Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2020 i Land Rover Monthly

THE electrickery of the new Defender has been well documented since it was first unveiled to the world at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show over a year ago now. The doom sayers have declared it the most technologically advanced Land Rover that will be impossible to fix by owners and mechanics when stuck in remote locations. Didn’t they say the same about the Discovery 3, 4 and 5? I have been monitoring the updates and fault reporting by new Defender owners on the various Facebook groups. It’s to be expected that there will be some initial dramas. Most importantly 99 per cent of the owners are over the moon. Still it would be fair to say that I was a little nervous when taking the Front Runner fully-kitted new Defender…

EXPEDITION RACK PRICE: £1140 CONTACT: Britpart stockists HERE is the expedition rack for the new Defender 110. To fit it you will need roof rails. Thanks to the T-track bars one can fit whatever you like to the rack. It’s manufactured from anodised aluminium rails that have been set in a cast alloy powder-coated black frame. GET THE CLASSIC LOOK PRICE: Front: £66 (above), Rear 56.10 CONTACT: Britpart stockists BEEF up the front and rear mud flaps on your new Defender with these larger and more flexible classic-looking mud flaps. SPARE WHEEL COVER PRICE: £144 CONTACT: Britpart stockists Can’t find a spare wheel cover for your new Defender at your Land Rover dealer? Britpart have one for you. ROOF RAILS PRICE: £480 CONTACT: Britpart stockists WANT to carry stuff on…

SINCE Land Rover introduced their three-hour-long test drives of the new Defender, the internet has become awash with images and independent reviews. It's obviously a good strategy as Jaguar Land Rover has said sales of its new Defender have started to “ramp up” in the UK, Europe, North America, and some overseas markets. The trouble is with supply and production issues delaying the arrival of official new Defender accessories, owners are left desperate to pimp their new ride. It's no bad thing, official new Defender accessories are anything but cheap. A 110 roof rack is £1221 while the roof rails are £545. Thinking of getting an electrical winch? That will be £3162 but first you need to get the mounting kit, which at £2412, brings you well over the £5k…

OKAY. I’ll admit that I’m biased. But I’ve always considered this to be the most significant Range Rover on the planet. It’s the earliest of the two survivors from the seven Velar 100 inch Station Wagon Engineering Prototypes that were built at Solihull between 1967 and 1969. Numbers 100/1 to 100/5 were all scrapped long ago. This one is number 100/6, and 100/7 survives with a collector in the United States. That makes 100/6 the oldest Range Rover in the world. It also happens to have a fascinating history which includes the legendary double crossing of the Sahara and Ténéré deserts in late 1969. I first became aware of it in the late 1980s, just before I acquired my first Range Rover. I was living in Somerset, and there were…

Both came off the production line in 1950, but one is military the other a civilian model YOU can never have too many Land Rovers” is a phrase you often hear in Land Rover circles; sometimes as an excuse to the wife for adding yet another 'project' to the collection, but more often to express our tendency towards kleptomania when it comes to Solihull’s finest. Some would say we just love our Land Rovers too much. But none love them more than the Covington family, from Buckinghamshire. Dad John, mum Pat and son Mark are all equally addicted to the green oval. Their collection embraces almost the entire era of classic Land Rovers, from a brace of 1950 Series Is through to a 2008 Defender 110 TDCi County Station Wagon.…

THE toughest part of the pandemic for me has been the fact that I don’t know when next I can jump on a plane and go to see my family in South Africa and just visit the place I call home. Nothing makes me happier than driving a Land Rover over that beautiful continent. I’ve had it easy though, for now my job is secure, I was not furloughed. I did not lose anyone close to me to COVID-19 and none of my family has had it, or at least they don’t think they have. So I don’t really have any reason to complain. PATRICK CRUYWAGEN EDITOR DEFENDER 110 2.8i YEAR: 1999 MILEAGE: 290,000 km MPG: 20 POWER: 193 bhp TORQUE: 206 lb-ft With travel recommendations changing all the time…

