES
&TTFOUJBM TUVGG UP IFMQ ZPV NBLF UIF NPTU PG ZPVS UJNF JO ZPVS -BOE 3PWFS t The 25 best accessories you shouldn’t be
&WFSZ NPOUI XF EFWPUF NPSF UIBO QBHFT UP QSF -BOE 3PWFST t The 1989 Camel Trophy-winning One Ten of the
without, and what to look for when buying a satnav.
only British winners, Bob and Joe Ives.
WORKSHOP
TRADER
OFF-ROD PART 1 1
2
Buying a Land Rover?
BUYING EXPERTISE
Make sure you read John Carroll’s insightful buying guides before you leave home. johnc@lro.com
triple choice
This month’s trio of Land Rovers are all fitted with the venerable 300Tdi engine. John Carroll unearths a tempting selection, from a bargain Disco for less than two grand to some serious utility for sub-£10k
1994 DISCOVERY 1 AUTO
The kicking tyres phase of the project started last summer when we held up a 109in Series III offside wing to the side of my Discovery van to get a rough idea of what a 100in pick-up could look like. It was immediately apparent that the Off-Rod project was feasible and that the Discovery’s rear overhang almost matches that of the 109in.
Land Rover invented the coil-sprung Land Rover by putting Series III panels on a V8 Range Rover chassis in the early 1980s. This is one of the engineering test vehicles and it uses a five-door station wagon body with the overhang chopped off. We intend to shorten the leading edge of the back body to preserve the overhang and avoid cutting the wheelarches.
3
OFF-ROD – GAME ON! I
f I say I’m about to build a shed out of secondhand wood, you’ll imagine one thing, but if I say I’m going to build a garden room out of recycled timber you’ll think something quite different. Well, it’s the same with Land Rovers, and we’re about to build one out of £750 worth of scrap. Despite the image this statement no doubt conjures up, we’re aiming for a cool truck. Think American street rod – an old vehicle that’s been updated with a newer engine, better suspension and some creature comforts. Think a combination of old-style motoring with modern levels of performance and comfort. This mix-and-match concept appeals to me, as does the convenience of an updated
X LRO Xxxx 0000
classic. And one of the street rods my heart desires is a Series vehicle with the engine and suspension of a coil-sprung Land Rover. Mind you, there’s not much ‘street’ about a Land Rover, it’s more of an off-road rod. Project Off-Rod it is. I got my start writing for magazines in the 1980s and one of the pro-greenlaning 4x4 titles of the time featured Mike Scott from the All-Wheel Drive Club (AWDC) as a columnist. Mike drove the first 100in hybrid Land Rover I’d seen. That magazine’s editor, Russell Fisher, commissioned a similar machine from Pete Rowe and ran it as an occasional buildup series. I diligently collected every instalment. Pete Rowe is a noted AWDC competitor and engineer and Fisher’s machine was one of
1996 DEFENDER 110 HIGHCAPACITY PICK-UP
Desirable heavy-duty commercial that’s suitable for work or play, but in need of some cosmetic attention
1997 DEFENDER 110 TRUCK-CAB TIPPER
A two-owner specialistconverted tipper truck that’s ready for work (or for someone with a tipper truck craving)
Churchill 4x4, Hanbury Garage, Droitwich Road, Hanbury, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire B60 4DH. churchill4x4.co.uk, 01527 821440
An off-road hot-rod Discovery/ Series III hybrid? Now, that’s what you call a project. And who better to mastermind it than John Carroll‌ 80/88/100in-coiler trialler built by Qt and Whitbread 4x4 is one of the 21st century incarnations of that vehicle. The machine I’m planning is more conventional: a 100-inch Series III Land Rover pick-up.
Just £100 bought this 1997 Discovery 1 as the basis for the Off-Rod build. It’s a non-running, five-door, 300Tdi Discovery that’s been cut about a bit to fit off-road accessories. Crucially, its chassis is structurally sound and its axles, gearbox and V5C are present and correct.
