Winter 2000 Rovers North News

© 2000 Rovers North Inc • 1319 VT Route 128, Westford, Vermont 05494-9601, USA • 802.879.0032 • e-mail [email protected] • www. r o v e r s n o r t h . c o m

By Jeffrey B. Aronson

Age slips up to most of us, and the next thing youknow, you’re a “classic.” It may be hard to believe,but the Range Rover has now delighted automotiveenthusiasts since its unveiling 31 years ago. WhenLand Rover afficionados discuss “old Land Rovers,”they must now include Range Rovers, too. TheRange Rover has been with us in much the samemanner for three decades; even the “new” model in1994 retained many of the engineering cues of theoriginal. The original Range Rover, dubbed the“Classic,” took the Land Rover concept of“crossover vehicle” and made it more sophisticated.Whereas the Land Rover made itself into a stationwagon by adding more seats to a utility vehicle, itdidn’t fool passengers one bit. The Range Rovercombined luxury, performance, station wagon utility,and of course, off road capability, in a car thatasked little compromise from its owners.

Look at a photo of the Range Rover, the two-door of its first decade. Marvel at the high green-house, the castle corners of the hood line, the cleverblackout of the rear pillars, the bold, rectangularcreases in the flanks. Then, think back to the 70’s. Ifyou need help, turn on a television with cable andtake a gander at ’70’s programs. Remember the badclothes? Well, those same men [yes, men back then]designed automobiles. Feast your eyes on the corpu-lent auto bodies and “go-faster” stripes. If you candrive one, flex your muscles on the pinky-ringpower steering and listen to the wandering idle.Then accelerate to endless hesitation and softengines.

American 4 x 4’s included InternationalHarvester Scouts, square utility vehicles with seatsthat rusted on contact with humidity. Ford Broncosresembled telephone booths and came with 3-speeds on the steering column. Their independentfront suspensions gave them interesting rides butless capability off road, and inherently, they weretrucks. Jeep CJ’s had become bloated caricatures oftheir ancestors. The CJ-5 was entertaining but hadtoo much power for an 80” wheelbase. It couldcarry two in leaf-sprung comfort, and four peopleonly under duress. The Jeep Wagoneer had roomand size, but also such frightening steering and softsuspension that Land Rover’s North American head,

Bruce McWilliams, reported he was white-knuckleddriving one.

Indeed, so few Americans desiring a stationwagon were captivated by the poky 109” with the2.6 6-cylinder engine that Land Rover had pulledthem from the US market in 1967. Even in a patientEngland, the marketing boffins at Land Roverbegged for a new Land Rover station wagon. Comingon the heels of the very successful, very differentRover P6 [Rover 2000 in the US], Rover engineershad a freer rein to envision a differently designed,more car-like yet equally capable Land Rover.

Imagine Land Rover’s plight at the time. It had avery loyal customer base for Continued on page 4

British Invasion 2000Land Rovers InvadeThe British InvasionBy Jeffrey AronsonIt always takes place the September weekendbefore the peak foliage season, and it always sees500-600 British cars and thousands of enthusiastsin attendance. In that sense, this British Invasionresembled the previous 9 editions. The growingnumber of Land Rovers present, and the delightfulenthusiasm of their owners, have come to makeLand Rovers a central part of this annual event.

[Robert Hoyd, Pohatcong Township, NJ, remembers when “ working on cars was a necessity.” As a HumanResources manager, car maintenance is now “mostlyfor fun.” His wife Jean, and their two sons, spent considerable energy resurrecting their 1988 Range RoverClassic. Their story reads like a Christmas dream, andwill remind Series Land Rover owners of holiday fantasies -ed.]

y father always told me that if you weregoing to drive something, “you’d better understandhow it works and be able to repair it.” Little did Iknow that he’d be referring to my first-ever LandR o v e r, a 1988 Range Rover Classic.

This first Range Rover cost me $1.00. I foundthis vehicle in a barn where it had been stored forthree years! The previous owner had tired of makingrepairs, so when it would not start one day, heparked it at only 78,000 miles on the odometer.Along came a minor flood (merely axle high), squir-rels, mice and mildew, weakening his desire, abilityand fortitude to renew his Rover.

I first met the owner in an adult continuing edu-cation program in which I was learning to restore a1966 Plymouth for my son....and along came theoffer to take the Range Rover off his hands. He hadpurchased the vehicle new, absolutely loved it, andhad every record, as well as the original service man-ual (in plastic) - but he had lost heart. The only catchwas that I had to agree to restore and not part out thev e h i c l e .

First Impressions

Miracle inNew Jersey

M

Continued on page 4

Continued on page 6


[Mike Ladden, Hampden, CT, has been a leaderwithin the West Connecticut Land Rover Club.We had the chance to discuss his ambitiousproject at RoverFest 2000 and ina telephone interview -ed.]

Back in 1992, Mike Ladden spentmost of the year working and tour -ing northern Africa. “I started inMorocco, went through West Africa and CentralAfrica.” He has yearned to return for the past 8years. Beginning in February, 2001, he’ll depart

New York City and return to West Africa to leadthe Vintage Rovers Across Africa expedition.

“You get this ‘Africa fever,’ Ladden explained,“once you’ve been there. It’s the last great

unspoiled kind of culture. Asiamight be that way too, but Africaoffers so many different cultures,people, and languages all on thesame continent.” Mike alsoenthused over the incredibly varied

terrain, from dry desert to rain forest mud, andhumid, wet conditions. “The expedition will taketwo months: we leave New Land Rover polo - what a sight!

Vintage Rovers Across Africa

Continued on page 15.

Life BeginsAfter 30The Range Rover Classic

The Threaded TruthQ .I’m new to the world of Series Land Rovers andhave noticed something odd about the wheelstuds and lug nuts. I cannot see any of the lugstuds threads extending beyond the lug nut. Evenwhen the lug nuts are fully tightened, the lug studisn’t quite to the end of the lug nut. Have thewrong lug studs or nuts been installed at somepoint, or is this normal?

A .I known the lug studs and nuts look odd but whatyou have described is normal for a Series LandRover. Once tightened, there are enough matedthreads between the two to ensure sufficientstrength.

Thank you.Dave SangerhausenExt. 229

To Grease or Not toGreaseQ .I have read a lot about the new grease developedby Land Rover that is used in the swivel ballhousings on Range Rovers. I was wondering ifyou sell this grease and if I can use it in the swiv-el balls of my Series III?

A .We do sell thegrease packs, howeverwe do not recommend usingthem on Series vehicles. The swiv -el ball housings on the Series are dif-ferent from coil-sprung vehicles in that they use aswivel pin bearing and bushing that rely on slosh-ing 90w oil for proper lubrication. Also, theSeries front axles use a U-joint similar to thoseon a prop shaft, whereas the Range Rover,Defender, and Discovery use a CV joint. The CVjoint can be properly lubricated by the grease,but due to the design of the Series U-joint, a thin-ner lubricant (again sloshing 90w) is requiredfor proper lubrication.

An additional note to ponder: Whether youown a Series or coil sprung vehicle most peoplewill find water in their swivel pin housings during

routine oil changes. If you are using 90w oil,most of this water will leave the housing whenperforming the oil change. However, if grease isused. . . ?


Air on the Side ofReasonQ .I own a 1994 LWB Range Rover. As you know,this vehicle is equipped with air suspension.Although l have yet to have trouble with this sys-tem, I have been considering a coil spring con-version. Any thoughts?

A .Air suspension is a great system but can beexpensive to repair depending on the failure.Unless you live in a remote area where an airsuspension failure could be difficult to mend (thesystem, if flat, has to be recalibrated with LandRover’s scan tool called Test Book), I would notconvert a properly working system. However,Rovers North does offer a coil spring conversionkit (Part #RNK5105) if you are so inclined.


Series Safari

Q .I have been a Range Rover owner for many yearsand have always wanted a Series IIA 88”. I havefound a 1966 model for sale locally that has notbeen on the road for several years. In fact it is sit-ting behind the barn of a local farm, and theowner is asking $1,500. Since l don’t exactlyknow what to look for or what it’s worth, couldyou please provide some advice?

A .Everything boils down to completeness and cor -rosion. Assuming the vehicle runs well, is com-plete and in somewhat original condition withonly minor (no holes) corrosion in the chassis,bulkhead and footwell, the vehicle would be well

worth the $1,500 asking price. On the otherhand, if you flnd corrosion holes, major modifi-cations, and parts that appear to be missing, itwould be worth waiting for a better example tocome along.

Something I usually suggest is to look at theprices of Series Rovers on the Land RoverExchange Website (which can be accessed via alink through RoversNorth.com) or in HemmingsMotor News. Both of these sources list Rovers forsale from across the nation and you will be ableto determine the going rate for vehicles in variouscondition across the country.

Tanks But no TanksQ .I was wondering if you carry, or know where Ican get an auxiliary fuel tank for my 1994 D90?

A .We do not carry D90 auxiliary fuel tanks and donot know of anyone who does. I know this is apopular subject with Defender owners but oneonly has to remember a few years back where amajor U.S. auto and truck producer was beingsued for fuel tank/side impact problems. And, ifyou go back a little further (mid 70’s) anotherU.S. manufacturer had problems with fuel tanksand rear impacts in their new economy vehicle.Therefore, it is easy to see why, even with properresearch and development the manufacture andsale of fuel tanks is a risky liability issue.Another item to consider would be a 300Tditurbo diesel engine conversion that improves thegas mileage, thus eliminating the need for addi-tional fuel tanks. Rovers North does offer a com-plete conversion for this year Defender.

Gate DebateQ .Greetings! I own a 1989 Range Rover that is suf-fering from the typical Range Rover upper tailgatecorrosion problem. I know the upper tailgate isquite expensive and I wondered if anyone pro-duced an aluminum version?

A .While it is true that upper tailgate assemblies areexpensive, they are actually less expensive thanbuying the frame alone. Aluminum-framed uppertailgates due exist, and we experimented withthem a few years back. Do to the malleable prop-erties of the aluminum we could never get themto seal or latch properly and therefore opted notto sell them. Your best bet is to purchase a newLand Rover upper tailgate and do your best torust proof the internals prior to installation.


Ask Rovers North

Swivel PinHousingComponents,Series IIA,III

British Invasion

Snaps

Series I from Quebec, CN

Defender 110 300Tdi

“QE1” sits proudly among the Land Rovers

The Rover Polo action was fierce in first gear low range


TE C H TI P S - Series Land RoverCarburetors - WhichOne Is Right For You?

By Ed Aldrich and Dave Sangerhausen

[Rovers North’s Ed Aldrich and DaveSangerhausen have fielded many questionsconcerning the best carburetor for Series LandRovers. There’s no easy answer, but the follow -ing test drives should help you determine thebest carb for your driving conditions -ed.]

o compare the qualities of the popularcarburetor options for the Series LandRover, we chose Ed’s daily driver, a ‘60Series II 88” with 27,000 miles on a

rebuilt engine and a Rovers North NRP stainlessexhaust system. Ed kept the front hubs unlocked,and his car does not have an overdrive.

The “test track” was Ed’s daily route toRovers North, a mix of road conditions thatincludes a 1.5 miles stretch dubbed “EqualizerHill.” In addition to on-road testing, a few sidetrips were made for off-road performance evalua -tion.

The ContestantsSolexWhile many Series I, II, and II-A’s came withSolex carburetors, alas, original parts for theSolex models have become increasingly difficultto source. In original condition, it was a reliableif thirsty carb, a bit tricky to tune. We chose notto include the Solex in this test as many ownershave converted to more contemporary carbsetups. as fewer daily drivers use these originalcarburetors, we focused the on the popularreplacement models.

Zenith One-BarrelThe Zenith has been the backbone of the LandRover carburetor line-up for late II-A’s and SeriesIII’s. When clean and properly adjusted, it pro -vides sufficient power for all operations with min-imal trouble. The most common complaint fromthis unit is a poor idle/rich mixture, caused bymis-machining of the carburetor halves on newunits, or warpage on old units. Both problemscan be rectified by sanding level the carb’smachined surfaces [see last issue of Rovers North

News]; if you missed the article, we can explainthe details with a call to Rovers North.

Another problem common to the Zenith is a“sunken” float - a float that won’t float. This isdue to cracks in the float. Although we haven’tseen this much lately, it is always something tokeep in mind if your Zenith experiences a richmixture. The only cure is float replacement. Thecondition can be diagnosed by removing the floatand shaking it; if you hear fuel sloshing around,the float has a leak and will sink if reused.

In our test, the Zenith provided less sustainedpower on “Equalizer Hill” compared to theWeber two-barrel, but achieved 15 MPG on aver-age. Off-road the Zenith proved to have adequatepower but ran rich on steep climbs and 30degree side slopes.

Weber One-BarrelAlthough a bit anemic, the Weber one-barrel isan excellent replacement carburetor. Its simpledesign allows for easy adjustment, field repairs,or rebuilds. There’s very little to adjust orreplace, and the carb seems to run well in a vari-ety of conditions.

One problem we have experienced is its sus-ceptibility to contamination from rusting fueltanks or deteriorating fuel lines. The small parti-cles that develop may clog the various passages inthe carb. The short-term solution is to disassem-

ble the carb, flush it out, blow through the jets,and be on your way. This is easily accomplishedwith the carb on the car; you’ll need only a thinflat head screwdriver and ideally, a can of carbcleaner.

