Reply With QuoteWish my next project looked like that… this came this morning as well
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Have always liked them …. Just seen these on the M6
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Wish my next project looked like that… this came this morning as well
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I really dislike them; my (late) dad had an old one in the 80's, when I was growing up - he spent the majority of his spare time (and probably money) restoring it to a fairly high standard. Even then it was a pile of crap - noisy, uncomfortable, cramped and unreliable. I resented it as a kid and have never got over that - so have always had a negative view of them since. And I think it actually spurred my fondness for Toyota Landcruisers.
It was a LWB but like the (SWB) ones above with the headlights above the radiator grill, rather than the outer wings. I recall well the massive 3 spoke steering wheel, with 3 thin SS wires making up each "spoke" - it had almost 180 degrees of play - as a child I often sat in the driving seat and "drove" it, while my dad tinkered with something or the other.
Last edited by vagabond; 23rd June 2023 at 12:09.
Can't see a LWB, but you're describing a series II(A)Originally Posted by vagabond
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
My error - meant to say similar to the (SWB) ones above but a LWB version.
My first LR was a 109” 2a. Thankfully a petrol one as it had marginally more go than a diesel of that era, albeit with a thirst to match. Ridiculously heavy clutch and non-assisted steering. I’m old enough to have had to learn to double-declutch which was necessary in that car.
I loved it and although I’ve had more modern Defenders since then I’d have another Series LR like a shot.
We all like what we like. Quirks and all.
I've written about this before but I'd love to be reunited with my Dad's Series III Carawagon. I'd even sell my Monte Carlo blue Defender 90 to get it. And maybe a kidney.
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Bag of trouble buying old ones, my brother has had three of them and were nothing but bills and problems.
Just to clarify…. I like them for their quirkiness, ability, longevity and Britishness. Have driven a few and their off road ability is astounding BUT I do not like them in terms of wanting to own, regularly drive or pay the bills on them. Thankfully I have reached an age where a subscription to Classic Car scratches the itch.
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I love 'em, many years ago I owned one like the first of those pictured, an 86" series 1. Agricultural but fun, it was never a show pony just a functional vehicle.
I have an 86", in process of restoration (by me, so taking ages). Mine was re-imported back from Aus, and is almost totally rust free on the chassis, except a small patch underneath the battery tray, probably thanks to a leaky battery.
I love 'em, we've always had Landys, my dad, at 87, still drives his 200 Tdi Defender (a '91, I think, which by contrast needed a whole new galvanised chassis it was so rotten).
Here is mine prior to taking to bits
Don’t see the appeal at all unless you are a farmer or similar. Can’t think of a worse family car to go on a trip in.
A man after my own heart! I cannot bloody stand them. Used to service and repair them and also undertake body repairs in them.
A number of local farmers had them unsurprisingly and they'd be in weekly with one thing or another. One of the farmers swapped to Toyota and we rarely saw him other than for a natter. He switched about 60% of the local farming community to them, not good in some respects but we still got the body repairs.
I have never understood the attraction, loathsome, unreliable, poorly designed, cramped..... I could go on but know the "rose tinted glasses" wearing crowd can't get enough of them.
Bloody awful and should be left well alone ;-)
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Funnily enough, I believe and understand all of these points, but still want one hahah.
Don't do it!!! My mate bought one years ago, made it all 'Lara Croft - tomb raider' bad ass looking. He then used it one very bleak December in 2008 when the UK was being hammered with snow. Went from Lancaster to Milton Keynes and back, whilst initially he was very much impressed with the Landy it became apparent on the way down that it was not going to be as comfortable a journey as he'd hoped. Factor in appalling weather, useless interior heater, cars around him getting stuck and the fact that he ended up wearing as much clothing as possible to stay warm and the wipers getting frozen solid and barely clearing the screen.
I can't post exactly what he said but there were a LOT of swear words that I cannot used in the G&D and he's not prone to being super sweary. On that basis I concluded that my hatred for Landrovers was well founded, especially given that my least sweary friend had called it names that would make a pimp blush.
Unless you have very deep pockets or are very handy with a spanner then I'd run in the opposite direction!
