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| Jon w Member Since: 22 Dec 2015 Location: North East Wales Posts: 209   
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Amazing what some people don’t seem to realise they have. Be great to see it given the respect and use it deserves
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13th Nov 2022 2:10pm |
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| LR Nuts Member Since: 10 Aug 2022 Location: UK Posts: 1141 
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did you not see the G4 Range Rover in the drive.
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13th Nov 2022 2:33pm |
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| 90 Dreamer Member Since: 13 Jul 2019 Location: Oop North Posts: 2165  
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Guessing JonW's comment is aimed at the previous owners.....
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13th Nov 2022 2:35pm |
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| Joncorry Member Since: 03 Apr 2022 Location: Cheshire Posts: 167 
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The previous owner bought it unseen from James French as it looked good! I’ll gradually restore it and use it, first jobs are cleaning, maintenance then MOT as it expired whilst I was away for a week, see what that reveals.
It also has the quirk where the temp gauge shoots to hot when first turning on, quick wiggle of the loom and the needle drops and allows it to start. I’ve read somewhere its ECU wires earthing incorrectly or simply loose or a poor earth, either way, I’ll dig around in there to see. One thing is has done is travel the world. The following was taken from an info sheet a previous owner put together: The vehicle was first used in the Highlands of Scotland in the UK selection finals for the first G4 competition in 2003, before being used as a logistic support vehicle for the South African (2nd) stage of the 2003 event. The Defender was shipped from the UK as a "new" vehicle to Cape Town and allocated fleet number 60. The vehicle was believed to be used as one of the competition team set up vehicles, and would have completed most of the 2003 route by road (these were the quickest means to get about) and would have been one of the last to be packed and shipped back to the UK. The Defender then appears to have gone to Taiwan until March 2004, possibly for recceing an alternative venue for the 2006 event. For every location Land Rover uses for the G4 there is always a back-up country just in case something goes wrong, and this may have been why it went there. Due to the fact that BP52 GHZ was used little off road, and in good condition it moved on to a more crucial role in the set up for the 2006 G4 Challenge. After being completely re-fettled by Vehicle Operations at Gaydon, including fitting the new "2006" spec equipment and sponsor decals, it and three other vehicles were shipped with a container full of parts and equipment to Bangkok, Thailand at the end of July 2004, clearing customs at the end of September. The vehicle was shipped into Thailand as a temporary import on the carnet system but was unable to be driven on UK plates. The Thai Authorities allocated the vehicle a "red plate" issued to vehicles that fall into a category outside those used for normal registration purposes. This Thai registration allowed D3 Management (the G4 event organisers), by special agreement, to take the vehicle into Laos for short periods of time. The actual Thai number BP52 GHZ was allocated cannot be accurately traced but it remained on that plate for a year until it had to be shipped to Singapore for just four days (terms of the carnet) before returning to Thailand until the end of the 2006 Challenge. At the end of September 2004 the Defender performed the first reconnaissance trip of Thailand, which was routed from Bangkok, northwest to the border with Myanmar, then north to the Golden Triangle and crossing into Laos. After arriving in Vientienne (Laos capital) at the end of this recce, it was decided that what had been found was insufficient and the trip was extended by five days and continued to search all the way south to the Cambodian border from the Laos side. In those five days the vehicles averaged over 600km per day! The next trip was scheduled for March 2005, as other reconnaissance trips were being performed in South America. However, Boxing Day 2004 brought the news of the Tsunami, which decimated the western coastline of Thailand. The four recce Defenders (including BP52 GHZ) were offered to the Thai authorities to aid the relief effort. The vehicles went on duty for two months and were returned with one or two grizzly reminders of the task they had been involved in (body tags and name sheets). During the rest of 2005, BP52 GHZ performed three competition recces and a film and photo shoot, and travelled extensively through Laos enduring the rigours of the tracks, river and jungles. In addition three media trips were undertaken, allowing international media a view behind the scenes of how the G4 Challenge is put together. As these trips occurred all through the year, the vehicles had to cope with the whole range of climatic conditions and invariably had to work harder on the recces, than they did on the event. In 2006, BP52 GHZ was assigned over to the set-up crews who spend the best part of six weeks, prior to the event, in country, operating totally remotely setting up all of the locations that go to make up the competitive element of the event. The vehicle then becomes, home, office, workshop and friend to the two guys that live in it day in day out. Laos has the unenviable title of being the most bombed country in the history of the world, and BP52 GHZ ran alongside G4's colleagues from the bomb disposal company PCL for the set up of the event, as they checked and cleared the locations before they were used by the competitors. For the 2006 event itself, BP52 GHZ was reallocated to the communications crew and was allocated to Richard Mumford the G4 comms director, and in most cases was used in and around Vientienne before being driven to Luang Prabang. From Laos the vehicle formed a support vehicle role for a Thai Land Rover customer Experience trip back to Bangkok over three days. Once back in Bangkok the vehicle was shipped back to Vehicle Operations in Gaydon, where it sat around, possibly being used on the Land Rover Experience fleet for a while, before being stripped of it's unique G4 kit, by Equicar (vehicle dismantlers) and then onwards for disposal to the retail market on the 11th January 2007, with the mileage only showing 13,774 miles. So there you have it… it’s been around! 2003 110 G4 used in 03 and 06 events - its well travelled. 2002 Range Rover G4 Event car (Australian leg) 2008 Discovery 3 G4 UK Selections car 1968 Series 2a Last edited by Joncorry on 16th Nov 2022 7:07am. Edited 1 time in total |
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14th Nov 2022 11:01am |
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| L90Andy Member Since: 29 May 2014 Location: Stratford-Upon-Avon Posts: 719 
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Brilliant! Lovely vehicle and amazing history. That stuff is priceless to have and really glad you're wanting the best for it as definitely worth saving.
