Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2025 i Land Rover Monthly

WE all know how great Land Rovers are. After all, that’s why Land Rover Monthly exists – to celebrate and share our love for the brand and the adventures and fun we all have because of it. But what’s really cool is that, even when a person reaches the standing that many of us can only dream of, they still fly the flag high for Land Rovers. I was lucky enough to be invited along to a Land Rover drive-out and meet at The Smallest Cog recently. The restoration and repair business, owned by former Top Gear and Grand Tour presenter, Richard Hammond, was bustling with enthusiasts and visitors taking in the sights and sounds, slurping tea and munching bacon sandwiches. The man himself was right there in the thick…

LRM is excited that the world-renowned Dunsfold Collection will be returning to LRM Live and displaying a number of vehicles, some of which will appear in public for the first time. It will doubtless be one of the highlights of the event, with the Collection showcasing a variety its most historically-significant Land Rovers from throughout the decades. So far, we can confirm a Cheshire Police L322 Range Rover complete with all its original equipment and to be featured in the May issue of LRM. A Discovery prototype, Jay 5 (B62 COH) – the oldest surviving Discovery, featured prominently in the recent Jay articles in LRM and used for hot climate trials in Arizona, and cold climate trials in Canada – will also be there. You can also get up close…

I very much doubt there is a single Land Rover owner in Britain who looks forward to the annual MoT test. At best it is seen as a necessary evil, a hoop that we have to jump through once a year to help keep dangerously defective vehicles off the road. There is a widespread suspicion that MoT test stations use the test to drum up work for the garage by unreasonably failing vehicles which are perfectly safe and roadworthy. These kind of shenanigans tend to come to an abrupt halt when a VOSA ‘mystery shopper’ turns up and the MoT tester in question loses his licence. Testing stations are subject to a fairly rigorous regime in which, among other things, their pass rates and reasons for failing vehicles are compared…

IT’S official: Land Rovers are cool. As Editor Martin explored in the February issue of LRM, car enthusiasts now recognise that Lode Lane products have universal appeal. Roll up to almost any car meet and amongst the Porsches, BMWs and other classic marques, you’ll spot Land Rovers – not relegated to the corners of the car park, but standing proudly amidst all the other gleaming exotica. And with that upsurge in desirability comes an increase in value, which in turn means Land Rover owners are prepared to invest more heavily in their projects. That’s oh-so evident in the Defender market where small fortunes – and large ones – are being spent on dream builds. And these days part of that dream includes installing a Rover V8 powerplant. Can the iconic…

I first met 25-year-old Henry Greer and his Ninety in November last year at The Rover Social, an informal and very friendly Land Rover get-together in Midhurst, West Sussex, that takes place on the last Sunday of the month. I went for the first time in October, although I’d been meaning to go for quite a while, and I was very impressed with the relaxed atmosphere and the range and diversity of the Land Rovers in the pub car park. The landlady of The Royal Oak opens the doors at around 9.00am for tea and coffee, and very nice bacon rolls. Organiser Simon O’Leary is a keen supporter of the Dunsfold Collection and asked me at the October meeting if I would be willing to bring a Collection vehicle to…

SEAN Conway is an ultra-endurance athlete. He was the first person to swim the length of Britain. Competed in the world’s longest triathlon – 85 days and 4200 miles. Set a new record for the fastest unsupported cycle ride across Europe. And in 2023 took the record for the most full Ironman triathlons in a row – 105 of them. For the scale of that last achievement, see the box-out on page 80. Was Sean’s spirit of derring-do triggered by his childhood exposure to Land Rovers? Who knows for sure, but Solihull’s finest did figure large in his formative years. Sean was born in Zimbabwe and lived there until he was two before his father’s conservation work saw them move to South Africa. Sean says Land Rovers were in his…

IN ASSOCIATION WITH The front axle build on our 110, Purdey, was a bit delayed as a crucial parts order got held up by the customs people in Paris. But as the saying goes, ‘good things come to those that wait’, and finally the Land Rover was on all four wheels, with a brake upgrade on the front axle from solid to vented discs. In the interim period we continued with refurbishing body panels and parts, and were delighted to receive a massive pile of spaghetti-like wiring looms; delighted yet daunted, as our previous experience is much more 300Tdi-based, and a Td5 has what looks like a million times more wires. Even at the time of writing this, I still wouldn’t say we completely understand it, but by a logical…

