So…  it’s been awhile since I updated the world on vehicle prep progress.  As I write this, I am gazing at an empty driveway – the Landrover is up in Newcastle at SpannerMonkeys getting its underbelly tickled, and the Jaguar is at the chop-shop having all its ailments treated in preparation for shipping back to NZ to be put on ice for awhile…

SpannerMonkeys – great people, I can thoroughly reccommend them to anyone else wanting open heart surgery on an aging Land Rover.  The list of jobs they are ticking off for me is significant: a new hot-dip galvanised chassis (painted black so as not to scream “steal me”), new bushes all round, new brake lines and calipers, a 2″ suspension lift (heavy duty springs at the front, +2″ spacers under the bags at the rear), the engine bay and underside will be stripped and coated in “Lizard Skin” to enable easy cleaning, a bit of cutting and welding, new high pressure hydraulic lines for the ACE system (Active Corner Enhancement).  There are also a few electical niggles that are being sorted, and they are fitting my front and rear airlocking differentials as well as some Safari Equip long range stainless fuel tanks – we will have 160l in total onboard, plus a 20l jerrycan – so should get around 2000km before sucking fumes.

Waiting here in the garage for fitting is a 60l stainless water tank that will go in the footwell under the kids feet, angry steel bumpers front and rear (I am still deciding on what winch and rock sliders to get).  I need to fabricate a shelving solution that takes my rear fridge/freezer into account as well…  it slides out halfway for easy access, but Scotland taught me that unpacking around it a few times a day is a pain in the bum.

I have delayed the writeup on rear electrics and onboard air, as I had to strip the vehicle completely before delivering it to SpannerMonkeys, when I reassemble I will take better photos and do a proper writeup.

So – only a few big purchases left: a winch (choices, choices…), tree/rock sliders, anti-truckdriver spotlights… maybe a fat airhorn.  16″ steel rims and agressive tires (I am a bit torn on what tires to buy, down to BFG or Cooper).

I have also started the painful process of working out what tools I *really* need to take. Harder than it sounds…

Getting there, slowly but surely.  Ireland and Isle of Man in a few weeks for more shakedown time!