Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2016 i Land Rover Monthly

Jaguar Land Rover is the first premium automotive company to offer a fully online purchase option. Together with Rockar, JLR will launch a new retail website and accompanying store at Westfield Stratford, which will staffed by non-selling product experts called ‘Angels’. As well as help customers use the in-store Rockar system, the Angels can show prospective customers around the six vehicles on display, offer advice, show colour samples and interior leathers. Once visitors have gathered all the information they need they can complete their purchase on the Rockar website either in-store or at home. There is, of course, no need to visit the physical store at all; the online site allows customers to browse models, book test drives, specify their car, arrange finance and even trade in an existing model…

THE GREAT DEBATE GREEN LANES OR ROADS? THE DEBATE CONTINUES… PETER MILNER’S suggestion in Letters (September LRM) for us to drop the term greenlane and instead use the term green roads is a very sensible and pragmatic idea. There is much confusion around the use of what are formally called unsealed highways in the countryside, and better terminology would encourage people to realise that unsealed roads and byways in a rural or urban environment are no less real roads than something like the A1. Part of the problem comes down to perception and ignorance. For many, a vehicle on an unsealed road is off-road – which it is not, because byways and unclassified roads are public highways, which only road-legal vehicles can use. But this leads many people to believe…

"It feels almost surreal sitting in the cocooned air conditioned comfort of the latest Discovery " People are stupid. Mention the country Ethiopia and they have visions of starving, skinny people and Bob Geldof. Chat to anyone who has been there or read any Ethiopian travel guides, then a very different picture of the place emerges. The author of my Ethiopia Bradt Guide (I never travel to Africa without a country-specific Bradt guide) calls it “culturally, historically and scenically, the most extraordinary country I have ever visited”. I have never been to Ethiopia and it will be the 30th African country that I have visited. Most of these visits have been in a Land Rover, and this adventure is no different. It all began on a cold, rainy evening at…

After two years of planning and a lot of last-minute rushing around, we arrive in Greenwich Park at 7.00 am on June 1, 2016. Operation Long Drive is about to begin. It is a typically grey and rainy English morning that greets us, which we find rather fitting as our trip is all about searching for the sun. Our first stop is at Felixstowe where the Eurotunnel awaits. The crossing goes without issue and we are in France within an hour of boarding, making it well worth the £99. June is military memorials month in Europe so we allow ourselves some time in Dunkirk in an effort to learn more about the previous conflicts within Europe, visiting Second World War places of interest there. Our first night on the road…

DAVE PHILLIPS EDITOR DISCOVERY 1 YEAR: 1996 MILEAGE: 154,000 ENGINE: 300Tdi POWER: 111 bhp TORQUE 195 lb-ft MPG: 25 NINETY YEAR: 1984 MILEAGE: 163,000 ENGINE: none (currrently) POWER: n/a TORQUE n/a MPG: n/a Last month, I told you how the 32-year-old LT77 gearbox on my 1984 Ninety had finally died, giving me the chance to upgrade to an R380 ’box as well as a 300Tdi engine from a scrap Discovery. My mate Nigel Hammond had promised to source a suitable donor vehicle and, good as his word, he found a very rusty 20-year-old Discovery 1 Commercial. It had covered almost 200,000 miles, but its engine hadn’t. When he started up, it sounded like a much younger engine – and no wonder. Stamped on the side of the head was 02,…

TREVOR CUTHBERT CONTRIBUTOR DEFENDER 130 YEAR: 1994 MILEAGE: 193,516 MPG: 28 POWER: 111 bhp TORQUE: 195 lb-ft Well that didn’t take long! I didn’t even get a chance to advertise my Defender 110 Tipper in the LRM Classified pages, before I shook hands on a deal to sell the truck. The deposit has been paid and I will wave goodbye soon, for the last time. Aside from the new Rangemaster tyres, no pre-sale preparation work was carried out – it seems that folk want to see a work truck in its working clothes, rather than it being tarted up. The interest came from as far away as Co Kerry and from Galway, but it was a dude from quite nearby, in Moira Co Antrim, who was first to arrive with…

