So my rebuild and refit of various Land Rovers is moving along. Ben Stowe of Black Paw 4×4 in York is masterminding the whole thing with his usual expert and perfectionist eye. (www.blackpaw4x4.co.uk) The plan now regarding the Defenders I have in the UK is to have one as a potter about/daily drive/weekend camper on a 110 chassis, and one on a 130 chassis for more serious travel in remote areas.

The 110, “Nightingale”, is 80% ready. Here she is in April 2019

Never having owned a soft top before, I was looking forward to the experience. I haven’t been disappointed! Its exhilarating.

So currently the 110 has the 200 tdi engine, with a large Allisport intercooler and a Discovery transfer box to improve road mileage. The soft top is fitted over an MoD roll hoop. She has a David Bowyer bull bar, but its old and rotten and is going to be changed, and a Superwinch X9 which hasn’t been used for about 10 years so its probably oxidised junk inside by now. Lined up to replace these are a heavy duty winch bumper and a Superwinch Husky. She’s on Goodrich 235 ATs at the mo, but I have a set of 265 Goodrich MTs to replace these.

She has a second long range fuel tank from an SAS Desert Patrol vehicle – that’s the second fuel filler in the pic – and a storage drawer that goes half the length of the rear loadbay. This has a neat chequerplate top from Black Paw in York.

Exmoor Trim provided neat storage pockets for the Series-type doors

I’m designing a jerry can rack for the rear tailgate – as you can see she also has a bottle opener there 😉

Nightingale is named after the Series III 109 George Adamson was murdered in, and which stands today, restored, in the grounds of Joy Adamson’s house At Elsamere on Lake Naivasha in Kenya (which, ironically, George didn’t like, preferring the wilds)

Elsa the 130 is moving along nicely too. Ben has been busy on a custom spare wheel carrier / jerry can rack like the ones we used in Egypt – designed by my old friend Darrell. This is a Photoshop of how she will look, at least in part. Ready for her is a Warn 9.5ti winch and a set of Goodrich 285 MTs – big old boots for a big girl. At the rear of the roof will be my old faithful MyWay roof tent (on roof bars) and ahead of that a 110-size Front Runner roof rack. She’s about a foot longer than a standard 130 as Ben has extended the rear chassis to enable the fitting of the spare wheel carrier. Three drinking water tanks have been fitted internally between the axles, and we are looking at a military long range fuel tank under the seats in addition to the standard 130 tank.

More as we progress!