the landy april 2015

its been a struggle but a real labour of loveLeading lights from Dunsfold and Solihull team up to recreate the original Series I production line

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ISSUE 14 APRIL 2015

Long-rAnge In A Short rAngeythree weeks in Morocco aboard a bobtail? Its not an obvious choice for adventure travel, but a shortened V8 turned out to be the ideal tool for taking on the Saharan dunes Full story: Page 32

This might look like a standard 109. But underneath its a hybrid of Range Rover and er, Peugeot Full story: Page 20

GETTING THE BALANCE RIGHTDaan Schreuders didnt go looking for epic suspension flex when he built his hybrid.

Instead, his aim was to strike the perfect balance beteween front and rear travel. He even used radius arms and a panhard rod instead of a rear A-frame.

The result was an 88 coiler which took on some of the worlds biggest off-road challenges and showed people that a well thought out Landy can cut it with any number of megabuck super-trucks! Full story: Page 16

When you set out to build a Landy you can see the world in, it pays to start with a good one. And a 130 Wolf is a very good oneFull story: Page 26

Theres no shortage of modified Td5s in the world. Not many of them are as tidy as this one Full story: Page 26

3Issue 14: April 2015w w w . t h e l a n d y . c o . u kWere on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thelandyukTo advertise in The Landy, call Mike Casey on 01283 553244Evoque Convertible: Yes, Land Rover WILL build it Land Rover is preparing to launch a production version of the Evoque Convertible. As shown by a set of spy shots which was recently punted around the mainstream motoring press, the vehicle will look as good as identical to the concept model which was unveiled at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show at which time Land Rover said that no production plans had been confirmed.

The showroom version of the ragtop Evoque is expected to be launched during 2015, possibly as early as this years New York Show in April; the US will be a primary market for the vehicle. Sales will commence with the 2016 model year, with dealer deliveries expected to start this autumn, though right-hand drive production may not start until a year from now.

Like the concept, the production Convertible will have a fabric hood rather than a folding metal roof. This will retract electrically to stow away beneath a hands-free folding tonneau cover behind the second row of seats, so that theres no interruption to the vehicles waistline. A pop-up roll bar will operate instantaneously in the event of a rollover; while the Evoque is only a token off-roader by Land Rovers traditional standards, the companys engineers have been tasked with ensuring theres no danger of accidental

deployments at extreme angles on uneven terrain.

While Land Rover has been making soft-tops since its first model was created in 1948, the Evoque Convertible will be the first ever cabrio in the Range Rover family. It will only be available in three-door form and, as Land Rover will position it as a premium product, will come with a limited choice of top-spec engines and four-wheel drive as standard.

Those engines are likely to be revised at the same time as the Convertible is launched, with JLRs new Ingenium units replacing the old Freelander-derived diesel. The Evoque will be almost four years old by the time the soft-top goes on sale in the UK; while its looks will remain unchanged, interior trim details will be updated and the latest 2.0-litre diesel from Land Rovers new Engine Manufacturing Centre in Wolverhampton will give it a

level of efficiency to match its still-futuristic looks.

The Evoque range is also expected to be extended by a high-performance version from JLRs Special Vehicle Operations unit. Powered by a tuned version of the 2.0 Si4 petrol engine, this will feature further evolved suspension using the magnetic dampers already employed on the sportiest Evoques.

No timescale is yet known for the Evoque SVR, as its bound to be

called, however a launch at next years Goodwood Festival of Speed seems feasible. In the meantime, pricing for the Evoque Convertible is sure to be the next big question now that the lid has been lifted on Land Rovers production plans. A premium of around 3000 over the equivalent tin-top is likely; with a general price hike sure to be part of the facelift coming at the same time, you can expect to pay in the region of 45-50,000 to get behind the wheel.

4 Issue 14: April 2015www . t h e l a n d y . c o . u k ClubsAdventure WorkshopProducts VehiclesNewsHigh-speed passenger rides from Race2Recovery to feature at Great British Land Rover Show

5Issue 14: April 2015w w w . t h e l a n d y . c o . u kWere on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thelandyukTo advertise in The Landy, call Mike Casey on 01283 553244

Above: Badging is a big deal on these three special-edition Defenders, which definitely want you to know what they are. The Heritage model (top left) plays on its link back to the original Series I by reprising the HUE 166 number pate from the oldest surviving Landy, while the logo on the wing of the Adventure model calls up images of the Camel and G4 Challenge days as does the orange paintwork on this particular example. Finally, the Autobiography has an aluminium badge surrounded by LED lamps and positioned next to a Sawtooth spare wheel seldom can overstatement have been so understated

THE GREAT BRITISH LAND ROVER SHOW is delighted to announce that Race2Recovery, the world-famous off-road rally team, will be offering high-speed passenger rides throughout the event. The team, which supports injured servicemen in their recovery and became the first ever to finish the Dakar Rally with a disabled crew member, will be running its Land Rovers on the little known off-road course in the infield of Doningtons racing circuit and visitors to the show will be able to buy tickets on the day for the ride of a lifetime!

These are not available in advance, but on a first-come, first-served basis on the day at the show itself. Race2Recovery have set the cost at 20 per ride, with 5 of that going to an armed services charity.

Dont forget that entry to the show itself is free after 12 noon when you book in advance so buying a ticket for this unique experience would be a great way to treat yourself with the

money you saved! Demand will be extremely high, however, so to avoid disappointment it may be a wise idea to buy a morning pass so you can beat the crowds. Even this only costs 5 in advance, though, so its still a raging bargain just try comparing this price

with what youll pay at other shows of the same size!

You can apply for free and paid-for show tickets by going to www.greatbritishlr.show.com. Book your place now and get ready to grab a piece of the action!

Claim your FREE tickets today visit www.greatbritishlrshow.com

THE LANDY SHOW THATS FREE TO ENTER!The Great British Land Rover Show, at Donington Park on 26 April, is FREE to enter so long as you book your tickets in advance. Tickets for entry from 12 midday are FREE while stocks last when you register online (limited to two per household). NB the show closes at 4pm

Advance tickets for entry from the shows opening time of 10am cost 5 per adult Adult tickets on the door cost 10 at all times of day

Under-16s go free

Advance tickets are available at www.greatbritishlrshow.com

High-speed passenger rides from Race2Recovery to feature at Great British Land Rover Show

6 Issue 14: April 2015www . t h e l a n d y . c o . u k ClubsAdventure WorkshopProducts VehiclesNews

The Defenders time may be running out, but at least you can go back in time and relive its early days thanks to Land Rovers new recreation of its 1948 production line.

An authentic replica of Solihulls post-war manufacturing plant, the Defender Celebration Line is part of a new Defender tour which is now open to the public. It displays the different stages of the vehicles production, using the exact same methods and components that went into building the original Series I.

This nostalgic throwback to life in the automotive industry from the late 1940s provides visitors with an insight into the type of tools and planning that were employed at the home of Land Rover. You can even slip yourself into an authentic cow gown as worn by the engineers of 1948.

There is a section to learn more about Land Rovers founder too, with previously unseen video footage of Maurice Wilks in an area dedicated to telling the story of how the original Series I was conceived.

Land Rovers Defender is still produced in one of the original Solihull factory buildings, and the new Celebration Line lies in the heart of

the plant. Land Rover is dedicating this year to celebrating the Defender, having announcement three special-edition models last month and now opening this historical attraction.

JLR Heritage Director John Edwards said: Land Rover has a rich heritage based around the Series I and Defender models, and we wanted to create something extra special that would give visitors and enthusiasts a unique insight into how it all started.

It has been a huge task to recreate a production line from almost 70 years ago, from sourcing original parts for the Series I models to recreating the working environment and uniform of employees who were here. The team involved has been meticulous in their research, planning and creation of what is a fitting tribute to the legendary heritage of Land Rover.

One man who knows plenty about rebuilding old Land Rovers is Phil Bashall, who restored his first Series I at the age of 13. Hes the curator of the famous Dunsfold Collection, home to the worlds largest collection of Solihull products, and was responsible for helping to bring the production line back to its former glory.

Its been a struggle at times, he admitted, but a real labour of love to source all of the original parts needed

for vehicles that stopped production so many years ago.

After scouring his own Aladdins Cave of Land Rover spares, Phil stockpiled more than 8000 original parts including rare brake components, gaskets, clutches and pedals.

He then brought in the Land Rover Series I Club and a group of skilled craftsmen to help him put together a replica chassis and aluminium bodywork for the showcase models. Once all the necessary elements were found, Phil and a mechanic set about reconstructing the five Series I models.

The project was orchestrated by Mr Land Rover himself, Roger Crathorne, who was born in Solihull and, after starting as an apprentice in 1963, went on to serve Land Rover for more than fifty years before retiring last spring.

