 | Home > Defender Celebration Series & Classic Works > Swiss Defender official farewell event (photos on line now) |
 
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| couplands Member Since: 31 Aug 2011 Location: Peak District & Cornwall Posts: 1826   
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Deleted
Last edited by couplands on 6th Jul 2015 8:08pm. Edited 1 time in total |
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5th Jul 2015 3:07pm |
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| ericvv Member Since: 02 Jun 2011 Location: Near the Jet d'Eau Posts: 5816  
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OK, here we go. First of all, thanks Martin for granting me all that pictures space. But I do think that events like this, which are a one off in a life time deserve to be well commented.
So, as said before, this was a very well organized tribute to the original Land Rover - Defender. The Swiss importer, Emil Frey organized this at their brand new Classic Car Center in Safenwil, where they have several floors of history of the cars they have been importing and distributing for decades. Not only the English, but also Toyota, one museum floor is actually fully dedicated to historic Toyotas. The event was organised in the middle of a real heat wave, the temp was well above 35°C. I estimate that in total about 400 Swiss Land Rovers, from Series 1 until brand new Defenders took part. Off-road demonstration in new 110s with professional off-road drivers, live music, barbecue with amongst other an entire ox being roasted, sellers stands, and so on. Highlights were that Land Rover UK had despatched their full collection of historic cars to Safenwil, from HUE166 until the current Defenders. These were all lined up very nicely on one floor of the museum with perfect lighting, and they were fully accessible to the visitors. This is such a good fit for the museum that I suggest Land Rover just leave them there. 
Further, during the event Emil Frey donated a new Defender to REDOG, the Swiss organization for mountain rescue dogs, and then another highlight was that they orchestrated a perfect line-up of about 240 Series 1 through Defenders which were all dressed up to form one gigantic Union Flag to be filmed and photographed by helicopter around mid day. The Hunter and the SVX were part of that. To our knowledge only one thing went wrong which has nothing to do with the event organizers, but with one idiot participant. This could have turned much worse than it did in the end. Around mid day, the Mrs and I were walking between the lines of 240 Land Rovers parked up for the Union Flag and we suddenly heard a loud pop from the back of one of the Landy lines. We kept walking and suddenly saw a Hunter version with one second row door window still in place but broken, and a hole in it about 5 cm diameter. We did not make much more of it than that it either was vandalism or something because of the extremely high outside temps.... We were back in the museum when kitoper came to tell us that police had arrived in force, as what happened was that one open series model had a military gun mounted inside the cabin at the dash, and someone pulled the trigger. The gun was loaded and with safety off, and the bullet went sideways piercing a nice hole in the left rear side of the Hunter 110 SW, exited through the opposite side window (the hole we saw), and piercing another Defender parked next to it,... Could have been worse if someone had just walked in the bullet path of course. 3 or 4 squad cars arrived, police with guns in the hand and bullet proof vests making the rounds through the entire truck line-up, etc. We did not wait for the end of that, but suspect that the driver of that Series vehicle when returning to his car has had some explanation to do. All in all, a very well organized tribute to our Land Rovers, we all received a nice booklet, a souvenir Land Rover plaque, and other presents. Well done, Emil Frey.
Now here we go with the pictures. I am not repeating the pictures of HUE166 and of the Royal Series 1 which have already been posted by kitoper. In about a week from now, on the website www.defender.ch will be memorial pictures of all participants which were taken of each Land Rover upon arrival, as well as event pictures plus the Union Flag aereal pictures and movies. Lake Geneva 04 July 2015 08.00 hours - meeting point to team up with Kitoper and his Hunter before the 240 km drive to Safenwil.  Click image to enlarge Safenwil arrival and line-up of Series I/II/III and Defenders selected for the Union Flag composition Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Land Rovers channeled into the parking reserved for Dormobiles and high loaded trucks Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge First pictures of the Union Flag assembly upon arrival Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Some landies were at the regular car parking too. Click image to enlarge Yes, he also attended the party... Click image to enlarge Swiss hall of fame Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge HUE to the left, and here is the 1949 Tickford Click image to enlarge 1988 (correction 1976, thanks Kitoper) series III - the 1.000.000.th Land Rover Click image to enlarge 1982 - proof it is made of a lot of aluminium Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge 1983 1/2 ton Lightweight Click image to enlarge 1983 more Royalty.... Click image to enlarge 1986 Series III - Last of Line Click image to enlarge 1988 Ninenty - 40th anniversary version Click image to enlarge 1994 NAS spec Click image to enlarge 2015 French registered Adventure 110 Click image to enlarge Autobiography and a standard ninety Click image to enlarge Emil Frey Classic Car center - permanent collection Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge A selection of interesting Landies Click image to enlarge The most interesting one. 
Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Also some working Defenders were there... Click image to enlarge ...fully geared ones.... Click image to enlarge ...and farm jacks Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge The heli approaching Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Pristine at the inside Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge End of show... Eric You never actually own a Defender. You merely look after it for the next generation. http://youtu.be/yVRlSsJwD0o https://youtu.be/vmPr3oTHndg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GtzTT9Pdl0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABqKPz28e6A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLZ49Jce_n0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvAsz_ilQYU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8tMHiX9lSw https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dxwjPuHIV7I https://vimeo.com/201482507 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSixqL0iyHw Last edited by ericvv on 8th Jul 2015 5:39pm. Edited 8 times in total |
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6th Jul 2015 9:42am |
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| Kitoper Member Since: 07 Dec 2012 Location: Geneva Posts: 204
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Great pics Eric and excellent write up as usual
just a little precision, the one millionth Land rover was effectively a series III 88" but year of production was 1976.
