Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2025 i Land Rover Monthly

WHEN you compare Land Rover to most other marques on the road, it’s always encouraging to see so many older models still alive and kicking and in regular use. Let’s not forget, even the youngest Discovery 2s are 20 years old now, and I still spot loads of Freelander 1s around despite most being well into their second decade of existence. A local farmer still uses a Series III 88 with Ifor Williams top on the back, and I even spot a very early One Ten towing a big trailer around where I live, which never fails to make me smile. One model we’ve perhaps not given the recognition it deserves is the Range Rover L322. If you’re a fan of the third-generation Range Rover, you’re in for a treat…

JLR has reported that revenue for the quarter was £6.5 billion, down 5.6 per cent year on year, while pre-tax Q2 profit was £398m, down 10 per cent. Bosses blame the profit and revenue slump on the temporary shortage of aluminium in Europe following heavy rainfall over the summer leading to flooding and therefore halting production at key plants. That said, first half profits actually increased by 25 per cent year on year to £1.1 billion. While Adrian Mardell, JLR’s chief executive, stated that staff ‘responded brilliantly’ to the aluminium supply constraints, which meant the firm could ‘deliver as many orders as possible to clients’, it still had to put a temporary hold on more than 6000 vehicles which now need extra quality control checks. The situation should improve in…

WHEN I finally phone Sam, the potential new mechanic out in Biggleswade who LRM reader Simon kindly wrote in to recommend, the conversation is encouraging. He asks whether the new carburettor is actually refurbished or an aftermarket part, and seems suitably relieved it is the former. He also asks who had been working on the Lightweight, making me wonder if he’s all too familiar with rectifying shoddily-executed jobs by mechanics who perhaps lacked the skills or experience with Series vehicles to undertake the work. “Well,” I say. “I’ve had it for two decades, so a great many mechanics have worked on it over the years.” I give the Hemel garage due credit for having done a decent job when they still had their Land Rover mechanic working there, but admit…

I was contacted by a chap who had recently bought a Defender 300Tdi station wagon, left-hand drive and the veteran of numerous overland expeditions. It was, as you might expect, structurally sound but mechanically tired in places: my brief was to give it a thorough service and new timing belt, fix a couple of obvious faults (duff alternator, leaking steering box) and report back to the owner on anything else that needed urgent attention. Oh, and he mentioned in passing that the speedometer seemed to be over-reading. The vehicle turned out to be a nice enough old thing and a road test did not throw up anything too atrocious. The owner felt that the handling was a little wayward, but in fairness he’d not previously driven a One Ten. The…

YOUTUBE. The second-most visited website worldwide. Its intention from the outset was simple: broadcast yourself. For almost two decades people have done just that. Regardless of the subject, someone, somewhere, will be making videos about it on YouTube. We’ll all have regulars we watch, Land Rover-related or not. If you’ve ever typed ‘Range Rover classic’ into YouTube’s search bar, then I’d bet you’ve come across Richard Hudson’s Church House Classics channel. Instantly recognisable by his profanity warnings, his authentic, curse-laden workshop videos are a refreshing dose of reality amongst the internet fakery. Anyone who has ever lifted a spanner to their Land Rover recognises the struggles and mechanical headaches covered by the channel. But there’s way more to him than YouTube, as LRM found out on a visit to his…

WE are spoilt. As Land Rover enthusiasts and owners, we are privileged to have a vast number of skilled companies across a whole range of aftermarket segments available to us – probably more than any other vehicle brand in the world. In this series, Greg King spends a day with specialists in different fields – from modifiers and independent specialists, to parts suppliers and restorers, to see what makes them tick. THROUGHOUT the UK, as across the world, there are many well established local garages specialising in Land Rovers. As with all car brands, as a vehicle gets older, many owners find using a main dealer uneconomical, and turn to help outside the dealer network. Independent specialists are the lifeblood of the industry for vehicles outside of warranty. Town and…