CONTRIBUTOR TREVOR CUTHBERT NEED TO KNOW TIME: 2 hours COST: £136.97 DIFFICULTY: MODELS: Defender 90, 110 and 130. TOOLS: Screwdrivers, circuit tester (to find a suitable ignition feed), crimping tool, headlight alignment tool (at local mechanic’s workshop). PARTS & COSTS: Black Fly Lens headlight units, MD-HL75, £76.20 pair, BLRC Ltd; headlamp body, STC1613, £17.26 each, BLRC Ltd; headlight alignment, £10, Fleck Car Repairs Ltd; high pitch horn unit, YEB500140, £16.25, BLRC Ltd. WORK SAFELY: • Wear protective gloves. • Wear safety boots. THANKS TO: BLRC Ltd, Tel: 028 9751 9763 blrcvehiclespecialist.co.uk AT the time of the last MoT test for my Defender 90 Td5, the headlight aim only just passed. All four of the headlight adjuster screws were rusted solid, and the outer metal rings were also badly corroded. From past…

Defender P400e Plug-In Hybrid FOR those of you with a daily commute of around 25 miles with the ability to charge at home or at your workplace then you may want to consider the new plug-in version of the Defender – otherwise known as the P400e, available with the 110 body design. Combining a 296 bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine and 141 bhp electric motor, the P400e delivers a combined output of 398 bhp and 479 lb-ft of torque alongside low CO2 emissions of just 74 g/km and combined economy of 85.3 mpg. Alongside impressive fuel economy and emissions figures, the Defender P400e has a 0-60 mph time of just 5.4 seconds and will reach a top speed of 130 mph. It has an official range of 27 miles, and…

PEDDARS Way is one of the most popular walking trails in the UK. This 46-mile old Roman road starts just to the east of the must-explore Thetford Forest. From there it leaves Suffolk and makes a beeline for the Norfolk coast, just as thousands upon thousands of holiday makers did during this past mother of all summers, that seemed to start early and finish late. And who can blame them? It’s easy to find yourself alone on the many, long, golden and unspoilt beaches found there. Unfortunately for us, on the day that we decide to take on this greenlaning challenge, Mother Nature has decided that Norfolk and Suffolk required some much-needed rain. A Scotsman once said to me (while we were in the Kalahari Desert) never complain about the…

You were involved with the closed auction of JUE 477. How did you come to be responsible for the restoration project on behalf of INEOS? The previous owners originally wanted a public auction to try maximise the profit, but at the same time they wanted to ensure it went to the right owner. As you mentioned, it was a closed auction; we found a buyer, Sir Jim Ratcliffe of INEOS, and after it sold he asked me what I would do with it? I was adamant that it whatever they did, it had to be done the right way. When it came out of the woodwork and was displayed on a trailer at the Series I rally in 1998, loads of people claimed that they had inspected and seen it…

Saturday 17 October 2020 HADRIAN’S WALL RELAXED & SCENIC TOUR Blanchland or Hexham https://www.trailsandtracks.co.uk/ Saturday 17 Oct – Sun 18 Oct 2020 ELRC RTV & CCV TRIAL Shalford, Braintree https://www.elrc.info/ SROC RTV & CCV TRIAL Wadhurst https://sroc.co.uk/ AWDC 4X4 TRIAL Weston Coyney, Stoke-on-Trent https://www.awdc.co.uk/ S&S SWEET LAMB SHAKEDOWN Llanurig https://saslrc.co.uk/ DISCOVERY BIRTHDAY RALLY Plymouth http://www.discoverybirthdayparty.co.uk/ NORTHUMBERLAND 4X4 TOUR Cheviot Hills https://offthebeatentrack4x4.co.uk/ AROC RTV & CCV TRIAL Tring http://www.arocoffroad.co.uk/ WALES EXPLORER Wales http://www.onelifeadventure.co.uk/ Sunday 18 Oct – Thurs 5 Nov 2020 MOROCCO COAST TO COAST Morocco, North Africa https://www.protraxoverlandadventures.co.uk/ Sunday 18 October 2020 MANNINGTON PLAYDAY Wimborne http://www.shirelrc.com/ C&D COMP SAFARI Exeter https://www.cdlrc.com/ RED ROSE TYRO & CCV TRIAL Catlow, Burnley http://www.landroverclub.co.uk/ AUTOMOTIVE SHOW Exhibition Centre Liverpool https://www.exhibitioncentreliverpool.com/ SLROC CCV TRIAL Bathgate, Edinburgh, Scotland, http://www.slroc.co.uk/ LLRC COMP SAFARI North Ormsby http://www.llrc.co.uk/ RTV TRIAL…

