Defender + Series owners

[crankin]

How many of you guys own both a Defender and a Series?
Which one do you drive more? and Why?

[Terrys]

I've had series trucks of all descriptions since 1972. I have only had one Defender, an NAS110, and it's what I drive more as it's reliable, comfortable and quicker. It requires no less the work though. I've owned it 10 years now, more than any one series truck. My series present series truck is a '73 88. My son has expressed some desire to part with his Stage One. I may give that some thought. I've owned some series trucks more than once, and may buy back my old 2A109.

[Moose]

I have a Series 3 88 and an Ex-Mod 110. The 88 gets a lot more use in the summer while it is a soft top but the two trucks get equal use in the winter once the pick up cab goes on the 88. For highway or longer trips, the 110 gets the nod. Nicer ride and much better cruising speed with the Tdi.

If I had to get rid of one of them, pretty sure it would be the 110.

Brett

[czenkov]

I own a 1997 Defender and a SII 88. The Defender has been to the border of Mexico and into Canada. This last year I daily drove the Defender. And it has been spot on. I drive it more for two reasons - it is everything the Series is and a bit more user friendly, and I am able to maintain it at a level that makes it infinitely more reliable. Not the Series fault - it has just had issues that I have not had the time to track down. I think I may have solved that a couple weekends ago though. So have been running it around on the weekends since. Tomorrow if the weather is sunny as predicted I am Driving the Series to work.

If I had to get rid of one of my cars - the Land Rovers are safe. I also have a FJ62 Land Cruiser that would get the axe!!!:D

[czenkov]

And wouldn't you know it I go to take it to work and I drove the Series to the light down the block and something is amiss in the front end. Diff is missing a tooth or something more sinister? Not sure, but the Defender came to the rescue and got me to work! LOL

[amcordo]

Clint - are you thinking of getting a Defender?

[crankin]

I've been looking for a while now. But other things seem to come up...

[Howsomever]

After 12+ years and 70,000 miles in a stock 1963 Series IIA 88 Land Rover we purchased a Defender 110 with 300tdi. Being tall it is nice to have a better fit in the seat position. Also nice to be able to run with the big dogs if necessary. Since most of my trips in the series were provisioned for two people, 8 days and always loaded it always had trouble on the hills. The Defender seems to work well loaded or unloaded and still have quirks like the Series. The Series on a good day got 21 mpg but 17 mpg was the norm and offroad it was around 12 mpg if we were lucky. The Defender consistantly does 26 mpg and pushing the hills or offroad drops to 22 mpg. I have only had the Defender about six months and I have logged over 10,000 miles on a rig I am still learning about. The Series is garaged and seldom driven waiting for its next adventure.

[artpeck]

I have a d-90 1995 and an S3. The defender gets driven far more as the series is still more a project than anything else.

The defender is routinely called a jeep. The series generates way more waves and stares.

[Broadstone]

We have a series III swb which is our workhorse and the 110 station wagon is the family truckster. The 110 gets a lot more use as it is practical for the whole family.

[cedryck]

I purchased a used d90 (1994) while owning and restoring a 1965 88 inch. I loved the d90 not so great to drive on the road, but awsome off roading, would pass by anything but a gas station. I eventually sold off the d90 for not much less than I purchased it 10 years earlier. Although I enjoyed the 90, I was not impressed by the cost of the automobiles repair bills, (and I did everything myself), the series truck, I feel, has more interest to me, and I love being it's mechanic as well. Cheers. :thumb-up:

[SalemRover]

I purchased a used d90 (1994) while owning and restoring a 1965 88 inch. I loved the d90 not so great to drive on the road, but awsome off roading, would pass by anything but a gas station. I eventually sold off the d90 for not much less than I purchased it 10 years earlier. Although I enjoyed the 90, I was not impressed by the cost of the automobiles repair bills, (and I did everything myself), the series truck, I feel, has more interest to me, and I love being it's mechanic as well. Cheers. :thumb-up:

I wrench on a couple D90's from time to time and I wholeheartedly agree on the parts cost, that and there are too many damn wires and sensors.

[Skookumchuck]

I have a 68 109 SW, and told the wife I was going to buy a newer Defender to keep up here when we move to Missouri next month. I have to travel up here for business. She said 1 Rover is enough.....:(. I guess I will just do it when she is not here and as she will only be up here once in a while I can hide it and she will never know...HEHEHEHE:D

[mrdoiron]

I've got both - sort of... my 'Defender" is really a Hybrid, 1961 Series II with new defender frame, defender adds to front end , Lt77 trans, defender bulkhead, Range Rover V8, coiler conversion, and external roll cage , many other upgrades - I call it my "Defender-88." I use this more for more extreme 4x4, rock climbing and when I want to drive a rover but also need highway speeds etc.

My 69 bug eye I use for weekend run arounds, and special events, and keeping my driveway nicely oiled :-)

[ThePhotographer]

I've got both - sort of... my 'Defender" is really a Hybrid, 1961 Series II with new defender frame, defender adds to front end , Lt77 trans, defender bulkhead, Range Rover V8, coiler conversion, and external roll cage , many other upgrades - I call it my "Defender-88." I use this more for more extreme 4x4, rock climbing and when I want to drive a rover but also need highway speeds etc.

My 69 bug eye I use for weekend run arounds, and special events, and keeping my driveway nicely oiled :-)

That's a great looking "Defender"!

[crankin]

Are those holes running down the side?

[red64chevelle]

I have a 73 Series III 88 and a 86 Defender 110.

I was driving the Defender more often, but I am getting ready for a 300TDI/R380 swap. Lately the Series has been the normal driver. RR Diffs are on their way to get the highway driving under control.

[mrdoiron]

Are those holes running down the side?

Rubber access points to allow a disconnect of bolts point inside to bulkhead - due to having added a new defender bulkhead plus the one piece roll cage which goes down through the wings to the frame, needed a way to allow a quick disconnect of wings to bulkhead as a result. A bit of McGuyver, and end result looks a bit unique...

[crankin]

Rubber access points to allow a disconnect of bolts point inside to bulkhead - due to having added a new defender bulkhead plus the one piece roll cage which goes down through the wings to the frame, needed a way to allow a quick disconnect of wings to bulkhead as a result. A bit of McGuyver, and end result looks a bit unique...

Can you get a close up?

[mrdoiron]

Can you get a close up?

Those are access holes for the fender-to-bulkhead bolts. When original conversion work was done, the roll bar was welded to the frame, covering any access to those bolts. So when the rusted-through bulkhead was replaced, everything had to come apart. The rubber plugs, from a Ford pickup rear bed were an available option, so then cut the holes in the fender to match the plugs, corresponding to the location of the 4 bolts each side...allowed a solution so as to not meddle with the integrity of the roll bar.
I'll send a picture when I get it back (having far seal and clutch plate redone at present - (Steve at Rovers North helping with parts , thanks for help with Jay btw), so I'll post a picture later when I get it back with a plug out to show...but if you look at the picture, if you were to pull any of those plugs off, you'd see the bolt inside and how close the roll bar is to them, preventing access to them from inside the wheel well. The holes are about 1cm from the edge of the fender/bulkhead, so a common bent ratcheting wrench can be maneuvered to remove the bolts.

mike

[crankin]

Pretty smart!