WELCOME back to my Series III rechassis. Last month, we tackled the majority of the bodywork – the 109’s doors, floors, cab, wings, sills, seatbox and tub all came off as we forged towards achieving a totally bare frame, which is what we’re hoping to end up with in this instalment. Removal of the aforementioned panel work is necessary to get down to the Land Rover’s second most important structure – the bulkhead. Once all the things in the engine bay and elsewhere that tie the bulkhead to the rest of the vehicle have been disconnected, it can be unbolted, lifted off and placed aside, giving great access to extract the engine, gearbox and transfer box from the old chassis. Finally, we’ll support what’s left of the 109 on sturdy…

SERIES III STARTER MOD In the winter issue of LRM Tech Ed Evans gave some tips on keeping your Series diesel engine running during winter. I was interested in the photo of the starter motor because although the vehicle was identifiably a Series III, the starter motor was different to mine, which is the original unit. Ced Hargreaves ED EVANS REPLIES: Well spotted, Ced. Yes, that was a Tdi starter motor, which is a straight fit to the Series engine and is quieter and more powerful. Of course, the electrical checks which the photo illustrated apply to whatever starter and solenoid is fitted. WIDE RUBBER OPTION FOR DISCO 1 I’m keen to fit wider tyres on my 1993 Discovery auto. It has 205 R16 tyres fitted at the moment, but…

WAXED CANVAS RUCKSACK £141.12 Website: exmoortrim.co.uk Canvas ages gracefully – you only need to look at Land Rover hoods to appreciate that, and these roll-top waxed canvas rucksacks will gain their own patina over time. They have a height of 420mm with the top fully rolled, opening to 650mm, and feature an internal laptop pocket as well as external pockets. Available in red, orange or tan, the bags have adjustable padded straps and high-quality aluminium hardware to provide strength and comfort in keeping with your Land Rover. AUTO-DARKENING WELDING HELMET £143.94 Website: sealey.co.uk If you're serious about welding, you'll probably also be serious about protecting your eyes. This auto-darkening welding helmet (PWH603) gives you digital control of the shade setting, sensitivity and delay, and includes a rechargeable battery with a…

JUST a couple of weeks to go and we’ll be heading over to the UK for a three-week holiday catching up with friends and family. While there’s a good supply of secondhand parts here in Australia, it’s not at the same level as the UK so I may have done some sneaky Facebook Marketplace searches down in Cornwall in preparation for a little shopping. On my last visit, some five years ago, I was able to bring back a Series IIA grille tucked in my wife’s suitcase; this year will follow a similar pattern as I have already bought one of those elusive Maltese Cross grilles and am currently trying to figure out if I can fit a Series IIA radiator panel in our luggage (like the grilles, the British…

AT 9.30am on Monday 14 January 2002, a chartered Fairchild Dornier 328 airliner landed at RAF Kinloss in Moray. In plain, all-over white livery, it bore no trace of its owner’s identity. Adjacent to the passenger doorway was a large green oval Land Rover badge, and along the fuselage in big black letters were the words New Range Rover. The aircraft taxied to a stand well away from the other aircraft on the apron. On board were 16 members of the German automotive press who were the first of 20 groups (or rotations as they are referred to in the business) from around the world who would each be spending two days as guests of Land Rover, during which time they would drive the new L322 third-generation Range Rover on…

THE last Sunday in October dawned bright and blue in Hampshire. With the sun shining and burning off the early morning mist, the temperatures were set to rise to a balmy 15°C. A quick text conversation with friend and neighbour David Sexton led to a last-minute decision to fire up our vehicles for the 12-mile drive to The Rover Social gathering at the Royal Oak pub, just south of Midhurst. What to drive to the event? David could choose between his lovely, very original 1961 Series IIA 88, or ‘Lawrence’, his 1963 IIA V8-powered homage to the Bell Aurens Longnose (see LRM September 2022 for Lawrence’s story). I briefly contemplated dusting off my 1970 press launch Velar, but the attraction of even a very brief run out in the Stage…

