Defender 110 Restoration
Discussion
Another update for those interested...
Still no painted panels so I have been getting other small jobs done.. I decided to tint the windows on the defender. Not normally my bag to be honest but I thought I would do it on this vehicle to further enhance the black and grey colour scheme. Unfortunately didnt take many photos but here are a couple of one of the rear quarter panel windows.. I attempted the tinting with the glass in the frames but I wasnt able to get the surface clean enough so decided to dismantle the frames and do the glass on the bench.
It transpires Im not the best at window tinting but Ive seen far worse so Ill put all the glass back in the vehicle and see if I can live with it!.. If not Ill start peeling!
Today I decided to give my inner arches a freshen up...
And my spare wheel carrier..
I also decided to give some other associated parts a lick of paint..
Well thats all for today.. Word on the street is that I should be picking up some painted panels on Tuesday so hopefully will be looking like a defender again by the end of the week.
Early on in the build I decided that I wanted to have a "special" interior in the vehicle as opposed to the standard grey cloth so this week I ordered a full interior trimmed in black leather with grey piping. Im looking forward to seeing the interior and Im hoping it will compliment the vehicle well. The seats are going to be in the same style as these below but with grey piping instead of lime green!
Before I hit Submit today I just want to say thank you for all the nice comments.. They never fail to make me feel all warm inside!..
Still no painted panels so I have been getting other small jobs done.. I decided to tint the windows on the defender. Not normally my bag to be honest but I thought I would do it on this vehicle to further enhance the black and grey colour scheme. Unfortunately didnt take many photos but here are a couple of one of the rear quarter panel windows.. I attempted the tinting with the glass in the frames but I wasnt able to get the surface clean enough so decided to dismantle the frames and do the glass on the bench.
It transpires Im not the best at window tinting but Ive seen far worse so Ill put all the glass back in the vehicle and see if I can live with it!.. If not Ill start peeling!
Today I decided to give my inner arches a freshen up...
And my spare wheel carrier..
I also decided to give some other associated parts a lick of paint..
Well thats all for today.. Word on the street is that I should be picking up some painted panels on Tuesday so hopefully will be looking like a defender again by the end of the week.
Early on in the build I decided that I wanted to have a "special" interior in the vehicle as opposed to the standard grey cloth so this week I ordered a full interior trimmed in black leather with grey piping. Im looking forward to seeing the interior and Im hoping it will compliment the vehicle well. The seats are going to be in the same style as these below but with grey piping instead of lime green!
Before I hit Submit today I just want to say thank you for all the nice comments.. They never fail to make me feel all warm inside!..
This such a amazing thread, the attention to detail is second to none.
I'm dead jealous.. I'm trying to restore and upgrade my 300tdi disco but its my daily runner too so it can't be off the road for more than a day!
But really fantastic progress and good luck with the rest of the build
I'm dead jealous.. I'm trying to restore and upgrade my 300tdi disco but its my daily runner too so it can't be off the road for more than a day!
But really fantastic progress and good luck with the rest of the build
rwstokes said:
out of interest, is your background in this sort of thing, i.e. a mechanic or such, or is this just a hobby for weekends?
Nope Im not a mechanic.. I am a motor trader by profession so I generally spend my time at the other end of the business! Since I came of driving age I have been a petrol head and over the years I have just taught myself how to do various things that I have had to do to keep cars going!.. The Land Rover thing came about 3 years ago when I bought a Series 3 with the intention of doing a nut and bolt restoration... The series 3 is sat in a load of pieces in the shed with various other things having taken priority!..I suppose I am one of those people that just enjoys making things.. I remember staying up all night as a pup to finish building my lego! Thats probably what started it all!
Well I have some good news!..
This...
Plus this...
I have had some of the painted panels back which has meant I have been able to crack on getting the thing back together!.. Below are some of the photos of this happening.
With the bulkhead in place I was able to plumb in the various lines such as brakes, fuel and clutch.. So after a bit of a play bleeding the fuel system it ran!
I should be picking up the rest of the painted panels tomorrow so hopefully things should start to look better shortly.
This...
Plus this...
I have had some of the painted panels back which has meant I have been able to crack on getting the thing back together!.. Below are some of the photos of this happening.
With the bulkhead in place I was able to plumb in the various lines such as brakes, fuel and clutch.. So after a bit of a play bleeding the fuel system it ran!
I should be picking up the rest of the painted panels tomorrow so hopefully things should start to look better shortly.
You guys are gonna hate me as I still havnt got anything substantial to offer!..
I have collected some more of the panels from my painter.. Took a couple of photos in the dark using the flash so they arnt the best!..
I am still waiting for some hinges and other smaller components to get done but they should be with me by the weekend..
I popped into the shed on Sunday with a view to making some progress but I found all of the water that used to be in the Defender on the floor! This meant I had to mess about taking the Radiator off to try figure out what I have done wrong?..
My first thoughts were a faulty rad but having taken it off I couldn't see anything obvious so I have put it all back together and will fill her up again tomorrow... fingers crossed it was just a loose hose clip or something along those lines..
I had to buy a new part this week which replaces the original I put in a safe place when I stripped the Defender... One day I'll find that safe place again!
I was able to put the glass back into the windscreen frame over the weekend (photo taken before it was in).. One of those fiddly jobs that makes you proud when complete!
Anyway the highlight of the day today was an email from the lady doing my interior with some snaps of the finished products...
Old seats ready to go back!
And the new seats!...
I am very pleased with the seats in the photos.. Hard to tell until I see them in the flesh as I think the flash on her camera is making the piping look more White than Grey..
Sorry to tease you all with another post but hopefully in the next one it will be closer to complete..
I have collected some more of the panels from my painter.. Took a couple of photos in the dark using the flash so they arnt the best!..
I am still waiting for some hinges and other smaller components to get done but they should be with me by the weekend..
I popped into the shed on Sunday with a view to making some progress but I found all of the water that used to be in the Defender on the floor! This meant I had to mess about taking the Radiator off to try figure out what I have done wrong?..
My first thoughts were a faulty rad but having taken it off I couldn't see anything obvious so I have put it all back together and will fill her up again tomorrow... fingers crossed it was just a loose hose clip or something along those lines..
I had to buy a new part this week which replaces the original I put in a safe place when I stripped the Defender... One day I'll find that safe place again!
I was able to put the glass back into the windscreen frame over the weekend (photo taken before it was in).. One of those fiddly jobs that makes you proud when complete!
Anyway the highlight of the day today was an email from the lady doing my interior with some snaps of the finished products...
Old seats ready to go back!
And the new seats!...
I am very pleased with the seats in the photos.. Hard to tell until I see them in the flesh as I think the flash on her camera is making the piping look more White than Grey..
Sorry to tease you all with another post but hopefully in the next one it will be closer to complete..
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