Killing two birds with one stone

Trevor helps out a painter and gets a new lick of paint for his 130 Defender

FINALLY my Defender 130 project is in the paint shop and is nearing completion – or certainly getting to a point where I can make use of it on the road.

I had made some major progress on the build-up of the chassis cab earlier during the first Lockdown, to the point where the Land Rover starts, drives and stops. I had decided to fit a 110 HCPU tub, with a toolbox made to fit the gap between the tub and the cab, as temporary measure – the Coachworks that are going to build a new Tipper body are currently shut down.

But everything came to an abrupt halt for two main reasons. Firstly, my workshop had become very busy again with numerous enquiries and booking for new chassis’ to be fitted to a string of Defenders. This meant that my priorities had to switch back to paying jobs, rather than my own project, naturally enough. The other reason was not just so straightforward and clear cut.

The dude who has been painting Land Rovers for me for the last few years was badly hit by the Covid-19 Pandemic. Don’t get me wrong – thankfully he, nor his family, has caught the virus; rather he became extremely anxious about the whole situation. This anxiety was not helped by his paint shop being located right beside a livery yard, where there was much coming and going of horse owners at all times of the day. As a result he ceased working altogether and stayed at home, long after the first Lockdown eased.

Meanwhile, I had a growing list of Land Rover jobs that needed to go to paint, for example a V8 50th Anniversary Defender that I had fitted a new chassis to, another Defender 90, a 110 CSW and – of course – my own 130 project. The solution was somewhat dramatic, but very effective.

The old paint shop at the Livery yard was on the small side, as well as effectively being unusable. How about moving out to a more ideal premises? Would a purpose-built unit be acceptable? At the beginning of 2020 I completed the purchase of a yard for the storage of vehicles, larger assemblies and parts, because at some stage I was going to loose the place I had been using on a long term, but temporary basis. The yard had a good-sized area where a new shed could be built – the new paint shop. As well as being in a position to build this to the ideal size needed, the yard with the new shed in place is remote and well away from other people. My paint shop partner could come out of isolation and work safely, in both the physical sense – and also safely for his mental health; both vital in these troubled times.

With the new paint shop up and running, a few minor jobs were promptly worked through, in order to bring in some muchneeded cash (being in long isolation is devastating for the bank balance!), and of course, the rent. Then the V8 50th Anniversary Defender was given its full respray – a big and involved job, making the owner extremely happy, following a long wait. And now, joy of joys, my 130 Defender has been driven into the new shed for a treatment of Limestone paint over Deep Bronze Green on the lower half.

The new arrangement with having the paint shop closer to me is going to pay dividends and the painter himself can take on larger jobs now – so it is all working out well going forward. The cherry on top is finally getting a 130 Defender back into service. Man how I have missed it!