No other car maker in the world has anything as authentic and with such meticulous attention to detail as our heritage line, said Roger. It has taken months of searching and dedication to put this project together, but it has been worth it.

Starting in the body shop, visitors will embark on a three-hour journey. Theyll follow on to the moment the engine and gearbox are mated with the chassis, before glossy new paint panels finish off the rebuild.

Opening day for the exhibit saw the Writtle family from South Gloucestershire becoming the first to be taken back to 1948. We are huge enthusiasts of this iconic vehicle, they said, and own 11 between us. It feels like we have won the lottery as we have

secured one of the few Limited Edition Heritage vehicles from the recently announced Celebration Series.

We were amazed how little the Defender manufacturing process has changed in the last six decades, with individual craftsmanship still at the heart of each vehicle produced.

The family also witnessed Land Rovers quality control processes, including the monsoon chamber test where vehicles are subjected to 343 high-pressure water jets for 14 minutes to ensure no water leaks into them.

The Defender production line employs a 450-strong workforce, which includes a family from whom three generations have all worked on the manufacture of this iconic vehicle. Tours cost 45 per person; to book a place, visit shop.landrover.co.uk/driving-experiences/find-a-centre/solihull or call 0121 700 4619.

Series I production line recreated for Solihull factory tour Mike Trott


Land Rover is well aware of what its heritage is worth. It has never been slow to boast of its former glories and, whatever you think of its current and future models, thats very relevant to a specialist manufacturer.

Its almost impossible not to think about the next-generation Defender when I say this. But the ease (or otherwise) with which Land Rovers past sits with its present runs an awful lot deeper than just that.

There was a time when people who ran hybrids or went trialling in old Series IIs would have a Range Rover or Discovery as their everyday car. People for whom Land Rovers were a hobby had real loyalty to Solihull. That does still exist today, but if you have a 90 for off-roading, a classic Series I or a 101 for military shows, youre more likely to look at what Land Rover makes now and feel like you live on another planet.

To some extent thats even the case with the Defender. I know plenty of people whod sooner renovate a Tdi than buy a Puma, and thats before you start talking about the DC100. To a lot of its staunchest fans, Land Rover is just a luxury car maker now.

I actually think Land Rover is quite happy with that, too. They even came out and said as much about the DC100: traditionalists might not like it, but theyll have to live with it.

Compare this with the way Jeep relates to its fans in the US. They might not buy new trucks, but the company values them, engages with them and sees them for what they are an essential part of a heritage that continues to thrive and grow today.

Jeep is proud of the people who modify its vehicles. By contrast, the impression I get is that Land Rover is almost embarrassed by the people for whom off-roading a modded 90 or keeping a Series III alive is a hobby.

These are people who have an us and them opinion of the green oval. But like it or not, theyre part of Land Rovers heritage. If the company ignores that, one day it might wake to find that it has no heritage left.

Alan Kidd, Editor

Comment


Cycling and road safety has become a massive issue in recent times, following a spate of tragedies in London where more and more people are being encouraged to get on their bikes. The debate has been marked by no small amount of bitterness between drivers and cyclists lobby groups, both of whom accuse the other of not doing enough to address the dangers that come when cars and bikes share the road but Land Rover should be immune to criticism of its forthcoming products if its latest high-tech development is anything to go by.

Calked Bike Sense, this a system using colours and sounds to alert the driver to nearby hazards specifically cyclists or motorbikes. In a modern vehicle, however, you can be assaulted by no end of lights on the dashboard and beeps and bongs from all around you so Jag Land Rovers high-tech boffins have come up with something startlingly different.

The party piece is when you get a tap on either of your shoulders from

the top of the car seat, alerting you to the fact that theres a motorbike overtaking you or a cyclist coming past on the inside.

Party piece? Youd better believe it. The tap will be backed up by an audible tone not just another beep or bong but a bicycle bell or a motorcycle horn, which will be played through the speakers on whichever side youre being passed on.

While all this is going on, a set of lights will line the window sills, dashboard and windscreen, first glowing amber and then switching to red to indicate when the bike is approaching. The pattern in which these lights dance around the inside of your Land Rover will also indicate the bikes direction of travel.

Human beings have developed an instinctive awareness of danger over thousands of years, said JLR tech boss Wolfgang Epple. Certain colours like red and yellow will trigger an immediate response, while everyone recognises the sound of a bicycle bell.

Bike Sense takes us beyond the current technologies of hazard

indicators and icons in wing mirrors, to optimising the location of light, sound and touch to enhance this intuition. This creates warnings that allow a faster reaction as they engage the brains instinctive responses. If you see the dashboard glowing red in your peripheral vision, you will be drawn

to it and understand straight away that another road user is approaching that part of your vehicle.

The systems sensors can tell the difference between a bike and motorbike, and if several come at you together it will identify the most immediate hazard and concentrate on

that. In addition, the door handles will illuminate and/or vibrate if youre about to open your door at precisely the wrong moment. The sensors can pick up bikes from the other side of a parked vehicle, too so while you might not even be able to see them, your Land Rover will.

Mike Trott

LRs latest tech means a safer ride for cyclists

Land Rovers work in cutting-edge technology has been recognised by a Pioneer Award from two leading German magazines. The readers choice Connected Car Award from Auto Bild and Computer Bild praised JLRs InControl smart connectivity and infotainment systems which allow you to access your vehicle remotely via a smartphone, for example to check fuel levels or even pre-heat it before getting aboard.

We are very proud to receive such an important technology award, said JLR engineering boss Wolfgang Ziebart. It will inspire our engineers to develop even more innovative and pioneering technology to delight our customers.

Land Rover has welcomed the announcement of 11.3 million in government funding for initiatives set up by the Automotive Council. The award, which was announced by Business Secretary Vince Cable, comes in recognition of the 19.1 million already invested in the schemes by Land Rover and other major industry players.

Since being formed as a partnership between the government and motor industry, the Automotive Council has introduced a series of programmes designed to inspire the next generation of engineers and technicians. Concentrating specifically on enhancing the skills necessary for such careers, these aim to encourage young people into the automotive industry and its supply chain.

Its Chair is Jo Lopes, Jaguar Land Rovers head of Technical Excellence, who said: The Automotive Industrial Partnership brings together industrys employers on an unprecedented scale. By working collaboratively, we are ensuring that the UKs automotive sector can grow and retain the talent that is so vital for the industrys continued success.

9Issue 14: April 2015w w w . t h e l a n d y . c o . u kWere on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thelandyukTo advertise in The Landy, call Mike Casey on 01283 553244First intake samples Land Rovers training for ex-service personnelJaguar Land Rover has launched a new programme designed to help ex-military personnel adjust to the civilian workplace. Following on from last autumns Invictus Games, the company has made good on its pledge to support ex-servicemen and women by taking ten candidates on board a new bespoke training course.

The aim of the programme is to provide ex-military personnel with the opportunity to gain the skills and confidence that will provide them with an opportunity to secure high-quality long-term employment.

JLR recently announced plans for a further 1300 jobs at Solihull, and the ten candidates will be looking to stake their claim once they have completed the six-week programme.

First off, the group will spend four weeks at the Education Business Partnership Centre, where they will attain qualifications for working in the engineering and manufacturing sector. Following on from this is a two-week,

hands-on work experience placement in the companys state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities.

One of the candidates, 19 year old Michael Connolly from Birmingham, said: I spent three years in the infantry and left as my contract had finished. All I have known is the infantry and its daunting to know how to find another career in the civilian world. I am really excited about what Jaguar Land Rover has to offer and I hope to one day climb the career ladder with them.

Unemployment is a major issue for former service personnel, and JLR hopes to help ease that problem with its industry-first Inspiring Tomorrows Workforce: Military programme. Last year alone, 24,000 men and women personnel left the armed forces, and many more will be joining them in the search for employment this year.

Already at Jaguar Land Rover, we have recruited over 100 ex-military

personnel in the last year, the majority here in Solihull, said plant Operations Director Alan Volkaerts. They have valuable skills that can be directly

transferred to the automotive industry. Through working with ex-military staff and helping them strengthen their employability skills and relevant

work experience, we can make a positive contribution to society as well as increasing the talent pool for our growing business.


Land Rover has unveiled the final model in its series of special-edition Evoques for the export market. Once again taking inspiration from a London postcode, this is called the NW8 thats where youll find Abbey Road, home of the famous Beatles zebra crossing.

The NW8 Evoque comes with Fuji White paintwork, 20 black alloy rims and a Firenze Red roof, wing mirrors and bonnet lettering. It had darkened headlamps and wing vents, and on the

inside theres a combination of neat embroidery and further red, white and black touches see gear knob and headrests, for example.

The final Inspired by Britain Evoque was launched at the Montreal Auto Show and, to set off all the other features, carries a unique motif picturing that iconic zebra crossing. Only 1000 examples will be produced with precisely none of them set for the UK market.

