Freelander as an overland vehicle?

[MuddyOval]

Good luck with your diesel swap. Sadly, I apparently attracted too much attention to myself trying to comply with every regulation as that's how I roll in business.

I hope the fact that I've been trying to do it completely above-board doesn't completely kill it. There is still a chance it'll work and be completely legal as an individually certified vehicle. The gross weight over 6K is part of what has kept this alive. We won't do illegal conversions here, so it either flies by the book or it won't happen. There's another twist to the application I've done and the project plan that is working for me too.

Tom- I would mention call Al, but he left this morning for an early start on the weekend. He'd just tell everyone it's non of their business and probably tell them to do something naughty to themselves.

 

[bfoxg8r]

There are very good reasons several people on this board don't trust Steve.

You "wait and see" types will agree with them soon enough. It may not be this thread, but it will be soon.

I hate to see a board that I love become infected with Steve's BS.

 

[DiscoD]

Mr. Trail Monitor- Yes, Goat hill when dry and only one winch episode. Andretti's Hill- yes, when dry after many attempts. My wife and I went to every pre-MAR weekend we could, and she often cooked for the entire staff. Not sure where you were.

See what I mean? I laid a trap for you, Steve. You never ran Goat Hill.

In 2002 Stuart Moore, and others, cleared the trail known as High Dollar Hill, which then lead to Goat Hill. The trail was made in 2002 just prior to MAR. 2002 was the first year Goat Hill was open.

Were you at MAR in 2002 with your Freelander? Did you run Goat Hill in 2002? I can't wait to hear your answer.

At the first work day in 2003 we found a tree laying over the Goat Hill trail. This was a large tree and it was assessed that it would take too long to clear the trail and that our time could be better utilized elsewhere. Even at the last clean-up in 2003 we never made it to that big tree. The tree was, however, cleared on Day-1 of the MAR event. We got the tree moved at dusk on Day-1. By this time you had already rolled your Freelander and it basically sat the rest of the weekend at the main tent. I think you may have drove it around some, but your wheeling for the weekend was pretty much done.

Furthermore, you claim to have only winched once on Goat Hill. I find this very unlikely in a Freelander. You would have had to winch through the big mud hole at the bottom of High Dollar Hill where you make the turn onto Goat Hill. That is a given. But after the first steep hill, and at the base of the second, you would have had to winch a second time in a Freelander. A Freelander, or a stock height Disco, would drive their bumper into the hill. This particular piece of trail requires a bit of clearance; something the Freelander does not have. Combined with the winch mount you ran, your Freelander would have been plowing taters.

Who was with you on Goat Hill, Steve? I know you did not venture out on to this trail by you self in a Freelander, so who was with you? That would make it easy for you to prove me wrong and I promise I will eat my words.


In 2004 you attended MAR in your D2. You were also at the MAR clean-ups in your D2 with the D.A.P. bumper.

 

[mongosd2]

I hope the fact that I've been trying to do it completely above-board doesn't completely kill it. There is still a chance it'll work and be completely legal as an individually certified vehicle. The gross weight over 6K is part of what has kept this alive. We won't do illegal conversions here, so it either flies by the book or it won't happen. There's another twist to the application I've done and the project plan that is working for me too.

Tom- I would mention call Al, but he left this morning for an early start on the weekend. He'd just tell everyone it's non of their business and probably tell them to do something naughty to themselves.

I'm just really curious how you are going to get around this:

http://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/policies/civil/caa/mobile/engswitch.pdf

I just spent the morning on the phone with the several state and federal offices (including the EPA) they don't do what you are quoting, there are no special certifications issued. I even forwarded your posts regarding this and I was told it sounds like a "internet fairy tale"...It is illegal to import the specified motor in the US ( I even provided them with a VIN from the truck from the breaker yard outside of London), plain and simple and convert a NAS Disco.

but you know what, prove me wrong and I'll believe it when you've finished it and it's 100% legal, not just a tag from a state where there are no emission checks.

 

[Scott Brady]

It is over. . .

