I am *hopefully* picking up my new vehicle this weekend. I am a novice when it comes to mechanics, and car-related topics in general. The engine was refurbished by the MOD. Timing belt, gear box, and clutch are new. Chassis and bulkhead are in very good condition. Tires are good. Little to no rust on the body. If you had just bought this car, what upgrades would you make?
My ideas for some minor changes/upgrades.
1. Soundproofing (I've found some good tutorials)
2. Add audio. (I really need help with this!)
3. Decide on paint. (I am leaving it authentic for now.)
4. I would like to make some changes to the dash, as there is damage from things being removed, but I have no idea where to begin on this.
We leave the UK in less than a year, so I would love to get as much done before it comes time to export to the USA. What items are "MUST REPLACE" items before I leave the country? Should I ship some parts with me, just in case? What can a newbie (I am handy!) get away with doing themselves?
Thank you in advance. Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Hello & welcome to the nut house
Good choice going for an ex-mod Land Rover, they do tend to be the best examples, certainly for their age. For the price you pay you get a heavy duty chassis, a well maintained and serviced vehicle and it should serve you well for years. The only downside with a majority of ex-mod motors is that they have the 2.5 N/A (naturally aspirated) diesel engine. They are good old solid engines with regular servicing and they will just go on and on (I had one for a few years and it got me all over the place no problem) but you must appreciate that they are essentially a 1950's design. The only thing that lets them down is power and economy. It won't pull up hills all too well and you'll be lucky to get 28mpg out of it. Depending on what you can and can not import back into the States, it might be really worth your money trying to source a 200tdi engine or the likes whilst you're here. If you decide to do it at a later date when you're back across the pond, sourcing an engine will be difficult and expensive. You're talking £300 here, or £1500 back at home. If you're happy with the engine that's in it, then you need not worry.
To answer your questions:
1) Most people use 'Dynomat' or something along those lines. eBay is usually a good source of the stuff and it just comes in sheets that you can cut up and stick to the foot wells, gearbox tunnel and doors etc. You might then want to cover it with some rubber matting to make it a little harder wearing.
2) Adding audio will be simple but I wouldn't bother because you'll never hear it over the engine and the gearbox. All you need is a cheap headset and a set of speakers. Wiring it up is dead simple, especially when it comes to hiding your wiring out of the way. Some people cut holes into the underside of the dash on either end and then fit the speakers there, some cut holes in the roof lining and fit them up there.
3) I'd be tempted to keep it in military paint but it's completely up to you. I painted mine last Summer with a brush and a roller and it looks great. Have a look on eBay UK for NATO green paint or something along those lines - there are plenty of suppliers. Go for oil based, 5 litres will be twice as much as you need and then just brush / roll it on after giving the existing paint a quick sand over. One coat will be all you'll need and you should have plenty left for bits in the future.
4) Again, have a look on eBay UK for a dashboard, people are taking them out and swapping them all the time. The other option is that you fabricate something yourself and then make it work. Some people like to use a lot of chequer plate (which looks cheap and tacky) to make box sections which just mount to the bulkhead.
As for parts, get as much as you can and fill the back. I think a few years worth of servicing kit would be a good idea. 5 oil filter canisters, 5 air filter elements, 5 fuel filters, glow plugs, bulbs etc. Have a look on
Land Rover Parts | Range Rover Spares & Accessories - Discovery, Defender, Freelander and
L. R. Series - specialists in land rover, land rover series and range rover - gearbox, axle, transmission parts, spares and major units for bits. There are plenty of parts suppliers over here, they are just two of a few
Are you a lass by any chance?
-Tom
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