Loads of pictures from Gaydon 2005

[jozg44]

Thought these might be of interest:

On Saturday I went to a Land Rover event at the British Motor Industry Heritage Museum at Gaydon, Solihull, Warwickshire. It is literally next door to the Land Rover factory and the Land Rover Experience off-road course is actually in the museum grounds.

It's a strange event. Nothing much happens, you just turn up and look at Land Rovers of every sort and bask in the great atmsophere these events have. The official Land Rover people were there doing off-road trips in Range Rovers and Discovery 3s.

http://www.members.lycos.co.uk/three...s/CIMG0562.JPG

This is one of the perfectly-restored vehicles owned by Land Rover itself as part of its 'Home of The Legend' experience- THE original Land Rover, a 1949 80-inch.

http://www.members.lycos.co.uk/three...s/CIMG0563.JPG

You may recognise this one- its the Lara Croft 'Tomb Raider' Land Rover. Behind it is a Defender 156 Station Wagon with 7 doors (3 on each side, 1 on the back).

http://www.members.lycos.co.uk/three...s/CIMG0564.JPG

The Camel Club always has a strong turn-out at these events and they didn't disappoint here. Drool, Drool.

http://www.members.lycos.co.uk/three...s/CIMG0568.JPG

A vehicle close to my heart- another 'Home of the Legend' vehicle- a 1981 Series III 109 Station Wagon in 'out-of-the-factory' condition. It's amazing how comfortable and well-built a brand new Land Rover feels.

http://www.members.lycos.co.uk/three...s/CIMG0571.JPG

One of the commerical stands was advertising crazy suspension systems. This Series IIA had super-long-travel twin-leaf parabolic springs, competition shocks and performance ploybushes. Impressive

http://www.members.lycos.co.uk/three...s/CIMG0575.JPG

I headed straight for the Series III 90/110 Club stand and found this colourful SIII 88.

http://www.members.lycos.co.uk/three...s/CIMG0581.JPG

The Military Land Rover Club and the 101 Forward Control Club were there in numbers so there were plenty of military vehicles. This One Ten HiCap is in full Gulf War kit.

http://www.members.lycos.co.uk/three...s/CIMG0602.JPG

In between the club displays in the main arena, there was a 'twist-off'- a test of axle articulation. You simply drive one front wheel up the ramp and see how far you go up before another wheel lifts. I won't post all the pictures (that's another thread) but here's the winner- a proffesionaly prepared Defender 90 with insane coils.

Enjoy

Jack

[SCSL]

Thanks for these great pics !

[jozg44]

I've uploaded the best of the rest:

The first lot are from inside the museum. The museum deals with any British car from any time and has loads of interesting, familiar and bizarre vehicles. And plenty of Land Rovers

http://www.members.lycos.co.uk/three...s/CIMG0576.JPG

This is one of the 'Pink Panther' Series IIAs. Used by the SAS for desert patrol, it was found that pink blended perfectly into the desert haze.

http://www.members.lycos.co.uk/three...rs/office4.jpg

This is a Cuthbertson conversion kit on a Series IIA 109. It fits cogged wheels to the standard drive members and then twin or triple-wheeled bogies to the bottom with rubber tracks. A standard vehicle could be converted in a few hours, and the conversion back was just as quick.

http://www.members.lycos.co.uk/three...s/CIMG0577.JPG

Here's a famous vehicle- one of the 'Darien Gap' Range Rovers that travelled from Tierra Del Fuego to Anchorage in 1972, becoming the first vehicles to cross the treachorous Darien Gap rainforest. It's in 'as back' condition, with dents, scratches and oil leaks. Apparantly it's so knackered it won't go over 45 mph.

http://www.members.lycos.co.uk/three...s/CIMG0580.JPG

If you want to know what the insides of a 110 V8 look like.....

http://www.members.lycos.co.uk/three...s/CIMG0583.JPG

Here's the Discovery 3's 2.7 TdV6 diesel engine. This is the Jaguar Twin-Turbo version. Doesn't look so scary with all the black plastic removed.

