Brian

I was startled to read about this, but glad you are well and on the mend. Best wishes.

Geoff, my comment wasn't too serious. I also get about 18-19 mpg on motorway runs really, but overall, the thirstiest new Defender is still like an economy car compared to my Range Rover, in the same conditions. I get only about 12 - 13 mpg around town. 🙂

Nevertheless, if I could get that level of economy, even on motorway cruising, in my 1990 Range Rover 3.9 I would be delighted.

The best and easiest place to start will be with a company specialising in vehicle registrations. I use Qnomore and have done for the last decade or so, for renewing annual vehicle licence and change of ownerships. Their fees are reasonable and certainly worth paying to avoid standing in a queue at the traffic dept. https://qnomore.co.za/ The police clearance certificate is required for a vehicle exported from the SACU countries and is required at the port of entry into whichever country the vehicle enters when exiting the SACU area. It is therefore not something that is used when exiting South Africa necessarily. It is not needed, for example to cross into Botswana, Namibia or Swaziland, whether for tourism or export, nor will it be asked for to exit South Africa. After traversing those countries, e.g. through Botswana and crossing into Zimbabwe, you will need a temporary import permit on the Zimbabwe side for tourism or the clearance certificate from the SA police if exporting to that country. In fact, customs officials in countries bordering SACU countries have been illegally demanding a clearance certificate from South African tourists, even when visiting on a temporary import permit as issued at the border for tourism. This is an opportunity for some "pocket money" to get around the immediate need to continue the journey. I have not heard of anyone having any issues with a clearance certificate when exiting South Africa, although it will likely be required if presenting export documents to be stamped or retained. Since you intend driving, you will be well advised to obtain the police clearance certificate anyway. It avoids the corruption when leaving the SACU area and you will have it with you on arrival in UK anyway. I would ask Qnomore if they can handle the export documentation to be forwarded to you in UK after you have driven out of South Africa and continue the journey entirely on the South African registration documents. The border crossings might just be a bit easier.

Remember to get a police clearance certificate, in addition to all the other formal registration documents. You'll need it at UK customs. Get it from the nearest police station in SA. Only needed for exporting the vehicle.

Here's a bit more film from the Namibia trip, still embargoed until the 25th so you won't see a lot more yet. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vH_lurlahcE&feature=youtu.be

😉

Some have beeen saying "they should at least go open source on the computers". Well, JLR did that in 2012, I remember the press release at the time and was surprised nobody else seemed to notice it, ot perhaps didn't understand. Now JLR are seen as one of the leaders in this part of the industry and participate in the working groups. Linux has emerged as the basis for all the development. There are regular adverts for more JLR Linux software specialists all the time over the last decade. Google it and see for yourselves. Here's one link I thought would be interesting : https://www.siliconrepublic.com/gear/linux-makes-a-big-bet-on-cars-of-the-future-deals-with-jaguar-land-rover-toyota-and-nissan Of course, the actual code used will always be proprietary, but the open source initiatives across the industry will, inevitably, lead to more and better third party tools. Yes, even some in blue boxes that might not work quite as well as they should.

Thank you gentlemen !

Hi, can anyone please tell me the correct paint code for this colour, as also used on the special edition that also appeared on the final one off the line year before last ? A friend in Johannesburg wants to match it to use on his IIA 109 station wagon.

Funny how that pile of **** looks just like the Nomad that went into production for a short time down. Have a look here : http://www.carmag.co.za/road_test/from-the-archives-1976-chevrolet-nomad/

Land Rover have puled out of their "supported partner" deal in Madagascar, due to low current and expected sales volumes. They now advise individual owners to contact Land Rover South Africa for assistance. Should anyone need such assistance, I would recommend Warren or Storm at Landynet to be a quicker and more dependable service from here, as they are geared up for it. You can find them with Google, or ask and I'll post details here. Clearly a Land Rover, especially a 2nd hand one, is not going to be a great choice for a dependable every day vehicle in such circumstances, although Series, Defenders and Discovery 1 & 2 are well up to the rugged use in that country. Quite frankly, the only other choice for me would be a Toyota, but you will not get an African spec commercial type Landcruiser in Europe. Only choice would be a Hiluxe DC and get the petrol engine for ease of servicing.. As said above, you'll have a better choice locally, but at higher prices.

I see you now have 10000 supporters ! Congratulations !

I remember the launch in 1970, I was just about to leave for Africa, where I've been ever since. During 1971 they started to appear on roads around Lagos and I had the opportunity to drive a few, on and off road. They all had rubber mats on the metal floors, like the SIIAs we had in our fleet. Except the mats were standard in the Range Rover :-) I didn't see one with carpets until a couple of years later.

I have tried a few in different configurations, including two tents, for 4 people. Here is my favourite mounting solution for two tents in the picture. Note that these Eezi Awn tents are the same at each end, so whilst we used the end by the ladder for entry and exit, the other end has the same zip doors and insect netting. In other words, easy access from one tent to the other, in the middle of the the roof, without danger of falling off the side, with reasonable care. It's a fair bit of weight on the roof and you notice it in the handling. OK with awareness though. It's on the limit for Land Rover's top expedition roof load.

