DividingCreek
Explorer
Ray do you want a headliner ?
Coyote; aka my 96 D1 5 speed build thread
- Thread starter Ray_G
- Start date
Ray_G
Explorer
Doug-
Nope. Current bedlined headliner is fantastic, will never fall down and the contrast actually works pretty well for my eyes.
pdXDisco
Observer
454, your offer is much appreciated! Call me cheap, but $1500 is a bit more than I can spend on a rack. Heck, I bought my current SD rack for $1500, but it came with a whole truck underneath! Maybe if my upcoming album goes platinum, I'll have a bit more cash to play with, so I'll definitely keep a trip to Utah in mind, and let you know.
Ray, thank you for not placing your hi-lift on the outside of your truck! I don't know what it is about them, but every time I see them on the front bumper, hood, or roof, I can't help but think it looks weird (maybe it's the abundance of poser Jeeps in my work parking lot...) and I love the practicality of your setup. Granted, there aren't many spots to mount them, so they've got to go somewhere...
Ray_G
Explorer
I too got an SD rack, a low one in fact, with a whole yellow rust bucket underneath it for $1k-that was a lucky stroke to say the least though.
As far as the hi-lift goes, funny you mention it since the past few days I stripped everything out, cleaned, inventoried, and validated and amidst that I took pictures for my own sake but are likely worth posting up here in the near term.
I have a love/hate relationship with hi-lifts. While there is def nothing that can do what it can do, I tend to avoid using them unless I absolutely have to. That said I also always carry one, especially after it was the only tool that could break the suction that onset from this epic stuck (as you turned the corner you had to get up out of the mud...but the minute you lost momentum the mud stopped you, and there was nowhere to winch to.
After a few hours of digging, finding a LONG way around for the other truck to come and be a winch point, hungry kids, sunset fading the hi-lift was essential to getting the front wheels up and allowing stuff to get placed underneath (the era before maxtrax). In the end I was not happy:
It is worth noting that during that my brand new hi-lift X-treme (or whatever they call that edition) promptly broke. Luckily we had a spare but that was invaluable for teaching me to always have the spares kit.
I used to keep it on the side of the roof rack but being short makes that a nice way to smash your face and more importantly the exposure to the elements tends to not assist longevity. I refuse to do my front bumper, not that I could on Coyote easily anyway. The rear door is a decent option but I don't like extra weight hanging there given the 255/85 and such.
Thus I keep it strapped down behind the front seats on the floor in the jackguard case (http://www.jackguard.com/) which does a great job protecting it from kiddos feet-and reduces any rattles too.
I would note that it's still a compromise; the jack had to be cut down slightly to fit door to door inside the truck but in the grand scheme I'll take it. I acknowledge that I may top out in some capacity, on some obstacle or that (god forbid) I'm using it as a come-along it would increase the amount of resetting that I had to do. Everything with a build is a series of compromises, this one makes sense and has served well for years.
r-
Ray
Ray_G
Explorer
Onboard medical
I don't know that I ever documented what's inside my medical stuff and amidst pulling everything out of the truck and checking it I took pics so I figure why not, I'll post it up here. A few caveats:
-I'm not a medical provider. I'm a Marine, one who is happiest when there is a Corpsman nearby.
-Showing what is in your medical stuff is like playing hot or not, 9mm vs .45, bolt gun vs gas gun, whatever.
-Did I mention I'm just a Marine, I know MARCH & my ABCs and after that its pretty much drink water, change your socks and face outboard.
So with those caveats in play, here's what's behind the nylon just for the sake of sharing. Two basic categories; Individual First Aid Kits (IFAKs) of which there are two on the headrests and a larger First Aid Kit that resides in the left rear window sill of the cargo area since there is rear a/c and thus enough room to hold it easily.
