Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2016 i Land Rover Monthly

 It’s a shame to me how many Land Rovers don’t get to be put to the use for which they were intended. In fact it’s positively cruel. “A wading depth of 900 mm will get you from Skegness to Rotterdam at low tide” Land Rovers were built to roam across wild African plains and deserts, brave glaciers and wade raging rivers. If only they could talk they’d tell us they weren’t very happy about doing the school run and endless shopping trips. Take the new Discovery. It is designed with an incredible wading depth of 900 mm. That’s enough to get you from Skegness to Rotterdam at low tide. Wheel articulation of 500 mm and ground clearance of 283 mm, plus superb approach and departure angles, means this can cross…

“He weaved past me and went straight through the red lights with just a glance” I’m still working my way through stuff that needs doing on my Range Rover Vogue L322. Now, here’s an odd thing. I’ve always described my Land and Range Rovers by the three registration letters, OSM for one of my Classics, PKV for my 110, and so on. This one I just can’t manage to call CXH however, it always seems to come out in conversation as my L322 to Land Rover people and my Range Rover to non-Land Rover people. Anyway, to tyres. When I bought her the wheels were 20 inches and the tyres were 245/45, which means that the ride was very harsh what with the lack of sidewall. How people manage with…

The SUPACAT JACKAL M-WMIK (Mobility Weapons Mount Installation Kit), known as the HMT 400 by the company, is the older big brother of the LRV 400. Over 500 examples of the JACKAL, in addition to 70 plus SRV (Special Reconnaissance Vehicle) predecessors, were procured as Urgent Operational Requirements by UK MoD between 2007 and 2010, and post-Afghanistan some 400 were taken into Core Fleet. With a combat weight of 7.6 tonnes, including a 200 kg payload, the armour-protected Jackal weighs almost twice as much as the Wolf WMIK Defender or its potential LRV 400 replacement and is a considerably larger vehicle.…

TREVOR CUTHBERT CONTRIBUTOR DISCOVERY 2 YEAR: N/A MILEAGE: 137,763 MPG: N/A POWER: 136 bhp TORQUE: 232 lb-ft It is a sad fact that the otherwise wonderful Land Rover Discovery 2 has a very major failing. This big problem is prematurely ending the life of many fine examples of the D2, produced by Land Rover between 1999 and 2004. The chassis in these vehicles throughout this date range, particularly at the rear, are positively disintegrating by rust attack – well in advance of when one might expect problems. I have had a 2004 model in my workshop that looked fabulous, yet its rear bumper was flexing, because the chassis it was attached to was about to fall apart. Conversely, my own 2004 Defender 90 has a chassis underneath it that is…

“The brand-new Discovery looks as distinctive as a big brother in a family of semi-clones” Driving my “old” 2006 Range Rover Sport yesterday, I passed another Land Rover travelling in the opposite direction. I saw it coming, and then scrutinised it in my rear view mirror, but as I didn’t get a side view in the narrow lane I couldn’t tell whether it was a Discovery Sport, an Evoque or a Range Rover Sport 2. Admittedly, it was almost dusk and the rain was heavy, but I expect be able to distinguish one Land Rover from another, at a glance. Back home, I parked the Sport between my Discovery 1 and my wife’s Freelander 1 – all distinctly different vehicles which any primary school kid would identify in an instant.…

ALISDAIR CUSICK Tools: Screwdrivers, paper clip. TIME 10 MINS COST TIME ONLY DIFFICULTY RATING There are two ways to read and clear the ABS-related fault codes from a Range Rover Classic, or ABS-equipped 300Tdi Discovery. One is to pay a large amount of money for Testbook, or diagnostic sotfware. The other is to raid your stationery drawer. Yes, as mad as it sounds, you can forego diagnostic tools and read the codes, then clear them from the ECU, by using one humble paper clip. And you can do it in the middle of the jungle in ten minutes flat. It really is that simple because, built into the system, is a way of revealing the stored error codes. It uses the ABS light on the dashboard binnacle and makes it…