A second problem that has been reported isan excessively lean mixture. By design, the carbruns a bit lean and that can be accentuated byeither improper mixture adjustment or a wornthrottle shaft through the carb body.

A third issue is winter icing. Many ownersreport that they use dry gas with every tankful inthe winter to prevent serious icing. The icingaffects idling when cold far more than starting.

On our road test, the Weber one-barrelreturned an average fuel economy of 17 mpg.However, it had the most trouble on “EqualizerHill” by developing a speed loss of 13 MPH. Off-road, the Weber one-barrel had no operationaldifficulties on any grade hill or the 30 degreeside slope.

Weber 3236DGV Two-BarrelThis carb set-up requires use of a non-genuine

intake manifold that doesn’t bolt (sandwich) tothe exhaust manifold. Therefore, during the win-ter months in the northern tier, the carb experi -ences icing problems. At the other end of thespectrum, regardless of climate, we have foundthat most people (ourselves included) can neverget the mixture to lean out correctly. It’s likelyjust too much carb for the engine. This is morethan apparent on worn engines without maximumcompression. Other negatives include not beingable to use the original air cleaner assembly andexcessive exhaust fumes.

On the positive side, you may see a perfor-mance increase when installed on a fresh motor.Our test vehicle showed a daily 5-MPH speed loss(from an initial speed of 55 MPH) while travers-ing “Equalizer Hill” compared to 13 MPH withthe Weber one-barrel and 10 MPH with theZenith. Although performance was increased, fueleconomy suffered. On average the two-barrelachieved 13 MPG. Off-road the two-barrel had noproblems on 30 degree side slopes and had goodperformance on small hills. However, it did runextremely rich on large, steep hills.

Dave Sangerhausen noted that “from thestandpoint of someone who grew-up in the

Detroit area during the muscle car era, it’s beendifficult for me to get used to the lethargic ten-dencies of the 2.25L. Since, like Ed, he uses hisII-A mainly as a commuter, I prefer to run theWeber one-barrel. Even though the Weber two-barrel does indeed provide more power, it canbecome extremely frustrating to tune and main -tain.

Recommendations:We would recommend the Zenith for peoplelooking for good all-around power, and theWeber one-barrel for good on-road economy andoff-road performance. Rovers North does notsupport the Weber two-barrel, and while it makesthe car more entertaining, it presents too manyproblems for daily driving.

T

Lite Breaks- Vacuum It By Jeffrey B. Aronson

As a single guy, the notion of “vacuum” exists in,well... a vacuum. I know that somewhere in theworld of physics, the concept of vacuum hasvalidity, but so does fusion, and I can’t tell youmuch about it, either. There is a mechanicaldevice known as a “vacuum cleaner” that getsused when girlfriends and/or relatives come tovisit, but by in large, the concept of “vacuum”seemed relegated to the domestic world.

However, vacuum ceases to be an abstractionin the Land Rover world; when you turn to theengine of a Land Rover, then vacuum has a majorrole to play in smooth running and long life. Thiswas demonstrated when, during a routine main -tenance, the engine on my Series II-A idled in alumpy, slightly rough manner and hesitatedmomentarily upon acceleration. While the butt ofmany jokes, a well-maintained 2.25 engineshould really run quite smoothly - O.K., you’renot going to balance a pencil on the hood - andrev up and down as if all four cylinders are firingin the correct sequence.

When an engine does not run smoothly, thefirst impulse is to turn to the carburetor andadjust the idle and/or mixture. You can compen -sate for some problems this way, but generally,it’s like having another drink to cure a hangover.You’re just masking the problem and likelyincreasing the running time of the hangover.

Instead of reaching for a screwdriver toadjust the carb, first check that the points areclean and adjusted within specs [.14 - .16 in.].It’s worth noting when you last replaced your in-line fuel filter, and if your carb has one, whenyou last cleaned the in-carb filter [on the 1 bar-rel Weber, it’s under a brass 3/4” nut where thefuel line enters the carb].

Then, consider the following to determinewhether a vacuum leak is causing the engine torun lean; you’d be surprised what can loosen upunder the routine vibration of a Series engine.You’ll need only a 1/2” or 9/16th wrench, 1/2”socket with extension, and carb cleaner, WD-40,or similar product.

1. Carb base bolts and/or nuts to intakemanifold - the carburetor base bolts or nutscan loosen due to vibration and can take it air.Make certain they’re tight.

2. Intake manifold stud nuts on head -these easily mask their looseness due to corro-sion. Spray some penetrating oil around the boltsand studs, let it dry, and then run and warm upthe engine before tightening them in sequence.You can use a socket and rachet on the outerones, but you’ll need a 1/2” wrench for those onthe top of the manifold. Don’t forget that two onthe bottom are held in place with a wing flangeand nut, hidden from view and require the sock-et and extension. Since both the dipstick and thesteering mechanism will be in the way, be patientin maneuvering the rachet around the nut.

While you’re exploring these, see if you canfind scorch marks around the manifold studs onthe side of the head. If so, then you likely have asplit or torn intake manifold gasket. Thatrequires you to remove the intake and exhaustmanifolds, replace the gasket, and reinstall themanifolds. The task is not difficult in terms oftools or ability, but is slow yet worth the time. Ifyou ignore this, you risk burning up the intakevalves over the long haul.

3.Throttle shaft through carb body - sprayyour cleaner around the sides of the carb bodywhile the engine is running. If the engine gainsrpm while spraying, then you have a leak at thatpoint [do not spray on hot manifold!].Depending on your make of carburetor, youmight be able to replace the shaft and bushing toeliminate the air leak.

When none of these turned out to be theproblem for me, a simple replacement providedthe solution.

4. Vacuum hose from distributor and rub-ber elbow to carb body .I followed the vacuumhose from the distributor body to a rubber elbowthat plugged into a pipe near the base of myWeber carburetor. When I pulled on the elbow, Inoticed a tear otherwise hidden from view. I pur-chased a new 1/8” by 11/64” elbow at an autoparts store, plugged it in, and a normal idlereturned at once. It also eliminated the hesitationupon acceleration.

the only models it made, all based on the Series II-A. Buyers were willing to endure longish waits fortheir cars - Land Rover always seemed to sell everyRover it made - and the attitudes on the sales staffreflected that reality. Land Rover needed develop-mental funds to produce a new model, if for noother reason than models routinely changed annual -ly at that time. Yet they did not have the money tospend on short-term, let alone long-term, develop -ment. The merger with British Leyland was a mixedblessing for Land Rover; the profits Solihull madegot scarfed up trying to keep marques like Austin

and Morris afloat. On the other hand, Leyland’s ownfinancial crisis required a government bailout; onebeneficiary was Land Rover, which received the go-ahead funding to develop the Range Rover. It couldnot have come at a better time for the company.

At the ARC 50th Anniversary Celebration atEastnor Castle in 1998, I had the privilege of meet-ing Geof Miller, a Rover engineer who helped createthe Range Rover. In an interview, he reminiscedabout the development of the Range Rover.

“From 1967-1969, I found myself assigned to

Spen King on a project that was intended to providean interim replacement model, a stopgap, for theLand Rover station wagon. The sales force was push-ing for an update of that model. When the designpeople put their needs together, they determinedthat the ideal wheelbase would be 100”. So wedecided to call it the Land Rover 100” StationWagon. We played around with all kinds of names,but it was a guy in Styling who thought up ‘RangeRover.’ Some friends were skeptical. When I wasmoved to Spen King’s area for this project, therewere colleagues who said, ‘Poor Geof, he’s assigned

to a loser!”“The first Range Rover had Land Rover axles, a

Buick V-8, even Ford Bronco suspension pieces. Weproved quickly that we didn’t like the Bronco sus -pension design - the car handled like a pig, so weredesigned all of it.”

“David Bache [Rover’s chief designer] workedon the critical redesign and created its classic look.He put together a full size mockup. It took up toprototype #3 to get the look right; this was back in1968. We tested prototype #6 in Algeria in 1969,convoying with a 109 V-8 for refueling purposes.

The only real problem we raninto was when, in the AtlasMountains of Morocco, wedeveloped a hole in the petroltank. A year later, we took thecar to Switzerland for wintertesting. Just before thelaunch, we tried adding anextra rear seat to prototype#7, but it didn’t work out. Inthe end, we made 27 proto -types and 20 press cars. Theoldest one is at the BritishMotor Industry HeritageMuseum.”“Some of the sales force,particularly in Europe, weremost pessimistic. They asked

how could we sell a Land Rover for the price of twoP6’s? Peter Wilkes saw the problem and said, ‘let’ sgo do a sales tour of Europe.’ That never happened,so we created a test track instead. The sales forcereally appreciated the performance and the qualityof the ride and handling. Then theysaw the light at the end of the tun-nel.”

“But we still had some managerswho did not believe in the car. Whatwe would do is take them out on aroad and then suddenly, at speed,veer off onto a field. When theyexpected the worst, the car wouldperform beautifully. That test reallyconvinced our most skeptical man -ager, from Germany, of the car’svalue.”

The Range Rover of the ‘70’s hada “country gentleman” style outside,but still had a “successful farmer”inside the car. Look at photos of theearly interiors and you find carpetingthat Starsky and Hutch would have died for, and ashade of “windswept dung” paint on the fascia. Icould have drawn better binnacle design in studyhall. Of course, if you were used to looking downnear your knees to find out if you had oil pressure,and you did in a Series II-A, then the Range Roverinterior seemed wondrous. Or, coming out of aSeries III 109” SW into a Range Rover, you wouldhave felt as though you sat in a glass skybox at amodern sports stadium in comparison. You sat highbut not exposed, commanding a 100” wheelbasevehicle with ease, thanks to little overhang and ashort hood line.

The success of the Range Rover must have beena relief to the financially strapped Land Rover, whichproduced the same, two-door model for the next 11years. The original Range Rover had the U.S. firmlyin its sights in 1970; indeed, it was the prescientmarket research by Land Rover’s Graham Bannockthat identified the leisure 4 x 4 vehicle class of vehi-cle. However, the ever-increasing safety and emis-sion regulations, combined with a healthy world -wide demand, kept the Range Rover out of the NorthAmerican market. Those same regulations wouldend formal importation of Land Rovers in 1974.

Although specialty companies leapt in first, LandRover finally produced a 4-door model in 1982; ayear later, you could finally purchase a Range Roverwith an automatic transmission. Finally, there was aRange Rover that could consider tackling the bur-

geoning U.S. market. Fuel injection helped the 215cubic inch [3.5 L] ex-Buick engine meet U.S. emis-sion standards and in March, 1987, the Range Roverofficially returned to North America. Despite linger -ing doubts about corporate reliability (the Rover3500 and Stirling follies had preceded the RangeRover), the car quickly met sales expectations.While distinctly more luxurious than its early two-door ancestors, it still seemed a bit stark, in termsof options, compared to it American competitors.Still, the clean lines, extraordinary design and rela-tive rarity (most dealers sold every one they couldprocure) made for a quick success. And Land Roverhad learned a lesson about dealers from the earlierdebacles; it set high standards for corralling a LandRover franchise.

Americans tended to use the car as a stationwagon and highway cruiser, which brought a bored-out 3.9 engine and ABS in 1989, and anti-roll barsin 1990. Interiors became ever more luxurious andfeature-laden; while extremely comforting, in thehands of enthusiasts they could become just some-thing else to go wrong over time. In 1992, the cargrew to 108” with the addition of the LWB line, andAmerican dealers could finally sell rear seat legroom to customers. With only 1,500 - 2,000 RangeRovers imported every year, Land Rover found asteady demand for Range Rovers, as long as theygrew ever more luxurious annually. Leather interi-ors, sunroofs, special models such as the SE andAutobiography series, all enhanced the RangeRover’s image. Celebrities flocked to the car likewrestling fans today to the XFL, and the Range Roverbecame an icon of success - bolstered by a witty,understated advertising campaign.

Everyone who has driven a Range Rover, on andoff-road, attests to the perfect mating of engine, dri-vetrain and suspension. On one summer off-road

expedition in New Hampshire in the mid-1990’s, Iremember a convoy of Series Rovers and RangeRovers on a steep, narrow gully, A Series Roverheeled over gently on its side, leaning against thewall of the gully. The most sizeable men in the con-voy sat in a Range Rover Classic, chatting in air con-ditioned comfort while enjoying fine music. Deep inconversation and comfort, they were oblivious toour calls for avoirdupois. Once we knocked on thewindow, they leapt to help. The rush of cold airwhen they opened the door felt wonderful; I alsonoticed that their Rover did not get stuck all day.Comfort and capability...hmm.

The 1987 [or earlier grey market model] -1994 Range Rover Classic has settled in value to Kia-like levels; many sell for less than a Series LandRover. Many Range Rovers were second or thirdcars, so many have low mileage. Even if significantmileage is indicated, many were highway miles - thebest type for any car. High mileage scares off dealersbut not enthusiasts. A well-maintained Rover V-8 isperfectly capable of over 200,000 miles beforemajor service; in salt-free regions of the country,frames and body panels just don’t rust. Whether at80 mph on the interstate or 2 miles an hour on arocky trail, the Range Rover covers it all with extra-ordinary class. There may not be a better time toconsider a Range Rover Classic - and you certainlywon’t have to apologize for it to the spouse or signif-icant other!


