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Home > My Defender > TD5 110 Java black - Mandy the Landy

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Cooperracer05

Member Since: 07 Nov 2020
Location: Sussex
Posts: 98

TD5 110 Java black - Mandy the Landy

Hello!

Finally I am joining the fold of Defender ownership!

Having grown up with a very old Series in the family for some 20 years, and being a self declared lover of cars, I knew I would have to get a Defender. With the sale of my Classic Mini completed I set about finding the right car. I knew I wanted a TD5, and happy with either a 90 or 110.

Here are some pics of the old family truck that was a dedicated workhorse for dump runs and dog walks.

Click image to enlarge

Click image to enlarge

After some 'close but not quites', I managed to find the right car for me; a stunning and pretty much entirely standard TD5 110 with 31K miles on it, with a galvanised chassis and more or less fully restored some 8k miles ago by 130dreamer from this very forum! The workmanship and passion that has gone into the car is second to none, and I really hope I can continue to do the car justice, I certainly will try. The car was originally in the Falklands with some 23K miles completed, and was bought and restored, getting a new old complete body as part of the rebuild around 2017 I think. It has ZERO rust as the body has only done 8K miles in 3 odd years in that time. So happy to find a car in such amazing condition, and something that should last a very long time indeed.

Spec is aircon, heated screens, central locking, heated seats, but techno seats, so close to an XS. It has Exmoor high back seats and some forward facing back row seats too.

Click image to enlarge

Click image to enlarge

It seems I am a big fan of relatively poorly built, British design icons, usually with some unique flaws that add to the charm, as the Mini made way for the Landie, and joins a Caterham in my garage (the plan is to use the Landie to tow the 7 to trackdays further afield than I am brave enough to drive to).

Click image to enlarge

So I have now completed my first 100 miles in any Defender and thought I would share some first impressions for you long termers to laugh at:

The good

:
She has been named Mandy
The controls are so satisfying - so mechanical, the gear change especially, purposeful, meaty but not ungainly, really stands out....and I love the stir the porridge. Also the gear ratios are so well matched, just as well given the number of gear changes required.
The dimensions make the car so easy to place through tight village lanes
People just get out of the way and yield
The boot space is amazing, just lobbing stuff in the back is novel following the Mini
Noise - I don't find it noisy really, its 120db of wind noise in the 7, it's like a Rolls Royce to me
Heated seats are very effective indeed, as is the heater

The bad:
Averaging about 7 attempts to close each door properly - tiny operating window of force that achieves a close
Central locking is like Russian roulette - no idea which doors will open in which combination

The ugly:
Seems I have experienced the Prince of Darkness light switch issue with failing lights while on a particularly dark and bouncy b road
The wife is yet to calibrate the dimensions, whilst also testing the might of the front bumper by driving it into the garage doors. A weekend with a lump hammer for me and the doors beckons.

Overall I absolutely love it and am fighting the urge to start the mods. Need to just live with it for a while and get used to the car and also feel like the car deserves to be kept original given how clean an example it is.

Thinking about:

Remap and intercooler
Full sound deadening
Swapping to Java black grill and light surrounds
Reserving camera and single din (keep the old school look of the dash)
ET0 Wolf wheels

Will be doing most of the work myself to keep the devils play things busy during the weekends.....more updates and adventures to follow.

Big thank you to the forum and Greeni, Bev and of course 130dreamer.

13th Jan 2021 2:57pm

shaggydog

Member Since: 12 Aug 2012
Location: Kent
Posts: 3347

1991 Defender 110 200 Tdi USW Arles Blue

The door issue may just need your striker/latch plates moving slightly.

Just slacken off the bolts slightly, tap it so the pin moves more outboard then re-tighten and then try again.

Its a bit trial and error but cheep to repair at least!

Welcome to the forum!

Running Restoration Thread http://www.defender2.net/forum/post323197.html#323197

Self confessed mileage hunter

13th Jan 2021 4:06pm

Cooperracer05

Member Since: 07 Nov 2020
Location: Sussex
Posts: 98

Thanks shaggydog, yep that is planned for the weekend, along with some liberal lubrication of the lock mechanisms in a bid to get the central locking working

13th Jan 2021 4:49pm

L110CDL

Member Since: 31 Oct 2015
Location: Devon
Posts: 10810

Welcome to the fold and loving the " good, bad and the ugly "

1996 Golf Blue 300Tdi 110 Pick up.

Keeper.

Clayton.

13th Jan 2021 8:28pm

JOW240725

Member Since: 04 May 2015
Location: Suffolk
Posts: 7907

2012 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 XS CSW Orkney Grey

Welcome to the forum and Defender ownership! Good luck!

