bryn
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,913
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Sept 23, 2009 0:36:10 GMT
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My first readers ride thread I bought this by accident last year and it's done me proud, the Mercedes behind it was the reason for buying. Although I only just recently sold that to Keefy... I digress. I downloaded a bunch of pictures from my phone and realised there were some of this, so I figured I'd stick a few up and give it some glory Bought at 7.30am on a Sunday last October, I was three hours from home and in a rush. Here's what it looked like... Looks pretty good huh? Yeah right... Basic story is that after having an LPG powered classic Vogue earlier on last year, I fancied the same again without any electric bugs, rust and some half way decent mpg figures. So the conversion to a 2.8ltr Isuzu turbo diesel engine was attractive, done using a kit from Milner, which keeps the Range Rover LT77 manual box. I needed it to be road worthy three weeks after purchase, ready for seven months in the French Alps
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Volvo, Buggy, Discovery and an old tractor.
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bryn
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,913
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Sept 23, 2009 0:40:26 GMT
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Obviously the fact it had no MOT didn't phase me... Because I'm largely stupid. This is it the day after I dragged it back from South London. Can I get a MIG MIG? Lots more later on...
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Volvo, Buggy, Discovery and an old tractor.
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Sept 23, 2009 7:50:47 GMT
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Waiting................................
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bryn
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,913
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Sept 23, 2009 12:35:44 GMT
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Obviously given my haphazzard approach to buying vehicles, the first thing I did before the strip down was try a lamp pod on for size. I stopped off at a local Land Rover specialist to see if they had any wheels and came back with this... Rather than anything I actually needed Back in the strip down phase, boy I had fun uncovering this lot... Oh how I laughed. Here you can see the optional Range Rover front tyre inspection hole... Chortle. But hey... Doesn't the light pod look good on the bonnet? *Clicks heels and wishes it was MOT time already* By the time I'd stripped the bodyshell down, you could run your fingers through a hole from the offside front head lamp to the tail lamp on the same side. This was not good, but meh, I broke out the welding skills and got busy... But when you consider even the B pillar was split, so when you closed the drivers or rear door it would flex... It's at this stage I should have walked away. But instead I flew away to Bali... And left the Range Rover with Bill and Darren, a couple of good old boys in Somerset who don't mind a challenge. Returning six days later, they'd done a bit more welding... But not a lot. I was meant to be leaving for my Alpine winter the following day. Back on the MIG and spanners then
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Volvo, Buggy, Discovery and an old tractor.
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Sept 23, 2009 12:48:20 GMT
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ooh a rusty Rangey! what a suprise. Lamp pod looks good though.
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Volvo back as my main squeeze, more boost and some interior goodies on the way.
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bryn
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,913
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Sept 23, 2009 12:49:27 GMT
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The next week was a blur of welding and putting it back together, bolting on an early front bumper, binning the side steps and bull bar... Cambelt kit, light bar, full service, new brakes, fuel lines... More welding, new windscreen and roof rack. Four new alloys and five 205/80x16in snow tyres. All up, it owed me £1370 with a years ticket and two months tax left that it came with, included in the original £425 purchase price. It made it to the Alps though, no breakdown cover, six days late... Eleven hours from Calais to Tignes, fully loaded returning 33mpg at 75mph. Reeeezult
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Volvo, Buggy, Discovery and an old tractor.
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bryn
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,913
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Sept 23, 2009 12:57:45 GMT
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ooh a rusty Rangey! what a suprise. Lamp pod looks good though. Yes you can imagine my jovial look of delight when I discovered that lot And you'll notice the lamp pod never made it... Within a week the first snow began to fall, I was at 1550 metres and this was an early morning sprinkle... Which lead to some of the heaviest early season snow they've ever had. Two metres before the end of November, and we'd get a metre of powder in a couple of hours when it was in the mood... ;D
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Volvo, Buggy, Discovery and an old tractor.
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bryn
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,913
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Sept 23, 2009 13:18:31 GMT
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When the snow came, it came hard. But obviously you still have to go about your daily business... So on a Sunday night a few of us decided to head out for a pizza, in a blizzard. This is the result of that night, four days later, when the Range Rover was freed from the side of a mountain. We decided to head back down to our resort using a small road, which becomes a piste during the winter... Or to be precise, at 9am on a Monday morning after I'd got stuck on it at 2am. The lumps of ice (yes ice) in the foreground came off the roof. It was dragged out and left here in the sun for six hours. There are also two parrafin heaters in the car on full whack. It cost four bottles of Pastis and one of whisky to get it free
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Volvo, Buggy, Discovery and an old tractor.
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conrad
Posted a lot
Here to fix your cabin.......
Posts: 1,678
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Sept 23, 2009 16:06:28 GMT
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Sweet rangy and well donr for saving it. Good old isuzu TD heart transplant will help too, bet you were happy to be gettin 33mpg loaded and haulin ass (well for something that big and heavy)!
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Last Edit: Sept 23, 2009 16:08:46 GMT by conrad
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Sept 23, 2009 22:56:52 GMT
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nice one. I'm building a Japanese diesel powered Rangie
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75 Range Rover 2 door 82 Range Rover 4 door 84 Range Rover 4 door 78 Datsun 120Y 2 door 78 Datsun 620 Pickup 81 Datsun Urvan E23 86 Datsun Vanette van 98 Electric Citroen Berlingo 00 Electric Peugeot Partner 02 Electric Citroen Berlingo 04 Berlingo Multispace petrol 07 Land Rover 130 15 Nissan E-NV200 15 Fiat Ducato
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conrad
Posted a lot
Here to fix your cabin.......
Posts: 1,678
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Sept 25, 2009 1:04:05 GMT
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got a thread here for it? if not you should
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Sept 25, 2009 7:16:32 GMT
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4 days later...you were lucky mate. Last time I got stuck up a mountain in the Alps we didn´t get the Landy out until next spring - the locals used it as a ski ramp for half the season. ;D oh and tailgate signage FTW You need anything German bringing over next week?
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Last Edit: Sept 25, 2009 7:20:04 GMT by Oldbus
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Sept 25, 2009 9:56:30 GMT
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Aaah, Tignes!
What you got on the go over there Bryn? A few of my mates have Bars out there - Jam Bar, The Loop, TC's, Tignes Quisine........
Its the only place to spend the winter season!
Joe
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Sept 25, 2009 14:11:45 GMT
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i like the idea of a J deisel rangie !
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yes ,it started badly ,petered off in the middle and the least said about the end the better!!!
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rustmonkey, Bryns talking in retrospect here ... this all happened last winter. He's firmly in England ... at least he'd better be, he has a photo shoot to do for me next week! Bryn, i so love your Rangey. Kinda miss hacking up the tracks around our fields to the workshop in it! lol. It certainly has character! lol. I am DEVASTED it was minus lightpod when i had it tho, i would never have given it back! lmao btw, Benz has been a whore from hell. Will update when i see you next week. You may need your squinting eyes on
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75 Range Rover 2 door 82 Range Rover 4 door 84 Range Rover 4 door 78 Datsun 120Y 2 door 78 Datsun 620 Pickup 81 Datsun Urvan E23 86 Datsun Vanette van 98 Electric Citroen Berlingo 00 Electric Peugeot Partner 02 Electric Citroen Berlingo 04 Berlingo Multispace petrol 07 Land Rover 130 15 Nissan E-NV200 15 Fiat Ducato
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Ether
Posted a lot
Posts: 4,450
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Exemplary.
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conrad
Posted a lot
Here to fix your cabin.......
Posts: 1,678
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