Life Begins After 30, con’t.I started by draining ALL the fluids - hypoids,

brake and clutch lines, pumps and engine oil - in theRover and replacing them. With some trepidation, Idid a quick compression check to see if the enginewas serviceable and surprisingly, everything was with-in original specs. I replaced all the filters, sparkplugs, and plug wires. I pulled the distributor,cleaned and tightened the pickup (which turned outto be the real reason it stopped) and replaced it. Toensure smooth running, I then cleaned the air intakeand plenum, replaced fuel pump and had the fuelsystem and injectors cleaned with a chemical solu-tion.

The 3.5 has an aluminum block and I did notwant to risk overheating. So I removed the radiatorand had it checked, flushed and cleaned by a profes-sional. As an extra measure of insurance, I replacedthe thermostat, too, Turning my attention to the sus-pension system, I replaced the ball joints for the selfleveling unit as well as the top link ball joint, bush-ings, and steering damper. As an extra measure, Ireplaced the power steering fluid reservoir. As a fin a ltreat to our comfort, I replaced the exhaust manifoldgasket and installed a new muffler and tail pipe. Weeven sprung for new mud flaps. Stopping the car isas important as making it go and after cleaning outthe brake lines and the calipers, I replaced all thedisc pads.

Then the real detective work began, I replacedthe battery and tried to find, clean and check ALLgrounds, as well as any electrical connections andcontacts I could find both inside and out. There wasa hole in one floorboard, which I repaired by weld-ing a plate and adding undercoating to the bottomsection. Otherwise, it seemed ready to run.

I purchased a few trim pieces that were eitherbroken or missing from a parted-out Rover. Usinglots of elbow grease, we steam-cleaned and scrubbedthe interior (it sat closed in a barn for three yearsand smelled just like you’d expect). My 15 year- o l dson figured out the code for the radio receiver whileI replaced all the speakers. My wife Jean and I havebeen EMT volunteers for 20 years, so we had to addan emergency scanning radio for our service on thelocal rescue squad. As for the exterior, once wescrubbed and cleaned the body, we found the paintin excellent shape. We also added a recovery hitch,extra lights, a rear guard and a carrier.

Since her successful trial run, we have put onabout 8000 miles. Jean insists that the Range Roveris now part of the family. Although while she went tovisit her brother out of state recently, my sons and Ihad a chance to take it out on the trail...AMAZING!!!The only problem was when my wife came home acouple hours early to find her Rover with mudE V E RYWHERE...roof and all...That took somee x p l a i n i n g !

This spring, I plan to replace the headliner, addan expedition basket and replace the shocks. I haveto admit it has been a fun and contagious project!! IfI count the hours and days that I spent working onthis car, I come up with about 4 1/2 months; theyhave been fun and frustrating at the same time. I’llnot forget that it took an entire can of WD-40 just toremove the wheels and that I’ve used vast quantitiesof lithium grease, undercoating, silicone spray andrust proofing on reviving this Rover. I still need aright side running board and have to free up the difflock AGAIN this weekend (I need to off-road moreo f t e n ! ) .

I have to thank Rovers North and all the enthusi-asts on Rovers North Bulletin Board for their assis-tance and patience. Thanks go to Miguel, my Rover’soriginal owner who loved the vehicle enough to seethat it was not parted out or junked!!! And fin a l l y,thanks to my son who decided to drive my Ford 4X4instead of the Rover when it arrived.

Yes, I’d like to eventually obtain a Series LandRover to restore, but this Range Rover bug is infec-tious. You see, on my round-trip travels to work eachd a y, I’ve spotted a 1987 or 1988 Range Rover that’sbeen sitting for some time without a license plate in aback yard...

First Impressions, con’t.

By Mike Searfoss

Back in October, 2000, Sean Lobdell, Boston,MA, presented Rovers North with an interestingchallenge. He was intrigued with the RoversNorth 300 Tdi conversion for his ‘97 Defender90 but wanted to retain his NAS automatic trans-mission. Since that combination is unavailable inDefenders from Land Rover, this vehicle wasgoing to become a unique project.

So one Monday morning, I left the telephonesupport room at Rovers North and entered theshop to help with this project. While removingthe engine and transmission,I discovered that Sean hadbrought along much of theoff-road dirt of Massachusetts,Vermont and New Hampshirewith him; the collected dirtand mud adhered to every-thing from the chassis to thebattery box. As Mark Letorneypressure washed the enginecompartment, I thought Iwould need a backhoe toremove it all from the shopfloor.

Once cleaned, we rolled thevehicle back into the shopwhere Mark cut off the old engine mounts andwelded in the new ones. Once that was complete,

Mark dropped the fuel tank and carefullyremoved the V8 fuel pump from the draw tubeassembly fitted inside the tank. The 300Tdi usesits own fuel pump located on the engine where itis easily accessible in case service is required inthe future. Meanwhile, I assembled Sean’s trans-fer box to the new automatic transmission pro-vided with the 300Tdi. This differs from the onefitted to the V8s in that it uses a larger torqueconverter and different shift points to better

match the torque and flexibility of the turbodiesel. This special ZF auto for the300Tdi until now had only been

fitted to Discovery andRange Rover ClassicTdi models. A mix ofDefender andDiscovery parts wouldpermit this conversionto be successful, andkeep it all genuine.

Mark and Iinstalled the 300 Tdiengine onto its newmotor mounts. We enlisted the aidof Rovers North staff members BrianDurrett and Shane Westover to man-ually lift and fit the transmission to

the engine. With the transmission bolted on,I installed the new crossmember. Here it was,only 12:00 noon on Day 2, and the motor and

transmission were installed already.At this point, the real fun of a unique conver-

sion began as I stared at all the remaining littlepieces and hardware on the workbench. At thispoint Dave Sangerhausen joined the team andcompletely rewired the vehicle as necessary for adiesel and automatic. Dave’s mission was to con -vert the V8’s OBDII engine electrical system tothe no-nonsense 300Tdi system. Dave successful -ly integrated the new engine into the vehicleselectrical system and provided Sean with aschematic to aid with future service. This taskrequired a comfortable relationship with work -shop manuals, schematic diagrams, and a greatdeal of imagination to make up for incompleteinformation or custom necessities.

By Wednesday, October 4th, this unique con-version had become quite the topic of conversa-

tion at Rovers North.Everyone would lookfor an excuse to wanderdown to the shop andassess the progress.Over the next 30 hourswe reassembled everyitem on the workbenchback onto the Defender.This conversionrequired some specialmodifications, such asthe exhaust.

Once the required parts arrived from the UK,I installed them and thought we were nearly com-pleted with the project. Thursday, October, 19thwe made sure all the fluids where topped off andstarted the vehicle making sure that the radiatorgot burped, the thermostat opened and the sys-tem worked well.

Sean Lobdell believes fervently in fresh airand had left the door tops at home. In fact, hehad delivered the Defender with only a full lengthsurrey top and no sides. This is Vermont in mid-October; by our standards, we were long pastsurrey-top with no sides weather. As soon as we

headed up thedriveway we could tell that the 300 Tdi with theautomatic had more than enough power. Thismight seem obvious, but Sean chooses to runmassive 36” off-road tires in his daily driver. Thetires alone could rob substantial horsepower onroad, but the Tdi moved us along at a smartpace. After the test drive we attended to a fewminor adjustments.

Before Sean came up to Vermont to pick uphis Defender, I put on around 200 miles of testdrives and it performed superbly. From my expe-rience, I do not see any reason a skilled LandRover specialist shop would not be able to per-form this conversion for you, too. It will trans-form your Defender into a miserly fuel sipperand off-road powerhouse, all at the same time.Call Rovers North if we can provide you withadditional information.


A Defender withan Automatic Edge

Rovers North Team installs the 300Tdi.

It’s All YourFault, RoversNorth!By Neil and Sue McCasland

[Neil McCasland serves as a Colonel in the Air Force,stationed in California. With his wife, Susan, a Colonelin the Air Force Reserve, they have “endured” decades ofownership of an ex- MoD Series II-A 88”. They sharetheir experiences in this article -ed.]

Reading Eric Evan’s long article in the RoversNorth News [Fall 2000] motivated us to file this15-year report, as that’s the amount of time that’spassed since Sue and I drove up to Westford, VTto take possession of our ex-MoD IIA 88. “OldContemptible” is its name, in honor of its 20

years of service in the motor pool of the BritishArmy of the Rhine. “Old Contemptible” has deliv-ered 120,000 miles of adventure and fun, andseems to be in better shape 15 years into its sec-ond career than when we first drove it fromVermont to Boston in a spitting snow storm.

Separately, we both had been seduced byLand Rovers. Sue took family vacations as a girlin Taylor Park, Colorado, and wished for a LandRover. I drove a TR-6 as my only car and discov-ered the hard way that despite its narrow trackand big tyres, it just didn’t have the clearancewhen heading off tarmac (I learned about bow-waves fording creeks in the TR and about drivingon the tops of rocks because of its low chassis).

As a then-new Captain in the US Air Force,and a one-year veteran of marriage, we foundourselves transferred to Boston and went lookingfor a Land Rover. Back in 1985, Rovers Northimported low-mileage, ex-MoDs [sound familiar -ed?] and they sounded so perfect. When we

arrived in Vermont for a look, Mark threw us thekeys to his military 88” and it only took us a fewmiles to hook us for good. I ordered up somenew extras-new radial tyres, a hard top, Kodiakheater, locking front hubs and an overdrive-thenwe had to wait. Given our eagerness, it seemedlike forever until November, 1985, but we metOld Contemptible with only 18,000 miles on itsodometer. Mark said we would forget how old itwas as we drove it routinely. The trip south toBoston showed only minor nuisances: the needfor sealed-beam lights and a solid state voltageregulator.

Through I was a moderately experienced DIYmechanic from my TR, and a TR is remarkablysimilar to a Rover (just lower), I quickly realizedI’d need help and learned what a wonderfullyfriendly and helpful shop Rovers North could beto the new owner. I pestered Rovers North weeklyfor advice on the best way to do some inspectionor to talk through a parts swap before trying it.Nothing was hard, and we quickly fell into thatfamiliar seasonal pattern-look under the wheelsevery October to see which brake cylinders need-ed swapping before the real cold. Nothing hardexcept the *&%* clutch master. Sue discoveredyour “Sightings” and became quite prolific, even-tually accumulating nearly a dozen mugs over theyears from The Rovers North News.

“Old Contemptible” was my daily driverdown in Cambridge and I found myself gleefullysmug with the prospects of heavy snow so I couldmash through the minor streets with impunitywhile the Massachusetts highways were paralyzed.We went back to Rovers North for summer ralliesand linked up with a great bunch in Maine forlong camping expeditions in the summer-fordingthe width of the Penobscot on one-and the outra-geous winter rallies with chains on all 4 tyresseeing how far into ice and snow choked the log-ging roads we could push. We really learned touse our then-new winch on one of those winter

runs, extracting a disabled diesel 109” with 8hours of tugging and towing over only 2 miles.Grand, grand fun. We drove it up regularly toFranconia Notch and North Conway to go skiingin the winter, learning that at 0 degrees F, evenwith a warmed engine, full power only makes30mph until the gallons of hypoid oil warmed.

Military orders came again in a few years,back to California, nearly 3000 road miles ahead-the first of several transcontinental journeys “OldContemptible” would make for us. Back out westwe found another wonderful bunch of Roverlovers and their extraordinary rallies into theBlack Rock Desert of Nevada. We roamed allover Mojave, Death Valley, the Panamint andSaline Valleys. Anza Borrego and the ColoradoDesert. We drove the Mojave Road and everymile of Dennis Casebier’s (Friends of the MojaveRoad) East Mojave Heritage trail. We sortied outfrom Los Angeles to an early National Rally atMoab, where we finally chipped enough teeth inthe transmission and diffs (consuming two differ -entials) to motivate an ARB air locker in back.Put an end to wheel snatch and let us climb stuffwe never would try before.

We drove it out to Colorado for my 10th AirForce Academy class reunion, crossing the highpasses in the San Juan and returning Sue to hergirlhood vacation site at Taylor Park. Except thistime she had a proven, trail-hardened Land Roverto go where she wanted - and we did - Taylor andTincup Passes and others. The already fadedbrush-painted OD got even worse under theCalifornia sun, but so what? It was my daily driverand who wanted to fear pushing into a narrowtrack because the sage would scratch new paint?We camped out of it, hauled bricks in it (1800 lbin one load!), took it out of the city into thedesert as often as we could.

The gods of the military personnel peoplesmiled on us yet again - next orders sent us toDenver, Colorado. Ah,

Double your fuelmileage, improve youro ff - road perf o rm a n c e

with a custom pre p a re dkit from Rovers Nort h .

Please call or email for more inform a t i o n .

(802) 879-0032ro v e r s @ t o g e t h e r. n e t

Double your fuelmileage, improve youro ff - road perf o rm a n c e

with a custom pre p a re dkit from Rovers Nort h .

Please call or email for more inform a t i o n .

(802) 879-0032ro v e r s @ t o g e t h e r. n e t

G E N U I N EPA RT SG E N U I N EPA RT S

World Class 300Tdi diesel performancenow available for your NAS Defender.World Class 300Tdi diesel performancenow available for your NAS Defender.

