Indholdsfortegnelse for February 2024 i Land Rover Monthly

PROSPEED, renowned manufacturer of premium roof racks and off-road accessories for Land Rovers, has announced a £2m investment in cutting-edge machinery, infrastructure, and processes aimed at improving production volume and quality. Based in York, ProSpeed’s newly acquired machinery is fully operational and boasts the capacity to produce 7000 products annually, a 6900 per cent increase in productivity. This means that ProSpeed can now produce a modular roof rack component every three minutes. The manufacturing equipment upgrades aren’t all about increasing production capacity; they also allow for a significant improvement in the quality and diversity of ProSpeed’s products – the company can now create aerospace-grade aluminium, precision-machined roof racks that are stronger and lighter than previously and come with a lifetime guarantee. So, if you’re considering a roof rack or other…

EMAIL YOUR PICTURES TO MARTIN@LRM.CO.UK…

THE STARTING POINT Andy’s 90 shortly after he bought it seven years ago and having the lift kit and chunky tyres removed. Little did he know what a comprehensive project it was to turn into. A BLANK CANVAS The 90, still being worked on in the single garage, got a new rear chassis section before being turned around so that the front dumb irons could be comprehensively repaired. LET THE WELDING BEGIN Work began by chopping off the shoddily-replaced rear crossmember and welding on a new one-third chassis. Meanwhile, the drum rear axle got swapped for a disc-braked version. KEEP ON WELDING As well as repairs to the front and rear of the chassis, Andy had to turn his hand to the bulkhead’s rusty footwells and top corners while the…

IN a world filled with hustle and bustle, where the roads often taken seem all too familiar, there lies an opportunity to break free, to explore, and to discover the beauty of the unknown. This is the story of an expedition that beckons the adventurous soul, a journey that winds its way through the enchanting landscapes of Ireland. It’s not just a road trip; it’s an escape that combines the thrill of off-road driving with the serenity of remote coastal routes. Join us as we embark on this extraordinary voyage with Flat Cap Adventurers, unravelling the mysteries of Donegal’s Wild Atlantic Way and the Causeway Coastal Route. Before we dive headfirst into the adventure, there’s a call for preparation. Whatever Land Rover model you drive – and the routes you’ll…

2005 FREELANDER Td4 M47 OWNER: Alexander Messenger, Chippenham, Wiltshire FIRST LAND ROVER: 1984 One Ten 2.5d DREAM LAND ROVER: Camel Trophy Defender OTHER HOBBIES: Gaming, YouTube editing, motorsport mechanic AS a Land Rover enthusiast, the Freelander 1 may not be the first vehicle that comes to mind when you think of the Camel Trophy. However, for me, it was the perfect canvas for my dream build. I bought the base Freelander in September 2020 in Tewkesbury and began modifying it to look like a Camel Trophy vehicle at my home in Chippenham, Wiltshire. My love for Land Rovers began with my family’s 1984 2.5 diesel One Ten, but it wasn’t until I stumbled upon this Freelander on Autotrader that I became interested in owning one myself. To be honest, I had fallen for the…

IN ASSOCIATION WITH WE’VE all jumped in a Defender in winter and sat there, frustrated while the windscreen demists using the blowers, too slowly for comfort. Ice may be not just outside, but inside too, and we can’t drive the car to warm the coolant for heat as we can’t see through the windscreen. So, we sit there as the fan impotently blows cold air on full chat. But that needn’t be the case. Retrofitting a heated windscreen is a relatively simple task, and well worth considering. At the flick of a switch, the screen clears quickly, meaning you can get moving rather than sit waiting. The windscreen installation itself is tricky, but not impossible to fit at home, but the wiring is definitely straightforward. To get a handle on…

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THE lifestyle arm of Nene Overland, Rivolve Motorworks, is expanding its operation into the Cotswolds in Oxfordshire. Graeme Smith, formerly of Twisted Silverstone, is overseeing the operation as Rivolve expands from its original Peterborough base. Rivolve is the brainchild of Andrew Harrison-Smith (MD of Nene Overland) to bring a more lifestyle-centric focus to the classic and well-loved Defender. “We’ve spent many years and countless hours honing what we can offer with the Defender, so the expansion of Rivolve feels like a natural progression to us. With Graeme’s involvement and expertise, along with a great location, it’s the perfect opportunity to look after our customers over a wider area,” reckons Andrew. There are some great things in development – so keep your eyes peeled for more information as we share updates…

