Land Rover Yearbook 2018

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the year’s pages of cts for u best prod over dR your Lan

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Off-roading Protecting Carrying Towing Enhancing Repairing Diagnosing Improving Winching Lighting Servicing

For over 35 years, servicing and repairing Land Rovers has been made easy with Britpart.

As the leading independent wholesaler, we’ve a wide range of accessories, service and repair parts for the entire Land Rover marque.

Upgrading Restoring

We can supply body components right down to replacement nuts and bolts and everything else in between and with our range of accessories you can make your Land Rover as unique as you.

To find your nearest stockist - www.britpart.com/distributors

Series / Defender / Discovery / Freelander / Range Rover / Range Rover Sport / Range Rover Evoque

Contents 60

Features 4

RANGEY SPORT SVR

8

EVOQUE CONVERTIBLE

Behind the wheel of the fastest vehicle Land Rover has ever made – the brutal but beautiful Range Rover Sport SVR

If you thought the Evoque was a Landy too far, wait until you see this – the ultimate in ragtop 4x4 pose-machines. But is it still a real Land Rover underneath

12 PRODUCTS SHOWCASE

Whether you’re a restorer, a modder, an off-roader or someone who’s just trying to keep an old Land Rover running from day to day, here’s 10-plus pages featuring some of the best kit to have come on to the market during the last year

136 BUYERS’ GUIDE

If you don’t currently own a Land Rover, reading this magazine is bound to make you want one. And the good news is that we’ve also got a treasure trove of info to help you scratch that itch without making yourself bleed

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Vehicles 28 REBORN 110

A British company is tracking down old Defenders and restoring them to tip-top standard – for a very demanding clientele

30 WEEKEND WARRIOR

Gloucester Land Rover is pioneering a new Land Rover based camping system aimed at short to medium term escapes

36 EX-MILITARY BARGAIN

Who said all Defenders are over-priced?

This demobbed 90 would make the perfect second car

38 PIONEERING V8 RANGEY

Back in the days when almost all Range Rovers were V8s, John Eales was one of the first people to create an enhanced one.

And it’s still his pride and joy today

42 CUSTOM 90

An eye-catching Land Rover created by a man who hadn’t done it before but asked himself one simple question: just how hard can it be?

48 MIGHTY STREET SLEEPER It might look like any other 110 van… but with a glorious Chevy V8 under its bonner, it’s anything but

52 BIG-TIME 11O

A Defender built with the purpose of showing people what you can do – and you can clearly do a lot

56 ONE OF THE FAMILY

A beautiful 109 brought back to its former glory – after spending its entire life with one family

60 ORIGINAL POSH LANDY

In the days before the Range Rover and so on, there was the Tickford. And the coachbuilt Series I station wagon is absolute perfection for collectors today

From the team that brings you…

64 SERIES IIA DOUBLE-CAB

No, Land Rover never made one… but just wait ‘til you see what a DIY builder has done with this classic 109

68 RAREST RANGE ROVER

The 25th Anniversary Rangey is classic car heaven. Because only 25 were made… or were they…?

72 FIRST EVER 110

Under the skin of Dunsfold’s prototype of the Land Rover that went on to become the Defender

What better way to organise an old pals’ get-together than by doing it on the mountain trails of Portugal aboard a convoy of Land Rovers?

120 NORDKAPP BY WINTER

Driving to the top of Europe isn’t such a big deal… but doing it in the depths of winter aboard a Discovery you’ve rebuilt is defintely more of a challenge

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Founding Editor Alan Kidd Editor Mike Trott Brand Manager Peter Lowe

74 RESTORED STAGE 1

Art Editor Samantha D’Souza

86 MIGHTY 90

Contributors Graham Scott, Matt Abbott, Paul Looe, Dan Fenn, Richard Johnstone, Tim Howe, Marilu Peries

A much-admired vehicle from the end of Series III production – which bridged the gap between old and new

It looks curvy in a way that might fool you into thinking it’s a bit soft. But this off-road machine is very hard indeed…

94 DO-ANYTHING DISCO 2

Ever seen a vehicle used for a combination of overland travel and hardcore desert racing? No, it really is real…

98 COOL DEFENDER

Every Defender is cool, obviously. But not all of them are sticker-bombed…

104 TRAYBACK DISCOVERY

Buy a Disco 1, find that it’s full of rust, cut its body off and turn it into a off-road beast. Makes sense at every level

110 GO-ANYWHERE TOMCAT

Another rotten Disco 1, another off-road buggy – only this one was built using the ever-popular Tomcat kit

130

Photographers Harry Sherrard, Ian Foggett, Noel Peries, Tom Parker Advertising Sales Manager Ian Argent Tel: 01283 553242 Advertising Production Sarah Kidd Subscriptions Manager Catherine Martin Subscriptions Assistants Lucy Williams, Yasmin Clews, Kay Tunnicliffe Head of Operations Jackie Lowe Publisher and Head of Marketing Sarah Kidd Email: sarah.kidd@assignment-media.co.uk To subscribe to The Landy, or renew your subscription, call 01283 553243 Current price for 12 issues: UK £20 The Landy is available from newsagents, priced at £2.50 a copy, and free through selected Britpart dealers

Adventures 112 EXPLORING PORTUGAL

Tel: 01283 553243 Email: tor@assignment-media.co.uk Web: www.thelandy.co.uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/thelandyuk

Every effort is made to ensure the contents of The Land Rover Yearbook are accurate, however Assignment Media Ltd accepts no responsibility for errors or omissions nor the consequences of actions made as a result of these

126 OVERLAND CITIZENSHIP Deciding to go travelling is the easy bit.

Actually doing it is a lot harder. But carrying off your expedition responsibly – now, that’s a real skill. And a very important one, too

130 NORTHUMBERLAND

A group of ex-military Landies venture out on to the green lanes at the top end of England

When responding to any advert in The Land Rover Yearbook, 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 loss or damage incurred as a result of responding to adverts Where a photo credit includes the note ‘CC-BY-2.0’ or similar, the image is made available under that Creative Commons licence: details at www.creativecommons.org The Land Rover Yearbook is published by Assignment Media Ltd, Repton House G11, Bretby Business Park, Ashby Road, Bretby DE15 0YZ

© Assignment Media Ltd, 2016

3 07/11/2017 19:43

ABSOLUT Power corrupts, they say. And absolute power corrupts absolutely. And the Range Rover Sport SVR has 550bhp…

So is this brawling beast of an on-road hooligan capable of corrupting the mind of a Land Rover traditionalist and converting him to the dark side?

WORDS: MIKE TROTT PICTURES: ALICE KNIGHT AND MIKE TROTT

P

erformance and excellence come in many different shapes. In the same way that I can perform remarkably when de ouring the office supply of pies my performance at the gym in trying to alleviate the effect of said pies is rather less remarkable. loser to laugha le some would say nlike me on a treadmill efenders as we know are e tremely remarka le machines s s go they are irtually unri alled across adverse terrain and have become one of Britain’s most iconic and celebrated pieces of engineering. nd rightly so

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ut while a efender can rule the roost at say a playday in il erdale take it to il erstone and it ll get into a ap f course I m eing unfair he efender was never designed to devastate racetracks. Clipping apexes and repelling the urge to break into oversteer as you open up the throttle isn’t what Land Rover is about.

Or is it? he ange o er port was the first major offering from within the skunkworks that is aguar and o er s pecial ehicle perations di ision he team here is tasked with designing

and uilding the most powerful lu urious and desirable Land Rovers ever grace the Earth. his ersion of the ange o er port is assuredly all these things hen it was new it announced its arrival by becoming the world’s fastest production romping around the Nurburgring in 8 minutes and 14 seconds. he s engine is a raunchy litre supercharged tuned for a satisfactorily ade uate hp es you read correctly It s a figure that is now dominating your mind and when you dri e the angey that o session o er the engine with its power noise

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 07/11/2017 19:35

TE POWER

and pure performance, never stops. It dictates the whole driving experience.

And what an experience it is.

You have to appreciate that this is a different sort of Land Rover; another way in which to get your kicks in an SUV. And maybe that’s it: where the Defender is the classic 4x4, maybe the SVR is the epitome of the phrase ‘SUV’. Utility-wise, it’s still as practical as the Sport ever was – only with a whole lot more in the way of Sport.

The Defender, of course, is there to get you to your destination whatever the terrain. The SVR is acceptably close behind in that respect – but on

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07/11/2017 19:36

The SVR is as luxurious as any other Range Rover Sport, but adds its own take on the theme of a high-performance interior. The race-style seats are the most obvious example to look at, but who could fail to smile at the prospect of a ‘loud’ button for the exhaust?

a different planet altogether when it comes to getting you there as quickly as the laws of physics will allow.

As high-performance vehicles go, you’re looking at a class of one, or not many more.

The SVR could certainly go off-road, and tackle ruts and boulders… in much the same way that the Duchess of Cambridge could take to pole dancing. I’ve no doubt that either would make for highly enjoyable viewing, too – but in each case, put them back in their comfort zone and rather than merely doing well for what they are, they’ll excel.

Throw HRH an evening banquet, to wring the last drops out of a struggling analogy, and you can expect her to dazzle. The same applies to the SVR. Show it a sweeping A-road or an inviting (and wide) B-road, and this two-tonne missile rockets down the tarmac like nothing you’ve conceived even in your most mind-

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boggling of dreams. Its pace is startling: its agility is staggering.

Combine the forces that are pressing you into those beautiful SVR-embossed sports seats with the soundtrack of a thunderous racecar playing around behind you, and you might ponder that the SVO division should stop making cars and focus on making music. Is that a silly thing to say?

Well, the SVR has a button for ‘Loud Mode’, so embrace the madness.

Switch the SVR into Dynamic mode and turn off the electronic nannies, meanwhile, and it’ll be more than just loud. Tail-end naughtiness will forever be a prod of the throttle away: other road users will definitely think you re a pillock but you’ll think you’re a driving God. You’ll have the grin to prove it, too. No licence, obviously, but what a grin.

Exit the corner and lean hard on the throttle, listen to the supercharger sing and feel the

rears start to break traction. The active exhaust blares ungodly tones, you feed in opposite lock and before you know it, you’re at the helm of a rapturous £100K vessel travelling sideways down the road. ‘Exhilarating’ is an understatement.

And yet this is still a Range Rover at heart.

Which doesn’t mean pace, grace or luxury (though clearly it has all three). It means you can use it as a family car, a van, a tow truck or, yes, an off-roader.

The compromises are there. Its braked trailer capacity is ‘only’ 3000kg (that’s 500kg down on the legal maximum which every Land Rover of every kind used to be rated to haul, and which every other Range Rover Sport can deal with in its sleep), and the dynamic miracles it can achieve on the road inevitably mean it’s less able on rough terrain. A 295/40R22 tyre size is pretty much the opposite of what you want about you in the mud, too.

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 07/11/2017 13:40

Above: When you look under the bonnet expecting to see a 5.0-litre supercharged V8 engine, only one thing could ee e etter a t at s a out a a re of ar o fi re e e i e is oo for pa l f ft i mea s a -se o - time a mp top spee t also mea s mp om i e a m of ut e ou re spe i o a t o-to e roa ra er ou re u li el to let su matters trou le ou o e ri t f ou re oi to tell a tale of mo ster ra i a lue o t expe t t em to ma esi t is most extreme a

o ou etter e a le to stop i t reat rem os lur i e i ilit a t e s rappe arou sai allo s sti t e e ou loo li e a ero i mu o itio s t ou e e it su e o er port is still a a o e-a era e off-roa er a to ar

Yet that towing limit remains the stuff of serious capability, and you’d still pick the SVR over pretty much anything comparable for off-road use. Sensible, appropriate, restrained offroad use, for sure, but that’s a caveat we’ve had to apply to the top end of Land Rover’s products for about a quarter of a century now.

What it boils down to is that this is one of the most complete vehicles I’ve ever driven.

What else – if anything at all – could you ask of such a machine? I say machine, but this would be too inhuman. You know how, when driving a Defender, you feel connected to it, as if you’re part of the vehicle around you? Well, it’s the same in the SVR. In a very different way, of

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 4pp RR Sport.indd 7

course, but that same bond between man and machine is there.

At £102,635 as tested, this is a creation that few will ever get to own. But while SVO is playing to a small audience, it’s clearly striking the right chord since the was first announced Jag Land Rover has poured yet more investment into this lucrative niche within its brands, extending its technical centre to the tune of £20m investment and expanding its workforce with a further 250 personnel.

You may or may not like the Range Rover Sport SVR. But when Special Vehicle Operations was first announced said that as well as concept vehicles, bespoke builds and ultra-luxury

t e allo rims to t e rou li e ompromises i its

editions, the new set-up would create its most engaging driving machines.

Job done. The Range Rover Sport is about sport, and the SVR makes it more than a sports car than ever. Will the same philosophy be applied to the forthcoming all-new Defender, resulting in an off-roader that pushes the boundaries with the same irresistible force? The Range Rover Sport SVR is a masterpiece – but that would be a life’s work completed.

Whether Land Rover would see such a thing as being relevant is open to question. For now, though, let’s hope. Actually, not. For now, let’s get back on the gas and set off sideways down another B-road. Power corrupts…

7 07/11/2017 13:40

TOPLESS Land Rover claims the roof-free Evoque is an allseason convertible. So we took it for a drive in the depths of winter to see whether removing its top has made it any less of a car WORDS: MIKE TROTT PICTURES: MATT ABBOTT

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LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 07/11/2017 19:33

TRUMPS T

he relationship between a Land Rover and a soft-top design isn’t something new.

Indeed, the very earliest Land Rovers donned canvas roof linings with sides that could be bundled up to let the wind wisp through the ‘cabin’.

All these Land Rovers possessed the oldschool charm of a Green Oval machine. But now, there’s a new breed of soft-top Land Rover.

The Range Rover Evoque is, truthfully, not always revered by Land Rover enthusiasts. Here is a car that could be accused of contradicting traditional Land Rover philosophy and being more concerned with how it looks outside the school gates rather than how it prepares to get you there in the first place But like any Land Rover produced from the dawn of time until now, it is still a very competent off-roader, but with brilliant on-road credentials and a touch of added air So what happens when you lop off the roof?

Does this undo all the positives in an Evoque?

Usually, taking the roof off a car and replacing it with a non-metal alternative tends to make it a little more well accid Apparently, the Evoque Convertible is something for all seasons, though, and supposedly has no drawbacks over a normal Evoque. Right – best show it some British winter then and see if there is a place in the world for just such a car. n first impressions it s a three door o ue with no roof. But actually it’s worse than that.

While the normal Evoque is a very handsome craft acked up with record sales figures I ust can t ring myself to say that I find the Convertible attractive.

It’s better with the roof down, no question, but with the roof up? That’s the risk in turning a vehicle into a convertible rather than designing a topless vehicle from the outset. he first e perience with the o ue was in heavy rain – an ideal opportunity then to test whether soft-top Land Rovers have become any more waterproof over the decades. Range o ers may come with a lot of fancy e tras ut an in-built swimming pool is yet to be one you can voluntarily opt for on the accessories list.

I’m happy to report I stepped out of the Evoque without having had to deploy armbands.

On leaving the house the following morning and the first with the on erti le as my steed a cold snap had taken hold and overnight the Range Rover had frozen over. Having watched as the Evoque automatically started to heat up every inch of its being without prompting, I edged out of the cul-de-sac with a measured

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 3pp Evoque.indd 9

9 07/11/2017 19:33

Interior is still very Evoque, but now very open-air too. The vehicle tested here carries the 2017 model year infotainment updates, including a new 10” touchscreen

steadiness as the Convertible took to the ice rink. I watched the outside temperature climb from a nippy 1°C to a toasty 3°C as I joined the ueue of traffic lea ing my estate at am The sky was a fresh, cool blue and, as we were approaching the end of e ruary headlights were no longer re uired at this point not that this is something you ha e to manually operate in the on erti le in any case nd slowly crawling at mph ehind some oggo estate and in front of a red Chevy Spark, that’s when it hit me. The idea, not the park It s a glorious morning and I m dri ing a con erti le ange o er I slid open the centre storage compartment where the cup holders are located and primed my finger fully knowing I was a out to em race the inner kno inside me and ecome that guy in front of all the salesmen, builders and mums quietly unaware of the show literally about to unfold before their eyes. witch engaged the whirr of the electric motors started to hum and, after a brief pause, the roof lifted off the Evoque. I sat there as the performance went on around me like eing on a stage itself as allerinas dance around me I felt like the woman ehind me was also en oying the performance, but later couldn’t decide whether she d een laughing with me or at me In all the modern and o ers I e dri en around in including the I e ne er had so

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many looks in one journey. Dare I say, I even started to develop a, albeit small, soft spot for the Evoque Convertible.

Now, before you sharpen the pitchforks and start meeting in ack alleys in a secret society set to torch me for my sins to Green Ovalism, please let me e plain eryone has a right to a fair trail, correct?

I have not taken leave of my senses, despite how it may seem. I do not now favour the ensington o ue o er the eswick eries III I do not want to start su scri ing to GQ maga ine and have debates with my chums on which rogues will est suit my merlot tinted slim fit chinos this season. o I am merely pointing out what enefit the o ue on erti le has o er a regular hard headed o ue he regular o ue is etter looking and whether you agree with the philosophy or not it is a great on road dri e aking the wheel of an ordinary o ue you ll e forgi en for thinking you re dri ing something of shorter stance and holding a much lower centre of gra ity It holds a corner admira ly with grip and poise putting more ehicles with lesser dimensions to shame than it has a right to especially when riding with the ynamic package Naturally, if you treat cars like a square and remove/soften one of its four sides, it won’t be as rigid nd that s what you can feel when you

turn the Evoque Convertible into the same bend as the regular o ue I ust don t ha e the same confidence tucking the ensington into the same twists I e en oyed in a hard top o ue The fact is that the Convertible is slower oth in a straight line and in the ends it s less economical, not as pretty, not as practical and less refined nd more e pensi e However, there are some reasons why I did warm to the soft top o ue or starters because you can only spec it in HSE Dynamic or HSE Dynamic Lux derivatives, it’s very well e uipped comes with the hp Ingenium power unit the nine speed auto transmission and makes for a very compliant cruiser. he on erti le encourages you to take a step ack in life and re ect on your surroundings it s a ery rela ing car to own something that occurred to me when I realised I never once slipped the ‘Conv’ into its Sport mode. And when the sky is lue regardless of what the temperature is outside, you can expose yourself to the natural world listening to the rustling of leaves on trees or the tweets of feathered friends as they y o erhead nd thank you and o er for the industrial powered seat heaters, which are crucial for when the roof is down in Britain’s winter.

One standout memory of my time with the ensington is on that cold uesday morning when I en oyed the topless e perience of the car y route to work sees me pass through some narrow lanes and one often oods during the winter. Many cars stayed away that day and sought the usual di ersion ut I pushed through with the confidence of a duck Shortly after that I came to the realisation that this is what separates the Evoque Convertible from other vehicles. Yes, other s came through that section and I saw other con erti les on the road that day ut I m willing to et I was the only con erti le fording my way to work that morning If you like open top thrills and need a reen al at the front of your ehicle uy a soft top eries III If you want the same ut a modern day equivalent, the Evoque Convertible is your ticket. nd remem er ust ecause something may appear to be unusual, unconventional or different, it doesn t mean to say that it is wrong

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 07/11/2017 19:33

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01480 400 892 www.lancasterinsurance.co.uk Policy benefits, features and discounts offered may vary between insurance schemes or cover selected and are subject to underwriting criteria. Lancaster Insurance Services is a trading name of Insurance Factory Limited who are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (No. 306164). For mutual security, calls are recorded and may be monitored for training purposes.

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10/02/2016 10:24

PRODUCTS

COOPER’S RUBBER FOR OFF - ROAD PROS IF YOU’RE AN ADVENTUROUS SORT, then you know you need a rugged and dependable tyre under your Land Rover. There’s no point in having roll cage, roof racks, diff guards and all the rest if you keep on getting punctures because your tyres are about as rugged as beach ball.

That’s where the ST Maxx POR from Cooper comes in. A development of the Discoverer ST Maxx, they now have a tougher tread pattern that better repels stones and nasty sharp things, as well as better absorbing impacts from big things that might otherwise cause a burst tyre. They’ve been partly developed with Xavi Foj, who brought his experience on the Dakar Rally to bear.

That’s one reason why these tyres are called the Discoverer S/T Maxx POR. The POR stands for Professional Off Road and, frankly, that’s you isn’t it? ooper has them in si es so you should find one to suit your and o er et professional by visiting www.coopertire.co.uk.

THE INJECTORS in your diesel engine have plenty of work to do, with common-rail systems working at least twice as hard as older systems. Add in some questionable fuel, a lac of maintenance in changing filters and so on, or half a do en other issues and your injectors are going to start becoming non-injectors. At which point there’s no point in being sentimental, they have to go. But how to get them out?

They’re not the easiest of items to remove, but Britpart has come up with a six-piece socket set designed to get those injectors out. Made of high-quality chrome molybdenum with a tough black coating, the diesel injector sockets will get in there and winkle out the injectors.

Job done. Well, apart from putting in some new ones, and of course you’ll be aware that Britpart’s stuff is for one particular brand of 4x4 .You can dig out the injector kit via www.britpart.com.

FRONT RUNNER’S TWO-PART DEFENDER LADDER: DEFENCE AGAINST CRAFTY BABOONS PUTTING STUFF ON YOUR VEHICLE’S ROOF is all well and good, but you need to be able to actually reach it without jumping or employing stilts. Which is where this nifty new two-part ladder from Front Runner steps up.

Two-part, you’re thinking? Or you’re thinking of bacon, in which case please pay attention.

So there’s that main part you see, made of aluminium and stainless steel and then black powder coated. It slots into the gutter at the top and then is bolted further down, above the number plate.

Then there’s the second part, which is lower down, mounted below the bumper. This is made of stainless steel and is again black powder coated. This set up allows you to get up on the bottom step before starting to climb up the main steps above. And hopefully this will be too big a gap for a crafty baboon, but you can never tell with them, particularly if you have bacon on the roof.

So if you want to better access the roof rack – obviously a Front Runner Slimline II would be perfect – then toddle along to the Front Runner website www.frontrunneroutfitters.com where

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you’ll find both parts for a combined 0 .46.

If you’re struggling to sort stuff out on your

vehicle’s roof, this really could save your bacon.

Mmm, bacon.

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 07/11/2017 14:38

PRODUCTS

ULTIMATE WORK LIGHTS FROM LAZER Lazer Lamps has launched a new range of Utility Series lamps, which are aimed at those who need good work lighting ‘to go about their daily business’.

Moles, mice, that sort of audience I guess. Although the LED lights do offer ‘outstanding levels of nighttime illumination’, so it’s also for those who conduct their daily business at night, so that is badgers, foxes, that sort of clientele.

Lazer Lamps should be commended for catering to a wide audience. As you know, life in a den or sett is fairly tough on electrical components due to the levels of damp and debris, like fur balls. But Lazer has this covered, with a heavy-duty series of lamps from 45W upwards.

The 45W unit features four LEDs with a colour temperature designed to gi e you the est definition while reducing fatigue and eye strain he lenses are also interchangeable so you can have anything from diffused to something called Dual Zone Reeded, which is apparently for when the lights are low to the ground.

The lamps feature a lot of protection against corrosion, overheating and even, as an option, protection against severe vibration. So if you’re doing DIY in your nest or sett, trot down to Lazer Lamps and see their range. You’ll need to go during the day though – they’re closed at night for some reason. lso from a er amps comes the Triple lite . nd what ind of chap wouldn’t e drawn to a product called the Triple lite t’s a range of high intensity road lights, ut it sounds li e some thing S Special orces would use. ay colonel, the S s are calling in some Triple lite s. e have a go.’

The line up of lights replaces the old lite series, and it now slots in ust under the Compe tition lamps. So they’re road legal, ut at the very top end of the range. ea intensity we love these phrases is up 0 and who wouldn’t want that There’s some clever stuff too, li e the oost technology in the Triple lite 1000. This means that you can have a solute pea light output, enough to totally lind other road users. ou can use this for when you’re off road, or on private roads or in competition.

Then, when it’s time to re oin the road, you ust ta e off the oost cap and the light ad usts down to 0 . emar a ly, that still ma es it one of the most powerful lights you’ll get on the road, ut it’s fully road legal, with a light spread that reduces immediate glare and gives a road wash of light.

THE SAVVY GRILLE… THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPANIES out there that specialise in providing parts and accessories for Land Rovers, but Series efender utfitters may not e one you’ve heard of previously.

The company is ased in the nited States and has een slowly growing the amount of different trimmings it offers for andies. ere, for e ample, we have the company’s replacement front grille for the efender.

This is a sturdy piece of it, made from C C milled aluminium to give a . mm thic metal guard that provides a more ro ust option to the factory fitted plastic unit. rom a styling point of view, the octagonal design gives it a neat appearance that’s finished off in lac powder coat. ut this isn’t ust a pretty

accessory. Series efender utfitters claims that you could drive a golf all into this grille at highway speeds and it would arely even dimple it.’ e suggest you don’t try this at home on your own drive, though, as you could e loo ing at a new windscreen or house window, or indeed a lawsuit from your ne t door neigh our. itting your new and hardened grille is a simple o ; ten minutes should do it. ll that needs doing is to loosen the current screws in the old grille, apply the new grille and twist it ac in using the same screws. ight hand or left hand drive, it doesn’t matter. ut what does matter is that there are two different grille types one for vehicles with the in ca in onnet release and one for the manual finger through the grille’ type.

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To really give your efender the frontal treatment, a selection of adges are availa le including the modern lac and silver and over adge, plus the same in green and gold. r you can go old school and get a historic Solihull adge.

The grille costs around £350 and the adges are a further £ 0 £ 0, depending on your preference. or more information, and to view other products from Series efender utfitters, pay a visit to www. seriesdefender.com.

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PRODUCTS

PUT AN ELEPHANT IN YOUR BUMPER

Astwood 4x4 Ltd LAND ROVER SPECIALISTS

We are a business that cares about your Landy and about the customers’ needs, a company who understands what the Landy is all about.

We specialise in restoring, rebuilding Land Rover Defenders, galvanized chassis changes, engine upgrade and all types of mechanical & body work.

We export Land Rovers worldwide supplying not only refurbished but also used Land Rovers.

Refurbishment/Restoration Specialist, Land Rover Servicing, MOTs, Mechanical, Diagnostics, SKYTAG Agent, Galvanized Chassis, Body Repair/Paint Shop Works Astwood Bank, Astwood Business Park, Astwood Lane, Redditch. B96 6HH Tel : +44(0)1527 892 377 Mobile : +44(0)7974075932 Email: astwood4x4@gmail.com www.facebook.com/Astwood4x4 www.twitter.com/Astwood4x4

www.astwood4x4.co.uk

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IF YOU REALLY WANT to fit in with the crowd while you’re overlanding through Africa or the depths of Asia, perhaps you should consider this unique winch bumper from Tembo 4x4.

There are many bumpers in the world for the Land Rover Defender, but this one features the shape of an elephant. Which is bound to put you on good terms with Dumbo and his mates.

On a practical front, it’ll cater for most winches, including those from Superwinch and Warn. It’s suitable for both air-conditioned and sweaty variants and comes equipped with two recovery tow points.

As standard, the bumper comes in a black finish with clear anodised aluminium parts. But you can spec the ally bits in black too, if you so wish.

It’s a little pricey, at about £1100. Unfortunately you don’t get a winch included – but you do get an elephant. Find it at www.fd4x4centre.com.

MUD, MUD, GLORIOUS MUD, as Flanders and Swann so memorably sang. It’s great to have a little wallow in – just ask your nearest buffalo, or woman at a health spa. Or indeed anyone at all with a 4x4 and a sense of fun.

But mud is not always a great thing to have ying a out.

Especially not on the way home after you’ve been playing and, responsi le off roader that you are, you don’t want to e firing random clods of grot at passing cars.

That would be why even a vehicle as basic as the Land Rover Defender was made with mud aps. ou can usually tell when said vehicle has een involved in a failed hillclim , though, ecause one or oth of its mud aps will e lying dead at the bottom of the hill in question.

The good thing a out efenders’ mud aps is that they don’t give up without a fight. h no, they ta e their rac ets with them. So if you’re into off roading and you do it in a Defender, it’s only a matter of time before Britpart’s new ud ap rac et its turn into the thing you need most in life. They’re easy to fit, ro ust and handed for left and right, and you can find a dealer y visiting www.britpart.com.

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 07/11/2017 14:39

PRODUCTS

DRAWER STORAGE FOR DISCO 3 AND 4 YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR VEHICLE NEEDS? A chest of drawers. While you’re busy getting away from it all, going off-grid, embracing minimalism, you may as well be suitably comfortable, right?

If you have a Discovery 3 or 4, then the Big Country Twin Drawer Unit should be in the back of your vehicle. It’s made in South Africa and is suitably ruffty-tuffty. At the same time it’s also fully carpeted at the top (with hard-wearing carpet rather than a swirly flowery design).

It’s easy to put in or take out and you can still access the spare wheel mechanism with it in place. It’s got drawers that are long enough to take shotgun boxes, so that would slightly restore the credibility.

And of course it gives you somewhere to store the ornaments and antimacassars that you simply can’t leave home without while going off to explore new horizons.

The drawers cost £1308.06 and you’ll find them at www.expeditionequipment.com.

In the UK THE NEW SMOOTH LIGHT CLUTCH SERVO SYSTEM FOR

The REDBOOSTER is a vacuum servo, similar to that on the braking system, which reduces clutch effort to an acceptable level, transforming your driving experience.

• A heavy clutch becomes a light clutch • No more painful knees • Gives you better control For All Defender models TDCi Puma, TD5’s, 200 & 300Tdis

Supply only price £375 inc. post to UK mainland

NEW PRODUCT

Stainless Steel Swivel Seal Retainers for Land Rover Defender, Discovery and Classic Range Rover. 2 Kits Available: Defender 300Tdi Onwards / Range Rover Classic and Discovery 1 or Defender up to & including 200 Tdi / 90 - 110 up to 1993 Kit comprising of 2 Stainless Steel Retainers bolts and spring washers.

For information or a demonstration please contact: Rod Barry REDBOOSTER in the UK John Barry Ltd 16 Dryden Road, Bilston Glen Industrial Estate, Loanhead, Midlothian, EH20 9LZ Phone: 0131 448 0808, 077655 32347 or evenings 01896 850 619 Email: rod@johnbarry.co.uk

£13.50 inc P&P to UK

A PERSON

Spare el Whe rs Cove

LISED or

Made by Nakatanenga, these tents come in a range of three different models – Basic, Basic with Annexe and Extended with Annexe. You can get them in a choice of two sizes – 140 x 240cm and 165mm x 240cm).

It could be that you’re already now dreaming of the adventures you could have with one of these. In which case, the first step on your itinerary will be to visit 4x4overlander.com – where the prices you’ll find suggest the dream needn’t be in any danger of turning into a nightmare.

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1 8 8 7 51

WE’RE ALL GUILTY of stopping and gawping whenever we see a roof tent. And we probably all have to admit that long after we’ve stopped gawping, we’re still dreaming about the adventures we could enjoy if only we had one.

Well, your options for having a tent, and therefore those adventures, have just widened.

The good people at 4x4 Overlander are to thank for that, as they’ve just launched their new range of RoofLodge tents in the UK.

