Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2020 i Land Rover Monthly

IT gives me great pleasure to announce that Land Rover Monthly magazine and the Billing Off Road Show have joined forces. Therefore, the ever-growing 2020 Billing Off Road show will be held in association with Land Rover Monthly magazine on June 27 and 28 on a farm in the sleepy village of Little Houghton, Northamptonshire. LRM has a great relationship with the organisers and landowners, Sarah and Richard Arrowsmith and we’re delighted about the partnership. Please turn to page 8 for more developments and keep an eye on our social media channels for updates on special show ticket offers for LRM readers and subscribers. In what can only be described as the most unpopular move in the history of Land Rover shows in the world, Live Promotions announced at the…

I was reading LRM winter 2020 issue 264, in particular the news story on page 13 — INEOS wins legal battle. I think it’s funny JLR are trying to trademark the shape of a car after their design team have come up with this all-new Defender. I’ve been reading about the new Defender for two years and when I saw it I wasn’t blown away, I was thoughtful. I kept thinking I’d seen something similar in an old film. . . I recalled Matt Damon drives a similar-shaped car in “We Bought A Zoo”. I didn’t know the car’s name though. Then watching “Daddy’s Home” the other night I saw it again — it’s the Ford Flex. It seems to me that JLR appears to have beefed up a USA…

REGULAR readers will know that I’m no fan of politicians of any persuasion, but I have to admit I have a sneaking admiration for our Prime Minister, Boris Johnson. Not because I agree with his politics, and certainly not because I approve of yet another privileged, Eton-educated toff getting the top job, but because he caught the mood of the British public. In 2016, the majority of folk who bothered to turn out for the referendum voted to leave the EU. As we all know, the majority of MPs were in favour of remaining – and for over three years couldn’t bring themselves to carry out the wishes of the British public. Their failure to do so was political suicide. Boris, for all his faults (and they are many), detected…

THE notorious Land Rover steering shimmy or shake is something of which I have long been aware, but despite having spent more than 30 years driving long distances in ropey old Land Rovers I had never experienced it for myself until a remarkably well-preserved 1993 Discovery came into the workshop for a full service and MoT test. Neither the service nor the test picked up anything untoward in the steering or suspension: I rang the owner to let him know the vehicle was ready, and he told me he had forgotten to mention a steering vibration at high speed which he thought might be an unbalanced wheel. The roads around the Norfolk Garage are not really conducive to high-speed road tests, especially in wet weather. There is one section near…

“The initial concept was for use as shooting brake or eight-seat people carrier, but it soon became apparent it would make a fast all terrain ambulance” THE average car’s lifespan is said to be around ten years, but, as we know, most Land Rovers live longer than that. There are millions of Land Rovers out there with stories to tell, but some vehicles are more special than others: this 1972 Suffix A Range Rover being a case in point. It was destined to lead a life less ordinary the minute it was plucked from the production line and sent to Birmingham coachbuilders Spencer Abbott a little under 48 years ago. The story begins in May 1972, when chassis number 355004063A was converted from a regular 100-inch wheelbase two-door Range Rover…

CERTAIN cars just look right in very specific colours. A Rosso Corsa Ferrari. A Bahama Gold two-door Classic Range Rover. A Norfolk Mustard Lotus. A Silver Birch Aston Martin DB5. A Sonoma Green Defender 90. Now wait a minute. Sonoma Green? Is that not the colour of choice for an Audi RS6? Aren’t Defenders normally white if being used by neutral aid organisations or else some sort of traditional green for the rest of us? I’ve just been picked up from Brighton train station on the south coast of England by Loui Evans in yes, you’ve guessed it, a Sonoma Green 2011 Defender 90. For the past 25 years Loui has faithfully been working for The Thatched Garage, a company who have built up a strong reputation for selling quality…

LAURENCEKIRK is a small town next to the main A90 trunk road between Dundee and Aberdeen. Apart from being home to some old Land Rovers, its main claim to fame is the unusual pastime of making snuff boxes. These Victorian boxes feature a special type of airtight hinge invented by James Sandy, and are sought-after antiques. The same could also be said of Land Rover fire appliances. Particularly popular back in the 1960s, they were mainly used by industrial companies as a back-up to the local fire brigade. The survivors were eventually sent for auction, and many have ended up in the hands of private collectors. Unlike other Land Rovers the majority of these appliances spent most of their service career kicking their heels, with the occasional training exercise to…

