Graham Jackson's TDI 110 Defender

[Andrew Walcker]

Okay, I've updated the site:

http://www.africaoverland.org/vehicle_iteration3.htm

Andrew, I've been pretty diligent trying to keep my wiring neat and tidy. All internal stuff is routed through the main dash hole and along the cavity at the back of the dash. It isn't easy unless you take the whole thing apart. Then its really easy. But either way, this is just a temporary solution. I've got plans for something a lot better. (VDE, hint hint!)

cheers

Thanks for the additional pics on your site! Looks nice and you are really tempting me to install a center dash console!!!

OK, I'll bite, what is VDE?

 

[gjackson]

OK, I'll bite, what is VDE?

Vehicle Dependant Expeditions. Written by some hack named Tom Sheppard .

Sorry, letting my own nicknames slip in. He rebuilt the dash on his Defender to a thing of overlanding functionality and beauty. If only Land Rover had used his design for the new Defender dash. Instead they defied reason by removing the bulkhead vents and making something neither useful nor beautiful.

(But I don't have strong opinions about it )

cheers

 

[gjackson]

Looks nice and you are really tempting me to install a center dash console!!!

You have to be willing to take a saw to the dash, so be very sure you want to do it. No going back unless you buy a complete new dash tray!

cheers

 

[overlander]

You have to be willing to take a saw to the dash, so be very sure you want to do it. No going back unless you buy a complete new dash tray!

cheers

Do it! It's worth it. I have no regrets.

 

[Andrew Walcker]

Do it! It's worth it. I have no regrets.

How about some pics of the IG dash? I need some type of incentive to break out my sawzall on a perfectly good piece of British plastic

 

[Andrew Walcker]

Vehicle Dependant Expeditions. Written by some hack named Tom Sheppard .

cheers

AAAHHHHH, I see. There you go name dropping again I'll have to go back and check out the VDE by good ol' what's his name!

 

[overlander]

How about some pics of the IG dash? I need some type of incentive to break out my sawzall on a perfectly good piece of British plastic

I'll get ya some. Remember that there's metal deep inside that plastic!

 

[Andrew Walcker]

I'll get ya some. Remember that there's metal deep inside that plastic!

Thanks, looking forward to the pics. I wonder who messed up in Solihull and stuck some metal in a perfectly good piece of plastic?

 

[Dmarchand]

That metal is pretty thin and only lends structure to the dash tray. Cutting it is committing as last I "heard", getting a new dash tray is close to $1000 for a LHD defender.

With that said, I had no problem cutting mine...

and

 

[overlander]

That metal is pretty thin and only lends structure to the dash tray. Cutting it is committing as last I "heard", getting a new dash tray is close to $1000 for a LHD defender.

With that said, I had no problem cutting mine...

and

Did you have to cut the light gray panel behind it? Doesn't look like you did from those pics. If so, that's another difference. Iron goat requires trimming out the light grey panel behind it. The Iron Goat doesn't stick out as far as the MudUK version either. That can be an advantage or disadvantage to either depending on how you look at it.

I have a manual tranny, and I can almost touch the radio with my finger when I'm holding the stick shift in 1st, 3rd, and 5th gear. Looking at that MudUK panel, I'm wondering if my hand and the shifter would even clear it.

 

[Dmarchand]

Good question. You do not cut the light gray panel for the mud UK unit.

As far as touching it, I would be very surprised if you did touch it since it was designed and made in the UK and most rigs there (and everywhere) are manual.

No easy way to find out. But the good news is, if you buy one, it is easy to mock mount it without physically changing anything to get an idea of whether you would have clearance problems or even if you like the unit. It just slips over the dash and is nice in that respect.

 

[overlander]

Graham has both the R380 and the MudUk, so it must be a non-issue. So the verdict is less mod required with MudUk.

 

[adventureduo]

Joel you have a amazing 110. I would trade the 80 for it anyday Thanks for letting us learn more about it.

 

[Andrew Walcker]

Going back through the pics, it looks like everyone is running the 706MKIIG. How legible is the display in direct sunlight at that angle?

 

[gjackson]

I do have a manual (R380 as stated) and have no problems clearing the Mud-UK dash.

The display on the icom is pretty good. Only used it on a few trips so far, but haven't had any trouble reading it.

cheers