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PRODUCTS

HEAVY- DUTY REPLACEMENT CHASSIS RANGE FOR LAND ROVER DEFENDERS IF YOU OWN a and o er efender of a certain age decide for yourself what that age might need to e its chassis is something you ll definitely e familiar with amiliar with and uite possi ly more than a little afraid of ith this new hea y duty chassis from ritpart the fear may start to e away It s made from grade alloyed steel and the legs are made from mm steel instead of the mm low alloy steel of the original In addition the original used two part lamination to gi e e tra strength for e ample on the outriggers he new one simply uses thicker steel for these elements and is more resistant to corrosion as a result he whole chassis has een designed with minimal mud traps and set up for a final hot dip

gal anisation process ccess is a aila le so you can wash it out or add wa protection easily o rather than patching up your old chassis may e it would e worth in esting in an entirely newer and stronger and more dura le one o far there are units a aila le for the efender di di and d with the

d due to follow soon or more details and to find your nearest stockist ha e a look at www ritpart co uk

STRONGER DIFF PIN FOR LT230

YOU REALLY DO want to keep fi e wheels on your wagon ure there are some parts of some cities where simply slowing down will mean you ll suddenly grind to a halt with your wheels missing ut usually it s the spare on the ack of your andy that is most at risk from tea lea es erlander has come up with a neat way of impro ing the odds of you getting to your destination with the full complement of wheels and tyres on oard heir new pare heel rotector co ers the fastening nuts on your efender and then it can e further secured with a shackle less padlock ince any ad person now can t get to the spare wheel nuts they re lia le to gi e up and go elsewhere r as erlander rather diplomatically puts it making the spare wheel nuts inaccessi le will slow down the unauthorised remo al of the spare wheel hey recommend you then dou le down on security and fit a spare wheel co er to all this hen the thief won t e en know if it s a manky old steel and a it of perished ru er under there or the latest sparkly alloy with a pristine tyre nd if they do get the co er off they ll see they can t now get to the wheel nuts and will cry e like that he cost of this peace of mind for you not the thief is or if you add the padlock o find out more go to www o erlander com

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IF YOU HAVE AN LT230 transfer case about your person you’ll know that sometimes even the toughest things break, which means weaker things break even sooner. Syncro Gearboxes feels your pain but have decided not to empathise but to do something about it.

Specifically, they’ve come up with a cunning design for a new diff pin. The XPIN replaces the two standard ones in the centre diff with the custom design you see in the photo. It has several advantages, the main one being strength as it is CNC machined from 300M steel, with a solid centre and the pins are full length. There’s even some nifty laser etching. Cost is £100; to find out more, go to www.onlinegearboxparts.com.

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PRODUCTS

THE SAFEST PLACE IS IN YOUR FOOTWELLS A LAND ROVER DEFENDER doesn’t have the largest amount of stowage space, particularly if you want to keep things hidden away from prying eyes. You know how it goes with the children – stash away some sweets pretty much anywhere in the vehicle with the intention

of telling them it’s there about halfway through a long journey and, like truffle hounds, they can be guaranteed to have ferreted it out before you’ve managed to reverse off your drive. Well, kids, try this.

The Nakatanenga Footwell Safe can be set into the floor either on

the left or on the right, and it fits under the carpet so it can’t be seen.

It is made of 1.5mm stainless steel which is then powder-coated and comes with a range of locks.

The safe is roughly 260mm long and about 100mm high. So if you’re on a big overland trip, it might be just the place to store things you don’t want to be seen or found such as papers and passports.

The Footwell Safe is for Puma-era Defenders, although other versions are coming soon. It costs £295 from 4x4 Overlander.

The safe is waterproof and dustproof, so as well as keeping your Haribos dry and clean, it means no odour will escape to alert your little monsters to their presence. To find our more, visit www.4x4overlander.com.

BEARMACH’S HEAVYDUTY BRAKE DISCS YOU NEVER REALLY FOCUS so sharply on the sheer weight of your Landy as you do when you have to brake hard. You might consider how well the suspension is coping with the mass as you swing down a twisty country lane, but that’s nothing compared to the laser-like focus you’ll apply when you need to do an emergency brake. You can feel every kilo dragging the vehicle forward, and it’s only the brakes that are going to stop you hitting whatever is in front.

Disc brakes are obviously a brilliant step forward from old drum brakes, and some do have some sort of hole or groove pattern in them. Most people think that’s just to let water escape but it’s more than that.

The new Cross Drilled and Grooved Brake Discs from Bearmach not only look cool, but they also run cool and multi-task at the same time.

When you brake heavily the pads clamp onto the discs and you want as clean an interface as possible between pad and disc.

The Bearmach parts disperse water but they also disperse gases that build up as the friction builds between pad and rotor. That in turn helps disperse heat build-up, so you don’t get brake-fade. And stopping heat building up in the hub, like when you’re coming down a mountain road, will reduce the chances of a tyre blowing out as well.

All in all, these Bearmach discs serve a vital function, so if you’re thinking of replacing your discs anyway, these should e worth in estigating first hey re a aila le to fit virtually all the Land Rover and Range Rover range, so check out whether they’d help your own special vehicle by heading to www.bearmach.com.

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PUMA-ERA DEFENDERS are known throughout Land Rover circles as the version that actually has a dashboard. Some people see this as a reason to sneer at them, but judging by the prices they command that doesn’t seem to put anyone off.

If you’re one of those rich types with a Puma on your drive, and having a dashboard isn’t enough to make you superior to all your Tdi and TD5-driving mates, Mud-UK has come up with a solution to your woes. The company’s Puma Switch Mount has a factory-fitted look and allows you to instal up to six Carling switches – for which it’s supplied along with Carling’s own 6-gang insert, as well as hardware and a cut-out template.

‘The Puma dashboard has an abject lack of space for extra switches,’ says Mud-UK. ‘The traditional method is to mount switches into any spare flat surface, which normally results in an ugly and untidy spread of aftermarket switches.

‘The tooling for the Mud-UK Puma Switch Mount was created using 3D scanning technology to ensure it perfectly follows the Puma model’s compound curved dashboard profile.’

That’ll be the one and only time you ever hear a reference to compound curves from anyone talking about a Defender. The kit costs £24 via www.mudstuff.co.uk.

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PRODUCTS

RANGE ROVER CLASSIC WINDOW SEALS FROM ATKINSON BESPOKE ENGINEERING ATKINSON BESPOKE ENGINEERING. They make a lot of bespoke stuff. You’d never have guessed, right?

Well, today we’re bringing you their rear quarter seals that are designed for and compatible with Range Rover Classics and LSEs, dating between 1988 and 1995.

What would your reason be for wanting to buy these seals over others on the market? Atkinson’s answer to that would be that it’s because they are made from an altogether thicker ultraviolet rubber.

The company adds that the lip on the bottom of the seal is slightly bigger and provides a etter fit than the original part o it should keep your ange o er more watertight than before, especially as these seals give better coverage and you end up with more rubber over the wings.

This is important because over time rubber seals will shrink. Which means starting with a bigger lip to begin with ensures greater durability.

These are just one of the many products on offer by Atkinson Bespoke Engineering, so do check out their website for more clever products like this one: www.atkinsonbespokeengineering.com

APB TRADING PUTS TOGETHER A BESPOKE RECOVERY KIT GETTING STUCK CAN BE HALF THE FUN. So how are you going to get yourself out of this little mess this time? When the wheels on the wagon ust go round and round without any forward or ackward motion it s time to get out the reco ery kit ot ust the ask of tea ut all the heavy-duty bits of kit that are going to help you extract yourself from the mire. How handy if it was all in one place.

With the SecureTech Recovery Kit you just have to reach for the black bag, a tough canvas carry bag complete with reinforced handles and ventilation eyelets for if it all went back in wet last time.

Inside the bag is everything you could need short of a hovering Chinook lowering a hook to you. There’s 9m of kinetic strap, 3m of tree or rock strop, snatch blocks, shackles, choker chain with hooks and even a decent pair of leather gloves. If you can’t take that lot and manage a full extraction then perhaps you should stay on the black top.

All that little lot packs neatly away in the bag, ready for the next time you want to pay and play and get stuck. The whole caboodle costs £158.88 inc VAT and it’s been put together e clusi ely y rading nd you ll find them and all the details y isiting www.expedition-equipment.com

HEAVY- DUTY DEFENDER BUMPERS FROM MASAI 4X4 MASAI 4X4 IS PROBABLY BEST KNOWN for its windows, but the company also makes its own front winch bumpers for the Land Rover Defender. And jolly robust they are too.

These are made primarily from zinc-coated steel. This is finished in black powder-coat, though you can paint it to match your own vehicle if you choose. And doesn’t a colourcoded bumper look smart?

The bumper is delivered in three parts, and we can’t see any of our readers really struggling with that particular jigsaw. It will fit most winches – and you can bolt it on to whatever Defender 90, 110 or 130 you happen to have lying about.

The price is £330 and that includes VAT. So if you’re liable to bump into anything, you’d best fit one of these first. Find them at www.masai4x4.com.

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PRODUCTS

NEW KUMHO MUD TYRE TAKES AIM AT WORKING TRUCK MARKET KUMHO HAS LAUNCHED the Road Venture MT51 – a new all terrain tyre designed for a slightly less extreme market than the existing Road Venture MT KL71. ith a self cleaning tread pattern featuring ig ag tread groo es and

robust shoulders for traction on soft and muddy ground, the MT51 also has notched shoulders to help it hook on to rocks and climb out of ruts. Sidewall biters help protect against punctures, and the tread blocks are siped for grip in snow.

Kumho says the MT51 com ines great off road capability with a very impressi e le el of on road performance, not least first class raking on both gravel and tarmac.’

At launch, the MT51 is available in a choice of twelve of the most popular sizes across the 15, 16 and inch fitment range With both M+S and snowflake markings, it promises to be a tyre for all seasons and environments – exactly the kind of tough do it all rubber that tends to be chosen by professional users. To find out more information, visit www. kumhotyre.co.uk.

BREATHE THE PRESSURE… IF YOUR VEHICLE is occasionally losing its cool, there could be an issue with the cooling system – like, duh, as any o no ious ten year old would point out. Having worked that out, what do you do now? Short of putting it into the

dealership for an e pensi e check up, there’s not much you can do unless you have some data and facts to back up your feeling.

Which is where this Cooling System Pressure Test Kit comes in. It contains everything you need to see what your cooling system is up to (there’s definitely a clue in the name here s a hand

operated pressure pump, a gauge reading in bars and psi, 16 adapters, connectors and everything else.

The kit also contains a radiator pressure cap tester, so you should be able to work out what the system is doing. This cool kit is available from your preferred Britpart dealer – you’ll find who that is at www.britpart.com

TEMBO 4X4 LAUNCHES 110 ROOF RACK TEMBO 4X4 is a Dutch company that makes specialist kit for everyone from 4x4 owners to mining operators. Since they’ve been running now for 25 years, they probably got the name Tembo and the logo of an elephant long before the video game of the same name appeared. I’m quite sure you’re all familiar with Tembo the Badass Elephant,, which came out a year or two back. Great graphics.

Anyway, in between making electric 4x4s to run in mines and other stuff they e made a roof rack for the efender tation agon fitting models from 1990 onwards). It’s made out of 6063 grade aluminium which Tembo modestly reckon means they make the ‘strongest, lightest and most reliable roof racks in the world’.

The legs in the gutter spread the load well, and they have rubber ends to a oid damage while the fittings are made of corrosion resistant stainless steel. The design is not only light but also means you shouldn’t get the kind of noise when you’re driving along that makes you wonder if you have a choir doing its first recital on the roof

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he racks cost uros and can e had powder coated in lack or silver or in a variety of other colours. You can order one here from www.fd4x4centre.nl.

Right, I’m back to Tembo the Badass Elephant as I’ve nearly got enough points to get him an extra life via a can of peanut butter. Pray for me.

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 07/11/2017 14:39

Raptor Engineering... designed by enthusiasts, for enthusiasts Our famous Dash Console has become a massive success amongst enthusiasts who for years have faced the heartache of where to mount their additional equipment. Our Console is made from steel and aircraft grade aluminium with removable, interchangable pre-cut panels along with a unique bespoke service offering custom cut panels. Suitable for pre-2000 (prior to TD5 Facelift) Defender & S111.

To complement your Raptor Console see below and visit our website to view the full range of products and accessories we have available.

We also produce a range of products including...

Defender & S111 Binnacle Mount

Defender & S111 Replacement Binnacle

A steel replacement for the plastic original Binnacle Mount that is split or broken in many Land Rovers • Powder coated in Defender & S111 Glove Box satin black to match its Lockable • Steel & aluminium • surroundings and Vented supports the Binnacle

Puma Pod

Steel & aluminium • 4 panels available • Or custom cut

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Steel, black, powder coated • Fits all pre2000 Defenders • Direct replacement for poor plastic original • Deluxe version available to complement your Raptor Console, complete with silver or black Bezel • Fits directly to your existing plastic Binnacle Mount or for a bullet proof set up we highly recommend the Raptor Steel Binnacle Mount

Puma Glove Box

All steel • Ready to fit

To place your order please visit

www.raptor-engineering.co.uk

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PRODUCTS

MM4X4 LAUNCHES BUDGET- PRICED 48” CURVED LIGHT BAR YOU CAN JUST SEE CROCODILE DUNDEE with one of these. ‘That’s not a light bar.’ Pulls out this four-foot long LED monstrosity which he’s conveniently stored between his shoulders. ‘This is a light bar.’

And indeed it is. What a whopper. It’s a curved 48” so it lights up not just what’s ahead but what’s on the periphery as well. There will be no escape when this thing fires up all its 100 LED spot bulbs.

Probably not the thing for a bit of mood lighting in your sitting room, but just the thing when you’re offroad in Wales and it’s getting dark and dingy. If you fancy scaring animals and low-flying birds anywhere in your vicinity, then check this out at MM 4x4’s website at www.mm-4x4.com where you’ll find it for £200 minus 1p.

STEVE PARKERS LTD

PARTS & MAIL ORDER 01706 854222 (OPT 1)

INDEPENDENT SPECIALIST FOR LAND ROVERS® AND RANGE ROVERS®

DISCOVERY 300 TDI CONVERSION INTO 90/110”

DISCOVERY 200 TDI CONVERSION INTO SERIES & 90/110

NEW 300 TDI CONVERSION BOLT-ON ENGINE BRACKETS FOR 90/110/SERIES MODELS

WE MANUFACTURE CONVERSION EXHAUSTS SEE WEBSITE FOR DETAILS

Genuine & Non Genuine Parts & Accessories

Leaking Discovery 2 sunroof? Replace the broken plastic spouts with our kit, which consists of New metal spout, rivets, sunroof seal, sealant & instructions

Service Kits • Batteries Engine Parts • Clutch Kits & Parts • Gearbox Parts Suspension Bushes Inc Polybush Kits • Springs, Brakes & Electrical Parts • Mild Steel Exhausts Exhaust Fitting Kits • Performance Brakes Suspension Lift Kits • Side Steps & Dog Guard Alternators & Starters • Specialist 4x4 Tyres Workshop Manuals • Winching Equipment

ONLINE ORDERING

www.steveparkers.com

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01706 854222 • LLOYD STREET, WHITWORTH, ROCHDALE, LANCASHIRE, OL12 8AA

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 07/11/2017 14:39

PRODUCTS

K&N ADDS AIR FILTER ELEMENT FOR PUMAENGINED DEFENDERS K&N has released a new air filter element for your Defender, if it’s a 2.2 or 2.4 Puma model you own. If you do own such a Landy, you’re in luck as the new filter increases airflow by 30-40% over the standard paper filter. Obviously that’s going to do good things for your engine’s ability to breathe, yet it still offers 99% filter efficiency.

You should gain more horsepower and torque while some users report improved fuel consumption too. What’s more, whereas the original filter in the airbox is a disposable air filter, these K&N filters are reusable. All you have to do is clean and re-oil them every 40,000 miles or so. Since the filters come with a million mile guarantee, it seems unlikely you’ll need to buy another one!

So, you should gain in performance while at the same time doing your bit for the environment, a winwin. The filters cost £62.49 + VAT each; check them out at www.knfilters.co.uk

TUNIT: MORE POWER TO YOUR PEDAL IF YOU FEEL YOUR LANDY could do with a bit more oomph, but don’t fancy going down an expensive and complex route then Tunit’s Power Pedal may be worth a gander.

Basically, it’s a box that plugs in near your accelerator and is also connected to a dashboard panel where you can feed in various modes, like you can with some expensive cars. This allows you to choose between things like Eco and Sport Plus – one designed to save fuel the other to use that fuel to the maximum.

The Tunit box intercepts the signals such as fuel injection timing, accelerator position and air mass, and calculates the optimum load for best performance and economy. The company claims it can increase power and torque by up to 20% and reduce harmful emissions – compared to other chip tuning services – by up to 27% and reduce fuel consumption by around 12%.

You can install the device yourself or have a Tunit dealer do it for you. A wide range of Land Rovers is covered, so to check out the details pay a visit to to www.tunit.com.

A DV E RT I S I N G F E AT U R E

GREAT BRITISH INTERIORS FROM RUSKIN DESIGN RUSKIN DESIGN LIMITED is the international market leader in bespoke handcrafted interiors for Land Rover Defenders. Providing a ‘design-led’ service that sets it apart from its contemporaries, Ruskin Design will create a Defender that is as individual as you are.

With a highly skilled team of craftsmen and women, Ruskin has an enviable reputation that is synonymous with outstanding creativity, handmade luxury and first-class workmanship that exemplifies everything expected of a Great British brand.

As a ‘must have’ addition for the discerning Defender owner, an iconic ‘Ruskin Inside™’ is a mark of quality that is second to none. So whatever your brief, Ruskin will design your Defender to be as individual as you are.

Want to know more? Pay a visit to www.ruskindesign.co.uk – it’s all there.

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METICULOUS PREPARATION – THE SECRET TO SUCCESSFUL RUST TREATMENT YOU DON’T HAVE TO GO VERY FAR in the off-road world to find someone willing to sing the praises of initrol he company s chassis treatment products fall arely short of witchcraft in the apparently magical things they can do to treat rust as these efore and after pictures show e en a hideously crusty old motor can e rought ack to etter than new condition with a properly done session with the good stuff roperly done et s talk a out that hat do you think will happen if you dri e your old stinker home from a playday in some to ic uarry fetch it up on stands and spray away to your heart s content es you ll end up with a thick coating of initrol on top of a thick coating of to ic mud ery good r to use another word ery ad o you take it to a company that says it does chassis treatments instead hey send the apprentice under there for ten minutes with the et wash then go in gung ho with the introl gun until not only your chassis and a les ut your hu s rake lines shocks and let s hope this is us e aggerating the inside of your tyres are all co ered in the stuff too iously there are plenty of chassis specialists that take pride in their work ut as with e erything

in life there are also plenty who take pride in doing the minimum they can get away with while stinging you as hard as they can ow do you make sure you get the right kind ord of mouth is worth a lot nd so is eing appro ed y introl itself hich rings us to ustoms initrol s own we site will take you there if you look and you know that word of mouth thing e talk to a lot of people as you can imagine and e erything e eryone s

said a out the company is nailed on positi e ou can t uy that hat you do uy if you go to ustoms is the right le el of prep efore the initrol goes on ll ehicles ha e their wheels off and rakes suspension e haust and so on fully masked they say In addition a full descale is done prior to treatments In the pictures a o e you see a isco ery that had had a life of cottish ogs and no cleaning he efore and after iews speak

olumes in what they show and also in what they don t show which is o erspray general untidiness clagging or anything at all to suggest a less than perfect o ost of all you re looking in one picture at a ehicle on a one way ride to scraps ille and in the other at a ehicle with a new lease of life initrol is ery ery good stuff ll you ha e to do is make the most of it oing to www p customs co uk is one ery good way of doing so

BEARMACH’S BOLT- ON FACELIFT FOR DEFENDERS FACELIFTS ARE ALL THE RAGE, with ust a out e eryone ha ing some sort of work done on their face erything from the roydon face lift where the woman pulls her hair ack hard and ties it ehind her head pulling her facial skin ack at the same time to the full on surgery pparently and here s a tip for you a nip and tuck can e tricky for a loke since it pulls the skin ack ehind your ears and means you end up sha ing somewhere out of sight ehind your ears nd here s another easy way to get a face lift his time for

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your and o er if it s any of the efender models with right hand wing ents Instead of e pensi e surgery you ust need to add these eye catching if not eye row raising elements to the face of your andy hey come in sil er or lack in either mesh or solid style and they re a doddle to fit hey re made y earmach and ha e a three year warranty which is more than you ll get if you put yourself under the knife omething to make you smile if your face isn t fro en of course It s all at www earmach com

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 07/11/2017 14:40

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PRODUCTS

DEFENDER SPORTS SEATS BLEND COMFORT WITH PRACTICALITY LET’S BE HONEST, a Defender’s interior is not exactly the last word in comfort over long distances. And chucking your pride and joy down some lanes can leave you sliding about in the seat, hands gripping the big wheel like Captain Haddock in a Force Nine off Tierra del Fuego.

So, to avoid the blistering barnacles, Exmoor Trim has come up with this rather racey little pair of Elite Sports Seats. They certainly have the looks to live up to their name and, in Exmoor Trim’s own words, they’re ‘designed to give you the practicality of a Land Rover and the comfort levels of a Range Rover’.

They bolt straight on to the original Defender seat frame, and sit right in line with the steering wheel. They may look smart but they’re every bit as practical, too, so the seat base can come up easily, giving you access to what’s underneath.

And they do add some comfort, as indeed you can see from the pictures. The seat bases are longer for more comfort, and the seat back is higher offering more support. There is also adjustable lumbar support, so you should be able to get really comfortable.

Some sports seats are great once you’re in, but they’re really hard to get in and out of, but the side bolsters here are designed so you can slide easily in rather than looking like you’re about to do your back in every time you try to get in or out.

And the seats are heated, so if you just wanted heated seats they provide that as well. If you already have heated seats they will offer, free of charge, an adapter cable that will plug the new system straight into the existing wiring, just let them know when you order.

You can specify the seats in all manner of trim, from Diamond Black leather from Bridge of Weir to car denim should you wish. The seats are sold as pairs – Exmoor Trim helpfully point out this means one left and one right seat – and the price is £2277.00 for the pair including VAT. Bet Captain Haddock wished he had these on the bridge of his ship.

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CLARKE’S SOLUTIONS FOR BUDGET WELDING

YOU CAN SPEND A SMALL FORTUNE ON WELDING KIT, and if that’s what you need to do it’ll be money well spent. But for DIYstyle jobs on your 4x4, or if you’re just getting into it and are still learning the tricks of the trade, Clarke says its MIG 135TE unit is one of the most popular choices in its range.

This value-for-money welding outfit is, Clarke says, easy to set up and use. It has turbo fan cooling for prolonged full-power welding, as well as professional style, non-live torches – ‘a distinct advantages to the more inexperienced welder.’

The MIG 135TE has power settings from 30-130amps and can weld mild steel up to 5mm thick. Its case has a hinged side door for easy access to the wire reel, which can hold wire sizes of 0.6-0.8mm, and there are four power selector switches as well as variable electronic wire speed control.

The kit comes with a 390g CO2 gas bottle, regulator, mild steel wire, professional type torch assembly, earth clamp and mask, as well as a comprehensive user instruction manual – as Clarke puts it, ‘everything needed to get welding within minutes!’ At £299.98, that’s a lot of kit for your money – to find out more, visit www.machinemart.co.uk.

• Also from Clarke, and available via Machine Mart, is the dual-purpose MIG 145 No-Gas/ Gas MIG Welder. Suitable for use on mild steel up to 4mm thick, this ‘offers the advantages of standard MIG welding without the need for gas bottles, producing excellent results in various conditions.’ The unit has a non-live torch which can be put down without sparking, as well as electronic wire speed control and thermal overload protection with auto reset.

Power settings can be adjusted from 35-135amps.

The MIG 145 costs £203.98, also from www.machinemart. co.uk.

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PRODUCTS

HEAVY- DUTY RING AIR COMPRESSOR RING COMPRESSOR. It sounds like something a surgeon might use.

Or a torturer. Sorry if that’s got you squirming uncomfortably in your seat, but the happy news is that in actual fact, the thing getting compressed is just the air in your vehicle’s tyres.

It’ll be getting compressed good and quickly, too. Like three times faster than with a typical udget compressor if you re at a filling station that s no issue – but if you’ve just spent a day trialling on 10psi and need to air your tyres back up before hitting the road home, every second spent waiting for them to in ate is a second when you can’t be enjoying whatever combination of bed, bath, pub and sofa (or indeed workshop) comes out on top for you.

Alternatively, imagine you’re in the wilds of Africa and you e ust had a at The spare’s on, but it needs pumping up… and coming IT’S CUTE, IT’S ROUND and you’d very much like to wrap your hands around it. No, we’re not talking about Hitomi Tanaka; this cute, round item is the Millenium, a steering wheel from Momo. Pausing as briefly as we can stand to point out that the word ‘millennium’ is spelt with a double ’n’, we’ll move quickly on to bring you the good news that the wheel is suitable for use in 4x4s – it doesn’t look like it belongs in a Land Rover Defender, but even if that’s what you drive you can have one. Maybe best left alone in anything with 7.50s and no power steering, though. The Millenium (our spell check is going into meltdown) is finished in a combination of leather, chrome and brushed aluminium and costs £245.99; if you can forgive the spelling, visit www.momo-uk.co.uk and it’ll be waiting for you in all its glory. Oops, went and Googled Hitomi Tanaka instead, didn’t you? NSFW.

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towards you with great interest is a lion r a sandstorm r a ash ood Or, probably most likely, an ancient ute full of mad-eyed bandits. In these situations, only needing 90 seconds to make your tyre usable might seem very attractive indeed – though even so, we’d imagine they’d still be among the longest 90 seconds of your life.

Most likely of all, of course, you’re just really, really impatient, and standing idly by your stricken chariot while a compressor buzzes away angrily and the needle on the pressure gauge edges oh-so-slowly to the right just really, really winds you up. Either way, Ring Automotive’s RAC900 12v Heavy Duty Air Compressor should do a good job of keeping you a) calm, and b) alive.

The compressor comes with a seven-metre coiled hose, large gauge for easy reading in a variety of units, waterproof switches and everything you need for a rugged, long-lasting bit of kit.

Given the name, RAC900, you can guess which leading UK breakdown team uses this device. So that’s reassuring, as it a two-year guarantee. To find out more go to www ringautomoti e com

P38 RANGE ROVER ADDED TO X- BRAKE APPLICATIONS THE X-BRAKE has been around for a long time now, and it’s been a massive hit with Land Rover drivers. For all their many strengths, Defenders of a certain age aren’t exactly noted for their handbrakes, but by replacing the hopeless old drum with a high-quality, adjustable disc, the X-Eng original has transformed many a 90 and 110 into things whose wheels only turn when you want them to.

And now you can say the same about the P38 Range Rover. Because the latest addition to the X-Brake range is for this much misunderstood vehicle – further swelling the ever-growing list of hardcore kit you can get for turning it into a serious off-roader.

The P38 X-Brake costs £275 including the VAT and is available from Foundry 4x4 you ll find them by paying a visit to www.foundry4x4. co.uk.

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GO WEST

Back in 1948, the Rover company came up with the idea of building a roadworthy tractor to boost export sales. As its 70th anniversary approaches, Land Rover still exports the vast bulk of its output. But down in Somerset, there’s a restoration specialist whose overseas sales ratio can beat anyone’s…

WORDS: GRAHAM SCOTT PICTURES: ARKONIK

L

and Rover is currently exporting something like 80% of everything it builds.

That’s a vast number, and it illustrates just how much demand there is from all around the world for vehicles with a green oval on their bonnet.

As we know, however, there are two sets of Land Rover buyers. One of them shells out big for new vehicles: the other, still frequently shelling out big, buys parts, accessories and older vehicles, some of them restored to as-new condition or better.

This is one of the better ones. And it illustrates that when it comes to exporting Land Rovers, Land Rover itself isn’t the only company that’s rather good at it.

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07/11/2017 17:27

There’s a sense of understatement to the 110’s interior, despite the fact that it’s quite obviously been heavily upgraded. a e leat er seats a i ta e-loo oo e -rimme steeri eel a arious premium-material fitti s e a e the cabin, as does a multimedia system mounted in the dash pod. Even something as straightforward air-con, which is taken for granted today, was almost unheard of on Defenders when this one was new In fact, there’s a company that can beat Land Rover’s 80% export record. You might not have heard of Arkonik – but that’s only because the company sells exclusively to customers in North America. It also deals exclusively in Defenders.

So far, Arkonik has sent more than 150 Defenders across the Atlantic. Obviously, they can’t just do this with any old truck – donor vehicles have to be at least 25 years old to comply with US import regulations, and of course the client is going to want the steering wheel to be on the left. here s een no shortage of dodgy outfits making a buck by sending old 90s and 110s of varying states of credulity to America in the past.

But Arkonik builds pukka vehicles.

Here for example is its latest creation, called the Boulder. This was sent to a client in Colorado; Boulder, Colorado, we’d guess.

It’s a restored 110 Station Wagon, but it’s also far more than just a restoration. Instead it’s a reimagining of how the 110 SW could have been – as well of course as being what the new customer actually wanted it to be.

The whole vehicle was worked on extensively, inside and out It s finished in onatti rey with Java Black wheelarches, gloss black chequer plate and tinted windows. Very moody.

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Under the standard bonnet is a standard rebuilt 200Tdi, while underneath are guards for the steering and front diff, along with side steps and NAS rear step. You know what NAS stands for, obviously. At the front there is a KBX grille behind the A-bar, while up top there is a Front Runner roof rack.

Vehicles like these seem to have more time spent on their interiors, and the Boulder’s cabin certainly rocks. There are heated grey leather seats, with two premium high-backed seats behind separated by an Elite Loc-box. Behind them are four fold-up seats, which makes that roof rack look even more essential.

The driver gets an extremely cool retro-styled Evander 15” wooden steering wheel, while the Alpine sound system should comfortably outdo the Tdi engine.

These are just a few of the highlights, but as is Arkonik’s way the whole vehicle has been gone over from top to tail. The end result is a long way from the 110 that came off the production line all those years ago – but then, this reimagined Land Rover is going to be living a long way from that production line. Another success for the Solihull marque – which was, as any motor industry historian will tell you, only created to try and win e port usiness in the first place

Lancaster Insurance would cover a Land Rover like this one, driven by a 45-year-old marketing manager with a PE27 postcode, for an annual premium of £101.76 with Agreed Value available for an additional £18.

The quote assumes a clean licence and that the Land Rover is a second vehicle, kept in a garage, valued at £25,000 and covers no more than 3000 miles a year. To find out more, visit www.lancasterinsurance.co.uk

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GETAWAY

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AY CAR Land Rover Defenders are designed for adventure, but it takes a few mods to create the perfect vehicle in which to get away. And this Defender from Gloucester Landrover shows just how to steal a cheeky retreat or two WORDS AND PICTURES: MIKE TROTT

Lancaster Insurance would cover a Land Rover like this one, driven by a 45-year-old marketing manager with a PE27 postcode, for an annual premium of £208.92. The quote assumes a clean licence and that the Land Rover is a second vehicle, kept in a garage, valued at £15,000 and covers no more than 3000 miles a year. To find out more, visit www.lancasterinsurance.co.uk

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I

f someone said to you they have the perfect getaway vehicle, you’d be forgiven for conjuring up images of them dressed in black and white striped pyjamas, walking out the back door of your local bank while carrying a brown sack over their shoulder with a dollar sign conveniently placed on its exterior. You know, because criminals like to be as conspicuous as possible.

But then waiting outside, you’d expect to an automobile with traits of pace, a big engine, sleek looks and something that presumably provides hope to our villain that suggests he may ‘get away’ with this atrocity, even if said person is dressed like a gimp.