I just got a note from two friends that I would trust with my life. I am going to take their advice.

We have banned MuddyOval from Expedition Portal.

I have better things to do with my time than this drama, as it appears the legacy of Steve Young runs deep. I do hope Steve finds his way in all this, but it is not going to be on our forum. . .

Thanks to those who brought this to my attention and wanted the best for our community.

Ok, about that Freelander?

 

[Jonathan Hanson]

I thought we were discussing FJ40s and $1400 suspension parts for Discos?

 

[FourByLand]

Who cares about the Freelander???

I'm just glad Franks here... my outlaw!

 

[Scott Brady]

Oh, yeah - we were.

The $1,400 arms are nice, and work great (no problems), and the DDC is vibration free, even 6+ month on the truck (I did work with Tom Wood at length before installing it, and his recommendation has proven to work). It is expensive, and is not proven with tens of thousands of miles of trail and road abuse yet. For me, it was an opportunity to test something new on the market (someone needs to try the new stuff out, or we would all still be running Monroe shocks and bias ply terra tires ), and so far it is working fine, but I promise to report if anything fails or that DDC gives me trouble.

HOWEVER, there are less expensive options available, and ones that come to an effective, reliable result. Guys like Steve Rupp and Marc Olivares have the DI dialed. I would recommend going their proven route, which is why I mentioned the swivel ball redrill in the article.

Ok, for real, how about that Freelander?

 

[Antichrist]

We have banned MuddyOval from Expedition Portal.

Can you please let us know what he did to get banned? I don't want to have it happen to me too.

 

[NCLR015]

Hmmm....a Freelander with Monroe Shocks and bias ply tires might be the hot setup.:Wow1:

 

[Scott Brady]

Can you please let us know what he did to get banned? I don't want to have it happen to me too.

In four years, we have only banned two or three people. Steve is the fourth. We do ban dozens of spammers each week.

He did nothing of note on ExPo, but you can see the effort people went to on this thread to make his history known. I was sent a half-dozen PMs and several emails with links and history of this situation Steve has with the Rover community. And this is not the people Steve refers to as the "goon squad", but people I know and highly respect advising me to not have MuddyOval as a member of this forum. These are lucid, honest, respected members here and accomplished travelers and Land Rover owners.

This was easily the lesser of two evils, and I believe the right thing to do for the community. My apologies to those that disagree with me, but I thought this was best.

Oh, and Thom. We like having you around

 

[emmodg]

You called and asked to book me as an instructor and asked if I was certified by Land Rover... then you lie about what Josh Williams (the manager there) told you. You lied on here about what you were told! :victory:

No I didn't lie - I asked if ANYONE there was certified as an instructor! Your boy Josh said "no...but if it makes you feel any better I[Josh] work for Land Rover..." Those were his own words. Your boy is either forgetful or you are not certified by Land Rover. Which is it? (By the way, again, Land Rover provides NO certification for instructors. Period. End of story. Who gave you your LR Certification?

You keep digging your hole deeper. Quit digging man.

PS - Why would you volunteer a fellow co-worker's name into this, I didn't.

 

[Antichrist]

He did nothing of note on ExPo

That's what I thought. Not defending Steve, just bothered by the precedent of banning someone who hasn't actively detracted from the forum.

 

[emmodg]

I apologize to Scott and EVERY member here if I carried this a bit too far but you all should know the truth about Mr Young. I think the LR community and hobby is one of the coolest around - I just hate to see people like Mr. Young ruin it.

I think you made the right decision Scott.

What were we talking about again? Oh yeah, the Freelander....

 

[Scott Brady]

That's what I thought. Not defending Steve, just bothered by the precedent of banning someone who hasn't actively detracted from the forum.

I am trying to think of the best example to use without unfairly associating Steve with something terrible, but it is like hiring a convicted shoplifter to be your night security guard at Walmart. It may work in the beginning, and they are on their best behavior, but old habits die hard, especially for a grown man.

I did not come to the decision lightly, and I respect your feedback, but based on what I read from people I trust 100%, it was a necessary action IMHO.