Painting the landrover

Now I set about painting the landrovers interior.
Before I do this I removed all my kit from the wagon. There's quite a bit of it and it takes me awhile.

Then it's down to business. Although it's roomy inside the positions you've got to get into for painting are awkward in places. I even paint the underneath of the overhang near the bulkhead.
After about three coats are done, dried and dusted it's ready for the camera...


Now it's just some hooks for hanging things on in the interior and that's that sorted for now.

Defender Towing Array

I took off the towing array and gave that a good going over too.
This is no trifling tow bar but a full bifta with adjustable levels, vertical hook pins, split pins keeping it all secure and a mighty locking pin for adjustment and removal!

I take the lot apart and give it the treatment.

The Red Ryder Project continues

Over the course of the next few days I looked at several places to get things for improvement.
The most glaringly obvious one from a security angle was getting a padlock on the spare tyre.
It won't stop angle grinders of the freeze sprays but should deter casuals...

SNATCH Landrover

An Armoured Landrover

This version of the Landrover Defender takes its name from being used to 'snatch' troublemakers and riot leaders during 'The Troubles' in Northern Island.
It's armoured against handgun and grenade blasts with thicker composite armour but reducing it's performance and top-speed to about 60mph. Despite it's armour during the on-going Afganistan campaign it has been criticised for it's vulnerability to medium and heavy mines which have lead to many deaths and injuries.

It's advantage in conflicts is in it's narrow profile and agility, allowing it to manouver through difficult terrain where a bigger vehicle would struggle.
No weapons mountings for heavy weaponry exist but a commanders cuppola hatch (pictured) allows a rifleman or machinegunner to give fire in a firefight or which defending a position.

The Landrover Wolf

This versions of the Defender comes in roughly two specs. TUL (Truck Utility Light) and TUM (Truck Utility Medium).
The TUL is a 90 SWB and the TUM is a 110 LWB.
The engine is a 300 TDI and its joints are strengthened along with it having the designation HS (High Spec). It's fitted for a number of roles including winterised and fully waterproofed (for wading and amphibious assault)

A Weaponised (WMIK) variant is also used which mounts a 12.7mm (50 calibre) HMG (primary weapon) along with a 7.62mm GPMG (secondary weapon).
Additionally a MILAN Anti-Tank launcher can be mounted (less the primary HMG) or a belt-fed grenade launcher.

Military Landrovers

Almost since the beginning of Landrovers formation the British Army have been major users of first the Landrover Series model and later the Defender.
Almost always diesel engined and of a higher spec than civilian versions they cost more and the latest ones are difficult to obtain as ex-MOD vehicles.
Engine type is the 300 TDI which is easy to repair and work on in the field. Additionally, this is seen as impervious to EMP weapons due to a diesel engine not being as reliant on the battery's electrical system (altough starting it up of course is!).
The newer Td5 engine is not used, due to Landrover not giving the EMP proof assurances and it's more complex diagnositic repair protocols.

Military Landrover Defenders are typically heavier and Fitted For Radio (FFR).
The spare tyre tends to be mounted on the side wall of the vehicle (older ones are on the bonnet) with field tools are mounted around the bonnet.
These tools include:
Pickaxe and handle, tow-rope, entrenching tool,

Currently the British Army uses two types of Landrover Defender:

The SNATCH Landrover.

The Landrover WOLF.

Some Landrover Facts

The ultimate offroad vehicle.
No other vehicle quite matches the Land Rover Defender for versatility, toughness and longevity.
Very strong, capable of almost any terrain and DIY-friendly.
Capable of being entirely stripped-down, boxed, shipped overseas then assembled at the other end by mechanics.
Its use as an expedition vehicle is unparalleled.
Made with aluminium and steel combined to give strength and resistance to corrosion it's stood the test of time well.

Ever since the 4 x 4 first appeared in the 1940s it's made an impression on the motoring public. Prior to this all there was were the Willeys Jeep from WW2

The British Army still uses them as their light-vehicle in a variety of roles as do many other countries.

Interior Mission

Inside the rear cargo area of the defender is the real crux of the matter.
It's got all the cubby holes and stowage shelves for my stuff but the plywood material has suffered somewhat. It hasn't been painted and on the floor part it's seen heavy gear thrown on and off it.
My uncle suggest ripping the entire lot out but this would just double the work-load and besides, it was in perfectly good condition aside from a few floor sections and some TLC would soon put her right...

First thing to do is brush the dust out. This is easier said than done however as the cement dust is so fine and light it just blows back in again!
I do this several times and eventually get around to putting filler down to repair the damaged plywood.

The filling was hardly me finest, but did the job. I'd be putting several layers of paint over this which would finish that job for good.
Sourcing decent exterior paint for wood was a tricky one. The stores only seemed to have it in flowery colours. I finally found one in dark green; a neutral colour that's easy on the eye and not too lame like pink or beige etc.

I can't start painting yet as I'm off to my uncles in the country...

A tour around a defender

I took a good look at the defender again. I think all vehicles should have a name and this wagon would be no exception.

I dub thee; The Red Ryder! :)

The bumper is the first thing to get attention.

I rub it down, then get some rust eater solution and give it a few coats.
This done I finally use about 3 coats of matt black hammerite to finish the job.


Here its a big improvement. There's still some rust to be worked on the bull-bar but that can wait for another day.
I maked the paint coats extra thick on the top extremeties of the bumper. I'll be climbing up and down off the landrover and want it to be extra resistant to my boots and wear there.

First Drive

I got picked up at the station by the drilling company's son. He was in a Range Rover and I could see the family had made money in their drilling biz.
Once I saw it in the flesh I knew there was no going back. It was in a Rutland Red paintjob that was pretty rare on the landrover scene.
Paid the cash and started her up. Sounds good.
The wagon reeked like it had just come back off an army excercise with dust and mud in the back cargo area. No problem, I knew how to fix that.
The bodywork was steel and aluminium. Where it was steel there was some surface rust. Where it was ali. there was some surface corrosion. It was just cosmetic though and I didn't let that worry me. These things are rock-solid and every part is replaceable.

Popping the bonnet was a tricky one. It was a two-man job which needed one to pop the bonnet and another to lift it up.
I knew I'd have to come up with a way to fix that.
But driving it was a buzz. Just like in the old army days.
You don't so much driver it around as pilot the thing from place to place.
I rained on the journey back but this beast didn't skip a beat.

Now I got it home I worked out my next step...

Obtaining a Landrover Defender

The first thing about landrover ownership is finding a decent machine.

Mine had to preferably be one that was with the 300 TDI engine and definately a 110 LWB.
It also had to have the seats removed and with stowage space in the rear.
After trawling through autotrader for months I'd missed a few opportunities.
Everything was either CSW type (country station wagon) or SWB.
Finally I struck gold. A red landrover LWB that was owned by a now mothballed drilling company.
It had all that I needed. The only niggle was it was 2001, potentially meaning it was in gordon browns (Brit PM) high tax bracket.
Putting this to one side I made the arrangements for an RAC inspection and after a saga or two. Had it inspected. All was more or less good. The engine was in good condition, the 4WD worked but the bodywork needed attention. This didn't surprise me, it would of been put through its paces during its working life.
I set off on the train to get it a done deal...