5
6
ÂŁ1950 DISCOVERY 1 300Tdi
STAY SAFE ■Check your driving licence allows you to tow the kind of trailer required for shifting large pieces of Land Rover. Make sure the loads are secured with ratchet straps, check the trailer is hitched correctly to the towing vehicle and that the trailer’s lights and brakes work. ■In the workshop, take care to drain fuel and fluids from the donor vehicle and not to stand under an unpropped body while it’s being lifted clear of the chassis.
as a three-door version, although the five-door was introduced the following year. From the outset, the diesel Discovery was powered by the new 2.5-litre 200Tdi. Then in 1994, the year this Discovery was made, the vehicle received a raft of cosmetic and mechanical upgrades, headlined by the replacement of the 200Tdi engine with the 300Tdi. This motor was quieter and vibrated less than its predecessor and was generally more refined. Aesthetic improvements included larger headlamps and a second set of rear lights in the bumper. If you want a first-generation Discovery to use as a family
This is the world’s rustiest Ninety, bought on eBay for £370. It’s fit only for scrap but will yield a number of useful items, including a repairable bulkhead and seatbox as well as usable floor panels and transmission tunnel. There is also an LT77 gearbox with a short bellhousing.
F
This rear tub from a 1977 Series III 109in, bought for £65, is pretty straight and not badly corroded. It’s also ideal for shortening to suit the 100in Discovery wheelbase. Add a £30 Series III windscreen to this lot and I’m short of a truck cab, tailgate and front panels. I’ve spent £565 so far and anticipate that I’ll have all the raw material for around £750.
Land Rover’s prototype coiler, seen here, uses a Stage 1 V8 front panel, while Russell Fisher’s 100-inch uses a Ninety grille and panel to leave room under the front for the engine, fan and radiator. For the Off-Rod, I’ve decided to use a Series III front panel set back between the wings in the standard position.
www.britpart.com sales@britpart.com
July 2012 LRO 185
is far less common or many than the manual would-be AUTOMATIC version – and buyers in FIVE-SEATER there was never the market for a RECENT an automatic 300Tdi-powered CAMB ELT version of the Land Rover, Defender 300Tdi. seeing the lever of CHANG E The price will an automatic appeal to those transmission in the browsing for a bargain: cabin will have them less than two grand won’t get asking the salesman for a you a nice Defender of any sort, test-drive – automatics are but this kind of budget gives you desirable as they’re more a huge choice of Discos. But you user-friendly off-road than need to buy carefully as many are manuals. The Disco 1 300Tdi auto
suffering from severe corrosion. This 1994 300Tdi automatic in metallic green at £1950 is typical. It features alloy wheels, anti-lock brakes, air-conditioning, remote central locking, cruise control, electric mirrors and all-round electric windows. That’s a nice roster of kit, although this is one of the minority of Discos with only five seats, which limits its appeal to some. The lack of sunroofs may be seen as a positive by canny buyers, given their propensity
to leak (and they do little when opened except increase wind noise in the cab, anyway). Its mileage of 162,466 miles is on the high side – but you should always judge a Land Rover of this age on condition, not mileage. And on that basis, this one is well worth a second look. The Discovery 1 was launched in 1989, based on the chassis and LT77 transmission of the Range Rover with permanent fourwheel drive and a locking centre diff. It was initially available only
WINDOWS AND INTERIORS Electric window mechanisms can fail and the doors can drop. This one is surprisingly clean and tidy considering its age and mileage.