More to follow....

Jack

[jozg44]

Here's the best pictures from the 'twist-off':

http://www.members.lycos.co.uk/three...s/CIMG0590.JPG

First up was a Discovery 3. This was it on 'General Driving' mode- and it did quite well. When it was put on 'Rock Crawl' it went further.

http://www.members.lycos.co.uk/three...s/CIMG0593.JPG

A modified 90 V8 came 3rd

http://www.members.lycos.co.uk/three...s/CIMG0596.JPG

A bobtailed Range Rover with Stage II suspension performed very well.

http://www.members.lycos.co.uk/three...s/CIMG0608.JPG

A Series III with parabolics and pro-comp shock did surprisingly well, beating a few standard Defenders.

http://www.members.lycos.co.uk/three...s/CIMG0610.JPG

This has to be the best- the 101 Club goaded this guy with his Ambulance to go up the ramp. It actually did very, very well considering how heavy it was.

That's all, Enjoy

Jack

[Serg]

Awesome pics! Thanks so much for sharing with us!!


Serg

[01001010]

Oh wow those are excellent pictures!! the 1949 80inch is a Beaut!!!. Wow I wish i had one like that. I think after i restore my 1967 Camaro, im going to be restoring one of those! Same colors too...I find that Jaguars and Rovers look outstanding in green. Thanks for the pictures guys

[Quicksilva]

rolling in a 109 recce vehicle was the shizzle....cammed up and armed to the teef....wasnt comfy...but after 3 days of no sleep it could be comfy enough to sleep in for sure...

M,

[1st rover]

just love em love em and love em...
i wish i were there..
thanks for sharing ur pics with us.

[DrewInSD]

I was just going to post Solihull pics and ran across this thread. Great pics! My wife and I just returned from our honeymoon in England and of course I dragged her all over looking at Land Rovers. I highly recommend the Solihull LR Experience factory tour. The contrast from how they build the new Discos and RRs versus the Defenders is amazing. Everything on the new assembly lines was automated, where as the Defender production is pretty much the same as it has always been.

Anyway here are some pics from Solihull, the York area, and Estoril Portugal. Too bad the exchange rate is so bad or I would have figured out a way to take one home

[cellulararrest]

Great pictures!

Use the ['IMG]['/IMG] tags next time though. (without the ' of course)

[SCSL]

Awesome pics---that 101 rocked !

AND,,, I'm thinking about trading my BFGs in for TRACKS !! I wonder if there's a DYI kit ??!!

Very few events like this stateside,,,, for those of you in Colorado, there was supposed to have been a Classic Rover show last weekend at the Flatirons dealership but was postponed due to our weather situation. Check out Solihull Society website for more info.

[jozg44]

Yes, 101s are truely awsome machines. Not quite as good in standard form as people tend to make out (based on my own experiences, no doubt angry 101 owners will post lots of pictures proving me wrong) but just as good as any 'normal' Land Rover. The driving position is brilliant and the way it gets through deep ruts as if they weren't there has to be seen to be beleived.

I'd love one- a genuine General Service spec in desert camo, straight from the MOD complete with tatty paint, ripped canvas and worn interior, preferably one with a winch on each side and a PTO-powered trailer to make it a 6x6. Sadly they are expensive to buy (and PTO trailers are serious money) and even more expensive to run. To make it practical would need a (brace yourself) diesel conversion, and if you do that you lose all the V8 magic.

Ah well...better start buying lottery tickets

Jack

[Moeras]

great pics Thanx

a while ago there was a 1949 SI 80" similar to the one at the show for sale here in south africa. Fully restored by Land Rover South Africa! It went for R350 000! The same price as a 130TD5 DC! at R6 to the $ it was $210 000!

It cost what about 60 ponds in '49 Id say a good investment!!!

[Series 3 guy]

That was a great pic of the 109!!! I should have went.

[bhodisatva]

Some really nice photo's there. There is another Land Rover event on this weekend as well at Driffield. That's the thing about the UK now in tghat we have several National Land Rover events/shows a year now in addition to all the local clubs ones.