But Land Rovers (of old) certainly don’t exude high performance thrills and lustrous design lines.

So maybe your friend didn’t mean a getaway vehicle for bank jobs, then?

The team down at Gloucester Landrover has got the right idea anyway. And that isn’t taking the road to being a criminal mastermind, but instead an adventure-seeker with the ultimate automotive travel companion.

The vision comes in the shape of The Getaway.

Or if you wanted to be prim and proper about it, you could call it The Short-Term Retreat Vehicle.

Either way, it’s built for leisure, not looting.

‘The idea is you can use the vehicle for a day getaway, a weekend getaway or a week-long getaway,’ explains Russ Knight, proprietor of Gloucester Landrover. Russ and his son Dan are the brains behind the popular Defender Defender tracker device, as well as being the proprietors of independent Land Rover specialist Gloucester Landrover.

Their recent development into providing an adventure solution is a vehicle that has ease of use and a hassle-free attitude at the very heart of its ideology. Combining a spacious and easily deployable roof tent with a Foxwing awning, this vehicle can be hustled into a quick getaway at a moment’s notice, should you have that spare day of holiday to use or a free weekend approaching on the horizon. This is the vehicle you need to steal a short vacation.

‘The concept was born out of Dan not being able to drive a lorry or tow over a certain weight due to his age and the newer licence laws,’ says Russ. ‘But he still needed something to attend shows and camp over in. We are both

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e oati roof ra is a le er esi i oes t a tuall oat os e a ae a e t e la s of p si s ut oes ma a e to ot a tuall tou t e roof a ere t s supporte o a fro t roll oop t i upri ts mou te to t e rear ru a at t e a ot o e ut t o a ess la ers hard and fast Land Rover nuts and Dan really didn’t fancy having to use a VW Transporter or anything like that.’

‘We must be able to come up with something better,’ was Dan’s verdict on the situation. And

he was right. Between them, he and Russ used the Defender as a platform and went from there.

‘The one criterion I felt was vital was that it all needed to be light,’ continues Russ. ‘Some set-ups are so big and cumbersome, you know,

and no disrespect, but sometimes they aren’t built with ladies in mind either. With our set-up, anyone can put it up.’

Initially, the vehicle was an ordinary Defender 110 Td5 Double Cab in XS trim. But that was

‘The one criterion I felt was vital was that it needed to be light, Some set-ups are so big and cumbersome, and they aren’t built with ladies in mind either’

o e ou ere tooli up a e i le for full-s ale o erla i ea - ut sill a o prote tio pro a l oul t ra er i o our is list ut t is efe er is uilt for people o as ell as ri i it to or a so o ill o o t e sort of a e tures t at i ol e a it of tra elli ut a lot of off-roa i e e t e relati el lo profile of t e roof ra a t e prese e of full-o ro a tree sli ers elo ou o t ee fa its to tur a efe er i to a o erla i eapo ut t e poi t of t is e i le is to e a ual-purpose ma i e a smart ail ri er t at ll spri i to a tio as a a e ture a o e e er ou as it to it ti etails su as t ese smart is somet i is ertai l is

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LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 07/11/2017 18:18

In typical TD5 fashion, when you look under this 110’s bonnet you see a vast expanse of plastic. What you won’t see is a al e e ause al es a u er eat t e ex aust as ee e- atte omet i ou efi itel o t be able to see, at least with your eyes, is that the ECU has been remapped, though it wouldn’t take many minutes on board before your other senses started to tell you about that prior to Russ imposing his creative plans on to the machine. Inside, there are limited edition Land Rover seats in the front, while an alcantara headlining adds luxury to an otherwise typically basic cabin. here are other modifications on the truck too, with two leisure batteries and a 2000W inverter run through a T-Max split charge system.

The EGR valve has been removed, the Td5’s ECU remapped and the exhaust de-catted as well. So may e it could e put into ser ice for that ank job after all… highlight howe er must e the oating roof rack that makes no contact with the efender s top It s not the work of magic ut it is the work of the in-house team at Gloucester Landrover.

The dual ladders on the rear are aesthetically pleasing, too, plus it means you can always get an extra pair of hands to help you out on the tent if really needed. nd if you look closely at the ody of the efender you ll see they e used the e er popular Raptor lining treatment from U-Pol. Only now you can get it in colours that look rilliant ust like this heritage inspired pastel green e terior picture of a efender with protection to match. peaking of protection as you d e pect from a ehicle owned y the creators of the efender efender de ice this has een installed with their very best technology, which has recently been approved by the Police and is actively recommended to Land Rover owners by them and the NFU.

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ou o t oti e it at first la e ut t e e tire e i le as ee treate a et t is o e i a olour ou a t a er o e ie t a of etti s rat e to eat after a fe la e ru s It’s at this moment I should explain that you could have a vehicle like this too. Though not by stealing it, obviously. The team provides a rental service, where you could take (just to be clear, by that we mean ‘borrow’) one of their getaway vehicles and strike out into the Wye Valley, perhaps visiting Hay-on-Wye and Hay Bluff along the way or heading further afield on one of their provided green lane routes, exploring the likes of Salisbury Plain or the Brecon Beacons. The team is equally happy to prepare and transform any 4x4 into a Getaway-spec Landy, too. he system we ha e fits any now as we e de eloped our own range of fittings reveals Russ. ‘We had a really good Three Counties show and lots of people were wanting to buy the Foxwing awning and roof tent, but some wanted a bit more comfort out of the car they were driving. So in the near future, we’ll have Discovery 2s and 3s available for rentals too.

‘Obviously, if you have one already and want to let us convert it for you, give us a call!’

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it - ol s aptor oati a ool t o-to e fi is i

The Foxwing awning can be swung out for the day if you need to do a spot of lunchtime cooking, but if it’s a weekend retreat up in the Lake District or perhaps across the Channel in France for a week of off-roading, you can deploy the tent too and maybe even the annexe and awning side walls if you want to go the whole hog It s a e i le arrangement regardless and that’s the point.

As a customer, the beauty of the rental is that you can try the arrangement on a pleasant laning day before you buy outright.

Because you’re inquisitive and will be intrigued as to whether this could be the answer to your holiday-related prayers, you may wish to know that the roof tent and its annexe cost £1200, while the Foxwing awning will add another £1000. Cheaper than a new caravan, then, and infinitely cooler ‘Dan has used this several times,’ continues Russ. ‘All UK based, but it’s ideal for shows. He recently went down to Salcombe for the May Bank Holiday. It’s on the South Coast and the

ese a s ou o te up

kids grew up there, as I used to do a lot of sailing down that way. There are very few cars in the village, almost none.

‘Anyway, Dan said the campsite he had to get to meant heading into the village, and he stopped at this little shop that does sandwiches. By the time he came out, people had surrounded the vehicle and were all taking pictures of it! And again at the campsite! It does create a general stir, this truck.’

We can certainly all appreciate the vision of being able to steal the time for a short vacation here or there in order to regain some sort of sanity in our hectic lives. But this, the prototype Getaway if you like, has clearly taken things a step further – and stolen the hearts of all those who see it, too.

If you want to sample the Getaway experience yourself, or would like Gloucester Landrover to equip your own vehicle in readiness for adventure, pay a visit to the company’s website at www. gloucesterlandrover.co.uk

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GLA N D R O V E R LOUCESTER

ONLY

£16,995 1996 REG

ISTERED

CHEAP AT THE PRICE

The total insanity of Defender prices over the last couple of years appears finally to be abatin t still costs pretty bi oney to buy a or but at least now it’s possible to thin about ettin one as a second car without needin to sell a idney first Which eans a super cool so t top un achine li e this one could be yours a ter all…

WORDS AND PICTURES: MIKE TROTT

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E

lsewhere in this publication, you can see just how much money it can take to get your hands on a convertible with a Green Oval badge pinned to its grille.

The Evoque Convertible, however, is not going to do your street cred any good when you turn up for your next excursion around the lanes of North Wales, and you’ll have said goodbye to at least £47,555 in the process.

Okay, so maybe an Evoque Convertible owner is never going to go laning. But why not invest in a soft-top Landy that looks the part, is the part, and costs a mere tenth of the Evoque’s price tag?

Recently, this ex-military 90 was sold by Norton Automotive. Its asking price of £4650 was under of the o ue s figure and with this you’re buying a 90, a real icon to treasure.

Alright, if I’m being honest, this is a 90 that isn’t going to be winning any awards for being concours, or certainly not for a while anyway.

But that’s just the light bulb we’re trying to spark in that head of yours: why not have a bit of fun laning off roading a road dri ing round to shows and country fares then put it into the workshop for a restoration job which you’ll enjoy for entirely different reasons!

Early 90s are fast becoming classics and it’s worth holding on to those examples still looking tidy and unmolested. Buying ex-military isn’t a bad place to start, either.

Something used by the military is something well maintained. If a vehicle is in bad condition after military use, the chances are there’s not much of it left.

Not that a couple of war wounds matter.

Indeed, you can blag it to your friends as enhancing the Land Rover’s patina.

Whatever smoke you decide to blow, make sure your 90 isn’t copying you too much. This here is a 1986-registered 2.5-litre naturally aspirated diesel and, on start up from cold, it can produce quite a wisp of cloud from its exhaust.

However, once the engine was warmed through and I took the 90 on a little run, both it and I were as happy as a lieutenant playing paintball. orking the fi e speed manual o was a delight and in the space of fi e minutes I d had a more engaging experience than I’d ever have in fi e years owning an o ue ou can t eat an analogue involvement. These are the type of vehicles that tap into the very physicality of operating a machine: balancing a clutch, inputting precise commands on the transmission and handling the wheel of a Land Rover with no power steering, where only your biceps can help you steer this brute. I love it. his particular and o er had ust the one owner since its release from the Ministry of Defence, with the keeper holding o nto it for around 14 years or so,’ says Adam Norton, owner of Norton Automotive. e don t know the e act release date ut we estimate it to be around the early 2000s and it has been used on a smallholding for much of the period in between.’ The owner also had the sense to use the 90 for a little bit of fun, adding some all-terrain tyres alongside a set of rock sliders. Adam gave the exterior a new lick of paint, opting for NATO Desert Sand.

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Lancaster Insurance would cover a Land Rover like this one, driven by a 45-year-old marketing manager with a PE27 postcode, for an annual premium of £88.91 with Agreed Value available for an additional £18.

The quote assumes a clean licence and that the Land Rover is a second vehicle, kept in a garage, valued at £4000 and covers no more than 3000 miles a year. To find out more, visit www.lancasterinsurance.co.uk We’ll leave the Evoque to the fashionistas, but it’s hard to deny that the black Exmoor Trim hood goes nicely with the sandy odywork and I’m a sucker for a bonnet-mounted spare wheel.

I’d take out the dodgy stereo, though, and try and bring back the 90’s originality going forward.

Naturally, when buying a Land Rover you want to be checking the condition inside, outside, underneath and anywhere in between. This one had a good chassis with a recently fitted rear crossmember. And if you’re buying ex-MOD, remember that the speedo and odometer are most likely to be optimised for kilometres, not miles. This pre-Defender has done 160,000 miles but reads approximately 260,000 kilometres. It’s just another thing to note when browsing to buy.

The lucky owner who now runs this Land Rover will, I’m sure, have had the canvas rolled up and enjoyed a summer evening’s blast down his local rural paradise. I say blast, but to be honest this is a Land Rover that prefers to plod rather than surge. It’s a very reliable engine, hence why the military used them for so long, although if you want to get a move on trying to reach your destination, you’re probably not in the market for a Land Rover! ummer s here en oy it ake the roof down and head down your favourite green lane, breathe in the countryside air and, when September comes, slide your 90 into the workshop. Spend those winter months doing little adjustments here and there; replace tired parts and smarten her up or even strip it down for a full rebuild on a galvanised chassis.

Either way, whether you’re driving with the wind whistling through your cabin or listening to the wind rustling around the outside of your shed as you tinker away, the thrills and memories will be stacking up by the tub-load. Being a softtop, just try to make sure that’s the only thing accumulating in your 90’s rear.

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EALES’ WHEELS

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John Eales is one of the most respected names in the Land Rover business – and perhaps the world’s leading authority on the Rover V8. He helped create the Dakar conversion to the Range Rover Classic – and the prototype, which he’s owned from new, has recently been restored back to its former glory WORDS AND PICTURES: MIKE TROTT

Lancaster Insurance would cover a Land Rover like this one, driven by a 45-year-old marketing manager with a PE27 postcode, for an annual premium of £121.95 with Agreed Value available for an additional £18.

The quote assumes a clean licence and that the Land Rover is a second vehicle, kept in a garage, valued at £15,000 and covers no more than 3000 miles a year. To find out more, visit www.lancasterinsurance.co.uk

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T

here’s something that has always pulled me towards the Range Rover family tree.

And clearly I’m not the only one out there, what with the Evoque coming along and becoming Land Rover’s fastest-selling vehicle of all time, as well as a model history which is closing in on half a century. Even Land Rover has started to conceive the original two-door Classics again as part of its Range Rover ‘Reborn’ programme.

Anyway, I’m not here to discuss births and birthdays with you; instead it’s the actual old collection of metal we’re interested in. I guess one of the attractions to the more vintage versions of the Range Rover is that these are classic vehicles you could and would willingly drive on a day-to-day basis. pecifically e en fi ing your ga e on a pristine Range Rover Classic today shows a sophisticated figure capa le of still looking the part at a country house or o ing ay shoot ust as it did all those years ago. Range Rovers age well: fact.

I think of the ange o er lassic in much the same way I think of ame elen irren they oth still tickle my fancy hether she would appreciate such a comparison, I’m not too sure. ut perhaps she would e more satisfied with the analogy if she found out that it s not ust any lassic I m talking a out The rich red, suave Rangey in these pictures is as aw dropping as the aforementioned ame elen on the red carpet at he scars owe er the morsel of information that will make you want to take this stunner home is that this was the first lassic ange o er to recei e the akar con ersion llow us to fill in the lanks John Eales is the owner of this masterpiece.

Yes, that John Eales. The John Eales. It was he who worked on the original akar con ersions of the Range Rover Classic while running what was formerly known as otors ack in the ‘70s and ‘80s. ome of you may e picturing a akar conversion being some sort of rally-prepared monster with a ridiculously e i le suspension and tyres that look like they would kill kittens ust for fun ut no the akar package was something designed to appease an appetite that had become evident in the 1980s – namely a thirst for more performance and a Range Rover with enough clout to match its class. he pedigree was certainly there as otors was responsible for supplying the factory Range o er team that competed in the aris akar Rally through the late ‘80s. And with quite some success too.

In the first year we did aris akar we had engines and finishers smiles ohn nyone who took their ange o er lassic in for the akar treatment was clearly in safe hands tarting with a asic lassic the akar conversion involved increasing the displacement of the engine up to 4.5 litres. Then came better rakes and suspension an uprated e haust and improved wheels and tyres. Perhaps we could think of this as a ange o er lassic Either way, John’s Classic that we have here was the first to undergo the surgery and while it

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lot of or e t i to t e a ar- o erte po er pla t of t e a e o er lassi it o e of t e first poi ts ei to ore out t e e i e to litres t also a a e ra s aft pisto s a eari s i stalle as ell as a e ams aft it t e e i e ala e its output as pus e ort of p looks fantastic today, it wasn’t that long ago that this car was in need of some real attention.

‘Around ten years ago I stopped using it and it just sat around and deteriorated,’ admits John.

‘I even had it up for sale at one point, but there was no interest in it, even with all the history.’

Fortunately it wasn’t sold, because it now means we can marvel at it together. The Classic was transformed back to showroom condition thanks to Twenty-Ten Engineering, an independent Range Rover Classic specialist that works closely with John’s business today, JE Developments.

‘I’ve known Phil (owner of Twenty-Ten) for a good many years. He came over for the engine and said, “How about rebuilding this?” So it all went from there. Phil knew the history of the vehicle and knew he could rebuild it,’ says John. hen it was first ought ack in ohn picked up the Range Rover from the dealer on the riday with a reworked litre promptly eing fitted thereafter It was the first of its kind and, as such, it became very popular with people like me.

‘Every scribe under the sun had thrashed it,’ laughs John, ‘It’s been around the TT course;

was used as the back-up car for Tour Auto in and has een whipped around ngland Scotland, Wales and Ireland – everyone used to borrow it!’

It had done miles prior to the re uild and was original apart from the Dakar DNA running through the vehicle. According to John, it had always been well looked after; never needing anything done, and he can’t even recall it breaking down on anyone. Is he a mechanic or a magician, we ask ourselves…

It was this history that made it so well worth restoring. Phil worked his magic on the Range

The restored interior is nothing short of lorious t s also a er oo a ert for e t e i eeri o ere tas e it t e re uil

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LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 07/11/2017 17:56

‘I’ve always liked the Range Rover. It’s always been Rover V8s for me – it’s all I’ve done for 50 years’ Rover with a new chassis and brought the bodywork back up to perfect condition. The chassis has been Waxoyled and the vehicle is now very cherished, dry stored in a warm garage with a warm cover.

‘I daren’t use it now,’ chuckles John. ‘My everyday cars always get hard use, with engines in the back and so on. It seemed like a good idea at the time, though! It’s such a nice car, so it only gets used for the odd nice day and holidays.’

Rare as its outings may be nowadays, when the sun does shine and John takes out his Dakar-inspired beauty, the experience is like watching your favourite rock band, live, playing out all their greatest hits on a summer’s evening when everything and everyone seems to be on top form. he raucous fills your ears and widens your pupils, with all that upgrading and tweaking starting to make sense.

Statistics back at the time of the conversion’s emergence claimed that top speed was taken from 102mph in the 3.9 to more than 120mph with the Dakar 4.5, while acceleration was slashed from 12.3 sec to 8.1 sec. That’s a decent turn of pace even by today’s standards.

A standing quarter-mile, meanwhile, was achieved in just 17.26 sec. Rapid.

John continues: ‘We improved the handling, too. Back in those days, we carried out the changes with Harvey Bailey.’

Part of the improvement came from the installation of anti-roll bar kits, front and rear, to minimise body roll in the corners. New springs and shocks were installed, too, to ensure that these Dakar Classics delighted rather than disappointed on-road.

4pp Eales.indd 41

‘My mate was a service manager at Porsche, working near the A45 at the time and he span once trying to follow me,’ grins John. ‘It’s a really nice vehicle to drive and I’ve always liked the Range Rover. It’s always been Rover V8s for me – it’s all I’ve done for 50 years.

‘And with this car, the performance is improved and the road holding is much better.

There’s a really lovely balance between the performance and handling.’

Being a manual as well – in fact, John believes it was the first manual off the line it gi es him all the more involvement when driving his Classic. And this is a Range Rover you truly want to drive.

The only downside was that it used to chew its way through tyres rather more quickly than you might hope. But then, that could be down to the exuberance of all those young hooligan hacks wanting to see what all the fuss was about. he ipside was that most owners actually claimed the 4.5 V8 to be better on fuel than the 3.9 when driven the same, while John says the

air-con system in this Classic is the best he has ever experienced in a car: ‘It’ll literally put frost on your watch!’

I’ll admit that I have been rather taken with John’s Dakar Rangey. The colour, the performance, the whole driving experience – it’s all there. John may think the air-con system is cool, but this is a car I’m happy to label as just outright cool.

‘It took over two years to complete the uild ut I wasn t pushing hil to get it finished says John. That’s the respect of knowing how busy each of them can be, particularly in the current climate. ow it s finished though I m certainly going to look after it.’

It may have been a bit of a wait for the Range o er to e finished ut such a ehicle was deserving of time and patience. The Dakar conversion took an already brilliant car and, with the help of John’s technical nous, turned it into a fantastic on-road driver’s car – and a legend in its own right.

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How hard

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LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 07/11/2017 17:29

can it be…?

Phil Keeling says restoring a Land Rover was ’a bit of a fad.’

And he admits that the Defender 90 he bought turned out to be a lot worse than he realised. But after having chucked a bit o oney at it, and a lot o wor , he’s ustified the to-hell-with-it outlook he showed when he surveyed the shed he’d landed himself with and asked: ‘just how hard can it be?’…

WORDS AND PICTURES: MIKE TROTT

Y

Lancaster Insurance would cover a Land Rover like this one, driven by a 45-year-old marketing manager with a PE27 postcode, for an annual premium of £101.73 with Agreed Value available for an additional £18.

The quote assumes a clean licence and that the Land Rover is a second vehicle, kept in a garage, valued at £12,000 and covers no more than 3000 miles a year. To find out more, visit www.lancasterinsurance.co.uk

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 6pp Keeling.indd 43

ou might think, judging by the title of this article, that I’m going to reveal a harrowing story of all the horrors you can face when you decide to re uild your first and o er ut you d e well wide of the mark As a matter of fact, this is more like a can-do tale of how you too could be like Phil Keeling, our story’s main protagonist – a man not frightened to take on an unfamiliar challenge and who insists that these here and o er things are not as daunting as you may first think It s a it like starting a new fitness regime and being presented with a pipette’s worth of a y food only to find out that it tastes etter than you imagine specially when you close your eyes r so I m told Phil’s 90 also needed trimming when the vehicle he bought turned out not to be as e emplary as he first elie ed I thought it was in a half decent condition he admits ut when I started digging deeper the ehicle clearly needed a lot of work o I figured I’d take it back to basics, go back to the eginning and start again from scratch ne thing you ll note a out hil is that he doesn t mess a out o a o once and do it properly that s ery much his outlook one of this make do and mend nonsense Think of Phil as the sort of person you’d feel happy conducting your triple-heart ypass surgery ou know he wouldn t take any shortcuts nd you only need to look through a list of all the arious modifications and new components that have been installed on the to further confirm that he knows what he s on a out gal anised chassis from ichards is always a good place to start on any rebuild, and

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1

2

3

1-3: Phil says the 90 has ‘too many stainless steel parts to mention.’ No way are we going to be able to spot them all, but as well as the body cappings t ere s a la er ere a s or el a set of sill uar s t e mu ap ra ets a what no-one in their right mind is ever going to use as tree sliders

4

5

6

4: We know from experience that the Superwinch TS 9500 is a stonkingly good winch. We’d be winding it with synthetic rope, but given Phil’s love of all things steel and shiny it’s no great surprise that the cable and fairlead are made of the stuff… as are the front bumper, the grille, the braids on the spotlight cables etc etc…

5: All the original lights were replaced with LEDs, some with stainless steel back plates. The swing-away spare wheel carrier is stainless, too, and the mere fact that it exists means the back door isn’t on a one-way ticket to destruction 6: Just in case we haven’t talked enough about stainless steel yet, here’s the 90’s roof rack. Ahead of it, a bank of six LED lights is mounted on a bar made out of cheese. Sorry, stainless steel this was immediately followed by a galvanised bulkhead. Dr Phil did just that and next came a set of Puma axles, meaning disc brakes all-round, and a fully reconditioned 200Tdi motor.

These are the core elements of this newly revived Land Rover, but there is a whole lot more besides. Inside there’s a cabin by Exmoor Trim, outside there’s a pro respray with some individual and neat touches, and a personal fa ourite is the fi e speed manual o with overdrive. Please don’t think I’ve gone potty,

though – because while the mechanics of a gearbox are all very well and good, that’s not what’s getting me excited here.

Notice how the gearstick has a little button on top? Like the sort of button Bond would have in his DB5? Well, that triggers the overdrive. It may not launch missiles or some annoying cretin employed by Spectre from your passenger seat, but I love stuff like that. And so does Phil.

‘I bought the vehicle in January 2015 and work started on it three months later,’ recalls

If you want a sure sign that a rebuild’s been done to last, check to see if it’s been done on a galvanised chassis. Phil invested in one from Richards – and with a galvy bulkhead to go with it, it forms the basis of a Land Rover that’s set to last for another quarter of a century or so. Even shinier than the chassis is a custom fuel tank guard made from, of course, stainless steel. The silencer in the background is made of the same stuff, and again it’s custom made, while the suspension arms are mounted using polyurethane bushes throughout

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LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 07/11/2017 16:39

Above: Have you ever seen a 200Tdi engine looking like this? If you have, then hello Phil, hope you’re enjoying this article about your car. The engine has been completely reconditioned, and there’s an outside chance that it got a bit of a wipe-down on the outside too…

Right: The Tdi engine is bolted to an everyday gearbox and transfer case combo, with a new heavy-duty clutch in between. But what’s this on top of the gearstick? Sadly, it doesn’t operate an ejector seat or turn the Defender i to a su mari e t at fire ro ets at eli opters pilote ome it lar e breasts – though while this may disappoint your inner Bond wannabe, anyone who’s driven a Defender at speed will recognise that actually, an overdrive is t e est a et oul possi l a e fitte

Phil. ‘It was all a bit of a fad and I really fancied trying one out! The idea was simply to make the best possible Land Rover I could in my eyes – to make it as robust as possible. Hence all the galvanised parts.

‘It took around ten months, just working on it at weekends – although I was putting in 14-15 hours each Saturday and Sunday!’

You can see where those hours have been spent, with the precision and attention to detail in making sure this is a 90 that’s more champ than chump. Sure, everyone can whack a stainless exhaust and suspension lift on their Land Rover, but even the windscreen is new – and it even has new seals, for crying out loud! New propshafts, a full LED light conversion, a return-to-centre steering damper and more. It’s all there.

Phil has even gone all stylish inside with a light blue theme cropping up on the cubby box,

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07/11/2017 16:39

Not everyone approves of Defenders with cabins that look like they’ve never seen an ounce of mud in their lives. If that’s you, sorry for making you squirm here, but Phil went shopping at Exmoor Trim and came home it oe of eaut for t e east rom t e e uer-li e oor oxes to the blue-piped seat trims and matching speaker surrounds, this is one cool Landy. Even the high-lift and extinguisher look neat. Is there a hidden message in the Union Jack being upside down, though? Hope not, because this 90 is far too nice for any rolling over antics…

The front seats follow the same theme as the rears, naturally. And whilst surveying the cabin, you’ll notice yet more stainless steel in the form of the window winders and door handles. The door hinges are made of the good stuff, too – and the doors t emsel es ere fitte e ote also t e aptor as a thing which has tidied up the cabin of many a Defender

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07/11/2017 16:39

stereo surrounds and piping on the seats. You’d expect him to be handy with piping, though, as he’s a plumber by trade. I’m guessing that explains why he’ll have used silicone hoses in the engine bay too.

Either way, Phil explains: ‘Plumbing means I have a pretty good grasp of problem solving.’

Yep, and it could go some way to answer his unwillingness to be frightened when faced with new challenges. As anyone should, ‘I’ll give anything a go!’

Having said that, and despite this being Phil’s first ig enture it all seemed to go swimmingly well. And you know by now how good the finished result is I thought it looked stunning when finished Phil exclaims. ‘It was all new to me, building a car myself. But I had had a few prices for having the work done and it was just spiralling. So I just thought to myself: “How hard can it be?”

‘I’d recommend anyone doing it themselves – it is heavy work, but with a car of this age it’s definitely not rocket science ou ust go with the ow and work it out as you go along Piece of cake, easy as you like, simpler than a BBQ on a beach. Actually a beach is more than just a useful link to the next part of the tale.

You see, as Phil had such tremendous enjoyment from rebuilding his 90, there’s another car on the wish list.

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 6pp Keeling.indd 47

Above: Even though this is the rear axle, a brake disc is plainly visible. That’s because the original axles were chucked in favour of a pair from the Puma era. ot props afts mea ile ere fitte from e Below: One life, spend it rebuilding your Land Rover, etc… Actually, turning t e from fit-o l -for-re uil i to at ou see ere as ust a ee e o t ou e e t e il s re o i e put arou ours i to it ‘I’m tempted to do another project, although it won’t be another Land Rover. I’m thinking of going for a beach buggy with a 5.7-litre Chevy engine,’ grins Phil. ‘It sounds silly, but because not many people will want one around here (Phil resides in Stoke-on-Trent), I won’t be getting pestered to sell it once it’s done!’

It was a different story with the 90. But then, when Hollywood stars win Oscars for stunning performances, you’re going to have to expect a little bit of fandom for your efforts. In the case of Phil’s 90, this workable British icon has been

taken from shabby to splendid by a man full of Brit grit.

When life gives you lemons, go make lemonade. Or in Phil’s case, when you have a duff 90, make a machine the whole town is envious of.

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Some people like making their Landies as eyecatching as possible. Others are content to drive something like this old 110, which looks almost completely standard – until you discover what’s lurking under its bonnet…

STREET SLEEPER

WORDS AND PICTURES: MIKE TROTT

Lancaster Insurance would cover a Land Rover like this one, driven by a 45-year-old marketing manager with a PE27 postcode, for an annual premium of £157.31 with Agreed Value available for an additional £18.

The quote assumes a clean licence and that the Land Rover is a second vehicle, kept in a garage, valued at £6000 and covers no more than 3000 miles a year. To find out more, visit www.lancasterinsurance.co.uk

48 4pp Frost 110.indd 48

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 07/11/2017 18:26

S

treet racing isn’t something you would necessarily associate with Land Rovers of any description, nor is it a pastime that this well-behaved publication would condone. We all like to have fun in our toys, but with Land Rovers you’re more likely to think about making tracks in the grasslands of Africa, rather than how long your elevenses (the two black tyre marks running parallel to each other may e at the traffic lights down in your city centre.

Of course, partly this is down to Land Rovers not having much of a reputation for their pace.

Let’s face it, old chap, you’re never going to set any quarter-mile records turning up with a 200Tdi unit in your engine bay – at least not for the right reasons anyway.

But this is where things can play to our advantage. We can seize the initiative and play on the fact that others will mistakenly assume that they can make a dog’s dinner out of us and scamper off into the distance. All you need is the right tool for the job.

So what’s this then? Looks like a regular old Land Rover 110 - hell it’s not even technically a Defender! But wait – can someone tell me why there’s a Chevy LS6 engine under the bonnet?

We all know how customisable Land Rovers are, and you’ll never see two the same, but there’s a lot to be said for being understated.

After all, it’s just the quality you need to give you the element of surprise.

Brendon Frost holds the keys to this ‘street sleeper’. And he thrives on it being something

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 4pp Frost 110.indd 49

out of the ordinary. ‘I bought this as a toy and I like stuff that’s not 100% normal,’ he smirks.

Normal on the outside it may be – but driving a 110 with such a V8 under the hood is bound to blow your cover at some point.

‘I can’t remember exactly when I got the Land Rover, but it was around three years ago,’ re ects rendon he con ersion was done y a pre ious owner with the work first done in the 90s. Not only that, but the vehicle was originally a truck cab model before being changed to a hard-top version.

‘Then the owner apparently wanted to convert it into a military hard-top; wanted to make it stand out but ended up giving it these horri le after fit windows gain sometimes less is more, but it never hurts to have a trick or two up your sleeve, it’s just that Brendon’s trick is a massive great big American lump of a trick.

Back to the story, and said previous owner had now managed to get bored of changing his e ery fi e minutes and had sho ed it in a barn and forgotten about it. Time passed, but eventually the 110 fell into the hands of one of Brendon’s acquaintances. Naturally, Brendon put in a word for the 110 in case it ever became available – who wouldn’t want a Chevy-engined 110, right?

Like the pace of your typical Land Rover, the story was a bit of a slow burner, with more years passing until one evening Brendon was having a beer with his pal.

‘Whatever happened to that truck with the LS6 engine inside?’ questioned Brendon. ‘Funnily

49 07/11/2017 18:26

Like the vehicle’s bodywork, its cabin has been brought back to a tidy, original state with the subtlest of enhancements to make it more pleasant to live with. There’s nothing here that’s not working for its living – even the steering wheel, which you might expect to have been replaced with a prettier, smaller diameter item, is just as it should be, and the ti li i i t e a is t ere to amp out oise rat er t a to loo as is oes t mea re a is o li ious to the value of a good-looking truck, though – as he describes it, before he bought it the 110 was in a properly nasty state outside and in. It’s just that his idea of what looks good was to keep it on the down-low rather than getting all shouty and laying on the bling with a trowel enough, I’ve still got it tucked away in the barn!’ came the reply.