WITH my 1994 Ninety safely through another MoT test, it was my 1996 Discovery’s turn. My mate Nigel Hammond drove it from my home in Northamptonshire to his workshop in Norfolk, to check it over before its appointment at the local MoT testing station the next day. He phoned me that evening: “It drives bootifully,” he enthused. “I’ll check it over in the morning before I take it for its MoT.” didn’t expect anything too serious. After all, the rusty sills had been sorted out the previous year; the rusty inner wings the year before that. And because of the lockdown, it had barely covered 3000 miles since last year. But the following morning a phone call from Nigel shattered my complacency. “I’ve got some bad news…” he said. DAVE…

CONTRIBUTOR ALISDAIR CUSICK NEED TO KNOW TIME: 30 minutes DIFFICULTY: MODELS: All early petrol models. TOOLS: Spanner for distributor clamp, multimeter, timing light, spark plug socket and ratchet, feeler gauges. WORK SAFELY Ignition systems use high voltages. Never handle live leads with a running engine, use correct insulated pliers. Never replace ignition components with a live ignition system. Turn it off, or disconnect the battery. Beware of moving pulleys, fans and belts on a running engine, keep fingers, tools and clothing away. Never rotate a crank with a live ignition system — remove the distributor cap to prevent engine starting. Never run an engine in an enclosed space, always ensure the exhaust is piped safely away. THANKS TO: Powerspark, simonbbc.com WHICHEVER petrol engine you have in your traditional Land Rover,…

THE term “barn find” has been over used in Land Rover circles in recent years, often to describe vehicles that have never been near a barn, but are merely unrestored. But the dusty 1952 Series I featured here was that rarest of beasts – an early Land Rover workhorse that really had languished in the corner of a barn for over 30 years. Better still, it was a one-owner vehicle. Or, if you want to be pedantic, two: father and son Horace and Gordon Holland of Grove Farm, Pettistree in Suffolk, who bought it new in 1952. They worked it hard until the late 1980s, by which time it had covered 71,000 miles and was no longer roadworthy. “It requires total restoration, but the provenance was fantastic,” said auctioneer James…

Words of wisdom THANK you for the excellent November issue. Your four ace columnists are very insightful and wise, especially Dave Phillips (could he please give us some more fishing tips?). The balance of LRM continues to be just right. The literal icing on the cake is the photo on p22 of Bill Hallett, his 90 and his wonderful birthday cake. Well done with your Defender re-wiring. Please may I recommend, Britpart Lynx Eye headlamp units, recommended to me by Andy Sargant at AJS 4x4 in Reigate, Surrey. Graham Clifton GREAT to see Steve Miller’s feature on his Freelander 2. We run a Puma 90 station wagon and a Freelander 2 SD4 XS. The Freelander is a much underrated vehicle – it can do all the day-to-day things the Defender…