WHEN John Edwards retired from JLR in June 2018 he was keeping a promise he’d made to himself and his family 17 years previously: that he and his wife would retire from their respective full-time jobs at or around the age of 55. As he says when we meet, “one life, live it, was always my mantra and I was determined to be true to it.” He had celebrated his 28th anniversary at the company in April that year and had just spent four and a half very intensive, full-on years building a new division pretty much from scratch. Undoubtedly on a high, it was a good time to step down. John joined what was then the Rover Group in April 1990 as a marketing research manager. He had graduated…

I know I’ve gone on about checking the oil level on a D4 before but it is still bothering me, all down to the lack of a dipstick to check it with. I know it’s an age thing and anyone under 25 will say it’s the future and new cars have all-singing and dancing electronics. I bet the new Defender won’t have a dipstick either and in the future cars won’t even have a dashboard display screen; it will all be Bluetoothed to your smart phone. Progress, they will say. Anyway, since the last service when the correct amount of oil was put in, the electronic oil level gauge has shown my oil level one line under the maximum line. Well now it’s dropped to two lines below so I…

THE Td5 engine fitted to Discovery 2 models up to 2004, and to Defender models up to 2007, was the last engine designed and built by Land Rover prior to later developments by Jaguar Land Rover such as the Ingenium engine family. The Td5 engine has shown itself to be a long-lived and reliable unit. With its mechanical strength and electronic control systems it has proved to be highly tunable in comparison to the earlier Land Rover engines. Despite early concerns about the electronic engine management systems, which were considered to be less reliable and more difficult to repair in the field than the mechanical injection systems of earlier engines, the Td5 electronics have proved to be highly reliable. It is true that issues do arise with the Td5 engine…

THE Discovery 3 and 4 were built almost ready to tow. The rear of the chassis had a tow bar receiver mounting, to which a quick-release detachable tow hitch could be easily fitted and removed. The towing electrics could be added as required, be it a 7-pin, a twin 7-pin or the now standard 13-pin socket. An adjustable-height tow bar could also be fitted, recommended for regular heavy trailer towing, and featuring the traditional stay bars to the chassis. Discovery 5 did not continue the easy-fit receiver towing system, which many felt was a retrograde step. The only option, if you wanted to tow a trailer or caravan, was to have a tow bar fitted. That involves removing the original rear armature (crossmember) and replacing it with a new tow…

THERE are several ways to bend metal using basic tools but, for accuracy and ease, a decent metal folder can’t be surpassed. Finding one to suit your needs will save you wasting material unnecessarily and will improve fit and finish. All five on test created folds along their lengths you’d be happy to use for most tasks. Some achieved them more easily than others, elevating confidence levels in use. Sealey’s folder is a good solution for occasional use or where on-the-hoof repairs are required from a vice-held folder. It created good folds and is only marked down due to the fiddly operation of setting up each piece of sheet material. The open ends are to be commended for any length folding, but the base clamp system is not best suited…

WE’RE delighted to announce that LRM has partnered with the organisers of the 2020 Billing Off Road show. Held on June 27-28, this year’s event in association with LRM promises to be the biggest and most action-packed one yet, with club and trade stand bookings already at record levels. The magazine has a long-standing and fruitful relationship with Landy-loving hosts Sarah and Richard Arrowsmith, including breaking the Guinness World Record for the largest parade of Land Rovers in 2018 and hosting special off-road days last year. This off-road mecca is the perfect fit. “Unlike some other shows this one won’t break the bank, or your Land Rover. For the last three years we have had glorious sunshine at the show, which is why the Landy fans converge in their droves,”…

