Dfender buildup

[35xj]

A little about me. My names Dave, I work for Land Rover as a memeber of the off-road drive team, so chances are if you've been around our cars at events, we've met.
Last spring while launching the discovery sport in pheonix, we were all sitting around adding up the total number of vehicles owned by the team. Somewhere in that discussion a trade was worked out. My 2010 ktm race bike, for a clean straight series 2. No drivetrain, rotten frame, but with a sweet half cab and a full top.
The best part, I live in Asheville NC the car was in Portland Oregon....
Luckily, a big part of our job, is travel. So a plan was hatched to meet up in moab where we had work.
So I loaded up my dad, the race bike, my super enduro and dads 500' and headed west.

The plan was to go to moab for work for a few days, pick up the car, and backtrack to Trinidad CO to meet some friends who were riding the TAT. Then leave the trucks and ride the rest of the tat out to oregon.
More on that at another time...we did get to ride for a week before a crushed foot cut us short
On the road


Here she is at home...

I'd had a couple of months to try to figure out what I was going to do with "Annie" when I got her home, and had a fairly decent plan for her...

A rust free, non running discovery 1 was sourced from a friend, it would supply the frame and axles. Luckily I have some really useful neighbors

Body removed

And off to the crusher

 

[35xj]

Shedding unneeded parts came

After a whole lot of measuring, I decided to go to an 89 1/2 wheelbase to fill out the wheel wells a little better


Rear frame replacement, and exterior shel of rear crossmember


Working out outrigger locations using borrowed parts






Significant jump ahead, but frame welded Back up. Out riggers built for the bulkhead and the rear tub. Rock rails integrated into the frame and outriggers

The frame of a disco differs from the series in a lot of small ways. One of which is the point at which the rear hump begins. Much further rearward on a discovery, so tall rear tub mounts were built. Nthese will also tie into a cage at some point


Starting to look like a car!

 

[35xj]

Once the panels were mounted onto the new frame, I turned my attention to the rear crossmember. I knew I wNted a step of some kind, and eventually some kind of rear tire carrier

I also put in a hole for a rear PTO. Trying to look a little authentic....

Rear tire carrier start




Latch mechanism

 

[ColoDisco]

Love to see builds like this!

 

[35xj]

Next up....winch mount

The discovery has a pretty structural crossmember right in front of the steering box. Obvious option was to mount the winch on top of it and call it good. However....

I like the idea of the winch sting lower, more like a series truck. So

Cut most of the cross member out of the way and replaced it with a 1/4 inch winch tray, and boxed it in to the top of the frame rails. I don't think I've really lost any structure in this area, but it will recieve extra reinforcement at a later point.

Then onto building a bumper

 

[Green96D1]

Great Build. "Thumbs up"

 

[UnfrozenCaveman]

>>>Subscribed...

I've got this '94 Disco that deserves to "live on"

Thanks, and keep up the good work!

 

[zelatore]

I look at the pics and think 'yeah...I could do that'

I mean come on, how hard can it be?

yeah...maybe not. It does give me thoughts though given how cheap Discos are out here.

 

[35xj]

I'm down in baja for a couple of weeks, but hopefully the drivetrain will leave the uk soon!

 

[ersatzknarf]

Very, very nice, Dave !

Hope it's a diesel drivetrain

Would be nice if you could hang onto that patina, too

Enjoy Baja for us !

 

[35xj]

Yessir! 300 tdi and associated bits!

The plan for the car is to clear coat the bulkhead to seal it, and leave the exterior as is


Baja is incredible! I'm in love

 

[czenkov]

Nice project you have there. I was in Baja Christmas through New Years. It is a very cool place, I need to get back down there.

 

[11b4v]

Apologize for the weird question.

Got a brother in law named Eric living in Chattanooga?

If not you, one of your coworkers instructors there in Asheville.

Hoping my truck and I can run your course this year.

mv

 

[35xj]

I don't have a brother in law in Chattanooga. I Don't really work at the school inasheville, I travel around to events.
But the school is awesome! Great trails and really good instructors! They have a bunch of snow there now.....

 

[landydownunder]

hows the build coming along?