IN ASSOCIATION WITH Call for a free quote on 01480 484 803 December 6 LAKE DISTRICT LAND ROVER TOUR Ambleside, Cumbria uklandroverevents.com December 7 XMAS TRIAL, TIME TRIAL/TYRO Aberbeeg, Gwent, Wales wwlrc.co.uk DAY/NIGHT TRIAL Indemnifying Farm ccroc.club December 7-8 DAY INTO NIGHT RTV/CCV TRIAL Sudbury, Suffolk elrc.info RTV & CCV TRIAL Cowbeech, East Sussex www.sroc.co.uk  DARTMOOR AND SOUTH DEVON 4x4 ADVENTURE TOUR Exeter, Devon 4x4adventuretours.co.uk December 8 CCV TRIAL TBC mroc.co.uk TRIAL Silsden Keighley, West Yorkshire penninelandrover.co.uk RTV & CCV TRIAL Charlton Mackerel, Somerset somersetandwiltshirelrc.co.uk PAY & PLAY DAY Dersingham, Norfolk mudmuncher4x4.co.uk PAY & PLAY DAY Harbour Hill, Aldermaston 4x4-withoutaclub.co.uk December 14-15 4x4 TRIAL Briercliffe, Burnley, Lancashire awdc.co.uk December 15 XMAS TYRO Whitwell, Hertfordshire bhclrc.org.uk/events/ RTVT & CCVT TRIAL Taverham, Norfolk brecklandlrc.com CHRISTMAS CHARITY LAND ROVER RUN Sandbanks, Poole Harbour, Dorset…

THE Discovery 2 is a reliable truck and one of Land Rover’s best ever machines, in my opinion. But faults inevitably develop. Here’s a collection of the most common issues to help you recognise them and deal with them before the worst happens. SUSPENSION Rear air suspension As with any air suspension of this era, height sensor joints can seize and the resistor can become worn in its normal position, causing incorrect body height, usually on one side. You may get it working correctly by disconnecting the sensor linkage and working it repeatedly to enable the resistor and joints to free up again, but the assembly needs renewing. If the vehicle drops on both sides, suspect a leak from an air spring or the pipework and connectors. Even though the…

KEEN to know your rights of way when planning your next greenlaning trip? Free to all paid members of All Terrain UK is SmartTrail, which provides a national view (predominately England and Wales) of all Public Rights of Way with vehicular rights. The route planning tool is designed to inform you of lanes that are driveable, not driveable and those with seasonal or other restrictions. The system is kept up-to-date thanks to a network of representatives across the country and their close collaboration with councils. It also allows users to share information about the lanes by leaving comments. All Terrain UK also recommends you check for signage or gates when using greenlanes just in case SmartTrail hasn’t been notified of a closure, as well as verifying the legal status of…

I was very saddened to hear that JLR has decided to close Bowler with the possible loss of 28 jobs at its Belper workshops. Closing businesses and making people redundant is never pleasant, and the consequences can obviously be traumatic for the employees concerned and their families. The first I knew of JLR’s intentions was when I saw it on the Derby Telegraph website, which quoted a JLR spokesperson as saying: “JLR bought Bowler in 2019 for its expertise in low-volume production techniques and extreme all-terrain vehicle durability. Following five years of Bowler operating as a subsidiary company, JLR has decided to consolidate Bowler’s viable activities into its central business. “Regrettably, whilst this means not all Bowler activities will continue, we will continue to produce and sell Bowler parts, and…

ABOUT 15 years ago I owned four of my favourite Land Rover models at once. I eventually sold them all and at least doubled my money on each one, despite rebuilding them using bicycle parts and stolen estate agent’s boards. To be honest, I’d completely forgotten about them until I was out walking the hound this week and bumped into a friend of mine from the village who is a proud new dad. In a pram was his two-day-old son, and he’d been sent on a walk so his wife could catch up on her sleep. Rather than venture onto to the footpaths, he was having to stick to the pavements as the pram wasn’t designed to go off-road. I told him he needed a Land Rover pushchair to go…