The stricken Hoegh Osaka cargo ship, which ran aground in the Solent at the start of January, has finally off-loaded its cargo including 1200 Land Rovers.

Discoverys, Defenders and Range Rovers of all varieties were seen licking their wounds as they were driven off the ship and into a compound at Southampton docks.

In the immediate aftermath of the incident, which saw the ship list alarmingly before being beached to prevent it from capsizing, there was strong speculation that the vehicles

on board would have escaped their lashings and slid into a pile of wreckage.

This, however, appears to have been unfounded, as the majority of the vehicles were relatively unharmed. A few displayed light body damage to, but all appeared relatively unscathed and, crucially, there does not appear to have been any ingress of sea water.

In total, the Hoegh Osaka had 30 million worth of cars on board. In addition to the 1200 Land Rovers, there were several Minis and Porsches as well as a number of construction vehicles.

At the time of writing, Jaguar Land Rover had released no official statement on its plans for the seasick vehicles. Back in 2006, however, the MV Cougar Ace capsized in the North Pacific with approximately 4700 Mazdas aboard. From the outside, the vehicles appeared to be in a similar condition to some of the Landies driven off the Hoegh Osaka.

On that occasion, Mazda bosses in North America controversially decided that all 4700 vehicles should be crushed. Whether that will be the fate of these Land Rovers remains unclear.

Hope for Landies aboard stricken cargo ship

The latest publicity stunt in Land Rovers Hibernot campaign, which encourages people to embrace winter and get outdoors whatever the weather, was a BBQ for 250 people at the Broughton Hall estate in North Yorkshire. The crowd were serenaded by brand ambassador Pixie Lott while tucking in to special Land Rover burgers flipped by TV chef and self-proclaimed petrolhead James Martin. There were toasted marshmallows, inevitable selfies and, somewhere among it all, a Discovery Sport apparently driving through some woods. Hiberwhat?

Final Inspired by Britain Evoque gets Fab 4 theme


Editor Alan KiddAssistant Editor Mike Trott

Admin and Editorial AssistantGemma PaskArt Editor Samantha DSouza

Contributors Dan Fenn, Gary Noskill, Paul Looe, Mark Bailey

Photographers Steve Taylor, Harry Hamm, Anthony Singer

Advertising Sales Manager Ian Argent Tel: 01283 553242Advertising Production Tel: 01283 553242Publisher Sarah Kidd Email: [email protected] effort is made to ensure that the contents of The Landy are accurate, however Assignment Media Ltd accepts no responsibility for errors or omissions nor

the consequences of actions made as a result of these

When responding to any advert in The Landy, you should make appropriate enquiries before sending money or entering into a contract. The publishers take reasonable care to ensure advertisers probity, but will not be liable for any losses incurred as a result of responding to adverts

The Landy is distributed by Britpart. Details of your

nearest Britpart dealer can be found at www.britpart.comWhere a photo credit includes the note CC-BY-SA, the image is made available under that Creative Commons licence. Details are available at www.creativecommons.org

The Landy is published by Assignment Media Ltd, Repton House, Bretby Business Park, Ashby Road, Bretby DE15 0YZ

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01283 553243 [email protected] www.thelandy.co.uk www.facebook.com/thelandyuk

NEXT MONTH

PLUS If your grandad went out and bought a 90 for a paltry 800, you might not expect the

consequences to be all that pretty. So prepare to meet Supergrandad

NEXT MONTHS LANDY IS PUBLISHED ON 30 MARCHYou can pick up your copy of our May 2015 issue from newsagents or Britpart dealers or read it online at www.thelandy.co.uk

PREPARE TO BE DAZZLED Most Land Rover fans are being derogatory when they talk about shinies. Its a bit different in the case of this 88 Seies II, though

The Carmichael Range Rover is one of the most celebrated conversions on any Landy. This ex-RAF TACR-2a firefighter dates from 1985 and its one of the ones whose 200-gallon load never managed to roll it over. No wonder its a hit at the shows

12 Issue 14: April 2015www . t h e l a n d y . c o . u k ClubsAdventure WorkshopProducts VehiclesNewsDRIVING A SERIES LAND ROVER is something that one of lifes great joys and privileges. But doing so in a world of modern traffic can be one of lifes great terrors especially when some clown in a look-at-me Audi rounds off an in-your-face overtaking manoeuvre by cutting in front of you and slamming his brakes on, confronting you with a broadside of ABS, ESP and all sorts of other high-tech acronyms while all youve got between your front panel and his boot lid are four slightly moist drums.

With this in mind, you may be interested in Wild Industries new Series Disc Brake Conversion Kit. This is designed to let you swap out your long-suffering old drums for the more modern disc set-up from a Discovery or post-1992 Defender.

The parts in the kit have been put through extensive testing and harsh treatment both on and off-road, says the manufacturer. Theyre constructed from high- quality steel (and youd jolly well hope so) and allow you to retain your original-style Series wheels or, if youd prefer, later-style Wolf or Disco rims.

Wild advises that when fitting the kit, you should update the entire system to the twin-line servo-assisted

set-up system introduced on late Series vehicles or, even better, that from the early 90 or 110.

Included in the kit are two machined caliper brackets, two hubs accepting Defender discs, two track correction shims (accounting for the switch from drums) and four OEM caliper mounting bolts. You also get the necessary high-tensile disc mounting bolts, bracket fixing bolts and spring washers.

Will Donaldson, owner of Wild Industries, said: These components are now in use on numerous Land Rovers. The first set has been in use for over 50,000km and they are, as always,

pulling up very quickly and perfectly straight every time.

Buyers also receive fitting guidelines, along with a list of part numbers of consumables and a guide to the different caliper and disc options. This conversion is based around the use of standard parts, which should keep things simple and cheaper when it comes to finding spares.

There are options to choose, too, including longer wheel studs and adaptor brackets to fit a Defender servo to the Series pedal box. Leave these alone, and the standard kit will set you back 525.www.wildindustries.co.uk

You cant really put a price on having the right winch. In a challenge event, its the difference between winning and coming nowhere; on a lane trip, its the difference between getting home with a story to tell and paying a farmer fifty quid for a pull with his tractor; and out in the wilds of the world, it could be the difference between coming back alive and never being seen again.

Performance is a big deal in the world of winches these days, but make no mistake over and above everything else, this is an arena in which dependability is all. Efficiency to match the Swiss railways and power to match a Eurofighter are all very well, but most of all your winch needs to be as reliable as an old Labrador.

Warn is no stranger to making winches that tick all the above boxes.

And the latest addition to its range is the last word in precious metal.

On sale from mid-March, this mighty new powerhouse of a winch is called the Zeon Platinum. And it promises to have a line speed thats 20% faster than any previous Warn unit.

Given that Warn isnt exactly famous for making slow winches, thats one serious claim. But its not the only headline feature on the new Platinum range. Because in an industry first, this winch does without a manual clutch.

When the Zeon originally launched, we didnt think Warn would be able to top it, says Phil Rawlings of UK importer Arbil 4x4. But the new range definitely goes that step further. It is the remote clutch that has got people the most excited, as the UK hasnt seen anything like this before.

It doesnt end there, though. The Zeon Platinum has also been tested and proved to be twice as durable as Warns previous generations of winches. And when Warn is arguably already the best out there, this is pretty impressive!

Bold words to say the least, and there are few manufacturers who could say such a thing without being laughed at. But were talking about the brand whose 8274 became a household set of digits in the off-road world there aint many in this business who can shoot from the hip with the same credibility as Warn.

To test the winchs new-found extra durability, it was put through more than 400 hours of salt-spray testing. Youd expect its aluminium structure to shrug that off, but its seals stood firm too, keeping the interior in perfect nick.

To further combat corrosion, the winch is finished in a flat black powder coat and held together by stainless steel fasteners. The Zeon Platinum can also hold its drink much better, with an enhanced waterproofing rating now certified to IP68 standard. Inside, it has a stronger gear train and high-strength sleeve-in-drum brake design.

The Zeon Platinum comes with a choice of two rated capacities, 10,000 or 12,000lb. Both come with wire cable as standard, but the 10,000lb model is also available with synthetic rope as an upgrade; prices for the range start at around 1600.www.arbil.co.uk/4x4

The styling gurus from Bespoke Cars have come up with a new way of scaring the guy in the car ahead of you, with a menacing looking new lightweight Defender bonnet. Made from fibreglass and sculpted with a huge power bulge and air intake feature with a Bentley-style mesh insert, this is light in weight as well as being outrageous to look at. The bonnet costs 995, but few other mods add as much presence so easily.www.bespokecars.co.uk

The new Topchest and Rollcab Combo from Sealey is serious bit of kit, with 14 lockable lift-latch drawers which glide in and out on ball bearings. This pro-quality tool cabinet, which also has a top storage area, combines a 7-drawer rollcab, a 5-drawer topchest and additional 2-drawer chest; between these three sections, its overall dimensions (W x D x H) are 660 x 435 x 490mm.

