Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2026 i Land Rover Monthly

WHILE we’ve missed Richard Hall’s regular dose of wisdom and humour this issue we can bring you news of his posh new website, glencoyne.co.uk, which he’s launched ahead of his new venture that will offer classic Land Rover restoration, assistance and consultancy, major mechanical unit rebuilds (including engines, transmissions, axles, etc) and vehicle inspections (pre- or post-purchase). The website features a section called Glencoyne Information Pages, which acts as ‘a service to Land Rover and Range Rover owners, prospective buyers and enthusiasts’, and will be expanded as time allows. At the time of writing it already had 19 well-informed articles ranging from buying an ex-Army Defender to rebuilds and where you stand with the law – all infused with Richard’s trademark sense of humour. Of particular interest to us was…

When one door opens… Richard Hall’s article about cat-flap rear doors on page 30 of the December issue reminded me about the time I converted my cat-flap and drop-down tailgate into a side opening single door. This was done by pop riveting a steel plate on each side of the two doors joining them together and I think fitting two (not three) hinges and removing the drop-down chains. I retained the latching and locking mechanism on the top cat-flap which worked extremely well on the new side door. This picture was taken in 1978. It was a 1965 Series IIA van which I bought in 1970 with 50,000 on the clock; all my three sons were brought up in it and I kept it until about 1987. Somehow my mother…

WHAT a lovely, relaxing and back-to-grassroots day the last Sunday in October proved to be. Simon O’Leary is the larger-than-life founder and driving force behind The Rover Social, a social media-based community of like-minded Land Rover enthusiasts who meet from 8.30am onwards, come rain or shine, on the last Sunday of every month at a pub just south of Midhurst. I’ve been a few times now and have always thoroughly enjoyed it. Simon called me to say that he was aiming for a military Land Rover vibe at the October meeting and had already secured a commitment from Nick Simon to bring along his Wolf FFR with a British Legion Poppy Appeal collecting tin and a bucket for Help for Heroes donations. Would Dunsfold like to come along with a…

WHILE I was walking the hound on a remote-ish track this week, I heard the distinctive rumble of a V8, followed by other, less interesting engine noises. Around the corner came a procession of Land Rovers of all ages. My initial reaction was to be a bit miffed that I’d missed out on a meeting of the local group, but then I saw a tractor pulling a trailer full of people in tweed and realised what was going on. Now, I’m a townie so have never embraced the idea of shooting things – except for the odd tin can with an airgun – but I certainly don’t object to people spending their time and money on it if it makes them happy. One of them turned out to be a…

THE 45th anniversary celebration of the Camel Trophy, held on 12-14 September at Eastnor Castle, felt like stepping into a living chapter of four-wheeled adventure history. The gathering, organised by the Camel Trophy Club under the moniker CT45, brought together competitors, organisers, media and memorabilia from a series of events that remain lodged in the minds of Land Rover, off-road and adventure enthusiasts all over the world. The impact that the Camel Trophy had on me as a youngster was enormous – seeing expedition-equipped Land Rovers slithering through the unrelenting mud of the Borneo jungle, battling white-water rivers with the windscreen hanging out and the clatter and whine of Warn M8274 winches dragging convoys through seemingly impassable terrain is enough to captivate any Land Rover fan. Pulling up at Eastnor…

AS I pull up to the brick-built factory on Derby Road on the outskirts of Nottingham, I realise that things have changed since I was last here in 2016. There is the factory as I remember it, but also another building with a large car park that could be a car showroom at a passing glance; that I have no recollection of. Walking into reception, it’s not as I remember it. As I sign the visitor’s book, Craig Plummer, Head of Research and Development, greets me, along with Managing Director Wayne Wallace. Despite being 8.30am, the office to the right of me is already busy with the phone ringing and computer keyboards tapping. “Lisa Marshall, our other MD is away at the moment, so you just have me and Craig…

SUPPORTED BY WITH the goings on of everyday life, our beloved Land Rovers can sometimes take a back seat. If you’ve a special car, it probably isn’t your everyday one, so time consciously has to be made to drive it. If you have more than one, then that problem is amplified. Recently though, a few things came together that reminded me I really should make time to do the things I want to. In March this year (2025) I flew in to Sicily for a job. Over a dozen Porsche 911 owners drove out from the UK with 9WERKS, an online platform for Porsche enthusiasts. The reason was simple; to drive their cars on arguably the most historic motor race circuit, the Targa Florio. I went to shoot a current…

IN ASSOCIATION WITH Call for a free quote on 01480 484 803 WELCOME to LRM’s new-look Events listings. Worry not, we’re still bringing you all the very best Land Rover events and meets from all over the UK and Europe, just in a slightly different way. Wherever you live and whatever you love to do with your Land Rover, there will be something for you to get involved with every month throughout the year. Every month we’ll be showcasing the most exciting shows, autojumbles and gatherings, giving you plenty of time to get them in your diary. Our events for 2026 are live on the LRM website now, so whether you’re a hardcore parts hunter, love being involved with a club or enjoy soaking up Land Rover’s history and heritage,…