Looking forward to any updates. Instagram: L90andy My 1984 Ninety: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic56071.html - SOLD! My 2015 Defender: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic39625.html - SOLD! |
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15th Nov 2022 9:56pm |
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| Joncorry Member Since: 03 Apr 2022 Location: Cheshire Posts: 167
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Thanks Andy, I do like stuff thats had a bit of a life, the G4 L322 was used in Australia in 2003 but I just wish it had its winch still. The 08 Disco was built for selections and used at Eastnor before the 09 event was cancelled, I met a couple of its previous owners at LRO Peterborough this year and they told me a tale or too about it! 2003 110 G4 used in 03 and 06 events - its well travelled.
2002 Range Rover G4 Event car (Australian leg) 2008 Discovery 3 G4 UK Selections car 1968 Series 2a |
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16th Nov 2022 8:22am |
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| L90Andy Member Since: 29 May 2014 Location: Stratford-Upon-Avon Posts: 719
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I'd be tempted to leave it, cosmetically at least, how it is. That look is the result of its fantastic history and once gone would be impossible to get back. Kinda like how Bob Ives Camel Trophy 110 is still battle-scarred. Land Rover use it for display purposes on occasion nowadays.
Much cooler than an as-new shiny!  Instagram: L90andy
My 1984 Ninety: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic56071.html - SOLD! My 2015 Defender: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic39625.html - SOLD! |
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16th Nov 2022 10:33am |
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| Joncorry Member Since: 03 Apr 2022 Location: Cheshire Posts: 167
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I’d thought of that rather than going for a full on resto. Tells a story as it is. I do need to swap the near side eyebrow as its split and I’m sure mr MOT will raise it as a sharp edge. Getting it mechanically good is the first job and then through the MOT. 2003 110 G4 used in 03 and 06 events - its well travelled.
2002 Range Rover G4 Event car (Australian leg) 2008 Discovery 3 G4 UK Selections car 1968 Series 2a |
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16th Nov 2022 10:57am |
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| Joncorry Member Since: 03 Apr 2022 Location: Cheshire Posts: 167
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As the weather was on side this morning, I decided to start with the fluid changes. The engine oil and filters was simple enough as was the diffs and transfer box, but rather concerningly was the volume that came out of the diffs and tfr box.
All refilled with correct volumes and specs but will have to keep an eye on leaks and funny noises. Also changed the rear sliding window felts as the stuff in there was rotten and in pieces, what a faff of job that was! Spending time underneath it was good and it isn’t fairing too bad. 2003 110 G4 used in 03 and 06 events - its well travelled. 2002 Range Rover G4 Event car (Australian leg) 2008 Discovery 3 G4 UK Selections car 1968 Series 2a Last edited by Joncorry on 8th Dec 2022 9:11am. Edited 2 times in total |
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26th Nov 2022 4:20pm |
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| Joncorry Member Since: 03 Apr 2022 Location: Cheshire Posts: 167
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With the continuing dry weather, I managed a few more jobs yesterday. Gearbox oil was changed and thankfully about 2 litres came out. I then removed the rather crusty side steps then started on the front wing. It had a knock at some point bending it and splitting the eyebrow, so off came the eyebrow and the wing straightened out ok. The near side headlamp was milky so another Wipac lamp was fitted along with a black surround (the old one was now rather grey).
Just need eyebrow clips to arrive and some bits from JLR classic and I can see if the MOT man thinks its road worthy. Click image to enlarge 2003 110 G4 used in 03 and 06 events - its well travelled. 2002 Range Rover G4 Event car (Australian leg) 2008 Discovery 3 G4 UK Selections car 1968 Series 2a |
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29th Nov 2022 7:18am |
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| Screbble Member Since: 26 Apr 2015 Location: Lancashire Posts: 2106 
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Looking good 👍
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29th Nov 2022 9:15am |
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| BrickBox Member Since: 05 Oct 2021 Location: Wales Posts: 837 
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Love that. More in-depth pictures, please
 2008 2.4 110 Utility Station Wagon XS. |
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29th Nov 2022 9:40am |
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| geobloke Member Since: 06 Nov 2012 Location: Nottinghamshire Posts: 4410
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Good lord, I cannot help but be incredibly envious of your G4 110
 Looking forward to watching the rebuild. |
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29th Nov 2022 1:19pm |
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| Joncorry Member Since: 03 Apr 2022 Location: Cheshire Posts: 167
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Thanks for kind words, I’ll make sure I take more pics. It’ll take time to do but the bonus is a reasonable starting point that is mainly cosmetically challenged. Managed to refit a work light on the back of the rack today which could be handy. Annoyingly, I found the two Bearmach eyebrows that arrived correctly marked up as LH and RH and in fact both RH and I need the LH so on the hunt for some LR Matt versions continues. 2003 110 G4 used in 03 and 06 events - its well travelled.
2002 Range Rover G4 Event car (Australian leg) 2008 Discovery 3 G4 UK Selections car 1968 Series 2a |
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29th Nov 2022 8:40pm |
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