Like a lifeguard rushing to the aid of a stricken shoreline swimmer, Brendon could see the 110 needed rescuing. ‘It was in an awful state,

wrecked really,’ he recalls. ‘But it would have been a shame to break it up. The whole body needed changing again and it was in a horrible army green colour with no interior and the transmission tunnel missing. There appeared

to be about 20 different layers of paint on the bulkhead, too.’

No matter. This was a Land Rover with a rather enticing USP, and so with the 110 now in his possession, Brendon started to strip down

‘It was in an awful state, wrecked really. There appeared to be about twenty different layers of paint on the bulkhead, too. But it would have been a shame to break it up’

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07/11/2017 18:26

It's hard not to lose count of the number of ways in which a Chevy V8 is beautiful, and that's without even being able to hear it. Helping ensure only the good stuff gets heard is a Noisekiller sound deadening kit, which you can see taking up almost the entire background of all three pictures here the chassis which had come from Saudi Arabia and therefore was completely free from rust. A bonus if ever there was one.

But work still needed doing. The 110 was given a new roof and sides along with a new Td5 bonnet, while the tub turned out to be OK, but the wheels were rusted out. Brendon’s truck now runs as a tidy looking hard-top and, to the casual eye, a low-powered cumbersome machine that would struggle to carry itself to the end of a driveway, let alone burning off Daz and his mates who are looking for a drag race in the car they’ve just bought from Toys‘R’Us. I’m a big fan of this 110, I must say. Everything from the engine, to the looks, to the interior – it s een finished perfectly rendon tells me it was previously a Marine Blue, and while this may not be that exact colour, the bodywork has been

finished in a true and o er tint in this case the dark blue from the early Td5 Defenders.

A quick mention about that interior: there’s soundproofing from oisekiller running throughout on the bonnet and bulkhead, acoustic carpets inside supplied by Exmoor Trim and the roof lining has been given additional insulation so that even on a run, and despite its van-type form, it s not as unrefined as you might think ‘It’s understated, has a GM Chevy exhaust and just sounds like a Rover V8 out of time if you’re cruising along normally,’ smiles Brendon. ‘To drive, it’s very docile and there’s loads of torque, but when you want it to be it’s stunningly quick.

It’s the torque that makes you laugh, though, there’s just this wave of it.’

And what about that V8 noise? Well, I think the 110’s owner sums it up pretty well. ‘When I

try and describe it to people, the only way I can is to say that it has a note like God clearing His throat!’

You can picture it, can’t you, Brendon on the way home from work one day and sitting patiently at the lights. Up rolls some delinquent in a shoebox thinking he’s going to screech off into the distance, with his engine making the same sound as the driver once being kicked in the plums.

Cue the throat clearing, the green light, that all-American thunder and a big grin across Brendon’s face as he sees the shoebox diminish into his mirrors. All hypothetical, of course. his is a great and o er and a classic case of su stance o er style It s a and o er well saved and, in this machine, Brendon has the most perfectly concealed weapon.

This might just be the greatest example of understatement you'll ever see in your entire life. With a snorting great beast of an engine inside it, you’re looking at a 110 that could surely get away with running around on a nice set of alloys. But instead, it’s on heavy-duty steel rims – truly the stuff of a vehicle that’s staying true to its roots

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 4pp Frost 110.indd 51

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SHOWTIME

Sometimes, people take on projects because they want their vehicle to be faster, stronger or better off-road. But sometimes, it’s just to show the world what can be done with a Land Rover and a little imagination…

WORDS AND PICTURES: MIKE TROTT

Lancaster Insurance would cover a Land Rover like this one, driven by a 45-year-old marketing manager with a PE27 postcode, for an annual premium of £112.30 with Agreed Value available for an additional £18.

The quote assumes a clean licence and that the Land Rover is a second vehicle, kept in a garage, valued at £12,000 and covers no more than 3000 miles a year. To find out more, visit www.lancasterinsurance.co.uk

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07/11/2017 19:20

M

odifying a Defender is, well, quite frankly yesterday’s news. I mean, lifting a Defender? Changing it cosmetically, or giving it more gadgets? It’s all been done countless times before – but then customisation is always individual and the intended goal can differ depending on which crackpot came up with the vision.

A Land Rover, for example, may receive a selection of mods inside the vehicle to help improve on interior comfort, or to simply provide some where there was previously none.

There could be some sort of scheme to enhance the Land Rover’s off-road capabilities, with the addition of such trinkets as lift kits and very big tyres. However, Andy Goodyear put together his Defender purely as ‘a bit of fun’ and to merely ‘show people what can be done’.

Cast your eye over these pages and this Defender certainly makes itself heard. Being a Defender 110, it was always going to be big, but then Andy has continued to feed the Landy steroids for breakfast so that now it is something of a giant.

Let’s begin with its general structure. Today, it’s a 110 Double Cab, but four years ago, when ndy first set eyes on it this was one ery ordinary Station Wagon.

‘A guy I know said, “Look, I’ve got this Land Rover, would you like to take it off my hands?”

So, I told him I would buy it off him,’ says Andy.

‘I had the double cab body knocking around and preferred how it looked over the station wagon.’

The change in body style is just one of many changes Andy has made though, with the 110 purpose-built to be a show motor, as well as being a bit of a toy that Andy and his son, Will, can play with together. Will actually has his own Series I, which previously featured in this very publication, but together Andy and Will have made this showstopper.

It was resprayed, but kept its original white complexion in the process. That now contrasts nicely with the black highlights around the

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errafirma suspe sio reates a lift a re ali e x ra ius arms elp ma e t e most of it is is a efe er t at a ex it t e est of t em a t a s to t at al a ise assis is set to eep o exi a loo i eautiful for e a es to ome vehicle: the puma bonnet, KBX grille and light surrounds, the snorkel and wing-top chequer plating. These are your bread and butter smartening modifications Now we move on to more serious adaptations. The tyres are some of the best in the business – BFGoodrich Mud-Terrains, while ndy managed to find some original ach i e rims to sit within them.

Ready for more? Well, did we forget to mention this has been rebuilt onto a galvanised chassis It has nd the has een lifted y fi e inches using errafirma springs and shocks while cranked radius arms from Adrenalin 4x4 and a complete complement of bushes from Polybush are also in.

The Britpart winch and bumper came with the vehicle, although Andy would like to upgrade the winch in the future n the ipside a step specially made by one of Andy’s friends who constructs roll cages sits proudly at the rear.

Because it was a bespoke fabrication, too, Andy’s re uest to ha e it made eefier was duly met A swing-away wheel carrier on the rear has been installed, but not without strengthened the rear first he isn t the easiest of vehicles to manoeuvre, particularly a 110 as chunky as this, so the Kenwood DVD player also possesses the reversing camera feature.

‘I have had people mistake this for a 130 before – I guess it does look a little on the large side,’ says Andy. ‘When did I get into Land Rovers now you’re asking. I probably first got into them when I was 15. Runs in the blood, you see.

Dad always had them around and was into his Green Ovals.’

Now Andy is on the verge of turning 50, meaning he’s

been around these machines for nearly 35 years. It feels like there should be some sort of celebration or at the very least some cake, don’t you agree?

As you’d expect, Andy has had his own fair share of Land Rovers over the years. ‘Back in ’94, at the yard we were based at previously, at one stage I had 34 Land Rovers lying around,’ he laughs, ‘I should state that they weren’t all mine!’

The numbers have become more manageable in recent years and Andy now has a brilliant show truck that will last for years to come, plus it enables him to trailer Will’s Series I to shows as well. Mind you, his daughter is getting her wish list ready now. ‘“I don’t want green!” she told me, so I said to her, “What about this ex-RAF one then”’ says Andy as his eyes started to show signs of rolling.

‘Yeah that’ll do,’ came the reply. ‘But I want it done to spec with all the decals and everything.’

Sounds like Andy has got a fair bit on his hands. So it’s probably a good thing the Green al passion ows right through his eins e s had his fun and shown what he can do, now it’s time to put his money where his mouth is.

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B

ack in the late 1970s, my parents managed some land and properties for an elderly couple we’d known for decades. When the gentleman moved into a local care home, and eventually passed away, the workload for Mum and Dad (who were themsel es retired intensified To carry out his duties, Dad had been using his own car, a Talbot Sunbeam, quite often driving it across fields ealising this was an unaccepta le situation; the lady (a non-driver) suggested she uy him a and o er on the condition that he looked after it as his own, but took her out for a spin every Sunday afternoon. It was a good deal.

And so, in the spring of 1982, a brand new Series III, four-cylinder, 2.25-litre petrol-powered, cream-coloured, 109 Hard Top was delivered.

Over the next seven years, Dad and I hauled many different loads in Katie (so called because of the K in her number plate), but mostly logs because this was Warwickshire during the aftermath of the Dutch elm disease tragedy.

The hours we spent with the 4x4 beast, the snarl of our chainsaw, the smell of cut wood, petrol, tea and freshly made sandwiches are memories I’ll cherish for as long as I am able to.

Saturday 14 January 1989 dawned a glorious day – summer had come very early. Dad had always been a builder by trade and on this day was filling in a no longer re uired external doorway in his cottage on the green – stonework being his speciality. Katie was parked just behind him.

By chance, I was at home and Mum was typing in her office ealising she hadn t heard the sound of his stonemason’s hammer for some time, she went out to investigate. I was upstairs, and I heard her pounding footsteps followed by the cry of ‘Tim! Something’s happened to your father.’ I ran down to the front of the house.

Outside, Dad was slumped against Katie’s front offside wheel. He had suffered a massive, fatal heart attack.

Later, despite having passed her test in her 40s and only ever having driven vehicles up to 1500cc in capacity, Mum’s reaction to this endof-the-world situation was: ‘I’ll drive the damn thing myself!’ And so she did.

After inserting windows into Katie’s rear panels to improve all-round vision, and replacing her tailgate (which I still have) with a door, Mum kept her rolling for another ten years. By the time she too passed away in 1999 things had changed. The lady who’d originally bought Katie had died, and her land sold off. Though living back at the family home, I was working full-time as an HGV driver and was often away.

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ONE OF T This is the story of a Series III that has been given a new lease of life – just when it looked as if she was about to say farewell to the family of which she had become a part WORDS: TIM HOWE PICTURES: MIKE TROTT

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 07/11/2017 18:57

F THE FAMILY

Lancaster Insurance would cover a Land Rover like this one, driven by a 45-year-old marketing manager with a PE27 postcode, for an annual premium of £88.91 with Agreed Value available for an additional £18.

The quote assumes a clean licence and that the Land Rover is a second vehicle, kept in a garage, valued at £15,000 and covers no more than 3000 miles a year. To find out more, visit www.lancasterinsurance.co.uk

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 4pp Howe.indd 57

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‘The hours we spent with the 4x4 beast, the snarl of our chainsaw, the smell of cut wood, petrol, tea and freshly made sandwiches are memories I shall cherish for as long as I am able to’

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LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 07/11/2017 18:57

Thus began the saddest phase of Katie’s life. More than 20 years old and no longer garaged, she sat in the open, her chassis rotting, with many of her leaf springs broken. I did occasionally fire her up ut when her solenoid switch failed and her fuel tank rusted through, even that stopped.

Life happens, they say, and though I felt guilty every time I looked at her – at one point completely buried in the brambles – there were other things to worry about at the time.

The turning point came a little over two years ago with a knock at the door. Outside, stood a bloke named Fred, who happened to share the same name as ad e was a ona fide hands on and o er aficionado e d spotted this eries III from the road and wanted to buy her for restoration. He must have caught me at a low ebb, because I agreed to sell her for £400.

That evening, with a whisky glass brimming, I went to say goodbye to Katie for the last time itting ehind her wheel the memories stampeded back. There was even a smell about her – logs, petrol, honest toil. Dad had a way of clearing his throat when things needed to be sorted. I don’t remember what whisky I drank that night – but I heard Dad clear his throat.

When I called Fred the next day to say the deal was off, the man went ape. Understandably

so, since Katie was a very straight vehicle snapped up for a song. Eventually, he calmed down, as all good Landy folk do because he’d realised there was something going on here – a kind of love affair.

There is a saying: cometh the hour, cometh the man, and that man was Robert Howard of Astwood 4x4. He’s not a magician, but he’s pretty close. Right from the start, we agreed that for a reasonable cost Katie would be put back on the road just as she was.

I wanted her interior left untouched and everything else as original as possible. Rob never tried to bully me into anything, nor jack up the price. The only thing he did suggest (thank God) was a complete respray instead of ust the shot blasted bits.

Below decks, anything unsalvageable was replaced: her chassis – now a Richards galvanised unit; leaf springs – now parabolics; the exhaust system and the petrol tank. Above decks, the panel respraying was actually better than original. he was fitted with three new doors ut I still ha e her original tailgate and top hinged window

Her engine, with such low mileage, didn’t need a rebuild, though all the crucial parts for a perfect fire up and perfect idling temperament were replaced ll fi e wheels were prepped and sprayed, retaining their original brake drums and I also have the original brake cylinders and pistons here at home, up for refurbishment.

When she was done and I drove to Astwood Bank, Rob was very busy. He left me to it – which I was glad of for it is spine tingling stuff to see an old friend brought back from the brink.

In fact, it’s hard to retain a dry eye. The old girl means more to me than anything else I own.

These days, the grand old lady is securely garaged and, although a working vehicle once more, I have to admit I’m reluctant to take her out in the rain! Thank you again to Rob and his team for giving Katie a new lease of life, and the chance to write many more chapters in her ongoing story.

Astwood 4x4 carries out all sorts of Landy work, from simple servicing to full-scale rebuilds. They’re at www.astwood4x4.co.uk

Katie has been part of the family since being bought new all of 35 years ago. She’s a familiar sight outside the family home – where a plaque in the wall (right) bears the initials of the author’s father near the spot where he passed away

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 4pp Howe.indd 59

59 07/11/2017 18:58

COACH

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LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 07/11/2017 18:53

H CLASS

Mike Rivett is a serial collector of Series Land Rovers. He has been accumulating these machines for decades and has managed to become the owner of some rare and unusual odels includin one of the best examples of the coachbuilt Tickford station wagon WORDS AND PICTURES: MIKE TROTT

Lancaster Insurance would cover a Land Rover like this one, driven by a 45-year-old marketing manager with a PE27 postcode, for an annual premium of £88.91 with Agreed Value available for an additional £18.

The quote assumes a clean licence and that the Land Rover is a second vehicle, kept in a garage, valued at £40,000 and covers no more than 3000 miles a year. To find out more, visit www.lancasterinsurance.co.uk

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 4pp Rivett Tickford.indd 61

C

ollecting things can be a great way of passing time, assuming one has that much time to pass. It could be your main hobby in life and something that is is a part of you from your younger years to the days when you start getting old and crumbly.

To be honest, if you’re just looking to pass time then there are probably more interesting ways to do so than to collect things like toys.

Actually, we don’t mind collecting toys, providing they’re not the sort with synthetic fur and set on proclaiming their love for you whenever you’re in the vicinity.

However, there is one type of collecting that we certainly can get our heads round; one that

we praise and actively encourage. In fact, I’m e en fairly sure that it s een scientifically pro en that collecting machines with the Green Oval on the front makes you live longer and more prone to bankruptcy.

The collecting of Land Rovers is actually a bit of an epidemic. We come across hundreds of cases each year, often reaching beyond the shores of the UK, and we go out of our way to catch the disease ourselves.

Many of you are likely to be reading these words remem ering the first time you contracted the illness yourself. Perhaps it was when you decided to take your mate’s old Landy off his hands. Or was it at a show and you

61 07/11/2017 18:53

saw something you just had to own? Or, perhaps, the realisation came to you when you were sat in your underpants, accompanied only by a mug of stone-cold coffee, bidding on a racked-off piece of Solihull history at 4.30 in the morning.

It’s a shuddering thought but, sometimes, needs must.

One chap who’s had to carry this condition for many years is Mike Rivett. He has been an avid collector of Land Rovers for more than two decades – and his services to the hobby have really started to show dividends. Among the many Solihull motors now in his stable is the one you’re looking at here – a coachbuilt 1951 Tickford Station Wagon.

Soon after the original 80” Series I was launched, customers started to realise it was a bit, well, basic. Talk about stating the bleeding obvious. Anyway, people liked the idea of having a Land Rover with at least some form of luxury added – like having exterior door handles, for example, or a roof.

Consequently, Land Rover turned to Tickford of Newport Pagnell and instructed them to design a Station Wagon variant, which would see the model use the old-school method of coachbuilding for the body.

It didn’t really work, though, and after three years of production only 650 Tickford Land Rovers had actually been built, making it a pretty rare piece of the brand’s history.

The main issue was that it was just too expensive. The coachbuilt body forced a premium and, because it was no longer classed as a commercial vehicle, owners were subject to Purchase Tax too. And let’s be honest, using wood to build a car is so 19th Century.

Nevertheless, sometimes a company’s failings and the product’s resulting rarity is what captivates the eye of a collector. ‘I acquired the Tickford around early 2001,’ says Mike. ‘It was advertised in a Land Rover mag and they were after telephone bids. Luckily my dad was up there on holiday, so he did a detour and went to go and view it.’

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Like many Series Is out there, Tickford or regular, the original engines were often ousted from the engine bay and in place the larger 2.0-litre four-cylinder u it oul e fitte ere as t a u e i e i po er if a at all ut there was some much needed additional torque Many of you who actively collect will know that some of the acquisitions you’ve admitted to owning or hope to own have come through chance and seizing an opportunity. Mike is well aware of this.

But this Tickford had a life before it came to Mike and, like many of its brothers that were successfully conceived, it Landy was exported overseas – and in this instance, to West Africa.

‘The Tickford was exported to Ghana when new, before returning to Wales and reregistered,’ reveals Mike. ‘Then, only a month later, it went to Scotland and was re-registered again! This was back in the Sixties and then it stayed up in Scotland throughout its ownership until I purchased it.’

Mike continues: ‘The Tickford is considered a bit of an ugly duckling in the Series I world,

but I like it, even though I prefer the look of a standard Series I.’ It’s easily distinguishable from ordinary Series Is and, with the one we have here, we can really point out the differences because of how original it has stayed over the years. Yes, the 1.6 4cyl petrol has been ousted for the higherpowered 2.0-litre petrol, a common substitute across all early Series Is and especially with the Tickford, because, as Mike explains, ‘The 1.6 was underpowered and the 2.0-litre was much better suited to help counter the extra weight. Other than the engine, the rest of the running gear on this is original.’

It wasn’t only the Station Wagon shape bringing added weight, with its materials and technology, but also those luxury perks. Leather on the seats, for example, and the comfort

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 07/11/2017 18:53

The Tickford might have a reputation as being a bit of an ugly duckling, but everywhere you look there are details to be found which make it, in its own way, a thing of absolute beauty of a heater – there was even some attempt at trimming out the interior, which will have delighted the six other passengers you were able to transport.

One classic tip for spotting a Tickford is when looking over the spare wheel cover; a tin-plated item painted in the same Bronze Green as the rest of the vehicle.

Because the Tickford was designed with comfort and passenger wellbeing in mind, you might think that Mike is more likely to drive this lavish Landy.

‘The Tickford is not just a garage queen, it gets used on many occasions and it has been to Belgium on a holiday weekend (as part of the annual Charity Land Rover Run). I take it on car runs and it’s been to Goodwood a couple of times,’ says Mike.

‘I already had one Tickford before acquiring this one, so two in the garage was good to look at smiles ike ut I then sold the first to help

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 4pp Rivett Tickford.indd 63

pay for the Pre-Pro…’ That’s a story for another day, folks.

As for the Tickford, it seems like Mike is one of the very few people not to have been put off by its failings, nor does he discriminate against its uncon entional figure ‘I like the fact that it’s not good at being a Land Rover or a plush car, and it was trying to tap into a better market for Land Rover even though it didn’t ultimately work, because of all the costs.

‘That all but put an end to the Tickford and in fact only two more were made after mine.’

Thankfully, the recipe for the core Series I was appreciated by a wider range of palettes, meaning there were many more units built in the following decades. More Land Rovers to go around for us to collect then really!

The Land Rover and Tickford relationship, however, may have been fruitless on the whole, but these quirky derivatives of the Series I are

still part of Land Rover’s long and glorious history. And any vehicle that makes up the history of Land Rover, whether a success or failure, should still be appreciated.

63 07/11/2017 18:53

Pretty in Pick-up

64 4pp Norton SIIA.indd 64

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 07/11/2017 19:27

W

Lancaster Insurance would cover a Land Rover like this one, driven by a 45-year-old marketing manager with a PE27 postcode, for an annual premium of £81.03 with Agreed Value available for an additional £18.

The quote assumes a clean licence and that the Land Rover is a second vehicle, kept in a garage, valued at £7500 and covers no more than 3000 miles a year. To find out more, visit www.lancasterinsurance.co.uk

Meet the Land Rover that goes by the name of Paloma – she’s one of a kind.

Yes, this is the unique and ingenious Series IIA Double Cab – a vehicle that was never produced by Solihull WORDS AND PICTURES: MIKE TROTT

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 4pp Norton SIIA.indd 65

hen it comes to Land Rovers, you’d think Solihull had the whole workhorse thing covered. The company produced basic machines that were unrivalled off-road – and would destroy themselves upon it (see this month’s buyer’s guide section). But keeping Series and o ers to the fields and farms they were intended for meant you were keeping them to the brief.

These vehicles came in various body styles. Or at least they did after Land Rover thought it best not to have people driving around with their heads as an impact zone, should the vehicle roll.

There have been short-wheelbase Landies, long-wheelbase Landies, station wagons, pick-ups, hard tops, soft-tops, whatever kind of top you needed really. But it took Land Rover until the 1980s to ‘mass produce’ anything with a double cab body, and that was only in the form of the oversized 127.

With the Td5 era, Defender 110 Double Cabs became commonplace and over the years Land Rover has kept its protagonist updated in a number of guises, but what happens if you wish you’d had a double cab body for your Series IIA? The beauty (or lunacy) within the community we so dearly love is that there is always someone willing to question the original template; someone believing that they can improve on the manufacturer’s own interpretation. And, well, because the cliché goes that these vehicles are just big Meccano sets, changing a few bits around and making your own ideal Landy, it’s child’s play.

Take Paloma, for example. Nice, isn’t she. She wasn’t born like this I’m afraid, though, because surgery has been necessary to get her to look like this. Imagine a Hollywood actress from yesteryear who is trying to get ‘ready’ for one final lock uster a little stretch here some in ating of the rear end and finally a it of a makeover to get the whole package looking more youthful.

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Under the bonnet is the much-loved old 2.25 petrol – a smooth running and very reliable unit that’s very much part of the legend Land Rover has become

‘That’s the thing with Land Rovers, if there isn’t the exact specification of vehicle available, you just build it yourself!’

For Paloma it has worked well. For Paloma, faith has been rewarded. For some celebrities, it’s a more unfortunate tale/tail ending.

Adam Norton, proprietor of Norton Automotive, discovered this A-lister and has revealed some of the details behind Paloma’s early career.

‘Paloma started her life just as a bog-standard ick p and was used y her first owner from 1967 to 2006,’ Adam tells me, as we gaze over in her direction. As a 109” Pick Up, Paloma was used to hard graft and getting her hands dirty her first keeper used her on a smallholding and registered her as an agricultural vehicle.

If there is one thing that can make a Land Rover particularly desirable, it’s when the word

‘smallholding’ is present. Often, when Land Rovers have only been subjected to light work on holdings, their mileage can be minimal. In Paloma’s case, the clock currently only reads 10,000 miles, and Adam has been told that the figure is a solutely genuine In a way, it would be unlikely for a lady to have undertaken anything drastically labourintensive back then, so maybe Paloma has looked after herself all these years. She has a number of assets after all. Her golden heart can also be identified as a litre petrol motor so there s sweetness on the inside as well as the out.

The manual four-speed gearbox and its shifter reaches out to a six-seater layout with elephant hide upholstery and even a working Smiths

heater. All this lying within a Bronze Green exterior and topped off with a Limestone roof.

But she has brawn to match the beauty, this girl.

She’s solid, carrying a chassis and bulkhead in remarkably good order.

In the nephew of the first owner became Paloma’s keeper and that was when the work was done, between ’06 and ’07,’ explains Adam. ‘He must have used a station wagon vehicle as a donor to get Paloma into this state.

That’s the thing with Land Rovers, if there isn’t the e act specification of ehicle a aila le you just build it yourself!’

Following her relationship with the nephew, Paloma found a new suitor in early 2016 who carried out a light mechanical overhaul on her,

A nice, tidy interior does everything required of it without wasting time on unnecessary luxuries – though there’s a classic old cabin heater in there, as well as some nicely carried-off carpeting in the doors

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LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 07/11/2017 19:28

including a full ser ice fitting new rakes a new e haust and installing new clutch cylinders and new propshaft I ought her from the third owner after the gentleman had rought her ack up to a good roadworthy condition says dam It s not hard to see why aloma caught dam s eye nd now she has caught mine too he d ou le a s ha e always looked a little more rutish and playful to my eye you only need to take a look at the efender featured later on in this ery paper ut seeing a eries and o er in dou le ca form throws up a different persona eries and o ers y their ery nature are not as eefy as efenders and aloma is a daintier soul altogether I e een lucky enough to spend some uality time with aloma if only rief ut I can confirm that she does ride ery well er heart runs sweetly and she carries her form eautifully he is the sort of and o er you d take home to your mother nly I can t ecause she s een sold and mo ed on to her ne t suitor rat

4pp Norton SIIA.indd 67

e si s of sur er are efi itel t ere t i ou expe t to see i a ustom ou oul sa o e er ele a t s e mi a t is is a proper farmer-spe or i a

it s o mo s a o er st le ot ar li e-up ll part of t e arm t loo from a ista e et up lose e i le

07/11/2017 19:28

WORD O W

e’ve all been there – you know, when Dave is telling you the latest nut and bolt he’s tightened on his Land Rover over the course of the weekend. It’s just a shame he isn’t tightening his own screw every now and again.

We’re all guilty of it, though. Talking Land Rovers I mean. No matter what Land Rover we own, another Green Oval enthusiast is another pair of open ears. Whether you’re a lover of all things Series, or a die-hard green lane fan that swears by a 90, we’re only too happy to let the world know about our pride and joy. owe er on occasions we find oursel es talking to folk who are less ‘in the know’. But that doesn’t mean to say they can’t come out with some juicy information about Land Rovers themselves. Stick with me here.

Take Craig Mills, for instance. One day, our Craig found himself deep in dialogue with a work colleague – nothing unusual about that, of course, but when the colleague revealed a friend was into tractors, cars and other toys that could get a man’s hands dirty, some further investigation was required.

Often, these ‘toy’ hoarders can have a truly mixed bag of items. Think of their collection as a bag of Revels – sooner or later you’re going to come across a couple of real duffers. I was going to point to the coffee a oured ariant of e el but I’m actually a fan. So please, insert your own hated Revel for your own satisfaction.

In the meantime, I’ll continue the analogy and say that on occasion you can stumble across a diamond in the rough. Or Malteser in the Revels bag, either works. There, in the midst of a collection of mediocrity, lies a proper gem; a

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When a group of Land Rover fans get together, they’ll talk Land Rovers.

Always. Talk of diff ratios, saggy headlinings and chassis rot is all very ordinary – but sometimes the conversation can take you places you really weren’t expecting to go…

WORDS AND PICTURES: MIKE TROTT

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 07/11/2017 19:04

OF MOUTH Lancaster Insurance would cover a Land Rover like this one, driven by a 45-year-old marketing manager with a PE27 postcode, for an annual premium of ÂŁ230. The quote assumes a clean licence and that the Land Rover is a second vehicle, kept in a garage, valued at ÂŁ30,000 and covers no more than 3000 miles a year. To find out more, visit www.lancasterinsurance.co.uk

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 4pp Mills.indd 69

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Lightstone leather was introduced for this special edition Range Rover. It leaves all who see it in no doubt that t is is a full e e luxur e i le t e a arri e by this stage and was busy wowing people with how upmarket it had gone, but here’s the proof that by the end of its quarter century in production, the Classic was no longer the same down-to-earth gentleman’s utility truck it started out as either

machine that stands head and shoulders above all else in the arn shed or field The ‘gatherer’ that Craig had been tipped-off a out did indeed possess something a it special But I’ll let Craig deliver the bombshell himself: ‘It turned out that within this guy’s possession, he had a 25th Anniversary Range Rover Classic,’ announces Craig with a slightly startled look on his face e pro a ly was startled when he saw the lassic lying there for the first time ecause this special Land Rover had been dwelling in a arn for the last decade Now, anniversaries can become a bit, er, hard to remember, shall we say – at least after so many years anyway lthough gi en my distinct lack of wife I m pro a ly not the chap to know Still, I’d imagine that your 25th anniversary is one of the more memora le gi en the milestone And to mark the Range Rover’s 25th birthday,

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they knocked up a few limited edition vehicles to go down in the history ooks What makes this Classic relatively exclusive, then, is that it is just one of 25 examples ever made this here is o lthough raig tells me a funny rumour that there are in fact 26, because Land Rover sold 25 and realised they hadn t kept one for themsel es It s elie a le Now that Craig had become aware of this Classic’s existence, he couldn’t sleep at night knowing that it wasn t on his own dri eway Don’t worry, no thefts took place in this story, but Craig did enquire about purchasing the ange o er a ing done a spot of homework and sought some advice from Kingsley Cars, who suggested it may be a good idea to ‘tap it up’, raig went in for his ange o er ‘The owner said he wouldn’t just sell it to anyone, but because I’m into Land Rovers as well,

he felt it was going to a good home says raig o a deal was struck and I took it off his hands It’s not like the gentleman didn’t have anything else to play with anyway!

‘I knew it was a 25th Anniversary model when I set eyes on it he ford lue paintwork and Lightstone leather were some of the clues, along with all the pla ues e plains raig y neighbour, who is also into Land Rovers, said “It must be rare if I haven’t heard of it!”’

Craig had been in the market for a Land Rover anyway, having sold his late-letter Defender a month or so pre iously ‘I sold my 64-plate Defender earlier this year after I had run it for a out months ike any good businessman I saw an opportunity to sell it and actually sold it on the day the Defender production ended, selling back to a garage for profit says raig nd the fren y for efenders

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 07/11/2017 19:07

still continues today. Countless offerings can be found on the internet, all of them with su stantially in ated price tags It means argains are now few and far between and a less than ideal situation for us mortals looking for a modest and honest Defender.

Back to our Classic, though, and Craig e presses to me another rumour only this time specifically a out his own o ehicle his ange o er was one of two to e sold from new at indacre and o er in Ipswich re eals raig ut this particular one supposedly went to a senior figure within the ord otor ompany nfortunately howe er we ha e no way of erifying whether this is true or not as the ser ice history only goes ack to miles

The odometer currently sits a nudge beyond which is low enough to count as a relief as whoe er owned it they racked up a fairly mighty miles in its first year asy to ump to conclusions ut one way or the other that s certainly company car sort of mileage um er was assem led on eptem er 1995, with six others built on that same day. The sister car to this (the other one sold by Lindacre Ipswich is in orth merica and raig says its owner is still running it today.

It s not ust orth merica where these Classics are being used as they should be either.