JAGUAR LAND Rover Classic is now offering one of its most exciting driving experiences yet, with the launch of Classic Ice Driving. Held at JLR’s winter testing facility in Arjeplog in northern Sweden, drivers get to experience the thrill of driving the Series I, II and III and Range Rover Classic, as well as the Range Rover Sport, while specialist instructors provide comprehensive tuition. Including two nights’ accommodation at the Hotel Silverhatten and VIP transfers on arrival from Arvidsjaur Airport, unfortunately this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity does not come cheap at 3000 Euros, especially when you have to factor in flights, too. For more details point your browser at www.jaguar.com/icedriving.…

LAND ROVER says: “New Discovery’s dramatic design represents a radical departure from previous models but retains established Discovery DNA. The trademark stepped roof and highly visible C-pillar are inspired by Discovery models of the past and distinguish the premium execution of New Discovery. The C-pillar design in particular gives the profile more drama and creates a design cue for the whole Discovery family. “The customary stepped roof is synonymous with Discovery and provides class-leading headroom in the third row of seats while a choice of panoramic roof options creates a feeling of space and light inside by bringing the outside in. The fixed design provides two separate sections and the largest ever glass area for a Land Rover roof, while the opening system provides a tilt-and-slide front section.” Back in…

 Back in the early 1980s I worked as a reporter on a weekly newspaper in the Fens, pacing the mean droves of west Norfolk, north Cambridgeshire and south Lincolnshire in an unrelenting quest for news stories. And when there wasn’t enough news to fill the pages, the editor would send me out find some. It was known in the trade as going ‘off-diary’, but in reality meant going to a pub and chatting to the locals in the hope that something would slip out in conversation. “I calculated that I have spent three days of my life at those level crossing gates in the last 20 years ” A dearth of news one day saw me despatched to a pub called The Gote in the village of Tydd Gote, which…

Original donor car: £50 Engine donor car: £320 Gearbox: £80 Roll cage tube: £188 Panels: £226 Insa Turbo Special Track trialling tyres were supplied by local tyre company RLG Tyres at cost. You also need to allow for consumables and other finishing touches. Many parts used in the build were Harry’s Christmas and birthday presents! GLOSSARY OF TERMS  ALRC: Association of Land Rover Clubs (www.alrc.co.uk) Green Book: A yearbook produced by the ALRC given to all competitors, detailing everything you need to know and now available online ALRC National: An annual off-road event, held on the second bank holiday weekend in May CCV: Cross Country Vehicle Trial TYRO: Strictly non-damaging, for drivers aged 13 and over RTV: Road-Taxed Vehicle trial COC: Clerk Of the Course MSA: Motor Sports Association…

IF RUMOURS are to be believed, that Elvin Zaifety bloke has been sticking his oar in again on the military Land Rover front. It appears there may currently be a ban on military personnel travelling in the back of the Wolf 90 and Wolf 110 (WMIKs excepted) and there are plans to introduce new seating to better protect rear occupants in the event of a rollover. Assuming my sources are correct these new seats will be taller, with side wings at head level to protect against whiplash, and rear occupants will need to wear their combat helmet to prevent head injuries. This, of course, means that the present internal rear roll cage is too low and will have to be raised to give the required headroom in similar fashion to…

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 Slowly but surely the transformation of my 1984 to 300Tdi power is taking shape. Last month I reported how my mate Nigel Hammond had removed the 32-year-old 12J naturally-aspirated diesel engine and located a sweet 300Tdi engine and manual R380 gearbox in a Disco Commercial that, like so many of its contemporaries, had been scrapped due to terminal corrosion. I’m pleased to say they will now have a new home in my Ninety – it’s always good to find a new home for serviceable parts. It’s a form of recycling, which of course makes it very acceptable…

CHARLIE THORN CONTRIBUTOR DISCOVERY 1 YEAR: 1996 MILEAGE: Unknown ENGINE: 3.9 Efi POWER: 181 bhp TORQUE: 230 lb-ft MPG: 19 Is it me or has the standard of driving on our roads here in the UK dropped to an all time low? So many drivers now just don’t seem to have any manners or morals. My favourite gripe is roundabouts and the use (or lack of) of them. It’s dead easy. As you approach a roundabout take a look and if it’s clear to your right then proceed. If there is something coming, stop and give way to them. Simple, but how many times have you had to anchor up sharpish, because some twerp has not given way? I nearly went through the windscreen of my old Range Rover recently…

