What's in a Name?

RPJRPJ said:

I call my Defender a County, as this is what I was told by the seller. I also call it a 90 but I'm not sure if is just used for a specific model or is an alternative to SWB. It has no decals on the sides. The wheel arch flares are body colour (not black) which I think means something. Another member refers to his Landy as a CSW which could be a County Short Wheelbase. I have also seen references to a Station Wagon which is different from a County. I suspect the Station Wagon and County both have seats in the back, but the County has more soft furnishings for city folk, while the Station Wagon is for taking lowly beaters off across the grouse moors. Confused? Yes, but not overly concerned...

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Turboman said:

What year is your vehicle? If it is pre 1990, it isn't a Defender, it is a Land Rover Ninety, or a Land Rover One Ten.

"County" is a term that was used to describe high spec Series 3s, and Nineties and One Tens. I don't know exactly what made a Station Wagon a County, apart from the decals on the outside of the vehicles. Somebody else may be able to enlighten.

SWB and LWB are also pretty much historic terms, used for Series 88" and 109" vehicles for many years.
Defenders were usually called Defender 90s, Defender 110s or Defender 130s, depending on the wheelbase, although I don't think those are the exact wheelbases either.

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kermit_rr said:

Don't forget the 127

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Turboman said:

What year is your vehicle? If it is pre 1990, it isn't a Defender, it is a Land Rover Ninety, or a Land Rover One Ten.

"County" is a term that was used to describe high spec Series 3s, and Nineties and One Tens. I don't know exactly what made a Station Wagon a County, apart from the decals on the outside of the vehicles. Somebody else may be able to enlighten.

SWB and LWB are also pretty much historic terms, used for Series 88" and 109" vehicles for many years.
Defenders were usually called Defender 90s, Defender 110s or Defender 130s, depending on the wheelbase, although I don't think those are the exact wheelbases either.

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RPJRPJ said:

Thanks Turboman. It's a 2003 TD5 Defender with fabric seats and Alpine windows - I assume these are so named because you can see the summits of the Alps as you cruise through Switzerland - if you can afford the diesel to get there in the first place. I have a distant memory of LR changing the name of the Series 3 replacement from 'Ninety' to '90'.

Not sure it counts as a project, Kermit. It runs well (subject to not running well any minute now that I have said that) and most of the oil leaks are within tolerance. I just finished fitting a new passenger door latch - which was a real bugger - you need at least three hands, four would be better, and a degree as a contortionist. I also fitted a DAB radio. It's a Sony which fits into a regular radio slot with a double height screen. It has a touch screen and mirrors the iPhone including Google maps so I have Sat Nav - it's a bit low, but it is fine at low speed. I had to take the head linings out to fit the shark-fin aerial and while I was there I decided to fit a beacon and a some strobes and a couple of ceiling-mounted USB charger sockets with battery voltage monitor. It is also a display for the tow-hitch camera which fits neatly under the number plate light. It's sold as a reversing camera, but I can drive backwards using mirrors, so it's focussed on the tow hitch. I dare say more tweaks will follow.

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RPJRPJ said:

The avatar is my first Landy, a petrol S3 88. I bought it from the insurance payout when my wife wrote off our other car. I sold it to the Classics Master at Roedean School so I like to thinks it was something of a social climber. I just checked the MOT status and it hasn't been MOT'd since 2011. I assume it has been recycled, which is a pity, it was a lovely quiet ride and had the most comfortable driver seat. Just two foam pads - modern seat makers could learn something from that design...

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Flossie said:

It's a tratter. County tratters had a fag lighter or a clock and the pig in the back had a rubber mat to lie on.

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John Roddam said:

This seems like a good thread to ask about my 'new' Landy. It's a 1990 90 county and has the 2.5 4cyl turbo diesel. It's in lovely unmolested condition but not without signs of its age. is there an easy/common way to refer to it? It's a 90 not a Defender and its not a 200TDI or a 300TDI or a TD5. To just call it a 90 begs the next question - which 90? I suppose it's a pre-Defender 90. Any suggestions? Thanks (chuffed to bits with it by the way).

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John Roddam said:

This seems like a good thread to ask about my 'new' Landy. It's a 1990 90 county and has the 2.5 4cyl turbo diesel. It's in lovely unmolested condition but not without signs of its age. is there an easy/common way to refer to it? It's a 90 not a Defender and its not a 200TDI or a 300TDI or a TD5. To just call it a 90 begs the next question - which 90? I suppose it's a pre-Defender 90. Any suggestions? Thanks (chuffed to bits with it by the way).

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300bhp/ton said:

The Defender branding was introduced with the Tdi engine and is related to Land Rover becoming a separate company instead of a 'brand/model' within Rover cars. This gave Land Rover 3 models in their line up, the Defender, the Range Rover and the newly added Discovery.

Prior to this the model line up was separated by Range Rover and then wheel base for the "Land Rover" models. As they where all Rover vehicles in reality.

That said, most people know what is meant by a "Defender". But to be correct your model is a Ninety. 90 as written in numbers was Defender 90 post your model.

The engine you have is the Diesel Turbo as branded back in the day. Although most people call it a Turbo Diesel (TD). The reason Rover officially called it Diesel Turbo was to keep it separate from the VM 2.4 Turbo Diesel engine found in the Range Rover.

The old 2.5 TD is quite an ok engine. A bit lacking in power my a modern sense, but class leading back in its day. They are smoother and more refined than the latter Tdi's. But with less power and torque. They don't like to be trashed, but drive them gentle and look after them and they can be reliable. On open A roads and dual carriage ways it will feel slow. Although get it in the hills and narrow lanes of Wales or similar and they feel surprisingly capable.

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