I e een running it as my daily dri e since I ought it earlier this year e plains raig I took it ack to indacre s one of the guys who works there, Gary, had worked on the car when

it was first released and he remem ered the car from all those years ago ange o er lassics are usa le classics raig is pro ing this at the moment and I m sure when he makes his way around uffolk the little nni ersary details a out the ehicle make each ourney seem ust that little it more memora le raig and his wife harlotte ha e already had a memora le e ening with the ange o er when raig pulled o er suspecting a pro lem with the transmission he man came out to resol e the issue and harlotte rought some fish and chips along which they dined on while perched on the ange o er s tailgate ho said romance is dead? h and the transmission wasn t the pro lem It was a ulging tyre

The story may be apocryphal (or indeed completely untrue), but it’s rumoured that Land Rover actually built 26 of the 25th Anniversary Edition – having neglected to earmark one for its own collection. Perhaps someone there realised how sought-after they would one day be

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 4pp Mills.indd 71

71 07/11/2017 19:07

ROVER REVOLUTION

After 30 years of evolutionary changes to the original Land Rover, Solihull reached the 1980s needing to step away from the outdated technology of its Series trucks. The result was this ordinary loo in bei e ehicle but ordinary it ain’t WORDS AND PICTURES: MIKE TROTT

72 2pp Dunsfold 110.indd 72

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 07/11/2017 19:13

H

ere we go then. The year is 1980, Margaret Thatcher is still a novelty and Michael Jackson is still black.

The decade will be remembered for some very good things: the music, the hair (arguably) and… hmm, come back to me on that.

It wasn’t all rosy, though. Britain was gripped in the worst recession since before WWII, strike after strike was witnessed through our boxy TVs, England got completely annihilated time after time at cricket and we managed to get involved in yet another political war.

It was a decade of revolution – and not just in society at large. The same can be said for Land Rover, too. Having seen the Series I evolve from its earliest 80” interpretation to a third-generation vehicle now in 88” and 109” platforms, the machine that epitomised the olihull outfit was in need of a whole new start both mechanically and visually. he ehicle you see here is the first pre production machine to carry the 110 name – and as a result was the first road going and o er created to resemble the modern-day Defender.

This was Land Rover’s second wind, if you like, on its way to establishing the icon that was eventually christened in 1990.

Yes, Defenders and the 110 and 90 before it were still the replacement models for the Series III, in much the same way the P38 was a replacement for the Range Rover Classic. But Series Land Rovers and Defenders have often been categorised as separate individuals – and this ehicle was the first e er to illustrate why It was the long wheelbase variant, the 110, that emerged from the assembly line at Lode ane first not the famed he e ample we have here was put together in 1980, three years efore the official launch of the and o er ne Ten’ on British roads.

The body colour is typical of a horrible paint scheme from decades gone by, in this case something reminiscent of a hearing aid or a erther s riginal owe er the ehicle itself is more than just a fashion disaster.

This was one of about 25 pre-production 110s manufactured in 1980 to help with the development of the Series’ successor. Many of its styling cues were adopted from the Stage 1 V8, with the ush front end and headlight surrounds providing an upgraded exterior, and setting the standard for what would come on the Defender in the following years. It was a clear attempt to segregate the new era of the Land Rover away from the Series vehicles, with rebadged models and the deserting of that famous grille. This was never going to be the Series IV. However, for initial production the 110 and 90 still had to make do with the 2.25-litre petrol engine carried over from the Series III. It was about as ideal and well-suited to the vehicle as I am to being Prime Minister. Fortunately, the new range of Landies only had to wait until the mid 1980s for the 2.5-litre naturally-aspirated engines to appear, although neither the 2.5 NA petrol or diesel have gone down in the history books as masterpieces. This pre-production 110 still has a 2.25 petrol motor, but it is not the original one that was first installed y and o er

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 2pp Dunsfold 110.indd 73

Like waiting for a microwave to ping, the 110 had to wait patiently for a new variety of engine. This is just an old 2.25 petrol unit – which did get used on a few very early examples of what went on to be known as the Defender Having been given permission to leave the engineering eet ack in o em er this beige 110 moved on to pastures new. But its engine was retained by Land Rover along with many of its particulars, such as the gearbox, propshafts, wheels, doors, exhaust and radiator.

According to The Dunsfold Collection, with whom this vehicle resides, a scrap dealer mistakenly sold the chassis and the body of this early 110 when they were supposed to be whisked off to the great scrap heap in the sky.

Following a break of 25 years, whereby the 110’s remains had been kept in dry storage under lock and key with a Land Rover specialist, the Dunsfold Collection took ownership of this important artefact at the end of 2005.

While you can see the restoration was successful, and they managed to keep many of the Land Rover’s original details, Dunsfold is still looking for its original engine, which went by the numbering of 24FRF17. If any of you reading this happen to know the whereabouts of this particular engine, I’m sure I can think of a party who would be keen to take it off your hands.

This pre-pro 110 bears the chassis number fighter et it is not though especially in terms of its technology. What wizardry it does call upon is the amazing coil spring. The ange o er was the reen al s only other recognised model in the 1980s and it utilised those more modern coils for its suspension. But for the Series’ successor to ditch leaf springs and move to coils - that was quite a leap. f course today all and o ers ha e fully independent suspension and many of the models call upon air to achieve those sumptuous ride dynamics. But in 1983, the coil spring setup provided that improvement in ride quality, while the 110 and 90 also ended up adopting the Range Rover’s permanent four-wheel drive system too. In our sandy-shaded steed we have here, though, it adopted more from the Range Rover than anticipated. Let’s just say the steering wheel doesn t say on it This pre-production Land Rover is now one of only fi e remaining sur i ors that initially wore the new wave of Land Rover updates. They were all made by hand. The inner wings and wheelarch eyebrows were shaped by the limbs of

men, not robots. This model also has exportspec side windows, although many other body specifications were tested in those early months Inside you can see the fresher interior with the fi e speed manual gear o and ca in closer to that of the Defender than the Series III. No heater in this example, though.

What makes me like this car so much, howe er is that it defines a pre production vehicle. It’s still a little rough around the edges, and if you go over it with a detailed eye – past that milky tea shell – you can see why it isn’t the polished article. But rather than be jealous of all those 110s that followed, it stands proud and wears its inaccuracies with pride. Just like any old Land Rover should do.

Thanks to the Dunsfold Collection for the availability of the vehicle. If you would like to view the entirety of the collection, or donate to the charity, visit www. dunsfoldcollection.co.uk

Lancaster Insurance would cover a Land Rover like this one, driven by a 45-year-old marketing manager with a PE27 postcode, for an annual premium of £81.03 with Agreed Value available for an additional £18.

The quote assumes a clean licence and that the Land Rover is a second vehicle, kept in a garage, valued at £5000 and covers no more than 3000 miles a year. To find out more, visit www.lancasterinsurance.co.uk

73 07/11/2017 19:13

BENEFITS W Friends can be great, but they can also be a bad in uence on you e ery once in a while i e when they’ e ound another and o er or you to et besotted with, or instance ust as Martin Okell, who knows only too well WORDS AND PICTURES: MIKE TROTT

W

hen we’re growing up, as kids we tend to have that one friend who is always a bit of a rogue; someone who is always looking to venture onto the wrong side of their parents – or the law. Peer pressure is a bitch, though, isn’t it, and on occasions you can’t help but join your scallywag of an acquaintance in the dark arts.

You’d like to think we grow up and get out of egging on our friends to be irresponsible or immature, but, as we know, some things will never change. If anyone has come across the card game labelled the Ring of Fire, then I’ve no doubt you’ll be well aware of just how bad things can get when you need to ‘take one for the team’.

It’s a similar story within our circle of Land Rover friends. For example, when John turns up in the eries II oft op he s ust finished

74 4pp Okell.indd 74

restoring and you look over at the crumpled shed that is your 109, you can bet your life there will be a few frantic searches through the pages of eBay that night – either for parts or an all-new vehicle altogether.

Sometimes your ‘mate’ may even try to rope you into a project with him, because ‘two heads are better than one’. What your pal really means is ‘two wallets are better than one’. It’s like strapping yourself to the guy who jumped out of the plane without a parachute.

Martin Okell loves his Land Rovers – and his friends know it. So when his friend, Tony Sinclair, who also runs Alldrive Classic 4x4, phoned up to tell Martin he thought he’d found something that might interest him, the writing on the wall was already dry.

‘I went to see Tony, who said he might have something to interest me around the back,’ says

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 07/11/2017 18:46

WITH FRIENDS Lancaster Insurance would cover a Land Rover like this one, driven by a 45-year-old marketing manager with a PE27 postcode, for an annual premium of £81.03 with Agreed Value available for an additional £18.

The quote assumes a clean licence and that the Land Rover is a second vehicle, kept in a garage, valued at £15,000 and covers no more than 3000 miles a year. To find out more, visit www.lancasterinsurance.co.uk

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 4pp Okell.indd 75

75 07/11/2017 18:46

e ta e e as t e first a -litre u it remai s er mu

o er as oppose to a to a as it as a t e

Martin. ‘In my head I was just thinking, “Oh God, here we go again!”’ he smiles, rolling his eyes.

What lay in store for our impressionable friend was a Stage 1 V8, a machine that bridged the transition from the Series Land Rovers of old to the One Ten and Ninety models that succeeded them.

As Martin recalls, this was a while back, around 2010. ‘Hmm, I’m a sucker for V8s,’ says Martin shaking his head. ‘Before I knew it, the blinkers went on and the deal was done,’ he elaborates. ‘Whatever state it was in, it was going to be mine. We got there, it wasn’t running, the previous owner had started to strip the vehicle and only two doors were bolted on at the time, with the other panels stored inside.’

So maybe the Stage 1 V8 was a few sandwiches short of a picnic – or was that Martin?

Either way, it wasn’t a total gamble. It’s not like walking up to a roulette table and placing your life savings on red. Close though. Still, seeing as the chassis itself was made of sterner stuff than Martin when he gets around Land Rovers, it was all looking good. The rear crossmember was a bit scabby, but name me an old Landy that hasn’t suffered here.

Standing there with a white exterior trying to gleam through, it was decided that the vehicle should be put through a rebuild and back onto its feet once more. The good fortune kept on coming, however, with there being no need to remove the rear tub, and when it came to that 3.5-litre Rover V8, a thorough service was all that was required.

‘I’ve kept the exterior fairly normal, but it’s inside that has changed slightly with the ange o er lassic seats fitted all the way through and a slight modification to the rear wheelarches,’ states Martin.

This Stage 1 V8 is running on LPG, so there’s a gas tank at the rear, while this is also one of Solihull’s eight-cylinder motors using the Stromberg carburettors. It’s the engine that came

76 4pp Okell.indd 76

e o er or i omplete it

ee to et t e allo e trom er ar s

with the vehicle, but there’s a bit of mystery around the exact identity of this machine.

‘It’s on the original VIN plate while the gearbox number reads 004. There are little anomalies about the vehicle to suggest this could be a BBC evaluation vehicle previously used in North Africa. There are signs pointing towards it being part of the special developments team,’ Martin tells me.

‘Gaydon and Dunsfold don’t seem to recognise the vehicle, though – they don’t think

e

i e

e

it exists,’ he says glancing back. ‘Well, I’m stood next to it!’

Whatever the history, it’s the future that Martin will look to with his rather exclusive Landy.

‘Being a Stage 1, it is a rare vehicle – it’s off the norm and I fancied the challenge to do it up. Plus the price was right,’ says Martin. ‘I wanted to get it into a good working order – it deserved that at the very least.’

‘These things take time, of course. I had the panels off and was painting them in a tent in the

‘Gaydon and Dunsfold don’t seem to recognise the vehicle – they don’t think it exists. Well, I’m stood next to it!’

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 07/11/2017 18:46

The Stage One was a stepping stone between the days of the Series truck and the 90/110 that were to come. Its interior bears that out – by the standards of its time, it’s bordering on the extravagent garden and they were stood in the hallway for a while. The tripping over helped give me the incenti e to finish what I d started his tage of artin s is ery much a pleasure ehicle and it s on those rare sunny mornings that he ll think to himself that a dri e in the is long o erdue It s funny we ha en t featured a tage in this pu lication efore yet certainly from a personal point of iew I e always thrown them lo ing glances when I e seen these atypical machines out in the world I find their design rilliant in that it merges traits of the eries III with the later ne en

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 4pp Okell.indd 77

otice the split windscreen ut the ush front end eautiful ith this and o er you don t ha e to choose etween eries or efender styling ou can ha e your cake and eat it ut if you had to choose etween them I d say I prefer eries ehicles claims artin lthough the wife runs a efender so there s one ne er too far away hese and o ers are a it of a disease ut one that I en oy ha ing says a particularly proud looking artin roud infatuated a shrewd in estor whate er artin may e ased on this e idence the tage will thank him for ha ing shown it

the puppy dog eyes and pitying the ehicle so much so that he rescued it and has een a le to resurrect what is a rare and special ehicle in and o er s history erhaps it s time artin thanked that ad in uence of a friend e hasn t e actly done too adly out of it

77 07/11/2017 18:46

Engine rebuilds – Rebuilding your Land Rover’s engine can be a daunting prospect, but it’s one that needn’t be feared. Here, with top V8 experts JE Developments, we focus on some of the rules you should tinker by on your journey to motive resurrection WORDS AND PICTURES: MIKE TROTT

S

o you own a Landy that’s powered by a Rover V8 engine. You’re completely besotted with its charm and you daren’t ever part with it because you’re not sure you d e er e a le to fill the resulting a yss left in your life But these engines aren’t as innovative as they used to be – a bad thing when you think a out how few young e amples there are out there now, but a good thing when you consider that they are still relatively ‘wireless’ and more suita le for the enthusiast to play around with

78 7pp JE V8 Rebuild AK.indd 78

It s also good for ohn ales and his son ichard from e elopments as they get customers from all parts of the world seeking their wisdom and e pertise on the o er If you own a ange o er lassic or treasure another vehicle, Landy or otherwise, brimming with delight eneath its onnet ohn and Richard are very good people to know. oday we re simply focusing on what principles you should stick to when attempting to strip down your own V8 motor and rebuild it again into a fresher and remastered ersion of itself

he idea of carrying out such a o may seem like rocket science at first glance ut once you scratch eneath the surface the task in hand is suita le for anyone with a decent le el of technical sense and plenty of patience It helps if you know how to handle tools, too. ere we re actually following two different engines he first is a litre that s eing stripped down while the second is a litre unit that s eing re uilt for off road racing ut first a look at how to disentangle your V8 engine. Follow the steps through to see the different stages o simplify the process when you strip down an engine, all you’re really doing is separating out all the components, taking down the motor to its individual pieces. It’s like taking apart your fa ourite ego structure when you were a kid ust so you could put it ack together again I mentioned that we’d be discussing certain rules you should abide by when undertaking such a o in the workshop ut in reality there is one which stands out above all others – which is to keep it clean. Surprised? hen it comes to fettling away on engines you should be treating it like a surgeon would a patient in the operating theatre. Sounds dramatic, doesn t it ut if you re careless in the operating theatre, you could kill someone. While this is unlikely to cause the same devastation when applying the same carelessness to your engine, it could e at least terminal for your motor ust think clean and tidy.

For instance, a surgeon will have sterilised instruments in which to pro e his or her su ect ohn and ichard carry out their work with the same le el of precision and attention to cleanliness he late glo es may e something straight from the theatre ut the spanners and hammers are pure engineering workshop Stripped engine components are put into a heat washer effecti ely an industrial dishwasher that clears e cess de ris efore the more e tensi e le els of cleaning commence decar oniser does as it says on the tin if they came in tins) and provides a thorough deep clean to rid rocker assem lies pistons camshafts and other parts of any car on deposits his is one prime e ample of why engine re uilds

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 07/11/2017 13:34

s – the wisdom 1

2

3

4

1: An ordinary 4.6-litre V8 from a P38 Range Rover. Main ancillaries have been removed 2: The rocker covers have also been removed, but it’s time to unbolt the trumpet base ou re o

loo i

at t e mai

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expose ro

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4: Time to start loosening it all up – here it’s the rocker assembly. Remove screws and bolts, remembering to keep each set of components together are often better carried out by guys like John and Richard – principally because they have the facilities and equipment on hand to carry out the job with minimal complications.

Following another round of heat washing, components are put into an ultrasonic cleaner – hands up if you have one of those in your garage.

Another round of heat washing follows and once dry you have a gleaming set of parts, all ready to help with the resurrection. Or at least they are if they aren’t damaged and unusable.

Even the smallest amount of debris can create catastrophic damage in an engine. Keeping all your tools clean is essential as well, while it’s also crucial to keep all stripped engine components together and in the right order.

When removing the hydraulic lifters, for example, if you’re reusing the camshaft then you will need to remember where each one came

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 7pp JE V8 Rebuild AK.indd 79

from. Each wears at a fractionally different rate, meaning they start to become unique to their respective chamber. ne final point to mention is rhythm o I m not insane ut I am talking a out when it s time to tighten up the screws and end cappings on your conrods. Concentration is key here.

Richard says the best thing to do is place your phone to one side and tell everyone to disappear, because you have some counting to do.

Missing out on any of the cappings would be disasterous, so ensure you’re paying attention.

If you re like ichard who has een doing it for years, the counting becomes almost rhythmic, and if the tune starts to sound off-key then you know you may have well messed the melody up.

Being clean and tidy is crucially important, as is remaining organised with your parts and arranging your stripped components. Try to carry

out tasks in one go – for instance, don’t start placing in pistons and decide to take a break with two left to do. You’re only asking for trouble.

Lubricating components throughout the reassem ly is also sensi le n the initial firing up after the rebuild it just helps all the parts to gel with each other before the engine oil can effectively take over the situation.

There are many possible pitfalls that could catch you out during an engine rebuild. But if you take your time and make sure you remain organised with all your workspace, tools and components, then it should be a much simpler job to complete.

Concentrate when cleaning, and when counting. Don’t let yourself get distracted and forget how many valves you’ve placed back in the cylinder. Essentially, if you use common sense you ll see it through ust fine

79 07/11/2017 13:34

5

6

7

8

5. Some bolts you remove are stretch bolts. These are standard from the factory and, once stretched, can’t be reused.

Bin the old ones 6. Don’t worry, that’s not some sort of basic-style engine, just the rocker assembly being dropped into the decarboniser. This is next-level cleaning 7. Here’s a rocker assembly fresh from being decarbonised. Better 8. Once you have individual components all separated out, you can start to assess them for any marks, imperfections or damage 9. Such as this. These are the V8’s hydraulic lifters. However, the one on the left is old and damaged as you can see from the indent. A fresh one should be ever so slightly domed 10. Next up it’s time to release the front cover and take off the oil pump (pictured)

9

10

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 7pp JE V8 Rebuild AK.indd 80

07/11/2017 13:34

11

12

13

14

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16

11. The V8’s timing chain is showing slack here – this isn’t something you want to see 12. Once the timing chain is off and you’ve removed the retaining plate, you can slide out the camshaft. If you’re reusing the camshaft, you must remember which order the hydraulic lifters were removed in, as they wear to correspond with each of their respective cams 13. With the camshaft ejected, the crankshaft is the last piece of the jigsaw to be removed before you’re left with the basic engine block 14. These are some of the bearings removed from within the conrods. As you can see, they’ve had far better days and have now copperised 15. The oil pumps on a Range Rover V8 can differ. So on later examples of the 3.9 V8, the pump became crank-driven ora e o e pi ture a mu etter a more effi ie t pump t at a pro i e a i e up ra e o t e relia ilit fro t too. When J E Developments replace oil pumps, they upgrade to the later units 16. Here’s the basic assembly of a piston and connecting rod (conrod). The smaller end of the conrod links with the piston through the gudgeon pin

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 7pp JE V8 Rebuild AK.indd 81

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17

18

19

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17: This is the larger end of the conrod and its corresponding capping. Note the little grooves in them which should al s ali ese parts are far more u i ue t a t e first appear it items ee i to e mat e it t eir correct counterparts whenever necessary ere is t e e

eari

ei

i tro u e to its e

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i ar rops a tou of assem l lu ri a t o to t e e eari t oes t ru li e re ular e pla e rea to el it ot er parts ai i it t e i itial startup follo i t e re uil ore lu i ere ote t at i ar o l smears lu ri a t arou t e pisto a t e top as t is a ol t e ri s off t e ore a stop t em from e i i it a simple offeri

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loser loo at t e offeri slee e i ar use to et t e pisto i t e li er t is use to elp eep t e ompressio ri s tu e i u til orre tl lo e it i t e li er ote t at t e pisto s ee to e ali e properl e ei i serte so t at t e a eep i -li e it t e rist pi ou a ma e out t e s re s i ol to et er t e appi s o t e o ro e s e ti te i t em all i t e same sessio a o t stop u til t e o s omplete i ar oul t stress e ou o ot to et istra te ile arr i out t is p ase of t e re uil

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t ese up o importa t it is

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 07/11/2017 13:34

e all our pisto s are settle a o ro s se ure t e ext sta e is to fit t e timi assem l ai out ere is t e ams aft it t e timi ai retai i plate at t e ottom alo it t e as er a s re s to fix i to pla e serti t e ams aft a re uire patie shall prevail ile t e ams aft is ei t e e i le is first starte a t i

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25

26

27

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7pp JE V8 Rebuild AK.indd 83

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24

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK

eep pro i

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31

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30. Here you can see the remnants of the engineer’s blue left around the lip of the valve inlet 31. Next up it’s time to place the cylinder head gasket. Note that this 3.9-litre block has studs for racing purposes, for quicker stripping and building 32. When installing the new or recalled hydraulic lifters, dab some assembly lubricant on the top to help them settle in 33. Here Richard places them back into their rightful chambers, ready and awaiting the pushrods 34. Once the lifters are in, and the cylinder head has been built up with the valves and now pushrods, oil the rods up and go fetch the rocker assembly which will start to bring the curtain down on the rebuild 35. Here the rocker assembly has been placed on top, slowly locating each of the pushrods into position, before tightening them all up – again, don’t pause during this process. Make sure everything is done once, and done right

84 7pp JE V8 Rebuild AK.indd 84

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 07/11/2017 13:34

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20/03/2017 10:06

This 90, owned by Shaun Myerscough, isn’t actually a competition car at all. But the strength and ability he built into it would put many a winch motor to shame – and like all well honed athletes, the way it looks merely hints at what it can do to you if you dare to mess with it WORDS AND PICTURES: MIKE TROTT

I

magine a heavyweight boxer such as Anthony Joshua, who has been making waves ever since he won lympic old all of fi e years ago when it was London’s time to shine.

While Mr Joshua is a bit of a don at the moment, he wouldn’t have emerged from his mother 26 years ago as a fully rounded prize

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fighter ready for his first o ing out fact of which his mother is no doubt grateful. No, instead he needed to train relentlessly and improve and hone his technical skills and physical condition until he was finally ready to do attle and knock the lights out of whichever chump wanted a piece of the champ.

Not all of you will know who I’m on about, nor will you give a hoot about boxing. But the same logic can be applied to all professional sportsmen and women, be they Olympians, trillionaire footballers or those madmen you see doing barmy things on bikes in the name of getting us to drink more Red Bull.

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PRIZE FIGHTER Lancaster Insurance would cover a Land Rover like this one, driven by a 45-year-old marketing manager with a PE27 postcode, for an annual premium of £91.01 with Agreed Value available for an additional £18.

The quote assumes a clean licence and that the Land Rover is a second vehicle, kept in a garage, valued at £10,000 and covers no more than 3000 miles a year. To find out more, visit www.lancasterinsurance.co.uk

It can also be applied to the Defender 90 owned by Shaun Myerscough.

I’m not saying Land Rovers have always been blessed with the most athletic of attributes.

But in their own way, they are sporting vehicles which can be used for the rugged outdoors – and they do have an air of muscular presence

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Above left: Salisbury front axles are as rare as they are strong – and Shaun’s is stronger still thanks to the reinforcement work he’s done on its case. The steering guard you see here is home-made too – and colour-matched to the vehicle’s body using the same paint code. These are the things that matter…

Above right: It’s a Salisbury at the back, too. With a 6mm steel diff cover, as there is up front, it’s not going to get knocked about by much either. Good thinking when there’s a very valuable ARB Air-Locker in there Right: Front suspension uses +3” Extreme 4x4 springs with long-travel shocks in tubular towers. The springs themselves are higher-rate up front to hold up the greater weight of the engine. The axle is located using the original combination of panhard rod and radius arms, though the latter are mounted using home-made mounts with six degrees of castor correction Below left: Taller springs from Extreme 4x4 add 3” of suspension height at the back, too. Here, dislocation cones allow them to make the most of the axle’s potential for articulation Below centre/right: The three-link rear suspension is retained, with the central A-frame providing the pivot and Shaun’s own fabricated trailing links providing loads of droop and enormous strength

to them. As Olympians go, though, they’ve got more in common with a heavyweight power lifter or hammer thrower than someone with the physique of Mo Farah.

Like a hammer thrower, or anyone from a sumo wrestler to a prop forward, Shaun’s Defender is pretty burly looking customer. This is partly down to the fact it’s a bit of a Myerscough production. To give you an idea behind the philosophy, Shaun says the aim of the build was ‘to be able to kick it off a cliff and jump back in it at the bottom.’ Presumably so you can carry on escaping the zombie apocalypse, or any other generic catastrophe for which your granny’s itro n erlingo simply won t suffice

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To get it to this point, Shaun’s 90 owed him many hundreds of man hours. And the closer you look, the less surprising that gets. hat s ecause irtually e ery modification Shaun has applied to his Land Rover is a wonderful piece of home fabrication. The trailing arms, for instance, are home made, as are the engine mounts which have helped lower the 90’s 200Tdi engine by a couple of inches.

And that’s before you check out the tubular framework that protects every corner of this shatterproof gladiator.

But as I said, no-one is born a raging warrior.

For Shaun, the story of his 90 actually starts with another kind of Land Rover altogether.

‘I had a Discovery on a 6” lift with Detroit lockers and reinforced bumpers which I sold to fund a challenge truck project,’ he explains.

‘Inevitably, though, I started to miss the driving.

So I got this 90 just so I could get out there and actually use a Land Rover again.’

While Shaun’s 90 may exude the image of completion today, the Land Rover that entered his life was ‘an absolute pig’ according to the man himself. But as Shaun also points out, if you know what you’re doing then you needn’t fear any vehicle.

Fortunately, this 90 was available at the right price and in 2011 Shaun purchased it with 80,000 miles on its clock. And while its general

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Above left: Shaun made his own engine mounts so as to position the 200Tdi unit a couple of inches lower than standard.

As clean installations go, this certainly is one Above right: The traditional position for a snorkel is up the A-post, but Shaun’s is routed through the passenger’s footwell and up the back of the cab.

The reason for this is simply that it won’t suffer any damage if the truck goes over – and as those of us who go laning know only too well, it only takes one tree to make a terrible mess…

Right, below: An unusual arrangement up front sees a Td5 intercooler mounted ahead of the engine’s radiator, with a total of three electric fans hauling air through them. Considering there’s a winch in there as well, and the front overhang was trimmed back by four inches, that sounds like a classic case of tr i to fit a uart i to a pi t pot ut t e ra s a pipe or ali e loo as tidy as anything

condition wasn’t anything to behold, it was still on its original chassis and bulkhead – both of which were in good condition and not covered in patches.

And there isn’t a patch on Shaun’s handiwork either, after he concluded this two-year project to create a vehicle that stands out in a crowd of Defenders, off-roaders or anything else.

You can’t really judge his Defender when it’s perched on all fours. Instead you have to try and see it from a different angle, as if it were turned upside down.

‘The plan was to always make it as strong as possible,’ he says. ‘So that if it ever rolled, the shape would remain the same – hence the snorkel being positioned at the rear.’

To make it the off-road equivalent of HeMan, there is a substantial amount of tubular framing around the body’s entirety. No part of the Defender’s body can touch land before the steel exoskeleton. The wings, cage and front end all use tube to create maximum protection for

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‘It is over-engineered in many ways. But I would rather do it all once and have it done properly’ Pics opposite: There’s exo cages and there’s exo cages. This structure needs quite a lot of examination to get your head around it – the idea is that absolutely anything can happen to the 90 and it’s bodywork will never hit the rou e ause t ere ll al a s e tu e t ere first e a t e tu e is s i e o er t e o it prote ts is particularly elegant – and up front, if Shaun wants to use it as a battering ram it can simply push its way through anything short of a brick wall. And possibly even one of those, too…

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Above left: Ever seen a roll cage braced like this up top? It’s not going to do anything for the truck’s centre of gravity, but the rigidity in it is there for all to see. Shaun’s aim was ‘to be able to kick it off a cliff and jump back in it at the bottom,’ and that’s where all this steel comes in Above right: Given the amount of home-fabbed bodywork you can see all around the 90, you won’t be surprised that Shaun’s rock and tree sliders are his own work too. Yet more DIY metalwork comes in the shape of these dimple-died door sliders. The distinctive orange grilles at the leading edge of the doors helps hot air exit the engine compartment elo u ular eelar highly offset rims

es ma e from mm steel

Shaun, with the likes of the compound trellis roof just one example of how thorough the work has been.

‘It is over-engineered in many ways,’ admits Shaun. ‘But I would rather do it all once and have it done properly.’ The steroidal strength is all around the vehicle, like the Salisbury axles at both ends and the numerous home-made 6mm steel guards protecting the diffs and steering. There are no bolt-on bits here, just good solid engineering that Shaun has his dad, Alan, to thank for.

‘My dad is from an engineering and machining background and has helped with the majority of the fabrications, while I focused more on the mechanics,’ explains Shaun. ‘It was built by us, for me and no one else. It was a very personalised project and we never wanted it to look like a challenge truck. We’ve tried to keep everyday truck elements in, like the three seats in the front, so that my wife and daughter can still come along for the ride.’

As well as strengthening the 90 in every conceivable way, Shaun has chopping eight inches off the back of the chassis and four off the front.

The overruling philosophy carried through the

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are out to o er t e

vehicle is that everything is positioned where it is for a purpose. Attention to detail is second to none. The oil pump, for example, has been moved from the side to the back just for when the truck is articulated.

Weight has been centralised as much as possible, which again takes us back to those home-made engine mounts, while at the front the 200Tdi lump uses a Td5 intercooler which calls upon two electric fans just for itself.

Another electric fan focuses its attentions solely on the radiator – making for one very tightly packaged front end. In fact, if you’ve been on holiday this summer and remember facing the conundrum of trying to fit e erything in your case, perhaps get Shaun to take a look next time.

Oh and if packing your suitcase isn’t enough, Shaun could probably rewire your whole house like he rewired the 90 – a Defender that now has three individual fuse boxes. Clearly, many hours of labour have been spent on it. And there is no greater illustration of this than the front end, which now resembles more of a battering ram.

The winch is tucked away, unlike on most other off-roaders, so the mud can’t reach the

mechanism as easily and there is nothing to pierce. Instead you just have a big black wall of metal. Don’t be fooled, though, that Warn 8274 winch can still be accessed and it can still freespool with the best of them.

It’s like assuming professional footballers are all thick, but then you meet one and discover he s got an in fine art speaks four languages and is a cordon bleu chef. Or, to put it another way, like going on a date with a beautiful, elegant woman and finding out that she has her welding and chainsaw tickets and can drink you under the table.

You get the idea. You might take one look at Shaun’s 90 and think you’ve got it sussed, but in fact there’s an awful lot more to it than meets the eye. And wherever you stand, it has attitude in abundance.

It’s the attitude of those elite athletes who get to the very top of their game. Shaun was determined that his 90 would become an unyielding force – and however much work it took, he was going to get it there. He might only have built it for battles against the terrain, not other ehicles ut in any kind of title fight you’d be crazy to bet against it.

