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A Land Rover is born


PGM316

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Did anybody see this on one of the more obscure satalite channels?

About 15 episodes were the mechanics Mark and Pete turned an old Range Rover into a 100" high spec Defender offroader.

A big project, shocked me when they said it had taken 2,500 hours!!! At the often quoted garage rate of £60 that would have cost £150,000 for labour, plus maybe £20,000 of parts. Scary thought...

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I watched it all on youtube earlier in the year. I missed it first time round. Great series, usefull too sometimes. I just like the presentation style.

And Mark Evans is a Vet! Has he not got animals to look after?

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I enjoy his programmes, though the mid-show interludes interviewing other people or showing him having racing or flying lessons, depending on which series you're watching, are irritating. I find him quite enjoyable to watch, and contrary to what his detractors say, he doesn't pretend to have designed or built the entirety of any of his projects. A lot of people criticise the show for being "cheque book engineering". OK, he didn't show a lot of fabrication work and bought in a lot of components and accessories, but it's still enjoyable and gives enthusiasts plenty of ideas and inspiration. I still watch it on repeats if nothing else is on. I love the E-Type he did and his AC Cobra kit car was very cool. I didn't like his Europa aeroplane or his helicopter, though.

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I've got the DVD, its interesting how my opinion of it has changed... Always enjoyed his style, but I now pick up on his mistakes :P.

I also have the DVD and know what you mean about changing opinions ;)

One big omission as far as I recall is there is no mention about the legal side of things, considering the amount of chopping and changing he did to the chassis you would have thought he would have mentioned something. Especially as it is still registered as a Range Rover and IIRC he just had a normal MOT...... I guess changing a Range Rover into a 100" Defender isn't a radical alteration :P

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I found it all rather naff, coming as it did a few years after my own hybrid build. I expected a bit more fab and a bit less chequebook. Still, each to their own.

Mo

What he said - Mark is a lovely chap (met him at the L2B) and TBH most of the chequebook stuff was bling thrown at him for free by Scrapiron etc, so you can't really blame him. The series is fun as long as you don't consider it to be any more true to life than the Haynes Book of Lies.

Did enjoy "you can't weld Birmabright" - tell that to the welding stig, been done quite a few times with very good results! :ph34r:

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Did enjoy "you can't weld Birmabright" - tell that to the welding stig, been done quite a few times with very good results! :ph34r:

Cant weld Birmabright? I have a 3rd edition of a book by B.O.C published in November 1942 and that has a section in it about how to weld Birmabright with Oxy-Acetylene.

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No ordinary vet...chief veterinary advisor to the RSPCA.

Steve

He must be pretty smart, I was impressed with the vehicle knowledge, but animals as well. Damn.

I think there was a lot to learn watching the series, for a newbie like myself.

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Cant weld Birmabright? I have a 3rd edition of a book by B.O.C published in November 1942 and that has a section in it about how to weld Birmabright with Oxy-Acetylene.

Seen some pictures of the welding on the outer skin or Donald cambles bluebird k7... Birmabright welded with gas! Perfect welds without and finishing needed :blink:

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