 | Home > My Defender > Silver 90 TD5 Build: Re-envisioning a great |
 
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| GUM97 Member Since: 05 Feb 2012 Location: Cheshire Posts: 3555   
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Nice work
  An engine to TDi for!
"Land Rover- Proudly turning drivers into mechanics since 1948"  |
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24th Jun 2014 8:58pm |
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| MrB Member Since: 30 Jan 2014 Location: Buckinghamshire Posts: 79 
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At this point we then started to look at ways to 'enhance' the interior. Both Keis (my brother) and I are somewhat vertically challenged (Yeti like) so making this as comfortable as possible was key. First port of call was seating and cubby box. My brother is the ultimate gifted renaissance man and set about creating a cubby box with a difference.
Our brief for the cubby box was; A: Finally sort out the ergonomics of the box, as normal ones not only lack height but are set at the wrong angle. B. Increase overall usability with more storage options C. Somehow include audio and phone charging capabilities D: Hide a Focal audio subwoofer E: Give Matt and Rich at FCX a job to do, as the lads are always twiddling their thumbs! 
So this was the starting point Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Last edited by MrB on 3rd Jul 2014 8:19pm. Edited 1 time in total |
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24th Jun 2014 9:21pm |
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| MrB Member Since: 30 Jan 2014 Location: Buckinghamshire Posts: 79
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Thanks! |
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24th Jun 2014 9:22pm |
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| MrB Member Since: 30 Jan 2014 Location: Buckinghamshire Posts: 79
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Matt and Rich at FCX knocked it out of the park in terms of trimming this and I'll aim to update this post more tomorrow with this!
Thanks for the interest so far! Nath |
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24th Jun 2014 9:25pm |
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| Appleby Member Since: 03 Apr 2012 Location: Bristol Posts: 74 
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Looks like you did a fantastic job on the sound deadening! I don't know how much time you spent driving it through different stages but would you say its worth going the whole hog? Write off road kit and all or is it more of a law of diminishing returns type thing? Also that cubby box looks very smart. I can see this being a good project to watch
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24th Jun 2014 9:47pm |
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| Phoenix90 Member Since: 04 Mar 2012 Location: Cornwall Posts: 377 
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Looking great so far. Some really good attention to detail!
Keep it coming |
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24th Jun 2014 10:07pm |
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| MrB Member Since: 30 Jan 2014 Location: Buckinghamshire Posts: 79
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Hi Appleby, Many thanks for the compliment. We actually spent a number of weeks between each stint (weekends were the only free time) so we got to experience the deadening layers develop. Personally I'd say its a case of all stages have their own merits as each effectively removes certain sound issues. I'd done a crazy level of research on a US guy who sound deadened a Hummer H1, in association with Maybach and Lear Jet... so although his fun little project was a 'money definitely no object' project... I took his learning and tried to reapply it on a more affordable basis here. So these are my opinions for what each module delivered; 1. The dynamat foil is amazing at killing the panel vibration on a Defender, so it makes the vehicle more solid and effective at referring sound. Also it assists in vehicle temp management etc. It may sound stupid but the solid sound of a panel once treated is addictive... Often catch myself tapping a panel and smiling when cleaning it. 
2. The dynamat dynaliner foam product further deadens any acoustic sound within the vehicle. 3. The Acoustic Cotton literally works by filling the cavity and voids within the vehicle where audio drumming can occur. 4. Finally the rubber mat system is exceptionally impressive at removing a considerable level of the defenders transmission and general drivetrain resonance. So each has its merits, but when used in collaboration they work brilliantly. Naturally its a Defender not a Range Rover, but the improvements are often commented favourably on by other Defender owners when they're trying it out. Most are amazed by the solidity of it. Hope the above helps and shout me with any questions Nath |
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25th Jun 2014 1:00am |
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| MrB Member Since: 30 Jan 2014 Location: Buckinghamshire Posts: 79
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So now for the cubby box. So after a little bit of a wait, Matt and Rich at FCX worked their magic on the cubby box. At the time I had explained to Matt that we were considering taking the scary plunge on a set of Recaro CS seats and wanted to mirror the subtle 'pillow embossing' detail that is featured on the centre of the seat design.