GARY STRETTON • Wire strippers, crimpers, wiring, heat-shrink sleeving, heat gun, spanners, screwdrivers, drill TIME 8 HOURS COST £193* DIFFICULTY RATING *Parts prices: £83.88 per screen; relays, switches and wiring £25; sealing strip £10 Series Land Rovers and Defenders suffer from marginal windscreen demisting capabilities and a battle with ice inside as well as outside their screens in colder weather. Modern heated screens are fast-acting and very reliable. In the case of these Ricky Evans Motorsport screens, they are also laminated as standard, making them preferable to toughened screens should the unfortunate happen. Although we show them here being fitted to my Series III, they are also available for Defender models. Heated screens are no more difficult to fit than standard screens, albeit with some straightforward wiring involved. The best…

Twisted Automotive’s recent open day was an unmissable event for Land Rover enthusiasts, offering as it did a great opportunity to see the latest bespoke Defenders from the North Yorkshire company. But this year there were some also real surprises in store. The open day gave Thirsk-based Twisted the chance to introduce its new sister company, LR Motors, which will be specialising in selling pre-owned Defenders. LR Motors will have around 50 Defenders – ramnging from standard to heavily-modified – in stock at any time. All will be in the £10,000 to £50,000 price bracket. For the open day they had a wide range of Defenders available, mostly 2010 to 2016 models, ranging from a standard truck cab 90 model to very modified Twisted 90s – and even a Bowler…

What’s set to be Land Rover’s most efficient Range Rover Sport yet, the 2017 Model Year vehicle will debut the new 2.0-litre four-cylinder Ingenium diesel engine, already available on the Discovery Sport. It will also see the Introduction of semi-autonomous driving technologies and enhanced all-terrain capability for safer on and off-road driving, connected technologies and upgraded infotainment system, together with a broader choice of colours and enhanced exterior design for Dynamic versions. On sale from winter 2016, prices start from £59,700 for 2.0-litre SD4 HSE specification. Range Rover’s most powerful model, the SVAutobiography Dynamic (left) will also be joining the line-up, with prices starting from £132,800. The reason for the high price tag is because, as one would expect, it utilises luxurious materials, a specially configured suspension and 550 hp…

1. Nico Toerien on his way to the family hideout in Namibrand, Namibia, south-west Africa. 2. Lake Washington in the USA is so deep that Steve Stewart had to install a set of red flags with long poles before attempting a crossing. 3. Jake Lloyd finds a big enough swimming hole in the Pyrenees. 4. Shane Farrar laning in his Discovery 1 around Exmoor. 5. Christoph Frey and son Levin from Zurich, Switzerland, each took their Defenders on a trip to Sardinia. Is this because one of them snores? 6. Stefan Albrekt might be based be based in Sweden but this was taken during a memorable five-week trip across the Australian Outback. 7. What tune was playing on the Defender’s stereo during this Donegal surfing trip? Probably the Beach Boys…

PART 2 RATTLY DISCO A replacement flex plate finally rids this leggy Disco 1 of any offending rattle Last month saw me steeling myself to investigate a suspected cracked flex plate on an old Discovery 300Tdi automatic. Ashcroft Transmissions provided a replacement plate with their usual prompt and efficient service: now all I had to do was fit it. By the time it arrived I had decided to remove the engine rather than the transmission. Although I have access to a four post lift I do not have a high lift transmission jack, and the ZF autobox is a big heavy lump to be trying to manoeuvre out from underneath on a wobbly trolley jack, especially when there is no one around to help you. I have removed plenty of…

