Thread: "Snowy" January 1993 Defender 110 Tray Back Ute

Hello All,

What was lost has been found. The photo of Snowy from back in 2020 triggered a memory of which box the expansion tank was stored in. Also, where the box was last seen as a memory. I just had to trace where the box's new location was. On my third hunting site I looked at a high point well above eye level. There was this innocuous box whose contents could not be seen. I lifted the box down and "bingo" It was a box that was placed for later sorting as it contained different models of Land Rover parts.

As far as the last remaining missing part. A top radiator bracket I have a sneaking suspicion that it was left on the radiator when I took it to be checked at the radiator place. As in put smaller parts back on the main item that they were fixed to - keep stuff together. When I got the radiator back a month or so had elapsed and I did not realise that anything might have been missing. I have a vague memory that the rubber bush had stuck to the passenger-side radiator pin. I would have just undone the two bolts that secure it to the frame. The driver's side bracket was returned to the support frame because it's rubber bush had not stuck to the radiator pin.

Apparently, with the "yet to be sorted" box going AWOL while holding the expansion tank and some other goodies, there is still some work to be done sorting stuff out!

Kind regards
Lionel

Hello All,

Just a couple of little steps forward to describe today. The part of the firewall that had previously been affected by brake fluid now has its first layer of top coat sitting on top of the red oxide primer. The top coat was colour matched by one of the local automotive parts places. Repainting in an area that will be covered by the mudguard allowed me to test the colour in a place that would not be readily seen.

This afternoon I went to lightly sand the primer that I sprayed on a month or so ago on the previously badly dented driver's mudguard. Back then I thought it was pretty much ready for a light sand before the first layer of colour would be sprayed on. Today, I saw flap disk marks that I must not have noticed the last time I worked on the mudguard. The marks were right on the top join between the headlight fascia and the top of the mudguard. Yes, in a highly visible place one the mudguards were back on the vehicle. So today out came a bigger board-type of hand sander. This also revealed numerous low spots. Out came the dolly and the slapper. An hour or so later after more sanding - some more slapping - a couple washes and a drying period; I sprayed etch primer onto the now bare alloy. The primer went on so much smoother than my attempt made some months ago.

By the Monday I should be putting the front clip back on Snowy. Along with some nice and shiny coats of paint on what were pretty bashed-up and sad looking farm-fresh mudguards.

Kind regards
Lionel

Hello All,

Well the gift of being disorganised while I was disassembling Snowy is something that just keeps on giving. I found the missing passenger side upper radiator bracket. As you well versed 110 Defender owners are no doubt aware, the horn and upper radiator bracket are fixed to the radiator support frame. So, with my being unfamiliar with this arrangement I did not look that closely at the funny bracket hanging off the horn that I had previously stored in the battery box. I had the battery out sitting on a workbench in the shed while it gets trickle charged. In the middle of last night's sleep an image appeared in my head. The image left a thought behind. "When you wake up check out that funny looking horn bracket". I went to Snowy this morning and sure enough. The missing upper radiator bracket has been found. It and the horn has since been reinstalled.

During Snowy's disassembly and the intervening period waiting for parts, I had realised that I had to organise my collection of vehicle's parts and my tools. After playing Rubik's Cube to reach the spot where some tools should have been; and risking life and limb in the process, I had a "I'm as mad as hell and I am not taking this any more" moment. The continued lessons learnt from Snowy and my being disorganised during the disassembly process has resulted in dedicated shelves which are labelled with Dymo tape. It will be so much easier when I start working on my next project.

One thing that I am proud of is how I followed many restorer's advice and bagged and tagged small parts that came off Snowy. These bags were stored in Snowy's cab in parts bins. I am slowly working through bags with labels such as "inside passenger mudguard fixings"

For the next project the bags and tags will be going on their dedicated shelf/s. Along with all the other parts from the vehicle.That way at a glance I can see all the parts that are located in one place.

