Pathfinders company profile
Meet the Kearns family, who are turning their passion for Land Rovers into business opportunities
The Kearns family have turned their passion for Land Rovers into business opportunities
AAS MORE OF us dream of venturing further afield in our Land Rovers we try to improve their storage capacity and capability for our adventures off the beaten track. The trouble is, not all of us have the time or ability to carry out that work ourselves.
Thankfully there are now several bespoke vehicle conversion specialists who can offer professional advice, skills and solutions to help us build our dream touring Land Rover. One of them is the family-run Pathfinders company, nestled away in the rolling countryside of north-west Ireland. The Kearns family are all serious Land Rover enthusiasts making a name for themselves in the niche conversion market.
Elliot, the eldest of three brothers, heads up the Pathfinders operation. He’s helped by his father, Seamus, as well as his younger siblings Lorcan and Garrett. Besides building some tasty expedition-prepared Land Rovers, they also run blindfold off-road driving sessions. Yes, really. But more of that later…
As you approach their workshop in County Leitrim the first thing you notice is the large number of Land Rovers parked outside. Most are customers’ vehicles, but several belong to the Kearns themselves, including Elliot’s bright-orange 1997 300Tdi Defender, Lorcan’s safari-striped 1989 One Ten (now powered by a 300Tdi) and Seamus’s black 1987 One Ten. Youngest brother Garrett, 19, is currently rebuilding his first Land Rover, a 1991 200Tdi Defender 110.
So where did the Kearns family’s love for Land Rovers originate? Dad Seamus admts he’s guilty as charged, as he’s had an interest in Land Rovers since he was a child growing up in the west of Ireland. His first memories were of a 2.6 petrol Series II. “It was an eye-catching olive green 109,” he recalls. “It was owned by the local gamekeeper, who drove it along the lane past our house every day. I was a young lad and it made a big impression on me.”
As he grew up, Seamus owned several Land Rovers, from Series IIIS to Defenders and Discoverys. Seamus confesses that at one stage he owned a whopping 22 assorted Land Rovers, all rescued from old garages, fields and farms all over Ireland. ‘’This was back in the 1980s when you could pick them up for very little money,’’ he explains. “Unlike today where the prices have increased dramatically, particularly since the Defender stopped production.”
As far as Land Rover projects and rebuilds go, Seamus has had plenty of success stories over the years, including rebuilding a 1974 Series III with original hard top and petrol engine. After getting this beauty back on the road Seamus reluctantly sold it and has regretted it ever since. He has
“At one stage in his life he owned a whopping 22 Land Rovers in all shapes and sizes”
also rebuilt another SIII, a 1979 109, and is presently working on rebuilding yet another, from 1977.
Other projects that are keeping him busy include turning another Series III into something a bit different. “It’s going to be an off-road hybrid that will run off a 300Tdi auto box,’’ he explains.
Despite all the current projects in the mix Seamus still takes time to go hunting for old Land Rovers around the country and loves nothing more than taking on new rebuild projects. His enthusiasm is infectious and it’s easy to see where his sons got the Land Rover bug from.
They grew up in a house where Land Rovers of various models were part of their day-to-day lives. As young boys they watched their father in the shed, working his magic and bringing the older models back to life, and they were transported to school in various different Land Rovers. In their teens they were taught how to drive off-road in a rebuilt Discovery in a neighbour’s field. There’s no doubt that it was this exposure to Land Rovers from a very early age that has generated so much enthusiasm in the Kearns lads.
They had a great time growing up, learning about the mechanics of these iconic vehicles and enjoying them in the great outdoors – so much so that they have carried their father’s passion forward and evolved it into a business.
Elliot manages the vehicle conversion workshop with
help from his younger brother Lorcan who does a lot of the electrical-related work and Garrett who works as a helping hand at the weekends. Dad Seamus, who is now officially retired, continues to offer his support and help within the business, which is truly a family affair.
Under the banner of Pathfinders, the Kearns are now well-seasoned bespoke specialists that convert and restore Land Rovers, vans and other 4WD vehicles into tourers and expedition vehicles. The family combine their electrical, mechanical and carpentry skills to build the ultimate touring vehicles. From installing pop-up roofs, storage drawer systems, smart charging systems, panelling, kitchens, lighting and water systems to name but a few, they have completed some top-class fit-outs for Land Rovers over the last few years.
Says Elliot: “It’s all about convenience and being able to access your accessories and camping gear etc when on the road’’.
More recently the Kearns family have set up a sister company called Wild Atlantic Crusades, which specialises in blindfold off-road driving, on a track located just behind their workshop. The driver is blindfolded and must trust the co-pilot to direct them around the course in a Discovery, surmounting obstacles that include a water crossing and man-made bridges. ‘’It’s all about good communication and the driver trusting the co-pilot as they make their way around the track,’’ explains Lorcan.
After meeting the four men, you can’t help but be impressed with the passion they have for what they do. The blindfold driving experience is getting a great response from those who have been brave enough to try it, including stag and hen parties, and the vehicle conversions side of the business is going from strength to strength.
All this demonstrates that it’s possible to turn a passion for adventure and all things Land Rover into a business opportunity. The Kearns family are very professional in what they do but more importantly they are enthusiasts who live and breathe the camping, touring and the great outdoors and just happen to be mad about Land Rovers.
“Who says you can’t turn a passion for adventure into a business”