Thread: Defender Pros & Cons

The thing you have to realise about the Defender is that there are at least two aspects of the vehicle that are unlike any other car currently built (well, maybe the Morgan).

1. The basic design dates from the mid forties (1947-8). Much of the detail design, particularly the body and chassis, is unchanged from the Series 2 in 1958. It has evolved rather than being redesigned since these dates. This shows, particularly in the size and shape of the space for the driver and front passengers. Not only has the average size of people increased in the last fifty years, but what was considered adequate space then is no longer considered adequate (and it has been eaten up by much thicker doors and dashboard padding etc.)

2. The body is bolted together rather than being welded together. This means that the fitting tolerances are much larger than other cars, and there are many more places for water to potentially get in (Example: all other cars I can think of have the floor welded in - the Defender has the front floor in three pieces, bolted in). This method of construction also means that doors have sharp corners for example, that are very difficult to seal properly. It also means that even if it does leak, at least in theory the problem can be fixed (although often it is very hard to find just where it is getting in - it took me years to find and fix my main leak, which was the water coming in along the thread of the windscreen hinge bolts due to the gasket under the hinge being badly installed.) But it also means that a 2006 Defender is just as likely to leak as a 1958 Series 2 (maybe not quite - I think the dealers worry a bit more about it now).
John

Originally Posted by Rosco

Any tips on where ???

Cheers

For example from this guys: http://www.mudstuff.co.uk/MUD_Seat_Rails.html

I made them myself. 2" squre RHS from local sheet metal workshop. Cost me $24 cutted, painted + sets of bolts and nuts.

If you are Land Rover man, you must make it youself

Ruslan