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Above left: Recognise that bonnet scoop? It’s from a Subaru Impreza, don’t you know. Up top, the cage is home to a set of quad LEDs – which, as you can just about see here, can be positioned to provide a spread of light in whatever direction is required Above right: Auxiliary switchgear covers both winches, the rear Air-Locker and the fans for the radiator and i ter ooler e am er li t a o e t em omes o to i i ate e t e ear ox as fi all ma e it i to re erse

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CHANGI LAN Harry Sherrard has rubbed shoulders with some of the greatest names in motorsport. But while he has no end of tales to tell from the world of Formula 1, he’s found a sense of calm in the more relaxed company of a Discovery 2 WORDS: MIKE TROTT PICTURES: HARRY SHERRARD

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hen someone can look back on their life and pinpoint instances when they worked for Eddie Jordan, shared the same stretch of asphalt as Ayrton Senna and spent time being paid to demonstrate the latest Aston Martins and Ferraris of the day, you may wonder how the loody hell a d isco ery would fit into their story.

It’s fair to say that Harry Sherrard is well versed in the world of motorsport. Born in Northern Ireland and growing up on a dairy farm, Harry made a beeline for the UK in his

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GING ANES

Lancaster Insurance would cover a Land Rover like this one, driven by a 45-year-old marketing manager with a PE27 postcode, for an annual premium of £209. The quote assumes a clean licence and that the Land Rover is a second vehicle, kept in a garage, valued at £5000 and covers no more than 3000 miles a year. To find out more, visit www.lancasterinsurance.co.uk

the circuit. But Discoverys also make for brilliant everyday cars and Harry has run Land Rovers as his daily drive since. his was my first and o er e plains arry ‘And we got into the off-roading through having the Disco 2.’ This is no surprise to us as owning a Land Rover is a ticket into a whole new community and, with Harry, he was always going to find a way to test a ehicle s limits ‘We visited Slindon and started laning with the Sussex clubs,’ recalls Harry. ‘While exploring the local green lanes we added a few mods as you do, it was incremental really and gradually built up over time before we started taking it on overseas tours to Morocco, Tunisia and Iceland.’

What the vehicle has now built up to is a full expedition G4 replica, consisting of an extensive raft of kit with overland travel at the centre of each item’s purpose. Fridge, water tank and Maggiolina roof tent are just a few items that help make this isco ery a self sufficient ehicle for Harry and his wife, Lorraine, and they found the additions more than useful when embarking on their tour of the Moroccan and Tunisian Sahara some years ago.

‘We travelled with Impala Adventures, a longestablished operator in the overlanding business,’ says Harry. ‘The vehicles need to be equipped for wild camping. Although there are campsites of sorts in Morocco, in the remoter parts they are pretty basic and you need to be self-reliant.

‘For us, overland trips are a perfect balance, combining adventure, driving challenges, seeing dramatic landscapes, camping under the stars, and experiencing different cultures.’

Harry and Lorraine haven’t just sampled the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara either, as in the summer of 2008 they took part in an Icelandic expedition, organised and run by Paul Blackburn of One Life Adventures.

As Harry notes, Iceland in the summer time isn’t all that icy! The highlands and volcanoes are green with vegetation not snow, and the black sand desert offers up a landscape reminiscent of the moon’s surface.

‘In summer, away from the black sand desert, Iceland is a patchwork of glacial melt rivers, and

early years with a thirst that would only be quenched by his involvement in the racing scene in championships such as Formula Ford.

Tales of his exploits throughout his motorsport story can be enjoyed in his own book, Taking Part. I recommend it highly, not least for some of the eyebrow-raising anecdotes.

But while accounts of F1 legends and Ferraris is all very well, I’d like to know – as I’m sure you would – why Harry bought a Discovery 2 in 2003. Of course, Discoverys are fantastic tow cars and, with any motorsport, there is often the need to lug your prized possession to and from

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An expedition truck being driven by a man wearing a helmet – now, that’s not something you see every day. But as well as taking Harry and Lorraine on sedate adventures around the world, the Discovery has been used to sate a passion for motorsport that’s seen it shadowing the Paris-Dakar and even competing in the Tuareg Rally – with less than perfect consequences for its transmission… some of the most exciting and demanding driving came in fording the rivers, often with water up to or even over the bonnet,’ says Harry.

Overlanding and a sense of adventure was something Harry and Lorraine clearly enjoyed, but why stick with relaxing expeditions when you can put yourself through gruelling rallies that push man and machine to the very edge?

Aside from the fridge and gas cooker that all help when you re huddled around the campfire at night there s a stack of modifications on this Discovery to help when you’re less stationary.

Today, the G4 (as it is known to the Sherrards) boasts a reconditioned and uprated automatic gearbox from Ashcroft Transmissions with a diff lock conversion carried out by the same experts, an ARB locker at the rear combining with an on-board compressor, plus a full external expedition-spec roll cage.

Throw in the usual underbody protection, heavy-duty bits, a Superwinch, split-charge system, sand ladders and Fox +2” remote reservoirs shocks and this is a vehicle you’d feel confident of tackling anything in he fresh gear o was not fitted efore arry and Lorraine tackled the Tuareg Rally, but as a consequence of the old one failing out there.

This was when the G4 was primed for its own motorsport escapades and the Tuareg Rally is an event born from the spirit of the Dakar and hosted on alternating years in the Maghreb countries of Morocco and Tunisia.

‘It may be the Dakar’s baby brother, but believe me this is a seriously tough event!’ says Harry. ‘The terrain is hugely varied, from rocky mountain tracks, to sand rivers, to dried salt lakes, to fast desert pistes, to wadis, and of course sand dunes of all shapes and sizes.’

Cutting your way through dunes like a sidewinder and facing the midday heat is all part of the challenge, but your vehicle is put through even more pain. But there is one man based in Zagora – a famous pit stop for desert rallies and 4x4 expeditions – who is more than likely able to get you back on track.

‘In the world of twisted subframes, leaking differentials and broken halfshafts, one man rules supreme: Aziz,’ says Harry.

This is a man renowned for his work upon vehicles from all different types of rallying events, but most notably when the Paris–Dakar itself passed through Zagora prior to seeking a new home in South America from 2009. e d first een customers of arage Iriki (Aziz’s workshop) back in 2006, on our initial aharan trip o when on the first day of the Tuareg Rally in 2015 we damaged the propshaft

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and underside of the G4 rally vehicle when crossing a stony wadi, who were we going to call? Aziz of course!’

It was the ‘no-problem-too-big’ attitude and Aziz’s tireless work through the early hours with his assistants that got Harry and Lorraine on

to the start line of Day Two of the Tuareg Rally, managing to source replacement parts seemingly out of nowhere in short spaces of time to keep the dreams of rally entrants alive. Sadly, the gearbox eventually gave up on this Disco – which is why it has been given a reconditioned unit since being back on home soil.

Harry continues: ‘In terms of what has been the most enjoyable adventure, let’s just say all of the above. The motorsport element has been an adrenalin fi and more intense while the overlanding was more relaxed and you spent time interacting with the people and having a more cultural experience.

‘For the time being, our Land Rover chapter is finished with for now I think it s time to mo e the Discovery on, because I feel like we’ve done everything that we can with it. I’m not the sort of person who sticks to one thing.’

Harry will no doubt move on to another project – another way in which to get his motorsport fi ut the isco ery you see here like its owner and every other Solihull sensation, has never shied away from a challenge.

Harry is a man with many tales to tell from across his experiences in motorsport. He’s even written a book about them. It’s called Taking Part, and it’s a brilliant read. To order a copy, head to his website at www.taking-part.com

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STICKER IN Many of the mods on Jason Redfern’s 90 are the kind you’ll see replicated on countless prepped-up Land Rovers. But when life is a constant struggle to stand out in a crowd of similar vehicles, he’s found a novel way of doing so. It might be an offroad warrior, but this Landy is one of the brightest, funkiest everyday cars you’ll see anywhere WORDS AND PICTURES: MIKE TROTT

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and Rovers are very customisable – it’s something that has been going on for years. Whether it’s changing the engine for something more powerful or economical, giving it suspension that’ll twist like crazy, adding mud-terrain tyres or simply giving

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it a revitalised exterior, putting your signature on your own Landy has long since been as popular around ritain as fish n chips Holding on that exterior for the moment, you’ll see a wide array of colours splashed over various Land Rovers; everything from bogey

green to baby pink, canary yellow and bronzed orange – you name it, it’s been done.

But why spent thousands on re-spraying your brilliant Landy when all your design solutions can be found on eBay for the price of your favourite pint of beer, say.

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IN THE MUD

Lancaster Insurance would cover a Land Rover like this one, driven by a 45-year-old marketing manager with a PE27 postcode, for an annual premium of £91.01 with Agreed Value available for an additional £18.

The quote assumes a clean licence and that the Land Rover is a second vehicle, kept in a garage, valued at £9000 and covers no more than 3000 miles a year. To find out more, visit www.lancasterinsurance.co.uk

Indeed, Jason Redfern – as with many of the world’s owners of products bearing the famous green oval– decided he didn’t want to stick with the standard palette expressed on the surface of his Defender. He therefore sought the assistance of one of his most trusted allies, eBay, and in

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doing so has managed to add more than a lashing or two of rejuvenating colour.

‘All the decals I’ve bought have simply been finds while rowsing through e ay e plains Jason. ‘They’re cheap to buy and they help protect the paintwork too. Plus of course if I

ever fancy a change, I can just pull them off and slap some new ones on instead.’

Jason’s Defender, a 1990 example, may look like a parrot that’s been paintballing, but it can squawk the talk on the pay and play sites just as much as the next Land Rover.

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aso re o s t e must a e a a e a axle efore e ou t it ere s t e reaso o ot x suspe sio it ut at ou see e o it is ra es are t e stuff of t e late i era o ar s i aso s misse a ouple of ears at iff uar mea ile is prote ti somet i ort loo i after a axle as ee up ra e it a etroit iff mea i mu impro e tra tio it out a ee for pus i utto s oes it surprise ou e e a little it to see t at t e reat er o t e axle is t e same olour as t e o e see else ere ere for t e ra ase

o e uspe sio is spri s o spa ers it errafirma s o s a islo atio o es e fro t oil-o ers are ouse i tu ular top mou ts a t e rear s o s i lo -tra el ra ets a t e s stem ru s pol umps all rou elo ri t ou re loo i at ea - ut i -arti ulatio traili li s from re ali e x alo it a -frame from t e same ompa ote also t e i e-a le rear prop a a surprise t e ori i al tra smissio a ra e

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This here’s a 200Tdi from a Discovery.

All the silicone hoses make it look a bit like something out of Mr Tumble’s garden, but Jason has a very serious point to make about the Tdi – which is that its longevity is down to how you drive. ‘If you don’t thrash it, you won’t blow it up.’ Simple, huh? ife with modifications across e ery inch of the ehicle ason has transformed this stock efender into a weekend warrior again through help from that online accomplice I think it s great that you can ust uy stuff from the shop and olt it onto your truck says ason It means that you can dri e your ehicle still while uilding it up to how you want it hile some may oppose the olt on side of off roading ason does hold a alid point ith the efender I started off with irtually a lank can as It was a nice solid truck another e ay find which I went down to iew at a place in orfolk e plains ason he ody and ulkhead had een o erhauled which is why I ought it rom there it has een more of a con ersion than a pro ect slowly uilding it up from there ne of ason s initial purchases was a kit supplied y his took care of most of the suspension with a lift totalling fi e inches

dislocation cones and shocks y errafirma rom there it s een a steady stream of upgrades typically following on shortly after a short out of internet surfing a ing reached what ason considers to e his limit should anything happen to the truck now a roken half shaft or suspension ush for e ample then it will e simply a matter of replacing the relati e part ason continues I want to look after it now and ha e almost made this into something that I consider too good to e thrashed off road he irony here is that ason only ought this

ecause didn t want to wreck his other and o er es ason is also the proud owner of a eries II andy garnished with full power It s this particular ehicle that links to the early days of ason s allure into off roading y second e er car was a and o er which I owned for a it efore switching ack to more ordinary cars ason remarks fter a while I found myself wanting a cheap car with a in it and and o ers were the only ones that seemed to e fitting the ill at the time ot long after he d ought the eries II an

Jason made the air intake himself from aluminium tubing and lengths of silicone hose. Up top, behind yet more sticker-bombing, is a K&N air filter t s ot ust e i e air t at comes in from on high, either – visible in the picture above is the take-off for the raised crankcase breather

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Above: It’s hard to show you the exo cage without showing you lots of other good stuff too. You’ll also have spotted security grilles over the rear windows, as well as tree sliders on the body and Series doors and an LED bar on top of the front hop. Most of all, if you like Land Rovers that make an impression, you’ll have spotted the extensive stickerbombing that makes this one stand out in a crowd Below left: Just in case that LED array isn’t enough, there’s an old-school light pot on the front of the bonnet. Which, of course, provides yet another opportunity to get in there with the stickers Below centre and right: Other forms of protection you rarely see a prepped 90 going without are box-section rock sliders and a fuel tank guard

old school acquaintance in the shape of Andy Fleming (who had his spectacularly green Discovery trayback featured within these very pages only a few months ago, back in our March 2016 issue) tracked Jason down and invited him along to one of the many green laning trips that the Staffordshire 4x4 club hosts.

‘I had the Series II and used it for off-roading for a couple of years. It’s tidy truck, and while I’m not going to restore it or anything like that, I do want to try and take care of it now,’ admits Jason.

The only thing he says he may do is convert the engine from the V8 currently lodged within its bowels, to a 200Tdi he has spare and waiting in the wings. This way his Series Landy, and the Defender which is also runs a 200Tdi, would have the same parts requirements – a tactical and shrewd strategy for the future.

‘Working on the vehicles is no problem – they’re pretty easy things to play with and I’m a mechanic y trade he pro lem is finding time to work on them!’

Over time, Jason’s taste has evolved from the introductory laning into hardcore play day stuff. According to Jason, he reckons that quite often you can drive for a whole day and your skills at the wheel could only be tested on the sole occasion. Go to a pay and play, though, and you’re looking at a free-for-all where you and

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Pulling power comes from a brace of 13,000lb Winchmax jobs. Jason got the front bumper on eBay; it’s a ‘built not bought’ kind of affair, only the building was done by someone else. At the back, Jason took a front winch tray and welded it on to the rear crossmember, so this time it’s built and bought and this time neither was done by someone else your vehicle can seek out the most challenging of terrain, just like Jason demonstrates here at Silverdale.

‘I also try and attend some of the shows with the club throughout the year as it gives me a break from work,’ laughs Jason. It also gives visitors the chance to look at the great truck Jason has brought together.

It’s a fully-ready, off-roading champion, equipped with the lift, tyres, cage… everything you could need to have fun in a Defender on that spare Saturday in the month. ne modification I d recommend is the Detroit limited slip differentials. They’ve made

such a difference. Just when you’re approaching the brow of a hill or when you need the traction the most, they give you that little bit more,’ concludes Jason.

Few trucks out there will go as far as Jason’s can go – and even less will be able to wow a show crowd so happily. It’s a Land Rover that has een dressed up with a look of real confidence and is now an off-roaders that’s loud and proud and happy to show off all of its quirks. It’s no wonder Jason wants to keep it that way.

We photographed Jason’s 90 at Silverdale, a challenging woodland site in an almost suburban

The 90 isn’t as colourful in its cabin as it is on the outside. It’s still plenty cool, though. And, you can safely assume, loud. One mod we could all do with it a reversing camera, which displays its image on the dash-top screen

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Liam Riley bought his Discovery because it was cheap. Since then, he’s turned it into an off-road hero – without ever spending much money on making it what it is…

WORDS AND PICTURES: MIKE TROTT

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AUSTERITY Lancaster Insurance would cover a Land Rover like this one, driven by a 45-year-old marketing manager with a PE27 postcode, for an annual premium of £91.12 with Agreed Value available for an additional £18.

The quote assumes a clean licence and that the Land Rover is a second vehicle, kept in a garage, valued at £4000 and covers no more than 3000 miles a year. To find out more, visit www.lancasterinsurance.co.uk

O

ff-roading can be as cheap or expensive a hobby as you want it to be. You can lob on a set of all-terrains and go laning with your mates, or conversely you could modify a vehicle up to the nines and decide you’d like to become the next star of winch challenges.

It really is a personal decision. Most people fall somewhere between the two, of course (whether by accident or design) – which is why no two builds ever come out quite the same.

The problem is that modifying a vehicle can be a bit like opening a can of Pringles. Once you pop, you can’t stop. This is one of the few cases of an advertising slogan turning out to be completely true, as many of us have found to the cost of our waistlines. Finally, you’re left with the shell of an empty can – which will be reminiscent of what your wallet will look like after you’ve exhausted all your pocket money on suspension lifts and so on.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. Oh and we’re on about the modifying business, not abstaining from Pringle annihilation – no one

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has sorted out a solution for stopping half way down the can as of yet.

Anyway, enough of the potato snacks.

Liam Riley is a guy who got hold of a Land Rover Discovery 1 for very little money after hearing from a customer that there was one going cheap. Not that there’s such a thing as an expensive Disco 1 these days, unless you venture into the realms of genuine classics and/or dealers on the lookout for a dopey punter to mug.

Back to Liam, anyway. A small amount of expenditure meant he had the basis for an off-road plaything, and he was very excited about all the different alterations he could make. But before he could truly get stuck in, the Discovery needed a bit of welding.

Ah, a Discovery needing a bit of welding.

How many of those have you come across…?

Sure enough, there wasn’t much left of the vehicle to actually weld to.

‘So I decided the very same night to just cut the back off and make it into a trayback,’ laughs Liam. Probably a wise decision, given his options

– and of course taking this route meant less weight, less of an overhang and less rust issues to worry about in the future. Besides, traybacks are cool.

As a result, Liam’s Disco had its chassis shortened by a good couple of feet and a new rear crossmember welded in place. You’ll notice the fuel tank has also been relocated, and that the original has been replaced – the bright orange job now very visible among the rear of the vehicle once fed a generator.

It ust happened to fit perfectly e plains Liam. ‘The sills have also been cut out and replaced with box section for added strength and to act as rock sliders.’

So far, then, Liam’s truck is one built for efficiency nd that doesn t stop with the chassis, either. Every off-roader loves the 200Tdi engine, and the one in this Disco is the one with which it left the factory. Good mechanical maintenance is the key here, and a boost pin has een fitted ust to take the fun element up a notch. ‘I didn’t want to play with it too much,’ Liam adds. ‘I wanted to keep it fairly reliable.’

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Above: Both axles are standard, even if everything around them is the other thing. They do wear some extra protection around the diff area, though – and talking of diffs, when we spoke to Liam he was toying with the idea of taking the next step up courtesy of locking or limited-slip units So traybacking aside, has Liam actually made any significant modifications h yes don t you worry a out that et s ump to some of the highlights shall we he suspension currently oasts lift springs from ritpart which are mounted using spacers to add the same amount of lift again along with dou le cranked trailing links and radius arms from drenalin

here s more too with hea y duty tu ular turrets up front rear dislocation cones and shocks from ro omp all round he relocation mounts are also from drenalin as are the dropped shock mounts you ll find olted to the chassis at the ack here are a lot of ritpart products on the car says iam nd some say you uy cheap you

uy twice ut I e used the parts and ha en t really had any pro lems s many of us know sometimes it s the people fitting the kit rather than the kit itself that causes the pro lems ddly enough though no one e er goes on a forum and rants like a fascist a out their own crap workmanship when it all goes pear shaped trange

‘Throughout the whole of this truck, what I wanted to do was make it the best I could for the least amount of money’

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07/11/2017 17:05

Above: Springs are +4” jobs from Britpart; they’re paired up with Pro-Comp shocks, mounted here at the front in heavy-duty tubular towers. Adrenalin 4x4’s radius arms keep the axle where it’s meant to be Below: The rear suspension retains its original layout with an A-frame and two trailing links. The links in question are double-cranked units, once again from Adrenalin 4x4; the same company also supplied the 2” dropped top shock mounts. The shocks themselves are Pro-Comp jobs with an extra 4” of travel, and as at the front they work in tandem it ritpart oils t is time fitte usi relo ators o t e ottom mou ts

Crap workmanship is notable by its absence on the roll cage, which Liam put together himself having found a cheap pipe bender on eBay. It all ties in to the rear of the vehicle – where, in an unusual and very cute touch, the spare wheel carrier is hinged and supported by a pair of gas struts. It all works brilliantly.

The winch turned out to be a brilliant bit of work as well. ‘I picked up the winch bumper

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for £60,’ explains Liam. ‘And the winch was thrown in because the guy said it didn’t work. I took it and stripped it down, and found that the gears had seized. So I sorted it and put it back together and it s worked fine e er since The winch in question is a 9000lb Warn Tabor running Dyneema rope. Liam doesn’t regard it as anything special ut it works fine and cost nothing, and that’s special enough for most of us!

You’d think with all this engineering ability and bargain grabbing skill that perhaps this isn’t Liam’s first time uilding a real off road weapon ut no ‘A few years ago I bought a Suzuki SJ and I did it up ready ut ust ne er got round to off roading it,’ explains Liam. Perhaps deep inside he knew his heart lay with another brand?

‘I’ve had a couple of Land Rovers before, but this is the first one I e really spent any time on

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1] The rear of the vehicle is basically absent. Having picked it up for next to no money, Liam discovered that what he now owned was next to no metal. So rather than messing around, he just lopped off the deadwood and turned it into a trayback there and then 2-6] The cage is all Liam’s own work, and what a bit of work it is. As well as roviding protection against rollovers and tree hits, it basically forms the entire rear of the vehicle. It leaves plenty of access to the fuel tank, too – as well as carrying a wonderfully tidy spare wheel carrier that’s supported on a pair of gas struts

7-8] Liam got the winch bumper for £60, complete with a winch – which was thrown in for free as it wasn’t working. A bit of a strip-down later, he was the owner of a perfectly functional 9000lb Warn Tabor. Beneath the bumper is the ProTrac steering guard he invested in from MM4x4 9] The words ‘Discovery 1’ and ‘sills’ are normally only seen together in sentences about people who bought one and found it didn’t have any left. No big surprise, considering Liam has built his own cage and tubular rear body, that what you’re looking at here are rock-slider extensions on a set of box-section jobs that won’t be moving for anything I’ve done bits of laning, but at the moment I’m doing a lot of pay-and-plays. It’s just easier to do It can e uite hard to find the information you need on the lanes that you can and can’t do, whereas with playdays you know you’ve got access all areas.’

We feel sure we can hear the sound of a GLASS executive calling out from the back of

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the room and pointing out that the association’s members get free access to the Trailwise database of information on every right of way in the land. But that’s another story. Certainly, if you just want to go off-roading til ya puke, there’s no denying the appeal – and the sense – in paying a few quid for the right to go in as hard as you want on a private site.

‘Throughout the whole of this truck, I wanted to make it the best I could for the least amount of money,’ concludes Liam. Judging by the results, he has spent his money wisely.

Like all projects, however, this Discovery will ne er e finished hough since we took these pictures it s een finished as a isco ecause iam has fitted a tu ular efender front end

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from RAC Parts, complete with a Defender bonnet and grille.

What’s next? The axles, probably, most likely in the shape of lockers or limited-slip differentials.

But as is so often the case in the world of Land Rovers, there isn’t just one vehicle on the scene anymore. ‘I’m currently working on a Td5 Discovery with the father-in-law,’ confesses Liam. ’That will be used for laning. Perhaps we’ll use it for an expedition or two as well!’

Well, if you’re going to go travelling, there’s a very good reason why this Discovery is the opposite of what you want. ‘You can’t really get much luggage in a trayback,’ observes Liam, and you won’t hear us disagreeing. Turns out the man is as sharp with his eyes as he is with his money.

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It’s a budget tyre, but a good ‘un nonetheless – at least if what you want is no-compromise traction offroad. These are 285/75R16 Nortenha NX Tracs – one of many remoulds to have come from the Simex-alike school of tyre making

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TOP CAT When Richard Johnstone bought a one-owner 200Tdi Discovery to use as an everyday runabout and offroad toy, he had no idea that one day it would be reborn – literally – as a brand new vehicle. And it all started with a small rust hole…

WORDS: RICHARD JOHNSTONE PICTURES: MIKE TROTT

I

developed a passion for Land Rovers from the age of 14, although I guess some would argue it was even earlier than that.

I still have my favourite toy car today that I used to push around the living room carpet, my trusty Defender – only now I have real ones too!

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he first ehicle I owned was a Discovery 200Tdi. Not a bad starting point for my first full scale and o er especially as I was the second owner from new. It had just 35,000 miles on the clock and came with full Land Rover service history. Most would probably agree there

was room for improvement, however – which is why it’s now been rebuilt into a 100” Tomcat.

I ought the fi e door se en seat isco ery to get around for work (I was contracting on farms at the time) and for weekend outings on green lanes and at pay and play sites. The Discovery

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AT Lancaster Insurance would cover a Land Rover like this one, driven by a 45-year-old marketing manager with a PE27 postcode, for an annual premium of £160.94 with Agreed Value available for an additional £18.

The quote assumes a clean licence and that the Land Rover is a second vehicle, kept in a garage, valued at £12,000 and covers no more than 3000 miles a year. To find out more, visit www.lancasterinsurance.co.uk

had modifications e en then with fi e ar tread plates on the door ottoms rock sliders and hea y duty umpers I also upgraded the gear o for an nfortunately the wheelarch had a rot hole shock ne t to the rear seat elt and eing too

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usy with work to fi it the ehicle was parked up he plan was to repair it and keep it for off road days and competitions and that s when the omcat seed was sown I emailed aul at omcat otorsport who ga e me some options to think a out hen a meeting

was set up and off to incoln I went It wasn t long after that meeting that the stripping of the old ody egan remo ing e erything in sight to lea e the are chassis and a les he rolling chassis was taken up to omcat for work to get underway on uilding the skeleton

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Above: Both axles, which started life under a Discovery, brought aftermarket Detroit diffs to the party. These were checked over by Ashcrofts as part of the Tomcat build, which also saw all the renewable parts being replaced by sponsor JGS Left: An advantage of starting a project like this with a Discovery or Range Rover as your donor vehicle is that the back axle will already have disc brakes. If you want a 200Tdi Defender, your choice will be narrowed down to a fairl ri t time frame a o er as still fitti t em with drums until not long before the arrival of the 300Tdi

Below: They hold the vehicle up on a Fox suspension system using the company’s celebrated remote-reservoir shocks.

The rear axle continues to use A-frame suspension for maximum travel, and SuperPro bushes are used all round to keep it supple as possible

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LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 07/11/2017 18:08

The 200Tdi engine was given a general refurb and mounted as far back as possible along with an R380 gearbox – an upgrade from the more agricultural LT77 that was used on pre-facelift Discoverys. In front of the engine is a full-width intercooler from AlliSport, which also supplied the radiator and fuel tank. Surprised by the colour of the silicone hoses, though, aren’t you?

Meanwhile, the trusty 200Tdi unit was checked over and the timing belt and tensioners were changed, along with any wearing parts. The R380 gearbox was also given the once over.

The plan was to build the 100” Tomcat with the radiator in the rear and a full-size AlliSport intercooler in the front. We wanted to move the engine back behind the front axle, too, allowing us to fit a concealed winch in the chassis so the approach angle remained unaffected. Extra lighting has been built into the lip on the roof air duct using an LED light bar, and the rear of the Discovery chassis was chopped off and a Defender crossmember added to give us a better departure angle.

Tree sliders protect the body and provide a step, while a long-travel suspension set-up has been built using Fox remote-reservoir shocks. uper ro ushes are fitted all round to gi e a nice ride and great articulation.

The Detroit Truetrac limited-slip differentials were added when the axles still drove the Discovery, so they’ve been left in for the Tomcat, too. I did have them sent off for a once-over by Ashcrofts before being bolted back to the nicely stripped and recoated axles, however, which is never a bad idea.

Paul fabricated a removable tow hitch in case the Tomcat would need a tow at any point. I’d like to think it will always be me lending a hand

to others, but you do have to be prepared for these matters!

AlliSport also fabricated a fuel tank to sit in the rear under the radiator. Also located in the back are twin Optima batteries controlled by a T-Max split charge system, with a hat-tip to JGS 4x4, while the spare wheel and high-lift jack are also tucked away in the rear.

Inside two wo en car on fi re ad usta le bucket seats provide somewhere for the crew to dwell. The dials are from a Td5 Defender, with LED NAS-spec lights and indicators. In addition, a GPS speedo and compass have been installed in the centre of the dash andy if I m fighting an OS map in my cabin at any point…

The engine is cooled by a rearmounted rad with air sucked through it by a full-height electric fan. If this gets clogged with mud, something really has gone wrong…

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07/11/2017 18:08

Above: The primary reason for moving the engine back was to create space for a hidden winch mount behind a standard-looking front bumper Below left: Few shapes are more distinctive than that of a Tomcat bonnet. It tells a heady tale of what’s going on under t ere it u e ul es for tu ular s o to ers i ertai l o t is e i le are efi itel ot all s o a o o Below centre: Everyone is using LED light bars now, but they don’t often look as cool as this. Frenched in to an extension on the cage structure, it’s beautifully smooth – and about as theft proof as can be, which is no small matter.

Richard is a big fan of LEDs as they make it that much easier to spot code boards on events like the Mac4x4 elo ri t ull- i vehicle look cooler

oors are t e opposite of

ap

at filters

t ere s o su

t i

as o e t at oes t ma e a

Below: Most off-road buggies have stripped out cabins, and that’s exactly what this is. But when did you last see one that looked so much like the interior of a works vehicle about to take to the start ramp at the Dakar? Obviously it’s not going to look like this forever, but it doesn’t half demonstrate what the right combination of equipment and workmanship can do

The steering column was taken from my donor vehicle and all wearing parts, from stub axles to bearings, have been changed thanks to James at JGS 4x4, who kindly supplied all the necessary bits. My Mach 5 rims were silver, so they were repainted and a new set of Cooper STT tyres slipped around them.

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Before I knew it, I had received the call for the first fitting o I trundled up to omcat and sat in the ehicle for the first time while aul measured me up for the driver’s seat. Once that was sorted, the next question was ‘where would you like the gearstick?’ I held my left arm out with my hand hovering somewhere faintly

resembling the middle of the cabin and said ‘there please!’ nce the first fittings were done the ehicle was stripped ready for painting. Having colourco ordinated it in lack and orange the final build could begin. Lots of careful planning was put into the build; as a lot of this project was

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 07/11/2017 18:08

Above left: Would silver rims look as good on a bright orange vehicle? Probably not – but either way, these Mach 5s were repainted in black prior to becoming home to a brand new set of 265/75R16 Cooper Discoverer STTs Above right: Rock sliders are among the mods the donor Discovery already had prior to being cut up, and lo and behold the Tomcat has them too. Note the grippy upper surface – very worthwhile if it prevents you from suffering injury or, worse, embarrassment while clambering in and out with wet boots new ground to the Tomcat team, we wanted to get it right. mall ush fit lights on the side of the ehicle were added to help when off roading at night and for competing annually on the ac hallenge to see code oards It s the same with the e tra high le el re erse lights connected to the re ersing switch as well as a push switch on the dash he re ersing camera is definitely something I e added to the original truck I used to dri e looking for code oards in the forest at night isn t nearly as awkward now rying to con erse with your co dri er in a ca with no sound deadening is fine at least

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when using the rally communications unit which is hard wired etween the two passengers as is the alarm system rant trip computer is also wired into the dash in front of the co dri er so tulip diagrams are easily calculated here s a first aid kit on a push utton fastening ehind the na igator s seat with arious storage nets running down the transmission tunnel and e en a cup holder too ith the ehicle complete there was ust the red tape to contend with he I test day came and the denied the use of the old chassis num er and registration details as the car was made up of all new or reconditioned parts

o in a true turn up for the ooks the old isco ery was declared scrapped and a new ehicle registration form was handed to me to fill out I already had the personalised registration on retention so the option of putting it on a rand new reg plate was inned and my own was put on instead I m sure a lot of people would find it pretty cool to e running a out in a omcat on a rand new registration ut the est thing a out all this has got to e that as the sees this as a totally new ehicle I don t ha e to worry a out s for the first three years It s uite ama ing what a small rust hole can dri e you to

07/11/2017 18:08

Portugeezers

Portugal is one of those places where, if you visit in a Land Rover, you come home raving about. In the case of Ian Foggett, he had been captivated by the place from the moment he first put a wheel on its soil and at lon last, a si wee lads’ holiday gave him the opportunity to see it properly WORDS: MIKE TROTT PICTURES: IAN FOGGETT MAIN PICTURE: TEDDIE BRIDGET PROCTOR, 2017.04.30 PORTO -13, CC BY- ND 2.0

W

e can all think of a place, a country, where we’ve made some happy memories, then taken them away with us on the journey home only to get home and realise we need to get back to paradise as quickly as possible.