A complete strip down is the ultimate way to sort rust, and it’s not difficult. Trevor Cuthbert reports TREVOR CUTHBERT General workshop tools, engine crane or other lifting gear, chains or straps for lifting engine and gearboxes. TIME 2 DAYS COST TIME ONLY DIFFICULTY RATING A Land Rover chassis has many components attached to it, even after the main body shell has been removed. While the absence of the body gives access to much more of the chassis, there is still a large proportion of it that is hidden behind parts such as the fuel tank, brackets, hoses and pipes. Later Land Rover models, such as the Discovery 2 shown here have even more systems in place, such as Active Cornering Enhancement (ACE) system, air suspension and air conditioning. Many…

UNIQUE PAINTING AUCTIONED FOR TROOP AID A UNIQUE painting depicting nine different Land Rovers and Defenders in various combat roles is to be auctioned at the tenth Troop Aid Ball on November 19, 2016, to help support our injured troops. The painting has been signed by the artist Stuart Spencer who spent most of his career as Jaguar’s Whitley Design Studio Manager and endorsed by JLR CEO Dr Ralf Speth. If anyone who is interested in bidding for the painting but is not able to attend the Ball at the Chateau Impney Hotel in Droitwich Spa, a sealed bid process will be operating until 12 November. For more information go to www.troopaid.info JE MOTORWORKS TAKES ON NEW DISCO LAND ROVER tuner JE MotorWorks (www.jemotorworks.co.uk) will develop an aftermarket tuning package…

Range Rover and Zenith have joined forces to bring us a special edition watch called the Zenith El Primero Range Rover. Revealed at the unveiling of the SVAutobiography Dynamic at the Paris Motor Show, it is designed to flag up the historical significance of 1969 when Zenith unveiled its self-winding chronograph movement (the El Primero) and Land Rover launched the world’s first luxury SUV. The watch features a 42 mm ceramised aluminium case – a nod to the vehicle’s chassis, hand detail reminiscent of the grille and a rubber strap coated with ivory-tone perforated calfskin in the style of the upholstery. While the idea of a timepiece inspired by our favourite brand is a lovely idea, it will set you back £6400 – which let’s face it is out of…

LEPOWER LED FLOODLIGHT   www.amazon.co.uk Price: RRP £75; Amazon £49.99 Working in a garage or workshop in dim lighting became a thing of the past when halogen floodlights became affordable about 20 years ago. Their ability to illuminate the work area (albeit in a rather orange glow) was welcome, but their fragility and longevity wasn’t. I dread to think how many halogen lamps I’ve broken over the years. Happily, technology has moved on and today LED floodlights are taking after-dark illumination to new levels. It is also very cheap. You get a lot of brightness for your bucks. My latest purchase is a Lepower LED Floodlight. Just £49.99 from Amazon and currently lighting up a sizeable chunk of east Northants. It is housed in a study aluminium frame and the…

 I am camping on the southern Sardinian coast – the cheaper end of Sardinian holidaying. Initially resistant to the idea of camping, when I discovered that the touristy north’s last-minute hotels were more than £1000 a week, sweating the week out in a £30 Halfords’ tent took on a rosier sheen. Southern Sardinia is a rural community where mining was formerly one of the largest industries before all the mines were closed. They now stand in ruins, like the old Cornish tin mines, as sad monuments to another traditional occupation and lost source of local revenue. “Even on holiday in Italy it seems impossible to escape from the rumblings of unrest” Like Cornwall, tourism is not yet welcomed here, being viewed more as a necessary economic evil to be tolerated…

Ownership of the most versatile vehicle on the planet is your passport to fun, adventure and achievement, but how many of us fully exploit the exciting opportunities our Land Rovers offer us? Not many, is the answer. This month we've come up with 50 of our favourite routes, projects, fixes and destinations. They range from the simple to the more involved, but most of them are all achievable in the Land Rover that's parked outside on your drive. Whether you fancy driving a Forward Control, meeting Huey or repainting your pride and joy, they're all waiting for you to do them. Some are more difficult. Finding a rare prototype could be a tough ask, and the thought of rebuilding a gearbox has been known to strike fear into the heart…

