Duke: A Disco I Build

[jeff_wright]

Thanks everyone for the kind words. Duke has certainly played a key part in countless mountain biking, backpacking, and paddling adventures with friends.

These explorations were what first drew me to Land Rovers. I loved the adventure and challenge of getting to where I wanted to go. I've met some great Rover enthusiasts in our SOLAROS Land Rover club. As mentioned before, however, people have different definitions of "adventure". To each his own I guess, ha.

My uses for the truck are the determining factor in how its modified. I didn't want to modify with only an "offroad" mindset. This truck is built more for the adventures and trails that take me there. As Michael said, so far the setup has served as a daily driver/light offroader/camping truck. I want everything I need, but nothing I don't. I still have many plans for my Discovery. These plans will revolve around keeping the truck clean and simple. Eventually a winch and new suspension will be addressed, but for now maintenance has come first.

....no worries, wheel spacers won't be added:sombrero:

Is this picture in Grayson Highlands State Park?

The photo was actually taken in between Cashiers and Highlands, Nc.

 

[4Rescue]

JSQ is spot on on his assessment on what these vehicles were meant for IMO. I have always said that my truck is a tool not a jewel and it should be used as such. In the past 15 years of Land Rover ownership my vehicles have taken me places to do things that a normal vehicle just couldnt do. Caving, climbing back country skiing, kayaking stretches of rivers that would otherwisae be a two day walk with a boat on my back. In more recent years it has taken me to a "new" climbing area that is accessible only by four wheel drive.

Continue to use the vehicle as intended, use it to push yourself not the vehicle.

X2 best thing about my 4Runner... It get's me to trail heads and put-ins where the REAL(sometimes ) adventure begins. I don't have a buggy so it's not really a mart idea to go out and "play" with my truck like I do in say my Raft or on my DH Bike. I wish I did, I do love to drive for fun as well as row, ride, climb etc. but thaty's a ways off in the future. Maybe when I have a bad weekend with the truck and there's nothing left to do but make it a buggy... I'm getting distracted ... the 4Runner is, more so then the jeeps (shudder...) it replaced, more of a magic carpet into the out back that can haul more then a horse and keep my junk locked up untill I get back to it. THat's why it's so perfect for these parts... it's a dirty OLD Toyota truck with stickers on it and from the out side it doesn't look like much. Hell when I go into Idaho it looks like 50% of the trucks on the road/in the woods, so I'm never nervous leaving it for a week or two to run a sweet river.

Cheers

Dave

 

[jeff_wright]

Two shots from recent trips to North Carolina :ylsmoke:

 

[High Center]

Two shots from recent trips to North Carolina :ylsmoke:

Youth well used-
Keep at it Jeff.

 

[benlittle]

Yep, great use of a disco.

As a side note, some of my best friends to this day are the guys I grew up backpacking and mountain biking with. Everyone else comes and goes but there's something about friendships made while slogging through rain with a pack on.

 

[AxeAngel]

Nice. Very nice.

Keep on having fun.

-Sam

 

[justinhw]

this is a great build, I love that disco!

 

[brushogger]

I'm digging this pic.

The truck is fairly decent. It's nothing extraordinary but it hasn't been screwed up yet either. It's a solid Disco1 in need of a winch. I don't hold anything against it.

But what's sweet about this pic is the truck is taking a few friends backpacking. That might not look like anything special but it's actually quite exceptional for a fourwheeling forum. It would be a far stretch for most Land Rover owners to throw on a pack and walk for a few days.
When I first got into Land Rovers it was to help facilitate the activities I participated in at the time (backpacking, rock climbing, bike racing, hunting etc.) and get to better spots for those pursuits. I was also interested in fourwheeling for its own sake, but I assumed other Land Rover owners would be coming from an outdoor sport lifestyle. Then I went to my first rally type event.
What a shock that was. I couldn't believe how out of shape these losers were and how little fieldcraft they knew. Club run offroading was the entire extent of their outdoor activities. It was kind of pathetic. Sure, many of them were nice people who love Land Rovers and all that, but they were kind of a joke. It was a major ordeal for many of these people just to ******** in the woods.

Rob Davison and I were just talking about this phenomenon over dinner at our campsite in the Maze District of Canyonlands a couple months ago. Rob remembered making the same appraisal when he got his first Discovery.

The above pic of that kid with a few of his young friends is the kind of headstart I'd hope for anyone new to Land Rovers.

It is an extraordinary truck It's extraordinary to him. What makes it that way is he worked, saved his money, and built it himself for the purpose he intended. Clean build too. Not pimped up like so many young'uns do today.

Wow, What a shot at some very nice people (Losers?). I'm 52 years old and when I was younger I was very active in some of the pursuits you mentioned, but football and rugby knees have finally caught up with me. My days of hucking a 40lb. pack thru the mountains are over, but my disco allows me to still get into most of the spots I enjoy. I'm not disabled, but I'm not stupid enough to try some of the things I did when I was younger, blow a knee and expect someone to come rescue me. There's plenty of room for everyone who enjoys offroading, whether they enjoy exploring remote areas (like me), hunting, fishing, and even those who are "just club offroaders".
Kudos to Jeff for building a great truck and for enjoying life with his friends.
That pic does bring back memories of my buds and I with the FJ40 I bought when I was 18.

 

[Mike_rupp]

It is an extraordinary truck It's extraordinary to him. What makes it that way is he worked, saved his money, and built it himself for the purpose he intended. Clean build too. Not pimped up like so many young'uns do today.

Wow, What a shot at some very nice people (Losers?).

Don't you understand that the original comments were intended to be a compliment? It is all too common for people to completely booger their trucks up with every fancy doodad and gadget without ever actually going out and using it to honestly evaluate which modifications are necessary. This guy has been very restrained in how he has been modifying his Disco. It is even more refreshing to see how young the guy is. It seems that he has more wisdom than most guys twice his age.

 

[fishEH]

Other explorations:

CENTER]

Reminds me of a still shot from Reservoir Dogs.
Who's Mr Pink?

 

[jeff_wright]

Thanks for the compliments on the truck. It definitely gets used as intended for...and always having fun!! The last thing I wanted to do (I'll ever do) is

"booger" the truck. Once you do that it's pretty hard to go back. Fall is coming so more adventures will be posted!


Looking to do some things to the Rover after graduation in December. Headgaskets are high on the list, hopefully Rovertym/OME 2in springs with

Nitrocharger Sport schocks, and sliders. We'll see!

 

[achampagne]

Nice build, looking forward to following more of your adventures.

 

[jeff_wright]

I've put off adding some adventures for a while now. Here is another trip with my roommates from this last October.

On the way to Athens, then Cashiers.

Arrived in Cashiers around 2am. Spent the next day hiking some trails along the western fork of the Tuckasegee, and shooting some clays!

 

[jeff_wright]

Continued...

All in all, a great time with good friends, and 200 miles away from school!

 

[justaddmtns]

...everything I need, but nothing I don't...

That's exactly it right there.