The IFAKs are setup to grab and go, a single buckle and they get ripped off the seat and you're moving. The pouches are the condor tear away specials, i.e. they are not gear that I'd hump in Afghanistan on my person as I don't trust the sewing and such to withstand that kind of life. However, for sitting a headrest and being used once they more than do well enough-if they were ever used it will likely look like a yard sale afterward and I'm happy to buy again. Here's the current layout, with the CAT on the outside and then everything else is inside with nearly identical setups on both.
The larger First Aid Kit is an old med bag from the pre-MOLLE/Combat Life Saver and much better, but often larger, GWOT casualty treatment days. It serves its intended purpose well, i.e. it is for more routine care that has far less urgency associated with it. My kids now are well condition that if they get a scrape or cut the back of the truck is where we are going, we're not going to rip off an IFAK and set to work with H&H gauze and Israeli bandages, we'll go get cleaned up and take our time bandaging things up. LOTs of bandaids and other bandages, tape, etc. A fair amount of ibuprofin, as well as allergy meds, benadryl, AD, etc. Also a decent selection of instruments to clean things up.
At some point I want to take more advanced medical care classes and refresh the perishable skills that come with it, for now what I have on board I'm comfortable employing for the most part-perhaps most importantly knowing my own limitations and really just looking to stabilize and get follow on treatment for anything serious.
Not a perfect solution by any stretch but we don't equip for perfect days.
I don't know that I ever documented what's inside my medical stuff and amidst pulling everything out of the truck and checking it I took pics so I figure why not, I'll post it up here. A few caveats:
-I'm not a medical provider. I'm a Marine, one who is happiest when there is a Corpsman nearby.
-Showing what is in your medical stuff is like playing hot or not, 9mm vs .45, bolt gun vs gas gun, whatever.
-Did I mention I'm just a Marine, I know MARCH & my ABCs and after that its pretty much drink water, change your socks and face outboard.
So with those caveats in play, here's what's behind the nylon just for the sake of sharing. Two basic categories; Individual First Aid Kits (IFAKs) of which there are two on the headrests and a larger First Aid Kit that resides in the left rear window sill of the cargo area since there is rear a/c and thus enough room to hold it easily.
The IFAKs are setup to grab and go, a single buckle and they get ripped off the seat and you're moving. The pouches are the condor tear away specials, i.e. they are not gear that I'd hump in Afghanistan on my person as I don't trust the sewing and such to withstand that kind of life. However, for sitting a headrest and being used once they more than do well enough-if they were ever used it will likely look like a yard sale afterward and I'm happy to buy again. Here's the current layout, with the CAT on the outside and then everything else is inside with nearly identical setups on both.
The larger First Aid Kit is an old med bag from the pre-MOLLE/Combat Life Saver and much better, but often larger, GWOT casualty treatment days. It serves its intended purpose well, i.e. it is for more routine care that has far less urgency associated with it. My kids now are well condition that if they get a scrape or cut the back of the truck is where we are going, we're not going to rip off an IFAK and set to work with H&H gauze and Israeli bandages, we'll go get cleaned up and take our time bandaging things up. LOTs of bandaids and other bandages, tape, etc. A fair amount of ibuprofin, as well as allergy meds, benadryl, AD, etc. Also a decent selection of instruments to clean things up.
At some point I want to take more advanced medical care classes and refresh the perishable skills that come with it, for now what I have on board I'm comfortable employing for the most part-perhaps most importantly knowing my own limitations and really just looking to stabilize and get follow on treatment for anything serious.
Not a perfect solution by any stretch but we don't equip for perfect days.
ColoDisco
Explorer
Thanks for sharing that Ray! I have just one kit with most of the same however keep a smaller kit in my hike out back pack which is where I keep small nalgene pill bottles for meds and basic first aid. As I started setting up my D1 for more long distance off-road travel I felt it wise to have a backpack setup in the event I have to hoof it out for help or safety. I found no matter how much work I did to my D1's I still saw failure potential as with any rig when you travel off-road.
