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Not a Scrambler, but almost

CJeep

CJeep

Scrambled
BENEFACTOR
Gold Member
Lifetime Member
City
Easton
State
CT
So, I live in Connecticut, and a lot of New Yorkers have come up here lately, for some obvious reasons. :censored:

So, a few streets from me is a smaller house that I used to see a G-wagon with NY plates on, only ever on the weekends. Obviously lots of money going on there. But since this all happened, looks like they are here for the duration, and look what showed up in the driveway also:

IMG_20200425_123921.jpg

So cool, IMHO. I don't know a lot about Defenders, but I think the "fake Scrambers" were (originally) military only. That canvas top seems like maybe.
 
Belizeit

Belizeit

CJ-8 Member
Gold Member
City
River Ridge
State
La
When I grew up I was surrounded by blue & white Rovers. Usually it was only the military that had green with the canvas tops. Nice one. Aluminum back in the day
 
Domin8

Domin8

Scrambler Enthusiast
Lifetime Member
City
Astoria
State
NY
Back in 2003 or maybe 2004 a good friend of mine bought an original 1991 Defender 110 NAS from a guy down in Birmingham Alabama. I believe they only imported 500 of these to North America. My friend's truck had the factory exo cage and roof rack and all that.

I went with him to go pick it up and drive it back to NY. Great road trip. It had I think a 4.5 inch an Old Man Emu lift (coils) and larger tires, but I have to say, it handled great on the highway at speeds up to around 80MPH. I was shocked at how stable it felt.

With that said, I remember not loving the seating position. Especially in the back. It felt like I had to bend down to be able to see out the windows. I'm just under 6'1. The other strange thing to me was that unlike in a CJ which is upright, in the Defender it felt like I was sitting too close to the floor.

Anyway, that's just what I remember. It's been a long time though.
 
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MikeV

MikeV

Always learning
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City
Monroe
State
NY
The only other vehicle I ever really really wanted besides a scrambler was a green Defender 90. I always thought they were so cool but way above my price range. Out in the rich Long Island beach towns you'll see alot of beautiful 90's and 110's. The kids drive Rubicons but the Dads drive Defenders.
 
don87401

don87401

Original Owner
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City
Farmington
State
NM
Yep I liked the Defender 90, but by the time I found a job that I Might be able to afford one they stop importing them. So I save some money.
 
Domin8

Domin8

Scrambler Enthusiast
Lifetime Member
City
Astoria
State
NY
In my experience, Land Rovers and especially Range Rovers, are very expensive to maintain, and regularly need a ton of work. At least, that was what I observed.
 
Chamba

Chamba

Not obsessed: focused.
Member
City
Vero Beach
State
FL
I spent a lot of time driving these (the 110) and the 130 back in Australia. They are super cool to look at but terrible to drive. I'm 6'6" and can only drive the RHD ones. There just isn't enough room for me to engage the clutch in the LHD ones.

The ergonomics of them hasn't changed much since they first came out. If I never ever drive one again I'll be OK with that.
 
Belizeit

Belizeit

CJ-8 Member
Gold Member
City
River Ridge
State
La
My thoughts were you can find Ford, Chevy, Dodge and Jeep parts almost everywhere, but try to find Rover parts out in the country side.
 
A

ag4ever

Average Nut
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Richmond
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TX
I had a ‘99 Discovery II, it was a great off road vehicle. Stable as heck, could go thru crazy mud. Really good off road.

Terrible on maintenance. It just ate mass air sensors. Way under powered. Used an aluminum block ‘60s era Buick engine.

Cool thing was the offset axles. Both pumpkins were in-line with each other so you could place them in the best line off-road and not worry about one clearing an obstacle and the other hitting it.
 
Bugman

Bugman

The Rubicon, my backyard
City
Pollock Pines
State
CA
In my experience, Land Rovers and especially Range Rovers, are very expensive to maintain, and regularly need a ton of work. At least, that was what I observed.
I have family that have owned early Land Rovers and I've owned a few Brititsh cars. The prestige wasn't in having paid the original price but to keep it running on the road was the challenge and that's where the appreciation was from british owners. They recognize that.
 
Chamba

Chamba

Not obsessed: focused.
Member
City
Vero Beach
State
FL
jsteed said:
More than a Jeep!!??!!
Click to expand...
Far more. We spend money mostly on improvements which we choose to purchase for the most part (35+ year old deferred maintenance items not withstanding).

When I worked in the Tanami Desert back in the day, we had brand new land rovers down for serious repairs all the time. It wasn't at all uncommon for new rovers to need new injector pumps, replaced seals or electrical work right off the delivery truck.

Our Land Cruisers were very reliable however. This is why most of the bush trucks were cruisers. The rovers weren't trusted outside the camps. We never saw any Jeeps in the bush however so I can't say how they'd hold up in those circumstances. Better than The rover but far worse than the cruisers would be my guess.
 
Domin8

Domin8

Scrambler Enthusiast
Lifetime Member
City
Astoria
State
NY
jsteed said:
More than a Jeep!!??!!
Click to expand...

Just to add to what Chamba said above, I distinctly remember a customer of mine who had a mid 90's Range Rover, which needed a new radiator.

I just now looked up the price, and sure enough, it was about $1,300.00 for an OE style unit. Crazy.
 
Chamba

Chamba

Not obsessed: focused.
Member
City
Vero Beach
State
FL
In Australia at least, part of the status in owning a British car was always the image that repair costs didn't phase the owner.
 
MikeV

MikeV

Always learning
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City
Monroe
State
NY
This is so true about the status of owning it. I saw a 110 out in the Hamptons that blew me away and I thought I didn't even want to know what the older distinguished looking gentleman paid to buy and maintain it. He talked to me about "putting his mechanic's kids through college" but he didn't look like he was strapped for cash in any way. There is a high-end beach offroad shop out there that people stop at just to look at all the expensive rigs that they're working on. That weekend there was a wedding on the beach with a lobster bake dug in the sand and Defenders, CJ 5s, 7s, one Scrambler, Cruisers and horses all out on the beach. I have to admit it was pretty cool but I don't know if anyone could get themselves off the beach if they got stuck! lol
 
Belizeit

Belizeit

CJ-8 Member
Gold Member
City
River Ridge
State
La
I remember a few friends back in the 70s having Triumph TR6s & different MGs and they were working on them weekly and we called it nickeling & dimming them to death. It was actually good money back then buying imported parts. There was little reliability.
 
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