LAND Rover Monthly is delighted to announce that the Dunsfold Collection will be returning to LRM Live, our premier two-day event at the Three Counties Showground on 18-19 May. A real highlight of the event, the Collection will be showcasing a fresh line-up of its most special and historically-significant Land Rovers from throughout the decades – so far, we can confirm the last ever Range Rover P38 to leave the production line back in 2002, which was driven off the line by John Hall, lead engineer on the P38 project, and Spen King, the man behind the original Range Rover. Joining this unique P38 is the formidable 1970 109in Portuguese Load Carrier, a beefed-up Series IIA supplied in completely knocked down (CKD) kit form to the military. It stands tall…

HOTHERSALL WOMEN’S BOOTS £225 Contact: lanxshoes.com These oil- and water-resistant pull-up boots not only look fantastic, but offer real outdoor comfort and capability thanks to a Vibram sole and chunky tread. Available in a choice of four colours in sizes 3-9 UK, the boots offer great longevity and can be repaired and resoled by Lanx if or when the time comes. SEALEY TOOL PROMOTION £Free Contact: sealey.co.uk/tool-promotion Get the lowdown on 1400 new products and 60 new lines in the latest Sealey tool promotion catalogue. Focusing mainly on automotive tools, heating and lighting, there’s also a chance to win a ‘garage essentials’ bundle worth over £800. 36-PIECE SOCKET SET £167.94 Contact: sealey.co.uk New to Sealey’s Premier range, this comprehensive socket set comes with both standard and deep sockets from 6mm…

IT seems to be diesel month here at the Norfolk Garage. I had a very tidy Ninety turn up sounding unhappy: 19J turbodiesel under the bonnet, oil pressure light on, about two pints of oil in the sump and most of the rest in the air filter. The 19J was not one of Land Rover’s better engines: early ones suffered from internal cracks in the cylinder block, and even the later ones are prone to pistons cracking across the crown if worked hard. They also have a terrible crankcase breather system, with oil-laden fumes being pumped into the air filter housing where they saturate the paper filter with oil. This engine was breathing very heavily indeed – I removed the oil filler cap with the engine running and the pressure…

IT takes a bold owner to fly in the face of tradition, but that’s exactly what the husband and wife team Merlin and Ann Thomas did when they found themselves with a late 1948 model Land Rover that, despite its outward appearance, had a whole different story to tell beneath the shiny green bodywork. Their newly-purchased 80in might have promised much at first glance; the recently restored vehicle bearing all the right signs of being able to offer a rewarding ownership experience, but when the pair had trouble getting it to run and drive as expected, they turned to Julian Shoolheifer for assistance and issued a simple request: that he fettle the Land Rover – probably a few days’ work in the right hands, and then they could begin to…

2002 FREELANDER Td4 S Mileage: 28,701 Power: 110bhp Torque: 191lb-ft MPG: 42mpg I spend most of my waking hours browsing classified adverts and auction listings looking for Land Rovers, which inevitably means I find myself accidentally owning another car. It’s not quite so often that I accidentally sell one though. But this month I have waved a car goodbye. But only because I knew it would be going to a good home, with someone who deserved to own it. They are, almost predictably, an LRM reader. But first, a recap. My 2002 Freelander had previously been owned by the neighbour of a friend. It had been bought as an ex-demonstrator from the Land Rover dealer in Chesterfield when it was six months old and then kept for 21 years, only…

DORSET Land Rover Club (DLRC) recently held its third Tyro for 2023. Or as it’s sometimes called, Try Your Rover Out trial event. Tyro is, in fact, Latin for novice or beginner. In this case it was as a taster for RTV (Road Taxed Vehicle) trials specifically aimed at novice or younger drivers. The event was set up in a very similar fashion to a standard DLRC RTV Trial, but with lower limits on the angle of slopes allowed to ensure safety with the less experienced drivers taking part and to comply with the MSUK regulations for a tyro trial. The event was held at a site just south of Dorchester which is not open to the general public. It’s a small site which has varied terrain and slopes which…