"Imagine that it is the end of the world and his Defender must be prepared for it" Isle of Man internet marketing specialist Peter Adamson has it all. After moving there several years ago, his business is thriving, he has a beautiful girlfriend, owns a sports car, and, more interesting from our point of view, this Defender. "It all started with an old Defender to explore the island’s many remote tracks. It was always a bit of a childhood fantasy to own one. There are so many great roads to enjoy here, which makes the Defender the perfect Isle of Man vehicle. I also enjoy hiking, camping and off-roading so I needed a vehicle to support my needs.” They say that success breeds success and it was not long before…

Dave and his son Conner live just north of Perth, at the western end of the Strathmore Valley. The surrounding area is one of the most fertile in Scotland, and is well-known for its internationally acclaimed fruit harvest. “I was brought up in the Tayside area, and have lived here all my life,” said Dave, who is a landscape gardener by trade. “I used to be a deputy course manager at a local golf club, where I worked for 15 years. In 2008 I decided to take the plunge, and start my own business Grass Company Lawn Care and Landscaping Services.” Dave and Conner are members of Tay 4x4, one of the top off-roading clubs in Scotland. The club has been running for over 15 years, and currently has 70…

SEPTEMBER 15 – 29 Morocco - Atlas Overland 4x4 Adventure Tours East Morocco www.atlasoverland.com SEPTEMBER 16 – 18 Midland Rover Owners Club Majors Memorial Trial Eastnor Castle, Ledbury www.mroc.co.uk SEPTEMBER 16 – 29 Morocco - Trailmaster International Ltd Marrakesh Classic Marrakesh www.trailmaster.com SEPTEMBER 17 North Wales Land Rover Club Greenlaning, mid-Wales www.nwlrc.co.uk SEPTEMBER 17 – 18 British Army Motorsports Association, Autumn Leaves 4x4 Navigation Event Larkhill Garrison, Salisbury Plain www.armymotorsports.co.uk SEPTEMBER 17 – 18 Essex Land Rover Club Tyro, RTV & CCV Trial Mentley, Bishops Stortford www.elrc.info SEPTEMBER 17 – 18 Scottish Rover Owners Club Comp Safari www.slroc2.co.uk SEPTEMBER 17 – 18 Shire Land Rover Club Seven Sisters Weekend Walters Arena, South Wales www.shirelrc.com/seven-sisters SEPTEMBER 17 – 18 Yorkshire Land Rover Owners Club Trial, Helmsley, North Yorkshire www.ylroc.com SEPTEMBER 17…

PATRICK CRUYWAGEN DEPUTY EDITOR DISCOVERY 2 GS YEAR: 2001 MILEAGE: 120 000 ENGINE: Td5 POWER: 136 bhp TORQUE: 232 lb-ft MPG: 28 The past month or two of Land Rover ownership have easily been the most tumultuous of my life. It all started when driving to a cricket match along a country lane. I forgot about a sharp left turn and though I still managed to make it, I heard an expensive cracking sound coming from the rear of my Discovery. I carried on driving though it was now handling like a hovercraft, once at the cricket ground I climbed out to inspect the damage. I was astounded to see that one of the rear shock absorbers had detached from the chassis, along with a large chunk of the chassis.…

We’ve all been there, on a cold winter morning when the frost was the last straw for an ageing battery. Turn the key, hear a click or a tired groan from the starter motor, and it’s a case of calling the garage or hooking up the battery charger and drinking tea for the next hour. But an almost pocket-sized jump starter will have a Land Rover running again instantly. I tried the Lithium 300A Compact Jump Starter from Ring Automotive on my Td5 110 Defender. But first, I fitted a battery that I knew was shot, fully discharged, so that when I turned the Defender’s key there was no click, no ignition lamps, nothing. I connected the jump starter leads to the Defender’s battery cable terminals, switched the device on,…