Continued on page 18


A p r i l6 – 8 Camp Rover East - Monteagle, TN

Solaros ( w w w. c a m p r o v e r u s a . c o m )

20 – 22 Uwharrie Safari - Uwharrie, NCOld North State Land Rover Society( w w w. l a n d - r o v e r. o r g )

20 – 21 Tellico in the Spring - Tellico, NCS o l a r o s( w w w. s o l a r o s . c o m )

M a y4 – 6 North Bend State Park - WV

Blue Ridge Rover Club

18 – 20 Land Rover Owner International Show -NAC Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth, UK( w w w. l r o m a g a z i n e . c o m )

19 – 20 Team Trophy Challenge - WAP a c i fic NW Rover Club ( w w w. p c r c . n e t )

20 British Car Day - GA ( w w w. s o l a r o s . c o m )

21 – 25 Northern California Rover Club -Moab, UT ( w w w. n o r c a l r o v e r. c o m )

29 – 31 Adventure Team Challenge -Flatland Rover Society ( w w w. fla t l a n d r o v e r s o c i e t y. c o m )

J u n e9 – 10 BSROA Off Road Weekend, NH

( w w w. b s r o a . c o m )

1 6 Series Only Ride, GASolaros ( w w w. s o l a r o s . c o m )

23 – 24 OVLR Birthday Party - Ottawa, CN( w w w. o v l r. c o m )

J u l y20 – 22 Land Rover Enthusiast Billing Show

Billing Aquadrome, Northhampton, UK( w w w. l a n d r o v e r e n t h u s i a s t . c o m )

A u g u s t2 – 5 Solihull Society Rally Nationals -

O u r a y, CO ( w w w. s o l i h u l l s o c i e t y. o r g )

9 – 11 Steens Mtn. Run - WAP a c i fic NW Coast Rover Club( w w w. p c r c . n e t )

11 – 12 Roverfest 2001 - Killington, VTWCRC ( w w w. l a n d r o v e r c l u b . c o m )

17 – 20 4th Annual Unofficial Tellico Rally -Tellico, NC Solaros ( w w w. s o l a r o s . c o m )

S e p t e m b e r14 – 15 7th Annual Appalachian Expedition -

Solaros ( w w w. s o l a r o s . c o m )

22 – 23 British Invasion - Stowe, VT

O c t o b e r5 – 6 Mid-Atlantic Rally - Vi r g i n i a

R O AV ( w w w. r o a v. o r g )

The British Invasion is a labor of love com-bined with an excuse to brings several hundredlovingly restored British cars to Stowe, Vermont,that fills local motels, restaurants and camp -grounds on the shoulder of foliage season andfills the valleys with the thrilling sounds of Britishengines. This year’s event benefittedfrom fine weather, a nice changefrom the previous year’s torrentialstorms.

If you love the look, sound andsmell of MG’s, Triumphs, Jaguars,Morgans, Aston Martins, even Singers,this year’s Invasion provided you with afeast of sensory delights. If you’re a LandRover fan, you’re in heaven.

First, you enjoyed the sight of over100 Land Rovers, from Series I’s to the lat -est Discovery Series II’s and Range Rover4.6’s. Richard and Linda Gautier, St.

Theodore, Quebec, drove their ‘54 Series I 107”Pickup, along with Denis Gautier’s ‘56 Series I107” Pickup. It seemed as though much of St.Theodore accompanied them for the trip;Quebeckers always add excitement and enthusi -asm to the British Invasion. Richard found hisstation wagon in Lac St. Jean. He turned in part ofhis Ski-Doo collection to purchase the stationwagon. Rovers North friend Lanny Clark helpedfind a 2.0 liter motor for it. The faint outline of“New Work Mining Company, Toronto, Ontario,”was lettered on the door. “My top speed was 50-55 mph,” he said.

The Ottawa Valley Land Rover Club had itsusual large contingent of Canadian and US mem-bers present. Their food trailer proved almost aspopular as Dixon Kenner’s ‘64 Series II-A 109”SW; using methods later copied by Florida’s elec-tion, his 109” won the Land Rover category of thePeople’s Choice Award. We don’t know what theowners of the ‘34 Alvis, the ‘52 Singer, the ‘53Sunbeam Talbot, or the ‘62 Jaguar Mk I 3.8thought of Dixon’s victory, but organizer ChrisFrancis kept glancing at his own Range Rover forreassurance as he handed Dixon the plaque.

Then, you had the chance to speak with hun-dreds of enthusiasts. It was relaxing to just hang

around the Rovers North tentand meet long-lost friends as well as newones; well, it was easy for me as I didn’t have towork the sales area. A morning walk with MikeLoiodice, Upper Marlboro, MD, filled me in withthe ever-changing scene at Land Rover NorthAmerica in the midst of the switch from BMW toFord corporate ownership.

Pete and Jane Moloney, Patterson, NY, drovetheir Lightweight; for a long time, Pete commutedin this car from his home in New Jersey. Historyteacher David Kravetz, Pittsfield, NY, owns a ‘62Series II-A diesel but opted to make this trip inhis ‘94 Defender 90. Terry and Pat Allen,Kintnersville, PA, “personally restored” their ‘68Series II-A.

British Invasion participants have been treat -ed to polo exhibitions and border collie trials,but they’d never seen Rover Polo before. Thecompetition pitted teams of three Land Rovers, all of which had to be in low range, against eachother. Each team had to whack a beach ball witha broom into a goal at the other end of the field.First gear low range assured that no car would gothat fast, and amazingly, no Rovers were hurt inthe production of this event. The Sunday morningcrowd cheered long and loud for each team.

For added fun, the 4 x 4 Center, Williston, VT,set up another excellent trials course. Their staff,augmented by Rovers North staff, helped marshalthe course. Once again, you could rent a ride in aRange Rover, Discovery or Defender, with aninstructor, or tackle the course yourself. ScottPreston, Yarmouthport, MA, drove his ‘94Defender 90 through the course and accompa -nied me in my ‘66 Series II-A. He noted that “thecars were different in different sections. Theleafer has better movement because it didn’t flexand roll. My Defender couldn’t always go slowenough. But I needed the softness of theDefender to do well on the course,even as I had to fight the body roll.”Of course, I don’t remember Scottgetting cross-axled at the troublinghillock and sharp left turn section.There, I went so slow that the carhad no momentum to prevent thecross-axle. Quinton Aspin, in his80” Series I, and Paul Memont,Georgetown, MA, in his RangeRover Classic, won their classes inthe trials competition.

It’s easy to see from the accompanying pho-tos how much fun everyone had at the Invasion,

but a special moment for me came when I metPeter McElroy, Reading, PA. Peter and his wifeMarcia both work for US Airways, and last year,they shipped their rebuilt ‘65 Series II-A 88” SWfrom the US to Liverpool, England, and thendrove it all the way to the Cape of Good Hope. “Ittook 1 and 1/2 years of planning. Herb Zipkinwas the inspiration for this trip. I saw his much-traveled 109” at a Downeast Rally, and I wantedto try an expedition like his. Lanny Clark helpedme find the car; I sent the car to East Coast Roverfor the rebuild and insisted that they bring it backto the way it left the factory. There were transcen-dent moments, such as crossing the Alps in a

snowstorm, a morning walk alongthe Bosporus, a charge from a bullelephant. We saw the pyramids inEgypt, and for the first time, a giraffe.But the most special time came fromthe people we met. I can’t say enoughto you about them, just a sincerethank you. Next year, we hope to travelthrough New Zealand and Australia.”The British Invasion is a time for day-

dreaming and enjoying the people whocomprise the Land Rover community. RoversNorth will be back next year - and so will I.

British Invasion, con’t.

2001 Club Events Schedule

British Invasion 2000

Congratulations to the Solihull Society for anothersuccessful National Rally last August.Crested Butte,CO, saw 54 Land Rovers, from Series I’s to RangeRovers, and nearly 100 enthusiasts. For August 2001,make your plans for Ouray .

Rovers North thanks Land Rover Clubs throughout NorthAmerica for the hard work and considerable time that goto making off-road events possible. We invite you to sendus notices of your clubs upcoming events [email protected] .

York City on February 3 and return on March29,” Mike reported. To motivate their returnhome, they’ve even book their flights back forthat day.

The trip will focus on West Africa, as logisti-cally, it’s the easiest place to which to delivertheir Land Rovers, which include a ‘65 Series II-A88”, a ‘71 Series II-A 88”, a ‘73 Series III 88”,and a ‘72 101 FC. Ladden noted that “outfittingthe vehicles meant we wanted them fairly stock,not too modified. Nothing we’ve done has alteredthe character of any Rover. For expedition use,we’ve fitted Genuine Parts in preparation, addedair compressors, onboard showers, and wiredthe vehicles to 12 v for all appliances. We had140 amp alternators con-structed locally as wells ascustom roof racks and rooftop tents.”

“Mechanically, we’ve justrebuilt the Rovers whereneeded for safety and security:we’ve rewired them, replacedall the seals and, when neces -sary, refurbished the engines.For ease of maintenance,we’ve used spin-on oil filters.All the vehicles have cameramounts for video, BruntonGPS and quality compasses.”

Rovers North has puttogether five boxes of expedi-tion maintenance and emer-gency repair parts for theassorted vehicles. “Hopefully, we won’t have touse many of them”, noted Mike.

Once the word of the expedition’s plansbecame public, Ladden and Paul Shumway,Nashua, NH, received over 50 applications from12 countries. They needed experienced off-road-ers willing to upgrade their vehicles to expeditionlevels. “We needed people who could worktogether and be together constantly. Our finalselections included people who were fairly local

to New England and were known to each otherfrom other events.” While it was appealing to puttogether a multi-national crew, the logistical andadministrative problems with multiple visas from

different countries proved too daunting. The early II-A will carry Ladden and

Shumway, who works with the Monitor Group inCambridge, MA. Shumway will serve as the expe-dition leader. Al Cornell, a consultant fromKillingworth, CT, and Pat Macomber, a retiree

from W. Hartford, CT, will share the “deluxeseating” and synchromesh comfort of theCornell’s Series III - which he has owned for over20 years. Jim Leach, an applications technicianfrom New York City, and Wilson Bullard, aninvestment banker from Boston, MA, will ride inLeach’s rebuilt late II-A. Leach will serve as theexpedition’s chief photographer.

Shane Bellensky, a “continuing college stu-dent” from Redding, CA, and Ed Messenger,

Waterbury, CT, drew Bellensky’s 101 FC. With itsfull truck body, it becomes the ideal camping andsupport vehicle. Bellensky and Jim Leach willserve as the expedition’s mechanics, and

Messenger brings his professional work with GPSsystems.

Ladden plans to “update from the road via anemail satellite system. Some will be telephonedownload, some will be hard copy or diskettes,and a Connecticut contact with help update the

web site directly. We hope topost updates every couple ofdays, with photos and evenvideo.” [The web site for theexpedition is www.adven-tureafrica.org/vintagerover-sacrossafrica.] “We’re workingwith school systems in CT andMA to encourage students tolearn from our experiences.”

Karen Fonteyne, who isMike Ladden’s wife, is handlingall the North American paper-work, finances, web site updat -ing and international communi-cations. Belgian-born and multi -lingual, her efforts will be vitalto the expedition’s success. As aspouse, she’s “concerned and

alert” about the trip. Bruce Kinzer, Hampton, CT,spent two decades living and working in Kenya;his advice and counsel have been invaluable andhe will coordinate any emergency transfers orshipments for the expedition.

While every plan is subject to change, thegroup will seek to complete 140 miles a day. “It’svery difficult to plan,” Mike Ladden stated.“We’ve had to change the route four timesalready because of political conditions. It’s

impossible to go east- west right now: Sudan,Angola, and the Congo are just too volatile.” Asthis issue goes to press, the expedition will flyinto Madrid, Spain to pick up their vehicles. They

will cross the Mediterranean to Morocco anddrive southwest to Western Sahara, and thensouth through Mauritania and Senegal. Headingeast, they’ll drive to Timbuktu, Mali, and thensouth again to Burkina Faso, Benin and Togo,before heading westward to their final destinationof the Ivory Coast.

While team members have their own reasonsfor participating, no one ever returns from Africathe same person as when they left. The LandRover and its spirit help adventuresome peoplefulfill their dreams; perhaps expedition memberAl Cornell said it best when he noted “I wouldrather go now at my age than look back 20 yearsand wish I had gone.”


Vintage Rovers, con’t.

Land RoverGenuine Parts- Why It Matters

By Dave Sangerhausen

For those who may be new to the world of LandRovers, there is a difference between Land RoverGenuine Parts and their alternatives. This situa -tion might help explain the distinction.

Not long ago I received a call from a SeriesLand Rover owner who was on a cross-countrytrek through the southern portion of the U.S.The Rover had stopped running for the secondtime on the journey and he was calling from ahotel in Texas for some technical advice. Afterwalking him through the standard “no-start”diagnostic procedures he said he would givethem a try and get back with me in a little while.

After about an hour he called back to saythere was no spark at the coil wire and that itappears as though the points had melted. He thenproceeded to say that this was the same problemhe had experienced about 250 miles earlier, andhe was getting frustrated because he had installeda new coil and points at the beginning of his trip.As soon as I had heard the words “new coil” thesolution to his problem came charging at me likethe bulls in Pamplona. “What type of coil didyou install?” I inquired. “A regular 4-cylindercoil” was the reply. “What brand of 4-cylinder

coil,” I asked. “I don’t know” came the reply, “Itdoesn’t have a label.”

