1996 disco. Big and not that clever.

Behold lardy the Landy. Throw some tyres on get it through a mot and have a play.
Oh how wrong I could be.











The whole sill, floor and a piller where let’s just say crusty. Out with the 6x2 box section to make some sills and mounts.
Then some 3mm plate to piece in the floor. This was done inbetween some other “projects” that also need threads doing for. It took literally forever.

Now the first thing was that the tyres were far to wide to be legal. So pondering on the various fibreglass arch extensions. Main issue with this is they break. So what could I use that is ridged enough to keep its shape, but be able to bend to the wheel arch shape and bend if hit by say a tree. Sat at work watching a mechanic replace a crusher conveyer belt and bingo. That should do the job. Few off cuts taken down to the unit and a few screws on the rear directly through the rubber in to the wheel tub. Job done. Now the front couldn’t be done in that manner as for one the inner arches aren’t round so looked much like a 50p. And secondly I had very little lock on the steering so the inner arches where gonna have to go. Bent up a few 90 degree brackets and bolted then to the outer wings and through the rubber belts.

thats a very neat idea

And cheap. There is a running theme that will develop here. Also KISS. Keep it simple stupid. 

So I worked out I needed 6” of extra height from the wheels to the body. But after 2” longer springs the propshafts start to bind on the uj’s. Ok wide angle propshafts can be bought. But are a hell of a lot of money. So that ruled that out. Ok so I need to find 4” of extra “lift”. How about lifting the body up off the chassis then.







Knocked up some 4” spacers using 2”x2” box section and capped the ends and drilled for bolts to pass through. Found some longer bolts at work that would replace the standard bolts too. Cheap as chips and works quite well. Now lifting the body 4” off the chassis through up many issues.

1 fuel filler neck
2 steering column
3 fuel filter
4Clutch pipe
5 brake pipes
6Gearstick and transfer lever

The filler neck was cut and a section of slightly smaller bore tube was fitted and clamped in place. Cheap and works.
The steering column has a section that is removable but is made of aluminium. But on a defender they are steel and just need a flat filing on one end to allow the pinch bolt past the splines. I had one sat in a spares box so it was cut and lengthened and then sleeved and pinned for good measure. Cheap but a little involved.
The bulk head fuel filter just needed a drop down bracket making. Easy and cheap.
The clutch pipe just needed rerouting slightly but had enough to use the original.
The brake pipes I would end up buying when only for a 2” lift so I dropped the mounting brackets down 4”.
The gear stick and transfer lever where a nightmare. I extended them both which looked fine. But the extra throw ment that I needed to put my fist through the dash to get first gear. Not ideal. I replaced all the linkages to remove some play which helped but wasn’t ideal for the transfer box lever. But after drilling some new holes for the linkage to attach to the operating shaft I got it to a acceptable range.





Only pic I had of any of the faffing with extending parts.



Ollie my little lad just checking the wheels where big enough.

Another problem from lifting the body 4” was the top radiator brackets being 4” to high. Simple. Redrill the holes lower down the front panel. Easy. Not easy was routing the pipe work for the air box that now doesn’t fit as originally it sat behind the passenger headlight. So messed about with different pipes and a modified airbox off a 200tdi landrover. Also witted silicone boost pipes and removed the egr valve. Had to switch round the header tank and battery to so the bonnet would shut. Note the modified with a big hammer bonnet frame above the battery. Cheap yes. Did it work. Yes. 




Fitted a snorkel and led light bar to because that what you do apparently 🤔

So right let’s go and do off roading.

Having a extra 4” of space between the engine box and body a little easier. Silver lining and all that. Cheap no. Easy definitely not.
My mate was actually breaking a disco so box was pretty much free if I went and removed it. Got some interior parts too. Seats dash and door panels in grey rather than baby poo beige.









Also knocked up some more heavy duty bumpers to match the lifted body with all important recovery point for when I run out of talent.

It went pretty much anywhere you pointed it. And while I had it didn’t really break. But then life started to get in the way. Travelling all over the country all week and a new house (another thread about this, mainly the new workshop) and a young family ment lardy was sitting not being used. So up for sale she went. And basically gave her away to a lucky lad. Who then in my opinion killed her. Blown diffs and a rattle can matt black paint job.

Photos just before she went to live a abusive life.






















Daddy what have you done. A question I often ask myself.
The other project mentioned at the beginning will have a thread to. Really pic heavy but not for the purist. I have sinned. But I will make amends. Thanks for sticking through the waffle and hope someone enjoys.