WHILE working on a custom fuel tank for the Ninety 2.8 TGV project, I have been thinking about options for wheels and tyres for the Land Rover. The front and rear axles fitted to my new chassis – custom made for me by Richards Chassis Ltd – are from a very low mileage Discovery 2. I do have a good set of Discovery 2 steel wheels with reasonable all-terrain tyres fitted, but the rubber is quite old now. So I’ve been considering alternatives. Since the Defender L663 came on the market, and particularly since the Defender 90 hard top (commercial) was launched, I have often seen advertisements for sets of white steel wheels and tyres for sale. These are often with delivery miles only, because the new owner of the…

A friend of mine typed ‘Land Rover’ into his search engine and was surprised when it turned up a Land Rover specialist garage in his home town. We both knew, and so did his local Land Rovering mates, that there was no LR specialist in the town, yet there it was: they could fix and service every model with their Land Rover trained technicians who had years of experience with the marque. I put Land Rover and the name of his town in my own computer and it came up with the same specialist garage. So I kicked all the cookies out of my computer, rebooted the browser and then entered the name Volkswagen and the town, and the same garage came up as a VW specialist with highly trained…

FREELANDER’S TEMPERAMENTAL TAILGATE GLASS I have a 2004 Freelander Td4 and I’m having problems opening the rear tailgate. When I use the handle, the glass in the door doesn’t drop down far enough to clear the body trim above it, so it catches on the trim and I can’t get the door to open. Can you please tell me if there’s a way of reseating it or adjusting it? Colin Dawson ED EVANS REPLIES: Yes, it can be reset, and there’s a procedure to do this. Fully lower the glass using the switch on the centre console. Open the tail door and leave it open then, returning to the driver’s switch, move the glass fully up and fully down three times. Then close the door and fully raise the glass, again…

MOTOR vehicles will retain the right to use two historic routes in Staffordshire following successful legal action by the Green Lane Association (GLASS). Swan Rake and Limer Rake are two unsealed county roads (UCRs) in Hollinsclough, Staffordshire, which have been in poor condition for many years. Because of the steep and challenging nature of the Rakes, they were used for a number of traditional, organised motor trials during most of the last century as well as by a large number of recreational motorised users. Because of a lack of maintenance and erosion by surface water, the routes had become virtually impassable and, in 2017, the Rakes were closed to all users by Staffordshire County Council for major repairs. Last year, the council completed works to both routes, but to a…

HIGH-FLOW TDCi AIR INTAKE From £361.20 Website: allisport.com Designed to allow your TDCi 2.2 or 2.4 engine to breathe more easily, this high-flow air intake is also better sealed against water and dust, making it perfect for adventure vehicles. The welded aluminium housing holds a larger air filter than standard helping you see power improvements from the engine, and it fits without requiring any vehicle modifications – the only suggestion is to also fit a silicone intake hose (£127.20) to avoid having to cut the OEM hose. BED WARMER £118.20 Website: apbtrading.co.uk We’re used to heated seats and heated blankets, but what about a heated mattress cover for those chillier nights away? This 12-volt bed heating pad is large enough to give even heat distribution for single or double sleeping…

I recently had a Defender 300Tdi in for various works including a replacement transfer box and a new clutch as the old one juddered badly and needed an unusually high pedal effort. Clutches tend to become heavier in action as they wear, so I was not too surprised to find this one worn down almost to the rivets. While the gearbox was out, I noticed that the pivot ball for the clutch fork was badly ridged. This usually happens when a garage fits a new clutch fork without applying any grease to the ball. This one was bone dry, as were the little slipper pads which press against the release bearing, as a result of which the locating pins for the pads had worn oval. I quite often see components…

WE were drawn to off-roading in Croatia because we had seen the scenery and beauty, but couldn’t find an overland company in the UK that ran trips there, partly as it is around a 30-hour drive to even get to the start point. So, we found a German company, NPL-Overland, that runs a series of off-road trips in the Balkans. We were slightly concerned around language (having been off-roading with French guides before who had little English), but decided to go for it. We have a small flat in the French Alps so were not making the journey in one go, and were able to break the journey in our 1996 Defender 90. The meeting point was a campsite in the Velebit Mountains called Kamp Velebit, which we reached along…