SUPPORTED BY THE Land Rover Ninety, One Ten and post-1990 Defender models are relatively simple vehicles in their construction, built on a steel ladder-framed chassis topped with a steel bulkhead. These key parts alone are well documented in regard to how they corrode, and many a buying guide will steer you to observe these areas in much greater detail before committing to a purchase. That said, if a chassis has localised corrosion, for example in an outrigger or a rear crossmember, fortunately these sections are relatively cheap to buy and, if you are handy with a welding set, they’re not beyond the realms of a home DIY repair. Bulkhead repairs, on the other hand, tend to be a little more involved as areas such a footwells are of thinner steel…

I have a 2004 Defender 110 Td5 station wagon. I have not used my 110 for five or six weeks. During this time, it has been connected to a 15-Watt solar panel in the hope of keeping the battery charged. However, last week I needed to use it to collect a long item. On turning the key in the ignition there was absolutely nothing, no lights at all. On checking with a multimeter, the battery was down to two volts. I’ve found over the years I’ve had the vehicle that if I leave it for two weeks or more, the battery runs down, but only so it doesn’t have enough power to start the engine. For this reason, I normally leave it connected to a Ctek charger during winter, and…

EMAIL YOUR PICTURES TO MARTIN@LRM.CO.UK…

AFTER asking editor Martin many times for the chance to write for the magazine, here we are. I’m not really sure what it was that made him so reluctant at first: possibly the Ford Ranger that occupies a space on my driveway, or maybe my fondness for colourful language and innuendo in some of my online videos… Either way, it seems like he’s had a lapse in judgement and given me the opportunity, so let’s get going. My name’s Mat. By trade I’m a mechanic, but I also seem to have fallen into the wonderful world of online content creation; for some reason people seem to enjoy watching me struggle and occasionally lose my temper with the various pieces of machinery that seem to be trying to ruin my day…

THE Dunsfold Collection has on display at the moment an absolutely untouched barn find 1950 Series I lights-behind-the-grille 80-inch, exactly as it came out of a shed on a Hampshire farm after more than 50 years of hibernation. It is a unique exhibit, because of course any of us who bought such a thing would probably have done so in order to get it back on the road to enjoy it. The question is this: would you restore it to mint, shiny, just-left-the-factory condition, or would you focus on getting it mechanically sound, safe and driveable, and leave everything else as it came out of the shed? Dunsfold has a whiteboard and some marker pens set up alongside the exhibit and invites visitors to tick the box in terms of…

THE rumble of tiny tyres, the sunlight on plastic bodywork and the unmistakable buzz of excitement swept through Bracken Rocks, near Matlock, Derbyshire, as the UK Scaler Nationals celebrated entering its 15th year. Renowned as the premier event for scale RC fans across Britain, this year’s Nationals proved once again why it’s a cornerstone of the hobby, drawing enthusiasts from all corners of the UK and abroad for an entertaining weekend that was as much about community as it was about competition. With over 300 scale RC fans in attendance, the 2025 UK Scaler Nationals smashed previous records, marking the highest turnout since before the pandemic. The palpable sense of camaraderie and shared passion was matched only by the event’s charitable success: more than £5000 was raised for the Stroke…

SUPPORTED BY CLASSIC RANGE ROVER 300Tdi AND DISCOVERY 1 300Tdi OUR life with Land Rovers started just a few years ago with our mate Ed; he has a pretty sorted D1 that he takes out greenlaning regularly. We would often go along for the ride and enjoyed exploring new places and were always impressed by where the old Disco could go. However, I was more into my old Fords that I kept clean and polished. About two years ago Ed asked me if I’d like to go on an organised, two-week trip to Morocco with him. I jumped at the chance and off we went. Unfortunately, Ed was struggling with an injury at the time of the trip and had to fly home only a few days in, leaving me…

SUPPORTED BY MODERN diesels are likely to start every morning through the winter, but only if enough heater plugs are working. It’s simple enough to check their electrical continuity on the early four-cylinder and Td5 engines, but they can be difficult to reach on the V6, V8 and later four-cylinder mills. On these engines it’s well worth testing the plugs whenever there’s access during engine repairs. Because a good diesel will fire up in all but the coldest UK weather without all of its plugs working, we never know that one or two have failed, until the first icy winter morning when the engine won’t start. As the weather gets colder, two symptoms warn of heater plug troubles: the engine might crank over for longer before firing, and it may…

JLR has returned to normal build rates after September’s major cyber incident forced a temporary shutdown across its global systems and halted production for several weeks. The disruption hit Q2 FY26 results hard, with revenue down 24 per cent to £4.9bn and the company posting a £485m loss before tax and exceptional items. Total exceptional costs reached £238m, largely tied to cyber-related recovery work, but also the continuing impact of US tariffs. Despite the financial impact, JLR says operations rebounded at pace. Critical systems for retailers, suppliers and vehicle wholesaling were restarted, and a rapid-response supplier financing scheme was launched to keep parts flowing. The downtime was also used to accelerate EV testing and development. To reinforce its balance sheet, JLR secured £3.5bn in additional liquidity facilities, including a UK-backed…