ED EVANS • Tools: General workshop tools, hydraulic press, selection of mandrels or suitable large socket spanners TIME 6 HOURS COST £258 DIFFICULTY RATING CONTACT: Polybush www.polybush.co.uk  Tel:01978 664316, email sales@polybush.co.uk Polybushes are also available for Series I through to Range Rover Sport and Discovery 4 Kevin Chadwick, Land Rover Specialist, Clapham, N. Yorks. Tel: 01524 251639 Mob: 07779 081388 The original suspension bushes on a beam axle Land Rover can be expected to be good for at least 100,000 miles, depending on how and where the vehicle has been driven. So why would we want to replace them with polyurethane bushes? Although the vehicle may appear to be riding and handling well, original bushes deteriorate gradually with time and use. As the bushes’ performance reduces, we drivers slowly…

Tell us about your Series III project... My grandparents bought it for my mother in 1978. It must have been love as she has driven a 4x4 of some description ever since. My father partially restored it in the late 1980s, fitting a galvanised chassis and new bulkhead. Then, when I passed my driving test in 1999, it became my first car. But since 2006 it stood on my parent's driveway. Dad gave it just enough attention to keep it roadworthy, and a couple of years ago he trailered it from Swansea to Dunfermline so that I could start restoring it. What about the engine? The original 2.25-litre engine blew up and was replaced with a 2.5-litre diesel engine out of an early Ninety. It’s running well, there are just…

PRICE: £19.06 GREAT GOGGLES This new set of Laser Tools safety goggles has a detachable face shield and meets only the highest safety standards. The goggles are comfortable, with a vented frame to stop them steaming up and an easily adjustable strap. www.lasertools.co.uk PRICE: £21.95 HYDRO FLASK The Hydro Flask flip lid coffee flask is a must for coffee and travel lovers. The flask has a double vacuum insulated wall to keep drinks piping hot for up to six hours or cold for up to 24. Easy to grip, built to last, and you can flip the lid with the same hand with which you are using to hold the flask. www.hydroflask.com PRICE: £37.50 WATER FILTER BAG The pre-filter Millbank bag will remove any organic material and sediment before you…

“The machine guns kept getting snagged in the branches” AS I WRITE THIS I’m gearing up for the Goodwood Revival, which takes place just before this magazine is published. It’s one of my favourite events: I love the atmosphere, the dressing up, and the way that it attracts real enthusiasts. Lord March has done a really fantastic job with the Revival and I only wish he had room for a museum on his estate. Dunsfold’s very early production Series I, KBP 747, has been a fixture at Goodwood Revival for as long as I can remember. It’s actually owned by my very good friend and Dunsfold trustee Richard Beddall, and it is superbly original, having been parked up in a Dartmoor shed for several decades after the owner passed away…

Nearly everything you buy depreciates in value instantly – computers, household appliances and cars are prime examples. New cars drop in price the moment you drive them off the forecourt. The trick is to buy when prices are low but show signs that they are going up. The longevity of Land Rovers has meant that they have always been better investments than other marques. Think of how many ten, 20 and 30-year-old Landies you see on the road compared to, say, Toyotas. Put simply, that’s because they remain affordable to keep on the road when the value of other makes of the same age has fallen below the cost of keeping them. Most Land Rovers are pretty good at holding their values, but some are obviously better than others, which…

"Overlanding can be extremely rewarding but it can also be exhausting" Mineral de Pozos is dusty and hot this time of year. The town is almost empty and very quiet. In a sense, it is at its best – Pozos at its most Pozos. We are experiencing the Pozos of old, exploring the structures of its mining heyday and understanding the town’s historic boom and bust at the turn of the last century. Our 1995 North American Spec D90, affectionately known as La Poderosa, has needed some extra love lately. We’ve been trouble-shooting a laboured start, irregular idle, and what seems to be an imbalance in the fuel-spark-oxygen mix. We have an excess of fuel or a lack of spark and she has been prone to flooding. Since we’re getting…