Ray_G
Explorer
Nothing wrong with that, I typically keep a go bag too, which (depending on which one) has many of the same elements in it for basic first aid along with the other stuff you'd want if you had to hike out of somewhere (water, some food, raincoat, etc). Of course since most of the time she's in VA/WV the truth is I'm only about a hard couple hours from a Walmart much of the time it seems! If I was out your way playing it would be a much more serious proposition.
Ray_G
Explorer
Spares/Load out show and tell
Continuing the trend from the medical stuff posted earlier-and prompted b/c of a spinoff discussion of spares on FB (ironically initially started about LR3 spares but a segue into D1 spares started too). When I pulled everything out of the truck I laid it out to clean it, check serviceability, and decide if it really needed to go back in. Most of it went back in since the truck's load has been evolutionary vice revolutionary and the things she carries are there for a reason. Usually one borne from experience.
Here's the load out, absent the spares compartment which will be documented further. The crap as it was laid out:
Which breaks down to this when labeled for a little more clarity on things.
Most of it stows in places pictured before (i.e. the hi-lift in the floorboard) but the under rear and behind rear seat area was worth a shot as things went back in there. You can fit a lot into it with some creativity.
The spares that reside in the rear cargo area's cordoned off area. Not exhaustive by any stretch and I know a lot of folks that carry much more depending on how they wheel (and often what their trailside issues before have been), I also know folks who carry a lot less and rely on ingenuity. More times that not when I've opened the rear hatch the spare I'm pulling out has been for someone else (brake lines, for example)-which is good trail karma and not illustrative that the same hasn't happened for me too. I do find that that preventative maint on things like expansion tanks has helped mitigate the need to replace one on the trail but tomorrow may prove me wrong.
Up next, recovery gear-and then we start the documentation of refreshing and updating a few things here and there. A preview of that includes:
DC driveshaft, a true 3" lift.
Electrical tidying up & fixing (CB needs to get re-done, VHF is dead now for some reason, & the wiring looks horrendous to me now)
Dedicated onboard fridge (i.e. the D3 will get her own, the Ironman will live in Coyote upon return from the UAE)
Possible fabrication of a CT style brush guard
Rear awning? (ARB).
r-
R
Continuing the trend from the medical stuff posted earlier-and prompted b/c of a spinoff discussion of spares on FB (ironically initially started about LR3 spares but a segue into D1 spares started too). When I pulled everything out of the truck I laid it out to clean it, check serviceability, and decide if it really needed to go back in. Most of it went back in since the truck's load has been evolutionary vice revolutionary and the things she carries are there for a reason. Usually one borne from experience.
Here's the load out, absent the spares compartment which will be documented further. The crap as it was laid out:
Which breaks down to this when labeled for a little more clarity on things.
Most of it stows in places pictured before (i.e. the hi-lift in the floorboard) but the under rear and behind rear seat area was worth a shot as things went back in there. You can fit a lot into it with some creativity.
The spares that reside in the rear cargo area's cordoned off area. Not exhaustive by any stretch and I know a lot of folks that carry much more depending on how they wheel (and often what their trailside issues before have been), I also know folks who carry a lot less and rely on ingenuity. More times that not when I've opened the rear hatch the spare I'm pulling out has been for someone else (brake lines, for example)-which is good trail karma and not illustrative that the same hasn't happened for me too. I do find that that preventative maint on things like expansion tanks has helped mitigate the need to replace one on the trail but tomorrow may prove me wrong.
Up next, recovery gear-and then we start the documentation of refreshing and updating a few things here and there. A preview of that includes:
DC driveshaft, a true 3" lift.
Electrical tidying up & fixing (CB needs to get re-done, VHF is dead now for some reason, & the wiring looks horrendous to me now)
Dedicated onboard fridge (i.e. the D3 will get her own, the Ironman will live in Coyote upon return from the UAE)
Possible fabrication of a CT style brush guard
Rear awning? (ARB).
r-
R
97GreenMeanie
New member
Nice job!