Price? A good tool chest is pretty much priceless, actually. But since that fact isnt a great deal of use when you earn a living by selling them, 339.95 plus VAT sounds like a very good investment.www.sealey.co.uk


Its possible to spend a small fortune on seat covers for a Defender. But if all you want to do is cover up the splits, fag burns and dog-chew damage, or youd like to plonk your posterior on something a bit more pleasant than the harsh vinyl of the originals, something cheap but tough might well suffice.

Something like Britparts new range of Inner Seat Covers, which are designed to slip over the Defenders standard two-piece seat units and stay in place using elastic ties. Simple, robust and all most people will need and cheap enough that if they get ripped, eaten, stained to death or totally ingrained with mud, you can just lob them in the bin and buy a new set.

Cheap enough? With prices starting at 29.99, its a lot better than springing for a new seat.www.britpart.com

Its always good to see new products for old Landies. So Britparts new Brake Pipe Set is very good, because its for the very oldest.

These UK-made copper nickel brake lines come pre-cut for 80 and 86 wheelbases. Theyre supplied with solid brass unions and are pre-marked to show where theyre meant to go on your vehicle. Where required, the kit also includes fitting clips and brass in-line connectors.

Prices start at 69.99. Shopping around might score you a bit of a discount on that, but for a set of tailor-made brake lines that wont rust it already sounds like very decent value.www.britpart.com

14 Issue 14: April 2015www . t h e l a n d y . c o . u k ClubsAdventure WorkshopProducts VehiclesNewsThe latest addition to the range of Hutchinson wheels available at XS4x4 is the WA0604 Rock Monster Beadlock, in a 16x7.0 size designed specifically for the Land Rover Defender. Fully government-approved as a road-legal accessory back home in the US, this allows you to run your tyres at ultra-low pressures all the way down to 0psi without breaking them off

the rim, allowing them to spread the maximum possible footprint in search of traction on difficult surfaces.

Beadlockers have been common for a long time in America, but they remained rare in the UK until relatively recently when winch challenges took over as the primary form of competition. Theres a lot of options on the market, but Hutchinson is at the top end as a price tag of 470 per wheel from UK importer XS4x4 illustrates.

Hutchinsons range includes a variety of fitments covering a wide range of vehicles, so if yours isnt a Defender (or, indeed, a hybrid with Defender axles) theres probably still something in it for you. The WA1352, for example, is another heavy-duty road-legal beadlocker with the same price tag, but this ones flagged up as being suitable for the Mk1 Discovery too.www.xs4x4.parts

If youve got a Discovery 3 or Range Rover Sport with the 2.7-litre TdV6 engine, or a 2005-2009 Sport with the 3.6 TdV8, youre also the owner of a Webasto fuel burning heater. And Britparts latest box of tricks is a controller module which allows you to switch it on an off using the vehicles own key fob.

This runs the heater for 30 mins, warming the engines coolant to a target temperature of 76 degrees. Particularly useful if your glow plugs are on the way out, but just generally a brilliant idea if, like everyone else in Britain, youve spent the last couple of months scraping ice off your windscreen and driving your kids to school in a self-propelled fridge and youd very much like not to have to again next winter.

Installing the controller is a relatively simple matter of mounting it up and connecting four wires (live, earth, heater and headlights), then setting the follow me home function as shown in your vehicles handbook. Pressing the third button on the key fob will now activate the headlights for a few seconds and this is where the control unit gets its command to turn on the Webasto heater.

Britparts RRP for the unit is 219. Not the cheapest accessory in the world, then but divide that by the number of times youve shivered your way to work this winter, then factor in the extra engine wear youre saving by not running it cold, and youve got an open and shut case.www.britpart.com

Britpart has introduced a range of back door cards for Land Rover Defenders from 1987-2006 fitted with rear wash-wipe (yes, such things exist). Available in Slate Grey, Dark Granite and Black, these are coded to the vehicles chassis number there are six different fitments in the range. Theyre not exactly cheap at around 140, but theyll make your Defender look a lot more cheerful.www.britpart.com

When Landy owners build suspension set-ups for the toughest off-road events, they normally try to max out on flex. But Daan Schreuders chose to take another route. The result was an 88 hybrid with modest articulation but a perfect balance between front and rear

16 Issue 14: April 2015www . t h e l a n d y . c o . u k ClubsAdventure WorkshopProducts VehiclesNewsWinch challenge vehicles tend to have ridiculously big tyres, stupidly flexibly suspension, bodies suited only to bashing off trees and more power than is good for them. Daan Schreuders 88 hybrid is an everyday usable Land Rover first and foremost, but its been places most hardcore winch trucks havent Ladoga and the Rainforest Challenge, for example.

It was, however, in the altogether more domestic surroundings of Tixover that the Landy first came to fame, when a chap with a camera happened to be in the right place at the right time to catch it somersaulting backwards down the hill Daan was trying to get up. That was

Hanging in the balance

Words Gary NoskillPictures Steve Taylor

17Issue 14: April 2015w w w . t h e l a n d y . c o . u kWere on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thelandyukTo advertise in The Landy, call Mike Casey on 01283 553244a good test for its rollcage, if nothing else which, as an automotive CAD designer, is a subject he knows a lot more about than most of us.

Before any of this started, the vehicle was an everyday Series III with the steering wheel on the left. Daan is orig-inally from Holland, and he brought it with him when he moved to Britain before rebuilding it with a 90 chassis and 300Tdi engine.

Hybrid building was well past its peak by this time, but that wasnt the point. I am a big fan of Series Land Rovers, explains Daan, but Defend-ers are better technically. This vehicle combines both.

It does so using a NAS chassis that came direct from Land Rover without ever having been used. The perfect starting point for a project, naturally, even if cutting a brand new unit down to 88 inches must have seemed a little odd when most hybrid builders used to make do with the frames from crusty old Range Rovers. Daan didnt just shorten it, however he also replaced all the crossmembers to suit his needs, before sending it off to be galvanised.

Overall, Daan reports, cutting it down saved 30kg: Ive tried to keep the vehicle as light as possible, he says, and very simple for easy fixing in the field.

Fitted to the chassis is a suspension system using 220kg Old Man Emu front and 170kg Range Rover rear springs, which gives a lift of about one inch. Identical shocks are used at each corner to cut down on spares; all are 10 Pro-Comps, with the rears fitted coil-over style for protection.

Both axles run radius arms, with rubber bushing all round. The fronts are Range Rover units, drilled to save weight, while those at the rear are fabricated in T45. Unusually, the rear axle doesnt locate using an A-frame: instead, Daan has fitted a panhard rod.

This illustrates that hes not one for trying to achieve crowd-wowing levels of articulation which, unless youre into rock crawling, dont actually do all that much in the real world. Theres no dis-location, he says, but proper ten-inch travel, very well balanced between front and rear. Its not unusual to see vehicles on which one axle does way more work than the other, with drivers constantly banging their diff-locks in and out to try and compensate, but Daans theory (and its a sound one) is that two axles working in harmony is worth more than any of that.

The axles themselves are both Defender units, with 4.75:1 KAM ring and pinions, Ashcroft halfshafts and 110 CV joints. Belt and braces? Ive never broken anything, says Daan, which more or less answers that. A Gigglepin diff-guard beefs up the axle case at the front, where Daan has also

made his own heavy-duty sleeved steering rods.

The steering system is otherwise standard, using a four-bolt PAS box, but the same doesnt go for the brakes. Needless to say, its discs all round, vented at the front, with very early 110 front calipers chosen for their larger pistons and stainless steel construction. Braided hoses are fitted all round, while the handbrake is a transmission unit with an AP Racing caliper acting on a Vauxhall Astra disc.

Providing the get-up-and-go is the aforementioned 300Tdi, run in standard form, which is mounted about 10 further back to improve weight balance. Breathing in through an inswept snorkel, whose design means it wont be getting the tug from any trees, this feeds out via a Defender 130 heavy-duty clutch to a Defender LT77S gearbox and 1.2:1 Discovery transfer case. Beyond this are Defender 90 front and Series III rear props, which turn the axles via a Detroit Locker in the back and Truetrac in the front.

The vehicle is designed to be able to run without any electrics, says Daan. If the electrics fail, you can remove the plunger from the fuel solenoid, bump start the vehicle and it all still works: engine, diff-locks, front winch, cooling, none depend on electricity. So if the electrics let you down, you can still continue. This in turn allows the electrical system to be very simple; juiced by a single Discovery battery, its basically standard but for an upgrade to waterproof relays.