The story of the damaged Defenders has sent chills through my bones a couple of times. Not sure if you have realized it Eric, but the two vehicles damaged by the bullet were a Hunter and a SVX 90. My son has some pics and when I have some time at home, I will share. |
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6th Jul 2015 10:21am |
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| ericvv Member Since: 02 Jun 2011 Location: Near the Jet d'Eau Posts: 5816
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Right you are. I shall stand corrected.
Eric Click image to enlarge You never actually own a Defender. You merely look after it for the next generation. http://youtu.be/yVRlSsJwD0o https://youtu.be/vmPr3oTHndg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GtzTT9Pdl0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABqKPz28e6A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLZ49Jce_n0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvAsz_ilQYU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8tMHiX9lSw https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dxwjPuHIV7I https://vimeo.com/201482507 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSixqL0iyHw |
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6th Jul 2015 10:28am |
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| 100inch Member Since: 15 May 2012 Location: Brunswick Posts: 411  
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Eric, thanks for the great write up. I offered 'my' LR garage to take my 50th to the event but they couldn't be bothered. Ah well seems plenty of other great Defender's made it:)
m |
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6th Jul 2015 10:35am |
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| ericvv Member Since: 02 Jun 2011 Location: Near the Jet d'Eau Posts: 5816
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Now, I have one more question... What is the home front, i.e. JLR UK, preparing as a worthwhile tribute to/farewell party for the Landy?
Nothing at all?  Hard to believe, the fact that we got that historic collection of HUE until todays Celebration series all here means that the head office are involved with these events. Guess Solihull are cooking up something spectacular for the home front, something kept a secret for now, but to be announced as The Bigger Bang later this summer. You never actually own a Defender. You merely look after it for the next generation.
http://youtu.be/yVRlSsJwD0o https://youtu.be/vmPr3oTHndg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GtzTT9Pdl0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABqKPz28e6A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLZ49Jce_n0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvAsz_ilQYU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8tMHiX9lSw https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dxwjPuHIV7I https://vimeo.com/201482507 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSixqL0iyHw Last edited by ericvv on 6th Jul 2015 11:31am. Edited 1 time in total |
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6th Jul 2015 11:02am |
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| Gonarezhou Member Since: 08 Mar 2015 Location: White River Posts: 178  
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Nice photos Eric! Had to chuckle with photo's 3 and 4 as the line of Landys all seem to be heading to the Toyota Dealership
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6th Jul 2015 11:29am |
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| YOLO110 Member Since: 14 Feb 2015 Location: Perth Oz and Stansted UK Posts: 1641
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A great write up
Do you happen to know where/when the aerial photo with the Union Jack on the Defenders will be available? Looks like a superbly organised gathering.  YOLO... You Only Live Once... |
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6th Jul 2015 12:10pm |
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| Kitoper Member Since: 07 Dec 2012 Location: Geneva Posts: 204
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 the line to the Toyota dealership parking lot was probably because it is the only parking lot that was empty. |
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6th Jul 2015 12:10pm |
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| Angus_Beef Member Since: 30 Apr 2015 Location: Oslo Posts: 434  
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the proper, high quality photos will be on defender.ch from the 10th. in the meantime here's a teaser
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6th Jul 2015 12:19pm |
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| ericvv Member Since: 02 Jun 2011 Location: Near the Jet d'Eau Posts: 5816
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As at the bottom of my long post, all event pictures and more should become available on www.defender.ch as of friday 10-07.
Eric You never actually own a Defender. You merely look after it for the next generation. http://youtu.be/yVRlSsJwD0o https://youtu.be/vmPr3oTHndg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GtzTT9Pdl0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABqKPz28e6A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLZ49Jce_n0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvAsz_ilQYU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8tMHiX9lSw https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dxwjPuHIV7I https://vimeo.com/201482507 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSixqL0iyHw |
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6th Jul 2015 12:20pm |
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| ericvv Member Since: 02 Jun 2011 Location: Near the Jet d'Eau Posts: 5816
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DeeEss, even better than I thought. The Union Flag and the Swiss Flag together.
I can see exactly which is kitoper's Hunter and which is my SVX in that group.
Eric You never actually own a Defender. You merely look after it for the next generation. http://youtu.be/yVRlSsJwD0o https://youtu.be/vmPr3oTHndg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GtzTT9Pdl0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABqKPz28e6A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLZ49Jce_n0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvAsz_ilQYU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8tMHiX9lSw https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dxwjPuHIV7I https://vimeo.com/201482507 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSixqL0iyHw |
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6th Jul 2015 12:26pm |
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| Angus_Beef Member Since: 30 Apr 2015 Location: Oslo Posts: 434
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Right? I had no idea there was the Swiss flag also. Could not tell from the ground! |
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6th Jul 2015 12:32pm |
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| YOLO110 Member Since: 14 Feb 2015 Location: Perth Oz and Stansted UK Posts: 1641
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That is bloody excellent!
Many thanks! YOLO... You Only Live Once... |
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6th Jul 2015 12:50pm |
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