They’re very charming when you’re behind the wheel. Every trip is like a Top Gear Special. My daughter cried sore when I sold mine
I don’t have a garage now so it was my first and last
I wanted to buy one around ‘07. My wife warned me and told me that only a 4x4 with ‘Land Cruiser’ on the bonnet would receive her blessing.
She talked from experience after 7 yrs working in Asia (including Afghanistan) for NGO’s and the UN.
The famous Top Gear HiLux episode ended in our house with a simple “I told you so.”
In the workshop, where most clients bring in Jaguars, the number LandRovers that come in, is low. Only one (!) customer has a TD5 90 with nearly 500K kms on the clock. Basically, the engine is the only part of the car that still works properly.
I also have a number of vintage motorcycles but I wouldn't use them daily as like the Land Rover they are an anachronism. However, I absolutely love them to ride and love the look of them despite all their foibles. It's part of the attraction for me!
Landies are 100% about the looks and perceived image, and for that I love them, and I'd love to have one again (had a very early 110 in the 1990s).
However, Reality is I drive a Hilux.
They can be great vehicles - provided you scratch-build them from the ground-up yourself, starting with a galvanised chassis and (if anyone makes one) bulkhead, and proceeding with top-quality, fit-for-purpose components from appropriate specialist suppliers - exactly like Rover, BL and their successors absolutely didn't...
Think of them as an adult's Meccano set - i.e. do everything yourself and use if only for play - and you'll be in the right mindset
Wow, so many haters of our beloved Landy. So lets try to redress the balance a bit.
You've guessed it, I have one.
Peggy is a 1986 Ninety and I've had her since she was 8yrs old - so thats 30 years next year.
She has outlasted 1 wife, 5 houses and I don't want to remember how many jobs.
Yes she is a big boys meccano kit, yes she is slow(ish), yes she is noisy and leaks - water in and oil out - but you know to expect all that when you buy a Defender (I can't speak for other LR products because I've only owned the Ninety from their stable)
I retire this August and the month is allocated to getting her back on the road after my TVR took my time and garage space.
I love my Landy and it is the very very VERY LAST of my possessions I will ever part with.
Ask my wife (who I love to bits by the way).
She once asked me to sell the Landy. My answer was "she was here before you. Last in, first out?"
Last edited by barreti; 23rd June 2023 at 16:24.
I remember asking my Dad why we had one as our family car (the Land Rover was bought new in 1971 then shipped to Searle in Sunbury-on-Thames for the extensive Carawagon conversion).
He said there was nothing else on the market that wasn't a full commercial that could seat six people and a dog and have room for supplies for a week's caravanning and also tow a caravan (or boat).
When fully loaded and towing it was ponderously slow and weaved all over the road. He later had a Fairey Overdrive fitted which made hardly any difference except to lower the decibel level ever so slightly.
My Mum wouldn't drive it as she was frightened of it, nor my sister who just wasn't confident in controlling it. Sadly the year before I started driving he sold it and I have found no trace of it. Which is probably for the better. What do they say about meeting your heroes...
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Date of last V5C (logbook) issued 22 April 1980
Tax expired 27 October 1986 so presumably off the road since then and not SORN...
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
Thanks for that information. One day, maybe it will appear on a YouTube barn find video.
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Always makes me smile when I see one. Beautiful to look at.
Wouldn't want the hassle or expense of owning one though....
I absolutely love mine. It’s a joy to drive & it puts a smile on my face every time I do so. I don’t intend to ever sell it.
I’ve had it for 2.5 years now & haven’t had any problems with it.
JLR
I'll take a pre-owned one with a seemingly bulletproof Buick 215-cu. in. 3.5L V-8.
I had an ex Heathrow airport 110 in bright yellow. While it was a tad underpowered with a 2.25 diesel, as well as normal duties, it happily chugged from Brighton to Florence, where my then wife's parents lived, scores of times without incident. I have extremely fond memories across the board and would have another very happily.
If I was to buy a expensive vintage British vehicle that would be expensive to run and be unreliable I would get a mk2 jag or rover p5b
It has nothing to do with practicality. It's about nostalgia, they way they look and feel. I love them and always have. In the modern context they are pretty useless as a practical proposition. FWIW I also like the Hi Lux.
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