Thanks for all of the breakdowns on gear.
Makes me want to tear into my stuff this weekend.
Thanks for all of the breakdowns on gear.
Makes me want to tear into my stuff this weekend.
Ray_G
Explorer
Recovery Gear (as of June 16)
After a couple of years it was rather therapeutic to go through it all.
Final piece; recovery gear. A lot of folks ask what's in the boxes on the roof rack and I finally got around to taking a picture of what is actually in them. But first, the why, I mean she isn't getting out and the back door would open straight into the hole she almost go through.
Since those holes are equal opportunity, this is what happens when you have to open the door b/c the kinetic rope is stored instead of pre-staged and everyone is behind you.
In all seriousness, the rooftop boxes or alternatively storing the essentials for rigging a winch (tree strap, shackles) in the rear seat floorboard or on the seatback makes sense either in mud, or when you're on a hill and don't want to open the cargo door, or a million other reasons why it evolved on my truck to be a fixture. So here's the contents:
The 1510 pelican in the back contains a kinetic rope, a 30' tow strap, some more shackles (hard and soft) as well as the accessories and repair kit for the hi-lift. I used to carry chains and probably should put some back in but found I never used them and the weight was prohibitive.
I've noticed that probably 7 times out of 10 the gear in/on my truck ends up being for recovering other trucks...what's unfortunate is how often you'll end up wheeling with folks and notice how few carry what I'd consider the bare bones basics of recovery gear. I cannot cast stones there though since I have ended up on at trail and had someone go to pull cable and the winch wouldn't work...since an LR4 was in a rather precarious tilt we bypassed and the truck behind me positioned to pull...when it was all done and we were back in the lot I popped the hood and realized that doing some stuff I'd disconnected the winch from the battery and despite my usual anal retentive checks and such I totally missed it.
Moving forward a winch extension will get added to the mix and probably another snatch block, but that's about it. Between the maxtrax, the winch, and the kinetic rope most bases are covered right now from what I've experienced.
r-
R
After a couple of years it was rather therapeutic to go through it all.
Final piece; recovery gear. A lot of folks ask what's in the boxes on the roof rack and I finally got around to taking a picture of what is actually in them. But first, the why, I mean she isn't getting out and the back door would open straight into the hole she almost go through.
Since those holes are equal opportunity, this is what happens when you have to open the door b/c the kinetic rope is stored instead of pre-staged and everyone is behind you.
In all seriousness, the rooftop boxes or alternatively storing the essentials for rigging a winch (tree strap, shackles) in the rear seat floorboard or on the seatback makes sense either in mud, or when you're on a hill and don't want to open the cargo door, or a million other reasons why it evolved on my truck to be a fixture. So here's the contents:
The 1510 pelican in the back contains a kinetic rope, a 30' tow strap, some more shackles (hard and soft) as well as the accessories and repair kit for the hi-lift. I used to carry chains and probably should put some back in but found I never used them and the weight was prohibitive.
I've noticed that probably 7 times out of 10 the gear in/on my truck ends up being for recovering other trucks...what's unfortunate is how often you'll end up wheeling with folks and notice how few carry what I'd consider the bare bones basics of recovery gear. I cannot cast stones there though since I have ended up on at trail and had someone go to pull cable and the winch wouldn't work...since an LR4 was in a rather precarious tilt we bypassed and the truck behind me positioned to pull...when it was all done and we were back in the lot I popped the hood and realized that doing some stuff I'd disconnected the winch from the battery and despite my usual anal retentive checks and such I totally missed it.
Moving forward a winch extension will get added to the mix and probably another snatch block, but that's about it. Between the maxtrax, the winch, and the kinetic rope most bases are covered right now from what I've experienced.
r-
R
Ray_G
Explorer
Dii DC DS & microstart
With the truck running 255/85's she really ought to be at a full 3" lift so that time is coming, in the interim I wanted to see what could be done on ~2" (a little more, but def not 3") and have found that with bumpstops it isn't too bad except at absolute full flex or an extreme bounce.