James
MY2012 110 2.2TDCi XS SW Orkney Grey - http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic43410.html
MY1990 110 200TDi SW beautifully faded Portofino Red - https://www.defender2.net/forum/post743641.html#743641
MY1984 90 V8 Slate Grey - https://www.defender2.net/forum/post744557.html#744557
Instagram @suffolk_rovers

13th Jan 2021 8:36pm

Cooperracer05

Member Since: 07 Nov 2020
Location: Sussex
Posts: 98

Thanks! Nice to be part of what seems a friendly forum.

13th Jan 2021 8:46pm

L110CDL

Member Since: 31 Oct 2015
Location: Devon
Posts: 10810

Yes it is, the best one around for me as it's the only one i go on, no faceache or insta

1996 Golf Blue 300Tdi 110 Pick up.

Keeper.

Clayton.

13th Jan 2021 8:52pm

Bev

Member Since: 03 Apr 2013
Location: Perthshire
Posts: 267

Truck looks pretty cool. You can go way over board with your thinking on what needs fixing, what can I improve, what kind of look do it want.

Best thing to do is just drive it and enjoy it for A few weeks until you suss out the bits that need fixing first.

The search function on here will bring up a “ how to fix” for pretty much all of the usual suspect faults like the lights failing or how to adjust the door strikers to stop the defender door bounce “ (we have all had it )

I also might have a black light surround and grille going spare. If you want me to send it down to you in the post let me know

13th Jan 2021 9:01pm

Cooperracer05

Member Since: 07 Nov 2020
Location: Sussex
Posts: 98

Thanks Bev, that would be amazing, I'm happy to pay or can make a donation to a cause of your choosing too. I think on a black car a black grill and light surrounds will look smart.

I'll set about fixing the light switch today too seeing as its's not p!ssing it down anymore.

15th Jan 2021 8:58am

Cooperracer05

Member Since: 07 Nov 2020
Location: Sussex
Posts: 98

Week 2 of stewardship of 'Mandy' and got the tools out for a few cheeky jobs.

My central locking is very temperamental, different set of doors at different times, total chance what you get. To compound matters it's very hard to get the key into the door lock.

So whipped the door cards off and had a play around with the mechanism. Put it all back together and it's not made a blind bit of difference...so back to the drawing board there.

I did manage to swap my light switch after temperamental lights. Switch. I assumed it was a burnt out switch but it looks fine so will have to check the wiring as really don't want my lights to go off while driving at night.

Here is the old switch that came out. Looks good to me.

Click image to enlarge

Click image to enlarge

I've also got some DIY window tints coming after getting quotes of £500 to tint B pillar back!!! I'm 99% sure it will be a disaster but for £30 worth a go.

More updates to follow.

16th Jan 2021 1:34pm

LandRoverAnorak

Member Since: 17 Jul 2011
Location: Surrey
Posts: 11324

Your lights issue could well be the other switch - the indicator stalk that includes flash and high beam. They have a tendency to melt, which means that the contacts move in and out of place. Darren

110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak

"You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia

16th Jan 2021 3:10pm

JOW240725

Member Since: 04 May 2015
Location: Suffolk
Posts: 7907

Love your comment on the central locking!! But well done for having a go!!

16th Jan 2021 6:45pm

Bev

Member Since: 03 Apr 2013
Location: Perthshire
Posts: 267

Have a look at the white plug that’s part of the loom going up to the light switch, just under the shroud around the steering wheel. The current flowing though the light circuit can degrade the contacts in the multi plug also.

That happened to me on a previous TD5..... 2002 Td5 | 90 County Station Wagon | Oslo Blue
2006 Td5 | 90 County Station Wagon | Tonga Green (Gone )
2002 Td5 | 90 County Station Wagon | Zambezi Silver (Gone)

16th Jan 2021 7:04pm

Cooperracer05

Member Since: 07 Nov 2020
Location: Sussex
Posts: 98

JOW240725 wrote:
Love your comment on the central locking!! But well done for having a go!!

Thanks mate, I’ll get to the bottom of it, just a matter of time and patience. Thankfully owning a classic Mini for some 12 years has established a monk like resolve to British Leyland engineering....it’s just a case of how many door card clips do I break on the journey!

16th Jan 2021 8:33pm

Cooperracer05

Member Since: 07 Nov 2020
Location: Sussex
Posts: 98

Bev wrote:
Have a look at the white plug that’s part of the loom going up to the light switch, just under the shroud around the steering wheel. The current flowing though the light circuit can degrade the contacts in the multi plug also.

That happened to me on a previous TD5.....

Thanks Bev, I’ll check it over tomorrow, as now have the old one in the boot as the official first spare part to be chauffeured around with the car.

16th Jan 2021 8:35pm

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