“I had to wait a long time for this,” smiles Carly Atwill, proud owner of this eye-catching Defender double cab. “But it was worth the wait.” If you’ve ever seen YRM Metal Solutions displaying at any of the Land Rover events in recent years, you’ll no doubt have caught a glimpse of Ronnie Jr’s Calamar Copper and black 110 station wagon, and Ronnie Sr’s vibrant yellow 130 flatbed truck, which he affectionately calls ‘The Hearse’. They’re all very different in looks, but as with Carly’s newly-finished double cab, they’re all built to the exacting standards that you’d expect from a family business that specialises in making Land Rovers last longer. It’s no secret that the UK is a challenging environment for any vehicle made from steel and aluminium – it’s…

TO my mind, they are among the most impressive and beautiful trophies ever designed. And what wouldn’t we all give to be among the small, select group of people who have earned the right to have their names engraved on the bases? These are the rarely seen Camel trophies, and for the first time they are now on public display, thanks to a recent loan agreement between their owner, Nick Horne, and the Dunsfold Collection. Nick was the Camel Trophy Event Co-ordinator between 1990 and 1994, the Event Manager between 1994 and 1996, and then the event Director from 1997 until 2001. His career began in the British Army, where he spent five years in the Royal Tank Regiment as a Lieutenant Troop Leader. After the army, Nick joined Operation Raleigh,…

UNTIL recently, if you’ve wanted a Defender rebuilding to your dream spec and ‘as new’ condition, you’d be on the phone to one of the raft of aftermarket companies that have made their name doing just that. But now, if your pockets are deep enough, you can go direct to source thanks to Land Rover Classic Works’ new Bespoke programme. We’ve all played with the online configurators for new Land Rovers on the Land Rover website (if you haven’t, you need to up your procrastination skills) and it’s great fun to add and remove accessories, change paint colours, swap wheels and watch the ‘on-the-road’ price rise and fall while doing so. Land Rover Classic has made a brand-new configurator just for Bespoke vehicles, so you can play around customising your…

HAVING owned a Discovery 1 and, later, a Discovery 2, I’m confident the Disco 2 is technically and stylistically the better truck. Yet, before the D2 was launched, I considered my fully sorted D1 to be the ultimate Land Rover. The D2 is a classic case of producing a car with improvements that we didn’t know we needed. Both derivatives are now classics because we’ve forgotten the Tdi Discovery 1’s tendency to eat timing belts, for the crankshaft pulley to fall off and for various body fittings to fail, and we’re beginning to forget that Discovery 2 engine oil pump drive sprockets fell off, the exhaust manifolds warped, diesel fuel leaked into the sump, and we were challenged by assorted electronic failures. When the Discovery 1’s floorpans and sills rotted…

I like the look of Land Rovers with a spare wheel on the bonnet – a throwback from my time as an RAF engineer when a Series III used to take the RAF Cranwell horses to local competitions. So when I took over my son’s 1989 2.5TD 90 I decided to mount the spare wheel on the bonnet. Over the years, raising the bonnet got more difficult with age, so I looked for an aftermarket gas strut kit I could fit. Everyone I contacted told me there used to be a kit, but no one had one now. One supplier had a set of the old reinforcing plates from one of these kits, but that was all, so I decided to develop a solution myself. Brought up on a diet…

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How long have you owned it? I bought the Discovery 2 December 2020. What made you want to buy this particular Land Rover? I owned a 200 series Discovery 1 some years ago, and was persuaded by my stepson, Sam, to get another. This Disco 2 Metropolis was our choice together after a lot of searching. What’s the story so far? After we bought it, we just got stuck in to the general maintenance a Land Rover of this age needs. We also fitted a new headlining as the original had been damaged and was sagging from water ingress through the sunroofs. But, after checking the underside, we needed to do some welding to the chassis in order to get it through the first MoT. It was decided in 2023 that…