2020 Defender

ERover82

Well-known member
Nov 26, 2011
3,899
450
Darien Gap
Spied with hidden Warn winch, brush guard, and roof rails.

2020-land-rover-defender-hybrid-1.jpg
 
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kennith

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2004
10,891
172
North Carolina
He might as well get the Fiesta, as the D2, which he doesn't want to replace, will do everything else.

I actually went down to the dealership to buy one a while back. When I got there, I found they'd already sold the last 3 cylinder model, which is the one I liked. That kind of sucked, because that thing was a hell of a lot of fun on the test drive previously. I don't know how they'll hold up over time, but that little 1.0 was sweet. It just isn't quite as fun with the normal engines on offer. That was the wild one.

It's funny you mention that about the DII. It'll do everything else because it is, in fact, a Sport Utility Vehicle. Why don't people make those anymore?

I don't mind supplementing the DII, but I don't want a vehicle in the same class to actually replace the thing. I still haven't driven a D5, but I'm going to give one a shot just to see what's what. I wouldn't mind picking up something that'll go to the beach, maybe hit some trails, and other light-weight stuff; but I've no intention of mothballing the DII.

Having something that will tow it to places as things get done would be nice, and would take the rush out of the project. I'm still waiting to see what happens with this Defender. It might be kind of nice for all around use and to be kept stock.

All that said, I'm not sure how the D5 will handle the sand at the beach I like. That stuff is not exactly the easiest I've encountered, but my DII is essentially built specifically for that sort of terrain. I'll believe a D5 can handle it when I hit Land Rover Cape Fear soon and see if I can convince them to let me take one out or otherwise demonstrate that it's possible.

On one hand, I want something with a warranty that won't hold me back. On the other, I want to restore the DII. If I don't buy something, I can just have it done. If I do buy something, I can take more time, but not get it all done at once. I'm about to call Turner up again and see what they can do for me. I sent a list of requirements and will be following up to see where the compromises have to occur.

One thing I want to know is if a 4.0 can be built in the latest 4.6 blocks; the ones that were checked at the factory and have more meat around the cylinder bores. Increased thermal capacity is a dramatic longevity improvement, and using those benefits alongside the lower heat output of the 4.0 could be very good. What I want won't be cheap, but I'm not going to half-ass this.

Regardless, I'm expecting a long conversation. Hopefully they can convince me they can do the job.

RPI annoyed me by being unable to provide dyno sheets or even anecdotal data for their engines. I don't give a fuck how much power you're making. If you can't tell me where it's coming in and leaving, you have no business in the industry. You simply do not know what you're doing.

Cheers,

Kennith
 

kennith

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2004
10,891
172
North Carolina

I've never liked that body style, but my biggest problem with Nissan at the moment is they're going the way of Mitsubishi with their normal stuff. They can't even get undercoating consistent; with bare metal showing in wheel arches on the vehicles in the fucking showroom. They don't get any money from me for a new car, but the dealership service department is actually quite good.

I don't know how much longer my G20T is going to hold up. That thing is nice, but I really need something new or completely restored. I may end up with a Continental or just dropping a new engine in the Impala if the interior can be replaced and brought to a high enough olfactory standard without too much headache.

Depends on whether or not I like driving it; but the sale would really stretch the car budget into that D5 territory without stressing anything. I won't know until I get it on the road with a little interior work to make it feel nicer. I've still got a few months, as I want to see the Defender first.

Cheers,

Kennith
 

pinkytoe69

Well-known member
Jan 14, 2012
1,689
182
minnesota
He might as well get the Fiesta, as the D2, which he doesn't want to replace, will do everything else.

Ha yeah I forgot he was musing about keeping the D2 (and that he despises V6s).

I figured this version of a frontier would be simpler, yet more rugged and maybe more utility than the Ridgeline.
 

kennith

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2004
10,891
172
North Carolina
..and a 3d rendering of a disguised version.