AS a crisis support charity, partnering with a state-of-the-art tyre manufacturer is a major coup. In the tie-up, Davanti’s flagship all-terrains will play a vital role as North West 4x4 Response deliver medical teams, urgent response professionals and supplies to remote rural areas. From snowdrifts and floods during the winter to wildfires in the summer, North West 4x4 Response volunteer drivers use their own 4x4 vehicles to provide access for midwives, firefighters, food and supplies to communities that are difficult to access across Lancashire and Cheshire. They also assist in neighbouring areas when required as part of the national 4x4 Response network. “We tested Terratoura comprehensively and were very impressed with its performance in extremely challenging situations. It has handled everything we have thrown at it,” said NW4x4 chairman, John…

A tip for our Jack . . . A strong suggestion for Jack Dobson, before he pulls the whole gearbox apart to find the problem causing it to jump out of fourth gear (LRM, February), is to check the spigot bush in the crankshaft, and to double-check the input pinion of the gearbox. I had similar problems after replacing a slightly marked but serviceable pinion with a new replacement. The existing one had a small bevel on the edge of its bearing surface to help it locate into the spigot bush, while the replacement had rounded edges. I had already rebuilt the gearbox several times following the installation of a Tdi engine, to no avail, when I recalled that apart from a few bearings, bushes and seals, the only major…

WE all love buying bits for our Land Rovers. Something added here, a little extra there, that’s how we modify them to become our dream car. But what if, rather than slowly add them bit by bit, instead you stockpiled all you needed and hit the workshop – driving in with the parts in the back, and driving out in your dream Defender with everything fitted. Possible? Definitely, and LRM wants to show you not just how to go about it, but how to make sure it all goes smoothly. THE THEORY 1 Decide what you’re doing First you need to have a clear idea of what you’re trying to achieve. Whether it is a Camel Trophy replica, ARC trials car or overland camper, you need to do some research.…

IT conjures up the smell of chocolate and spice, steam rising off of freshly-roasted corn; the sounds of multilingual chatter, and warm, welcoming people, dressed in vibrant, embroidered textiles. We adore Oaxaca City. A mix of many cultures, a few foreign but most homegrown, there’s nothing quite like roaming the city streets, gazing at the majestic, baroque architecture and breathing in the local coffee wafting out from the cafes. With the wilds of Oaxaca (pronounced wah-ha-ka) being relatively nearby (seven hours isn’t too bad, right?), my partner Sean Reagen and I decided to take La Poderosa, our 1995 Land Rover Defender, for a visit. Ascending through the cold, verdant mountains filled with brisk fog and occasional shafts of bright light, we can see the perfectly blue sky stretch out over…

February 8 – 9 ■ Great Western Classic Car Show Royal Bath and West Showground, Somerset gwa.bristolclassiccarshows.com February 9 ■ Pennine Land Rover Club, RTV/CCV Trial Haggate, Burnley penninelandrover.co.uk ■ Scottish Land Rover Owners Club, RTV Trial TBC slroc.co.uk ■ UK Landrover Events, Lincoln & Belvoir 4x4 Tour Lincolnshire uklandroverevents.com ■ Essex Rochford and District 4x4, Pay & Play Day Canewdon, Essex 4x4er.co.uk February 9 – 14 ■ The Snowball Rally, 4x4 Drive Scotland prestige-promotions.co.uk February 12 ■ UK Landrover Events, Yorkshire Dales 4x4 Tour Yorkshire uklandroverevents.com February 13 – 16 ■ London Classic Car Show ExCel, London londonclassiccarshow.co.uk ■ Australia – Victoria 4WD Show Lardner Park, Vic vic4wdshow.com.au February 15 ■ Solent & District Land Rover Club, Greenlanes TBC sadlrc.co.uk February 15 – 22 ■ Spain – ARDVentures Overland…

I take lots of photographs. I was about eight-years old when I got my first camera and my early pictures include the great liner Queen Mary, docked in Southampton. More than half a century has passed since then, in which I’ve clicked the shutter tens (if not hundreds) of thousands of times, especially since 2005, when I got my first digital camera. Unfortunately, like many other photographers, I have never been very good at organising the pictures I take, but recently I decided to gather up all the forgotten images lurking on various computer drives and DVDs. It has been hard work (and it’s still ongoing) but it was also good fun. The recurring theme throughout was one very special vehicle: my 300Tdi Discovery. I bought it just after I…

