Getting Close Now!

I managed quite a few bits and pieces yesterday.

All the paintwork has been rectified (I don’t want to see another sheet of wet and dry paper or bottle of polishing compound for a long time). The last Defender wheel arch is on.

The electrical system is complete, with the split charge system fitted on the top of the original SIII radiator panel, close to the twin batteries. The windscreen washer bottle and integral pumps are all connected up and funtioning. The silicone tubes for the washers are clipped along the full length of the heater matrix’s steel feed pipe from the front of the head, so the fluid should pick up plenty of warmth, preventing freezing and increasing the fluids cleaning effectiveness.

The cubby box has been fitted to the gearbox inspection panel, but is all quickly removeable to allow easy servicing of the gearbox and overdrive. The 4-point cigarette lighter socket lead simply plugs into a supply and earth concealed under the seatbase matting. The BCF fire extinguisher will be mounted in its cradle immediately behind instead of inside the cubby.
I have modified the Defender radiator grille to fit around the winch. Quite a lot needed removing. I used sections of offcut to add vertical stays to the cut ends of the horizontal slats to prevent them vibrating or fluttering in the airflow which, as well as looking bad anyway, leads to very rapid fatigue and cracking of the grille. The bracing makes the grille solid and as robust as before, and is almost invisible. I think it neatens the cut edges, too.

I have collected the second row seat supports or “buiscuit tins” from the fabricators (did I mention that before?). They just need drilling for the bolts. They are easily strong enough for the seatbelts.

I’m off work for the next few days, so will be able to do a few more jobs. I plan to Autoglym the bonnet (if it’s dry enough – the weather’s been very damp) and mount the bonnet spare wheel, fit the grille, handbrake lever and rear seats, silicone seal the gaps at the top of the B pillars and around the door seal flanges and hopefully adjust the brakes and blled the clutch. If I can get that lot done, the only job I’ll need to do for the MoT is to fabricate some clamps to secure the batteries to their mounting cradle – the testers won’t like ratchet straps!