Casper & Outono - 2x 1998 Discovery 1 Builds

[Outono]

Well, Ol Blue has finally moved on to the junkyard. Stripped it for all of the best parts and sold it off for $500, which is pretty great given I spent only $1,000 to get it.



With that said, the final part I pulled was the practically new ARB front bumper with 2x Hella lights. This is now for sale!

Asking $750, located in Southern California (Orange County). That's 50% off retail so im hoping someone snags it because I don't want it to live in my garage for a year.

 

[Brumie]

Thanks for the detailed build out descriptions. I've owned my 1996 since new and have continually upgraded and replaced parts since day one. The last major up grade was a Cummins 2.8L crate motor install. I've got a few new ideas to add to my list after seeing your labor of love. The following pics are mid rebuild.

 

[Outono]

Thanks for the detailed build out descriptions. I've owned my 1996 since new and have continually upgraded and replaced parts since day one. The last major up grade was a Cummins 2.8L crate motor install. I've got a few new ideas to add to my list after seeing your labor of love. The following pics are mid rebuild.
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Wow! That is a hell of a build! How long did it take you to drop that engine in there? What transmission are you running?

 

[YetiX]

Thanks for the detailed build out descriptions. I've owned my 1996 since new and have continually upgraded and replaced parts since day one. The last major up grade was a Cummins 2.8L crate motor install. I've got a few new ideas to add to my list after seeing your labor of love. The following pics are mid rebuild.
View attachment 839431View attachment 839432View attachment 839433View attachment 839434

You need to do a build thread and detail all that! That's amazing

 

[Brumie]

Wow! That is a hell of a build! How long did it take you to drop that engine in there? What transmission are you running?

The build time line was extremely skewed due to shipping delays due to the virus crap. The engine itself was delayed for five months after the anticipated delivery date. We never received the chip for the automatic transmission, after waiting for six months the manufacture informed us that it was going to be 1-2 years before we could expect delivery. At that point we switched to a manual LR 300 TDI transmission and started collecting the parts to make that happen. To get the Discovery to a drivable state took over three and a half years. A solid year of that time was the shop I chose to do the swap was on its ass. I finally made the decision to retrieve the vehicle as is and incomplete. Luckily a friend of mine had some time on his hands and completed the install.

Currently the following is the list to get it to a semi-complete state: New PRP seats installed, Baja Designs bumper and roof rack lighting, dual battery setup with a hood mounted solar panel, new stereo, AC lines custom manufactured, new door seals, and some custom interior bits made.

This is my farm truck so it is off road 6-7 days a week, at a minimum its on gravel. It currently has no carpet, has had a paint on bed liner applied on all of the floor surfaces, has no rear seats, has diamond plating panels in place of the two inward facing rear seats and read door. In the next few weeks I'll post more pictures as the build out progresses.

 

[Outono]

I know these updates are becoming few and far between. The Rover is still running well, but im only driving it once a week now that the Grenadier has arrived. And with the baby due any day now, there is really no time to work on it.

However...

I've been pestering this person on Facebook Marketplace to part out their Discovery 1 for about 2 months now. Why? Because the truck has a Mantec snorkel on it. Well, last week, she decided to finally give in so I got up early this morning and drove 1hr and 45min to snag the unobtanium snorkel.



It only took 2 years, but I finally have one. Now I just need to find a hose for it...

So this truck. Turns out it belonged to someone who I hear was quite well known in the Rover scene in LA. Actually, known very well in 4x4 circles all around. He had recently passed and his daughter was looking to clear out the estate. When I finished taking the snorkel off, she asked me if i'd be interested in any of the extra stuff her dad had in the garage...



The answer was, um, YES.

Look, it was impossible to find anything really since it was so scattered about. There was tons of OEM and used Defender, Series, and Discovery 1 parts. Vintage Coleman lanterns, vintage Craftsman tools, compressors, jacks, you name it. But because it was well over 100F outside, and because I didn't plan on rummaging through tons of stuff, I only snagged a few things. The bikes are sold BTW...

If you're interested in buying anything here, let me know and ill put you in touch with the person. This is not free, she is trying to sell this stuff, so don't expect handouts. Location is northeast of Los Angeles.

So in addition to the snorkel, I opted to pick up all the vintage Coleman (and other brand) lanterns, which have such a cool look to them.





Eventually, i'll restore a couple of these and hang them in the garage.

Before I left, I found an original Discovery FSM in binder form, a whole set of Discovery 1 OEM mats (brand new), and some other small bits and pieces for recovery and such.

All in all, a worthwhile 4 hours of driving. It's heartbreaking to see someone's collection fall into such disarray, but I like to think I can carry on this person's obsession by putting his equipment to good use.

 

[fluxx]

Awesome score!

 

[Outono]

Productive weekend! Finally got around to laying the butyl vibration dampener material in the front and back. Next step is closed cell foam and then mass loaded vinyl.

 

[Outono]

Almost there! MLV is in! I liked this product (Soundsulate). It was easy to work with and made in the USA, which isn't always an indicator of quality, but in this case it was. How much of a difference it actually makes, not sure yet...



The rear trim is also finally back in place. I still need a front beige carpet (anyone selling one?), and I need to get the center console back in, but other than that, we're really at the end for the interior improvement. I am a bit disappointed in the CLF I used (Siless), which appears to be very poorly rated. If I could do it over again, I would have either gone all in on SecondSkin products (which I used for the CLD) or I would have spent the money and picked up the ResoNix products. The interior is definitely quieter than before, but I wouldn't say its anywhere near as good as I expected given the amount of time I put into this.

Take a look at this comparison. While I am usually a skeptic for marketing (it being my background, afterall), the methodology here seems pretty good and the results legitimate. ResoNix just wipes the floor with every other product out there.



I decided against putting the backseats and rear seat belts back in. For one, it was becoming such a chore getting everything installed and in my haste I accidentally stripped one of the bolts (on the belts). This is an easy fix, but im over it and realistically, with both the Cruiser and the Grenadier available, nobody really needs to sit in the back of this thing. Now im thinking about a drawer system...

Next up is getting that Mantec snorkel installed, updating my injection system (spark, plugs, wires, and injectors), and finally, tracking down a used HD bumper.

BTW, im selling my Hedman Hedders that I picked off that epic RPI engine truck a few months back. $220. Would go great on any 4.0 or 4.6.

 

[Outono]

Finally got the truck out to Anza Borrego this weekend and it performed beautifully. Every time I wheel with it I am reminded at just how much I love this project.



Truth be told, I have been thinking about selling. I’ve got 3 trucks now, and between the Cruiser and Grenadier, the Rover no longer gets much love. It’s less refined on the interior, less spacious, has poor gas mileage, and since it has MTs, drives a bit rough on paved roads.




And yet, every time I look at it or wheel it, I am absolutely smitten. It’s way more fun off-road than the other two, easier to maneuver, lighter weight, has far better traction (ATB and TrueTracs), and flexes like nobody’s business. Oh, and it’s one of the best looking 4x4s ever made.




So for now, it’s not going anywhere.

What’s new as of Nov 2024

• RTE Rear Cones: boy did these come in handy. Really helps keep your springs sorted when you’re flexing on the trail. Loud, but necessary.
• Brake Proportioning Valve: no more leaking brakes!
• Rear Quarter Panel Seals: the others were ancient and leaking. Truck looks way cleaner now.
• Handbrake: bent the other one

I’m currently on the hunt for a front beige carpet if anyone has one. I also need a front headlamp finisher in chawton white.

 

[toddz69]

Sure looks great! Don't sell it!

Todd Z.