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What have you done to your Defender today.

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768K views 6K replies 536 participants last post by  SadKingBilly 
#1 ·
Well this Thread is a very popular thread on a couple other forums that I frequent. So, I thought I'd give it a go on here too..

I after a little Blasphemous session got my new windscreen and seal installed.

 
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#5,173 ·
I finally finished everything I wanted to do to my truck when I bought it last year! Today I finished cleaning it from yesterday's bulkhead removal, installed the SS backplate, scrubbed the headliner, and installed a new LED interior light from MUD. The light had to be the easiest install ever. Literally a two minute job. Also, my light now comes on when the doors open. It didn't before and I just assumed it was the door switch or some wiring somewhere, but it must have been the light unit.

 
#5,175 ·
"It's upside down. The canoe goes on the bottom."

That explains why it takes on so much water in the rain!
Rain comes in from the top but doesn't run out the bottom...
My wife's Discovery 1 is even worse in the rain.

If I turn the whole thing over we should be good?
 
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#5,179 ·
I have just received a bimini top from All Wheel Trim. Last summer I just kept the top and windows off. Made more sense to go this route. It will hold my car cover on better since that is not 100% leak proof when the water pools a little bit.
 
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#5,184 ·
I'm waaaaaay behind on updating what I've done over the winter. Might be easier to say what I didn't do to my Defender.
  • Powder coated the factory wheels and added new tires.
  • 3" Flowmaster Y pipe with CATs
  • 3" NRP exhaust the rest of the way back
  • Powder coated the original air cleaner
  • Rear disk brake conversion
  • Removed the temperature gauge conditioning board, replaced the temp gauge and sender which now displays true engine temps.
  • Installed SDO footwell panels on both sides
  • Replaced the brittle AC vacuum lines with silicone lines
 

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#5,187 ·
Discovered that LED headlights also have enough AMPS to still burnout headlight stalk switches. Installed new indicator high/low and headlight on/off stalks.
This new-to-me Defender came with an ARB M002 headlight relay harness with P1512X & P2512X relays was still new in bag. After fishing the wire loom around the radiator, I discovered that the ARB headlight harness is not compatible with my LED lights because the ARB harness is backwards (+/-) polarity. Probably most LED headlight would have issue, but lots of googling didn't turn up any other antidotal examples. Tore the ARB harness apart and reused the relays in more straight forward manner. Should be good for another 37 years, right?
]
 
#5,191 ·
Started finishing the mahogany bed and cubbie cover. Had an old bookshelf my dad made in high school in the 70s. Repurposed it instead of tossing it.

Just laid the first coat of epoxy. Will do another to fill in imperfections.

Whomever shared that roll cage part number with me, thank you. I was impressed so I bought one too. I'll post it in a few weeks. That roll cage will address a lot of my concerns.


Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk
 
#5,198 ·
It was finally time to get the front half painted.
Bought the Puma bonnet and associated bits like prop rod kit, latch, spring. Etc.
I had the older style radiator supports that integrate the split style bonnet support that attach on either side of the Radiator frame and those would not work with the puma prop kit, so bought the YRM galvanized set that mounts on the slam panel, which then frees up the inner front sides of the wings to attach the puma prop rod kit.
When fitting a puma hood if you have the Allisport radiator coolant tank you might have to space it away from the inner fender with some 5/8 or 3/4 inch spacers because the inside of the puma hood on the sides is much thicker and wider and will hit the expansion tank if it is the taller Allisport version.

I was allowed to continue to prep the car for paint there by taking out the windscreen and all related seals, removed the front vent panels,
Test fitted the puma wingtop protectors which needed new holes to be drilled and then I used aluminum rivnuts in the proper places to make installation a breeze later on..

By the way I used the Smitty built insert tool that that I bought at 4 wheel parts and it was really simple to install them.

Then removed the window blocks since they're gonna get replaced by the optimill ones And continued to tape everything up I covered a little bit of these things in the YouTube channel.

I leftEarly yesterday from the shop and supposedly it got primered and will see paint Monday and then we will leave it to dry for about 3 days before having the windscreen put back on.

Painting the bonnet the same green and then I have to decide whether I want to use the bonnet protection plate that goes only on the top or the one that Rovers North sells that's a large 1 piece unit that protects most of the top of the bonnet.

I'll bring it back home and install the bulkhead side vent seals and then attach the vent flaps and seal them shut for a month as was suggested.
 
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