Reply With QuoteThat is lovely, I won't share mine as it's a freelander, however it goes off-road and has carried 30+ culled deer this season, never gone wrong 👍
When I was 14 growing up in rural Essex I worked for the local farmer during school holidays.
I ploughed fields, sowed seeds, shot pigeons, harvested etc etc and loved it.
I also had a very short course in driving a Land Rover Series 2 so I could deliver fertiliser between the various farms in the village. It was technically illegal, but back then nobody really cared. The village was small and even having a couple of crafty pints in the village pub was accepted. Those were the days, sadly now gone and never to return unfortunately.
That introduction to the Land Rover, waving to my mum as I drove past the village shop, her reaction and subsequent bollocking will however remain forever priceless, and sowed the seeds of my love affair with this vehicle ever since.
I have subsequently owned many over the years, including these last beauties;
The Series 3 was my last Landy and to be honest I assumed it would be my very last. The end of a very long love affair was finally coming to end, and the pressures of the modern world, emissions, environment etc beckoned.
After subsequently owning two pickup’s, I decide last week it was time to embrace the change and go fully electric. After a few months of research the only car that grabbed my attention was the Audi E-Tron. Prepared, armed with knowledge and cash in my pocket, off we went to the local dealer to be flatly told, good luck and be prepared to wait 18 months!!
Bubble burst, we went next door to Volvo, quick chat, same story!
By chance we popped next door to Land Rover, for a bit of tyre kicking, dreaming and a laugh at the price of the new Defender reincarnation. Stunning but sadly priced in my not so exciting price bracket.
However, by chance, fate and planet alignment, this beauty caught our attention. All alone, slightly aloof, unique yet reassuringly familiar, she sat screaming to be bought.
Land Rover dealership, price recently dropped by £10k, 4 years LR approved warranty, this was the last role of the dice in ownership of my icon.
So in celebration of the Land Rover Defender, here she is, the love of my life since I was 14;
2014 Defender 110 in Loire Blue.
As an appreciation thread, be sure to share your love of this icon and post your Lovely Landies!
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Last edited by Chinnock; 1st May 2022 at 20:22.
That is lovely, I won't share mine as it's a freelander, however it goes off-road and has carried 30+ culled deer this season, never gone wrong 👍
Well done. A proper vehicle.
:-)
They really are unique, I was lucky to have one for a few years.
Had one for a year. A 300Tdi.
Strange how one vehicle can simultaneously be the most fun/most frustrating thing ever.
Highlights were ploughing through the snow whilst others were on the verge of getting stranded.
Lowlights were many. The windscreen wiper shearing off its spindle in said snow, and the gearbox lunching itself 48 hours before I was due to punt it back to the trade stand out.
I’ve discovered that the best things in life, just like my wife, are not perfect, but totally unique.Originally Posted by j0hnbarker
Had one for a year. A 300Tdi.
Strange how one vehicle can simultaneously be the most fun/most frustrating thing ever.
Highlights were ploughing through the snow whilst others were on the verge of getting stranded.
Lowlights were many. The windscreen wiper shearing off its spindle in said snow, and the gearbox lunching itself 48 hours before I was due to punt it back to the trade stand out.
Love the look of them but they’re pretty hateful to drive. I’ve owned my 2013 Defender for 5 years and the longest I’ve ever kept a vehicle and average 600 miles a year in it. Mine is quite rare in Barolo (red) black and I sent it to JE engineering for their 183bhp remap among other upgrades.
Currently on the lookout for a 2a or 3 wrag top like yours above for summer motoring to join the fleet.
Untitled by Alex L, on Flickr
Untitled by Alex L, on Flickr
That plate is brilliant Alex!
Hah, oh yes, didn't see that before. :-)
Not going to share my 1954 series 1 86" until I have done some more to get her back on the road. I fear it will take some time.......
You bloody tease!
Love them, have had 3 so far. This is the current one.
It works quite hard during the shooting season.
Thanks, it was between that and RU57 NOW
Here's a Q&D I just took of mine:
Similar story to the OP, I had friends when I was a kid who had on old Series 1 and I loved it, then worked at a farm when I was 16 and as I knew how to drive was allowed sometimes o drive the owner's LR around the farm.
So it's always been there that I wanted one.
Much to my wife's disgust last year I bought this one, it was cheap (and they always your first Defender is your worst!) but mainly because it has been a cat D write off, also to be fair it is a bit of a grot box and has been messed about with... e.g. been repainted twice etc. Currently wearing raptor grey paint which suits it, luckily the previous owner took extensive photos of it stripped of its previous yellow colour and without the checker plate etc and it is surprisingly rust free, chassis is solid so fingers crossed it's ok.
Driving experience.
Well compared to anything vaguely modern it's horrendous.
At 60 mph it basically sounds like it is going to explode, the clutch is unbelievably heavy, it is noisy, as rattly AF, draughty etc. etc. Gearbox is ludicrously short. Ergonomics are a catastrophe.
