End of Defenders?

[keptenjim]

Had a series 2 with a 2.2 lt diesel engine when I was living in Zimbabwe. It had a retro-fitted Kenlowe fan, an oil cooler - which it needed in the hot temperatures of the Zambezi Valley - and a timing gear conversion, replacing the chain. Fantastic in the bush where it would take on any terrain, but soul destroying getting to where you wanted to get on open roads where it would rarely do more than 40 - 50mph laden down

[william127]

Yes they. Are slow(pre td5 anyway), noisey and leaky, but that can't come as a surprise to any one who has done the tiniest bit of research. Mine is 25 years old, currently only 2wd and the cab leaks like a sieve but I know I can take it out, load it up to its full 7 ton train weight and plod. Along keeping up with lorrys all day long.

To put it in perspective the other day I watched a 10 year old ldv with 1 ton of soil on and no trailer go up the hill outside my barn and it needed 1ST gear to make it to the top, my land rover can be at maximum train weight and. Go up the same hill in 3RD, and it's 15 years older!!

[rovers90]

old back end in back ground, new back end fitted.

 

Class tyres there Dean - Michelin XCLs!! Had a brand new set on a 90 many years ago - fantastic off road, could be a bit scary in the wet on road and my mate always had a cuppa made when I pulled up because he said he could hear me coming for miles!!

 

If you are not going to use them, advertise them for sale as the ex military LR people are quite often after them. I sold some a while back and got more than I had paid for them, even after using them.

[oldwoodcutter]

With a pal of mine in his defender this morning and apparantly the new euro compliant defender is going to be made in a new purpose built factory in wolverhampton as fro 1 jan 16 according to what he read in land rover mag.

Whether thats true i dont know,all i can tell you for certain is after a 5 mile journey in the passenger seat i literally fall out feeling like ime 101 and it takes me 10 minutes to stand up straight and walk normally again.

[djbobbins]

i54 is an engine plant not a vehicle assembly line. One of the parents from my kids' school was a project manager for JLR during the build.

[Dean Lofthouse]

Whether thats true i dont know,all i can tell you for certain is after a 5 mile journey in the passenger seat i literally fall out feeling like ime 101 and it takes me 10 minutes to stand up straight and walk normally again.

 

But thats because your old, nothing else

[Johny Walker]

Yes..even the wheel nuts matty

 

is that classed as a cut n shut ??

[monkeybusiness]

Where did you get that 3/4 chassis Dean?

[oldwoodcutter]

But thats because your old, nothing else

 

Guilty as charged.

[Dean Lofthouse]

Where did you get that 3/4 chassis Dean?

 

An extremely rare find on ebay, a new 130 front shunt, luckily no damage behind the extension joint so it was just a case of, cut the welds, slide the front of mine out and slide it into the new one and re weld. Just as strong as factory joint.