Ross Holgate has been travelling Africa with his famous dad and Land Rover ambassador Kingsley Holgate since he was a teenager. While his pops might be the last true great African explorer, he would not be going anywhere if it were not for Ross who is responsible for preparing and maintaining their fleet of Land Rovers. I chatted to Ross around the campfire about the perils of taking Discovery 4 vehicles thousands of miles away from an official Land Rover dealership. Why Discovery 4s? Adventures in new places are becoming harder and harder to find. You tend to spend lots of time, effort and kilometres just getting to the start of the expedition. We live 6000 km from southern Ethiopia, so when you are doing that sort of mileage you…

THE ORIGINAL King Edward Memorial Hospital sadly burnt down in 1984; it was then rebuilt into its current form and consists of 20 beds in total, which is more than adequate with roughly 3000 residents. The small A&E Department has space for up to three patients and there is a laboratory available in the building for routine blood work. There is emergency Caesarean section capability as well as both major and minor surgery, due to the fact the military requires a surgeon and anaesthetist while any de-mining activities take place. The obstetrical services are provided and led by midwives with GPs as a consulting service along with the surgeon. Roughly 30-50 deliveries occur on the island each year. Further specialist care is provided via email and through visiting specialists. Radiological…

THERE ARE times when something about a military Land Rover strikes me as being not quite right and causes me to stop and take a closer look because I cannot quite put my finger on precisely what is different. I had one such experience with a Wolf 90 out in Chelmno in Poland, while undertaking a quick recce of an amphibious bridging site on the banks of the Vistula two days before a major crossing of the river by NATO forces on Exercise ANAKONDA 2016. As time was pressing however I just grabbed a quick photo in passing and carried on with the job in hand. That evening in my hotel room, while reviewing the images I had taken after preparing my cameras and kit ahead of a mass multinational…

STEVE MILLER LRM AD MANAGER DEFENDER 90 YEAR: 1985 MILEAGE: 146,OOO ENGINE: 2.5 N/A POWER: Not enough MPG: TBC In last month’s issue, I explained how I’d set about selling all four of my Land Rovers in order to start afresh. I’d decided to take my motorbike test earlier this year and wanted some spare funds to purchase a bike and all the associated safety gear. Luckily I passed the test which enabled me to go bike hunting, so I went out and bought myself another British icon – a Triumph Bonneville Scrambler. This bike has similarities to a Land Rover, in fact, everywhere you go it turns heads. Simply pulling up outside a shop will inevitably engage a member of the public to say things like “I had one…

TIM HAMMOND CONTRIBUTOR 1991 Range Rover Classic 3.9 V8 1989 Range Rover Classic 3.5 V8 1986 Range Rover Classic 300Tdi 1982 Range Rover Classic 3.5 V8 1969 Series 2a 109, 2.25 Petrol TREVOR CUTHBERT CONTRIBUTOR 1957 Series 86” 1960 Series II 88” 1983 One Ten HCPU 1987 130 Double Cab HCPU 1988 Range Rover 4.0L automatic 1990 88” coil sprung V8 hybrid 1992 Defender 90 200 Tdi 1993 Defender 110 Tipper 1993 Defender 130 Cherry Picker 1994 Defender 110 300 Tdi Soft Top 2002 Discovery 2 Td5 Adventurer 2005 Defender 90 Td5 Hard Top DAVE BARKER CONTRIBUTOR 2004 Defender 300Tdi 2013 Freelander 2 1958 Series I RICHARD THOMAS CONTRIBUTOR 1955 Series I 2004 Discovery 2…

DAVE BARKER General workshop tools, including – 50 and 30 Trox bits, 10 mm spanner and sockets and a very long socket extension bar. TIME 1 HOUR COST £10 DIFFICULTY RATING The owner of this 55-reg 2006 high mileage Discovery 3 noticed oil leaking from the nearside towards the back of the engine undershield cover. The leak was not bad enough to show any loss of oil on the engine dipstick, but it was certainly enough to warrant the problem being looked at. A quick inspection seemed to confirm that the oil wasn’t coming from the sump area, but was probably leaking from higher up on the engine. It was then that we suspected it was from the area around the turbocharger, and possibly from the turbo’s oil feed or…