As weve just revealed, the front winch doesnt rely on electricity for power or switching. Which can only mean one thing: its driven by a PTO. Even then, however, its no normal mechanical unit in fact, its a Koenig high-speed job with a 9:1 reduction ratio, making it a staggering five times faster than standard. The Superwinch EP9 paying its Plasma 12-strand out beneath the rear crossmember looks positively normal by comparison, which is of course because it is. Neither winch is fitted using any tricks to let its cable out at silly angles, just a basic hawse ring which fits in with Daans philosophy of keeping it simple.

Protection comes from galvanised rock sliders, an aluminium bash plate for the standard fuel tank and a steer-ing guard which flows down from that fabricated bumper. Chequer plate wing tops seem a little trivial by comparison but while were talking about the ve-hicles bodywork, its worth going into greater depth on an area in which its much less standard than first appears.

The panels are all Series III, as is the front bulkhead as illustrated by the classic split-screen appearance of a leafer. The roof has been lowered by

Top, above left: Yes, this is the rear axle youre looking at. Daan was more interested in achieving the same level of articulation front and rear than freaking everyone out with how high he could life one wheel with a Hiab, so he did away with the traditional A-frame and used fabricated radius arms with a panhard rod. The shocks are housed within the coils to protect them, so theres no dislocation going on eitherAbove right: More coil-over mounting up front, this time with Range Rover radius arms which have been drilled to save weight. Bushing is by bog-standad rubber all the way round, too if youre looking for clever tricks, youll be a while. It all results in what Daan describes as proper ten-inch travel, very well balanced between front and rear and talking of resuts, it helped the hybrid show the cream of the worlds winching talent a thing or two at the Ladoga Trophy and Rainforest Challenge

18 Issue 14: April 2015w w w . t h e l a n d y . c o . u k ClubsAdventure WorkshopProducts VehiclesNews

Daan designed and assembled the roll cage himself, which is a thing you only do if youve got the sort of know-how you can trust with your life (he has, and the Land Rovers been over several times to prove the fact). The exo part meets the rear hoop via spreader plates in the roof, and the main stays are positioned as wide as possible to retain a usable level of luggage space in the back very necessary on self-sufficient events like the Rainforest Challenge. This means they dont run down to meet the main chassis rails; instead, Daan fabricated a set of outriggers to support them. We said he designed and assembled the cage, but for the bit in the middle he bought a load of T45 tube and took it to the Safety Devices factory, where they bent it up for him as this demonstrates, knowing what to do can sometimes mean knowing when to let someone else do it

65mm, however, and the internal bulkhead shifted backwards by 75mm to create more legroom. The pedal box is 40mm further forward for the same reason (Daans 6ft 7in frame wasnt made to fit in a standard Landy), and the front panel is 20mm ahead of its original position to create room for the Tdis intercooler remember, the engine itself is 10 further back from

its standard mounting position. This meant extending the bonnet to suit, which Daan has achieved without making it look like a lash-up.

Further body mods include Defender wheelarch spats and a grille mesh to prevent the radiator from clogging up. This, of course, is removable for clean-ing, as a hardcore event will quickly turn it into a solid wall of baked mud.

Elsewhere, the tub has been heavily chopped about to clear the wheels on full bump (remember, the vehicle has only one inch of suspension and no body lift at all), and also to provide more stowage space.

This allows Daan to carry a pair of 20-litre jerry cans in front of the spare wheel, with two waffles creating a false floor beneath which live the rear winch

and, ahead of that, all the spares and recovery equipment he needs. The fact that this includes a high-lift jack illustrates just how much space hes managed to find.

This is all the more impressive when you consider the amount of space some designs of roll cage can eat up. As we mentioned earlier, Daan designed and built the hybrids himself, using T45

tube which was bent up at the Safety Devices factory; his design uses an internal rear hoop which runs down to outriggers rather than the chassis rails so as to minimise the amount of space robbed from the cargo area.

Rollover protection of another kind comes in the shape of a stout mesh guard attached behind the internal hoop and cross-brace. No small matter,

Below left: In among all that armour is a Series III rear prop. The axle it turns started life on a Defender, and the handbrake you can just about see part of at the top of the picture is a one-off which Daan made using a disc from a Vauxhall AstraBelow right: With the engine being mounted 10 back from its standard position, and the vehicles wheelbase not resembling anything Land Rover ever made with a 300Tdi in it, a custom transmission cradle was always going to be necessary. Another large tick against Daans welding skills here

19Issue 14: April 2015w w w . t h e l a n d y . c o . u kWere on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thelandyukTo advertise in The Landy, call Mike Casey on 01283 553244this, when you consider that in the sort of endo Daan knows about all to well, on top of all the other stuff weve already mentioned theres going to be a shovel, chainsaw and set of ammo boxes doing their best to break free.

Less frightening interior fittings in-clude a pair of Volvo seats and a laptop for GPS navigation, the latter mounted on a frame attached to the dash. The floors are chequer-plated for hose-out ease of maintenance, and theres a second lever next to the transfer box control for operating the PTO winch.

When we talk about the PTO winch, by the way, were actually referring to the second to be fitted on the vehicle. Various people have experimented with centre-mounted winches, routing the cable cleverly to let them be used at the front or rear, with various levels of success. Daans among them but hes one of the ones for whom the level of success wasnt high. Not high enough to meet his own standards, at any rate: I tried a middle PTO winch which could work to the front or the back, but I didnt get on with it. Since than, Ive had the two winches.

As this illustrates, Daan has long since reached the stage with the Land Rover where hes happy just to refine and improve it. Theres no such thing as a finished project but this is one hybrid thats about as close to it as youll ever see.

Above: Here is the aforementioned 300Tdi. Being mounted so far back, theres a shroud guiding air to the radiator youll be familiar with this sight if you own a 90 with the 2.5 nat-asp dieselBelow: The PTO-driven Koenig winch is geared for very high line speeds. Being 100% mechanical, it will keep going even in the event of a total electrical failure

Seeing a late Series IIA in a nice, straight condition isnt the rarest of experiences. But theres no such thing as a Land Rover without a story to tell, and this 109 hides a lot beneath its pleasingly straight body. Like a stretched Range Rover chassis, for example and a 2.5 turbo-die-sel engine from an old Peugeot. Not a classic in the conventional sense, then but a fine example of what a classic Land Rover can become

Like a classic old song thats been digitally remastered, or a seventies blockbuster which has been meticulously restored using the latest technology, theres a certain kind of Land Rover that manages to look ancient and modern at the same time.

These are the Landies which have been restored but not back to their original condition.

At some point in your life, you may have looked up the definition of the word restoration. Well, maybe. Most likely when you were intoxicated at

Christmas, because it seemed like the fun thing to do at the time.

On stumbling your way through the R category of your dusty Oxford English Dictionary, youd read: The action of returning something to its former owner, place or condition. Riveting stuff. Your hazy eyes would then drift down to resuscitate, but thats another story.

The point is that while the vehicle we have here certainly did start off in need of restoration, what happened to it was a little less easy to qualify. The word restification has been coined for trucks

that start out as a wreck and end up as a hardcore off-road warrior, but this isnt that either.

No, here the term modernisation (bringing something up to date using modern methods and techniques) fits the bill much better. Intrigued?

From the outside, this looks like a normal 1969 Series IIA 109. So far, so unremarkable, even if it looks in good health. Some years ago, however, this classic piece of British engineering went through a revamp, the idea being to keep it moving with the times while preserving its looks and character.

Actually, by some years ago were talking about 1997. So modernisation might not quite be the right word. No Transparent Bonnets or Hill Descent Control in this Landy, thank you. All the same, it can be tolerated for much longer distances than it once was.

Generally, if you asked someone what their daily drive was and they replied with the words Series IIA, youd assume that he or she is on first names terms with a chiropractor. With this Landy, though, thats not the case.

Its been modified and updated to enable it to be used on a daily ba-


Words Mike TrottPictures Martin Traynor

This is the modern world


sis, says Martin Traynor of Chiltern Motors. The body now sits on a Range Rover chassis, which means you now have coil-sprung suspension, so its significantly more comfortable to drive.

The more eagle-eyed among you (or in actual fact, anyone whos awake) will have spotted that since the 109 is still a 109, the Range Rover chassis cant still be a Range Rover chassis. Well, not an original Range Rover chassis. So what youre looking at is a stretched Rangey supporting a very tidy long-wheelbase Series IIA van.

It was the Landys previous owner who did the conversion, but Martin can verify that the extra comfort is definite-ly there. Not because he just whizzed it round the block before putting it up for sale, either.

As a testament to its ability, he says, I took this 45-year-old vehicle down

to Southern Germany some months ago to deliver a Series I on the back of a trailer. It never missed a beat and was just great, with plenty of power and pulling ability, and happily sat on the Autobahn all day long.

