Archie The Ambulance

One of my neighbours works on call for the Loch Lomond Mountain Rescue Team, they had a fleet of 4x4s; mainly Defenders stationed at different areas to support rescue efforts across Loch Lomond.

Anyway he pops over and asks if I could give them some direction on selling them as they'd received funding for new vehicles and handy a clue what they're worth.

So I turn up find that each vehicle is named after a retired member of the team. I fall in love immediately with Archie; a 2003 110 County Station Wagon that's covered 48k. A special vehicle ambulance direct from Land Rover, it's been well looked after following a service schedule of an Emergency Services vehicle. It has the clearest mot history of any car I've owned.

The few issues I have found:
- rear cross member needs replacing
- she won't start
- paint heavily stained
- sills look like they could need replacing

I make an offer and buy it then and there for just over 9k. I stick the nanocom on, order a replacement crank sensor, come back with my five year old son who is understandably over the moon that I've brought an ambulance (flashing lights and wailing sirens still intact) and drive it home.

Here are a few pictures.

Next up was removing the 20 year old decals. I used a Magic Wonder Wheel and whilst it took me bloody ages (hours each day for 3 weeks) I'm super pleased with the result.

Then I upgraded the turbo, installed a 4 bar map sensor, fitted a free flowing exhaust, full width intercooler with silicon hoses and loaded a new map.

Wipac led lights all round along with Vortex-X headlights, new bumper, grille and surround.

New fuel filter and housing

New wing mirrors, boot alloys, wheel nuts and repainted the arches

Soft A Bar sorted

Next up on the to do list is to replace the sill skirts, investigate how bad the sills are, fit side steps, modify and refit the roof rack and illumiweld two panels that have a few holes in.