For those of you who may not be aware, aLand Rover Genuine coil is internally ballasted (ithas a certain amount of resistance built in).Without this resistance, the vehicle will start andrun, but during extended engine run times thepoints will become hot enough to stick together,or in this case melt. This type of coil can be usedto get you out of trouble, but can’t be used as apermanent replacement.Not surprisingly, the partsstore simply listed thepart as compatible for aLand Rover 4-cylinderengine - without the criti -cal technical information.

To help him out,we sent an overnightpackage containing aLand Rover Genuine coiland new set of pointsarrivingthe next day. I didn’t hear from him again untilhe arrived home to confirm the solution.

In another instance, a customer had pur -chased an aftermarket distributor cap for hisSeries II-A. One morning after a heavy rainstorm,his car wouldn’t start. He removed the cap tospray the points and the inside of the cap toremove moisture. He snapped the cap back inplace and it still wouldn’t start. It seemed to haveno spark. Again, the aftermarket cap was a clue. I

asked him to check for the carbon button in theinside center of the cap. “There isn’t one,” hereported. The button had fallen out of the cap;without it, the rotor can’t function effectively. Wesent him a distributor cap and the car startedinstantly.

Just yesterday, a customer reported that hisaftermarket gas tank on his Series II-A hadsprung a leak. “It’s my second tank in threeyears,” he said. The tank seemed to have the

right dimensions butclearly did not havethe same build quali-ty. “This time I’mbuying a Land Rovergas tank,” he con-cluded.

It’s these seem-ingly small, but criti -cal, differences thatmake Genuine Parts abetter choice for yourLand Rover.

Remember that distributor cap? Compare thestrength of the spring on the carbon button, orthe quality of the contacts for the spark plugwires between Genuine Parts and aftermarketparts. Whether the aftermarket supplier has theright information about the part, or whether theparts are truly built to the same quality levels,matters to you when you want you Land Rover torun reliably and for a long time.

GENUINE PARTS

Jack Belden, Nantucket, MA, offers his dog as Roverof the Month. Our “Dog Of The Month Contest” isstill running and we would like to see your LandRover dog too - so keep those photos wagging.

SnapsLand Rover

With the demanding travel conditions facing these vintage Land Rovers, Genuine Parts were used extensively in the preparation of these vehicles.

t’s a cruel, cruel winter’s day as I sit down topour through the bags of Sightings that havepoured into our offices. The wind howls, thesnow billows outside, the wood stove’s barely

etches the cold. Fortunately, I have dozens anddozens of Sightings to pour through and warm meup. With Land Rover images everywhere these days,we wanted to recognize as many of you eager Sightersas possible. Congratulations to all the new LandRover owners who join us each issue.

As always, it’s important for rookies to review therules for Sightings - and it wouldn’t hurt if some vet-erans would take a look again, too.

Rule # 1 - All Sightings receive recognition and ourappreciation, but not necessarily a mug. We rewardonly those Sightings that capture the unique qualitiesof Land Rovers and their owners, and display them ina unique way.

Rule #2 - If your Sighting does not really surpriseyou, it won’t surprise us, either, and you won’t get amug. We’re delighted, but not surprised, that LandRovers appear in British television programmes,British publications, films with British themes, andshows and publications about Africa. You shouldn’tbe surprised, either, and should consider looking forother ways to get a coffee mug.

Rule #3 - At an ever-changing date before publica-tion, we close off the Sightings. If we’ve mentionedthe Sighting in an earlier issue, we won’t mention itagain. If you’re new to the family of Land Roverenthusiasts, you may not have seen your Sighting inan earlier issue.

Rule #4 - We’re not outfitting your kitchen. If youqualify, one mug per Sighting per issue.

Rule #5 - Sightings that are Land Rover references inbooks go to our Literary Land Rover editor for men-tion, but only when space permits.

Rule #6 - Psst... if we can’t read you name andaddress because of atrocious penmanship, we can’ trecognize your Sighting nor send you a mug. Psst...E-mail submissions - remember we can’t send a mug bye-mail. Send us your real name and shipping address,too.

Rule #7 - Grudgingly, very grudgingly, the Editoradmits he might make an error. Let me know if youthink you’ve been jobbed, but all decisions of theEditor are final.

To start the new year, we must report that EVERYONEsaw the photo of Madonna and Guy Ritchie steppinginto a Range Rover on their way to their “secret”wedding. No mentions, no mugs. Also, give KevinThayer, Abingdon, VA, credit for reporting on the theftand recovery of that very same Range Rover.

Advertisers know that Land Rovers bring prestigeto their products. *Kent Welsh, West Des Moines,IA, spotted a NEMA clothing ad in Bike magazine with

an 88” Series SW and a Rovers North sticker! A SeriesIII appears in a Napapijri clothing ad found inContinental Airline’s Blue magazine, according to*Greg Pollack, Atlantic Highlands, NJ. Once again,Greg, along with *Mike Bassett, Wilderville, ORnotes that Patagonia’s latest catalogue features agreen Defender 110, too. *Kevin Thayer, Abingdon,VA, spotted a Defender in a Lincoln Financial Groupad on the Discovery Channel. The ad featured afemale medical resident in a remote area - “some-where only a Rover could survive.”

International Motorsport’s catalogue would seemto have a lot of vehicles to choose from, but it’s aSeries II-A that actually makes it in, according to RonWard, Columbus, GA and John Oswald, Asheville,NC, who has returned to the fold with the recent pur-chase of Series II-A. No doubt shopping for thewoman in his life, *Harry Edwards, Tampa, FL,spotted a handsome II-A in the Dooney and Bourkecatalogue [psst- Harry, if there isn’t one in your life,buy one for *Sheila Simmon, Austin, TX. She spot -ted the same ad]. Kevin Healy, Massapequa Park,NY, wrote with pride of a Sighting in the fall L. L.Bean catalogue [“not Victoria’s Secrets!,” heexclaimed], which sadly, we ran in the last issue.*Rovers returned to the J. Crew catalogue, reportsDr. David Hartzell, Mechanicsburg, PA. And*Bradkes in Niskayuna, NY, will rejoice that Daniel’sSighting, an ad in CQ Amateur Radio magazine featur-ing a Discovery, will take a “replacement” mug.*Mike Coleman, Presidio, TX, spotted a Series II-Aprominently featured in an ad for Red Oxx outdoorgear.

Jon Cohen, Phoenixville, PA, spotted LandRovers in two movies that we’ve mentioned in yearspast: Stand By Me and A Walk With Lions.” JohnDoub, Hixson, TN, saw Defenders in the out takesfrom Jurrasic Park video set. Brian Lang, LosAngeles, CA, notes that the “bad guys” in Charlie’sAngels drive a black Defender 90 soft top. AdamPearsall, Bradford, VT, spotted a MOD Series III109” in a Jackie Chan movie.

Television programs and ads love the visualimpact of Land Rovers, too. Keith Armstrong, WestDes Moines, IA, spotted a Series I in a Vehix.comtelevision ad. Greg Pollack, Atlantic Highlands, NJ,notes that Lincoln Financial uses a Defender 110 in athird world setting in one of their ads. B. J.Montgomery, Summerville, GA, spotted a DiscoverySeries I in an Ireland scene of “Relic Hunter.” PeterHope, Aiea, HI, spotted a Series Rover on a CNNstory about western US wildfires. In a two-partepisode of JAG, Peter King, Signal Mountain, TN,spotted 101’s masquerading as Russian army trucks.Leslie Bright, Church Hill, TN, and Charles andLaura Aftosmis, Greensburg, PA, spotted the interi-or of a Discovery during a scene of Will and Grace.Nice to recognize them, but we’re not certain that theLand Rover made a difference in the show. BrianLang, Los Angeles, CA, spotted a Defender 90 SW onthe series The Street; he watched it for a good 5 min-utes.

*Ed Mallon, Brant Rock, MA, Peter King,Signal Mountain, TN, Jon Cohen, Phoenixville, PAand Brad Crittenden, Pittsboro, NC, spotted a SeriesLand Rover in The Learning Channel’s Junkyard Wars.The key to this Sighting was that the junkyard vehicle,a Rover diesel, started right up and became anamphibious vehicle. Brian Lang, Los Angeles, CA,found a Defender on an old episode of Outer Limits.Clint Ragan, Fairbanks, AK, found a limestone 109”in the premier episode of Ed. * Gail Nolan, Boise,ID, spotted a Hostess commercial in which a rhinocharges a Rover, mistaking the front tire on the hoodfor a Twinkee. *Rob Modica, Tucson, AZ, BrainRiley, Minneapolis, MN, and Jeff Bridges, Littleton,CO, spied a Series I in a cell phone ad for Qwest. Jeffalso spotted Land Rover featured prominently in aLearning Channel story on the Great Train Robbery inEngland.

In all the news that’s fit to print, *RobertWolkschlager, Mystic, CT, age 8, found a photo inthe Hartford Courant featuring a Defender 110Palestinian police vehicle in flames. On a brighternote, the auto editor of the Courant managed tocadge a Range Rover for a road test [“Beauty of aBeast”]. He also found a Discovery Series II bringingup the rear over the London Bridge behind theworld’s oldest marathoner, according to the GuinnessBook of Records. None of these Sightings warrant amug [see rule #2] but his drawings of Dad’s 109”and a Stage I were gems, and a mug is on the way.

Charles Copeland, Menlo, GA, age 5, found anice 109” Hi Cap Fire Truck in “Cutaway FireFighters.” His father, Scott, spotted a Range Rover inan Honda Outboard Motor catalogue; problem is thatit’s a British catalogue where you’d expect to find aRange Rover for emphasis. Daniel Bradke,Niskayuna, NY, age 11, was doing his homeworkwhen he saw a Series Rover rear door in his socialstudies textbook. Steve Bradke, Niskayuna, NY, spot-ted a Range Rover Classic on the cover of the EastHampton Independent. Kevin Thayer, Abingdon, VA,found Hank Williams, Jr., posing in front of his mili -tary lightweight in a Country Weekly article entitled“Life in the Slow Lane.”

*Chris Nestor, Melrose, WI, joins JonMcCarthy, Lake Lucerne, NY, and his son Liam, age2, in reporting a Discovery Series II as a top prize inthe McDonald’s “Win on the Spot” game. TheRiverbanks Zoo near Irmo, SC, has added a Series IIto the African Plains exhibit, according to GregEdwards, Irmo, SC. In an unusual Sighting, *DavidThodal, Belgrade, MT, found an old-style tradingcard with a serialized story including Land Roversfrom a Fortune Tea Company box. Another unusualSighting is that of Charles Despotopulo, Clinton,MA, who found two Range Rovers used in a videoarcade game called Silent Scope 2: Dark Silhouette.

*Jack and Belen Hayes , Nantucket, MA, sendus ads in their local newspaper, The Inquirer andMirror, from off-island dealers, such as Land RoverPeabody, filled with Defenders, and even one by the 4x 4 Center. What lands them a mug is a Herman

Miller furniture ad that features a Discover Series IIin the background. Also intriguing is a verse from anEllis Paul song that includes a “Range Rover.” BillRice, Columbus, GA, heard a lyric line on LandRovers in the Housemartins song “I Can’t Put MyFinger on It.” A Sighter named “Richie Zap,” with aDormobile in pieces, found a poem by RichardStoddard that actually uses “Dormobile” in the poem[how come my poems in English class that used“Land Rover” in them always got F’s? - ed].

*Alyssa Parlin, Philadelphia, PA, found anunusual locale for a Sighting - Florida Design maga-zine. A Series III 109” appears in an article for hometheaters. *Dr. Stephen Hathcock, Little Rock, AR,found a Series III 109” in a Yahoo Photo Contest adin his American Airlines In Flight magazine.Dale Knapp, Marshville, NC, spotted a DiscoverySeries II in an article on adventure racing; “theDiscovery is not used in the event, but depicts thelifestyle of the participants,” wrote Dale.

Anna Bradke, Niskayuna, NY, found an opentopped Series Rover in a travel ad for AAdvantage.Shawn Black, Ivorytown, CT, spied a Land Rover onthe cover of Patrick Taylor’s Northern Ireland book,Pray For Us Sinners. As Shawn wrote, “ it is amusingto see Land Rovers dressed up with youthful exuber-ance to sell bikinis and beer; the strength of thissighting is that Land Rovers have and cotinue to beused to assist in keeping people safe, whether mili-tary or civilian in nature. Cheers to the Land Rover.”*Certainly bikinis worked for Woman’s Fitness maga-zine, which featured a lovely, scantily clad woman inan open topped 88” with surfboard and dog.


