Ok here we go again in word so I don’t lose the bastard !
This is my tenth winter with the old girl known as Zebra ! she was originally registered in August 1995 and for her first year she was none other than the great Don Greens Range Rover on the Jungle track at Solihull and Eastnor Castle for those of you that don’t know the name Don Green SHAME ON YOU ! Don was the chief driving instructor and Land Rover God, long before the Land Rover Experience way back in 1991 I worked for Broadfields Land Rover and I put on a marketing event called a Day in the Country with Broadfields, Don came with a fleet of motors and drivers, my gun club came Southdown Sporting Gun Club and Dave the proprietor put on a 50 bird clay shoot whilst Holland & Holland bought a selection of their guns for my clients to try. I also had the event fully catered, there was a track for owners to try their own vehicles as well as the more difficult track to be done in LR vehicles, I also had a winching demo and a display of birds of prey hunting, all in all it was such a great success that Land Rover then not only nicked the idea but even the venue at Lakeside Essex ! yet still another idea that continues today that I got sweet FA for, anyway I digress Don Green is a legend and deservedly so, he taught the worlds special forces (and me) how to handle a RR when being threatened and needing to escape, how to drive in high speed convoy, or when you are the aggressor and need to attack he was as we say The Dogs Bollocks, having spent many many hours with Don I can tell you that there is no better RR driver in the world, whether that be at full tilt on the banking at Solihull, or hitting the 7inch rail road sleepers head on at 70mph or winching 2.5ton of RR along the motorway at Eastnor Castle or balancing a new Vogue on 2 wheels as you cross a mountainous track.
So when I saw his old P38 up for sale 10 years ago I thought I have to go have a look !
I did and I fell in love a love that still is strong today 10 years on
Here is the history of my love affair with this P38 that spent its first year being put through all the paces by Don Green
Purchased 10 years ago with a full history 3 previous owners Don Green at the factory a business man from Croydon then a third business man that turned out to be a mate of my fathers !
Purchased with approx. 110,000 miles on the clock
I started by having a full 48k service done, I had that and also ended up with a new starter motor anew flex plate and ring gear, which was out of stock and I ended up sourcing from Canada and has Fed Exd over at a cost of $400.00 as there were 56 vehicle’s VOR at that tine ! VOR means Vehicle of Road and not in a good way, so all other 56 RR’s were before me waiting for the next batch of Flex Plate’s and Ring Gears, I also had new discs and pads all round and had all the interior dash, hevac etc etc bulbs replaced so the inside looked like a Christmas tree once more, I also sent the Radio/Cassette away for new LED’s, as well as an exhaust system.
Total spend was About £1,600.00 now I was ready
Since then I have my RR serviced by Bob of DAS Independent Land Rover Specialists a proper gent and a font of knowledge on all things LR.
So an annual service every Autumn with full lubrication and check over.
Other than that I have done this
Air suspension compressor
Drivers door out rigger station
Coil Pack
HT Leads
Standard Battery then a
Heavy Duty Battery fitted
Air Suspension ECU
Alternator
Fuel Pump
3 lots of windscreen wipers
Heater Matrix O Rings
X 2 Lambda sensors
Exhaust Rear Box
5 x New Pirelli on New Alloys 255x55xR18 with spigots
2002 Clear Light Lens all round
Last month I fitted factory Roof RAILS
New Drivers Seat all interior leather treated
Saggy head liner re trimmed
I have two remote and have just changed all batteries for the third time also took dash out and replaced all the little illumination bulbs again as two had gone and the rest would not be far behind, she has returned to a Christmas Tree.
For vanity I have also fitted a little extra burr walnut trims but only the real thing!
My Zebra has now done 177,000 miles! So that’s 10 years and 67,000 mile I have done with her, she has helped rescue the old in winter and deliver them meals on wheels! Last year she spent a week in Shepperton in a meter of water rescuing stuck residents and delivering fresh food and water.
I’m now in a difficult position as I have just finished a consultancy for which I have been well rewarded and am looking at a 5.0 Supercharged Model as a new toy, but what do I DO WITH Zebra ? She isn’t worth a lot in money but in memories and feelings I’m not sure another car will ever be able to compete, so what do I do? Sell her? For how much? Keep her and find somewhere to store her and use her to make sure the new lady does not get to do all the dirty heavy jobs my lady has done so well, and maintained her looks over the years and her ability tom tramp on when you hit the gas pedal.
I guess im asking will I ever love my 5.00 Supercharged as much ?
