ThreePointFive

I made this exact comparison when I fitted a set to my 90. I can only imagine what 4 Merlins sound like up close.

Having had a good look around it, it was the quality of the work on fitting it out and the thought that had gone into creating the kind of accommodation you'd actually want to live in. This isn't a choice between practical seating or a decent bed. For example, unlike some layouts you don't have to sit on your bed during the day or move a ton of stuff to get at storage. You have a proper sofa when you want it and accessible storage in the units that don't get blocked by the bed in sleeper configuration, so you have to get out to find your clean pants in the morning. Or something. Sounds like I'm giving it a sales pitch but I was really impressed with this car and what Paul has done to it.

Sadly my first thought.

The golden rule is that we always want to see videos or photos, please do post up!

Don't know how I didn't see this but I did something similar to yours. In the end, trying to do it the "right way" would have been over complicated and probably expensive. It'll be just as solid how you've done it.

This is beyond engineering at this point and into somewhere between artistry and witchcraft. It's a real joy to see. I'm interested in what your consumables rate is like. Given I can burn out a drill bit if I so much as give them a stern look, how many do you get through in a month? How many flap wheels/grinding disks/saw blades/etc do you use? I think you should set up a Binky-esque Patreon, I would pay a quid a month to help fund this.

That's half the forum then...

edit: no, I can't

I stand corrected.... I didn't know they did a facia for the 2003MY dash, that looks very neat.

That's the 2003MY Defender dash console, it's what the Mud console is based on but is a bit more involved to fit (and a lot more expensive) as it involves a complete dash change.

I don't know if it helps at all, but those are all the exact brackets (visually at least) as on my 1988 V8 wth LT85.

Yeah there was a lot of that going around... I was interested to see how a low volume manufacturer was going to be undercut by an even lower volume, even more niche one.

On one of the Defender polisher forums there's a lot of fuss about Dinitrol but the overwhelming consensus is that you have to kill the rust first with a converter (Bilt Hamber do an excellent one) and only then should Dinitrol be applied.

Thanks for the reminder this existed, a quick google confirms the same old tricks, very entertaining.

Ah, a bit like:

No need to apologise, we have different vehilcles and it was the best looking option of the lot! I'll look at the strap around those points, or I might just get a sturdy piece of wood and put it across the wings.

Just to close this one off, I bought the one in Mike's post: I did find that it is a bit low for the main gearbox but perfect for the transfer case. It comes with some screw-adjustable seats that were very useful for taking up the asymetric shape of the transfer case. Getting the boxes out would have been incredibly difficult without taking out the transmission tunnel, so wouldn't recommend trying. Especially as the gearboxes when split aren't all that heavy and can be lifted/manouvered around from the top side. I'm not looking forward to trying to get the boxes back in with this lift as it will be about a half foot too low, but I have a block of wood I'm going to sit it on to assist. Oh, and I couldn't see it mentioned anywhere but the engine needs to be supported, as you take the gearbox out it will try to fall out the rear. That also complicates things if you have the vehicle jacked up and don't have anything tall enough to support it, like an axle stand. Not sure why that's not mentioned more often as it would have been very tricky if I'd discovered that mid-lift. Hope that helps someone.

What's that dark green cap looking thing sticking out of the rear bash plate?

So I wasn't going to mention this, but the biggest "insult to injury" is the £140 option to add a union flag. Shouldn't that be a French or German flag? Smacks a bit like putting those union flag mirror caps or rear lights on a new mini, but at least those were made here. These have no connection to the UK apart from the money behind it. I really don't hate this car and if anything my position has softened since finally getting transparency over the pricing that I suspected all along and reading they are supporting home maintenance, etc. But let's not pretend it's something it's not.

The dog must get hot in that cage.

I like the spec you're trying to build, very 1989 Land Rover retro-modern. That's where these should be good if they are true to the original design ethos. I built the one I'd want (my 90 but with 5 seats) and came out at £62k.

Yeah but no one can see it there Ralph, and we all know off roading is 90% appearing to be ready to go off road.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/363810489057?hash=item54b4cb82e1:g:3WMAAOSw4NxiYVrj I've never seen speakers on the transmission tunnel before... I can't work out if this is genius or not.

This for me is the real irony, we hate being lumped in as a group because we're all individuals that happen to drive similar vehicles, and as a group 4x4 drivers are hated for arrogant/bullying behaviour, annoying ramblers and general crimes against the climate. Yet the moment we see someone on a bike, they stop being an individual and become a fully-signed up part of some bigger organised effort to purely annoy motorists. Doesn't really follow, does it. There are bad cyclists, there are just as many good ones too. Approaching everyone as though they are 'the problem' leads to good people getting hurt that were never the type of person we took issue with in the first place. It's disturbing what mankind will do to people once they're lumped together and stop having an individual identity.

Any word on what the repair is? Seems I am now in need...