Looks like it, but it's still probably following the lines a bit more closely.

I'm not sure if the rear glass can actually look like that, but heck, it's not exactly an ugly shape.

From the looks of things they're keeping that small cargo door, but I'm not sure why.

Land Rover is pretty much just trolling, at this point; but perhaps... Perhaps they are testing the waters to see what people spot and criticize.

Wishful thinking, probably. I'm more concerned about it having a large, single-unit front fascia that prevents installation of after-market bumpers that look even remotely decent.

Cheers,

Kennith
 

kennith

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2004
10,891
172
North Carolina
If Land Rover designed that brush guard, it's telling us a lot unless they're just being dicks.

They'll have wrapped that tube where it needs to be to protect important parts. Observe the lower guards on that thing, and where it mounts.

Cheers,

Kennith
 

Blueboy

Well-known member
Apr 20, 2004
3,205
459
Back in the USA; Rockwood, PA
RPI annoyed me by being unable to provide dyno sheets or even anecdotal data for their engines. I don't give a fuck how much power you're making. If you can't tell me where it's coming in and leaving, you have no business in the industry. You simply do not know what you're doing.

The engine in my RRC is a RPI 4.6 and was provided a build sheet for it. This was back in 1998 though.

It has performed well and hopefully with the recent work will keep on going.
 

kennith

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2004
10,891
172
North Carolina
The engine in my RRC is a RPI 4.6 and was provided a build sheet for it. This was back in 1998 though.

It has performed well and hopefully with the recent work will keep on going.

I want that data for the engine before I buy it. If you're building engines, you need to test one of each offering at some point so you have the data available. If you've never tested them, you have no idea what you've built. You don't have to test everything you build, but you need to have tested a configuration before you offer it to a customer with glowing language about how awesome it is.

Would you buy a $5,000-$10,000 television without knowing the resolution of the display panel? I wouldn't.

I'm glad yours works great, but I have a line drawn in the sand when it comes to this stuff and, if a company is unable to provide me the specifications of their product, they have no business offering it to the public. When you're selling engines, that's not the only cost or inconvenience for the customer. For all we know you got lucky and they just happened to accidentally build it right.

The whole point of the Rover V8 is how it feels; how it revs, how it keeps pulling faster and faster, and how even though it's a pint-sized, fairly weak V8, it'll keep a heavy-weight Rover in the power band once you get up to speed and push the limits of what makes sense. If you're changing that, you'd better be able to tell me what happened as a result of your tinkering.

I'm sorry man, but they just don't pass go with me. Maybe they were different in the past, but until they can prove they know what they're doing, I'm going to say it's likely that they're buying rebuilds wherever and just reselling them.

The hick down the street can provide me performance data for the busted-ass Chevy engines he builds...

Cheers,

Kennith
 

Tugela

Well-known member
May 21, 2007
4,754
562
Seattle
If Land Rover designed that brush guard, it's telling us a lot unless they're just being dicks.

They'll have wrapped that tube where it needs to be to protect important parts. Observe the lower guards on that thing, and where it mounts.

What is your interpretation of what you see? I see the brush guard protecting expensive headlamps, whatever's under those mesh panels (possibly fog lights), and serving as a mounting platform for the usual accessories like aux lamps and winch. It appears to be a clean and reasonably sturdy brush guard that, from a functional standpoint, does more or less what brush guards are supposed to do. It's not like this is brain surgery. If anything, this iteration is a little more useful than versions on previous vehicles if it extends to cover fog lights. There are presumably sensors in the bumper that the brush guard can't obstruct. Overall I think it looks pretty good. It won't do much if you drive into a tree at speeds exceeding 0.25mph. It may help protect your expensive headlamps from getting thwacked by a branch on the trail, an errant shopping cart, or scraping against another car if you suck at parking. Lack of grilles over the headlamps is a limitation in the branch protection department, but maybe they will add those later.