Defender rebuild - leave galvanised or paint?

[MoreWellie]

Unfortunately whether it is a car, house, shed or shop the scrotes will know an easy and quick way into it and there is very little that is truly secure including bank vaults

 

[Rannsachair]

Well managed to start some work on the Defender today, hopefully to make it easier to drive.

Smaller Moto Lita Steering wheel fitted also fitted a new Rev counter:

Took me ages as my walking is still not great but managed to drive the Defender up and down my drive to centralise the steering. The indicator cancel ring is a bit awkward to swap until I thought pressing it onto a tapered socket to open it up and make it easier to fit the new boss.

All the wiring for the rev counter soldered in with heat shrink over the joins.

Next job quickshift gearbox kit and lighter clutch spring kit:

I also bought a set of standard plastic gear and low range gearbox knobs as the original leather ones are coming apart and silly expensive. Under £10 delivered for Bearmach ones.

Made a start, will get back to it tomorrow, first day walking and am really slow and its an effort climbing in and out the Defender.

Hopefully this will all make it easier to drive when I get permission from the doc that I am fit enough. To be continued....

 

[tom2207]

Do the scroats look at the chassis before relieving you of your property?

just the doors is the fave trick at the moment.

 

[pedrobedro]

just the doors is the fave trick at the moment.

I heard there are only two spare sets of doors in the country and they just keep going round and round from one to the next

 

[Rannsachair]

Back to the quickshift kit: new selector bush and alloy spacer plated fitted:

New alloy selector turret:

New longer selector mechanism fitted and selector bias springs adjusted:

All together with a new set of plastic gear knobs replacing the worn leather ones, I may change them in the future but will do for now:

Just my lighter clutch spring to fit, will leave that til I have a bit more strength back. Will get the wife to do a test drive tonight with the sllickshift and smaller steering wheel - should make driving a little easier once I am allowed to.

 

[owas]

Back to the quickshift kit: new selector bush and alloy spacer plated fitted:

New alloy selector turret:

New longer selector mechanism fitted and selector bias springs adjusted:

All together with a new set of plastic gear knobs replacing the worn leather ones, I may change them in the future but will do for now:

Just my lighter clutch spring to fit, will leave that til I have a bit more strength back. Will get the wife to do a test drive tonight with the sllickshift and smaller steering wheel - should make driving a little easier once I am allowed to.

Ive got one too, almost car like gear changes afterwards

 

[addjunkie]

Ive got one too, almost car like gear changes afterwards

What sort of money is this widget?

 

[Rannsachair]

What sort of money is this widget?

https://www.onlinegearboxparts.com/product/defender-lt77-slickshift/

 

[Rannsachair]

That's the £100 heated leather RX8 seats fitted to the Landy, makes it almost comfortable

 

[fizzy]

https://www.onlinegearboxparts.com/product/defender-lt77-slickshift/

Pretty reasonable.
Might consider it on my old Disco.
My V8 110 had an LT85 box. No need for a slickshift. Leave it in 4th the V8 would pull away any speed like driving an auto!

 

[Tinbasherdan]

That's the £100 heated leather RX8 seats fitted to the Landy, makes it almost comfortable
View attachment 303086
View attachment 303087View attachment 303088

I’ve a pair to go in mine

 

[sako243]

That's the £100 heated leather RX8 seats fitted to the Landy, makes it almost comfortable

Pah for £100 I landed a complete set of 2004MY L322 (all 5) and with a little fabrication (for the rear ones) got them all fitted. Actually find it more comfortable than my 2011 4.4TDV8 L322. Just need to get around to putting the V8 into it to make it go like the TDV8

Usual occupants approve

 

[Bobupndown]

Pah for £100 I landed a complete set of 2004MY L322 (all 5) and with a little fabrication (for the rear ones) got them all fitted. Actually find it more comfortable than my 2011 4.4TDV8 L322. Just need to get around to putting the V8 into it to make it go like the TDV8
View attachment 303104
Usual occupants approve
View attachment 303103

What's the leg room like with the L322 seats?

 

[sako243]

What's the leg room like with the L322 seats?

Way better than a standard seat - you have absolutely no hope of fitting them with a bulkhead behind them though.

The thing to bear in mind is that they're designed for a flat floor - the Defender seat box isn't. When I first fitted them to the standard box I removed the bracket and motor associated with lifting the front of the seat squab to drop the front down enough. The seats are about 8" tall compared to the standard ~2" for the seat squab. I'm 5'8" so not tall but if someone has short legs they wouldn't reach the pedals.

Since then I've built a new seat box and basically made the top panel horizontal from the rear so dropped the front by about 1.5" and that has utterly transformed the seats. The squab motor has been reinstated and most people can now put their feet on the floor. It's also given me side access to the batteries and under seat storage on the driver side. The seats are also mounted slightly inboard by about 1/2-1" which gives access to the electric adjustment controls and you quickly get used to the pedals being very slightly offset.

There's an arm rest built in so way more comfortable than relying on a cubby box.

 

[Bobupndown]

Great upgrade all round then

 

[Rannsachair]

Defender got treated to a snow foam today, the pressure washer I got for my wife for her Christmas 3 years ago has been a big success

she was less happy getting photographed...

 

[Bobupndown]

Presumably yours was more of a supervisory role?

 

[slim_boy_fat]

When your current stuff runs out Tom, treat her to this......

CLICKY

 

[lexi]

Did the snow foam work in pulling the dirt off without getting up on roof and sponging?
You are pushing the mono block down with truck I see .............inevitable I suppose.

 

[Rannsachair]

Did the snow foam work in pulling the dirt off without getting up on roof and sponging?
You are pushing the mono block down with truck I see .............inevitable I suppose.

Not really, the snow foam just loosens road grime and removes the worst dirt before hand washing.

The dips in my monoblock was from a delivery driver reversing a loaded truck down the drive when delivering an oak dining table (no, he never asked if it would be ok...)