Purchasing and Making an ex-MOD Defender Road Worthy
Discussion
Evening folks,
Sorry for the basic or obvious questions, but... How much effort would something like this require to be road capable and pass an MOT, or maybe too difficult to say without an inspection?
https://www.brightwellslive.com/lot/details/489614
Not really looking for a bargain, I just like the idea of something that is a bit Mad Max already and making it road worthy.
Sorry for the basic or obvious questions, but... How much effort would something like this require to be road capable and pass an MOT, or maybe too difficult to say without an inspection?
https://www.brightwellslive.com/lot/details/489614
Not really looking for a bargain, I just like the idea of something that is a bit Mad Max already and making it road worthy.
Unless otherwise stated it should be road-legal on release from MOD.
Why you’d want one though is the real question.
Ex-military Land Rovers are an absolute lottery in terms of condition and servicing, WMIKs even more so as it’s almost 100% guaranteed to have been somewhere sandy where it will have really earned its keep - overloaded, driven through/over anything, shot at, kept going with minimal spares or tools. It’s probably dangled under a Chinook at some point in its life too.
In addition, as a civvy hack you’d be carting around a lot of type-specific kit and fixtures, often incomplete or missing the vital (electronic/secret/explosive/shooty) bits which means it will totally useless and just dead weight.
Why you’d want one though is the real question.
Ex-military Land Rovers are an absolute lottery in terms of condition and servicing, WMIKs even more so as it’s almost 100% guaranteed to have been somewhere sandy where it will have really earned its keep - overloaded, driven through/over anything, shot at, kept going with minimal spares or tools. It’s probably dangled under a Chinook at some point in its life too.
In addition, as a civvy hack you’d be carting around a lot of type-specific kit and fixtures, often incomplete or missing the vital (electronic/secret/explosive/shooty) bits which means it will totally useless and just dead weight.
Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 21st September 20:20
Crossflow Kid said:
Unless otherwise stated it should be road-legal on release from MOD.
Why you’d want one though is the real question.
Ex-military Land Rovers are an absolute lottery in terms of condition and servicing, WMIKs even more so as it’s almost 100% guaranteed to have been somewhere sandy where it will have really earned its keep - overloaded, driven through/over anything, shot at, kept going with minimal spares or tools. It’s probably dangled under a Chinook at some point in its life too.
In addition, as a civvy hack you’d be carting around a lot of type-specific kit and fixtures, often incomplete or missing the vital (electronic/secret/explosive/shooty) bits which means it will totally useless and just dead weight.
Cool, all great points!Why you’d want one though is the real question.
Ex-military Land Rovers are an absolute lottery in terms of condition and servicing, WMIKs even more so as it’s almost 100% guaranteed to have been somewhere sandy where it will have really earned its keep - overloaded, driven through/over anything, shot at, kept going with minimal spares or tools. It’s probably dangled under a Chinook at some point in its life too.
In addition, as a civvy hack you’d be carting around a lot of type-specific kit and fixtures, often incomplete or missing the vital (electronic/secret/explosive/shooty) bits which means it will totally useless and just dead weight.
Edited by Crossflow Kid on Monday 21st September 20:20
I’ve had Lots of ex military Land Rovers / ex military vehicles in the past. Wouldn’t worry me in the slightest where and where it’s been used ( although chemical exposure may be something to think about ? ) L Rover parts are £ cheap and plentiful.
All sorts of weird / wonderful ex fighting vehicles could be seen @ War and Peace show @ Beltring.
At least with an ex British army vehicle, it will have been maintained correctly.
I still cringe @ the unbelievable bodges, that I found on several ex Greek Army WW2 Willys Jeeps that I owned. Nails instead of split pins, one Jeep had been in a very heavy front end smash, it’s chassis was bent like a banana / twisted, but its body had been crudely straightened out and then it had been used for years !
All sorts of weird / wonderful ex fighting vehicles could be seen @ War and Peace show @ Beltring.
At least with an ex British army vehicle, it will have been maintained correctly.
I still cringe @ the unbelievable bodges, that I found on several ex Greek Army WW2 Willys Jeeps that I owned. Nails instead of split pins, one Jeep had been in a very heavy front end smash, it’s chassis was bent like a banana / twisted, but its body had been crudely straightened out and then it had been used for years !
neutral 3 said:
Wouldn’t worry me in the slightest where and where it’s been used
Have you ever witnessed what they went thought on Herrick? Driven up to and frequently well beyond their limit in every sense of the word. Granted, any damage can be put right but why bother? Remember Defenders are/were progressively modified and re-purposed during their military lives meaning they have become a square peg bashed in to a round hole with more and more bits bolted on to the base vehicle and that comes at a price, usually condition and longevity.Easier just to buy a civilian vehicle that hasn’t been to war instead of a militarised version of a civilian vehicle that has.
“Chemical exposure” would be bottom of my list. Highly unlikely in the first place and even less likely to be released without extensive decontamination if indeed at all.
neutral3 said:
At least with an ex British army vehicle, it will have been maintained correctly.
Go for it. But like any vehicle purchase, if you don’t know what you are looking at, get it pre purchase inspected.
All of the 6 ex British Army Land Rovers that I’ve owned, gave enormous pleasure, earned their keep And turned a ££ profit, when sold on. All of them had been well used And well maintained whilst in service.
Likewise the 5 Austin Champs that I’ve owned.
I really Should, have kept that very early production, Lightweight though.......
All of the 6 ex British Army Land Rovers that I’ve owned, gave enormous pleasure, earned their keep And turned a ££ profit, when sold on. All of them had been well used And well maintained whilst in service.
Likewise the 5 Austin Champs that I’ve owned.
I really Should, have kept that very early production, Lightweight though.......
I bought a soft top Wolf Land Rover from the same auction where these are being sold.
It was the cheapest one in the auction, and you cannot buy a Defender in any condition from eBay for what I paid for it - it was proper cheap. Advertised as a "non runner" with a non starting engine and broken gearbox. Bits had been stripped off it.
It arrived on a Low-loader. The engine was fixed with a new high pressure fuel line and a bit of re-assembly. Starts on the nail, no smoke. The gearbox needed a new gear lever (£60) as someone had nicked it.
Someone had messed with the electrics and nicked bits. Thankfully the expensive bit (wiper motor) was in the back. The alternator had been nicked, but a 24v truck item was cheap.
Chassis is fine - there is a small bit of rust on one outrigger which I could ignore, but I will fix. Footwells need a bit of welding. One of the doors is a bit tired, but the rest of the body is good.
Basically for the price of a really ropey Defender, I've got a big, bouncy soft top that is in really quite good condition. I'll probably tune the crap out of the engine and break it, but that's part of the fun.
It was the cheapest one in the auction, and you cannot buy a Defender in any condition from eBay for what I paid for it - it was proper cheap. Advertised as a "non runner" with a non starting engine and broken gearbox. Bits had been stripped off it.
It arrived on a Low-loader. The engine was fixed with a new high pressure fuel line and a bit of re-assembly. Starts on the nail, no smoke. The gearbox needed a new gear lever (£60) as someone had nicked it.
Someone had messed with the electrics and nicked bits. Thankfully the expensive bit (wiper motor) was in the back. The alternator had been nicked, but a 24v truck item was cheap.
Chassis is fine - there is a small bit of rust on one outrigger which I could ignore, but I will fix. Footwells need a bit of welding. One of the doors is a bit tired, but the rest of the body is good.
Basically for the price of a really ropey Defender, I've got a big, bouncy soft top that is in really quite good condition. I'll probably tune the crap out of the engine and break it, but that's part of the fun.
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