Jack Dobson “The trip to Uluru will be 3500 miles and the prospect of travelling in my SIIA is terrifying. She’s not blessed with complete reliability”
Dobbo Dow n Under
II’S ALL a bit of a juggling act at the moment as I work on the restoration of my recently acquired Series IIA and set about getting Grandma ready for her biggest trip yet – driving from Canberra to Uluru ( better known as Ayers Rock, in Europe). The former has been especially difficult as I try and document the restoration on my Youtube channel. I find myself spending ages doing filming only to watch it back I realise my attempt at creating something interesting has really fallen short. Note to self: try and sound more enthusiastic on camera and consider if people really want to watch me undoing a 7/16 AF bolt. I am also struggling a bit with the technical side of filming – how are you meant to film and operate a random orbital sander? The rate I am going, I will capture a nasty accident if nothing else.
That all said, I am at least enjoying the process and learning a lot along the way. I have also been pleasantly surprised by how straight the bodywork is on the new Land Rover. It has not seen any filler. Once I have finished removing the paintwork (I find it easy to sand whilst the body is rigid and still attached) I will then start the proper strip down which will include taking it right back to the bare chassis.
So the trip to Uluru: it will be roughly 3500 miles and in the company of six other Land Rovers. The motley crew consists of three Defenders, a Perentie, a Stage One and two Series IIAS. This will be my second visit to Uluru – Leah and I made the trip three years ago in our Defender. It is an incredible place, definitely worth a visit. The prospect of travelling there in Grandma is, of course, slightly terrifying. Let us face it, since her restoration she has not exactly been blessed with complete reliability. I am using her every day at the moment to iron out any issues. I think I am down to just one major concern – the ignition. The problem is seemingly such a simple component, the rotor arm. Currently, these last roughly 400 miles before failure. Having done quite a bit of reading up on the subject it seems I am not alone and the problem originates from poor quality plastic and a design that deviates from the original. I have tried rotor arms from Bosch and Land Rover, whilst they come in convincing branded packaging I am certain they are sourced from the same factory – wherever that might be. At the recommendation of several people I am fitting another type of rotor, which are made in a red plastic and said to be infinitely more reliable. I have ordered seven – I really do not want to be stranded in the
middle of the outback with no ignition.
As part of my preparations I am also gathering together all the extra bits and pieces to make Grandma expedition-ready. I have just taken delivery of a UHF radio which will be vital in the remote areas where there is no mobile phone reception. I need to work out where I will mount the whopping great antenna. I have also got a dash cam, which I think will be a useful addition, as well as solar panels and a fridge, plus various other lighting solutions (I actually went over the top with the size of the driving lights and may need to rethink that approach). I am also considering fitting a split charge system so I can keep the fridge running each evening without fear of a flat battery. I think I should be about to house a separate one either under the passenger seat, or in one of the rear wheel arches. We shall see how I do for time.
As for the camping side of things, well I once attempted to sleep in the back of Grandma at a friends’ 18th birthday party. Though this may be quite a number of years ago I can still remember how bloody uncomfortable it was! Short wheelbase Land Rovers are not really suitable for tall people to sleep in (though I have seen some creative approaches by way of a platform that extends from the rear tub back to the front seats).
On this trip I will be using a tent. I have been looking at the options and there really is a vast array. I think I am going to go with one that you throw into the air and it lands fully assembled, although I remain to be convinced as to how this will work. Perhaps the most important consideration for this trip is spares and fluids. I have come up with the following items: accelerator cable, water pump, fan belts, wheel bearings, electrical connectors, jubilee clips, engine/gearbox oil, clutch/ brake fluid and coolant.
Space will be at a bit of a premium so it is a challenge deciding which parts are absolutely vital. In an ideal world I would perhaps bring some spare half-shafts and a differential but do I want to be carrying all that stuff with me? I feel like I am tempting fate by mentioning these items and deciding not to take them. There is still time to reconsider my options. As for tools, a decent jack, socket set and my trusty Leatherman multitool – now over 20 years old but still my most valued. When Brit Jack Dobson emigrated to Australia in 2010 he brought his passion for Land Rovers along with him.