Not many people used the words plenty of power in relation to the 2.25-litre petrol or diesel engines that went into new Series IIAs as they came out of Solihull. And Martin isnt bucking that trend. Under this ones bonnet is 2.5-litre Peugeot turbo-diesel, installed using a Steve Parker Land Rover conversion kit and mated to a five-speed Discovery manual gearbox to go with it.

The original Series vehicles are cracking motors, says Martin. They have those classic looks, but often drive pretty horribly. This one is deceptive though the work has been done so

well, you wouldnt realise unless you drove it. So you now have retro looks with much more modern running gear, reliability and comfort.

The man speaks the truth. No, those seats wont be winning any style awards, but they beat sitting on a park bench wrapped in vinyl. And then theres the handbrake; it sits by your hand and doesnt force you into a game of heads, shoulders, knees and toes.

As well as the logical improvements in the cabin, the bodywork also re-ceived a full restoration when the new chassis and other modifications were made. Not surprisingly, it acquired a full repaint as well.

Back in the nineties, when hybrid building was in its heyday, this must have been quite a machine. It still is,

Continued overleaf

These days, putting a Peugeot engine in an otherwise original Series IIA would be like dancing on the grave of a precious classic. But back when this 2.5-litre turbo-diesel went in, it was simply a good way of making an old Landy drive nicer. Installed using a Steve Parker conversion kit, the engine mates to a Discovery manual gearbox making the 109 much stronger to drive as well as allowing it to cruise comfortably (and a lot more quietly) at motorway speeds

actually IIAs are rare enough now that the time for modifying them like this is in the past, so youre unlikely to see any more getting this kind of treatment now.

At the very least, when the work was done this Series IIA would have stood comparison to the 90s and 110s of its time. Youd expect it to have been among the least punishing on your body, too.

Yes, it is hybrid, at least of sorts. But depending on your take on things it could be one of the best out there not an off-road killer, but a straight old one revised to be more like they would have been, if only Land Rover had had access to more modern engineering back then.

I wouldnt have driven it down to Germany if I thought it was going to be unreliable, concludes Martin. I couldnt have something hindering me and it didnt! You could do it in a big, shiny 4x4 perfectly well, but the IIA is just something different.

Quite. Today, old Series IIAs are way too rare and precious to chop around (and Q-plates are enough of a pain in the neck to put you off anyway). But this one is the sort of truck it was possible to create back in those happy days of more freedom and less red tape. Its not in its original state, no. But if theyd all been like this, running a Series truck as a daily driver would be as normal as anything.

Chiltern Motors currently have the IIA up for sale, at an asking price of 5750 ono. Call 0118 954 7818 or pay a visit to www.chilternmotors.co.uk


One of the nicest things about this IIA is that although its been changed very fundamentally in terms of its engine, chassis and suspension, nobodys tried to make it into anything its not. The cabin is still a basic, robust, functional place to sit, even if its gained a pair of seats you can actually sit in on a journey without having to spend the next day learning how to walk again. In the back, its just a clean, tidy van, boarded out and ready to do a days work the same sort of days work its been doing since the Beatles were still together


If you want to go and see the world aboard a Land Rover, there are plenty of companies wholl happily see you on your way by relieving you of a large pile of cash. You get what you pay for, of course, and many of these outfits turn out vehicles wed all be proud to pilot across continents far and near, but theres another kind of overland wagon too the kind whose owners take self sufficiency to a whole new level.

This hefty 130, for example, was prepped for overland travel a few years ago by Ian Daly. A lot of overlanders arent that into the more extreme side of the off-road game, but this particular Landy shared its driveway with a

hardcore playday toy hed take out when he wasnt going long-range.

Two very different vehicles, then, for two very different kinds of fun. Overlanding is a great pastime, Ian told us, because it offers such a rich experience. My wife cant stand off-roading in this country, but she loves the long-distance stuff where theres something new to look at every day and a real sense of adventure.

The 130 was a no-brainer when Ian started planning his build, and that didnt change when he went looking and found one in Wolf spec at the right price. It came with air-conditioning and a diesel heater, he says, but the

rear was just an empty box when I took delivery of it.

It wasnt empty for long. With the Wolf being so well sorted from scratch, Ian was able to concentrate on the living quarters which contain a fold-down double bed, copious storage space and a dining table which four of us were able to gather round for a brew without anyone feeling cramped.

It was, he admits, an intensive job which took months of solid work. But the results are staggering.

Ian was eager to test the 130 in gentler conditions than the desert when the build was first completed, just to make sure everything worked the

When Ian Daly longed to get out there and explore the world, he decided to base his build on the longest Landy there is. When he found a 130 Wolf at the right money, he knew hed chosen well

its tempting to go with bells and whistles, but thats not always the best thing on an overland vehicle

A SENSE OF LONGING

words gary noskillpictures steve taylor


way he wanted. So off he went, first to Scotland and then to Switzerland.

Whoever heard of a shakedown run for a camper van, huh? Well, its just as well he did, because the batteries ran flat first time out something he was able to remedy back home before setting forth again. Naturally, he was happy to have discovered the issues with the initial arrangement before heading out on the sort of expedition where a problem like that could prove to be much more serious.

The 130 is a heavy old bus even in standard form, and with a self-propelled home on the back this one tips the scales at almost four tonnes more when fully laden with water and spare fuel. Given that it was built to go places where deep sand is the most common type of terrain youll find, Ian went for the widest tyres he could get 265x85R16 BFGoodrich All-Terrains. I like the AT tread pattern for its all-round capabilities, he said. But I think an even wider tyre would perform better in desert conditions.

Being a Wolf, the 130 has a 300Tdi engine turning an R380 gearbox. The engine runs a raised air intake and has the usual 24-volt heavy-duty alternator, but Ian left it well alone in terms of mods. The perfect choice for an overland truck is one thats very strong as standard and doesnt need any enhancements at all, so you dont have to go messing about with the drivetrain and suspension and this Defender proved absolutely ideal.

Being on 24-volt throughout actually suited Ian rather well, as the electrics for the living quarters could be kept entirely separate from those in the engine bay. He used 12-volt for the domestic stuff because of

its compatibility with conventional appliances, and a second 24-volt system went in to serve as a back-up for the engine. The last thing you want is to be stranded in the desert with no power, he comments. So its worth adopting a belt-and-braces approach.

Talking of belt-and-braces, going off-road in anything that weighs this much is going to ask questions of your suspension. Many people fit upgrades here, whether or not they actually lift the height of the vehicle, but Ian didnt need to because Land Rover already had the answer itself.

This was, of course, to fit big springs and really big shocks. The Wolf being the Wolf, total dependability is what it was all about, so youre looking at a set of impressively over-engineered components here.

As weve said, keeping it standard as possible is always a good idea on an expedition machine. If you keep with stock componentse, confirms Ian, its far more likely youll be able to find replacements when youre travelling. Its tempting to go with bells and whistles, but thats not always the best thing on an overland vehicle.

Aside from that, of course, theres the age-old argument that the trucks manufacturer put a lot of time and effort into designing it so all the components would work together. Start modifying it away from standard and, while it might perform better in the short term, eventually somethings going to object.

Thats why a 130 is a great choice, and a 130 Wolf is a brilliant one. Ian took this Landy and turned it into a top-class home from home. But deep down, in the bits that make it go, its still the same Landy it always was.

The perfect stategy for an overland build is to start with the strongest truck you can find, so you can leave it as standard as possible and concentrate on just prepping the camper-van part of it. Thats what Ian did with the 130 and they dont come much stronger than a Wolf model, which meant an original-equipment 300Tdi under the bonnet with a factory-fit raised air intake and 24-volt alternator. The domestic electrical system is all 12-volt, and thus completely separate, and it provides power and light to a home based around a fold-down double bed and remarkably spacious dining table

I came back to It once and someone was lyIng underneath!

In a world of Porsches, Evos and Caterhams, a Defender will always look like the geeky kid at the back

of the class who never gets the girl. But when the time comes to shine, Land Rovers finest scrubs up very

well indeed and when it does, nothing else gets a look in

ADefender is rarely what youd consider to be a smart vehicle. These are the Land Rovers most at home on the land where, whether for work or play, they never look better than when theyre covered in mud.

The Defender is like the kid at school who doesnt hang out with the cool crowd. Rather than spending the sum-mer getting wasted at endless house parties, hed sooner be off hiking.

But then, when the whole school comes together for prom night, what happens? The odd kid turns out to scrub up better than anyone could

imagine and ends up stealing the show. And the girl, obviously.

Sorry. Maybe I watched a bit too much American kids TV when I was a teen myself

Anyway, here have that odd kid, moments before he loosens his tie at the end of the night and whisks the prom queen away to jump knee-deep into the mud together. Alan Webber is father to this particular show-stealer, and on the whole hes pretty proud of what hes got.