For many years now I’ve visited suppliers, both writing for Land Rover Monthly and for my work in the automotive industry. Some suppliers are immediately obvious, and some are nestled away and take a little bit of finding. Today, as I drive around the back of the industrial estate, thinking I’m in the wrong place, a forklift carrying a large pallet of freshly galvanised chassis is somewhat of a giveaway that I have indeed arrived at the right location. Based just outside Rotherham, Richards Chassis is only a stone’s throw from the traditional British steel industry in Sheffield. The yard is full of chassis awaiting collection, trailers and forklifts, so after checking where I should park to avoid getting in anyone’s way, I make my way into reception to meet…

IN ASSOCIATION WITH The fire burns steadily as the evening settles in, the faint hum of the jungle blending with the soft murmurs of conversation. Above us, the stars sharpen against the black sky, and our Land Rovers stand quietly, their forms outlined in the flickering glow of the campfire. Around the flames, stories flow naturally – tales of challenging trails, ingenious repairs, and distant places. This is Rovernuts: not just a campfire gathering, but a collective reflection of what it means to live the Land Rover life – resilient, resourceful, and deeply connected to the road less travelled. In 2024 Rovernuts celebrated its 10th anniversary in Thailand, a setting that felt as adventurous as it was welcoming. It was my second time joining this remarkable group. My first encounter…

IN ASSOCIATION WITH When my L663 Defender 110 was approaching its contract’s end, it became obvious that its successor was some way off. Land Rover was quoting 12 months for delivery. Since I only need two seats most of the time and have a life-long affinity with commercial vehicles, I decided to go for a Defender 110 Hard Top, rather than another station wagon. Readily available models were thin on the ground and had crashed through the parts department, picking up 22-inch alloys and the external Tupperware box. Not for me. Then, whilst having a quiet pint down at the Crown and Pinion, the penny dropped. What about a Discovery Commercial instead? Lead times were almost Defender long, so back onto the internet. Most were Urban spec, looking more at…

AGED 13 I started in the car trade sweeping the floor at a local garage and many years later I am now working on new Defenders. As a young adult, I was lucky enough to get my own original Range Rover, in Sahara Dust, that I nicknamed Tonka. My passion for Land Rovers bloomed from then and I’ve owned several through the years. Fast forward to 9 September 2019 and the launch of the New Defender at the Frankfurt motor show, and I decided right there and then that I would eventually own one. However, I didn’t anticipate it would be so soon afterwards… But when my Mum passed away leaving me some money, and with the green light from my better half, I realised I shouldn’t hesitate too long…

LAST month, we got the Series III’s bulkhead aligned and the doors bolted on and closing beautifully. The rear lights got screwed to the new tub, and their wires connected. Things are moving along nicely, and now it’s time to concentrate on sorting the front end of the Land Rover. Assembly starts, perhaps unusually, with fitting the front bumper and winch. Because of the way the winch tray fits (it’s sandwiched between the radiator panel and the front chassis crossmember) it has to go on before anything else. This makes things a bit trickier access-wise than usual, and while the principle is the same, you’d be better off fitting the front wings before the bumper on any Land Rover without such an integrated winch mount to avoid potential damage. From…

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LAND Rover Monthly is delighted to announce that Lancashire-based Land Rover upgrade specialist, Optimill, is headline sponsor for LRM Live – for the third year running. Optimill is run by a team of passionate enthusiasts and skilled engineers, who design, develop and manufacture aluminium parts for Defenders, all in-house. Why not have a sneaky peek at Optimill’s full range of Land Rover accessories, which will be on sale at the event at optimill-uk.co, and make a wish list. Book your tickets for LRM Live, our premier two-day event on 17-18 May at landrovermonthly.co.uk/information/lrmlive. We’ve also had confirmation that 4x4 Tyres will be sponsoring our awards. Whether you’re seeking stylish alloys paired with capable all-terrain tyres, or durable steel wheels with tough mud-terrains, 4x4 Tyres stocks a comprehensive range of options…