When it comes to restoring, repairing or maintaining a classic Range Rover, having a trusted supplier of car parts, fittings and accessories is essential. However, while there are a few specialists in the UK that cater for Land Rover’s iconic luxury SUV, there may be parts that are now obsolete. And that’s where eBay comes in handy. It’s no secret that it has become one of the largest online marketplaces in the world with 164 million active buyers and 800 million listings worldwide, but it’s also a virtual treasure trove for hard-to-find car parts, in good condition and at great prices. Simply type what you want in the search engine by part, brand, or car make and model, and away you go. Whether it’s a high quality replica part or…

STEVE MILLER LRM AD MANAGER So, what I have I been up to I hear you all ask? I haven’t actually contributed anything to this section for quite a few issues, but there’s a valid reason – and it certainly wasn’t because anything broke. In fact, I’ve got a confession to make: at this moment in time I am without a Land Rover. The last time I could say that was many, many years ago and it’s making me feel rather uneasy to be honest. So, what happened to my collection of four Land Rovers? I sold them all! I know it sounds absolutely absurd but that’s the truth. I had a moment of madness (possible midlife crisis, according to friends and family) and decided to take my motorbike test…

TIM HAMMOND CONTRIBUTOR RANGE ROVER P38 YEAR: 1997 MILEAGE: 220,000 MPG: 20 POWER: 185 bhp TORQUE 277 lb-ft This month started with fetching a P38 Range Rover from Northamptonshire, which I spotted while on holiday in the area a few weeks ago. Now I finally had a window where I could go and collect it. It had been sitting in its owner’s garden for quite some time, so we went prepared, with tools, strops, a battery and some petrol. It was left in quite an awkward position and the only way it would come out if it didn’t start was via a winch and lots of snatch blocks. With this in mind, LRM editor Dave Phillips stood by with his winch-equipped Discovery, just in case. As it happened, he wasn’t…

TREVOR CUTHBERT • General workshop tools, vehicle ramp or alternative lifting gear, lifting sills (box section steel) TIME 2 DAYS COST £30 DIFFICULTY RATING CONTACT: Fleck Car Repairs, Ballyclare Tel: 028 9334 0977 BLRC www.blrcvehiclespecialist.co.uk Tel: 028 9751 1763 There are a number of reasons why it might be useful to remove the body from the chassis of a Discovery 1, Discovery 2 or classic Range Rover. All are of similar construction in terms of the chassis and how the body is fixed to the chassis. So, although we show the work being carried out on a Discovery 2 here, the removal of the body from the other models follows the same principles, and is a very similar job. But why remove the body from a Discovery or Range Rover when…

ALISDAIR CUSICK • Tools: 8 mm socket, 13 mm socket and ratchet, hose pliers, brake cleaner, sealant TIME 30 MINS COST £32.00 DIFFICULTY RATING In my view, the Td5 is the nicest diesel engine fitted to a Defender. Torquey, quiet and, with a lovely characterful tickover beat, it is a super match to the vehicle. It’s also a punchy motor for Discovery 2. Rather than the odd number of cylinders, the Td5’s real showpiece is the injection system. Instead of the then popular common rail system, where fuel is fed to all injectors at a constant high pressure along the whole fuel rail, the Td5 injectors contain their own pump plunger to pressurise the fuel in each injector unit separately. The Defender was the first passenger vehicle to use the…

JEZ KENT • Tools: Short cross-head screwdriver TIME 30 MINS COST £25-30 DIFFICULTY RATING A common fault on the Freelander 1 is that some, or all, of the heater fan speeds can stop working, and it’s normally a subtle failure at first. It usually starts with number one position on the fan switch which, initially, is difficult to spot due to the slow speed of the motor. If discovered, many drivers can live with this slight inconvenience, as I did. However, later on, my number two setting also failed and, at this point, it starts to become a problem, especially with air conditioning fitted. It seriously affected comfort levels in the cabin, not to mention the noise of needing to have the blower motor on number three or four on…