I have always been more of a Defender person than a Discovery one. I’ve had three 110s and loved each one (still got one of them) but when non-overlanding life intervenes, a 110 is a bit of a brute for, say, giving a lift to aging parents, being genteel with girlfriend or doing large tarmac distances. A #Discovery is more amenable for these things without being much less able than a Defender. So over time I’ve owned two – the first was a P-plate Camel Disco from the 1997 event, but the need for a comprehensive restoration cost more than I could manage so I had to sell her on. However a year ago I bought this beastie, an ex-West Yorkshire Police Discovery 2, converted by Black Paw 4×4 in York to their ‘Sahara’ spec overlander.

The wagon came to me with the V8 removed in favour of a 300 Tdi turbodiesel, and with a Superwinch Husky and Mantec snorkel fitted. Added to this was a neat set of rear storage lockers, accessed from where the rear side windows used to be. A great project vehicle for a light-duty overland truck.

I’ve added some roof bars to it (lighter than a rack) and mounted a new #MyWay Evolution II Tourer roof tent up there, together with an aluminium box for bedding etc. A Mobile Storage Systems store drawer was fitted in the rear (Ebay bargain) together with a Front Runner 40 litre water tank serving a Fourby heat exchanger onboard hot water system (any idiot can have cold showers). Two Lightforce Lancer spotlights went on the bull bar, to augment the CREE LED headlights, again from #Fourby. Various new bits of Front Runner gear will be added when I’m next in the UK this summer, but Tusker (named after the Kenyan lager as well as the bull elephant of East Africa) is ready for her first trip……