Steve Parkers Ltd, based in Whitworth, has ceased operating after its owners entered into a creditors’ voluntary liquidation. The company’s assets are for sale. The independent Land Rover and Range Rover parts specialist had been on the scene for years. Run by a team of Land Rover enthusiasts with decades of experience, as well as passion and knowledge, they would always be able to provide you with the correct spare part you needed as well as offering advice and help. Five years ago the Parkers team launched their own YouTube channel and while there are only a few videos, they’re well worth a watch. Check out @steveparkersltd4525. To all those who have lost their jobs with the liquidation of Parkers, LRM wishes you well for the future.…

I was intrigued by JLR’s announcement that from 2026 it would be fielding a works team of Defenders in the Dakar Rally, as part of a three-year FIA World Rally Raid Championship entry. The team will be competing in a new Stock category for production-based vehicles, which from 2026 will conform to new regulations that JLR believes will create the ‘perfect platform to demonstrate Defender’s extreme capability and durability’. JLR has also signed a multi-year agreement as official car partner to the Dakar, supplying 20 Defenders to transport race officials and VIPs. It will provide six Defender recce vehicles which will be used to plan the routes for the 2026, 2027 and 2028 events, too. Why was I intrigued? Firstly, because the Dakar to my mind doesn’t really resonate with…

HOW much would you pay for a good night’s sleep? For a lot of people, getting a decent kip isn’t about the pillows or their partner’s snoring, but the car sitting on the drive. A warning light or clonking noise will send them into a panic in the early hours. For those of us who don’t mind getting our hands dirty it’s less of a problem, but it has a real influence on the price of used cars. One of my friends had decided she needed a Land Rover of her own as she has horses and the rutted road to the stables was slowly killing her little Mazda. Her husband wasn’t too willing to sacrifice his Range Rover Sport for her equestrian activities, so she asked me to help…

It always makes life a bit more interesting when a vehicle comes in as a non-runner on a trailer or recovery truck, as happened last week with a little Defender 90 200Tdi. The story I was given was that the car had lost power on the dual-carriageway with no warning and come to a halt. The engine would not start and the owner said it sounded a bit odd when turned over on the starter. He reckoned it had broken its timing belt. It is always useful to gather as much information as possible rather than jumping in feet-first on the basis of the customer’s own diagnosis. When the vehicle turned up, further interrogation revealed that the engine had lost power gradually over about half a mile, which is not what…

“ON its maiden voyage it almost came to grief,” Roger Crathorne tells me, recalling the day in 1990 when the newly converted Amphibious Discovery set sail for the very first time. The location was Pendigo Lake at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre. “It was immediately obvious that the long airbags mounted on either side were not providing sufficient buoyancy, and when one of them started to leak air, the vehicle quickly took on an alarming list to port! David Saunders was at the helm and he was the Special Vehicle Operations engineer who had been responsible for the conversion. “He almost made it back to the beach, but with the starboard wheels spinning in the water and the port wheels on the bottom, the Discovery wasn’t making headway. We had a…

SOME say that the golden days of motoring are long gone, but if you steer away from congested cities and mundane motorways, you can still find plenty of driving where you’re not sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic. I’m not talking about greenlanes, for once – this winter has been far too wet in most areas, meaning it’s better to stay off until they dry out – but more about the time of day that you drive. I loathe driving in rush hour, where drivers clog the roads trying to get their kids as close to school as possible and frustrated workers bemoan the traffic ahead for making them late – but give it 15 minutes and the roads quieten down and journey times drop considerably. Loads of us look forward to…

Chunky and comfortable to use CLARKE RATCHETS From £17.99 machinemart.co.uk Tested by: Neil Watterson Owned for: Ten+ years Any owner who works on their Land Rover will have some sockets, and most of us will have started out with a basic set before going on to buy more specific items. And while the sockets in the set may last a lifetime, the ratchets don’t. Even if they have a lifetime warranty (like these ones), the ratchet mechanisms aren’t normally covered, so they become little more use than a hammer. I’ve had the 3/8in PRO131 and ½in PRO132 ratchets for more than a decade. They’re chunkier than many ratchets on the market and feature a polished ergonomic handle with a red comfort grip. The handle is easy to grip even with…

