Project Lazarus took a turn for the worst
The "specialist" who was doing the rebuild stopped working on it due to financial and personal problems
He came up with a million excuses not to finish it from awaiting parts to even faking health problems.
The vehicle then disapeared from his workshop and ended up being "stored" with another specialist who was holding it against money owed to him by the clown who I'd paid a small fortune to!
After much deliberation and threats of legal action, nothing came of it. My project was holed up and I feared the worst. If I had gone the legal route it would have cost me the equivalent to what I'd already believed I had lost. I couldn't risk it. I had written the entire project off. I was not happy at all.
In October 2005 the original specialist I dealt with called me and asked me if I was interested in exchanging my Wolf XD 110 for a Wolf XD 90 in mint condition. Needless to say I was far from convinced and took the entire proposal with a pinch of salt.
Much to my amazement some photos of the Wolf XD90 were mailed to me and at last there seemed to be some light at the end of the long, dark tunnel.
He had paid his debts and got my XD110 back, but it had been restored in military trim, it was shoddy and 90% complete but it resembled a Wolf XD 110
The negotiations went on and in May 2006 I took delivery of a very clean Wolf XD 90 softop! I was amazed. At last I got a Land Rover Wolf, it may be a 90, but it was immaculate. I was (and still am) thrilled with it.
What made it even more special was that there were only 811 Wolf 90's built and this was one of about 6 in private ownership.
It also came witht he full military records, M.O.D. release papers and photos of the rebuild process. This is a gem of a vehicle with a complete history
So, what ever became of my original Lazarus 110? well, I caught up with her this weekend for the first time in years.. I was amazed and stunned.
She's been painstakingly restored by her new owner and in WMK trim
The photos say it all:
One of two WMK trim Wolf XDs in civilian hands. The owner, David went to some great lengths to get the original issue parts needed to complete the rebuild. The mounted guns are de-activated genuine articles. The SA80 rifles mounted internally are high quality AirSoft replicas.
It seems as if my story had a happy ending, but it wasn't without the unfortunate incident of dealing with an individual who painted himself into a corner financially and almost cost me a vehicle I'd spent a small fortune on through his imcompetence.
The Wolf 90 I have is amazing, I do love it and I have no regrets exchanging the 110XD for it.
The 110XD has undergone a metamorphis to what has to be one ofthe finest examples of military Land Rover restorations I have ever come across.
