BACKGROUND

This 1997 Land Rover Discovery 300tdi auto used to be the family vehicle. Purchased about 5 years ago with only 50,000 miles on the clock, it was in nearly new condition. The usual one-lady owner, never been off-road, the low/high range gear stick never been used. It served us well and was the true multi-purpose workhorse.

But, as it happens, a Land Rover cannot stay in its original condition very long with me. Over a period of 4 years, I changed a few things, trying to improve its off-road capability without compromising the “main family vehicle” side of things. But I finally crossed the line last year when (a) I bought the “Wasp” (see previous issues of Difflock Magazine) and (b) took this one to the LandMania show last year and came back with a lot of broken parts (diff, exhaust, tank, etc, etc).

Lack of funding meant it had to stay parked for about 8 months, until I decided what to do with it. With the value of Discovery reaching rock bottom, I could not have gotten anything for it, so it was decided to forget the family vehicle side and to make it a proper off-roader.

But (and there is always a ‘but’), I did not want to transform it a monster truck, I did not want to bobtail it, I did not want to attract the wrong attention. With the number of people trying to kill the 4x4 and the off-road scene, a low key but very capable (in my eyes) vehicle was the final objective.

What I am going to do over here is to give you an insight to what has been done between January and May. Most of the work has been done by myself (a DIY mechanic with two left hands), on a shared driveway/car park (you know the sort of place you park cars when you live in a close), and some very understanding neighbours.

The Discovery was moved to a better position (ie flat ground, closer to my house) in January and the rebuild started with stripping a lot of the interior (removing all the seats and carpet), a proper clean-up, and an assessment of the damages and what could be improved.