BLEARY-EYED, I clutch my travel mug of coffee and as I stab the Start button on the Freelander 2’s dashboard, I glance at the clock: 5.00am. There’s a pause as the glow plugs do their best to warm the cylinders in the-6°C cold, before the faithful TD4 chugs into life and idles lumpily while the alternator works overtime to power up the heated screens and seat. I point the Freelander’s stubby snout towards Birmingham and make progress. My destination – IRB Developments, where I’ll meet up with Ian Baughan, Chris McCormack from Oak Ridge Engineering and Jeremy Coburn from Coburn Fasteners, to head to a very special Land Rover drive-out and gathering, hosted by former Top Gear and Grand Tour presenter, Richard (the Hamster) Hammond. It’s all aboard Chris’ Defender…

IN ASSOCIATION WITH Call for a free quote on 01480 484 803 March 1 TEA ON THE TAILGATE WORCESTERSHIRE Wheelbarrow & Castle, WR7 4LR teaonthetailgate.co.uk March 2 LRM AUTOJUMBLE Ripon Racecourse, Ripon, Yorkshire landrovermonthly.co.uk/information/events March 15-16 DURHAM ADVENTURE Durham Dales, County Durham offthebeatentrack4x4.co.uk/event-dates March 17 4x4 ADVENTURE TOURS: MOROCCO Sahara Desert and Atlas Mountains 4x4adventuretours.co.uk/tour-category/overland-tours/ March 22 4x4 RESPONSE MEMBERS’ PRACTICAL TRAINING DAY Sudbury, Suffolk elrc.info/events-calendar March 23 RTV TRIAL Dersingham, Norfolk brecklandlrc.com/calendar April 6 LRM AUTOJUMBLE Newbury Showground, Newbury, Worcestershire landrovermonthly.co.uk/information/events April 12-13 WHITWELL TRAIL (RTV/TRIAL) Whitwell, St Ippolyts, Hertfordshire bhclrc.org.uk/events/whitwell-trial/ April 13 TEA ON THE TAILGATE CORNWALL Penndenis Point car park, Cornwall teaonthetailgate.co.uk April 19, 20 & 21 MROC TYRO, RTV (ALSO WITH CCV CLASS) & CCV TIMED TRAIL Newmans Quarry, Moreton-In-Marsh mroc.co.uk/calendar April 25 HERITAGE TRANSPORT SHOW…

SERIES Land Rovers and classic Defenders are built to do a tough no-nonsense job where comfort and interior finish are a secondary consideration. Bare aluminium panels and the steel structure of the bulkhead resonate with the vibrations from engine, transmission, suspension and tyre contact. As if that’s not enough, the sound and vibration doesn’t totally pass out through the bodywork; instead, those hard, flat surfaces reflect the vibrations back across the vehicle interior, doubling up and sometimes amplifying the noise. Unlike these utility trucks, the plusher Discoverys and Range Rovers of the era have sound-deadening pads directly attached to the body panels. These dull the panels’ natural resonance, while thicker, softer material laid over the floor, sides and roof structure absorb the noise vibrations and reduce the amount reflected back…

Join us at our flagship event, spread over 25 acres in the rolling Berkshire countryside. Buy, sell or do both at this unmissable autojumble Book early to SAVE 20% TICKETS INCLUDE 3 MONTHS ACCESS TO THE LRM DIGITAL EDITION For more information contact 07350 360381 or shows@lrm.co.uk To book visitor or trade tickets visit bit.ly/lrmnewburyapr25 KINDLY SUPPORTED BY Location: Newbury Showground, Thatcham, RG18 9QZ. Ample FREE parking…

How long have you owned it? Well, Dad says he stills owns it (for the past 25 years) but I say I’ve owned it for two years. The matter is still to be resolved… What made you want to buy this particular Land Rover? Dad has always owned Ninetys and Defenders, all the way back to when he was a lad, but he loved the look of the Series IIA. So when a friend said he had one for sale one evening in the local pub, he bought it from him for £500. What’s the story so far? It was driven for several years before it became too rough to get through an MoT. Then it sat in a farmer’s field for around ten years with the intention of welding up…