Finally...cleared customs

[Snagger]

??? Rover only made 7000 or so defenders (110's) in 83 and they aren't behind every bush in the Uk. The Danes, Swiss, etc are all trying to buy up and 83,84,85's that pop up on ebay as those trucks have next to no road tax in their countries. That said, focus on a decent truck on ebay UK and watch what happens and who asks questions of the sellers- its usually export questions about the frame Vin and engine numbers matching etc. Most bidding takes place via sniper software in the last seconds of auctions- kind of fun to watch.
If you drive around the UK you don't see nearly as many Rovers as you would hope. Most of the population drives crappy little econo boxes due to road tax and fuel costs. On my last trip we drove from London to Cumbria back down to Southampton and saw maybe 15 rovers out on the highway in that entire distance. So finding solid old ones worthy of shipping to the states is not a "dime a dozen" affair. Frank's truck is nice and solid with recent paint job so I'm sure he'll have it quite nice in a short time. The truck still had rotting english apples rolling around the back of it when I handed it off to him-guess the dept of agriculture inspector didn't get a chance to inspect it.....

I see 20+ defenders a day, plus a handful of series, dozens of Discoverys, 10 or so RRS and two or three RRCs a day just in my relatively small town of Bedford. Your experience is not the norm, but don't expect to see Defenders on motorways or in town as much as in the countryside - they're not good long-distance drivers or town cars, and commercial versions (most Defenders, including privately owned station wagons, have "commercial" on their registration documents) get charged the London Emission Zone tax of over £100 per day, with several other UK cities having similar schemes.

 

[mongosd2]

Nice machine.

I have a three-door going into a container soon.

awesome...

 

[Velocewest]

If you drive around the UK you don't see nearly as many Rovers as you would hope. Most of the population drives crappy little econo boxes due to road tax and fuel costs. On my last trip we drove from London to Cumbria back down to Southampton and saw maybe 15 rovers out on the highway in that entire distance.

You have to get away from the Chelsea tractor zone. Defenders are more common where they are used -- midlands and further north. And you won't see as many on the motorways.

 

[glr]

Gotcha...I read about the skyline stuff. I thought that if was 49 state legal and old, it would qualify for a long term registration. Julian at globallandrovers.com, who I got my truck from, actually imported a restored 1984 110, which is for sale in Beverly Hills, 100% legal in Cali. If you have $150k lying around, it's a great truck.

I'm taking advantage of the 25 year law, but this is legal, no vin swap or any bull**** like that.

That truck is now sold but we can build any 25 yr old 90/110/130 on a galv chassis to order to 2011 spec, LHD, A/C, c/d, 7 seats on SW, we also offer D/Cabs and 130's prices from $70,000 ex works UK on 110 models and from $80,000 ex works on 130 models.

 

[Nonimouse]

Much as I respect a anyone making a living in this world, I fail to understand why anyone would pay so much money for a vehicle with a TDci in it.

A truly appalling engine, unreliable, thirsty and blessed with less longevity than almost any other LR engine since 1948. It was proven to be rubbish prior to being fitted in the Defender and has since backed up that crapitude

Do people really pay $80K for a Defender in that spec? Is it first registered in the US? Do you have to MoT it in the UK prior to sale? If so how?

Do you pay finders fees for 25yr old LR's?

 

[mongosd2]

you can't buy them here, therefore the demand drives the price up...so yes, folks will drop 80k on a pristine 110.

 

[glr]

Much as I respect a anyone making a living in this world, I fail to understand why anyone would pay so much money for a vehicle with a TDci in it.

A truly appalling engine, unreliable, thirsty and blessed with less longevity than almost any other LR engine since 1948. It was proven to be rubbish prior to being fitted in the Defender and has since backed up that crapitude

QUOTE]

I disagree, having raced defenders with TD5's & tdci's, the engine that was the smoothest was the tdci. The td5 had real problems once the vehicle had done more than 40,000miles and was very thirsty. the tdci gives much better economy than the td5 and for the main application that these vehicles are built for for the North American market, ie a luxury SUV mainly used on the road, it is a far better road engine. This year I did over 4000miles* racing/rallying one in a week with no problems, we drove at over 80mph for the majority of that distance, and averaged over 25mpg/US. 400 was a typo I did the Bullrun!

 

[Nonimouse]

Easy up there old lad. I'm not making a dig at you or yours. As I said I admire anyone who can find a niche and make a living.

I speak as I find. I have used and abused ALL the LR engines in their many forms. I have run fleets/expeds/events with pretty much all the engines bar the very early stuff (Turner three cylinders et al) so I do know what works.

I have also used the the last four oil burners in competion (well I haven't challenged the TDci to be fair) so I know about reliability/tuneability

As for 400miles racing rallying one in a week - I've done more than that in 60 year old vehicles! And still got more than 25mpg (US) and sometimes 80mpg

Now if you had said you had just completed the Murmansk Vladivostok using a TDci I WOULD be impressed

Wouldn't it be better to offer a better engine? Seeing as the vehicles on offer don't seem to be subject to the DVLA points system, why not fit them with say a Beemer 6 cylinder diesel lump? Are they an emissions approved lump?

I was only thinking along the lines of providing an even better service for your clients...

By the way what/where/who do you race/comp safari/rally with? AWDC? SCOR? BORC? or do you frequent the Tout Terrain events?

 

[glr]

I did a lot of club trialling in the 1980's and 1990's.
I gave up comp safari in 1995! more recently I have done 3 expiditions in the interior of Iceland.
I also spent a fun weekend with the ROAV chaps in Virginia.

In 2006/7 i was Co driver a few times for Aylmer in their 4.6TVR V8 disco.

This year I did the Bull Run for the women and networking potential!

And like a prat in Early 2003I built a racer out of a late 1980's 110 CSW!! Dan Evans fitted it with a FIA spec 50mm internal cage, one off, thought I was mad, and as far as i know still thinks the same.

 

[Gren_T]

chaps play nice..! its just not british

I'm in South wales, as rural as it gets & pass lots of landy's every day and early ones are now getting very scarce.


Mongoose congrats on your ride Enjoy.!:victory:

Regards All