When Land Rover first fitted a heated windscreen to a Defender for the military, it had a single type of screen manufactured and the OEM wiring was designed to suit only that screen. Later, for the Td5 model, Land Rover introduced a heated screen option for non-miltary buyers. Fast forward to today, and we have many aftermarket manufacturers producing many types of screens with different specifications, some needing much more power to work than others. Aftermarket wiring looms also vary in design and specification. Originally, it was not possible to retrofit a Defender with a heated front screen, so when Mobile Centre developed the first wiring kit to allow this as an aftermarket upgrade, we carefully chose proven components. Our timer relay, for example, is identical to that used by…

IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE original Range Rover has a fearsome reputation for corrosion, mainly concerning the inner steel bodyshell which hides many areas and joints where moisture sits or flows, and where corrosion can really take hold. These areas include inner wings, scuttle panel, footwells, rear door apertures, rear crossmember – the list goes on. One of the easiest areas to check, and most accessible to repair, is the boot/load space floor. Early models had aluminium alloy floors riveted in place, but in the 1980s the body became spot-welded and the boot floor was changed to a steel panel. Typically, these corrode along the edges and above the fuel tank filler pipe. Localised repairs are possible but, because of the spot-weld construction, the easiest and neatest fix is to simply…

Fri 5 – Fri 19 Jan DAKAR, FIA WORLD RALLY-RAID CHAMPIONSHIP (W2RC) AlUla, Medina, Saudi Arabia dakar.com Sat 6 – Sun 7 Jan TIMELESS OVERLAND, WILD WALES WEEKEND Rhayader, Mid Wales timelessoverland.co.uk Sun 7 Jan RED ROSE LAND ROVER CLUB, CLUB GREENLANE RUN Cumbria landroverclub.co.uk PEAK & DUKERIES LRC, RTV & CCV TRIAL New Whittington, Chesterfield, Derbyshire panddlrc.uk SOLENT & DISTRICT LAND ROVER CLUB, ICE RUN GREENLANES Salisbury Plains, Wiltshire sadlrc.com WYE & WELSH LAND ROVER CLUB, RTV & CCV TRIAL Whitecliff, Coleford, Gloucestershire wwlrc.co.uk Mon 8 – Tue 23 Jan ARDVENTURES OVERLAND ADVENTURES, TUNISIA Tunisia ardventures.co.uk Thurs 11 – Sun 14 Jan AUTOSPORT INTERNATIONAL NEC Birmingham autosportinternational.com Sat 13 Jan UK LAND ROVER EVENTS, LINCOLN & BELVOIR LAND ROVER TOUR Lincoln, Lincolnshire uklandroverevents.com OFF ROAD ADVENTURE TRAVEL, WILD WALES CARMARTHENSHIRE…

The obvious choice I enjoyed reading Gary’s account of JUE’s trip through Mongolia. No surprise though, really, that it was the Grenadier rather than the new Defender that was chosen as a support vehicle. Given that the latter can only be towed 30 miles after a breakdown, who would take it somewhere remote? I am always amazed when I read that somebody has driven what is essentially a suburban mall crawler to a place such as Morocco. How easy will it be to summon a flatbed recovery truck to some desolate spot out in the desert? Not so easy, I imagine… John Teasdale MARTIN REPLIES: Yes, the limitations of towing a new Defender any distance are something I’ve often wondered about. That said, increasing numbers of people are using them…

FORTY per cent, and 42 per cent. Two numbers from JLR’s press office that grabbed my attention recently. The first refers to the reduction in the number of Range Rover and Range Rover Sport models being stolen in the UK. The second relates to the increase in the company’s revenue in the first half of the financial year compared with the same period in 2022. Both are eye-catching numbers for very different reasons and are worthy of a little deeper investigation. Let’s look at the 42 per cent number. In the first half of the year, JLR earned £13.8bn and declared a profit before tax of £877m, 42 per cent higher than the year before. This is a remarkable performance, because a year ago the company was reporting losses of…

