Zen and the art of Land Rover Repairs

I am Brad, owner of Ideasplace and with my better half Julie hope to track the work and changes to our project Land Rover Defender that we call Daffy (Daphne), as we repair her many and varies problems and then attempt to convert - to some degree or another - the truck into our 'adventure vehicle' before travelling in her around the UK and perhaps beyond (health, money and repairs permitting!).

About the vehicle

• Name: Daffy (the Defender)
• Make: Land Rover
• Type: Defender 110 Hard Top HD
• Year of Manufacture: 2012
• Purchased: October 2024

Specifications

• Engine: 2.2l TDCi "Puma"

Things to do

• Air conditioning refurbishment
  • Install new condenser unit
  • Test and recharge gas
• Water Ingress issue
• Auxiliary Electrics overhaul
  • Replace Leisure Battery Box
  • Sort our the split charge (no idea at the moment)
  • Auxiliary Lighting
• Fix the Diesel heater
• Replace the Work light with 'Working Lights"
• Remove the Fuz Light
• Install new auxiliary Driving Lights
• Replace Headlight Levelling Servos
• Replace door lock barrels
• Rewire Mobile Internet Antenna and remount
• Install CB / Ham radio
• Install 5G Router
• Replace roller shutters with something less internally intrusive and leaky

General Maintenance Tasks

• Service
• Oil Change
• Brakes a squeaking a bit so they need to be checked

Things done

• Replaced all Column switches (to try to cure dipped beam headlight issue) (Lucas Classic Parts)
• Replaced Number Plate Light
• Replaced Ignition Switch (Lucas Classic Parts)
• Fixed Radio
• Replaced exhaust (Demand engineering)
• Replaced front brake calibers, disks and lines (Brembo Disks, AP Callipers)
• Replaced clutch (EOF Clutches)
• Transmission leaks treatment

Suppliers

• Island4x4
• LR Bits (Exhaust)
• DS Automotive
• ReEngineered Transmissions
• eBay
• Amazon

Places visited

• We'll put the shows, exhibitions and trips we take in Daffy here

Blog

April 2025

17APR2025 - BW

They say the path to true enlightenment is found by discovering how little you actually know.

This is our first post about our project and we are already some time in and have done a few bits to the truck. I think it will be important to keep track of what we achieve as it is very easy to forget when there is so much to do.

So far it's been about fixing the stuff that keeps going wrong:

• Headlight Levelling Servos (unfixed)
• Air Conditioning Condenser (Removed but not replaced)
• Headlight electrical fault (no dipped beam) - Fixed after replacing all the steering column switchgear
• Diesel Heater (Unfixed)
• Split Charge System (Unknown)
• Winch (Untested but now connected)
• Floor Mat (removed because it has holes in it and there is a water leak)
• Water Ingress issue - Unfixed despite door seals being replaced
• Door Locks frozen - Ignition Switch and door barrels purchased, Ignition replaced, doors TBA

And so on....

September 2025

Expensive month, had the brakes overhauled, the transmission taken apart and leaks treated, new clutch and fitted a new stainless sporty exhaust myself (only because LR Parts couldn't get it to the workshop in time for them to fit it!).

I am working on some improvements to the auxiliary lighting systems. I have purchased four area lights for the sides of the truck and a 12 way 'RGB' lighting controller (which described its button panel, not the ability to adjust colours on LED lights). Just got to work out the best place to attach it and it's control box before re-looming all new cabling in and setting out the electrical systems neatly.

I have also bought an emergency stop button for the winch - something removed by its previous owners for some reason. Mounting is non standard however so I am designing a metal mounting pod to attach to the bumper for it.

Finally I am working on the strip out of the rear of the truck - there is a cargo partition inbetween the rear and the cab that means it's too short to sleep in so that needs to be removed. It is rather annoyingly riveted to the body of the truck in places. I have managed to drill out several of the rivets but there is one at the top middle that is fixed to the roof support structure that is putting up a fight. Drilling has been impossible because the steel pin in the rivet was domed and therefore hard to drill without slipping. I have ordered an automatic centre punch so hopefully that will centre the drill and make things easier.

More updates soon(ish)