Still the eventual shift to 3" meant that I was almost certainly going to need to ditch the single cardan D1 driveshaft. Having thrown an LT230Q from a Discovery II on last summer I had the transfer case output flange laying around and also had a spare (unknown history but appeared in rather good condition) Dii double cardan driveshaft laying around. I decided to throw both on but at the same time hit up Lucky 8 and had them ship me a new Dii shaft since at their price it was worth getting it sent down (overnight, thanks Erik!) vice going through the hassle of rebuilding it myself or finding a place to do it. I considered the Tom Woods HD route but with no locker up front and Coyote's intended use the stock shaft seemed more than adequate. The L8 shaft is superior though, given that the ujoints on the DC portion are serviceable from the outside of the joint.
New parts, with fresh hardware. Like buying gifts for the women in your life, keep the fickle rover happy.
A close up of the u joints that are serviceable. Also a good shot of the basic tools I carry constantly that are what I'd say are essential for the driveshaft; the official 'tool' that is a thin socket, a swivel 9/16th's socket, a couple of 9/16th's wrenches and an extension.
This is why for the extension..the crossmember is perfectly placed to not allow for much movement if done straight off the driveshaft tool.
One of the reasons I have found I prefer the Dii shaft to the D1 is, in addition to the double cardan, the grooves that are built into the construction allow access to the bolts far easier than on the D1 where some are easier than others to get to. Not too much an issue in a garage where it is easy to jack up a wheel and allow the shaft to rotate to the best position but in other places where the shaft has to get pulled (and for example if jacking is not a good idea) it can be a tremendous time/knuckle saver.
Side by side. Both are fairly robust units all things considered, with the L8's built in serviceability and low price point making it a decent upgrade that isn't bad on the wallet.
Switching gears to the microstart XP1, having had the XP10 in my D3 for a couple of years and not really wanting to go dual battery in Coyote I decided to grab one of these since from time to time I'll do something dumb like leave the headlights on and find her dead. Cheap insurance and a great product in my experience. The tried and true condor tear away MOLLE bag on the seatback for the moment is where it lives, with the 12v power cord running up to it though not connected most of the time.
With the truck running 255/85's she really ought to be at a full 3" lift so that time is coming, in the interim I wanted to see what could be done on ~2" (a little more, but def not 3") and have found that with bumpstops it isn't too bad except at absolute full flex or an extreme bounce.
Still the eventual shift to 3" meant that I was almost certainly going to need to ditch the single cardan D1 driveshaft. Having thrown an LT230Q from a Discovery II on last summer I had the transfer case output flange laying around and also had a spare (unknown history but appeared in rather good condition) Dii double cardan driveshaft laying around. I decided to throw both on but at the same time hit up Lucky 8 and had them ship me a new Dii shaft since at their price it was worth getting it sent down (overnight, thanks Erik!) vice going through the hassle of rebuilding it myself or finding a place to do it. I considered the Tom Woods HD route but with no locker up front and Coyote's intended use the stock shaft seemed more than adequate. The L8 shaft is superior though, given that the ujoints on the DC portion are serviceable from the outside of the joint.
New parts, with fresh hardware. Like buying gifts for the women in your life, keep the fickle rover happy.
A close up of the u joints that are serviceable. Also a good shot of the basic tools I carry constantly that are what I'd say are essential for the driveshaft; the official 'tool' that is a thin socket, a swivel 9/16th's socket, a couple of 9/16th's wrenches and an extension.
This is why for the extension..the crossmember is perfectly placed to not allow for much movement if done straight off the driveshaft tool.