FREE SEALEY 7 piece GripMAX® Screwdriver Set when you subscribe This fantastic set gives you all of this: SUBSCRIBE TODAY www.landrovermonthly.co.uk/sub and enter LRM/DEC20 in the promotion code box or call 01778 392033 quoting offer code: LRM/DEC20 Sealey 7 piece screwdriver sets are available while stocks last. Offer is open to UK residents and closes on 30th November 2020. Warners Group Publications Plc reserve the right to restrict this offer to one per household. If we deem this offer to be misused by either any discount sites or any individual, we reserve the right to withdraw the offer and not fulfil any issues or the gift. No money will be deducted.…

In partnership with HERITAGE CAR INSURANCE.CO.UK THERE weren’t many military buyers for the Stage 1 V8, perhaps because it was only in production for a relatively short period of time, or possibly because the thirsty V8 was an unappealing prospect. The exceptions were mainly in the Middle East, although New Zealand bought a significant number. They were assembled from CKD kits at the New Zealand Motor Corporation (NZMC) plant in Nelson and the most authoritative sources in New Zealand suggest that a total of 566 were delivered between 1982 and 1986. The Kiwis’ experience of them was not altogether successful, primarily because they were specified with 24 volt electrical systems and these seem to have given endless problems. The vehicles also suffered from premature camshaft wear, and cams lasting only…

When Land Rover Charity Events planned their JOGLE tour for August 2020 – Devon to John O’Groats via a wedding at Gretna Green – little did they know at the time how much things would change due to Covid. Thankfully it still went ahead, just not quite as they envisaged. In total just four Land Rover Charity Event members made their way to Cumbria to be close to Gretna Green to complete paperwork ahead of the planned wedding. And despite the rain this didn’t deter the small group of Land Rover owners, who endeavoured to visit local attractions and explore the area. One brave young member even ran up Ben Nevis and Scafell Pike. After five days of rain the campsite had become a bit boggy and vehicles had to…

ALISDAIR CUSICK CONTRIBUTOR LAND ROVER SERIES I YEAR: 1957 MILEAGE: 26,950 MPG: 23 POWER: 52 bhp TORQUE: 101 lb-ft RANGE ROVER CLASSIC VOGUE SE YEAR: 1995 MILEAGE: 93,700 MPG: 19 POWER: 182 bhp TORQUE: 230 lb-ft I’M whispering this, but my Land Rovers have never actually left me unable to drive home. My one incident of ‘dead on key’ I was able to diagnose and fix in minutes (corroded fuse on the Series). So imagine my annoyance recently when I got UAO out of the garage, went to pull up the road, only to hear nothing but spluttering, coughing and stumbling. Giving in, I went to turn around, whereby the car spluttered completely to an undignified halt bang in the middle of a junction. Great. A proper bonnet-up stranded minute…

WORK SAFELY Now is the time to prepare for winter THE couple of weeks of Indian summer we enjoyed during September was ideal for getting jobs done outside of the workshop, in the sunshine. It’s time now to get back inside with the heater on and consider the jobs our Land Rovers need for the coming winter. In this issue we’ve a few simpler tasks which make quick winter improvements. Trevor shows how to upgrade the headlights on his Defender; but trawl the net and you’ll find headlamp conversion kits are available for every model of Land Rover. And I’ve been sorting our Freelander in an attempt to guarantee perfectly clear visibility from inside, no matter what the weather conditions – and…

TEL: 01279 793500 "When I suggested he had a father and son conversation about the facts of life I wasn't referring to the various merits of AF sockets to Whitworth" IAN WEST Ian’s been driving Land Rovers for over 40 years and drawing for LRM since issue 2. He lives on the coast of East Anglia and drives a Freelander 2 DISCLAIMER: The views expressed by contributors and advertisers are not necessarily those of the publishers. Every care is taken to ensure that the contents of the magazine are accurate but the publishers cannot accept responsibility for errors. While reasonable care is taken when accepting advertisements, the publishers cannot accept responsibility for any resulting unsatisfactory transactions. They will however investigate any written complaints.…