Swimboy14 · Jan 1, 2022

Hi all, can I ask what are the things to consider when potentially looking at an ex-RAF defender please? Here’s the link to one, it has low miles but for 12 years of its life it wasn’t “on the road” so my guess is they weren’t recorded?
https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/12721453

saxavordian · Jan 1, 2022

Depends it may have had a charmed life on the airport taxi bird scaring or simply not used. A service logbook records the millage, fuel fills and servicing. If it been in dry storage due to not issued to raf station the quick look in the engine bay for original military markings crowfoot and what colour the inner panels green standard yellow airport usage.

Swimboy14 · Jan 1, 2022

saxavordian said:
Depends it may have had a charmed life on the airport taxi bird scaring or simply not used. A service logbook records the millage, fuel fills and servicing. If it been in dry storage due to not issued to raf station the quick look in the engine bay for original military markings crowfoot and what colour the inner panels green standard yellow airport usage.

Oh ok, so they wouldn’t have disconnected the odometer and it have done more miles than recorded? I doubt the garage selling it has the logbook…but I can ask. Would the original markings be there if it had a re-spray when it came out in 2012? Does the rear bulkhead look cut down..?

miktdish · Jan 1, 2022

Yes, the rear bulkhead has been cut down...
The mileage is largely irrelevant, what condition is the chassis in ?

Swimboy14 · Jan 1, 2022

miktdish said:
Yes, the rear bulkhead has been cut down...
The mileage is largely irrelevant, what condition is the chassis in ?

I’m just thinking for future re-sale, I wouldn’t want any issues and would want to know for peace of mind really. I will call about it and ask, but would guess it’s not rotten.

kermit_rr · Jan 1, 2022

No pics of underneath

but MOT history is rather clean
I wonder how they've strengthened the bulkhead?

Swimboy14 · Jan 1, 2022

kermit_rr said:
No pics of underneath but MOT history is rather clean
I wonder how they've strengthened the bulkhead?

That’s what I thought too. Yes, it’s got a very clean MOT history! I don’t know much about defenders, but would it need strengthening and why would they have cut it down I wonder. I don’t like not knowing all the facts..!

flat · Jan 1, 2022

Doubt it came out of the military in 2012 if it got an mot in 2011. The MOD didn’t mot vehicles (exempt).

weird mot history with gaps. Less than 2000 miles over 10years fits with it being ‘stored’ but it appears to have be pulled out and ticketed now and again.

I would check carefully for condition and I would make sure all ViN numbers were present.

military history can be verified by the plate on the drivers side of the seatbox.

bulkhead cut down if done properly is fine. It may have a strengthening bar on the other side. Sometimes done to 90’s with bulkheads to allow for more legroom for the front passengers

miktdish · Jan 1, 2022

Swimboy14 said:
I’m just thinking for future re-sale,

To keep it that way (chassis not rotten), spray the inside and outside of the chassis. x members, door frames, pillars and bulkhead with a rust 'eater' (Dinitrol RC900 for example), then a wax oil coating then spray pretty much everything else with a silicone based oil, drain the water/coolant, remove the battery and put it in a dry, ventilated garage. In about 15 or so years it will be worth double and won't have cost you a penny.

Or just do the rust eater bit and the wax coating thing and drive it, over the next 10 to 15 years you will probably need to spend £10 to £15,000 to maintain its value.

I cut my bulkhead down, the front seats go further back and the car feels 'roomier'.

slomofo · Jan 2, 2022

Looks a neat example, although lots of interior trim is missing which is no biggy. Used to be a pick-up (hold down tabs along each side of the tub rail) which makes sense for a MOD spec.
It has got a TD5 replacement rear crossmember on it, so work has been done and there may be more rot nearby (tub crossmember is a favourite).

Odometer digits are misaligned which makes me suspicious of interference.

Really need to poke around underneath and look for the rot…

Bonne Chance!

flat · Jan 2, 2022

slomofo said:
Looks a neat example, although lots of interior trim is missing which is no biggy. Used to be a pick-up (hold down tabs along each side of the tub rail) which makes sense for a MOD spec.
It has got a TD5 replacement rear crossmember on it, so work has been done and there may be more rot nearby (tub crossmember is a favourite).

Odometer digits are misaligned which makes me suspicious of interference.

Really need to poke around underneath and look for the rot…

Bonne Chance!

rhats a good spot re: the mileage. It’s quite misaligned aswell which is very odd…..
I wonder if the speedo gets unplugged between mot’s lol

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