One of the reasons I have found I prefer the Dii shaft to the D1 is, in addition to the double cardan, the grooves that are built into the construction allow access to the bolts far easier than on the D1 where some are easier than others to get to. Not too much an issue in a garage where it is easy to jack up a wheel and allow the shaft to rotate to the best position but in other places where the shaft has to get pulled (and for example if jacking is not a good idea) it can be a tremendous time/knuckle saver.
Side by side. Both are fairly robust units all things considered, with the L8's built in serviceability and low price point making it a decent upgrade that isn't bad on the wallet.
Switching gears to the microstart XP1, having had the XP10 in my D3 for a couple of years and not really wanting to go dual battery in Coyote I decided to grab one of these since from time to time I'll do something dumb like leave the headlights on and find her dead. Cheap insurance and a great product in my experience. The tried and true condor tear away MOLLE bag on the seatback for the moment is where it lives, with the 12v power cord running up to it though not connected most of the time.
Ray_G
Explorer
Its worth it just for the look on people's faces when they are like 'no way that little box is going to start this thing'
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Ray_G
Explorer
As the dust settles
As the return to the US finally sorts itself and I am closer to not sitting on a camp chair in an empty house (literally, in a camp chair using a lap desk pulled from where the wife put it in her Taco before she came to the UAE (and before she gets back from the PRC and reclaims it as hers)). A few minor developments since much is on hold till tools that can do the mods necessary moving forward show up. That said progress, and maintenance, waits for no man with Land Rovers so...
I swear owning them is like dating strippers. For those unfamiliar that is the State of VA safety inspection rejection sticker. After the house sitting in WV I noted that my inspection was about to expire going into the 4th weekend so I figured I'd make a run at it on 1 July...I was with the inspector on the exhaust leak. That's legit. Even the chickensh*t 'non DOT lights uncovered' on the back (I can't turn them on from the driver's seat so nobody has EVER said anything before on it). Perhaps even the fact that the parking brake doesn't illuminate the dash 'brake' light-though with the X brake there is no safety issue-you aren't moving with it engaged. Where we were lost was when he said:
"It will start in gear"
"?"
"It can't start in gear"
"It doesn't"
Show and tell ensued where he illustrated that the LR starter will, in fact, bump the truck forward without your foot on the clutch. Yep. Well known fact, can use it to get unstuck sometimes even if the motor won't kick in. That does not starting in gear make though.
"You need to get a switch installed to prevent it"
"Um, you know that part of this truck has never been messed with. Everything else, perhaps, but that is as-is"
"Well some of these are, you know, gray market trucks imported illegally"
"Those are called Defenders, this is a 1996 North American Spec Discovery and is as she was the day she was legally sold on a lot here"
"Oh, well you still need the switch or something"
"Who, just for the sake of my amusement, would have such technology?"
"The dealership..."
Just give me my keys.
So off we went to a different place to get the exhaust leak actually fixed b/c that was legit. The parking brake ground switch reattached (no idea why that was actually disconnected), etc. Suffice it to say no clutch safety switch was installed...
I even adulted enough to adjust the steering stops (I always thought the radius arms did a good enough job stopping the 255's but apparently that is frowned upon). Note the one jackstand/bottle jack combo on the left grabbed from TSC...love those.
I did use the time she was getting the exhaust leak fixed (outsourced that...my knuckles didn't want to do that with minimal tools) to visit the local pick and pull, always sad to see this:
Grabbed some tidbits from a truck that wasn't perched in the air, i.e. a sunroof switch panel for a soon to be revealed hack fix, and also attacked a work van that had these window guards in it...I'm feeling some modification for my rear cargo area windows coming.
So friends don't let friends roll hack jobs...someone should have said "Coyote is better than this" but we were young and it seemed good at the time (the diamond antenna up/down switch hacked into the panel).
I'd had this in the back of my mind for awhile so after sourcing the new panel I did a little wiring of the DS/DP momentary switch for the sunroof and now we have stock switch performing the function.
