After I came to Jolly Jockland, I ran the RRC pickup for a few years as a second vehicle, but eventually, the rising insurance, tax and fuel costs (not to mention the non-availability of LPG) and a looming MoT failure due to corrosion, made me hang up my hat and SORN it.
After it sat under a tarp for a year I finally decided that getting it back on the road was not going to happen (I was on some heart meds at the time which made me feel tired all the time) and so I sold it to an enthusiastic young man who promised me he wouldn't break it but would bring it back into daily use. He even said he would retain it's patina (although the rubber chicken would go)
Scroll forwards six months and:
1. I have come off the meds (the doc doesn't know yet - it's easier to ask forgiveness than permission eh?) and suddenly I feel ten years younger.
2. I have inherited a Disco TD5 from my brother-in-law, who died suddenly a couple of months ago.
The disco is a 53 reg, of 'ES' type with (I think) the 'premium' package (it appears to have a diff-lock, fat roof bars, heated screen and shiny side things) and, as a bonus, it came with a SORN, no MoT, slipping auto trans, and The Three Amigos.. Oh, and it is currently located 320 miles away. I am going to arrange for it to be transported here (cost about £450) and see if I can sort the problems, after which I may be tempted to do some 'mild' off-roading style mods. First to go will be those side step things!
On the positive side there is not too much corrosion, the engine appears to be good, it has a newish steering box and battery and the interior (black leather heated seats) is in decent nick except for the headlining.
So - what do you reckon?:
Is the Disco 2 an ok base for a mild off-road vehicle?
If I were to try some gentle trialing, would the combination of diff-lock and TC be considered cheating?