THERE isn’t much in terms of standard electrical equipment on a Series I Land Rover, and it’s generally all made by Lucas. We all know the old jokes — my favourite is the one about Genuine Lucas wiring loom smoke: “once it escapes, the electricity stops flowing”. But in general, the Lucas components are so well made, that many items can be restored or adjusted back to full working health after many years’ service. So it is with the horn. Officially called the Lucas windtone horn and fitted to many cars from the 1930s onwards, it operates by using a diaphragm, via make-or-break electrical points. As the diaphragm moves, it excites a column of air, which is then funnelled down the horn, creating a note just like a brass instrument.…

LAST month the flywheel, camshaft and lower rocker assemblies were installed in the engine block. We now need to time the camshaft with the crankshaft so that it opens and closes the inlet and exhaust valves at the correct time in relation to the piston positions. To achieve this we’ll fit number 1 exhaust valve and set its tappet clearance to 0.010 inch and then use a dial test indicator (DTI) on the valve head to confirm its position as the camshaft is turned. That will set the camshaft in its exact timing position, then the crankshaft will be rotated into its own timing position, bringing the number 1 piston to top dead centre, and away we go. Steve Grant is doing the work in the Britpart workshop and, as…

IT has never been easier, or more affordable, to buy a new car. That’s because the market has been stagnant over the last couple of years, leading to manufacturers flooding the market with new models as well as tempting would-be customers with great deals — and the means to finance them. We live in fast-moving times, with ever-tighter restrictions against diesel and petrol cars. Makers and dealers can’t afford to have new stock hanging around when it will soon be outdated and fail to meet looming emissions targets. To get around this, and to meet sales targets, excess vehicles are often 'pre-registered' — which technically makes them secondhand, but the hefty discount you’ll be offered may well tempt you. But the main reason folk are buying new cars is the…

THANKS to the LRM team for a brilliant magazine. We look forward to reading the articles and seeing all the different Land Rovers — especially the coolest of Defenders and what their owners do to them. After doing up my Defender 110 Tdi we love exploring the Scottish countryside and enjoying the lovely scenery and nature. Gayle and wee Ness the terrier look forward to a picnic lunch as well. My Defender is on the market because my daughter is getting married and we might need to trade for a County-spec model with more seats for her many bridesmaids! Kind Regards and all the best for 2020. Andy Kerr Thank you for your kind words — we hope the big day is a great success, whichever Land Rover you transport…

SHORT CIRCUIT DIAGNOSTIC KIT PRICE: £64.06 CONTACT: brit-car.co.uk SAVE time when trying to trace the source of a short circuit with this clever kit. It contains a set of circuit breaker fuses that fit in the place of a traditional fuse. It will safely break the circuit during an overload. This is followed by a manual reset so you can test as many times as you wish. Sets for both blade sizes. Fuse range: 5A, 7.5A, 10A, 15A, 20A, 25A, 30A. ALL RISE PLEASE PRICE: £184 CONTACT: allmakes4x4.com YOU saw it first in the last issue of LRM, Terrafirma’s stylish new raised air intake or snorkel. It’s suitable for Defenders with a right hand wing vent, typically a 1994-2016 model fitted with 300Tdi, Td5, 2.4 or 2.2 Puma engine. It’s…

ARE you afraid of your Land Rover’s electrics? Many people are. One glimpse of the multi-coloured spaghetti behind the instrument panel and they run away screaming. Dave the landlord, who was in the motor trade before I was born, tells me that there are only two things that frighten him: electrics and gearboxes. I pointed out to him that his Range Rover P38 has an electrically-controlled gearbox and I think I rather spoiled the pleasure of ownership for him. The Rangie is now up for sale. Personally I love working on vehicle electrics. Give me a Series III and a new Autosparks wiring loom to install in it and I’ll be as happy as a pig in muck. Mysterious electrical faults? Let me at 'em, multimeter in hand. There are…