Paradise isn’t necessarily sipping on a piña colada in the middle of the Caribbean, though.

For those of you reading this story, it could be when you first dro e on a glacier in Iceland or when you discovered the joys of green laning in your favourite part of the country. Wherever your happy place may be, however, you’re likely to picture yourself there behind the wheel of the 4x4 that also makes you happy. or Ian oggett it was ortugal that stole his heart. And it has been pulling on his heartstrings ever since.

Having been on a tour previously that saw Ian cut through the ortuguese interior while

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running south to north, it was an experience that captured the essence of what he considered to be a proper adventure. And with that, Portugal went firmly to the top of the list of places he needed to return to. s is sometimes the case Ian caught the off-road bug while serving in the Armed Forces.

Some may say that spending such a lengthy time with Land Rovers is bad for your sanity – others, simply for your wallet Ian seemed to get on with olihull s military machines like a house on fire however. Certainly after mastering them anyway.

It seems a long time since I was with the old eries III and trying to work out what the sticks with the yellow and red knobs actually did laughs Ian It was at that time I disco ered how capable these vehicles actually were. rom there I continued with the scene helping to organise events in Kielder Forest in Northumberland with the Forestry Commission.

I also helped run a lot of pay and play e ents and green lane runs, as well as the odd RTV with various local clubs. Like many enthusiasts, I had read a lot of the stories a out people s inspiring adventures and travelling was something I had always wanted to do ut other priorities prevented me from doing so,’ he says. wo decades on and Ian is now relati ely semi-retired with a bit more time and freedom to spare. Happily, some of his friends also fancied overlanding and together they’ve started to hit the trails. ut it is ortugal that stuck in Ian s mind like a hand caught in a cookie ar It d e rude not to go back for one more bite.

Ian e plains the lure I was ama ed at what a beautiful country Portugal was as the landscape and scenery constantly changed I had isited the Algarve area a few times on family holidays and had in fact hired an old 4x4 and headed

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 07/11/2017 13:29

s

off into the hills to find some off road tracks I remem er ha ing some great times na igating my way around using nothing more than a tourist lea et ome would argue this was foolhardy ut what an ad enture a ing e perienced ortugal and what it had to offer myself along with a couple of friends el yn angford and ichard amilton then considered doing another independent trip It was such a draw that Ian decided to check out a company he d seen ad ertised o ploring nd ha ing met the company owner oe at one of the and o er shows the trio were soon ooked on to a one week tour with the ortugal e perts I use the word e perts ecause ortugal is not ust a place oe can take you to it s the company s sole focus ei ing the opportunity the trio took the chance to tie in the week long tour with

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The trails in Portugal aren’t there just for fun – they’re everyday transport routes for getting from A to B. Nonetheless, some of them are extremely tricky to drive – that’s why Joe at Go-Exploring starts his clients off with a day of gentler stuff, to give him the chance to assess their driving skills before deciding which routes they can tackle safely

a journey down to the Algarve beforehand and an excursion back through the Portuguese interior, Spain and the Pyrenees, followed by a spot of kayaking in the Ardeche region of France. Finally, the convoy would hit Holland, Belgium and Northern France before heading back to the UK. So a six-week adventure with the highlight of a one-week stay in one of the best parts of Portugal imaginable. Simply splendid.

Richard would be travelling in his Pumaengined Defender 90 while Melvyn and Ian were traversing Europe in ‘Queen Boudica’ – or to me and you, a sensible 300Tdi Discovery 1. Queen Boudica – or QB to her mates – had various

guards, all-terrain tyres, a winch and suspension lift, along with a fridge/freezer and plucky auxiliary battery. She even had a nifty bed situated behind the driver’s seat big enough for one person. Ian informs me that they were a little jealous of Melvyn’s set-up when the rains hit in the Pyrenees.

‘The purpose of the tour for me was the adventure and revisiting places that I had previously been to, but not explored fully,’ says Ian. ‘There is always that feeling of discovery that you get, for me personally whether it is green laning in the or isiting far ung places such as the Algarve and beyond. You get to see the places “off the beaten track”, and there is never a truer saying. It’s places that you wouldn’t normally see unless you were in a 4x4.’

The guys opted for an all-inclusive package with Go-Exploring, seeing as camping lay ahead of them for the rest of the trip. It was the most logical option really, given the company’s pricing structure, as board prices offered good value against the camping.

Travelling from Portsmouth by ferry to Northern Spain, Ian, Richard and Melvyn disembarked in Bilbao after 24 hours and began winding their way down to the Algarve, driving for as long as was comfortable with the group and stopping off at the odd campsite or hotel to conclude each day.

‘Once in Monchique,’ says Ian, ‘we met up with Joe at the village supermarket and followed him to the accommodation, the award-winning bed and breakfast Casa Jaede. That’s where we met

The group were having a whale of a time until it all got a bit too close for comfort with a tree while they were perched on a steep ascent. Cue a two-hour winch session to recover Queen Boudica…

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A few views of, and from, Casa Jaede. Luc and Freya retired here from their home in Belgium; nothing at all against Belgium, but e re stru li to fi a reaso t is oul e alle a a i ea up with his colleague Peter and the owners of the guesthouse, Belgian couple Luc and Freya.’

A feast greeted the guys and it set a precedent for the entirety of their stay at the guesthouse.

‘Luc being a retired chef certainly knew his way around the kitchen!’

Breakfast would usually be followed with a safety riefing ust to co er the housekeeping that most off roaders and o erlanders should know. Then it was time to hit the trails, with Joe and Peter leading and displaying their wealth of knowledge on the ariety of tracks a aila le n this occasion Ian el yn and ichard had the tour guides to themsel es and a modest three ehicles to the con oy ‘We were quickly on to some great tracks with some fantastic scenery, high up in the mountains. The tracks consisted of a loose surface of shale and gra el mi ed with forest roads and what appeared to e fire reaks describes Ian. ocal illages pro ided the ideal respite for lunch, with cafes and bars stacked with tasty offerings suita le for fuelling hungry tra ellers Further off-roading ensued in the afternoons before retiring back to the accommodation for a few drinks and a change of attire ready for the e ening For their stay, Joe would take the guys to a near y restaurant for the e ening an uet A recommendation was always on the table from oe ut he d forgi e you for trying any of the other delicious options too. Full, both with food and drink, the lads would head back to the ranch with uc and reya oining them for a while efore lea ing the guests to roam free erything you could need was there for the taking it was ust a matter of helping yourself hat e en included sun lotion for the heat of the Portuguese summer. fter the first day s tracks oe did tell us that it was what he considered to be an easy day, ust to get us used to the trip and to gi e him an opportunity to check on our indi idual dri ing ability, so he could use suitable routes for us. All a matter of safety,’ assures Ian. he weather throughout our stay was fine and dry, so we had no problem at all with mud or water le els in the numerous ri er crossings we encountered owe er I suspect that things would be totally different at other times of year.’

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While being based in one location may not seem to e that ad antageous to e eryone the fact is that different times of year really do turn e periences into polar opposites It s worth remem ering that a trip in une would ser e up a ery different collection of memories to that of a winter e cursion ‘I got the impression that Joe and Peter know the area ery well and can ad ust the routes accordingly,’ says Ian. ‘As our week progressed, we encountered some rather tricky terrain with some steep inclines in ol ing some uite technical dri ing o ploring ad ertises a rest day during the trip where they take you to a illage to e perience the local culture owe er this isn t compulsory and we opted to ha e another day s off-roading. We actually ended up helping Joe to recce other routes which he hadn’t used on any of his pre ious tours he and were ha ing a whale of a time until it all got a bit too close for comfort with a tree, while perched on a steep ascent. Cue a two-hour winch session to reco er ueenie Ian praises oe s e i ility for arranging such a day and happily admits the reason for getting a little stuck was down to them!

‘If I was asked what the highlight of the tour was I would find it difficult to gi e an answer confesses Ian. ‘Could it be the fantastic off-road tracks high up in the mountains? The scenery?

The food at the guesthouse and the restaurants we isited each e ening r the rela ing in the swimming pool with a beer after a long day’s off roading I wouldn t e a le to gi e ust one answer to the question. The whole package was the highlight!

‘As a destination for a trip away from the for me ortugal ticks all the o es If you go at the right time of year you are almost guaranteed sunshine it s relati ely cheap and so easy to get to ith o ploring you get the chance to see what that part of Portugal has to offer to the off roader ur last night of the tour was at the Casa Jaede as Luc prepared a fantastic farewell meal setting us up nicely for the ne t part of our trip.’ ow that ortugal s ery own unofficial minister for tourism has spoken up for the nation we think it s going to e pretty difficult for you to resist the idea of Portugal as your ne t destination ortunately oe will e ready for you howe er ad enturous you like your off-roading to be.

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ARCTIC

C

ast your mind back to February 2017.

Long time ago, right? Well, hopefully for your partner they may remember it more vividly, perhaps because of your efforts on Valentine’s Day… or, hopefully not, the lack thereof?

Whichever side of the fence you fall, rightly or wrongly, it’s safe to assume you spent your

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February rather differently to Tom Parker and osie riffiths heir remedy to low away the January blues was a 5000-mile round trip during the depths of the Scandinavian winter, all to raise money for Cancer Research UK. ‘The idea came one night when we were discussing a trip that would be both out of the ordinary and a bit of a challenge,’ recalls Tom.

‘We settled on the idea of Norway as I’ve always wanted to see the Northern Lights, and I wanted to experience the harshness of an Arctic winter.’ eginning in heltenham the first leg of their journey took them across the country to Harwich International Port, where they hopped on to a ferry and made their way over the North Sea to the Netherlands.

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 07/11/2017 13:44

ROLLIN’ If you were planning a long trip, you might think twice about trusting a Discovery 1 to get you to the other end. But if the trip was 5000 miles long, your destination was north of the Arctic Circle and you were doing it in the depths of winter?

Well, you’d probably want to rebuild the Disco first…

WORDS: MATT ABBOTT PICTURES: TOM PARKER After setting their wheels upon the continent, they took the small journey inland to Amsterdam, where they had the chance to indulge in a spot of sightseeing. Once they’d taken in a little of what the city had to offer, they carried on through Germany and into Denmark. he following day they notched their first landmark as they headed along the magnificent

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Øresund Bridge that connects Copenhagen with Malmö, Sweden. Before long they had reached another country as they crossed into Norway.

In my infinite wisdom says om I decided to take the route north of Oslo – which, if you’re familiar with Scandinavia, isn’t such a great idea!

You’ve basically got a corridor with Norway to the west and Sweden to the east. The latter has a

major dual carriageway route all the way up the coast, whereas the former does not. And I made the mistake of giving it a go anyway!’ laughs Tom. After quite literally running out of road in orway the couple officially entered the rctic Circle, having crossing back through Sweden and inland hich meant the final destination was now within touching distance.

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It’s not necessarily the amount of snow that falls in Norway – it’s the fact that in such cold winter temperatures, it hangs around and then starts to drift in the strong winds that blow in off the North Sea. And those temperatures really are cold – all the way down to as low as -30°. efi itel o pla e for a e i le t at s oi to asp and die, fall apart or otherwise let you down – which is why the is o er a i first re ei e t e tra itio al alf a ear s ort of el i or as mo ifie it it li e a ritpart suspe sio lift, underbody protection, winter tyres, roof rack and ladder and, most importantly, lots of additional heating capacity inside

Another 34 hours later and they had reached Nordkapp. This made it seven countries in just shy of seven days, which by my watch, makes for pretty good progress when a significant amount of miles has been done on ice!

The fuel behind the trip, for both Tom and Rosie, was to raise funds for Cancer Research.

When I caught up with him, he updated us on the fundraising totals. ‘It’s raised £880 so far, and I’m very happy that we’ve managed this amount already as it is something that has affected both of our families. I know my Nan would be proud!’

Speaking of Rosie, when the couple reached Nordkapp they had more than one reason to

celebrate. ‘I’ve wanted to pop the question for a little while,’ says Tom, ‘and it just seemed like the perfect moment for it. I’m pretty good at keeping secrets you see… not in a bad way, though, usually just about how much I’ve spent on Landy parts!’ chuckles Tom. ‘Luckily, we took the earlier convoy to Nordkapp at 11am, which gave me a window efore the place got ooded with tourists I can still remember the change in her expression, from shivering to smiling and crying. Truly a moment we’ll never forget!’

One tourist even managed to scurry through the snow to pass on his congratulations to the

happy couple and deliver some very wise words: ‘You may forget the date – but you’ll never forget the place.’ That man may well be proved right. e ecting on the ourney as a whole om was overwhelmingly positive. ‘We’ve seen some absolutely amazing sights and I’d like to think we experienced exactly what we set out to, plus some more! The actual destination was a very small part of our trip and along the way, we saw everything from moose to reindeer – which were quite unexpected when you are driving around a bend on sheet ice in the pitch black!’

However, there was one main, albeit anticipated difficulty which they had to face

‘I’m pretty good at keeping secrets. Not in a bad way, though, usually just about how much I’ve spent on Land Rover parts!’

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LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 07/11/2017 13:44

PREPPING THE DISCO

‘I CHOSE THE DISCOVERY simply because it’s a much cheaper alternative to a 90 or 110,’ says Tom. ‘I have had one in the past and kind of know them inside out!’ The latter point is a good one to take into account for any budding explorer out there – when you depend on your vehicle and your vehicle depends on you, you’d better be pretty familiar with it.

Tom had a bit more than a year to get to know this particular Disco before setting off for Nordkapp. And he really did get to know it, too – because, in his words, ’when I started it was mostly rotten.’ Nice.

What followed was a six-month welding project, during which time Tom also gathered together the parts he needed to get the vehicle ready for what lay ahead any of the mods that had to e made were fairly specific to travelling through the Scandinavian winter – though obviously the truck did also need to be tooled up in general for a new challenge both on and off the road.

That’s why it went on to a Britpart +2” suspension kit, supplied by Tim ry andro ers hen I first dro e the isco says om it seemed ery unstable. After a bit of investigation, it turned out the shock absorbers were all completely shot!’ Perfect for RTVs, then, but not so much for 5000-mile missions to the top of Europe.

After that, two simple additions were a roof rack and rear ladder – which are of course an expedition staple. But then came something you won’t bother with if you’re heading for the Maasai Mara, but which could be a literal lifesaver in a Norwegian winter – auxiliary heating.

This goes hand in hand with the thermal insulation that has also been installed in and around the Disco’s body to retain as much warmth as possible. Between the short hours of daylight, regular blizzards and air temperatures that can drop well into double digits on the cold side of the dial, you really do want to keep your vehicle as warm as possible inside. e t on om s e er growing list of modifications to make were to the engine – where he really went to town. A failed engine is a failed adventure, not to mention quite possibly death in conditions like these, so getting it spot-on to be as reliable as possible was a must.

One of the key changes was the addition of a new turbocharger. This brought with it the possibility of using less fuel – something that can really help when you’ve forgotten what an Esso garage with a Subway clinging on to its side looks like. Further additions included a new cylinder head and modded fuel system.

Equally important, in a very different way, was some of the stuff the vehicle had to carry. Snow chains, for example, are

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mandatory in orway and must e fitted whenever the roadside signs tell you to do so – unless you want a substantial fine iously the signs only go up when conditions re uire ut for the rest of the time a set of winter tyres made the Disco that much more sure-footed on the stone-cold roads. ensi ly om also installed a fitted in running satellite mapping software nd there were more details on the winter prep front too I fitted a heated windscreen,’ says Tom. ‘Those who have one know how amazing they are I also con erted to ans aterless oolants hey sorted me out with ower ool and rep luid But the best mod of all? ‘Heated seats, period! They are the best thing ever invented. Mainly because it meant Rosie was kept quiet about the temperature… that’s why I give them ten out of ten!’

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It might have taken a major rebuild to get it there, but the Discovery didn't miss a beat in the Arctic. And here (right) is the proof that it succeeded in transporting the author all the way to Nordkapp despite everything the Scandinavian winter could throw at it head-on: the weather. And we’re not talking about a cool breeze and intermittent rain showers here. Oh no. Tom made the severity of the conditions crystal clear. ‘In Karasjok, Norway, it was around minus thirty, which is supposedly mild at that time of year. So yes, it does get a little chilly!’

Apparently, the pair both faired differently with this scenario ersonally I was fine says om ut my fianc e doesn t really like the cold I think there may have been the one occasion where the question was raised on why she agreed to come with me in the first place owe er with plenty of blankets and heated seats she was happy.’

Moving away from all the challenges that the trip entailed, there were some occasions when they could take in their surroundings and be all touristy. One such was when witnessing the famous and beautiful Northern Lights.

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‘We did catch a glimpse of them late one night while dri ing says om ut unfortunately y the time we had found somewhere safe to park up it had started to cloud o er owe er it was still a truly breathtaking sight, rather too literally thanks to the plummeting temperatures!’

Tom even let us in on a top tip for any of you out there who are thinking of making a voyage to the Norwegian capital. ‘Sledging near the Oslo winter park was amazing! There’s a huge twisting forest course stretching around three miles long, and renting a sledge for the day only costs around his definitely isn t somewhere you want to miss’ he enthused. You just know it will be better than a dry ski slope in the UK. So what’s next after you’ve conquered the North Cape? Well, Tom and Rosie do have quite a lot of things on their plate before they even consider their next adventure. ‘All our

expedition dreams will be put on hold for a little it he e plains while we uy our first home and get married!’ That’s called getting your priorities right (or wrong, if that’s the way your mind works).

‘I’d just like to thank the almost 700 followers on Facebook for their kind words and enthusiasm that kept us going, and for those who donated their hard-earned money to such a great cause,’ concludes Tom. Thank you, Tom and Rosie, for epitomising what owning a Land Rover is really all about – exploring the world and making memories.

Congratulations to you both, and good luck for the future – wherever the journey may take you.

Got a few quid to donate in the name of Cancer Research UK? Drop them off at justgiving.com/ fundraising/arctic2017 – it’s for a very good cause

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 07/11/2017 13:44

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29/11/2016 16:08

125 07/11/2017 14:49

RESPONSIBLE OVERLANDING

You plan for a lot when preparing for an overland expedition.

But something you might not give a lot of thought to are the responsibilities you have when you’re on the road. Rest assured, when you’re out there seeing the world you still have to be a good citizen…

WORDS: MARILU GRESENS PERIES PICTURES: NOEL AND MARILU PERIES

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R

esponsible tourism is essential to our travelling and overlanding philosophy. Not only do we want to have a great time visiting some of the world’s most beautiful places, but we also want to make sure that we’re not hurting local communities or the environment along the way.

And, wherever possible, we strive to ensure that our impact on local communities and the environment is positive.

We believe that responsible overlanding minimises negative social, economic and environmental impacts, generates economic enefits for locals and pro ides opportunities to enhance the wellbeing of local communities.

We take both an idealist and pragmatic approach to responsible overlanding – idealist in that we strive to be as responsible as we can, but pragmatic because we recognise that it won’t always be possible to have the perfect scenario everywhere we travel.

Recycling, for instance, is not yet very widely practiced in many African countries, and it will therefore not be realistic for us to commit to recycling all of our rubbish along the way.

However, we will recycle where we can and praise establishments that are committed to environmental protection.

There is no one way to be a responsible traveller, and we understand that many issues surrounding responsible tourism are controversial. For instance, Noel and I are choosing to volunteer with and raise funds for local charities that we meet along the journey, which is important to us even though oluntourism is coming under fire Needless to say, we understand that ours is not necessarily the only approach, and there can be many different approaches that are all just as equally responsible. ith that said these are our fi e rules of thumb for responsible overlanding:

TRAVEL GLOBALLY, SPEND LOCALLY The income generated from tourism is essential to the economies of all of the various countries that we intend to travel through, or have travelled through, in Africa.

However, too often money from the tourism sector never reaches local communities, and may actually end up having a negative impact on people and the environment. Sadly, there are countless examples of this throughout Africa – such as the displacement of San (Bushmen) communities in Botswana to make way for tourism development in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR), one of the country’s biggest safari parks.

It is important to us that most, if not all, of the money that we spend on our ourney enefits local areas, and at the very least does not contribute to any harm.

It is for this reason, for instance, with regards to our own personal experiences and adventures in Africa, that Noel and I opt not to visit the CKGR, and instead prefer to spend our time and money visiting places such as Kubu Island, which is run by a community trust, and

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‘Travel globally, spend locally’ sounds like an amazingly obvious approach, but it’s just as amazing how many people do the opposite. It’s a good mantra to abide by when you’re green laning in the UK, too – rather than making Tesco and Travelodge richer than ever, spending your money with local businesses means your travels add value to the rural economy

buying souvenirs from the Kuru Art Centre where money generated from tourism goes directly to improving the economic well-being of local communities.

ACCESSORIE YOUR VEHICLE TO REDUCE FUEL CONSUMPTION et s face it if you want to e self sufficient on an overland journey, you’re going to need to take a lot of equipment with you in your Land Rover. Which will make it heavy in weight – and therefore, of course, heavy on fuel.

Still, we have found that overlanding and self-catering camping can be an environmentally friendly way of travelling if done strategically. oel learned a few hard lessons on his first trip from London to South Africa about the pitfalls of over-packing a vehicle. Imagine consuming one too many bacon sandwiches – not only will you be heavy, slow and cumbersome, but you’ll also require a few more glasses of H2O to quench that thirst. or us the trick is finding a good alance etween self sufficiency and o er packing especially when it comes to water canisters and jerry cans, which can really hinder a vehicle.

Our advice: be mindful of the weight of the kit you intend to carry. And if you don’t need it, don’t bring it!

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In southern Africa, for instance, safe sources of drinking water will be available at the vast majority of campsites and the waypoints you’ll isit in etween o at the most carrying ust fi e litres of water per person is more than adequate in our experience.

Unless you’re planning to go into the desert for a week, don’t bring excessive amounts of water. It’s simple – it’s all about assessing your destination and just taking what you need.

The same principle applies to fuel. If you have enough juice to make it to the next station, or next few stations, then stop at each station along the way to top up your main tank, rather than bothering with the reserve tanks and jerry cans. Yes, it may be a bit tedious to stop every couple of hundred miles, but you’ll get the enefit of a few more miles per gallon for not carrying the additional weight. On the other hand, however, if you’re ever in doubt about the availability of fuel, be safe and not sorry and make sure you’re suitably stocked.

It’s never to early to think things through. You can for instance select modifications for your vehicle which don’t add unnecessary bulk, such as a lightweight but sturdy aluminum roof rack rather than one made of heavier materials. You can keep up to date with our modifications on Maggie, our 110, on our blog.

DON’T PAY BRIBES, IF YOU CAN HELP IT Perhaps one of the biggest urban legends in the west about travelling through Africa is that you have to pay a lot of bribes, for example at border crossings and if you get stopped by the police.

On this point, Noel and I have vastly different opinions and experiences.

During my time living and travelling in southern Africa, I can recount only a few occasions where I think I may have been asked to pay a bribe or unwittingly did so, but I am not sure. I believe it will be possible for us to travel from South Africa through East Africa without paying a single bribe.

Noel, on the other hand, has had more experience being solicited for bribes, especially on his 2009 trip from London to South Africa.

Naturally, he isn’t so optimistic.

So our experiences differ. But despite this, both Noel and I believe that responsible overlanding requires a no-bribery-whereverpossible attitude!

No matter how you look at it, corruption is a drain on African economies and often diverts funds that could otherwise e spent enefitting the local population, such as through tourism.

We therefore believe that it is super-duper important to avoid engaging in bribery at all

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 07/11/2017 13:42

It’s a widely held belief in the west that corruption is the norm among African offi ials eople o e a tuall ee t ere a a e i el ifferi opi io s ut o e t i e er o e a rees o is t at o est offi ials li e t is ap ere o exist a t at t e ot er i are rai i t eir atio s offers orrupt offi ials mi t e u popular amo ester o erla ers ut t e ama e t e o is felt far more ee l t eir o ou tr me a t at s it s so importa t e er to pa ri es if ou a possi l a oi it

costs. Here are some simple tricks for being an anti-bribery warrior: • Never set out thinking that you are going to pay a bribe to accomplish something – this is silly and could actually get you into trouble • Know what fees and taxes are going to be re uired efore you get to the order or office so you’re not vulnerable to illegal demands for too much money peak to officials together where possi le It’s easier to bribe an individual than two or more people together • Don’t be the easy target. Insist that you’re unwilling to pay e confident e patient eep insisting en if it takes hours If it is a ri e e entually the official will gi e up and look for an easier target • Demand a receipt explaining the payment and under which authority it is being demanded.

Make sure you ask for full names and positions of the officers emand to speak to super isors Often this is enough to deter them • If you are in a situation where you are solicited for a ri e report it eporting may not result in anything ut not reporting the matter will only make it as difficult or e en more so for future travellers

half-mile to collect some bottles thrown on the side of the road erhaps an e treme e ample ut certainly admira le You should at least have a rubbish system in your ehicle and in your camping routine though because wild animals are often attracted to trash. nd if you can t dispose of it responsi ly ring it with you until you can.

Also ensure that you know how to set up and put out campfires safely and that you know the basics of going to the toilet safely in the bush.

You wouldn’t want to be rear-ended by the horn of a rogue rhinoceros

HAVE RESPECT FOR PEOPLE AND LOCAL CUSTOMS his last tip is a pretty self e planatory point but perhaps the most important rule of thumb.

If you are committed to having respect for your host communities and en ironment then you can definitely call yourself a responsi le o erlander The rules are simple: appreciate where you are and the local customs and traditions of your host community. Appreciate and respect wildlife. lways remem er that you are a foreigner and are extremely privileged to be able to travel through foreign countries.

If you a ide y this and the other tips you can have a more enjoyable and culturally rewarding ad enture nd more than that you will make travelling more sustainable and ensure a warmer welcoming path for the future overlanders who follow in your footsteps.

You can follow the authors’ adventures by visiting their website – it’s at www.maggieinafrica.com

TAKE PHOTOS, LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINTS ou may spend of your time camping so know how to do it responsi ly on t litter pollute the environment or endanger wildlife. kay so this one might go without saying ut it is definitely easier said than done on an overlanding journey. ust off those scouting guide ooks and remember everything you learned in summer camp ecause this is the knowledge you will need to get you through an overlanding journey safely and responsibly.

I have an amazing memory of a friend driving through the stunning Makgadikgadi Pans in otswana umping out of her and o er e ery

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129 07/11/2017 13:42

YOU’RE OUT OF T If you love exploring Britain’s rights of way, any mention of Northumberland will likely have you thinking about the moortop lanes towards the county’s border with Cumbria.

But there’s much, much more to the top end of England – as discovered by a convoy of ex-military Land Rovers on a springtime lane run on the chilly side of Newcastle WORDS AND PICTURES: MIKE TROTT

W

um-wum-wum-wum-wum-wumwum-wum… The beating of a helicopter’s blades grows louder and louder in my ears filling the air. Before long, the sound of Noel Gallagher’s lead guitar bursts into my bedroom and, before I know it, Morning Glory is in full swing.

I’ll try and bring some context to that… and attempt to divert you away from the image of me with various issues one may experience in

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the very early hours. It’s a Saturday morning and I’m waking up in the sleepy Midlands at an obscene time of day (night, really) so that I can be in Northumberland for 9am. pecifically I need to e at a lay y on the A697 opposite the Heighley Gate Garden Centre, just north of Morpeth, in order to rendezvous with my platoon for the day’s reconnaissance mission – namely the exploration of byways in north Northumberland.

ace is risk with traffic thin and my arri al is greeted with the wonderful sight of several military Land Rovers – plus one civilian 110 – all lined up on parade and beautifully presented, ready for the day’s action.

I’ve been suitably drilled prior to enrolment on to this most delicate of assignments, being instructed that I will be well catered for and need only bring some decent weather with me. I’d like to think I haven’t let the side

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THE ARMY NOW

down emperatures push on this sunny springtime morning and y my recollection it s the est day of the year so far hich I feel it s going to e in more ways than one oments efore we em ark on our day s recce I meet with personnel and the dri ers of each unit olonel odward had een my contact in the weeks efore my link up with the s uadron and he will e heading our con oy in an I efender

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No doubt there’s some barking anti somewhere who’d say green laning in an R-WMIK Defender is the ultimate example of people driving aggressive SUVs. To those of us who were born with intelligence on our side, it’s the ultimate example of a fit-for-purpose Land Rover – and something which, while certainly an unusual sight on the lanes, always deserves to be met with a smile

Lieutenant Bailey, aka Trevor, will be rolling out in his restored Lightweight. Major Wood is piloting his ex-Cyprus Wolf 90 and also responds to the name Wayne, while Captain Scott Connal has the joyous task of ferrying Cadet Trott for the day in his ex-military Hard Top 90. Oh, and there is some bloke called Shaun

with his civvie 110 too. Only joking, Shaun is a top guy and has since joined the ranks with a Wolf 90 of his own.

This really will be a day of reconnaissance for some of the troops, though. My captain, or Scottie as he tells me to call him, is completely new to the green lanes of Northumberland.

‘This is only my second time out with my 90,’ says cott he first was in e ruary in the ake District. I wasn’t going to do anything like this originally – I was a bit precious with it and had planned for it only to be used for road driving.’

How things can change. Northumberland will provide a test for the 90. But as the group

‘The vehicles are veterans themselves. People are so complimentary towards them – it can be a real trip down memory lane for them’ 132 6pp Northumberland Laning.indd 132

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Landies on parade in Northumberland. From left to right: Civvie Shaun, Lieutenant Bailey, Major Wood, Captain Connal and Colonel Godward concurs later on, the type of lanes on offer here are non-damaging and instead encourage the appreciation of your surroundings.

We make our advance through the market town of orpeth efore engaging with our first lane. If all lanes are going to be like this today, then I’ll quite happily stay in Northumberland and never return to the Midlands. Rocky in nature, but nothing a standard Land Rover can’t breeze, we spiral down to the side of a river and wait for the Colonel’s signal to encroach into the bubbling stream: ‘Proceed!’

In single file the ehicles tip toe their way through, climbing up some minor rock steps and twisting round a hairpin to head back out of the little valley. In winter, the river we’ve just crossed

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could e a raging torrent ut on the finest of spring days it’s serene.

Captain Scottie is proving to be a character and today his enthusiasm is clear. ‘Now I love cars, I’ve got a nice car, an Audi, but when I get into this… Somehow it always puts a smile on my face when we’re in a military convoy – you do get some looks!’

