nicks90

I used to get grief from the vegetablist's driving my diesel 90 about - but now I drive an Audi a6 2.7 twin turbo petrol, tuned to 320bhp and getting about 20mpg........not a whisper. Its bigger, thirstier and utterly lunatic - but somehow I am now socially acceptable.

So what simple diesels exist that are about 200bhp, 350ft/lbs torque, rev to 5k and are 4 cylinders / compact 5 cylinders? Either mechanical or standalone ecu to make it moderately simple...

And axles.... the list gets long and very expensive.

If I had 24k to spend and a new defender is too 'basic', its simple...I'd buy a yota twin cab! But then a 24k motor isn't just a Off road toy is it!!!!! And no matter what you do a defender is ALWAYS basic inside. If it was for Off road, then what the hell is he moaning about interiors for??????? Even then I'd probably buy 10k of merc g wagon and some choice goodies instead of a new defender.

You're right about the d35 being troopers! They should be weaker than a LR axle, but they take massive abuse without complaint, partly due to the shaft's having incredible flex and the diff being so much more rigid. I'd love a d44 rear / front d35 combo from a grand Cherokee with the quadratrak2 LSD's in them under mydefender, would be awesome with superb turning circle. (My GC will out turn my 90, even though its 20" longer and has big wheels) Them d44's you have will be killer under your series.

with such a large free flow oil cooler - how will that affect your oil pressure, especially at engine start?

That homemade axle looks like it weighs more than the moon and has more mud traps than a discovery - and almost as ugly. Good concept though.

He didn't say he wanted bigger tyres... Just bigger 18" wheels. Personally I think 18" disco 2 alloys are nice and if fitted to a defender (adaptors needed) fill the arches nicely due to the adaptors acting like spacers. Some BG a/t to wrap around them and it'll be mint! Also, if you want more POWAAAR... A stage 3 map and upgraded intercooler will be the ticket and a turbo boost box thingy. Leave your exhaust and induction system as it is, you've already done what's needed. Use standard springs unless you want a lift for the "look at me" effect, but it certainly wouldn't hurt to upgrade the shocks. Don't buy cheap gas shocks, they are no better than std Landover items. Bilstein, fox, etc so factor in £90+ per corner or stick with sine new standard ones. New genuine rubber bushes will also improve the handling if they are getting on a bit

if having no mechanical link between the steering wheel and road wheels was against the law, or C&U - then how did citroen get a licence to sell the Citroen SM back in the 70s? that uses a purely hydraulic system with return to centre being controlled by a speed sensitive seperate hydro tank 'fighting' the steering hydraulics.

absolutely! It may not heal the UK deficit, but I would imagine this competition will result in some significant international sales of the GP winches.

I had always assumed that the police have almost nothing to do with rights of way decisions within the national park, though one assumes they can make suggestions or requests to the NPA the same as anyone else. I understand that it is the job of the NPA to make rights of way policy decisions. Am I wrong in this belief? you are right - however the police will have to enforce any restrictions put in place by the NPA.

i'm all for public demonstrations and definitely all for trying to prevent greenlane closures. but I fail to see how a line of 50 dirty stinking landrovers leaking oil and blowing blue smoke, driving about the countryside at slow speed irritating the bajeeeesus out of evey other road user who actually needs to go somewhere, is actually going to improve our image or help our cause. People who will not be impressed with a 'go slow protest' ---- 1) general public stuck behind the queue 2) council decision makers who then have to deal with complaining public 3) police who may have to get involved/inconvenienced in ensuring the protest goes off safely. To get anywhere with lane closures we need all 3 of those groups on our side. Annoying the cr*p out of them is an unusual tactic for sure.

Wouldn't it be easier to flat the panels and apply a metal finish vinyl wrap to it?

FLI speakers are fairly good mid range speakers. A set if small ones to replace the original landrover ones, some tweeters on top of the dash and some 6x9 in the back will make something half decent. If you can stretch to a 4 channel amp to power them - even better. As for head units - as long as it has amp-out, 3.5mm aux in and mosfet power - it will be fine. Unless you spend ALOT, most of you hard earned is wasted on 'features' and pointless goodies, like flashy pop out displays etc

Thanks for all your help. Next job is to get some rough measurements of the arb and start trawling scrappies for something thicker and roughly the right size. So second question... The arb links are currently perfectly vertical, do they have to be like this or is some lateral variation allowed?