Part of the reason why he may be so happy is that he didnt raise this Defender himself. He merely took it on

from someone whod done all the hard work already!

I bought this truck off my broth-er-in-law, who had kept it for about a year himself, says Alan. It was my brother-in-law and my best mate that actually got me into the off-roading side of things; we all love them and Ive had loads of different Defenders over the years.

They say that the first step towards rehabilitation is to accept that you have a bit of a problem (Im not speaking from personal experience). And Im glad to report that Alan has completed this first step


words and pictures mike trott

SCRUBBING UP AMAZINGLY


Im a furniture maker by profession, but I also do a bit of part-time trading on Land Rovers. It started off as a hob-by really; its getting out of hand now though! continues Alan.

Ive had at least 20 Defenders and another couple of Range Rovers over the last half a dozen years. I think once theyre in your blood, you are doomed.

Alan may change his Defenders like he changes his socks, but thats nothing new to him. Ive had everything, from Porsches to Evos to Subarus but I just keep coming back to Land Rovers. I had a lovely Caterham Seven before and people used to ask me questions wherever I went in it but I kid you not, this Defender is ten times worse!

I came back to it once and someone was lying underneath it! I said, Excuse me, what are you doing? Youll go a long way to find a car with more char-acter than the Defender.

Theres probably a reason why Alan found someone under his daily drive, because this Td5 has been smartly

Continued overleaf

Above left: Suspension uses +3 Pro-Comp springs and shocks throughout. Above: Some of the decor on this 90 is more street chic than off-road cred, but you can never go too far wrong with a good bit of chequer plate. Below: Elsewhere notably underneath the vehicle, which is of course where its most vulnerable stuff like the Matt Lee diff guard, Equipe bash plate and Shadow winch bumper are heavy-duty and nothing less

Its the same Pro-Comp springs that youll find at the back. Here, however, instead of being fitted coil-over style theyre non-captive at the top where dislocation cones helps them re-seat themselves after a flexing session

enhanced for exactly the sort of thing he enjoys a touch of gentle green lan-ing and a chance to let off some steam at the occasional playday.

A lot of the vehicle has remained unmolested, including its brakes, transmission and axles, which simply have a set of diff guards bolted on. Lets face it, a Td5 is a good starting point rear disc brakes had become standard by this point, the axles were good and strong and the powertrain is one of the most reliable ever to exit the magic factory on Lode Lane.

Kids are terrible for losing things, of course, and this one has misplaced its EGR valve. Better performance and fuel economy in one easy stroke? Dont mind if I do. Combine that with the stainless steel sports exhaust at the other end of proceedings and you have yourself a smoother, more efficient Land Rover that also enjoys stretching your facial muscles.

Its off the tarmac, however, where this odd kid starts to show its ma-turity. Wide-angle propshafts work with a 3 Pro-Comp suspension lift and dislocation cones to make sure it can travel across the majority of terrain. The steering has been given a revamp with a Terrafirma damper and hardened steering arms, all protected by that shiny guard at the front from Equipe 4x4. Should things go wrong, a Superwinch S5000 inside a tidy Shadow tubular winch bumper will make them right again.

Alan must go home and drive his family insane with all his talk of Land Rovers. We say this because even his real offspring has caught on to his obsession! My daughter Amy, shes ten now and she keeps saying things like galvanised chassis and KAM diff

lockers. Cant think who she could have got that from!

While the Defender came to him already potty-trained, Alan has made a couple of changes himself, most notably to its wheels and tyres. It now runs on 33x12.50R15 Cooper Discoverer STTs, which Alan says are the best all-round-ers hes found. These are glued around a set of black modular rims.

Its in the bolt-on extras that this Defender has really gone to town. You

could say its gone overboard, even, but it appeals to Alan because it takes an already great truck to become a stupendous one.

A G4 roof rack, chequer plating, wing vents, Puma bonnet, heavy-duty side steps, spotlights and Exmoor Trim XS-style seats should cover the options list. We did say that this vehicle has a prom to get to, after all, so it was always going to need a few accessories to go with its tuxedo.

As we mentioned, Alan tends to go through cars faster than some people go through changes of underpants, so it wont surprise you ever so much to learn that since we took these pictures he had already moved on to his next Defender. This ones a Puma, and he says its the most comfortable Defender hes ever owned.

Realistically, for me at least, the De-fenders are more of a second car than something youd want to drive about

in every single day. But they are the ultimate vehicle for having fun in.

Wed all agree with that. And when the time came for this odd kid to shine and it danced around the off-road site at Muddy Bottom for our photos, it was like the greatest prom night triumph ever. The birds sat up and cooed with delight as did the sheep, and all the other wildlife down there.

You see? They really do all scrub up well in the end.


The Td5 engine is still regarded with suspicion by some, but desipte the electronics its one of the most reliable things ever to come out of Solihull. You see some ludicrous tuning efforts going on with it, but this one shows just what you can do by simple means the EGR valve has been binned and theres a sports exhaust to ease off on the back pressure, and thats just fine. In the cabin, this generation of Defenders still had the old-school dashboard and amen to that, say many of us but is less likely to have been destroyed than something from the early Tdi era or beyond

One day before were due to leave for an overland trip to Morocco, after two months frantic preparation, what hap-pens? My Range Rover refuses to start.

Nothing for it but to call in the sixth emergency service. This is Andy Pen-dragon, the organiser of our expedi-tion. He convinced the Rangey to start, but offered no explanation as to why it hadnt wanted to in the first place.

The following morning, I very nerv-ously went out and turned the key. To my great relief, she fired up. All set for the trip of a lifetime. But then, 25 miles

into that trip of a lifetime, she started misfiring again and struggled to climb the slightest of hills.

By the time I arrived at the meeting point, I was ready to pull out. The idea of travelling 3000-plus miles with this vehicle was filling me with nothing but dread. But Andy is a laid-back kind of bloke; he convinced me, somehow, that everything would be fine.

So I misfired my way to Portsmouth and on to the ferry, and forgot about it for a while. Id suggest taking a good book for the crossing, or at least a big

one. Whale and dolphin watching is extremely rewarding when you get to see them, but you have to be looking out to sea at the right moment and there are a lot of moments before you get to Santander.

Once in Spain, Andy suggested we drain the Rangeys tank and clean the fuel lines. I had serviced it to within an inch of its life only a week before, so it had to be something silly. And indeed, draining the fuel tank revealed water, mud, muck and bits of metal how on earth did all THAT get in there?


Words and pictures Mark Bailey

SEEKINGTHE SAHARA

The idea of taking a couple of years out and setting off around the world is hugely appealing, but actually doing it is hardly what youd call practical. For many Land Rover owners, the soution is just a 35-minute ferry ride from the south of Spain. Joining an organised convoy to Morocco gives you cameraderie, peace of mind and instant access to a landscape and culture that might as well be on the other side of the planet

NO TIME FOR A FULL EXPEDITION? TRY A THREE-WEEK CONVOY TO MOROCCO INSTEAD


Roger, one of the guys on the trip, had a small compressor, which we used to blow out the fuel lines. The Range Rover misfired on and off for a couple more tanks, then cleared up and started running sweetly. What a relief at last, I could settle back and enjoy our overland journey to Morocco.

The first thing you do once out of the port is climb a mountain and what a mountain. More than 4000 feet above sea level, with switchback after switch-back in first and second gear, it made for amazing driving and a stunning view. What a way to start the trip.

Once over this, you settle into chas-ing the horizon, across flat plains cov-

ered in date plantations with mountain ranges away in the distance. Northern Spain more than warrants a trip of its own but our target was the south coast and our ferry to Morocco.

Two days of fantastic scenery later, we rolled into the port only to be told that the days crossing was cancelled due to bad weather. Not to worry, that gave us an opportunity to give our vehicles a check-over. One of the group had had to replace a couple of wheel bearings and UJs on his 90 on the way down, something that quickly became a team effort.

It was still a little blustery the following day, but this time the ferry

was able to set sail. It makes you realise how close together Europe and Africa really are, because the crossing only takes 35 minutes.

Moroccan customs was an experi-ence in organised chaos, but once out of the city the pace of life slows right down and the true Morocco reveals it-self. Its only now that first-time visitors like me can start to take things in and you quickly realise youre in a totally different world.