There’s another reason why Scottie loves his 90 so much. For starters, he was in the military himself previously, just like the 1987 standard FFR 90 in which we’re spending the day. In fact, his 90 went into service the year before Scottie and they served in the same unit together.

Forgive me for a moment, because I did say this 90 is standard – and it’s not.

A Discovery 200Tdi engine lies under the onnet and there s power steering fitted making this one friendlier to operate Imagine a ri e with a cushion behind it for extra comfort on the recoil and you get the drift.

‘They have a different look and feel and of course the vehicles are veterans themselves,’ enthuses Scottie. ‘The reaction to them; people are so complimentary towards them and sometimes the military registration plates get recognised and people come up to you and say, “That was in my unit!” It can be a real trip down memory lane for them.’ oday s e pedition will definitely li e on in memory. It’s not only the lanes that provide an experience to treasure, but the villages and

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‘I’m an engineer by trade and by nature, and with military vehicles they are the pinnacle of engineering. They were designed with function over form, built for a purpose regardless of looks. That’s the attraction’ hamlets you pass through and the sweeping, wonderful roads you use along the way.

Rothbury, Snitter and Netherton are all despatched before a quite incredible lunchtime halt. I thought I would be in good hands, but the spread on offer is truly remarkable. Not only has Major Wood remembered the pork pies and Lieutenant Bailey the scotch eggs, but real Army ration packs provide a paella in a pouch for main,

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chased up with a chocolate brownie in a pouch for dessert. All this while observing the local sheep and taking in some April rays.

It also gives me a chance to speak with some other members of the task force to see what it is about military vehicles and Northumberland that makes a day like this so brilliant.

The Colonel chirps up. ‘For me – and I think it’s a common theme – I’m an engineer by trade

and by nature, and with military vehicles they are the pinnacle of engineering. They were designed with function over form, built for a purpose regardless of looks, that’s the attraction.’

‘They’re genuine vehicles and often unmolested,’ says new recruit Shaun, who has recently bought Andy’s Wolf 90 from him. ‘I don’t like things that aren’t used. You know, really we are custodians of them, they will be historical

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 07/11/2017 13:46

at some point. They are rare and essentially artefacts that need preserving. But what I love about them is you can drive them, show them, and you can use them off-road as intended.’

Artefacts they may be, but as I watch Trevor’s Lightweight bob up and down on the afternoon trails with a vista that stretches for what seems like dozens of miles, it feels like the Land Rovers are thankful not to be tucked up in some museum with recirculating air, miles from their natural environment.

‘With Northumberland, it’s the open expanse, you know, there’s a lot of sky up here,’ says Shaun in awe. ‘The lanes are really quite gentle; easy to drive, non-damaging, but interesting as well with some amazing scenery.’

‘It’s not a particularly hard place to off-road, it’s more about the scenery than technique,’ elaborates Andy. ‘For Trevor and Scott, they haven’t done much laning previously, so it’s a good place to break in the trucks. You can be off the beaten track for hours.’

Somewhere high up in the hills of Northumberland, we hold position on a trail

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that seems to give us the picturesque landscape from a Lord of the Rings film and let our vehicles take a momentary breather. The Captain’s 90 is overheating slightly, but these are all valuable miles over which to assess teething problems.

Scottie explains: ‘It’s a gorgeous area and I would say if you’re looking for something not too arduous, it’s the ideal way to run in your vehicle. There’s three things I will remember

from this trip: the scenery, the weather and the company It s the first time I e seen Northumberland in depth, and it’s been a brilliant way to take in the county.’

I couldn’t agree more. As we move towards our final lane finishing in e en grander style than we started, there’s another river crossing waiting for us. Like a platoon reaching the border to safety or a band of brothers touching down on ritish soil after eeing unkirk the and o ers successfully navigate the channel and reach the day s finish Northumberland has mesmerised before, but this time it’s taken it up a notch. The lanes have been blockbuster, the company exceptional, and it has been a privilege to witness such scenes in artillery of such calibre.

As the sun starts to dip ever lower, the squadron must disband back to normality… and I have a four-hour drive home during which to debrief myself on the day’s events. And, possibly, to try and calculate how much I’d have to set aside every month to pay for a Wolf of my own.

5 07/11/2017 13:46

BUYERS’ GUIDE

Series I (1948-1958) Versions: 80” (‘48-’53), 86” (‘54-’56), 107” Pick Up (‘54-’56), 107” SW (‘54-’58). 88”, 109” Pick Up (‘56-’58). 1.6 4cyl petrol (‘48-‘52), 2.0 4cyl petrol (‘52- ‘58).

£3500-£50,000+

I

f you want to be the owner of a vehicle that oozes heritage like no other, then surely a Series I Land Rover is the way to go.

The Series I Land Rover – particularly in its 80” guise – is arguably the most sought after Land Rover for purists and collectors alike.

Its 1940’s engineering gives it a real charisma, but consequently, parts aren’t as readily available as they once were. Restoration

projects require deep pockets, but then a finished e ample will fetch mega bucks.

Gone are the days where you could use a Series I as an actual Land Rover, because with restored and cherished e amples now retailing where they’re at, preservation is the aim of the game.

The rarer and earlier the vehicle, the higher the price tag gets. But can you really put a price on such an icon?

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

Series II/IIA (1958-1971) Versions: 80” (‘48-’53), 86” (‘54-’56), 107” Pick Up (‘54-’56), 107” SW (‘54-’58). 88”, 109” Pick Up (‘56-’58). 1.6 4cyl petrol (‘48-‘52), 2.0 4cyl petrol (‘52- ‘58).

£1400-£30,000

I

n 1958, the second-generation Land Rover was born and along came the barrel sides which we came to recognise on even the very last Defenders.

Today the Series II or IIA is a more affordable prospect than a Series I, yet it still carries much of that early charm that makes it a hit with enthusiasts.

The prices are on the increase, however, as these 50-year-old vehicles start to come into their own

as a collector’s item. A 2.25 petrol 88” would be our pick, as the diesel engines, certainly the 2.0-litre diesel, were underpowered and noisy.

The Series II/IIA carries a wider stance than its predecessor and adds an e tra thin layer of refinement over the Series I. While the engines ha e e cellent longe ity they need to have been maintained properly. Be thorough in your checks.

Pros: As a resto it’s a sound investment, some examples now MOT exempt, more desirable than SIII Cons: Bulkheads can rot with ease, check suspension leaves for seizing

Series III (1971-1985) Versions: 88”, 109”. 2.25 4cyl petrol, 2.25 4cyl diesel. 2.6 6cyl petrol produced until 1980. Stage One V8 used detuned version of the 3.5 V8 (‘79-‘85).

£1500-£25,000

F

ollowing on from the Series IIA, the Series III emerged in 1971 with a few cosmetic tweaks to freshen up the model.

Headlights were shifted out to the wings in-line with new legislation and the dash received a bit of padding to hide the new safety bar across the top of the bulkhead – not sure it s a fi e stars on the uro NCAP scale, though.

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

terms, keeping the same 2.25-litre engines throughout its production, although in 1980 the 2.25 motors switched to a more dura le fi e bearing setup.

The transmission also received syncromesh on all forward gears to make it easier to live with.

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

Pros: Most affordable way into Series ownership, still has the Series pedigree, parts still widely available Cons: Not as desireable as earlier Series models

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BUYERS’ GUIDE

Lightweight (1968-1984) Versions: 88”. IIA (‘68-’72), III (‘72-’84). 2.25 4cyl petrol engine.

£2500-£25,000

P

ossibly the ugly duckling of the Series Land Rover family – but that doesn’t mean to say you won’t find much lo e for the eries ightweights.

These military-derived vehicles can be easily distinguished from the regular Series Land Rovers, with visibly more angular wings and a frontal appearance that does divide opinion on occasion.

To mimic the civvy Series machines, the SIII LWT – built from

1972 onwards – also had its headlights switched out to the wings.

These Series Lightweights throw up an extra dimension to Land Rover ownership, with military history and touches often machine-gunning the vehicle. It means you get a Land Rover that could have a few more stories to tell – and you have something that stands out from the crowd.

Pros: Not like all the other Series Land Rovers out there, military background, uses lovely 2.25 petrol Cons: Styling isn’t to everyone’s taste, can be pricey owing to their rarity

Forward Controls (1962-1978) Versions: 80” (‘48-’53), 86” (‘54-’56), 107” Pick Up (‘54-’56), 107” SW (‘54-’58). 88”, 109” Pick Up (‘56-’58). 1.6 4cyl petrol (‘48-‘52), 2.0 4cyl petrol (‘52- ‘58).

£3100-£20,000

O

nly serious enthusiasts need continue reading here. Ownership of any Forward Control is not for the faint-hearted.

These leviathans are expensive to run and trying to get hold of some of the parts can be, quite frankly, a bit of a nightmare! Clubs can help here, though, as is often the case with any Land Rover.

These vehicles offer substantial payloads if that’s the sort of thing you’re after, but will also tick the

boxes for huge, unnecessary and hilariously addictive fun.

If you’re going to go the whole hog then why not buy a 101FC. You’ll have a V8 engine harping away underneath you (literally) and people are likely to clear out of your way when they see you coming in their mirrors. Surely that’s reason enough to buy one?

Pros: Soundtrack, presence, exclusivity Cons: Fuel bill, fuel bill, parking conundrums... fuel bill

Ninety/One Ten (1983-1990) Versions: Ninety (‘84-’90), One Ten, 127 (‘83-’90). 2.25 4cyl petrol (‘83’85), 3.5 V8 (‘83-’90), 2.5NA 4cyl diesel (‘84-’90), 2.5 4cyl petrol (‘85-’90), 2.5TD (‘86-’90).

£2000-£15,000 The icon of the 4x4 world. This is Land Rover at its best: a no nonsense workhorse that can also take you just about anywhere in the world.

Early examples of the Ninety and One Ten are worth keeping hold of, providing they’re in good condition – but you’ll be searching far and wide for examples that are.

This was the birth of the Defender, despite not being christened officially until and as such

these Land Rovers had coil-sprung suspension, new engines – although they were still terribly underwhelming – and off-road capability that has still yet to be matched today.

A very early 2.25 petrol 90 is a rare thing, and a beautiful one too.

But perhaps try for a 2.5TD version with low miles and good history.

They’re robust and as simple as they come.

Pros: Good ones are now worth saving, same ability as Tdi Defenders Cons: Not many left in good condition, engines underpowered

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BUYERS’ GUIDE

Defender 200Tdi (1990-1994) Versions: Defender 90, 110, 130 (1990- 1994). 200Tdi 2.5 4cyl turbo-diesel.

£3200-£25,000

I

n 1990, the Defender name emerged and with it a cementing of a legacy that already stretched back over 40 years. This was... is the best 4x4 by far.

It carried the Tdi badge for the first time and meant that no longer was a Defender being powered by a feeble hamster in a wheel.

If you’re in the market for a 200 Defender, though, you might get a 200 unit but it might not necessarily be from a Defender. Replacing

blown units with a Disco 200Tdi is popular, so check the arrangement of the turbo and manifold.

The 200Tdi is probably the best for off-roaders, so many of these vehicles will have been worked hard.

Some owners have now started restoring these vehicles, meaning a premium price – but can you really put a price on perfection...?

Pros: Legendary off-road, one of the very best engines, oldschool electrics Cons: Genuine Defender 200Tdi units are getting rare, many have been used hard, corrosion

Defender 300Tdi (1994-1998) Versions: Defender 90, 110, 130 (1994-1998). 300Tdi 2.5 4cyl turbo-diesel.

£3500-£20,000

A

fter the 200 followed the 300Tdi. Essentially, this was a revised version of the predecessor perhaps a little more refined but still with the same durability.

These engines, providing they are properly maintained, can last for decades. Look around for one with full service history and you could find yourself a keeper Some Tdi Defenders have received galvanised chassis and even bulkheads, and these are the type Pros:

of Defender you should be after. A futureproof Landy.

By the time the 300Tdi came out, Land Rover was now giving the Defender power steering as standard and disc brakes all-round. It’s the little things after all.

Arguably the company’s greatest engine, balancing performance and practicality. The Defender in its prime.

slig tly more refined di o er l nt, t e est

Cons: Erm... erm... hmm, this is hard

Defender Td5 (1998-2007) Versions: Defender 90, 110, 130 (1998-2007). Td5 2.5 5cyl turbo-diesel.

£4000-£20,000

F

ollowing on from the Tdi era, Land Rover issued the Defender with its Td5 engine from 1998 to 2007.

The engine is arguably Land Rover’s most reliable unit and it’s a strong performer out of the box, although it does lend itself to being tuned – just make sure that any mods have been done properly.

Remaps, EGR valve deletes and uprated intercoolers are a few examples of what many have been Pros:

ff ro d c

Cons: e r c

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subject to. Lots of power doesn’t always mean happy faces.

The rear of the chassis has frequently been called into question, so protect the rear crossmember if it’s in good shape, or else face the consequences.

With minimal electrics, the Td5 Defender is still a DIY machine and you’ll be working on one of Land Rover’s most notable masterpieces.

ility, o er, reli

ility gener lly

ssis, remi m rices t t e moment

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 07/11/2017 13:25

BUYERS’ GUIDE

Defender TDCi (2007-2016) Versions: Defender 90, 110, 130 (2007-2016). 2.4 TDCi (‘07-’12), 2.2 TDCi (‘12-’16).

£10,000-£35,000

T

he last of the Defenders were fitted with ord ransit engines first the i followed y the i rought in to meet uro emission standards and keep the efender ali e for another few years adly these engines denoted the efender s swansong the twilight of its days hey were fitted with si speed gear o es still had phenom enal off road capa ility and e en made the efender a nice place to

e ut they were still ery much efenders he era of linging also egan and you can find special editions out there costing o scene amounts of money ou will pay a premium for these efenders especially since the end of production ut if you can gra a i and start preser ing it now you may well ne er see depreciation e re no financial ad isors though

Pros: Better emissions (marginally), more creature comforts, same off-road prowess Cons: Price, more electrics, last of the breed

Freelander 1 (1997-2006) Versions: 1.8 4cyl petrol (‘97-’05), 2.0Di 4cyl diesel (‘97-’00), TD4 2.0 4cyl turbo-diesel (‘00-’06), 2.5i V6 petrol (‘00-’05).

£500-£3000 e ha en t always held the reelander in the highest regard here at The Landy ut as market prices constantly change so too can our opinion on certain ehicles ith e amples attaina le from as little as the reelander represents a cheap gateway into andy ownership here are a few issues to e aware of though such as the is cous coupling which is e pensi e to

replace and can e upset y simply ha ing mismatched tyres on your a les he petrol used to e notorious for head gasket failures ut today s replacements are much more ro ust he is thirsty and the i is gutless so opt for a ut check the condition of the in ectors first uy an and you e en get a andy that s decent off road and doesn t rust after fi e minutes

Pros: Cheap to buy, no major rust issues, surprisingly good offroad Cons: There are better Land Rovers out there, FL2 showed the FL1 how it should have been done

Freelander 2 (2006-2015) Versions: 2.2 4cyl turbo-diesel, available in two- or four-wheel drive, 3.2 V6 petrol (‘07-’09).

£3700-£20,000

M

ost people will turn their nos es up at reelanders ecause they re not properly recognised as true and o ers ut while you should turn your nose up at the the reelander actually makes for a much smarter proposition than you may think ecause of it eing replaced y the isco ery port the is now an afforda le option that still offers good le els of refinement a strong litre four cylinder tur o diesel

engine and a le el of practicality that means it can make for a great family ehicle lus it s ecome one of the most relia le and o ers out there rices are now falling thanks to the reelander name disappearing from the production line ut for you can now get a capa le all rounder that is actually pretty adept off road and yet still econom ical to run

Pros: Better off-road than you may anticipate, reliability, refinement, economy of diesel engine Cons: Transmissions can wear quickly if used for towing

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BUYERS’ GUIDE

Range Rover Classic (1970-1996) Versions: Two-door (‘70-’85), four-door (‘81-’96), LSE (‘92-’96). 3.5 V8 petrol (‘70-’86), 3.5 EFI V8 petrol (‘86-’89), 3.9 EFi V8 (‘89-’96), 2.4 VM turbo-diesel (‘86-’92), 200Tdi (‘92-’94), 300Tdi (‘94-’96).

£1500-£50,000+

T

he Range Rover Classic is one of those vehicles that you could theoretically still use everyday in the 21st Century.

If you’re running a V8, however, that may not be such a wise idea.

Classic Range Rovers still provide a relati ely refined and great dri e today, but they can be thirsty if you’re not in one of the various turbo-diesel examples.

That said, if you own one and it’s in good condition – look after it, as

it will only appreciate. These vehicles are popular with collectors.

Unfortunately, in terms of spare parts, many have succumb to corrosion or have been abused off-road to the point of no return.

While an early ‘70s Classic may not be attainable for everyone, tidy examples of the late four-door versions can make for an equally tidy investment.

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

Range Rover P38A (1994-2002) Versions: 4.0 V8 petrol, 4.6 V8 petrol, 2.5 6cyl turbo-diesel.

£600-£11,000

M

any people believe the P38A Range Rover to be a bit of a menace – and often it’s completely ustified ights on the dash oard air suspension failure, head gasket failure... the list can really continue.

Still, it’s not all doom and gloom with the In fact if you find one in good working order, it’s sensational.

Service history is a must, and if you’re going to own one then some diagnostic equipment is going to be

a better companion than a spanner.

Avoid the diesel variant as the engine was adopted from a BMW saloon and isn’t up to the task of the extra weight a Range Rover carries.

Go for a 4.6 HSE, it’s actually more economical than the 4.0 V8 and you’ll get all the toys (working or not r you could try and find an anniversary model or even a Holland & Holland...

Pros: Luxury, price, a Land Rover that doesn’t rust. Could even P38 prices rise soon?

Cons: Electrics. Nuff said

Range Rover L322 (2002-2012) Versions: 3.0 Td6 (‘02-’06), 4.4 V8 petrol (‘02-’07), 3.6 TDV8 (‘06-’10), 4.4 TDV8 (‘10-’12), 4.2 supercharged V8 petrol (‘05-’09), 5.0 supercharged V8 petrol (‘09-’12).

£4000-£40,000

C

ompared to the the Range Rover was a saint. Generally. Its electronic aids were far less temperamental and it delivered a new level of luxury to fourwheeled motoring.

The Td6 receives mixed reviews: some say it’s underpowered while others say it’s the best of the bunch.

Common sense would steer you towards a TDV8, either the 3.6 or ut these are the s holding out for strong money. Notably, the

petrol V8s are lingering with very appealing price tags, but don’t think running one would be cheap.

As with many 21st Century and o ers they ha e lost their accessability for the home mechanic. Drivetrain faults are becoming more frequent, so you need to look for that FSH. As a car, however, it’s probably all the car you’ll ever need.

Pros: Great off-road, luxury, image, TDV8 powerplants Cons: Your maintenance bill

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BUYERS’ GUIDE

Range Rover L405 (2012-present) Versions: 3.0 TDV6, 4.4 SDV8, 5.0 supercharged V8 petrol, 3.0 SDV6 hybrid (‘14-present).

£45,000-£150,000

I

f you want the very best in automotive luxury, then look no further.

The latest incarnation of Land o er s agship ange o er weighs a whopping kg less than its predecessor thanks to the use of an aluminium ody which helps on mpg although owning one of these suggests that your cash ow isn t particularly an issue his is the last word in elegance and ma estic motoring ll the

engines supply copious amounts of power to your right foot while the hasn t lost any of its off road pedigree e en if taking one off road is like asking your alcoholic friend to a wine testing session hey could comforta ly partake ut pro a ly shouldn t rices are still only right for re mier eague foot allers and people with a link to the royal family. If you fit into that category then we en y you.

Pros: Styling, engines, capability at pretty much everything Cons: Price

RR Sport 1 (2005-2013) Versions: 2.7 TDV6 (‘05-’09), 3.0 TDV6 (‘09-’11), 3.0 SDV6 (‘11-’12), 4.4 V8 petrol (‘05-’07), 3.6 TDV8 (‘07-’10), 4.2 supercharged V8 (‘05-’09), 5.0 supercharged V8 (‘09-’12).

£7000-£40,000

M

uch of the ange o er port was borrowed from the Disco 3, in fact it shared virtually identical underpinnings whereas today s port uses actual ange o er foundations. e ertheless and o er put a ange o er in a tracksuit and attempted to make a handler out of it. To some extent they succeeded, although it s no sports car despite what it says on the back of the vehicle.

It can play the leisure ehicle ery well though and will go off road like the best of them.

If you re going to uy one then you need to love it for itself, becausse a Discovery of the same era is more practical while a full fat ange o er is always going to carry an e tra layer of prestige hey re still a good all rounder though and now relati ely afforda ble.

Pros: Decent performance from both engines and chassis, a lot of car for your money Cons: Not as practical as a Disco, not as prestigious as a proper Rangey

RR Sport 2 (2013-present) Versions: 3.0 SDV6, 4.4 SDV8, 5.0 supercharged V8, 3.0 SDV6 Hybrid.

Range Rover Sport SVR 5.0 supercharged V8 (‘15-present).

£43,000-£130,000

T

he second generation ange o er port has also een on a diet to sa e o er kg ust like the daddy ange o er hat means that e en this ig bruiser is relatively economical when spec d with the motor ome won t like the ulgar and am oyant posture while others will adhere to the smart, yet mean styling ut no one can knock the port for its performance It feels incredi ly light for such a ig car

and if you’ve robbed a bank and can afford the ersion it s as good round a race track as it is on a green lane he only stum ling lock with such a fine motor is going to e how to pay for it emo ing lim s is possi ly the most feasi le option or wait ten years and see if the prices ha e come tum ling down off those high pedestals

Pros: Feels light considering weight, engines, almost as luxurious as its bigger brother Cons: You’ll need deep pockets

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BUYERS’ GUIDE

RR Evoque (2011-present) Versions: 2.2 SD4 (‘11-’15), 2.0 Si4 4cyl petrol, 2.0 TD4 (‘15-present).

£14,000-£48,000

W

hen the Range Rover Evoque was launched, it signalled Jaguar Land Rover’s intent on hitting the mass market. And given that the Evoque is their fastest-selling vehicle to-date, they’ve clearly done the job.

That doesn’t mean it’s a hit with purists. They don’t much like the fact Victoria Beckham was involved in the designing of it, nor that it is the polar opposite to a Defender.

It’s actually still a capable thing

off-tarmac, but it would rather not go down that route. Nevertheless, it is economical by Land Rover standards and because there are so many out there, they have decent residuals. o for a fi e door with the new Ingenium engine, and make it the 4WD version. The 2WD model may be eco-friendly but what is a Range Rover without four-wheel drive?

Pros: Economy, handling, beats rivals off-road Cons: Not as practical as the new Discovery Sport

Evoque Convertible (2016-present) Versions: TD4 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo-diesel (180hp), SD4 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo-diesel (240hp), Si4 2.0-litre 4cyl petrol (240hp).

£35,000-£55,000

T

alk about niche markets: here’s a four-wheel-drive SUV that also doubles up as a convertible – go figure It’s not going to appeal to a great number of people, and those who do like the cut of its jib will have to contend with a driving experience that is inferior to the regular Evoque, and the likelihood of a few more head scratches regarding practicality.

The only real upside is that of

the electrically-foldable roof, which does at least improve the vehicle’s exterior when slid back out of sight.

You’ll also be in relatively exclusive company when owning this car, and it’s only available in the higher trim levels of the Evoque stable.

All that aside, you’ll have probably the most capable and versatile convertible the world has ever seen. This is not just a soft-top for the summer.

Pros: One of the very few ways you can get open-top thrills in a Land Rover Cons: Heavier, less practical, less economical and worse to drive than hard-top Evoque

Range Rover Velar (2017-present) Versions: D180 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo-diesel, D240 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo-diesel, D300 3.0-litre 6cyl turbo-diesel, P250 2.0-litre 4cyl petrol, P300 2.0-litre 4cyl petrol, P380 3.0-litre 6cyl petrol.

£44,000-£90,000

A

nd so the Range Rover family welcomes its fourth model, confidently making it the most prominent of Land Rover’s sub brands.

It’s still a newcomer at the time of writing. But the Velar is a fine looking craft and it s ased upon the same architecture as the Jaguar F-Pace.

It has greater off-road ability than the aforementioned (good for Green Oval enthusiasts) and it is

available with a wide choice of engines, most of which combine good economy with usable everyday performance.

The interior is Land Rover’s most advanced cabin to date, with other models expected to follow the Velar in due course. Other than that, you do pay a premium for the suave looks...

Pros: Very stylish, interior, choice of engines, right now one of the freshest vehicles on the road Cons: Could hurt the bigger Sport and L405. Prices stretch to near £100K

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BUYERS’ GUIDE

Discovery 1 (1989-1998) Versions: 200Tdi 2.5 4cyl turbo-diesel (‘89-’94), 300Tdi 2.5 4cyl turbo-diesel (‘94-’98), 3.5 V8 (‘89-’93), 3.9 V8 (‘94-’98).

£500-£5000

T

he earliest version of the Discovery was aimed purely at providing a middle ground between the agricultural Defender and the luxury, upper-class Range Rover.

It carried much of the Defender’s capabilities, but added more refinement and a dri ing e perience more suitable to families – but without a Range Rover price tag.

Blessed with the same wonderful Tdi engines, the Discovery saved Land Rover and hit back at offerings

from other nations by being an affordable all-rounder. And that still holds true even today. arly isco ery s in fine condition are now classics and will continue to appreciate. We would recommend trying to find a tidy and later 300Tdi example, but watch out for body rust – the boot oor arches and wings etc

Pros: Almost as good as the Defender off-road, price, practicality Cons: The body rusts like it’s been doused in sea water

Discovery 2 (1998-2004) Versions: Td5 2.5 5cyl turbo-diesel, 4.0 V8.

£1000-£6000

F

ollowing on from the first generation Discovery, in 1998 Land Rover gave its family SUV some minor cosmetic tweaks and a whole new power unit in the shape of the Td5.

The engine is arguably Land Rover’s most reliable unit and it’s a strong performer out of the box, although it does lend itself to being tuned – just make sure any mods have been done properly. You can also buy a V8, but the fuel bill isn’t

going to be welcome, plus they’re more temporamental.

Unlike on the D1, its the chassis that’s the problem, not the body.

We all know that Discos make for a great tow car, and consequently many of the rear chassis on D2s have dipped their rears into the sea.

Not all of them live to tell the tale...

Get a later example for more creature comforts and dif ocks too

Pros: Td5 power and reliability, great all-rounder, better comfort than D1, diff locks standard for ‘03 onwards (model dependent) Cons: Rear chassis crumbles like its dessert namesake

Discovery 3/4 (2004-present) Versions: 2.7 TDV6, 4.4 V8 (‘04-’09), 3.0 TDV6 (‘09-’12), 3.0 SDV6 (‘12-present).

£5800-£40000

T

he Discovery went through a dramatic revamp for its launch in 2004, but it came out the other side as one hell of a vehicle.

Greatly improved in terms of power and refinement the isco received the relatively economical 2.7 TDV6 engine (although the thirsty 4.4 V8 petrol was an option) and ecame the first and o er to be given Terrain Response. If you need one vehicle in your life, this could be the one that ticks the

most boxes at once.

Be weary of maintenance costs, especially as you approach the 105,000-mile/seven-year mark that means the timing belt is due – it’s a body-off job!

The 3.0 TDV6 and SDV6 engines are even better, with monumental amounts of torque. Luxury has also increased significantly in later e amples. A later SDV6 model is best.

Pros: Off-road capability, usability for every occasion, luxury on later models, torque of 3.0-litre engines Cons: Maintenance costs, air compressor on D3s, D4s not so cheap

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Discovery 5 (2017-present) Versions: 2.0 Sd4, 3.0 Td6, 3.0 Si6 (‘16-present).

£43,500-£76,000

L

aunched just a couple of months ago, this latest Discovery is still yet to hit the UK roads on mass.

Land Rover needed to improve economy in particular with this edition of the Disco, and having chopped 480kg from the kerbweight, it would seem their proficiency in the use of lightweight technologies is only getting better and better.

We’ve yet to drive the latest Discovery, but expectations are

high – especially as this will be Land Rover’s most capable SUV in production.

New engines look promising on paper, and Land Rover has listened to customers regarding the infotainment system. It will remain to be seen whether the changes have quenched the thirst of the critics, though.

We reckon the base Sd4 model could turn out to provide all you really need.

Pros: Most technologically-advanced Land Rover to-date, keeps Discovery practicality Cons: Not many can afford one currently, easy to mistake for D Sport

Discovery Sport (2015-present) Versions: SD4 2.2 4cyl turbo-diesel (Jan ‘15 - Aug‘15), TD4 Ingenium 2.0 4cyl turbo-diesel (Aug ‘15 onwards).

£28,000-£50,000

B

rought in to replace the Freelander 2, the Discovery Sport was the vehicle that turned the Discovery brand into a family.

It has come to be so much more than a re-badged Freelander, though.

For starters, the Discovery Sport has seven seats (just), drives better than a Freelander 2 and is now more refined thanks to the Ingenium Td4 engine.

Land Rover is now churning out substantial units of the baby Disco,

now even matching the Evoque for pace as one of the fastest-selling vehicles they make.

It’s a more usable vehicle than the Evoque, though, and carries less of the feministic stigma that often surrounds the Evoque.

Grab a cleverly-spec’d SE Tech for a car that can be as practical as a daddy Disco, but for a more attractive price.

Pros: More practical than an Evoque – and less vulgar, seven seats, still great off-road Cons: Back seats only for small mammals, price of high-spec models

SELLING YOUR LAND ROVER? ADVERTISING IT FOR SALE IN THE LANDY NEWSPAPER IS ABSOLUTELY FREE – JUST CALL 01283 553243 144 Yearbook Buyers Guide.indd 144

LAND ROVER YEARBOOK 07/11/2017 13:25

Swifty. Taking you further.

From ÂŁ2,995 inc. VAT

The Swifty is an innovative plasma-cutting table designed to cut mild and stainless steel as well as aluminium up to 8mm.

Saving time and money, the Swifty enables you to make spare parts for repairing or modifying your 4x4, such as sump guards, brackets or hinges - the possibilities are endless.

Compact enough to fit in your garage and working off single-phase electricity, Swifty will keep your 4x4 on the road.

Let Swifty drive away your limits.

For more information on the Swifty and how it can help you, please call 01543 473300, or visit www.swiftycnc.co.uk 13352_Swifty_Agricultural Launch Landy A4.indd 1

28/09/2017 12:01

YOUR ONE-STOP SHOP FOR LAND ROVER PARTS www.brookwell.co.uk WHY CHOOSE BROOKWELLS? • 32 YEARS EXPERIENCE OF SELLING PARTS FOR ALL LAND ROVER MODELS

*

• 9,500 DIFFERENT PARTS ALWAYS ON THE SHELF FOR SAME DAY DESPATCH

• PHONES MANNED BY SPECIALISTS TO HELP YOU GET THE RIGHT PART FIRST TIME • OUR STAFF WILL HELP YOU GET ALL THE PARTS YOU NEED TO FINISH THE JOB • COLLECT OR MAIL ORDER, THE CHOICE IS YOURS * Orders placed before 2pm

What sets us apart from other parts suppliers is our customer service, knowledge and enthusiasm. We are passionate about Landies and selling quality, competitively priced parts to our worldwide customer base, who come back to us time after time.

Give us a try, you won’t be disappointed.

FREE DELIVERY FOR ORDERS OVER £60 (excl. Vat)

Mail Order Hotline

01626 832555

Authorised Distributor

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