Gazzar

It could be a SV, or done by Foleys - they are factory approved modifiers.

Hire a camper/RV before you spend money. I used to love the idea, but the practicalities of using one really put me off. The biggest thing I couldn't cope with is having to bring the van with you everytime you go touring. You forget some milk and you have to make everything road safe before you can go. Visiting a quiet part of Wales/Scotland/Ireland? Half the roads are too narrow! Also the damn thing has to be serviced, kept on trickle charge, kept de-humidified, MOTed. It gets to be hassle quite quick. I know that they are a pain, but even a caravan, maybe an airstream, makes more sense. G.

I agree, that could be quite bad - there's a LOT of stress on that part of a coiler chassis - it has the spring seats and all! But an experienced innovative fabricator/welder would be able to repair that as well as new. Ensure that any internal bracing is replaced when it is being repaired. Before you get that done then ensure the whole chassis is powerwashed, and percussion inspected with a screwdriver or ice axe, repair any other holes and apply waxoil diluted with 20% engine oil inside and out - black outside, if you wish. Leave to dry for a week to allow the whole lot to dry out. Also do the inside of the door frames, and inside the bulkhead frame & battery box. It should then last 5 to 10 years without further work, but inspect every second year.

If you are going the extra - I've a new galv 109 SW chassis sat in the garden.

Mountain goat vs multi purpose utility vehicle? Anyway - for my purposes the suspension is fine. What I'd prefer they'd worked on, is the ability to tow a trailer through a muddy field. Differential locking or limited slip as standard, or traction control etc. G.

That's what I thought - and sort of confirms my belief that the ethos (if there was one) in the minds of the 50's Rover engineers for the LR, was as a light utility with 50:50 on road:off road ability, rather than a true mountain goat. Of course in the 60's and 70's it all went to hell with nationalisation/unions etc, and only came back when Spen came up with the coil chassis. G.

Weren't the first LRs fitted with front shackles? I suppose the rear shackle reflects the prioritisation given to road manners over off-road ability. The Rover Cars market aspirations in the 1950's being a bit more upmarket. G.

I was thinking of the "millie" conversion - fitting a PAS box INTO the relay hole as a replacement for the relay, but I can't visualise the 101 system to see if it would work. There's a thread on the Series forum that has a few photos, it may help. G.

Could you post up a pic of the standard steering set-up? It may prompt some discussion. G.

I do like the speedi sleeve - stainless steel surface! G.

While looking at prices for series I came across this! http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/land-rover-series-2/1059059308#photo-content Each to their own!

This is definitely a worthwhile tread, it's a topic I will be investigating soon. I was looking at an IP based solution that can cope with night time, have a decent resolution (3 megapixels?) can brave the UK weather, and record to my home server. I was thinking of getting a few of these to see how that would work. G.

If you use a good grade oil, paint it black, and have the fins on the cover you should be fine. Change the oils often, ambient of 45 degrees, plus high speeds and a heavy truck will shorten the life of the oil. Post up some pics when you are done! G.

Truth is, Gareth just likes playing with his truck, like the rest of us, but needs an excuse/focus/reason to spend the money. Also, looking at his many wonderful posts, he likes things to be 'ing tough. Really strong, unbreakable, the best. And that's no bad thing. G. PS, I still think an oil cooler for the diff is a good idea.

Well, I've never been to Africa, but here in England we have wild boar, dogs, cats, abandoned ladders on motorways, and roads that decide to slide into neighbouring lakes. We also have sink holes - which make pot holes look like a motorway (google "Motorway sink hole"), so we have our fair share of challenges, too. So we weld sewer pipe caps over our front rover diffs, and try not to reverse our salisburys into rocks. It works for us. Each to their own. We also have our roads covered in salt on an annual basis. In my home country we do actually bathe in pot holes - http://metro.co.uk/2013/01/05/man-takes-a-bath-in-irelands-biggest-pothole-3339365/ so it's not all milk and honey on this side of the equator. Are you adding an oil cooler to your diff, as you are working in the area? Or just using a performance oil?

sell it and buy a discovery v8? Buy a fresher 2286? Megasquirt? G.

I think, as is the case with most UK rules, if it isn't mainstream, then the onus is on you to prove it's okay. If you weld it, and it's steering, you need a certificate from a competent person saying it's ok. A manufacturer is considered competent, and probably has certificates of conformity for the vehicle as a whole, and so doesn't need to x ray stuff, etc. So, welding is ok, if you can show that it's up to snuff! Snaggers friends in Luton, would be the people to get in touch with if you are modifying steering stuff by welding/heat treatment. G.

It's not a td5, is it? I dimly recall there being an issue regarding the orientation of the plate on td5 - it looks right the wrong way around. G.

Looks fine to me. The defender chassis is a forgiving structure (it's not very rigid) and can easily cope with that minor dinge. I WOULD advise your mate to get the entire chassis waxoiled, though, inside and out, as it's the key to long term health of the chassis. G.

Agreed: Function over form - Defender Form over function - Evoque

Not if the steering drop arm is twisted to compensate, afterall the p38a drop arm isn't straight ahead when the wheels are in the straight ahead position anyway. What concerns me greatly about this conversion, not knocking it, just worried, is the modifications to the drop arm. Bending it, I can cope with, but welding it? How much does it cost to get that tested/ x-rayed/certified? Still, it proves that it can be done. I wonder if there was a better PAS box for the job, something with more off-side offset? And with the drop shaft at the end of the box to avoid cutting up the front panel..... When (if) I get going on my 109 vapour build I think I'll still bolt the p38a box to the outside of the chassis - but use the relay hole as part of the bracketry. May not be so neat, but it will be slightly less "non-stock".

I wonder how effective these door sliders really are? If they are used in anger wouldn't they just spread the force from the skin to the door frame, and then onto the tub/bulkhead? I'd worry that the tub would buckle! It's like bullbars, sure, they protect the lights, but in any significant impact, they may do more damage than otherwise. G.

Get it welded? G.

Well, I don't know about that, but the S1V8 was designed for the CV joints, which, I think, are bigger - so, being an even bigger cynic, I'd suggest LR ignored any reports from around the world and just built it bigger because they couldn't be bothered to do some engineering calculations. G.

Truth is: Landrovers were conceived as a UK farm mini truck. They were successful beyond imagining, but the development money never followed the sales. Even in the last few years the Defender was given cast off engines and gearboxes, all the time the focus was cheaper, not better. Shame, but it explains a lot. G.