 | Home > Off Topic > Defender production line Solihull |
 
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| leeds Member Since: 28 Dec 2009 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 8578  
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JLRClassic are still modifying Defenders for the 70th edition.
Have JLR cleared out the production line equipment? Brendan |
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29th Mar 2019 12:57am |
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| Procta Member Since: 04 Dec 2016 Location: Sunderland Posts: 4937
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I recon the tooling will have been sold on sadly, Defender TD5 90 ---/--- Peugeot 306 HDI hatch back
Success is 90% Inspiration and 4 minutes Preparation # you can make it! |
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29th Mar 2019 7:09am |
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| AndrewS Member Since: 10 Apr 2007 Location: Hereford Posts: 3707 
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The building is completely empty apart from the asbestos removal contractors. The building is going to be refurbished including a new roof. Then a new production line for a JLR vehicle will be assembled. @Procta Apparently the Defender assembly line and anything to do with it has been scrapped, JLR wanted to make sure the Defender would not re emerge. 130's have feeling's as well you know  |
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29th Mar 2019 9:36am |
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| leeds Member Since: 28 Dec 2009 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 8578
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AndrewS, can you give us a rough estimate of the size of the building please.
Have never been in a car production plant so just an idle thought. Brendan |
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29th Mar 2019 10:44am |
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| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6264  
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Possibly but I thought there was an obligation to provide spares for 10 years following end of production. At the very least until the end of warranty - but like I say can you imagine any manufacturer preventing spares being available - all of a sudden cars would become un-maintainable and people would be having to swap there cars on a far more frequent basis. This applies to all sorts of things not just cars. |
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29th Mar 2019 1:26pm |
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| ericvv Member Since: 02 Jun 2011 Location: Near the Jet d'Eau Posts: 5816  
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Still happy that a collegue and I visited the production line back in Dec 2015 as part of the Heritage tour. In my signature below is a movie about the production process, and funny that during our visit I recognised several of the workers in the movie. If I compare the Solihull Defender assembly line with the Volvo Gent, Belgium plant which is my only benchmark, the Solihull building and assembly process indeed was absolute industrial archaeology.
Eric You never actually own a Defender. You merely look after it for the next generation. http://youtu.be/yVRlSsJwD0o https://youtu.be/vmPr3oTHndg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GtzTT9Pdl0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABqKPz28e6A https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLZ49Jce_n0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XvAsz_ilQYU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8tMHiX9lSw https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dxwjPuHIV7I https://vimeo.com/201482507 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSixqL0iyHw |
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29th Mar 2019 1:37pm |
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| defender9 Member Since: 12 Mar 2016 Location: Fylde Coast Posts: 1613 
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I would have thought it’s just the track and associated equipment which has been stripped out. Parts would be produced by satellite companies and brought in on a JIT system. I’m sure we won’t have to worry about spare parts for many years especially given the amount of aftermarket companies e.g. Ashcroft and others supplying Defender parts. |
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29th Mar 2019 1:45pm |
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| AndrewS Member Since: 10 Apr 2007 Location: Hereford Posts: 3707
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Assembly line and spares supply are two different entities.  Parts for the Defender assembly ie body, drive train etc etc were all brought into the factory from suppliers.
I think is 15 years for a manufacturer to supply spare parts. 130's have feeling's as well you know |
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29th Mar 2019 1:48pm |
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| Caterham Member Since: 06 Nov 2008 Location: Birmingham Posts: 6264
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so presumably if spares are available production could potentially restart at anytime - it's not like assembling a defender is anything hi-tec that couldn't be instigated in anyone's back yard.....well ok not mine it's a bit too small you get the idea.
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29th Mar 2019 1:56pm |
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| gilarion Member Since: 05 Dec 2013 Location: Wales Posts: 5084  
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A few years ago I read an article where someone estimated how much it would cost to assemble and build a Defender 90 300TDi from genuine parts/spares and from what I can recall the final bill came to one hundred and sixty thousand pounds. Due to silly prices LR charge an example is a hand brake expander genuine part (its about the size of a matchbox) cost £480.00. Aftermarket/Britpart price £25.00 For those who like Welsh Mountains and narrow boats have a look at my videos and photos at.. http://www.youtube.com/user/conwy1 |
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29th Mar 2019 2:08pm |
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| Rashers Member Since: 21 Jun 2015 Location: Norfolk Posts: 3336 
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Any factory where there once was industry and now lays empty is a sad place.
Many years ago we were on the Trent and Mersey Canal somewhere around Stoke. The canal passed through the corner of what I think was a steel rolling mill (if I recall correctly). The first time it was alive with people, cranes, noise, pyrotechnics!, the second time it had shut and it was very quiet and empty. I went through the same area about five years ago and I couldn't even remember where the building was. Interesting fact Procta about scraping the tooling. That was what the American's did after they built the Blackbird SR71 It must work. I've never heard of anyone making another  |
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29th Mar 2019 2:23pm |
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| Procta Member Since: 04 Dec 2016 Location: Sunderland Posts: 4937
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i cannot see the full works been scrapped, so the defender wont come back, but I can see some of the robots and jigs been relocated, or reprogramed or even sold on.
Where i work, we are still making parts for cars that are well out of production, the mk3 micra for example. Even though its not an everyday i will make the back door finisher, but it could be once in 6 months we run the tool, and make 100. Land rover will order in batchs of parts in to stock up their dealers, some stuff though we may not get hold of anymore, but that will be the daft little things, But then again with the defender having that big of a backing, i can see that part suppliers will still be in contact with the part suppiers that made the parts. SO i recon we could make a defender up from scratch for years. Looking at how they are built, If its like the disco etc, then yeah i can see those been a problem. No replacement shells, only a few body panels. Defender TD5 90 ---/--- Peugeot 306 HDI hatch back Success is 90% Inspiration and 4 minutes Preparation # you can make it! |
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29th Mar 2019 3:32pm |
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| Procta Member Since: 04 Dec 2016 Location: Sunderland Posts: 4937
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I can see them binning off the robot stuff, which helped assemble the defender, but as for the tooling part side, strong possiblity that its a 3rd party company that has those, and if you were a suppler of those parts, would you bin off the tooling? due to the demand? I wouldnt. But its a bit of an odd ball one. maybe the "geniune" land rover labelled stuff may vanish and the quality will go crap. ( suppliers will change the gear they use to due to lack of £££ from main dealer) We have changed material on service parts. use cheaper stuff, to keep the cost down, with the part not been in proper production. Defender TD5 90 ---/--- Peugeot 306 HDI hatch back Success is 90% Inspiration and 4 minutes Preparation # you can make it! |
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29th Mar 2019 3:40pm |
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| Procta Member Since: 04 Dec 2016 Location: Sunderland Posts: 4937
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yeah look at the MGB and mini, you can get replacement shells, in fact you can build a brand new MGB! But it depends if land rover will let anyone do that, IE some of the companies that bling them up such as twisted etc. Defender TD5 90 ---/--- Peugeot 306 HDI hatch back
Success is 90% Inspiration and 4 minutes Preparation # you can make it! |
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29th Mar 2019 3:42pm |
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