The coveted Rovers North Sightings Mug SIGHTINGSI

Winners:Mike ColemanPresidio, TX

Brian RileyMinneapolis, MN

David Hartzell, MDMechanicsburg, PA

Jeff BridgesLittleton, CO

Ed MallonBrant Rock, MA

Brad CrittendenPittsboro, NC

Jon CohenPhoenixville, PA

Daniel BradkeNiskayuna, NY

Gail NolanBoise, ID

Rob ModicaTucson, AZ

Kevin ThayerAbingdon, VA

Peter KingSignal Mountain, TN

Greg CoffmanCoshocton, OH

Christopher NestorMelrose, WI

Dale KnappMarshville, NC

Dr. StephenHathcockLittle Rock, AR

Alyssa ParlinPhiladelphia, PA

Harry EdwardsTampa, FL

Sheila SimmonsAustin, TX

Mike BassettWilderville, OR

Jack and Belen HayesNantucket, MA

David ThodalBelgrade, MT

Jon McCarthyLake Lucerene, NY

Robert WoklschlagerMystic, CT

Ron WardColumbus, GA

Kent WelshWest Des Moines, IA

Keith ArmstrongWest Des Moines, IA

Greg PollackAtlantic Highlands, NJ

Dear Editor,Just thought I’d give the Sightings mug a quest afterreceiving the Fall 2000 Rovers North News. Specifically ,the submission from Surfers Journal pushed me overthe edge. I actually met Randy in Barbados in 1984 at aparty (but that’s another story). I got hooked on LandRover when I worked and surfed overseas, in the early‘80’s, in the oil patch in Scotland, Zaire, and Angola.Always wanted one. Upon my return to the States, didthe Land Cruiser, Scrambler, Trooper thing but alwayskept my eye open for a Land Rover .

Anyway, I’ve been a confirmed Rover junkie since1995 when my wife and I sold the Trooper and bought aused 1988 Range Rover from a local dealer. ‘Twas nir-vana. That one gave way to our current 1993 LWB RangeRover, a former lease car (purchased in 1996) whenour son was on his way. We still wanted to travel with“toys” (surfboards, mountain bikes, boat, camping gear,etc.) and Tara, our Brittany spaniel. We loved the 1988Range Rover and this one was even better for our family.We escaped to the UK for a week before our son wasborn, and the Series bug bit me again. One is neverenough, so when I found a 1972 Series III last year ( tofulfill my original yearning from overseas) in the localpaper, and “needing work,” my wife thought I was nuts.Anyway, I’m still married and East Coast Rover inWarren, ME, soted the frame and bulkhead, and it’s adaily driver.

Hey, that was great therapy. You should charge forthis!

Greg Pollack, Atlantic Highlands, NJ

[No need to explore “youthful indiscretions”, asmentioned by our new President. Many Land RoverSeries owners add a Range Rover Classic to theirautomotive stable, and many Range Rover ownersadmire the ingenious engineering of the Series Rover .Let’s see, Lucy in “Peanuts” charges 5 cents when thepsychiatrist is “in” -ed.]

________ P ________

Dear Editor,I own a 1971 Series II-A 88” Land Rover. I use this vehi -cle everyday to drive 25 miles to work. On any given dayI can be greeted with a thumbs up sign of approval froma driver of a Porsche, Pontiac, Ford or Fiat. Anyone withan appreciation for automotive design and function can -not ignore the Land Rover.

Regards,

Shawn Black. Ivorytown, CT

[Well stated, Shawn. It’s good to know that someConnecticut drivers acknowledge fine engineeringdesign -ed.]

________ P ________

Sirs,Just wanted to let you know that Cooper Technica herein Chicago recently replaced my ‘64 II-A’s seat box thatdeteriorated in about 8 years from the dreaded localwinter road salt. One could poke one’s finger rightthrough it near the sills. Cooper also substituted the sta-tion wagon’s hard top with tropical roof for a new tail-gate and soft top - all bits purchased from Rovers North.I think to soft top is great except one is aware of a lotmore engine and drive train noise! He also replaced thecenter front seat with a lockable console that hides,among other things, the radio.

Now I need to come up with a clever place tomount the speakers. We’re currently awaiting the arrivalof the new seat belts (to replace the original Irvinones). My co-pilot thinks the “Serious” Rover is enoughof death trap as it is, and without seat belts, she likes iteven less - unless she needs something hauled, that it.Next scheduled improvement is an electronic ignition;the current, standard one cuts out at about 3,000 rpm.

Glenn Shriver, Chicago, IL

[Your Rover’s enhancements sound very fetching,Glenn. A soft top arrangement can make your Roverseem like a new car; I enjoy swapping out my safaritop for a soft top every summer. A standard Lucasdistributor, in good condition and with points, con -denser, rotor, cap and wires in similar shape, shouldnot cut out at all. Before you make the change, checkthe point gap and rotor, and renew if necessary -ed.]

________ P ________

Dear Rovers North,What a surprise to receive a new Rovers North catalogueand find a Rovers North News stuck inside. Thank you. I

had not received an issue for afew years. I thought it hadbeen discontinued. Sillyme.

David Thodal, Belsrade,

MT

[Since we never know whomight leave the Rover worldfrom year to year, we do review themailing list annually. Glad to hearyou’re still enjoying the Rovers NorthNews -ed.]

________ P ________

Hi Folks,I wish to thank you for everything and hope to visit yourshowroom soon in our 1994 Land Rover Discovery.

Jon McCarthy, Lake Luzerne, NY

[We enjoy meeting all our customers, Jon. I knowyou’ll have a scenic drive -ed.]

________ P ________

Dear Rovers North,I am writing this to you because I have an eight-year oldboy who has been sending you Sightings and has beenrecognized in you newspaper. He eats and drinks andworships Land Rovers 24 hours a day. He can take apartan engine and put it back together. He has two disap -pointments; one is that he’s too young to drive a LandRover and the second one is that he hasn’t received aLand Rover mug yet.

How many eight-year-olds do you know who readLand Rover manuals instead of Harry Potter books?

Carol Wolkschlager, Mystic, CT

[Your son is clearly on the right track for success,fame and fortune. Tell him that the Harry Potterseries is quite good, even if they don’t cover Lucasignitions - although I’m thinking of turning to themto explain my wiring gremlins. As for the mug, checkthe Sightings -ed.]

________ P ________

Dear Rovers North,I stopped sending in Sightings a couple of years ago outof frustration; seems there are others out there who getto the good Sightings first. As my wife will agree, a newshower curtain or throw rug at home might go unno-ticed by me for 6 months, I can pick out the lower leftquarter panel of a 109” in a split second commercialfrom 500 yards - effortlessly.

I hope this is not misconstrued as some cheap flat-tery tactic to prompt you to send me one of those nicemugs, but of all the parts houses available, Rovers Northis the best. In the 2.5 year I have owned and operatedmy ‘65 II-A 88”, and now the NAS Defender 110, thestaff at Rovers North has come to my rescue on manyoccasions. I delight in calling to ask questions or justplace an order. With the holidays closing in on us, I amcertain you will be hearing from my wife, Melinda,about that raised air intake and bonnet mounted sparekit I have been hinting about.

Ron Ward, Columbus, GA

[Sightings operate under strict rules; while everySighting doesn’t warrant a mug, every Sighting hasour appreciation. It’s terrific to read of your enthusi -asm for Land Rovers; I’d love to add a Defender 110to my Series Rover! I hope Santa Claus heard fromMelinda and that the Defender now sports a raisedair intake and a spare tire kit -ed.]

________ P ________

Dear Rovers North,I have one issue and one question for you. I need toclear up a rather stupid phone call to DaveSangerhausen about “pop goes the axle.” The Seriesstopped in the driveway, would not move, pulled axles,checked for neutral at levers, drained oil transmissionand a piece of something fell out. I removed the trans-mission complete with the overdrive. I started to take itapart and found the overdrive main gear (with its smallthin teeth) with a lot of wear. So, anyone still using theoverdrive needs to carry the [original final] gear andtools to remove the overdrive and convert back to theoriginal drive to become mobile again - or an AAA card.

Also, how are owners of the 1987-88 Range Roverssupposed to get the codes short of changing the ECU toa 1990? I do like the Rovers North News improvements

and the “how to” articles, no matter howbasic.

Richard Fenwick, Grove City, OH

[Dave reminds us all “there are nosuch things as stupid questions.” As for

your Fairey overdrive, they usuallygive a lot of warning - such aspopping out of engagement underload and great bearing noise -before they give up the ghost. Youradmonition is a good one; carry -ing the final gear and transmis -sion backing plate for 6 yearspaid off when my overdrive need -

ed replacement on the road. As for the ECU codes,you’ll see an article soon in the Rovers North Newsabout these codes and an article on overdrive main -tenance and repair. In the meantime, Rovers Northdoes have the factory workshop manuals for the ‘87-’88 Range Rovers -ed.]

________ P ________

Dear Rovers North,Just a quick note to thank you for such a fine product.Les Parker did an excellent job of assessing my II-A109” roof rack needs and chose the right company forthe job. As an Antique Home Restoration specialist, Ican appreciate both the aesthetic and functional meritsof your products. It sure gives me pleasure just to viewit on the vehicle!

Jonathan Detwiler, Norwell, MA

[We hope that you enjoy using your II-A , with itsRovers North roof rack, for many years to come -ed.]

________ P ________

Dear Rovers North,We just wanted to thank everyone for your support ofthe Labour Day Rally 2000. Peter and I have enjoyedputting together this event for the past two years, andhave decided to step back for a break. After thinkingrally non-stop, and doing nothing by rally stuff fromJune on every year, we are ready for some time off. W esincerely hope that next year’s organizers continue tomake this the best event in Eastern Canada.

Julie and Peter Rosvall, Wolfeboro, Nova Scotia, CANADA

[Congratulations on your very successful rallies andtheir part on the growth of MORE (MaritimesOrganization of Rover Enthusiasts). As with theOttawa Valley Land Rovers, Toronto Area Rover Club,Club de Land-Rovers du Quebec, and others,Canadian clubs set a high standard for clubs inter -nationally. For 2001, just enjoy your Rally! -ed.]

________ P ________

Dear Rovers North,I love your new Rovers North News layout. Your newgraphic designer really seems to have a good feel forthe subject matter.

Nick Jacobs, New York, NY

[That would be Thompson Smith, our California carguy, who arrived all wrapped up in Porsches andAudis. Now, he’s the proud owner of a 1994 Defender90, #753. We’ve enjoyed the clean, exciting layoutsthat he’s brought to all of our publications and website -ed.]

________ P ________

Dear Rovers North,I called in a panic on Monday because my tailpipe hadjust falled of my Defender 90. I’m leaving on vacationThursday for Martha’s Vineyard. Mike [Searfoss] helpedme out, got my NRP exhaust shipped out by the nextday, and I just picked up the truck in time to pack.Sounds great!

Phenomenal Service!!!!!

Brian McNally, Clinton, MA

[Can’t have you going to “the Vineyard” with atacky-sounding Land Rover - you might not havebeen allowed aboard the ferry! We’re delighted thatwe could help and appreciate your kind comments.Let us know what you think of your NRP system, too-ed.]

________ P ________

Dear Rovers North,Just a quick not to say I really like the Rovers NorthNews that I receive. It’s a good mix of stories, parts forsale, and useful information. Keep up the good work; Iappreciate it.

Mel Verhein (‘93 Range Rover County LWB)

[Thank you, Mel, for your compliments. We strive tomake the News a part of the complete Land Roverenthusiast experience - ed.]

________ P ________

Greetings!The people of Rovers North are phenomenal. On April29, 2000, I was in Burlington on business, so I decidedto drive to Westford in the afternoon in my ‘67 II-A forsome parts (a quick tune up - plugs, wires, distributorcap and rotor. I purchased the aforementioned, as wellas converters for the new type windshield wiper armsand new Bosch wipers (definitely worth it). I did thetune up in the parking lot and drove off (while I wasworking on the Rover the shop closed for the day).Well, Lucas parts being what they are occasionally, Imade it about 1/2 mile. Loss of power. BIG backfire.And then, nothing. So I started troubleshooting...had Ijogged this wire or that? Was a new part faulty? TheyLOOKED ok...and how can you mess up a rotor? Then,since I was so close to Rovers North, I started walkingback to pick their brains for a while, IF I could findanyone after hours. As I walked into the parking lot,Dave Sangerhausen, his wife and child drove up in theirwhite Range Rover. I explained what had happened, andhe very graciously (as he was off work) offered me aride back to my Rover and to help me look it over.

First, we looked at all the new parts (I had alreadytried switching out the distributor caps and wires) andused my voltmeter to check things...after a half hour orso, we switched out the rotors...and the Rover coughedto life! Apparently the rotor was a bit too short. Davetest drove my Rover (he also has a Series II-A) and wediscussed my Rover, and then he even helped me adjustmy carburetor (all while his VERY patient wife waited inthe Rangie).

It is because of the knowledgeable, dedicated andoutstanding individuals like Dave Sangerhausen whowork at Rovers North that I will continue to happilyorder parts from Rovers North. Thank you again, Dave!

Adam Pearsall, Johnsburg, NY

[We’ve shared your kind words with Dave, who inturn, shared them with his patient wife and child.Rovers North staff members are Rover owners andenthusiasts; meeting and helping customers andenthusiasts make the job fun. Good luck with yourII-A and visit us again -ed.]

________ P ________

Dear Mark,Yesterday, I received the Land Rover Owner’s Guidefrom Rovers North. Having owned 32 cars, includingthree Series Land Rovers and one Range Rover 4.0, Ihave been “exposed” to a number of owner’s guidesand parts catalogues. However, your Guide is the bestone I have ever seen with respect to design, ease ofexplanation, and exploded part diagrams. You makeowning a Land Rover a piece of cake for maintenance.Although I no longer own a Series Land Rover I lookforward to your mailings if for no other reason that toreminisce.

