DiscoKenya

New Member
Jambo from Nairobi.

Hoping for some 2nd, 3rd, 4th opinions please on whether I should attempt to repair my 1994 Discovery 1 200tdi after a crash that saw me lose control of the car and end up slamming rear of passenger-side into a concrete ditch between carriageways on a highway, then bouncing out of the ditch and ending up on driver's side facing back the way I was coming, on the opposite carriageway (ie I went over/through the ditch, about 3ft deep). Speed at time of crash probably no more than 30mph. I got up and walked out of it with only bruises from my belt, luckily. Wear seatbelts, people!

Pics are attached below. Main problems appear to be:

1. Cabin out-of-alignment over driver's side at the A-pillar, including metal breaks at foot of windscreen on both sides. But further back it looks to an untrained eye not badly out of line.
2. Rear axle shunted about 2 inches over to driver's side, apparently because the bracket holding the axle to the rear crossmember (I think - I'm no mechanic!) is bent. Chassis looks straight all the way through, however.
3. Two front doors don't open. Rear driver's side doesn't close. Back door opens but scrapes on bumper.
4. Front-end on driver's side appears bent floorwards somewhat.
5. Two passenger side tires burst.
6. One of the steering (?) rods, behind front axle, is bent.
7. Cracked front diff.

I'm sure this would call for a write-off in the UK. But I'm in Kenya, where a 1994 Discovery costs upwards of 6,000 quid, and this was insured third-party only. Thus, writing it off means I lose most of my initial investment (less whatever I can get for spares) and have to shell out for a whole new car. Ouch.

My mechanic reckons it's way too much of a job to panelbeat the cabin and the rear axle bracket back into shape - although I'm told there are computerised jigs in town here that'll wrench it back properly to how Solihull made it. Other repairs shouldn't be too complicated.

So - what think, all? Should I scrap it, or can repairs on a car this damaged effectively - and SAFELY - be done?

Thanks lots.

Mike

PS tried to make these pics smaller but couldn't work out how. Apologies if they load slow.

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Remove body, fit full roll cage with some panels and leave open. Body looks way too messed up IMO unless the jig is going to be able to get it right

Rear door might just be collapsed body mount or bent bumper
 
Even on 6 grands worth of car thats a hell of a lot of tweeking, bending and beating back into shape let alone worrying about structural damage
 
Remove body, fit full roll cage with some panels and leave open. Body looks way too messed up IMO unless the jig is going to be able to get it right

Rear door might just be collapsed body mount or bent bumper

About what I was going to say .. not worth trying to fix that body. Unless you find a decent body to transplant, I'd go caged .. ;)
 
Guys, thank you. I've had a handful of mechanics here tell me it's recoverable, and, as I said to the unprofessional eye, it looks not that badly messed up, body wise. Your input has kind of made up my mind that it's a dud, much as I loved it....

I'll try to salvage for spares what I can, but I guess I'm again in the sharkpit that is buying another new car in Kenya (Previously owned here a RR Classic 3.5 V8, then Disco 200Tdi. Leave Solihull, me? Never).....

@auf_weidersehn/Dr Evil/Mad Hat - wish I had the cash to run two rigs here, one for roll-cage, bare-back fun and one for daily drive (including regular safari), but sadly prices here force me to be a one-Landie man...

@all - thanks. Onto a new adventure.

Wish me luck...

Mike
 
Well I'm surprised that most feel it's not recoverable.

I reckon with winches and a couple of decent bush mechanics that could be made to run again quite easily, but it depends on the level of finish you would require.

Getting it back to road-worthy condition will not be difficult and IF the body is not too rusty I would definitely go the repair rather than scrap route.

I really don't see anything there that it too back to sort out. Why don't you get together with a couple of pals and start to pull out the roof damage so you can square up the door openings.

After all, what do you have to lose?

Good luck - by the way, Nairobi ? Mombassa? or where?


Dave

Ps It's only 6200 miles from my place to Nairobi????
 
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Well I'm surprised that most feel it's not recoverable.

I reckon with winches and a couple of decent bush mechanics that could be made to run again quite easily, but it depends on the level of finish you would require.

Getting it back to road-worthy condition will not be difficult and IF the body is not too rusty I would definitely go the repair rather than scrap route.

I really don't see anything there that it too back to sort out. Why don't you get together with a couple of pals and start to pull out the roof damage so you can square up the door openings.

After all, what do you have to lose?

Good luck - by the way, Nairobi ? Mombassa? or where?


Dave

Ps It's only 6200 miles from my place to Nairobi????


I guess that's 'cos we have knowledge only of UK regs .. MOT etc ;)
 
Well I'm surprised that most feel it's not recoverable.

I reckon with winches and a couple of decent bush mechanics that could be made to run again quite easily, but it depends on the level of finish you would require.

Getting it back to road-worthy condition will not be difficult and IF the body is not too rusty I would definitely go the repair rather than scrap route.

I really don't see anything there that it too back to sort out. Why don't you get together with a couple of pals and start to pull out the roof damage so you can square up the door openings.

After all, what do you have to lose?

Good luck - by the way, Nairobi ? Mombassa? or where?


Dave

Ps It's only 6200 miles from my place to Nairobi????

Well, you may have a point there as we look at the labour costs for that work and write it off but in Kenya (last time I was there) labour was a lot cheaper and with the right tools - who knows?
 
I know for sure that if the OP was in India, the car would be repaired to a perfect std. and you'd never know the difference.

The quality of artisans in Mumbai was amazing.

Dave
 

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