1985 LAND ROVER NINETY

STEVE MILLER, LRM AD MANAGER, LINCOLNSHIRE

How did you find this project?

A reader of LRM was selling it after he’d parked it in his field unused for a few years. In fact this very same Ninety was on a Morocco trip that Patrick did for the magazine some years ago.

What’s the story so far?

I didn’t really want to take on another project yet still I went along to Suffolk just to take a look. Like one does. As I lay underneath it poking away at various areas of the corroded chassis, my screwdriver easily made its way through in several places. Eventually I said to myself if it goes through one more time then I’m not buying it. It went through again of course. So I gave it a final warning and chance before walking away. Alas, it once again poked another rusty hole in the chassis . . . but I still bought it. I managed to get it running there and then despite it being stood for a number of years. I’d taken a new battery with me. Of course I was going to buy it, I mean, I’d already bought it a new battery.

How long have you owned it?

Approximately five years now and I still have lots of work to do before I will consider it a finished project.

How is the engine running? Are you planning on replacing it?

Originally it had a 2.5 naturally asthmatic diesel – deadly slow in this modern age. So I set about converting it using the very good Steve Parker LR conversion kit parts and a 300Tdi ex-discovery engine. That alone is a massive improvement.

What else have you done so far?

Having converted it from a hard top to a canvas hood from Exmoor Trim, I then added new seats, did the engine conversion and disc-braked back axles (again from a Discovery). The list of what still needed doing seemed endless; despite all I had done, I was still left with a welded-up old chassis and corroded bulkhead and flaking paint. I blame lockdown, because I was soon outside with my spanners and the angry spanner (angle grinder) taking it to pieces again.

What are the next jobs you will be doing on it?

With a newly-purchased Richards galvanised chassis, I’m currently at the rolling chassis stage, having stripped and spray-painted all the axles.

What is the hardest part of this project? Working my way through all the tired parts, and preparing them to fit on the new chassis.

When will it be finished? What are your plans with it?

I’m really enjoying the process of tinkering in my workshop, so there’s no rush. I did say it’ll be finished by the Billing Off Road Show . . . but I never said which year!

Who is helping you with the project?

My wife Louise, daughter Roxanne and son Jenson have all been on-hand to help – my next-door neighbour Darren has also been a great help so far. Technical help desk is my good mate, Pete Long. It has been a proper team effort.

Anything to add? How can readers follow what you are doing?

I will be adding more photos to my Instagram page @steve_miller_ automotive plus I’ll will be including it in our Writers’ Rovers section in upcoming issues. So do keep a look out for it.