After a fuel stop and caf break, we set off for our first campsite, all the while trying to adjust to the unfolding sights, sounds and smells of Morocco. Yes, smells: plantations of orange trees,

NO TIME FOR A FULL EXPEDITION? TRY A THREE-WEEK CONVOY TO MOROCCO INSTEAD

When your ferrys cancelled due to high winds in the Strait of Gibraltar, what do you to to kill the time? Why, you get to work on your Land Rover, thats what. Everyone gave their vehicles a general check-over, but for one member of the group the adventure included changing a couple of UJs and wheel bearings. When that turned out not to be a big enough job to keep everyone occupied, he decided to follow that up by changing the bushes in his 90s steering. And you thought a three-week holiday wouldnt involve the sort of running repairs that are part and parcel of fully fledged expedition travel

King of the dunes? That would be the authors Range Rover. A nicely tuned 3.9-litre V8 engine and auto gearbox had a lot to do with that, though the truly ground-breaking idea of going on expedition in a bobtail meant they didnt have as much weight to haul through the sand


dates and mint are intoxicating as you pass through with the windows down and the wind in your face. You pass roadside stalls selling brightly coloured pots, plates and crystals, with the pro-prietors beckoning for you to stop and view their wares.

The further south you go, the more dramatic the scenery and the sparser the population becomes. We covered on average 125 miles a day but it wasnt just a follow-my-leader convoy drive. Andy gave each of us a roadbook and let us all travel at our own pace, stopping where and when we liked.

Our aim was to get to the desert in the south of the country, but we did stop a couple of times to explore. The first of these detours was to the cas-cades at DOuzoud, which are stunning. A three-stage waterfall with a total drop of some 300 feet, theyre at their best in April when the river is full. But they remain extraordinary all year round as indeed does the whole of Morocco.

Our second stop was at Marrakech. Much has been written about the place, but nothing does it justice; the city square is full of water sellers in all their finery, snake charmers and stalls

selling food, souvenirs and aromatic spices. The souks are an experience in themselves, with stalls stuffed with colourful lanterns, jewellery, clothing and slippers. Be warned, though, the Moroccans are born salesmen!

Two more days driving, and at last we were on the northern fringes of the Sahara. The scenery so far had been spectacular, but we were about to go somewhere really rather special.

The first thing you notice is that the desert is not all soft sand. In fact, vast areas are covered with rocks and mountains. You pick your way though

the rocks, sand and clumps of bush; youre following ancient tracks, but you still have to pay attention to where youre going.

It was here that I got my only punc-ture. A word of advice about changing a wheel in the desert: take it slowly!

Needless to say, the rules about trav-elling in convoy change once youre off the beaten track and into the wilds. Out here, where breaking down or getting stuck could have calamitous results, it would be crazy not to stick together.

On the smooth, flat surface of Lak Iriki, a dried-up lake bed, you can

travel at 50-60 mph with no difficulty at all. We spread out to keep out of each others dust, with everyone having a whale of a time. I spotted a dust devil and headed off to drive through it. Next time, Ill remember to close the window first

After about an hour we were back on the track, but we soon turned off into soft sand. This requires low box and diff lock due to the drag as your tyres struggle to float over the surface, and momentum is absolutely essential. I could feel the Range Rover squirming beneath me as I fed in the power, and

If you visit Morocco on a hotel holiday, probably the only time youll realise youre not in Europe is when you get herded on to a bus and taken on a tour of authentic markets selling touristy tat in sterile cod-ethnic surroundings. Go there for real and the reminders are all around you: none of these photographs were taken in zoos. If thats not reason enough to start planning a trip like the one in this article, we dont know what is

Below left: Theres plenty of sand in the Sahara, but theres much more to it than that. The desert has huge tracts of stony ground, and its by no means all flat there are rocky outcrops and craggy mountains erupting from the plains below, and many of the ancient tracks pick there way through a landscape of boulders and clumps of bushBelow right: Just when you think youve got the measure of Morocco, check this out. The sun might beat down on the dry, parched desert below, but up here in the High Atlas the climate is defined by altitude. Yes, that really is snow on the peaks in the distance

35Issue 14: April 2015w w w . t h e l a n d y . c o . u kWere on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thelandyukTo advertise in The Landy, call Mike Casey on 01283 553244there was a delay following each turn of the wheel as I steered. Its great fun I defy anyone not to be grinning from ear to ear at this point!

The next day was even better. Wed had a taste of the desert and now, after a lesson from Andy on how its done, it was time to hit the sand dunes.

As it turned out, my Range Rover was the king of the dunes with the combination of three-speed auto and 3.9-litre V8, she climbed everything. Okay, you could say that the auto box took some of the skill out of it. But who cares? What a blast! Thats not to say I didnt get stuck, far from it. There is a technique to sand dune driving, but the Range Rover made it look easy. I loved it.

After three days in the desert, it feels as if the trip is over when you set off for home. Far from it, though. Our route went through the High Atlas, which isnt called that for nothing. I thought wed climbed some pretty big mountains on the way down through Spain, and seen some stunning views, but nothing prepares you for this place. One mountain in particular, Jebel Toubkal, took three hours to climb and topped out at around 4100 metres. The views? Mere words cant begin to do them justice.

By the end of the trip, I had covered some 3300 unforgettable miles in three weeks. My advice is that if you have been thinking about making a trip like this, you should do it soon; western influence is gaining a foothold, and Morocco is changing fast. Its not just Burger Kings and Pizza Huts, either Andy told us that some of the tracks he had travelled on in previous years are now tarmac roads.

And my other piece of advice? While solo travelling is perfect for long-term expeditions, if you want to take a short-er overland trip and make the most of every day it makes a lot of sense to go with an organised party the way I did.

Using roadbooks on the way to the de-sert gave me the feeling that I really was exploring on my own, yet I never had to waste time looking for a campsite or worry that I was missing the best scen-ery. Having a guide meant we could all just relax and enjoy the trip.

Besides, it was Andy who settled my nerves before we even got to Portsmouth and convinced me not to back out. And Ill always be grateful to him for that because if he hadnt, something as stupid as a grotty fuel tank would have caused me to miss out on the trip of a lifetime.

Above: You almost never hear anything being described as exotic without the reality turning out to be altogether more mundane, but Marrakesh at its best really is worthy of the word. The souk in the centre of the city comes alive at night it might be for the benefit of tourists, but the effect is totally believable. After running the gauntlet of the ever-present manic traffic that circles the city, in any case, youll be quite happy just to be able to relax and enjoy your surroundings for a while though the noise and energy running through the place mean its anything but peacefulRight: Something else that looks peacefully beautiful in a photograph but is actually pretty deafening in real life. At the triple cascades of DOuzoud, the Oued Tissakht river plunges 330 feet its the biggest waterfall in Morocco, and the most visited attraction in the region. Dont let that put you off, though, because all those people rolling up in their coaches havent had the experience of driving there on rough mountain roads in the Western High AtlasBelow right: Many people have taken Land Rovers to Morocco. Not all of them, it would appear, have brought them back

36 Issue 14: April 2015www . t h e l a n d y . c o . u kSeries I

Series I (1956). Petrol engine. Restored approximately six years ago, fantastic condition, any viewing welcome. 10,000, 07973 131603

Series I 88. Has an early 2.25 engine fitted which runs on petrol and LPG. Bulkhead totally rebuilt using galvanised box-section, galv steel plate and new footwells. Not to original spec but strong and rust free. Chassis repaired where needed to make roadworthy. Parabolic rear springs with Polybushes. Items still to do include front springs, speedo cable to fit, some rear area windows which are cracked and hard-top painting, plus carpet inside. For sale as is,

only because I have other projects to complete. 7000. Kendal, [email protected]

Series II

Ex-MOD Series IIA Ambulance (1972). Camper conversion. MOT July 15 (no advisories). Tax exempt and cheap historical vehicle insurance. Stretcher bays converted into beds/seats, but could easily be returned to original for military shows. New 2.25 petrol engine fitted by MOD prior to disposal; vehicle has only done 4500 miles since then! New tyres, brakes and pipes in last 3 years. New lights, floor panels, wheel cylinders, coil and carbu-rettor. Fairey overdrive. Chassis in excellent condition (Waxoyled). Window washer system, phone changing points, DVD player and LED inside lights added. Rear roof insulated and carpeted. Comes with a drive-away awning for adding space when camping. A great head-turner, and very practical Ive helped friends move house in it, and you wont get stuck if you use it for camping

at a muddy festival! 3500. Cardiff, 07736 329789

Land Rover Series IIA (1969). 2.25 petrol. 48,389 miles. This is a beautiful marine blue Series IIA 88 soft-top. In excellent condition, fully serviced recently, newly repaired starter motor and 10 months MOT. No need for road tax! Essex. 3000 ono. 07966 242402, [email protected]

Land Rover 109 200Tdi. Twin tanks, body-off refurb, chassis checked and no welding required, HD military style crossmember, new bespoke bumperettes, 3 coats of Shutz to chassis, tub and wings, galv bulkhead and front panel, Defender front wiring loom, professionally wired rear, new LED standard style

lights, high level brake light, LED camping/reverse lights and internal strip lights, Pioneer CD, Toro overdrive, P38 PAS box on 12mm plate weld

the landy april 2015

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