I had made the prediction earlier that Snowy's front clip should be back on by Monday. That will not be happening. Because I repainted a section of brake fluid affected firewall and bonnet I ran out of paint spraying for the driver's side mudguard. By the time I had run out of paint yesterday - Saturday, the store that mixed up the paint had closed for the weekend.

Oh well, off to put on some sunscreen and put the passenger side mudguard and air cleaner back on Snowy.

Kind regards
Lionel

Hello All,

Today, I checked out Snowy's front clip panels. I noticed that one of the lower right-angle brackets that hold the grille surrounds was missing. This part no doubt went astray somewhere on the farm that Snowy came from. So, I grabbed some galvanised sheet that was the same thickness as the remaining bracket. I took some measurements off the part and cut and folded my own bracket. Next was to make one of the drill holes square with a file so it could fit the plastic clip that a Phillips-head screw fits into. I scrounged one of these clips off a scrapped Series 3 firewall. The new bracket has been fitted.

I went to buy some plastic rivets that fit the flares onto the mudguard. I was not impressed with the locally available price. I also checked out the price of foam for the seat bases from a local store. Hmmm, apart from the cost of freight from England Exmoor trims are not looking that bad in comparative pricing. Did I mention about the freight price?

I also picked up another can of paint and some more wet and dry sand paper. That was just about it for Snowy for the day.

Kind regards
Lionel

Originally Posted by Lionelgee

Hello All,

Today, I checked out Snowy's front clip panels. I noticed that one of the lower right-angle brackets that hold the grille surrounds was missing. This part no doubt went astray somewhere on the farm that Snowy came from. So, I grabbed some galvanised sheet that was the same thickness as the remaining bracket. I took some measurements off the part and cut and folded my own bracket. Next was to make one of the drill holes square with a file so it could fit the plastic clip that a Phillips-head screw fits into. I scrounged one of these clips off a scrapped Series 3 firewall. The new bracket has been fitted.

I went to buy some plastic rivets that fit the flares onto the mudguard. I was not impressed with the locally available price. I also checked out the price of foam for the seat bases from a local store. Hmmm, apart from the cost of freight from England Exmoor trims are not looking that bad in comparative pricing. Did I mention about the freight price?

I also picked up another can of paint and some more wet and dry sand paper. That was just about it for Snowy for the day.

Kind regards
Lionel

Last time i tried to get stuff from Exmoor they refused to ship to Oz. Basically forced to buy from someone with the stock already in Oz. Wasn't planning to ship the glue before anyone asks. Now looking at some alternate Stratos type seats.

Originally Posted by dromader driver

Last time i tried to get stuff from Exmoor they refused to ship to Oz. Basically forced to buy from someone with the stock already in Oz. Wasn't planning to ship the glue before anyone asks. Now looking at some alternate Stratos type seats.

G'day Dromader,

Thank you for your reply.

Perhaps you could use a postal forwarding mob like this one in the UK... UK to Australia Parcel Forwarding. The company describes how....

If you’re looking to purchase goods from UK brands, such as Amazon UK or Marks & Spencer, you may be disappointed at how many don’t ship directly to Australia. If this is the case, don’t worry, because our UK to Australia parcel forwarding service ensures that you can have your products sent to a real UK address, before we forward your parcel direct to you in Australia


I use a similar company in the USA . I have no association with the UK company. They may be one of many - I just did a quick internet search to see if there was an equivalent company that offers the same service that you US mob do. The company I quoted were the first one I found.

I just had a quick look at their "Large Items" because some foam for seat bases and backs would fit such a description. Apparently, this mob can even freight car engines to Australia!

Kind regards
Lionel

Rimmer Brothers sell Exmoor and are having a sale at the moment. Bearmach sell Exmoor gear too, both will ship to Australia.

I got an Exmoor Defender drivers seat rebuild kit through Amazon a couple of years ago, but the link now says no stock.
Don.