disasterbus
New Member
- Posts
- 14
- Location
- Surrey
I joined here about 4 years ago when I had a Discovery (a '97 300TDI).
I've been looking for a Landrover Defender on and off for a year or so.
I needed a daily driver so I easily convinced myself that a Landrover made perfect sense
What I wanted was a lovely new Defender but the cost of a new one meant that was never going to be an option.
I know I'll get loads of abuse for saying this, but it was actually an episode of Wheeler Dealers that made me think seriously about buying an older Defender and giving it a bit of a facelift as to the untrained eye they haven't changed much since the mid 1980's (probably one of the reasons why I like them so much).
Anyway, having looked at a few it was clear that good Landrovers can be hard to find.
I wanted a 110 Station Wagon but actually bought this....
OK, the observant among you will have spotted 2 vital points - it's not a 110 and it's not a station wagon.
But - it was a 1999 300TDi with 75k miles, 1 owner and a very impressive service record. Best of all was it didn't have the usual rotten chassis and bulkhead that so many seem to have so was a good base to build the vehicle I wanted from. I realised that while the extra space of a 110 was handy, I didn't actually need it and I've come to prefer the proportions of the 90 a lot more.
It's a bit unusual as it's a 'rest of the world' spec vehicle so although a '99 vehicle has the 300TDi rather than the TD5 engine.
I bought it and work began - the van roof got swapped for a station wagon one with windows, it was totally stripped down and the chassis wayoyled and painted, new seats in the front and back, new carpets, new sunroof, new genuine Wolf wheels and new military bumpers front and back, new swing out rear wheel carrier, new glass and lights all round. The list went on and on.
Anyway, it now looks like this.............
Paint is from the current LR Defender options list (think it was called Balmoral Blue) but I've already been told it looks like an Italian Police Car?!)
Usually I do the work on my cars myself but sadly I can't claim the credit for this one. I just drew up the spec and chose what bits I wanted and all the hard work was done by Fraser Barsby at Rugged Guide 4x4. There are still a few things I want to do to it but the first big trip for it is this summer when I'm planning to drive through Belgium and Holland and up to Denmark and Sweden in it.
I've been looking for a Landrover Defender on and off for a year or so.
I needed a daily driver so I easily convinced myself that a Landrover made perfect sense
What I wanted was a lovely new Defender but the cost of a new one meant that was never going to be an option.
I know I'll get loads of abuse for saying this, but it was actually an episode of Wheeler Dealers that made me think seriously about buying an older Defender and giving it a bit of a facelift as to the untrained eye they haven't changed much since the mid 1980's (probably one of the reasons why I like them so much).
Anyway, having looked at a few it was clear that good Landrovers can be hard to find.
I wanted a 110 Station Wagon but actually bought this....
OK, the observant among you will have spotted 2 vital points - it's not a 110 and it's not a station wagon.
But - it was a 1999 300TDi with 75k miles, 1 owner and a very impressive service record. Best of all was it didn't have the usual rotten chassis and bulkhead that so many seem to have so was a good base to build the vehicle I wanted from. I realised that while the extra space of a 110 was handy, I didn't actually need it and I've come to prefer the proportions of the 90 a lot more.
It's a bit unusual as it's a 'rest of the world' spec vehicle so although a '99 vehicle has the 300TDi rather than the TD5 engine.
I bought it and work began - the van roof got swapped for a station wagon one with windows, it was totally stripped down and the chassis wayoyled and painted, new seats in the front and back, new carpets, new sunroof, new genuine Wolf wheels and new military bumpers front and back, new swing out rear wheel carrier, new glass and lights all round. The list went on and on.
Anyway, it now looks like this.............
Paint is from the current LR Defender options list (think it was called Balmoral Blue) but I've already been told it looks like an Italian Police Car?!)
Usually I do the work on my cars myself but sadly I can't claim the credit for this one. I just drew up the spec and chose what bits I wanted and all the hard work was done by Fraser Barsby at Rugged Guide 4x4. There are still a few things I want to do to it but the first big trip for it is this summer when I'm planning to drive through Belgium and Holland and up to Denmark and Sweden in it.