Achap I know from my village is a high-end car dealer, and as I walk the dog past his house I always have a peek to see what is on his drive. His wife is partial to a Land Rover, so inevitably there is something interesting to look at. This week it’s a satin-black new Defender and a Range Rover Sport SVR. As his wife doesn’t like “having to swap all her stuff” between her cars too often, it’s not unusual that the bling Defender has been lingering around for a few weeks, but the Sport has been around longer than usual too. So, when I spotted him nursing a pint at the local, I asked him about it. His sullen look suggested it was a topic he’d been trying…

AS seagulls screech above, the familiar metallic rattle of a garage door handle being turned cuts through the winter air. The door rises, dry runners graunching in their tracks, and the low sun catches a bonnet’s front edge, causing fresh paint to flip from deep brown to radiant coppery orange. Andy Hoile, owner and builder of this unique Land Rover, shimmies down the side, pops the door and slides into the driver’s seat, taking care not to catch the bodywork on the blockwork. The single garage is barely wide enough to store the Defender, but this is exactly where it was built. Andy strikes up the engine and the 90 emerges from the darkness. Eye-popping hue aside, it’s quite clear this Defender is far more than a blow-over and a…

THERE’S an old saying. Two’s company and three’s a crowd. But for Tomas and Zuzka Englicky and their Discovery camper, known affectionately as Landy Sweet Landy, three isn’t a crowd, its perfection. “We bought our 1994 Discovery 200Tdi 13 years ago,” Tomas tells me. “I couldn’t decide what would be the best Land Rover to buy, and my good friend Nick said that I should get a Discovery. I have to say it has proved to be very good advice. When we first got it, we didn’t have any plans to turn it into a camper, and the sequence of events that led to it becoming what you see today are both very happy and very sad, to say the least, but Landy Sweet Landy is now very much part…

2004 DEFENDER 90 Td5 Mileage: 111,400 Power: 185bhp Torque: 245lb-ft MPG: 28 MY Defender 90 Td5 is looking very forlorn at present. I took it off the road around six months ago to save some money on road tax, as I knew I wouldn’t need to make use of the trusty old workhorse for a while. Not that the 90 was ever a pristine example; when I acquired in back in 2014, it was already a little battle-scarred. The Land Rover had lived the first part of its life on a large estate in Scotland and subsequently was used as an off-roader for a couple of years. There are numerous scrapes and dents in the bodywork, while the shade of green paint varies by body panel – probably due to…

PROJECTS, REPAIRS AND MODIFICATIONS ED EVANS TECH EDITOR LRM technical lead, drives 90 V8 and Range Rover Sport MARTIN DOMONEY EDITOR Drives a 1975 Series III 109 ALISDAIR CUSICK CONTRIBUTOR  Patina expert, drives Series I and Classic Range Rover ANDREW VARRALL CONTRIBUTOR Pro Land Rover repair specialist. Drives Series IIA STEVE GRANT CONTRIBUTOR Pro-technician at Britpart, drives Series IIA and Td5 110 Another year older THEY say used cars from forecourts come cheaper just before Christmas and through early January. It’s something about car salespeople trying to maintain commission levels regardless of whether any punters have the time or money to spare on changing their motor at that time of year. I don’t think it’s true. Nothing short of an act of God makes a decent dealer reduce prices unless they…

IN ASSOCIATION WITH LAST month, we showed how to change front lower suspension arms on a Discovery 3, 4 and first-generation Range Rover Sport. So why are we now explaining the process on a Freelander 2? Surely, they’re all pretty much the same? Well, not exactly. The front lower suspension arm (or wishbone as they are often referred to) on a Freelander 2 doesn’t share the job of attaching the hub and wheel to the frame of the car with an upper arm – it operates alone. This is because the suspension spring and damper assembly forms part of the hub location system instead, as it can swivel at the top and is bolted directly to the wheel hub at the bottom, so there’s no need for an upper arm.…

FREELANDER 2 POWERLESS STEERING I have a 2010 2.2-litre Freelander 2 HSE. After exhaustive parts changing and much head scratching we still have the original problem of a leaking power steering rack. I have replaced the rack with an original Land Rover rack, and the fluid container. Now, when the steering is moved to full lock and close to full lock, it gets total loss of power steering assistance and the fluid gets very hot. I have replaced the power steering pump and all the hoses apart from the one from reservoir to the pump and I still have the same problem. Both the garage and myself are at a total loss of what the issue is for a simple hydraulic system, which now has all new parts and has…