THE TRUCK THAT SAM BUILT
The best thing about Defender ownership is being able to create your dream vehicle. This is the story of how one man made his dream come true
OLD Defenders have become the new must-have lifestyle accessory. Lockdown has done nothing to dent that popularity; in fact the reverse is true. There has never been a time when so many people have wanted to escape into the wilderness for their adventures – and guess which vehicle is top of the list to take them there? Yep, you guessed it. The best thing about old Defenders is their sheer presence. They are the most purposeful vehicles on the planet – and they look it, too. Take the bright red 90 that’s bursting out of these pages. Any second now it’s going to rip through the paper, splash mud in your face and deafen you with its straight-through exhaust.
Until two years ago this was just another 1990s 300Tdi Defender, but in the hands of Samuel Coltman Bates it has become a versatile 4x4 that will take on any off-road obstacle, yet still be a comfortable overlander weekend home for Sam, his partner Alice and their French bulldog, Arnie. It literally bristles with all-round purpose.
“I wanted to create a real head-turner, and I think I’ve achieved that,” says Sam. We agree.
But the best thing about it is that 28-year-old Sam, an HGV driver for Highways England by profession, created this head-turner himself, on his own front drive, armed with a Halfords tool kit, a helpful father-in-law and some good friends who offered advice when he got to the tricky bits. Now he has agreed to share his story with LRM readers and help them do the same…
How did you first get into Land Rovers?
I needed a functional and robust car to be able to go wild camping. I wanted something to withstand anything I could throw at it and I was recommended a Land Rover by my best mate, who was nagging me non-stop to get a Defender – and ever since I’ve been hooked.
Tell us about the base vehicle…
I bought it in April 2019. It’s a standard Defender 90 with 300Tdi engine and R380 manual gearbox. The condition was fairly good considering the previous owner used this for farm work. The truck has been a working vehicle for most of its life in fact having also been owned by a tree surgeon.
It had a galvanised chassis, but I don’t know if this is the original chassis that’s been dipped or it’s a replacement. It started out in life as blue, then painted green and finally resprayed in Ford Red, which is the colour it was when I bought it. To be honest, I’m not 100 per cent up-to-date with the history. I am still in contact with the previous owner, though, and every now and then I get some old photos my way.
What were your plans for it?
Before I got my Defender I already had a passion for wild camping. Combining an off-road Defender with the ability to camp in remote locations gives a sense of bigger adventure. Early on in this project I found ARB, who supply some very high-quality adventure and travel products that suited what I was looking for, and it went from there.
For me, a big part of trips away with friends is the evenings spent camping and enjoying talking about the trucks and adventures. The social side of the off-road scene if very important to me.
Initially this was for adventure with Alice and Arnie, but once I purchased the Land Rover, the potential I saw in the truck spiralled and I began buying and upgrading as and when I could. My best mate also brought an off-roader at the same time, which led us to both sharing the passion and bouncing
"I needed a functional and robust car to go wild camping. I was recommended a Land Rover and ever since I've been hooked"
off each other when deciding what to upgrade next.
As soon as I bought the Land Rover I wanted to put it through its paces off-road and this car inspires you to do that. Building the ultimate off-roader wasn’t my priority to begin with, but as my passion has grown and the trips have mounted up, the modifications have followed. When out greenlaning, being able to complete almost every lane I have come across is a real sense of achievement, however this doesn’t stop me getting stuck and needing recovery to get going again. This doesn’t always add to the adventure because it makes the easy tracks even easier.
With building the truck and going for big modifications, this has given it a real road presence and turns heads everywhere it goes, which is a buzz. Most of my inspiration has been from the Australian off-road scene and their incredible vehicles.
As for sleeping arrangements, currently I have the ARB Sky Dome double swag (Australian-style tent) which I couldn’t recommend enough. Before that I had the ARB Simpson 2 roof-top tent, which was also incredible but had its limitations such as height restrictions and not being able to remove it quickly due to its bulky size and heavy weight.
So who did all the work?
Anything I can bolt and unbolt myself I have done. I've been supported to by father-in-law, Phil, with work I am unable to do myself, as he a mechanic. This has been a great help especially when the engine’s head cracked and suffered from over-heating problems.
Some of the work was done in my father-in-law’s garage, but I have completed the rest of the work at home, on my drive. The work carried out at the garage was easier due to the facilities and being able to use ramps and tools as required, however I have always made it work at home and I am determined to do what I can myself with my Halfords tool kit, which I take everywhere in my Land Rover, because you never know when something may go wrong and you’ll need it.
Working on the drive can be tough at times, being exposed to the weather and because it’s a Land Rover with history you never know what could go wrong or what you will find. Luckily, I have a good group of friends who are able to help me over the phone if needed. Electrical issues are something I struggle to fix myself, which can be incredibly frustrating. Many times I have required help from auto electricians, as well as advice over the phone from friends further afield. This the first car I have modified to this level so the satisfaction of watching it change and get better has been amazing. Looking back from my first-ever picture to the current ones is awesome.
I have no regrets about buying the 300Tdi as it has allowed
me to do a lot of work myself. I would recommend a 300Tdi to most beginners as it is a relatively simple engine and lots of work can be done yourself.
What do you use it for?
I enjoy pay and plays but mainly greenlaning – it’s the thrill of the adventure and going into the unknown that I enjoy most.
I have been to Salisbury Plain and Wales as well as local greenlanes in Sussex, as and when I can. Unfortunately, Covid restrictions and lockdown have stopped many plans, as I have only owned my truck two years.
I wouldn’t say Alice loves it as much as me, as it can take over all of our free time, but we both love being out in the car exploring and going to new places with Arnie. It always gives us something to do or somewhere to go.
I think my dream trip would be Australia’s Canning Stock Route but more realistically it’s more likely to be a trip over to France to Parc Du Marquenterre, which could be a fun weekend or a few weeks away. Because we live on the south coast this is just a ferry ride away.
And finally….
The build is mostly complete, but I would never deem it finished. There are always upgrades and shiny parts to be added!
I was lucky enough to purchase the truck relatively cheap, which is nice to start with, but I have never felt the need to keep a tally on what I’m spending. I think I have spent more than I would ever get from selling it, but it’s never been my plan to do it up and sell it.
Through the support of friends and family and even the Instagram community I have been able to complete work myself, which has kept costs down. With regard to parts, they have been bought when I could afford them and through my sponsors. I am an ambassador for Douglas Motors, Midland Europe and Gods & Rovers. Being an ambassador is a hobby, but the hours I put in, due to loving what I do with each and every one, can feel like another full-time job. Each company has a different outlook and aims for me.
Although the truck is my vision, this couldn’t have been achieved without everyone doing their bit.
"Through the support of friends and family I have been able to complete work myself which has kept costs down”