FLAT ERIC

New Member
Hi I am Mark from Essex & just over 2 weeks ago I picked up a tidy low mileage Defender Hard Top TD5 X-Tech or Larry for short. ;)

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My reason for coming back after so long?

After many years in the Subaru - modified - performance car scene I needed a van type vehicle for the next 18 months to 2 years to do a bit of ducking & diving that has bomb proof (I hope) depreciation combined with being a practical load lugger & with a hint of AWD for some fun. I could have gone the Caddy or Connect route but when I come to sell I want a quick sale & didn't want to lose a shed load of money just trying to shift it. Land Rovers seem to hold their value & the sites I have been watching have had a steady turnover of sales.

The last LR I had was about 20 years ago, an old petrol Series IIA, which bounced around on leaf springs belching smoke & leaving a trail of oil behind it. I was Chairman of the local CB radio Radio Emergency Action Citizen Team (REACT) which liaised with the local police & helped out as & when requested. Please excuse the grainy pictures they didn't have digital back then. :)

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Larry came from Land Rovers UK in Somerset with a full service history & although on a Y plate had only 58k miles under his Boost alloys. Pretty much everything had already been fitted that I would have had on my list of things to do. Traction control, ABS, full length side steps, rear step & hitch, A-frame & Spots, cubby box, locking storage box with drawer, dog guard/bulkhead divider, chequer plate protection kit, mud flaps, Alpine roof windows, sun roof & acoustic lined front rubber mat.

Coming from a modifying background & to give a bit more leg room the old steering wheel had to go & was replaced with 345mm of Italian leather loveliness

luvlove.gif


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Before & Afters in the rear.

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Just waiting for the weather to improve so I can stick the side pieces down as it's either too cold or too damp for gluing.

To keep the other half happy I let her pick the spare wheel cover design. Don't think she did too bad a job. ;)

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To the mud plugging, bog busting rough riders Larry is probably way too civilised & sensible but please be gentle with me as I have just parted from my precious Stealth Wagon after 9 years of ownership & I am still feeling a little fragile. :cry:

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:welcome2:
You know you made the right choice.
The way forward is a Defender & if you do ever sell it you won't loose **** loads of cash.
I've had mine 5 years now & I could sell it tomorrow for more than I payed for it but that's not going to happen.
What part of Essexshire are you in?.........................Don't tell me Braintree.
 
welcome!!

not too keen on the scooby though.. its an estate, and its not the real scooby.

this is my other toy, a real scooby, the classic :D

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[JP];1795823 said:
welcome!!

not too keen on the scooby though.. its an estate, and its not the real scooby.

this is my other toy, a real scooby, the classic :D

Been there done that.

Got the T shirt. :p

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My "not a real Scooby" won best of show on the SIDC stand at Modified Live 2008 at Snetterton. ;)

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And has been in Top Gear magazine.
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Not bad for a stealthy "estate". :)
 
still... in my eyes, not the real one :D

same as the future DC100 wont ever be a real defender
same as the new mini will never be a mini
same as the new VW beetle will never be the real beetle

etc,etc...

its a matter of taste :D
 
Hi I am Mark from Essex & just over 2 weeks ago I picked up a tidy low mileage Defender Hard Top TD5 X-Tech or Larry for short. ;)

B.jpg


P.jpg


Q.jpg


My reason for coming back after so long?

After many years in the Subaru - modified - performance car scene I needed a van type vehicle for the next 18 months to 2 years to do a bit of ducking & diving that has bomb proof (I hope) depreciation combined with being a practical load lugger & with a hint of AWD for some fun. I could have gone the Caddy or Connect route but when I come to sell I want a quick sale & didn't want to lose a shed load of money just trying to shift it. Land Rovers seem to hold their value & the sites I have been watching have had a steady turnover of sales.

The last LR I had was about 20 years ago, an old petrol Series IIA, which bounced around on leaf springs belching smoke & leaving a trail of oil behind it. I was Chairman of the local CB radio Radio Emergency Action Citizen Team (REACT) which liaised with the local police & helped out as & when requested. Please excuse the grainy pictures they didn't have digital back then. :)

img002.jpg


img003.jpg


img004.jpg


Larry came from Land Rovers UK in Somerset with a full service history & although on a Y plate had only 58k miles under his Boost alloys. Pretty much everything had already been fitted that I would have had on my list of things to do. Traction control, ABS, full length side steps, rear step & hitch, A-frame & Spots, cubby box, locking storage box with drawer, dog guard/bulkhead divider, chequer plate protection kit, mud flaps, Alpine roof windows, sun roof & acoustic lined front rubber mat.

Coming from a modifying background & to give a bit more leg room the old steering wheel had to go & was replaced with 345mm of Italian leather loveliness

luvlove.gif


LARRY002Medium.jpg


LARRY.jpg


LARRY005Medium.jpg


Before & Afters in the rear.

REARINT2Small.jpg


REARINT2ASmall.jpg


REARINT3Small.jpg


REARINT3ASmall.jpg


Just waiting for the weather to improve so I can stick the side pieces down as it's either too cold or too damp for gluing.

To keep the other half happy I let her pick the spare wheel cover design. Don't think she did too bad a job. ;)

WOLFWHEELCOVER.jpg


To the mud plugging, bog busting rough riders Larry is probably way too civilised & sensible but please be gentle with me as I have just parted from my precious Stealth Wagon after 9 years of ownership & I am still feeling a little fragile. :cry:

PBCARS9Medium.jpg


calender006.jpg


STEALTHONTHEROAD.jpg
nice one mate
 
[JP];1796798 said:
same as the future DC100 wont ever be a real defender

Real defender as in not a Series? :doh: :D

I can understand your eagerness to live in the past but sometimes you just have to let go & move on. I bet you still have a cassette player in your Defender. ;)
 
Smart bit of kit. I'm after a new steering wheel myself.
Might be taking advantage of your linky. :D

Oh, and :welcome2:

Hi Mark
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I am happy with it as it stops your elbows banging the door when manoevering & doesn't rest on your lap. Depending on which make of boss you get you need to watch it doesn't move it towards you too much. Also for serious off road use it will take your thumbs off when you catch a rut given half a chance.
 
Real defender as in not a Series? :doh: :D

I can understand your eagerness to live in the past but sometimes you just have to let go & move on. I bet you still have a cassette player in your Defender. ;)


chill out... geeezz....
 
3 months into Defender ownership now & I have been busy wielding the spanners, screwdrivers & soldering iron. :D

I have upgraded the lights fore & aft.

I fitted Wipac Crystal headlights with Osram Night Breaker bulbs & as I found the steel rims were shot I replaced them with some stainless ones.
Fit & forget is my motto. ;)

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I fitted larger side lights & larger clear indicators plus clear side repeaters to sharpen up the front.
Before
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After
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Repeaters
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I added an extra reversing light & fog light & fitted NAS spec LED brake/side lights & LED indicators also a LED number plate light & LED work light.
Before
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After
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To insulate & protect the load bay I have lined the interior with rubber matting & fitted foam behind the plastic moulded side panels. I also made a couple of wing nut mounts for the hi-lift.
Before
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Afters
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And last but not least my own design sticker
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I may foam line the curved bit under the moulded side panels to protect it from the loads I will be carrying & I want to chequer plate & rubber line the fuel filler opening.

The only issues in the first 3 months of ownership are the "usual" niggles. Leaking fuel pressure regulator, leaking slave cylinder, leaking front diff/prop flange seal & a lower link bush has let go from it's mounting plate. Roll on the next 3 months. :D

Best investment so far was one of these. Not the oil drum. ;)
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96 x 96cm dia x 7cm (h)
 

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