Summer 2010 North America’s Source for Land Rover Parts at the Best Prices 14-17 exterior contents 4 Letters to the Editor 22-28 doors / hinges 6 The Wizardry of OZ by Alexandra Sailer 18 Lost 30-31 interior by Jeffrey B. Aronson 32 Behind the Steering Wheel by Jeffrey B. Aronson 34-37 suspension 38 Just What the Doctor Ordered by Alex Lapidus 46 All My Rovers are in Texas 42-45 mechanical by Matt Martin & Aaron Williams 52 From the Shop by Taylor Congleton 61-77 catalog 54 Burke’s Corner Cover & inside photo: Matt Martin by Bill Burke 56 First Impressions by Bo Vilmos Widerberg 58 Living La Vida Boricua by Nathan Kennedy 78 Sightings Rovers Magazine is a publication of Rovers North, Inc. Publisher: Mark Letorney Marketing Manager / Sr. Designer: Matt Martin Art Director: Thompson Smith Editor: Jeffrey B. Aronson Contributing Editor: Tiffany Pfeiffer ©2010 Rovers North, Inc. This publication is written for the enjoyment of Rovers North customers and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of Rovers North Inc. While we at Rovers North make every effort not to make any mistakes, we are not held liable for typos and or omissions. Please be advised that all prices are subject to change without notice. Rovers North Inc. 1319 VT Route 128, Westford, Vermont 05494-9601, USA Sales & Tech Line: 1-800-403-7591 / (802) 879-0032 Website: www.roversnorth.com Hours: Mon-Fri: 8:00 - 6; Sat: 8:30 - 12:30 EST Sightings submissions may be sent to our above address or email to [email protected] rovers magazine / 2 The publication for environmentallyenvirronmentallyo responsible,responsible,e worldwide vehicle-supported expedition and adventureadventure travel. NEVER MISS A SINGLE ADVENTURE Subscribe overlandjournal.comoverlandjournal.com Don’t Judge Us Myles Murphy by Our Appearance Original Art Our hard working warehouse staff use recycled packaging materials when possible to ship your orders. Reduce. Reuse. Recycle helps keep our prices low. After all it’s what’s on the inside that counts. From left to right: Dale Blaisdell, Steve Koslowski, For The Best 4 x 4 x Art historic t-shirts visit Steve Nelson and Randy Speer www.roversnorth.com/gear letters to the editor Dear Rovers North, Dear Rovers North, I really wanted to extend my thanks to Rovers North for The Carolina Rover Owners Club Ninth Annual Uwharrie Safari sending Matt Martin and Taylor Congleton to the 2010 SCARR was a great success. The event had over 200 participants with event. I have driven 4-wheel drives for the last 23 years, but 84 Land Rovers. The rally would not have been so successful only purchased my first Land Rover a little over 14 months without the wonderful, generous support from you as a ago. Even though I served 8 years in the USMC and have sponsor. We would like to thank you for donating the gift participated in joint exercises with foreign branches of service certificates, equipment bag, hats, shirts and of course, the where their Land Rover was our Hummer, I still did not believe beverage holders (people expect these every year now). they were that capable of a vehicle due to my own ignorance On behalf of all the officers at CROC, we thank you and of their off-road prowess. look forward to building a stronger relationship and working Over the last 12 months I have gained more confidence in with you next year. my Discovery Series II, but it really wasn't until Taylor and Matt urged me on SCARR to tackle some obstacles I normally would Scot Haberman, President not have, due to my inexperience with the vehicle, that I Carolina Rover Owners Club realized how strong, sturdy, and sure-footed these vehicles are. Concord, NC Taylor, by far the best spotter I have ever had guide me (I also [The Uwharrie Safari has become recognized nationally as an heard this from several other members). outstanding event, and we wish you every success in your Over the last 20 years I have been a Staff NCO in the tenth year –ed.] Marine Corps, a VP in a technology firm, a small business owner and the GM/COO for a small business. During this time I have had the opportunity to experience a multitude of Dear Rovers North, employee personalities and have learned what traits to look for I would like to thank you for your generous support of our in them. I can tell you with full confidence after having Women’s Day Run of the Pacific Coast Rover Club. Once again, witnessed their professionalism I would not hesitate for an we enjoyed a terrific day, even though the weather differed instance to have both Taylor and Matt on my team. dramatically from the 60 