There's a LROC technical day on radios at Torqtune tomorrow. Not related, but Anthony will be there and is always happy to talk re-mapping. He and his wife drive Land Rovers. of course. Here's details, bring a camp chair and whatever you want to eat and drink at the braai : Technical Day ORRA Radio Afternoon Date: 31 October 2015 (NOTE DATE CORRECTION) Where: TorqTune, 264 Turbit Ave, Midrand (very close to Gallagher Estate) GPS Co-ordinates: S26 00 13.7 E28 08 01.4 Time: 13:30 for 14:00 Organiser: Pieter Erasmus Bookings: Isla Blasa – admin@lroc.org.za or 0861 576272 Cost: Free Entry Topics to be covered include:  ORRA History  Licencing  Channel usage  SubTones  SWR & Antenna trimming  Radio etiquette The ORRA technical day will be in the form of a presentation inside a boardroom, afterwards we can check the SWR of member’s antennas. After all the formalities, we will have a braai, so remember to bring your meat and beverages along. Pieter Erasmus

Hi, Contact Torqtune at http://www.torqtune.co.za/ and talk to Anthony. They are at Kyalami. You don't say where you are in SA.

Hi, not a lot I'm afraid, I have found some, but more than half are either lost or in a box I haven't found yet. That was more than 40 years ago here's what I have so far : http://www.chat-africa.co.za/upload/brian/sahara173/index.htm

I have always needed a lot of range for the places I go and have had quite a few solutions to this. I have also carried some heavy loads, but never when I could avoid it. In 1973, when I did my second trans-sahara trip, I had bought a 14 year old Series II 109 station wagon for the trip and, apart from some servicing, it did need a bit extra fuel capacity. The vehicle came with factory fitted long range tanks, the standard one at the back and an extra one under the front right hand seat, as others have suggested above. Mine had a changeover tap on the front bulkhead, which also switched the fuel gauge to, theoretically, read from the tank selected on the tap. That gave us a total of 26 imp gallons, or just short of 120 litres. Not bad, but not good enough for the route we intended, which was bad or non existent road, with resultant high consumption, for 900 miles/1440 kms. We took an easier route in the end, due to other factors, (red tape), but still did one stretch close to that mileage. Not too many fuel stations in the Sahara, once you are away from the coastal bits. The solution was jerrycans, of course and more than you are planning ! However, I drew a rough plan out on some paper (not quite the back of a fag packet, but close enough) and had a local aluminium expert make up a couple of jerrycan panniers for us, from 6mm square aluminium tubing, all welded. Each had apertures exactly sized for standard jerrycans, with a bar across the top that could be padlocked to prevent casual loss of fuel and/or jerrycans. We saw that we could arrange to have three jerrycans on the left rear of the Land Rover and two on the right. The latter having the fuel filler for the rear tank in the way, of course. Here a couple of pictures from that trip, illustrating the finished articles, which were simply bolted onto the vehicle sides. left side : Right side : Tropic of Cancer : I hope you find this of interest, at least and maybe even help !

Thanks Western, I knew you'd come up with an answer. The last two look likely, as they advertise genuine parts as well as the pattern parts. Already tried the pattern parts and even Bearmach doesn't suit, I want the genuine LR parts, even at the higher cost !

Who knows where I can source these springs ? 572315

Thanks Ian, it's always interesting to get more info on something I have been interested in for a time. Especially as it was the first type I had come across as an alternative to a full manually locking type. I do remember a bit of a reputation on their long term reliability, so must have been, as you say, the T1.

Working entirely from memory now, as I do not have any documentation or articles to hand, I do remember an article in Autocar somewhere around 1971 featuring the Torsen differential. It was developed by an engineering company in Devon, specifically for Land Rovers and the article featured an off road test of a Series IIA fitted with Torsens front and rear. It was very impressive. Sold as an aftermarket odd on, only for Land Rovers, at that time. GKN later bought up the rights and, from then on, it was only supplied as an OEM licence to manufacture. One of the Range Rovers, I think the early L322, featured a Torsen centre (or was it rear ?) diff, as standard fit for a while too. Electronic control superseded that though. Just thought this may be interesting extra info, although it is based on memory, so may possibly be inaccurate in details.

It's not the cost so much as the legal fiery hoops. It's illegal to import a vehicle not approved by the manufacturer, due to some protection of their local market, but also due to real difficulties in sourcing non-standard parts for servicing and repair. The insurance companies back them up for the same reasons and are unwilling to insure anything that does not appear on the register of vehicles supplied through regular sources. There are exceptions and personal imports are allowed, for new immigrants, or returning residents, provided they can prove they have owned the vehicle for at least two years prior to import. They cannot sell them for at least two years after import either. Insurance is, again, very difficult to get, even for something that is the same spec as a locally made or supplied one. Show cars, or cars intended only for motorsport or other uses where the vehicle will not be driven on public roads are OK too. But they will never be allowed to be registered. Rally cars and collectors items can also be allowed, but you might be in for a couple of years of documentation and fiery hoops before getting approval for something very desirable that can be proved to be otherwise unobtainable via normal channels. Plus, of course, finding insurance once successful is still a problem. It can be done, but not casually, just because you can find a good price in the UK. 2nd hand spares are also fine, for anything. It is easier in many other African countries though, as they do not have the manufacturing base. Imports from Japan are popular, due to their savage scrapping laws for older vehicles. You can buy a good LHD Disco, three years old, with low mileage and a startlingly good price in Swaziland, Mozambique, Botswana, Lesotho and most of East Africa. As long as it stays registered there Engines and gearboxes, also very low mileage, from a large variety of scrapped Japanese cars, at excellent prices, are allowed all over, even in South Africa. Lexus V8s are popular here for conversions.

It doesn't matter if you ship it here or drive it here. The chances of being able to register it locally and drive it legally are very small, with few exceptions. It's more likely to end up seized and crushed. Relative values are about right, but, if you can't actually sell it to anyone legally (probably), there's not a lot of point.