I first met the Bland family at the Driffield Land Rover Show of 2019. Dad Richard proudly strolled over to the LRM stand to show me some pictures of a 1999 Discovery 2 that his daughter Joanna was busy restoring. Dad lovingly praised her efforts despite the fact that the project was not quite finished yet. I liked what I saw and told Richard to let me know when I could see and photograph the finished project. The same scenario repeated itself a few months later at a wet Kelmarsh Land Rover Show. Joanna barely said a word, she was like one of those kids who wanted their parents to stop talking about them. I could see from her hands that she was not afraid of hard work. The updated…

THE decision to renovate the original batch of 25 Series Is caused great excitement in the Land Rover world, and with good reason. The plan was to restore the vehicles to their original specification, as part of JLR’s Reborn program. Customers were offered the choice of materials, two wheel bases and five period colours, but there were no concessions to either safety technology or emissions. The result was a true thoroughbred of the post-war era, albeit at a price. The project was kicked off in 2016 at the Techno Classica Essen, in Germany, the largest classic car show in the world. The Classic division had already found a buyer for the unrestored Series I on its stand, which was also due for refurbishment under the new scheme. Land Rover cast…

THE Dorset Land Rover Club held another very successful Driving Day at one of its regular sites just outside Crossways near Dorchester. Entry to the event wasn’t just restricted to DLRC members, with the club opening it up to non-members as part of its policy to attract new members. After a spell of particularly heavy rain there was plenty of mud at the site for those so inclined to go mud-plugging, whilst there were also plenty of woodland trails and more open non-damaging areas to keep the nearly 30 drivers who turned up on the day very much entertained. Vehicles being driven ranged from a very original Series II, right through to an immaculate (although not for long) Range Rover P38A, with various Defenders and Discoverys making up the numbers.…

I have a love-hate relationship with Land Rovers and celebrities. I hate the blinged-up Range Rover monstrosities favoured by today’s deplorable B-listers, but I love proper Land Rovers owned and driven by proper legends like Paul McCartney. When the Beatles split up in 1970, Macca and his wife, Linda, went all self-sufficient in Scotland — namely the Mull of Kintyre, where he had purchased a farm back in 1966. The place inspired the hit single of the same name, which topped the charts in 1977 and remains one of the best-selling records of all time. But it was a bit remote, which presumably is why McCartney bought the leaf-sprung Land Rover in the photo, which son James is leaping from as Paul balances precariously on a fence and daughter Stella…

IS it new technology that’s worrying me or am I just becoming paranoid. Well, I think yes maybe, I’m getting paranoid of late especially about two things, daylight running lights (DRL)and engine oil level. DRL seem to be fitted to most cars now; if they weren’t fitted as standard then they have been retro-fitted. I’d say that the percentage of vehicles on the roads with DLR is about 70 per cent now. Originally, I think the idea behind them was to reduce pedestrian deaths by making cars more visible, but now the danger is if your car doesn’t have DRL on there is a high chance you aren’t going to be seen in a line of oncoming traffic not only by pedestrians but other road users. With that in mind,…

CREATING accurate pieces of sheet metalwork for repair sections and bespoke fabrication to pro standards can be done with an affordable sheet metal folder. Kiss goodbye to bench vices and hammers; it’s time to raise your game. Pin-sharp folds and correctly angled metal can be consistently made with a sheet metal folder, minimising fettling and additional rectification processes. All the folders tested here can be independently mounted on a bench or purpose-made stands (not included). None are vice mounted. It’s an important distinction, because, in my experience, relying on a vice for stability while you exert huge amounts of force can wreck your vice and more likely your bench due to the small area of resistance offered by the small vice base plate. A correctly spread load is easier to…

How long have you owned Her Maj? The reign of Her Maj, as I affectionately call my 1951 Series I 80 inch, has been several years longer than that of Queen Elizabeth II, which is no mean feat. And I have been lucky enough to have served as a devoted equerry to Her Maj for over 25 years now.  Is it a case of she gets better with age?   When I purchased her in 1995 for the princely sum of £800, she was complete, but in a rather sorry state. She had her original engine and chassis, but was sporting some homemade and somewhat colonial front wings (based on the angular Canadian military derivatives, I was told) and a bulkhead full of holes. At that time she was my…