Thread: Show us your Deefers !

Hi Guys - Thanks for the warm welcome and complements on my truck. "Monza Red" was not my first choice in colors, but NAS D90s were and still are rare as "hens teeth". So when an opportunity to get one came up I jumped on it. I got use to the red.... The truck started life as a ST. But I sourced a station wagon roll cage, a new 2001 pull off Roof cap, Roof sides and a liftgate. (the lift gate came from a '64 series IIA ). I cut the holes for the windows, painted the roofs sides and lifgate to match the color of my truck then, installed glass. I really don't miss the soft top - I appreciate having the full Station wagon every time I am out above 4,000 feet. I am regularly out in elevations between 8,000 to 11,000 ft in elevation - the solar radiation at those elevations is killer and aluminum is a good sunblock! Within a few years of owning my truck the interior plastic components started breaking down. I bought my truck for the long haul .... So I replaced the center console, door panels, and speaker boxes. with stainless steel components I designed and fabricated. I have maintained dual careers (an engineer and a fine art photographer). I eventually shifted from steel to aluminum materials. A few of the newer items I fabricate are aluminum grills, wing top air scoops, and rear license plate lamps. In my spare time I use to make and sell my components to the US market, but I took a 5 year break to work on other projects. But just last month I made a set of right and left wing top scoops for a 110 driver from Newtown, Victoria. It cost about $23 US dolllars to ship and took about 9 days. I attached a few pics of some of my components for you to see. But you may be interested in visiting my "Defender Products" page on my americandirtroads.com website. My metal shop is in my garage - right next to my full dark room where I process and print my photographs. I hope I haven't bored too many of you - but it is really nice to see that others around the world actually realize the functional value of Land Rovers. A lot of the NAS defenders here in the US have been moved into garages for investments. The only time I have seen land rovers off in bush where I go is when I led a group of land rover drivers from a local club for a week of driving the eastern sierras and White mountains. I guess if I joined one of the clubs I'd see more LRs. in the bush. Most of the LRs i see here in Calif. are grocery getters!

ohhhh, and an auto too,,,,


Can someone please enlighten me on what NAS stands for.

Originally Posted by Chops

ohhhh, and an auto too,,,,


Can someone please enlighten me on what NAS stands for.

North American Spec

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Len great photos but your website needs a serious overhaul and mobile friendly would be good.

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

Originally Posted by Grumbles

When I look at pictures of Landcruisers, Patrols etc in the bush I can't help getting the feeling that I am looking at a machine which is at odds with its environment, that there is a tussle happening.

When I see Defenders in the same sort of pictures it is as if there is a passive ambiance, that there is a symbiotic relationship occurring with the Defender not only fitting in but belonging there.



Weird eh.............

I wish I had your talent for prose Grumbles. You'd give Shakespeare a nudge I reckon.

Originally Posted by Babs

Len great photos but your website needs a serious overhaul and mobile friendly would be good.

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

Thanks for the complements - I too agree the site needs an overhaul - The original site is well over 12 years old and was designed to fit monitors of all sizes, cross platform compatible, and browser independent. The new section "Defender products" is a little more mobile friendly. In my spare time I intend to update the entire site. But thanks for visiting and the input.


Len

Originally Posted by Carzee

Yes I wave to Defenders, there seems to be more and more around here and the coast. My mate is in LRACT but its a pity the events always seem to clash with visiting family in Melb or Newie etc.

I'm taking some time to regain my 'photographic fitness' because next year my wife and I are doing what Simon did (110aroundoz.com) but without a trailer.

.... and btw we shot it in 4K HD and I edited it on my Sony Bravia 55in tv. Its gorgeous on the TV. I think we should be aiming for a LR tv channel. Every other hobby seems to have a channel...

That sounds like a great trip. Have you ever taken pictures from the top of your truck? I took a queue from Ansel Adams who use to shoot images from the top of his station wagon to clear unwanted ground clutter in the foreground of his images. I put a Hannibal roof rack on my D90 and a 1/2" thick sheet of plywood to stand on. I use the roof top purch on a regular basis. I attached a couple pics for you. I used a full gallon of white semi gloss exterior paint to cover the plywood. My first plywood platform lasted 5 years before rotting out (which was 3 years longer than I anticipated). One of the perks of the white plywood panel is that it behaves like a "Tropical Roof" on the old Series Land Rovers and helps keep the interior of your truck cooler) I included a pic of my field camera under my Akubra hat- (with a Tucker Man bash). I wear that hat to provide shade no matter where I am standing. That day I was in a high mountain valley east of the sierra nevada (about 9,000 ft elevation) hiking with and photographing a heard of wild horses. The heard spends their summer in this valley because of the abundant water that comes up to the surface through natural springs in this valley. I usually visit the mustangs (a heard of about 230+ horses from Nevada 2 or 3 times a year). I wear the same cloths and hat when I visit them so they recognize me. They tolerate my presence and are very curious. But are very skittish and will bolt if I raise my arm to release the shutter on my camera. So now I use a long cable release so I can keep my arms down at my side.

I use the roof rack when its on as I have a canopy. The other day I used the bonnet aka hood. LF is something else -I certainly spent 20mins looking on your portfolio. I must have retained something from National Geographic and Ansell as I recalled Half Dome's name and I'm not American. I drifted from landscape to street candids/performance and zone focus via Steve McCurry, all time fav. I used 35mm RF and SLR and not much else. Kudos for darkroom work, I hated the dustmarks and the costs. I love the classics too... EDWARD S. CURTIS (1868-1952) | The Vanishing Race, 1904 | 1900s, Photographs | Christie's

And the LR is perfectly photogenic: http://www.remlr.com/photos/pics1/atlr_88gs_6big.jpg