Mostly Cosmetic project for my 90 TD5

Justin-JP · Apr 4, 2019

So recently joined the forum and already had fun reading through some of the projects on here.
Certainly seems like a can of worms in some cases and sheer keen owners doing so much themselves.
Never had a Land Rover Defender before but fancied a bit of fun.
The list of things to change or upgrade is already lightening the wallet. How is it that everything seems very reasonable priced, until you turn around and add it all up

Last weekend was spent changing out the original chequer plate for some new black replacements. We're going for a stealth/gangsta look overall with and aggressive look. And the addition of some new door entry trims in stainless steel to tidy it up too.

Justin-JP · Apr 4, 2019

Already got some new wheels & tyres from Twisted Automotive on back order to switch to 18" vs the 16" sawtooth wheels on it now.
Tyres going from 235/75/16 to 285/60/18 from BFG.

Then on to Exmoor Trim to get some lovely new Loc & Fold seats for the rear to replace the 4 inward facing seats that are there now.

Syncro-gearbox Slickshift going in soon and looking at getting the soundproofing done for all the inside.

Having looked at all four brake discs they are pretty well scored, so will have to get onto that at some point soon too.

And need new rear anti roll bar bushes as they are well on the way out and will upgrade the anti roll bar while I'm there with Poly bushes too.

Justin-JP · Apr 8, 2019

Got some more changes done to the Defender at the weekend which was good.
Fitted one of those clutch pedal springs to make it a little lighter to depress. What a bugger of a job this is, was worried I was going to lose and eye with the spring pinging about.

Also had delivery last week of some Thomas Performance LED Halo headlights to replace the older non-LED type ones. Really nice and makes the front a bit more modern, seeing as the previous owner had already gone and switches all the side lights and indicators to LED anyway.

FlatbedPilot · Apr 9, 2019

That's a nice looking and very pampered Defender. I take it the extra wiring for the LED headlights is for built-in DRLs?

Justin-JP · Apr 9, 2019

Yes it was, they are very simple units. You have two options with the halo on these, either you connect an ignition live and you get the Halo daytime running light, or you connect to the indicator wire and that same Halo will flash amber when the indicators come on. Nifty.

Justin-JP · Apr 15, 2019

Good morning,
Another step forward for the Defender at the weekend. Got hold of a crossmember chequer cover plate to match the new side pieces I added a few weeks ago. Helps to clean up the look a little bit. The two bolts at either end were a bugger to get out so had to dremel the nuts off from the rear wheelwell to get them out.
I did also buy a new set of rear tub bolts to go in, but only managed to get 4 of them out and 6 are pretty much stuck in. Gonna have to use the dremel or drill them out as a last resort I think .

JimS · Apr 15, 2019

Very tidy. If you're like me you will now be bothered by the plate on the side steps not being black...

Justin-JP · Apr 15, 2019

And you're absolutely right

Have you repainted yours, ? what did you use ?
Looks like I'll have to drill out the rivets if I want to do it properly, or maybe powdercoat them.
Or just mask up all the side of the car and spray it insitu.

JimS · Apr 15, 2019

Justin-JP said:
And you're absolutely right
Have you repainted yours, ? what did you use ?
Looks like I'll have to drill out the rivets if I want to do it properly, or maybe powdercoat them.
Or just mask up all the side of the car and spray it insitu.

I have some Raptor paint kicking around waiting for some good weather before I give that a go. Failing that I may remove them and get dipped

Justin-JP · Apr 23, 2019

So over the weekend a bit more fiddling on the Landy to get a few more bits added.
Started with fixing the rear high level brake light that wasn't working and one of the prongs from the glass had snapped off but also just wasn't making the full connection either, so I took the easy option and welded the arm back on and also just tacked on a wire to loop round the frame and connect to the supply at the bottom of the window. Certainly not the prettiest of soldering, but it's covered up and works !

Justin-JP · Apr 23, 2019

Another job tackled was the fitting of the Land Rover swing away wheel carrier designed by Mantec and supplied by Defender Upgrades. Very nice and very solid bit of kit.
Had to drill a few holes but easy enough to do and just replaced the door plate that was there using the same holes. The current spare wheel & tyre is a bit deep for the standard length of fixings but too thin for the extension pieces that came with the set. I'll wait until my new set of wheels arrive next month to see what the fit is then and if anything needs changing.

Justin-JP · Apr 23, 2019

Another job over the long weekend I managed to get done was to remove the EGR valve, Ordered a kit from X8R which came with everything and the solenoid blanks once the vacuum tubes come off.
Pretty easy to fit as the most difficult thing is removing allen head bolts after all these years.

G-P · Apr 28, 2019

Great work, looks fantastic. I have fitted the Slickshift on my TD5 and it was such a transformation, highly recommend doing it.

Justin-JP · May 5, 2019

A good day on Saturday after I switched the news wheels and tyres onto the 90. Really made a big difference I think to the way it looks now, much meatier.
Wheels 18inch with 285/60 BFG tyres.

Justin-JP · May 5, 2019

Another delivery on Friday were the Exmoor trim loc & fold forward facing seats I was waiting for to replace the 4 inward facing that are currently fitted in the back.
A bit safer with a full 3-point seatbelt too. These pretty much match the Corbeaux bucket seats that were already fitted when we bought it.

Justin-JP · Jul 26, 2019

Out in the heat yesterday to fit the chequer plate wing tops.

Justin-JP · Jul 26, 2019

Exmoor Trim forward facing sears going in.

Justin-JP · Jul 30, 2019

I must say that the step by step instructions from Exmoor Trim for the seats was first rate, a real help to an idiot like me.
Though I had to call them to ask about the fitting of the gas strut to the base of the chair which simply said 'fit gas strut' but didn't say you had to sit on the opposite wheel well and push with your legs with all your might to actually get the bolt in the top.

Justin-JP · Jul 30, 2019

A nice little spruce up of the air vents covers on the front wings with some Halfords satin black I had left in the garage.

Justin-JP · Sep 16, 2019

So I got round to fitting the second of my Exmoor Trim loc & fold seats for the back of my Defender.
Exmoor Trim have been pretty rubbish overall with sending me two right hand seats by mistake the first time, then taking two months to send me a left hand seat, then I put one in at the weekend and look ! They've changed the design in the two months since I first ordered.
Hopefully it won't take htem two months to sort it out this time.

Mostly Cosmetic project for my 90 TD5

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