degree, clear skies of the scouting In short and in my personal opinion, both Matt and Taylor run day. I have to tell you that everyone got stuck at some did an outstanding job representing Rovers North at SCARR point and after an hour long session of extrication and turning and I for one sincerely appreciate the fact that they were on around, we declared it time to head to the winery. hand to help guide, teach, and share their knowledge with all of us. Pamela Petroff Portland, OR Regards, [The PCRC has a long history of entertaining and challenging Peter Kallodaychsak off-road events, and Rovers North is happy to support your efforts Spicewood, TX to get more enthusiasts interested in them. Keep up the great work –ed]. [Yes, Matt and Taylor are knowledgeable and skilled enthusiasts, but hey, why not suggest Rovers North send the Editor, too? -ed.] Dear Rovers North, The new cover on the Rovers Magazine was very striking. Rover Dear Rovers North, is certainly the vehicle for all seasons. I just wanted to let you know how happy I am with the new My thanks to you for staying true to your mission. Land Exmoor Canvas Hood I just received. I have been driving Land Rover is in a class of its own; it stays there, in part, because of Rovers for 30 years and have purchased many hoods, some folks like you all. Thanks, Mark, as all of us depend on our Genuine, some not, but this is the best one in fit and quality Rovers. Thanks for your help in keeping them rolling down the that I have seen. Thanks for providing these Exmoor products road. for a very reasonable price. Leighton Ogg Ian Halm Houston, TX Campton, NH [I have an Exmoor hood for summer use on both the QE I and the [Thanks for your support of the Land Rover community, Leighton –ed.] QM I, and also find them excellent products. Thanks for sharing your experience with us –ed.] rovers magazine / 4 Dear Rovers North, During the planning of my wedding to my wife Kerry Johnson on September 12, 2009, in Temecula, CA, I wanted to somehow figure out a way to get my Defender 90 in. I was able to convince Kerry to be driven into the reception party in the back of the Defender! Everyone thought it was a great way to make our big entrance and my wife was so happy that we ended up doing it! It will always be a great memory to have, as well as the pictures to remember it. I wanted to send this picture along to share with you and was hopeful that you would be able to include it in one of your upcoming magazine publications. Thanks so much! [Congratulations, Ryan and Kerry, on your wise decision to include your Defender 90 in the wedding party. Feel free to invite the Ryan Johnson, 1997 Defender 90 Owner - #715 Editor to future anniversary parties in sunny California –ed.] Hermosa Beach, CA Above: Kara Frans of Kara Frans Photography text: Alexandra Sailer photos: Sailer Images (Steffen and Alexandra Sailer) Steffen and Alexandra Sailer, Metzingen, Germany, took their Land Rover around the world as nature photographers. They shared the second leg of their travels in this article –ed. rovers magazine / 6 International travelers fill the internet with advice on shipping Land Rovers between continents, but even those online warnings did not prepare us for the delays upon arriving in Australia from New Zealand. We landed in Melbourne, promptly bought a GPS to help us navigate around the city and find our custom agent’s office, and waited, waited and waited for the Landy. rovers magazine / 7 ur beloved Defender 110 arrived three weeks later than promised, and sat for nearly another week on a wharf waiting to get into the quarantine area. Depressed and angry, we almost decided to have the Rover’s container loaded on a ship straight to Los Angeles, when the express agent finally called. On May 16, we finally could meet customs and quarantine officers at the quarantine depot to have the Landy cleared—if there weren't a bunch of flies coming out, that is.... As we arrived, we couldn't believe our eyes. This was a quarantine depot? It looked like a totally open area. The Landy sat out of its container coated in a thick layer of dust! It turned out the very nice customs officer paid far more attention to the Landy itself than the dirt (once again). Happy not to find foreign soil in any of the critical places, the agent released our Land Rover. Still, yet another missing piece of paper delayed us; our express Kings Canyon we then saw our first wild-roaming camel, agent hemmed and hawed, and finally, we drove off former beasts of burden introduced generations ago, with the Rover.