Tom La Manna [via email]

[Thanks for your observations, Tom. We hope thatthe Owners Guide and Rovers North News can enticeyou to return to Land Rovers one day -ed.]

________ P ________

Dear Rovers North,Just a note to thank you for your new catalog. I own a1973 Series III 88”. This is the best put-together catalogI have seen in a long time. Thank you! I look forward todoing business with you. Also, thank you for your 10%incentive. It’s a good way to start off the New Year. I willreview my “want list” for my Series III.

Stephen Homer, Santa Barbara, CA

[Congratulations on your Series III, Steve, andthanks for your comments on the Rovers NorthOwners Guide. We’ve been very pleased with theresponse to our 10% Winter Incentive sale, too. Keepus informed about your life with your Land Rover -ed.]


Letters tothe Editor


Viva Las VegasBy Jeffrey B. Aronson

I found myself with a choice one week in January.Either indulge in the adult [?] fantasy that gorgeouswomen and gambling winnings awaited me inside afake Eiffel To w e r, Great Pyramid, Treasure Island orHollywood studio, or go off-roading in real snow-cov-ered mountains. I figured that since Elvis had left thebuilding, better enjoy the off-roading.

The business trip [honest!] that sent me to LasVegas also placed me in the middle of the fabled LasVegas Strip. Vast concrete lagoons housed pirate ships;elevated tramways whisked you from faux Egypt to fauxI t a l y. The Strip also featured routine parades of RangeRovers and Discoverys - and at least one Defender 90 -from hotel guests to the locals from the ever- b u r g e o n-ing population. It’s not surprising that Nevada grew themost in the 2000 census, or that Las Vegas can barelyhouse its sprawling population. Happily, I found myselfamidst a wonderful group of Land Rover enthusiastsamongst the throng.

The leader of the pack seemed to be Carl Vo l k m a r,whose custom Defender 90 SW became my home dur-ing my last day in the city. As we drove westward toSunrise Pass and Frenchman’s Mountain, Carl remem-bered arriving in Las Vegas from Chicago in 1962 towork as a casino dealer at the Fremont Hotel. Wo r k i n gas a dealer “insured that I didn’t stand at a gamblingtable unless someone paid me to do it,” he noted. Hestarted a construction company and became a majorcommercial and residential developer in the region.“Off-roading was the only way I could get out of thec i t y,” so he purchased an ‘89 Range Rover Classic; “I’dread about them and they appeared to be the best tome.” Until an illness struck him in 1996, “I nearly putmore miles off road in that car than on the road intown.” Indeed, his Range Rover took part in numerousoff road expeditions, such as the Friends of the MojaveRoad Rendevous in 1990. To Carl, “the Range Roverwas bulletproof. The only place it ever died was in acountry club parking lot. I only sold it with 90,000miles to buy this Defender 90 instead.”

And what a Defender it is! This ‘97 DefenderStation Wagon features the usual automatic transmis-sion (“I insist upon it. The last stick shift I owned wasa ‘62 Corvette.”). It also has a dual stage air compres-sor set to 175 psi, yet with a most unusual distributorset up. The balanced and blueprinted engine gives him0 - 60 in 12 seconds; punching it - at Carl’s insistence -

during a test drive made those figures seem accurate.ARB air lockers front and rear should get him out ofmost situations, but if not, there’s a 10,000 lbSuperwinch hydraulic PTO driven winch and aportable gas powered winch in the car. Running outwest, it’s smart to have a Safari Gard rock slider kit andskid plates to protect the undersides. He’s moved theair intake to a telescopic snorkel on the drivers sidef e n d e r, and moved the CPU into the center console.T h e r e ’s a custom bumper, a custom spare tire carrier,numerous driving lights, and even an electronic radioantenna on the passen-g e r ’s side. If somethingbreaks on the trial, thecar has an electricw e l d e r.

“I don’t enjoy work-ing on it myself,” Carlstates. “I figured out thatsomeone else could do itquicker and better.” Thatsomeone is Wayne Agee,now a technician at LandRover Las Vegas. Theresults are neat, well-laidout, and professionallycompleted.

His wife of 33 years,E l e a n o r, used to go offroading with him, but she’s declined since “we oncegot stuck in the desert near the California border. I wasfollowing tracks and crossing ruts, when I suddenlysank into deep mud. It took hours to get out - my wifehad no idea how stuck we really were.”

As we approached the edges of Las Vegas County,Carl pointed to a high bluff overlooking a stretch ofnew housing. I stared at the steep, mogul-laden ascent- “We’re going up there,” I asked? Climb we did, andCarl added to my pleasure by moving over to the pas-s e n g e r ’s seat and permitting me to drive. The rockyface seemed to crumble and break under the weight ofthe Rover; occasionally you could feel the wheelsscrabble for grip on the soft surface. Carl knew hisvehicle well and the Defender climbed, grabbed andstuck the barely-visible trail without incident. To myeyes, the surface looked desolate. To Carl’s experi-enced desert eyes, the slightest rain would bring brightcolor to the otherwise camouflaged, parched flora. Inthe distance, the higher peaks stood snow covered ands p e c t a c u l a r. The clear blue sky gave way to a glorioussunset that helped this New Englander understand why4,000 new residents move into the valley every month.

Darlene and Bernie Elvin are new owners whohave longed for a Land Rover. “To us,” Darleneexplained, “the Land Rover is really the original 4 x 4.Certainly it’s the best.” They’ve competed in team rop-ing and barrel racing in rodeos together; Bernie is aretired helicopter officer with the Las Vegas PoliceDepartment; Darlene worked at the Mirage for manyyears. They found their ‘83 Range Rover Classic in anewspaper advertisement. It seems that a certain wifetold a certain husband to get “that car” out of thegarage, or else. The ad lasted one day when the hus-

band made one lastbout of resistance andpulled the ad. Tw oweeks later, the adappeared anew andDarlene went to see thec a r. “It’s a green Roverwith a perfect interior,” she said, and it will fit theircountry ranch lifestyle perfectly. “We live in the moun-tains west of Las Vegas,” Darlene noted, with “horses,goats, cattle, dogs, and cats. We like to cross county skiand hunt.” Their dilemma right now is that the Roverhas a 1980 3.5 liter engine with a fuel injection con-version. “The fuel injection came in a box, and it’sbeen difficult to find the information we need to com-plete the car.” They’re aiming for completion byF a t h e r ’s Day in June.

Pure luck put me in Las Vegas the same weekendas the opening of the new Land Rover Centre, LandRover Las Vegas. I accepted the invitation from GeneralManager Ray Dinardi to graze at their new center onthe outskirts of the city. Just before the opening, theSafari Club International convention had brought thou-

sands of adventure tour leaders to the city and thedealership, and Ray listened to many safari guidesinsist that they would only use Land Rovers intheir work.

Dinardi came to the automotive world in 1980from the airplane business, and after stints with Saturnand Honda dealerships, has found the Land Roverworld “a lot more intimate. I really enjoy the closerelationship with customers, our sales guides and tech-nicians, and Land Rover North America.” Indeed, forthe opening, Land Rover North America representativesJed Tallman from Colorado and Monica Norstrandfrom Texas both attended the event.

With the nearest Land Rover dealer hundreds ofmiles west in southern California, or north in Reno orSalt Lake City, Dinardi has come to know the enthusi-asts in the local club, the Land Rover Club of LasVegas, quite well. The group meets monthly and hasgrow rapidly. The enthusiasm affects the dealership,too. They have purchased a handsome ‘68 Series II-A88” SW for display at the Centre; eerily, it came out ofRoswell, NM. How did it get there? Where did it comefrom? I mean, I saw Independence Day, too! With only51,000 miles and no salted roads to cause frame cor-rosion, it’s a gem that fascinated the hundreds whoturned out that opening night.

Equally fine was a Series III Carawagon underrestoration at a nearby shop. It came from enthusiastRobert Davis, Chesapeake, VA [come to think of it, thatcan be eerie, too - ed.] and seemed great mechanical-l y. The work underway would restore the fantasticcrank top and camping gear inside. It was refreshingto see familiar Series vehicles at a Land Rover dealer-s h i p .

Sales Guides and service technicians took turns onthe extra long, extra side-sloped test track, leavingmany wide-eyed passengers behind on each trip. Ifyou’ve never been in a Discovery that’s heeled over at45 degrees, all the while listening to the Sales Guidenote the slickness of the track due to near- f r e e z i n gtemperatures, then you’d be aghast, too.

The evening provided me the chance to meet andspeak with Dennis Casebier, a former US Navy govern-ment scientist who, with his wife Jo Ann, helped createand continues to promote the Friends of the MojaveRoad, a non-profit organization that protects, supports,and provides education on this desert trail. It is ana f filiate of the Mojave Desert Heritage and CulturalAssociation [www.mdhcs.org]; together, the two orga-nizations build appreciation and awareness of the his-torical, geological and cultural importance of theMojave Desert. Dennis has published two books on thetrail, Guide to the East Mojave Heritage Trail, andMojave Road Guide: An Adventure Through Time, andJo Ann serves as Editor of the 10-issue per year MojaveRoad Report.

Their 4 x 4’s have never included a Rover, butScouts and IH trucks made up the fun fleet - andthey’re appreciative of Carl Vo l k m a r ’s Land Rovers.With over 800 members worldwide, they’ve undertak-en the critical tasks of keeping access while protectingthe heritage of this desert. “I’m into the history of thedesert and cruising back roads. I learned that most 4 x4 owners don’t damage the environment. It’s inspiringbecause of its effect on people. You come out of thedesert with a completely different frame of mind,socially uplifted and closer to being a Republican thatyou were before.” Dennis has led groups along theMojave Road for over 20 years, and will lead a limitedsize group this April, 2001.

I spoke with other enthusiasts at the event, such asJacob Cruze, Las Vegas, NV, an outdoorsman with a ‘98Range Rover SE 4.0, who spoke of one outing soextreme “the seat belts locked as the bow wave brokeover the windshield.” Perhaps Bob Raasveld summedit up best when he noted that, as a Merrill Ly n c hFinancial Consultant, he knew Land Rovers were something special because clients called him to ask“how much is in my account, and how fast can I withdraw it?”

Just before I left Las Vegas, Carl Volkmar handedme a piece of desert rock, full of the pinks, greys andpurples that we never see in Maine granite. Along witha huge grin and lots of pleasant Land Rover memories,t h a t ’s all I took home from Las Vegas. Thinking it over,t h a t ’s probably for the best.

paradise! The desert had been grand and vast,but it took 4 or 5 hours of punishment to get outof Los Angeles, and now we’d be a mere hour’sspin from some of the best tracks in the world.We fell in with the Solihull Society and were inthe mountains nearly every weekend from springto fall. The climbing induced us to set aside the“fru-fru” radial tyres and shod it with bias plyFirestone 750x16 SAT’s - bulletproof and capableof running on 5 psi of air, if any at all. Old Ctook us over all the great stuff: Pearl, Schofield,Black Bear passes, up to Iron Chest mine, downRed Cone and over Radical Hill. It started earn-ing another name too - “Old Vapor Locker”. Icould have changed the carb, but I had a full setof high altitude jets for the Solex and eventuallyfigured out a higher-pressure fuel pump curedmost of it. Never broke an axle, but Iron Chestprobably caused the demise of the overdrivesplines. Pulled out the box and did without forthe rest of the days in the mountains, no worries.Solihull Society’s rallies were (and still are) thehighest of adventure, whether at Ouray,Breckenridge, or Crested Butte. When the AirForce sent me away during some of them, Suewent herself. I figured out how to rig a cot insidethe 88” so I could sleep without needing a tentwhen hunting, and hauled a quartered elk home

in it once. Half way through this stint I got sent for a

year’s school in Alabama, and towed an apart -ment’s worth of stuff in a U-Haul behind it andthen back to Colorado. Mercifully, my routestayed on generally lightly traveled roads acrossthe rural south - I didn’t mind the glacial acceler-ation, but the drum brakes and 1200 lb of U-Haulgave you that locomotive feeling about stoppingdistance. While in Alabama I finally succumbed tovanity and scrubbed all the old paint off for a re-spray of bronze green for the body tub and lime-stone for the top. Now it really looked sharp,even winning some ribbons in British car shows.We had a few foreign officers in this school, anda Kenyan Air Force Colonel was a particularlygood friend. He’d asked me to take him out dri-ving in the country in it, said it reminded him ofhis ranch outside Nairobi. Back in Colorado wetook possession of a new ‘95 Disco, 5 speed, nofrills.

But while the warranty was still valid on theDisco, the 88” is what we took on the trail. At100,000 miles, I had the increasingly tired 7:1head engine rebuilt. The 8:1 compression andhardened valve seats put remarkable new powerand longer life back into “Old Contemptible.”

Alas, the Air Force caught us loving life toomuch in Colorado and shipped us back to LosAngeles for the third time. I drove out for a fewweeks ahead, again pulling rooms full of furni-

ture in a U-Haul behind Old C. It was July, andyou’ve just not been Land Roving till you’veclimbed the grade past Cima Dome in the Mojave,105 degrees F, 35 mph full throttle, dragging atrailer, watching the oil temp head for never-before-explored territory. But the water tempbarely budged and the only thing overheating wasmy foot against the uninsulated firewall.