There are a few oddities of mine. The steering is very good, steers straight and actually turns in quite nicely (I actually wonder if there's something wrong with it as most people say the exact opposite!). The heater works well. Brakes are strong. Generally it drives nicely. And it doesn't leak (much!).
Things wrong with - not too much, the temp gauge light doesn't work, the wipers are a bit erratic at times and the shift from fifth to fourth is a bit stubborn at times which is a common bias plate issue but it's quite driveable so we'll live with it.
Only thing that has gone wrong was the starter solenoid started to play up so would take a few turns of the key to engage sometimes. sorted with £15 aftermarket kit.
I love his car. Every journey is an adventure that makes you smile. Funnily enough, this, and the Honda Fireblade I own of the same vintage get the most comments of any vehicles I have ever owned!
I used to drive them at work, each station in the Brigade had one as a PCV (Personnel Carrying Vehicle). They were also used on the fireground for transporting men and equipment to remote locations on the fells and moors when heath fires were on the go. Before they went on the run we had a very fun course on a motorbike scrambling race course with the Brigade driving instructor who'd been to Landrover for training on the vehicles. Driven properly it was amazing how they seemed to defy gravity going both up and down.
F.T.F.A.
I acquired Olive in January last year following much advice from FFF. Aintree Green & with just 7800 miles on the clock. I've subsequently added another 7k. She's an absolute joy to drive & own. I don't see myself ever parting from her.
Last edited by trident-7; 4th May 2022 at 21:36.
Not meaning to tease, but here is Dingo before the old dog started getting dis-assembled
She's quite pre-Defender.....
She now has the appropriate Age-related plate (interestingly, they now issue NNNLLL, not LLLNNN plates for this age), and is in a lot more pieces than this photo might indicate......
Lovely!Not meaning to tease, but here is Dingo before the old dog started getting dis-assembled
She's quite pre-Defender.....
She now has the appropriate Age-related plate (interestingly, they now issue NNNLLL, not LLLNNN plates for this age), and is in a lot more pieces than this photo might indicate......
Lovely!
We need a separate thread on this, clearly......
When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........
Wish I’d kept this one
I've still got mine
Despite all the negativities with these Defender, one day I will pull the trigger, just so I can experience first hand what all the fuss is about.
Don’t get me wrong, I see the appeal but I just can’t justify owning one right now. Usual excuses for me, don’t have the money, don’t have the space, don’t want the wife to drive it….
I love them and so does my lad, who has his heart set on one when he passes his test either than or a Mondeo odd choices for a 19 year old, my daughter is an LR fan as well, so one day I’ll manage to wear the wife down enough to say yes.
My mates got a series 2a that’s been sat unloved for a couple of years now, I keep asking him if he would sell it but the answers always no.
Not meaning to tease, but here is Dingo before the old dog started getting dis-assembled
She's quite pre-Defender.....
She now has the appropriate Age-related plate (interestingly, they now issue NNNLLL, not LLLNNN plates for this age), and is in a lot more pieces than this photo might indicate......Gorgeous Sweets and as Chris suggested, worthy of its own progress thread indeed!
Might well try and do a thread. I am freeing up some more time to do this project now, and am brushing up on a few skills, lke my TIG welding, as some of the panels got ripped and crumpled in Oz.
I intend to do it patinated, with no repaint on the body, but a total repaint on the chassis and the bulkhead (which may get some rustpaint to blend it in, I am undecided).
The concept is to make it a genuine user, so will not concentrate on period details, but functionality. So I will not spend hours and hours trying to source original wiper motors, for instance, at £300 or so, but buy modern boat equivalents at £20. The engine is original, and I intend to keep it, but I am toying with a small supercharger to boost the ridiculously modest 50hp these 2 litre siamese bore petrol engines generated.
I shall do as much of it as I can, but will use specialists for things like the gearbox rebuild.
D
A couple from my library of jobs done over the past few years. The first being an original Camel trophy which was in storage for 7 odd years. We had to prep it ready for a trip long trip to eventually end up in Morocco.
The second was a 110 that our customer wanted to look like the Bond car. We had to fit a full external roll cage which was quite horrific and the huge tyres. He hadn’t quite thought about it and it resulted in having to have his garage roof extended about foot to accommodate it.
The last pic is a rare 6x6 model which had awful heating caused by various blockages in the cooling system…all good fun!!
FFF
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That camel car is ace.
A vehicle that has always been on the bucket list, but I've never been brave enough to commit to one!
I substituted it with a run out L322 Westminster Range Rover and I think that certainly fulfils the JLR ownership experience of highs and lows!
I've probably mentioned this before, but the Camel reminds me of a set of expedition-prepared Defenders that were set up for some sort of overland mission that never happened. What was unusual is that they had a metallic gold paint finish (more gold-tinted than the Camel colour) and actually looked fantastic.
I think they were sold off to collectors.
I only saw one in the metal once when I happened to see one driving by in London.
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