■The VIN is on the front panel of the vehicle, visible when the bonnet is opened. ■Mods to consider: this Discovery already has the ever-useful tow hitch, but a new owner may want to fit lifted suspension and chunkier tyres to give it more ability when it comes to off-roading or greenlaning. ■Essential reading: ask questions on the forum at discoveryownersclub.org. It would be a good idea to join the club while you’re there. ■How to find history: trace previous owners via DVLA and V5C supplied with it. WHAT WILL IT COST ME? VED £215 Economy 26mpg Fuel cost per mile 25.3p* Insurance group 12 Front hub £12 Tyre (as fitted) £100 Steering box £183 exchange Windscreen £160 Headlamp £30 Road spring £25 *Diesel 145p per litre
ON SALE AT
The donor Discovery body is lifted clear of its rolling chassis to provide the basis for the new LRO project, a 100-inch Series III coiler hybrid – or the Off-Rod as it will be known
a succession of Land Roverbodied Range Rovers he built. The reason these home-built coilers became popular back then was that the Ninety and One Ten were still new and expensive, but rusty old Range Rovers and Series body panels were plentiful and cheap. When it came to clubs such as the AWDC, where homebuilt specials abounded, the 100-inch Land Rover/Range Rover hybrid was inevitable. I hankered after one back then, but it would take me 25 years to do anything about it. Defender-shaped Land Rovers are still expensive and rusty old Discovery 1s and Series body panels are still plentiful and cheap. It seems like the perfect time to revisit the 100in hybrid concept. In some ways it never went away and the
Britpart, The Grove, Craven Arms, Shropshire SY7 8DA, England.
4
No sunroofs, and only five seats, but has aircon, cruise control and ABS. Some corrosion but basically sound
NEED TO KNOW
Unmolested interior features original branded radiocassette player
WHEELS AND TYRES
BOOT FLOOR
Check the condition of the tyres. Look for off-road and building site damage such as cuts to sidewalls. These General Grabber AWs are fine, although the Pirelli spare will need changing soon. The alloy wheels show minimal signs of corrosion.
Very prone to rusting. By this age they either need a new floor or will have had one. There are no exceptions – check to see which is the case, as you may need to budget to replace the rear floor. Pattern-part floors cost about £45 and need welding in.
runabout, works hack or haulanything towcar, you should go for a 300Tdi, whether manual or auto. Not only is the 300 a better engine than its predecessor, but the vehicles it lives in are also more recent – and there are many more of them around these days. This example is structurally sound, but needs cosmetic attention. It’s suffering a bit from corrosion, particularly in the alloy of the doors. You can see the rusty steel of the wheelarches when you open the rear doors, and alloy is bubbling behind the trims on the doors and body. It’s straight enough, sits square on its springs and hasn’t
ENGINE The cambelt and cylinder head are always suspect on high-mileage 300Tdis. Cambelt changes are recommended every 70,000 miles; if the belt fails it will cause damage to the valves and cylinder head. This engine had it changed just last year – good news! been messed with, shown by the presence of the original Discovery-branded radio/ cassette, and the interior is clean and undamaged (apart from a few holes where a phone has been removed). I guess you could say it’s simply showing its age.
Its 255/65 R16 General Grabber tyres all have loads of tread left on them, there’s a fitted towbar and there’s lots of service history, including proof that a cambelt change has been carried out as recently as 2011 – that’s an important selling point.
VERDICT
Towbar and plenty of tyre tread are in this Disco’s favour
218 LRO July 2012
The price is about right, we’d say. It’s hardly concours, but neither is it particularly shabby. It drives well and is MoT’d until January 2013. You could have three examples of the Discovery 1 of a similar age and specification parked next to each other and they could vary widely in terms of condition and price. This will be a legacy of what they’ve been used for, and how they’ve been cared for and maintained. There are hundreds of the things for sale at any given time, so don’t succumb to bidding online for one, hoping that the description is accurate – never buy any Discovery 1 without actually looking at it.
July 2012 LRO 219
WORKSHOP ADVICE
BUYING ADVICE
&YQFSU UFDIOJDBM BEWJDF ZPVS QSPCMFNT TPMWFE BOE IPX UP %*: UVUPSJBMT t Removing a failed Freelander Intermediate
8IBU UP MPPL GPS XIFO CVZJOH B -BOE 3PWFS o BOE IPX NVDI UP QBZ t 300Tdi-powered Discovery 1, Defender
Reduction Drive unit, assessing the condition of a Rover V8 engine, and building a 100in Discovery 1/Series III hybrid.
110 Hi-Cap and Defender 110 Tipper assessed, and up to date values for more than 290 models.
JULY 2012 ISSUE 8 2012