2026 CALENDAR £12.95 Website: dunsfoldcollection.co.uk Featuring fabulous photos of some of the stunning vehicles in The Dunsfold Collection, this calendar will keep you organised through 2026. As well as giving you space to write notes, you’ll be helping this fine charity to look after its vehicles. SLEEPING BAG SUIT £129.99 website: berryuseful.co.uk No one likes extracting themselves from their snug, cosy roof tent to make breakfast on a cold day at the campsite, but what if you could take your sleeping bag with you? This machine-washable sleeping bag has a 6°C comfort rating and unzips at the waist and has sleeves, legs, a hood and even removable booties to keep you warm when you get up. DOG WATER BOTTLE: £13 website: optimilluk.co.uk Make sure you’ve always got some water on…

WHILST my focus is on building Land Rovers for paying clients, I always try to find time to tinker with my own. It’s not just self-indulgence (despite what my wife might think when she raises that familiar eyebrow), they’re my research and development rigs. Honestly! Every new product, tweak or modification you see on my builds has been tested first on one of my own vehicles. I rack up roughly 45,000 miles a year across my Series fleet which, let’s be honest, is a fairly brutal testing regime. But since I love driving them, it’s not what you might call a hardship. The current experiment involves a Holley Sniper 2 electronic fuel injection system on a Rover V8. Now, don’t get me wrong, I adore old-school carburettors. There’s something beautifully…

SOME Land Rovers are bought, some are found and some are simply meant to be. For James and Chloe Williams, their Series III – affectionately named Candy – falls squarely into the last category. Today, the bright Masai Red Land Rover is a head-turner on the backroads of North Wales, but just over a year ago it was little more than a derelict farmyard relic. James Williams’ connection to Land Rovers runs deep. His first encounter with the marque came when he was eight-years old. His father, then starting work on a country estate, bought a copy of Land Rover Monthly to research a suitable work vehicle. One day, James picked up the magazine – and was hooked. Since then, he’s owned two Discoverys, but to have a Series Land…

“I’VE often wondered whether it might be the last Discovery built by the factory with a manual gearbox,” Paul Webb tells me as we walk around his pristine Discovery 3. “In 2007 I had a D3 on contract that was approaching its third birthday when I got the usual letter from Land Rover asking me if I wanted to replace it with a new vehicle. I’ve always been a manual gearbox man, and I heard that these were going to be phased out so I decided to order a new D3 TDV6 SE with the no-cost manual option. “I knew the dealer principal at my local Land Rover main dealer very well, and I was sitting in his office when a call came through from Gaydon, asking him if he…

RING RSC908 8-AMP CAR CHARGER AND MAINTAINER £42 amazon.co.uk Tested by: Dave Barker Owned for: Three months When I discovered my Series I had a flat battery, I connected up my trusted battery charger and it went pop. A replacement was needed quickly. Neither my local automotive accessory shop or nearby large chain store had any in stock – however, Amazon could have one delivered the next day. I went for the Ring RSC908 8-amp battery charger and maintainer, a reasonable price and a ‘smart’ charger, so you can plug it in and it works it all out for you. It arrived next morning and charged the SI’s battery up in a couple of hours. Simple to use, the display shows the state of the battery charge and voltage, plus…

Early bird savings up to 31% when you book before 31 Jan 2026 Part of a Land Rover club and would like to come along? Contact shows@lrm.co.uk for more info • Trade stands • Club displays • Live events arena • Vehicle displays • Autojumble • Entertainment & beer tent • Plus lots more… Day visitor tickets from £14. Plus kids go FREE Camp for the weekend and enjoy two action-packed days and fantastic evening entertainment all from just £55 HEADLINE SPONSOR SUPPORTED BY For more details or to book tickets visit bit.ly/lrmlive1…

SUPPORTED BY OLDER square Land Rovers are fantastic from a simplicity point of view, and that extends to their electrical systems. Compared with modern vehicles they’re as basic as they come, with simple electrical feeds to power the starter motor and stop solenoid on a diesel engine, or excite the ignition system on a petrol to make the engine run. Add to this your lights, wipers, horn, perhaps a heated windscreen and radio, and that’s the extent of the complexities of the standard wiring. From a troubleshooting point of view, that makes them wonderfully easy to work on. But, as we’ve already touched on in this series of reviving a 1985 One Ten, these things don’t like sitting for years. Corrosion can build up in electrical connections causing high resistances…

SUPPORTED BY YOU think it will never happen to you, and then it does. This seems to be a common theme regarding the sunroof on the Discovery 3 shattering, and to some extent the L320 is affected too. Explanations range from factory defects to invisible fractures in the glass caused by impact or extreme fluctuations in temperature. Whatever the cause, replacing the sunroof is a lengthy task involving removal of the headlining, but is essentially this is an exercise in unbolting, and can be tackled on your own driveway. The biggest part of the job is the need to first remove the headliner, and it’s always worth knowing how to do that job if the headliner ever becomes damaged through contamination, load impact or moisture. Here’s how it’s all done.…