No need to point out the label is less than optimal, the blue sea pre sorted ones are on a boat somewhere out of Jebel Ali and worse case I'll buy a label maker at Staples at some point soon-the point is the switch!
The happy ending to this chapter, after the exhaust leak and the other minor fixes we went 'home' to the mechanics that know her from inner Alexandria today (they were too far in the city on 1 July, hence the safety switch dude) and now she's all good for the next year.
A lot of small mods coming as tools show up, I have a two car garage to work out of, and a list of stuff to do since Rover's run off attention and $$$.
r-
R
As the return to the US finally sorts itself and I am closer to not sitting on a camp chair in an empty house (literally, in a camp chair using a lap desk pulled from where the wife put it in her Taco before she came to the UAE (and before she gets back from the PRC and reclaims it as hers)). A few minor developments since much is on hold till tools that can do the mods necessary moving forward show up. That said progress, and maintenance, waits for no man with Land Rovers so...
I swear owning them is like dating strippers. For those unfamiliar that is the State of VA safety inspection rejection sticker. After the house sitting in WV I noted that my inspection was about to expire going into the 4th weekend so I figured I'd make a run at it on 1 July...I was with the inspector on the exhaust leak. That's legit. Even the chickensh*t 'non DOT lights uncovered' on the back (I can't turn them on from the driver's seat so nobody has EVER said anything before on it). Perhaps even the fact that the parking brake doesn't illuminate the dash 'brake' light-though with the X brake there is no safety issue-you aren't moving with it engaged. Where we were lost was when he said:
"It will start in gear"
"?"
"It can't start in gear"
"It doesn't"
Show and tell ensued where he illustrated that the LR starter will, in fact, bump the truck forward without your foot on the clutch. Yep. Well known fact, can use it to get unstuck sometimes even if the motor won't kick in. That does not starting in gear make though.
"You need to get a switch installed to prevent it"
"Um, you know that part of this truck has never been messed with. Everything else, perhaps, but that is as-is"
"Well some of these are, you know, gray market trucks imported illegally"
"Those are called Defenders, this is a 1996 North American Spec Discovery and is as she was the day she was legally sold on a lot here"
"Oh, well you still need the switch or something"
"Who, just for the sake of my amusement, would have such technology?"
"The dealership..."
Just give me my keys.
So off we went to a different place to get the exhaust leak actually fixed b/c that was legit. The parking brake ground switch reattached (no idea why that was actually disconnected), etc. Suffice it to say no clutch safety switch was installed...
I even adulted enough to adjust the steering stops (I always thought the radius arms did a good enough job stopping the 255's but apparently that is frowned upon). Note the one jackstand/bottle jack combo on the left grabbed from TSC...love those.
I did use the time she was getting the exhaust leak fixed (outsourced that...my knuckles didn't want to do that with minimal tools) to visit the local pick and pull, always sad to see this:
Grabbed some tidbits from a truck that wasn't perched in the air, i.e. a sunroof switch panel for a soon to be revealed hack fix, and also attacked a work van that had these window guards in it...I'm feeling some modification for my rear cargo area windows coming.
So friends don't let friends roll hack jobs...someone should have said "Coyote is better than this" but we were young and it seemed good at the time (the diamond antenna up/down switch hacked into the panel).
I'd had this in the back of my mind for awhile so after sourcing the new panel I did a little wiring of the DS/DP momentary switch for the sunroof and now we have stock switch performing the function.
No need to point out the label is less than optimal, the blue sea pre sorted ones are on a boat somewhere out of Jebel Ali and worse case I'll buy a label maker at Staples at some point soon-the point is the switch!
The happy ending to this chapter, after the exhaust leak and the other minor fixes we went 'home' to the mechanics that know her from inner Alexandria today (they were too far in the city on 1 July, hence the safety switch dude) and now she's all good for the next year.
A lot of small mods coming as tools show up, I have a two car garage to work out of, and a list of stuff to do since Rover's run off attention and $$$.
r-
R