We had sketched out roughly where we wanted the 'pillow embossing' to run on the box in its virgin form, and then discussed the other features like interior finishing and certain parameters that we needed to consider like the space allocated for the audio. Unsurprisingly as most of you know on here, Matt took it all in his stride and said leave it with him. The results were worth the wait. FCX's craftsmanship was simply superb as you can see in the pics. Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Honestly guys if anyone needs any trimming, make FCX your first port of call. Matt spent a number of hours at his amazing HQ talking through our requirements, among other Landy based things and both Keis and I cannot speak highly enough of him. Top Gent. |
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25th Jun 2014 4:29pm |
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| MrB Member Since: 30 Jan 2014 Location: Buckinghamshire Posts: 79
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Next on the list were the seats and honestly this was a seriously scary sum of money to invest in seats.
Now up until now the whole experience with the Defender was great, with all the resources and help found here, as well as the network of great suppliers that are referred to on the forum. In this case though we naively travelled up to a very well known company about the seats and also their latest all singing suspension set up (mine was originally running LR heavy duty set up and was too much for the road) that was featured in EVO magazine. So off we travelled and forked up a somewhat serious sum of money and left our Defender in the capable hands of the perceived 'professionals' as we went off to admire their extensive stock that they had to view in their sprawling compound. I'll skip the detailed rant that followed, but the pics show you the quality of workmanship and service we unfortunately received. This resulted in the supply of two incorrectly fitted seat brackets, damage to both seats as well as me catching the 'professionals' standing on my original mint condition ones in the car park as they poorly went about trying to fit the new seats. Then to cap the whole fun experience off, when we finally made it home, thoroughly pi**ed off, my brother noted that the seats had literally only 3mm of thread of nut holding the seats in place and two of the nuts he undid with his fingers by simply applying pressure. Thank god we didn't have an accident on the way home and worst still we both said we wondered how many of these seats are rolling around the UK fitted like this – as sadly its only in the event of an accident that the driver/passenger would acknowledge the poor workmanship. All I can say now is if companies merits were based on customer service, this outfit should of gone a long, long time ago! Click image to enlarge Last edited by MrB on 3rd Jul 2014 8:19pm. Edited 1 time in total |
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25th Jun 2014 4:56pm |
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| a13x Member Since: 25 Sep 2011 Location: Burton on Trent Posts: 551
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Now I like the attention to detail so far. But with regards to the seats and your worries for other customers, if you don't post up the outcome of your complaint or the company used, then potentially the problems will only continue for further customers....
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25th Jun 2014 5:02pm |
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| MrB Member Since: 30 Jan 2014 Location: Buckinghamshire Posts: 79
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Thankfully after a horrid and unsuccessful period of trying to resolve the issue on the seats we elected to 'fix' them properly ourselves. Thanks to my brothers ingenuity he rectified the issues tenfold and we slowly started to refit the interior once again with FCX's beautifully trimmed cubby box taking centre stage.
Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge |
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25th Jun 2014 5:02pm |
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| MrB Member Since: 30 Jan 2014 Location: Buckinghamshire Posts: 79
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A fair point but I wasn't 100% sure on forum rules on points like this... so lets just say we travelled Overland to a certain Valley... and never would again – Bandits Inc.
Ps. thanks for acknowledging the detail – wasn't sure if its too much! |
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25th Jun 2014 5:06pm |
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| MrB Member Since: 30 Jan 2014 Location: Buckinghamshire Posts: 79
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So far great attention had been paid to the interior of the truck, so we elected to start to spend a little bit of TLC on the exterior now.
As originally mentioned, we both agreed that we wanted the Defender to look like an evolution of the current Defender and set about sourcing a few choice parts to achieve this and then design others that we coldly find commercially. So first was the wheels. After much deliberation we plumped for a set of 18" Boost replica alloys sporting a fetching set of Cooper Zeon LTZ. Now I absolute love this change as its subtle but immediately gives the Defender a really lovely road presence and the LTZ tyres are brilliant all rounders. No change in road noise from the stock General Grabbers that the Defender came with. Click image to enlarge Last edited by MrB on 3rd Jul 2014 8:44pm. Edited 1 time in total |
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25th Jun 2014 5:18pm |
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| david mitchell Member Since: 01 Jul 2012 Location: Meath Posts: 418  
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Wow, you guys could perhaps provide sound deading service to other defender owners. Extremely well finished. So who gets to drive this beauty?
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25th Jun 2014 5:21pm |
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