So here we are again in Los Angeles. TheDisco is way too seductive for the long haul out ofL.A. now, but “Old C” remains my commuter carand gets the occasional run into the local hillsand desert. We have found a Southern CaliforniaSeries club to keep it company.

While we don’t claim to be the most over-the-top Land Rover fanatics we know, guests mentionthey can’t go more than a page in our photoalbum without encountering some trail or camprun in one or the other of our Land Rovers. Andwhile we’ve long since quit photographing theRover every obstacle we encounter on the trail, itdoes show up just continually in the record ofour 15 years of adventure together. It has takenus on the very best of adventures, and been thepretext for meeting the very most interesting peo-ple. We are delighted to see how Rovers Northhas grown and stayed true to the spirit, becausethis is all your fault!

Sincerely, Neil McCasland

It’s All Your Fault, con’ t

Carl Volkmar poses with his very capable Defender 90

Viva, con’t.


If you love Land Rovers, you love England. Not allthings British, but England itself. In a motel room onenight, I started Bill Bryson’s Notes From a SmallIsland. He noted that “there are certain idiosyncraticnotions you quietly come to accept when you live inEngland for a long time..one is that Britain is a largep l a c e . ”

He continues that “if you mention in a pub thatyou intend to drive from, say, Surrey to Cornwall, adistance that most Americans would happily drive toget a taco, your companions will puff their cheeks,look knowingly at each other, and blow out air as ifto say, ‘Well, now, that’s a bit of a tall order,’ and thenthey’ll launch into a lively and protracted discussionof whether it’s better to take the A30 to Stockbridgeand then the A303 to Ilchester, or the A361 toGlastonbury via Shepton Mallet. Within minutes theconversation will plunge off into a level of detail thatleaves you, as a foreigner, swiveling your head inquiet wonderment...”

I thought about my last visit to England for theARC 50th Anniversary Celebration. The drive fromLondon to the western Malvern Hills lasted about 3hours, mostly on two lane roads. My British compan-ions treated it as a cross-country expedition; I do thatdistance routinely for work assignments and I neverget out of Maine. Californians consider that a dailycommute; Texans do that to catch a good movie.

I returned to Bryson. “The fact is that the Britishhave a totally private sense of distance. This is mostvisibly seen in the shared pretense that Britain is alonely island in the middle of an empty green sea. Ofcourse, the British are all aware, in an abstract sortof way, that there is a substantial land mass calledEurope nearby and it is necessary to go over thereand give old Jerry a drubbing or have a holiday in thesun, but’s not nearby in any meaningful sense in theway that, say, Disney World is.” One of the pleasuresof living in Northern New England is that same senseof private distance. Of course, we’re aware of a sub-stantial land mass called The United States lies near-b y, but often it seems irrelevant to daily life. Whenyou’re a Land Rover enthusiast, you know that thereare millions of car owners out there, but their idea of“car” seems irrelevant. We, too, live in a “private dis-tance.”

________ P _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

My work puts me behind the wheel of my LandRover throughout northern New England, and thiss e a s o n ’s travels have required me to drive furtherthan ever. This winter has been one of our snowiestand coldest in several years and I seem to feel themileage more than usual. A mother and daughterfrom more tropical climes came to visit me in Maineand I met them at the airport in Portland in the II-A.She asked “does that thing have heat?” But of course,I replied. “Aren’t you cold in it,” she asked? Thisrequired a near-Clintonian response. I was wearing L.L. Bean boots, heavy wool socks, jeans, a cotton shirtand a wool shirt, a sweater, a Rovers North vest, an L.

L. Bean jacket, gloves and a Rovers North cap.“Cold,” I scoffed, “not at all. It all depends what youmean by ‘cold.’ “ The next thing she did was to emptyher suitcase of every article of clothing and put it on;then, we began a long wintry drive. She was not ahappy camper.

People pass by driving real cars - or Range RoverClassics or Discoverys. They don’t look like Frosty theSnowman in the car. They have shed their outercoats; I’ve even seen them in T-shirts. It might help ifall my window tracks weren’t worn away, or if I hadreplaced those scuttle vent seals I purchased lasts u m m e r, or if I had installed all the new door seals.You can warm up a Series Land Rover, but you’llnever roast in one - until summer, of course. Myweekend foray in a Discovery Series II, recountedelsewhere in this issue, and editing articles fromowners of Range Rover Classics, can’t help but stimu-late your thinking about these Land Rovers. The earli-est Range Rovers are now the same age as manySeries III’s; they’ve proven their worth as go any-where, dependable, all-purpose vehicles. I might evenhave happier passengers.

________ P _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

I t ’s been one of those years for the QE I, my ‘66Series II-A. Back in the fall, I took a date to dinner inthe ‘66 II-A. Gallantly, I even put the soft top back upfor the ride. “We’re going in THAT,” she askedincredulously? I answered her suavely that the Queenof England had several Land Rovers, “just like thisone.” Well, truthfully, the Queen’s probably had lessduct tape on the seats and fewer event decals on thewindshield. It might carry fewer tools to rattle overevery bump. Her door tops might not wave in thewind, either. However, this was a Land Rover, too. Weconversed at that special decibel level reserved forSeries Rover owners and jackhammer operators. Ishifted into overdrive. I heard a gentle whine fromthe Fairey overdrive; she heard an Mettalica-levelhowl. When her voice gave out, we drove in silenceuntil we reached the restaurant.

Her remarks made me think that maybe, afternearly 90,000 miles, it was time to think about theoverdrive unit. More convincingly, the overdrivebegan to pop out of gear under load from a standingstart. The unit would not be engaged, but it seem togo to its “neutral” setting without jarring. When ithappened on a fall trip to Rovers North, I checkedwith Mike Searfoss for advice. He listened to thesymptoms and suggested it was time for an overhaul.Mike suggested that the excessive noise was likely tobe worn bearings, and the popping could be wornteeth on gears.

The Fairey overdrive unit is a mini-transmission,complete with its own shaft and selector fork. When Ireturned home, I removed the overdrive unit fromthe back of the transmission and took off the inspec-tion plate. The gear teeth looked fine, without anychipping, but the inner teeth on the gears had clearlyworn splines. As I probed deeper into the overdrive,the bearings looked as if they required a press ratherthan a “drift” for removal. I discussed the issue of anoverhaul with Mike and Les Parker, and their solutiongave me a used overdrive in excellent condition and arebuilding of my current overdrive at Rovers North.

The new-old overdrive arrived and I crawledunder the car to install it at a friend’s garage. All wentperfectly until the final inch or so of travel. It wouldnot slide into place. The Fairey instructions includeone of those unbelievable solutions involving hittingthe starter button while the car is in gear. Sureenough, one hit of the starter and the unit slippedinto place. We filled it with hypoid, checked the bolts,and I drove the car away. Later that day, I shipped theold overdrive back to Rovers North for an overhaul.

It was two days later when I got to the mainlandand could actually test the overdrive at speed. Oh, my,how quiet and refined compared to my previous one.This business trip would take me hundreds of milesto the Maine-New Brunswick border, and then all theway west towards Bangor - a fine rural drive - andsouth by highway to central Massachusetts.

In southern Maine, I stopped at a MaineTurnpike rest area to get some coffee. As I pulled in

through some slush puddles, I smelled steam risingfrom underneath the car. I pulled up the center seatand the steel panel to peer under the car. The heatrose mightily from the overdrive. The dipstick boltburned my fingers when I tried to unscrew it. Myheart sank. I took a set of winch gloves to remove thedipstick and found the reservoir - gulp - empty. I tooka pint of hypoid and filled the overdrive to its limit,and then stepped out of the car to steady myself andget that coffee. I peered under the car and watched apool of hypoid spread itself on the ground. Carefully,I put my hand under the overdrive and that’s when Idiscovered the drain plug - the one had serves as adrain plug for the overdrive. Sometime during the450 mile drive the drain plug fell out of the overdriveand emptied out the hypoid. The Fairey overdriveuses a unique thread pattern so local replacementwas out of the question, but the dipstick looked tohave the identical thread pattern. The dipstick for anoverdrive is a bolt head with a tiny metal indicator

stick; I cut it off and screwed it in as the drain plug. Ifilled it with hypoid again and drove it around slowly.The unit sounded as if it were grinding rocks.

Six years ago when I first purchased an over-drive, I kept the original final gear and transmissionback plate in a bag and placed them in the parts boxin the rear. Lying in the snow replacing an overdrivewas not my favorite winter sport, but I bundled upand had the overdrive off quickly. The slowest partwas removing the odd-sized castle nut from the endof the output shaft; while it was easy to access, itsshape means that you have a special socket [uniqueto Series Land Rovers] or you take a drift and gentlyhammer away at the edges for a long time. Then youremove the overdrive roller bearing, put in the fin a lgear and lock tabs, and gently hammer the nut backin again. I felt like Geppeto creating a new Pinnochio.Still, a couple of hours later, I drove the car away,sans overdrive.


Series II SeriesBy Jeffrey B. AronsonNancy Bennett is the soon-to-be General Manager of thesoon-to-be Land Rover Bedford [NH]. While training atLand Rover Scarborough in Maine, she took stock ofme seated in the leather comfort of a 2000 DiscoverySeries II. “Think of it this way,” she said,” you’re reallyjust going from one Series II to another. ”

You see, the entire situation upset me. My Series II-A had managed to unscrew the drain plug from itsFairey overdrive - all by itself - and dump its gear oilonto I- 95 in southern Maine [see accompanying article- ed]. Think “Exxon Valdez” in miniature. As I needed

to drive to Massachusetts for an assignment, I foundmyself stuffed into a loaner, a Discovery Series II.

During the drive south, I discovered, if you’ll par-don the pun, that when your senses are not assaulted bynoise, temperature, glare, and excessive yawing, youcan really hear yourself think. I spent much of the tripwondering whether the two Series model designationsreally differ that greatly.

I’ve compared the two cars feature to feature; whilethey might use different technology, the Land RoverSeries II and the Discovery Series II have great similari-ties. Surprised? To aid you in this analysis, I’ve pre-pared the following chart:

Feature/OptionDiscovery Series II

S e a t i n g 5 standard; 7 with jump seat

Seat Adjustment Electronic for height anddistance to pedals/ wheels

Dual Sunroofs Optional, with sunscreen

Dual Zone Standard; driver and passengersclimate controls can set desired temperature forwith outside each side of vehicletemperature gauge

Sound system Choices - 100 or 320 watt AlpineAM-FM cassette audio system withWeather Band and 6 speakers;CD changer optional

Optional Keyless Remote locking and unlockingEntry System of doors

Automatic Inside Dims and brighten automaticallyRear View Mirror

Digital Compass Standard LCD display indicates Display in Rear direction View Mirror

Cupholders Front and rear

Center console Standard with cup-holders, vinylstorage bin or leather covered

Tinted and Power S t a n d a r dWindows with“ O n e - To u c h ”down feature

Childproof Door S t a n d a r dL o c k s

Power Steering Standard hydraulic power assist

Anti-Theft Device Standard - electronic

Original Land Rover Series II & II-A

Same - 3 standard [front 88”], 4 in rear on padded benchand/or jump seat.

Manual - Height: stack seat cushions for height or bring tele-phone book [preferably from urban areas] Distance - man-ually select the generous 1 1/2” adjustment on later II-A’s .

Same - Roof vents on station wagon model. Bring your owns u n s c r e e n

Same - Kodiak heater with flaps directing airflow right orleft. Right and left hand vents on bulkhead cowl. Outsidetemperature determined by airflow through worn door seals;twin thermometers taped to windscreen

Choices - 1.5 volt Panasonic Sport AM-FM cassette portableplayer with headphones; CD player

Same - it’s a remote concept as door locks don’t work

Same - brightens automatically when headlights shinethrough rear window, dims as vehicle passes Land Rover

Same - Optional $2.00 compass glued to rear view mirror

Same - jam cup handle between back seat cushions in front;use bungee cords for rear jump seats

Same - standard with styrofoam cover, twin cupholders ont o p

Same - “One Touch” slide feature due to worn out windowtracks; works best in icy weather. Tinting from hypoid leaks

Same - neither kids nor adults can find interior door handle

Same, except you assist

Standard - no one can figure out the starter button on anearly II-A.

Behind TheSteering Wheel

Rovers North now accepts American Express,Discover Card, Visa and MasterCard.

The Rovers North Newsletter is a publication of Rovers North, Inc. • Publisher: Mark Letorney • Editor: Jeffrey B. Aronson • Art Director: Thompson Smith

Capt. Dirk Ringgenberg, Derby Line, VT, sent us this photo of an RSOV - Ranger Special Operations Vehicle- which runs a turbocharged diesel. This example, was shown in action at Ft. Polk, LA.

David McCunn, Honeoye Falls, NY, photographed this “Roadrailer” Defender 130 at the Manchester Museumof Science in Manchester, England.

Jack Belden, Nantucket,MA, caught this SeriesIII in the “boondocks”of Leyte, Philippines.The Defender 110’s arefrom the wilds ofNantucket Airport.

S n a p sLand Rover

Brent Sanders, Auburn, CA, vacationed on Rarotonga, one of theCook Islands, and spotted this interesting Series II-A with a customflatbed. It is “the exact same color” as my ‘69 Series II-A bugeyemajor restoration project I just started.”

Documents

Winter 2000 Rovers North News