Tembo the 110

My first 4x4 was an old FJ40. After was a Jeep YJ and a long string of Landrovers...Series IIs/IIIs, Defenders, Santana's. In the military I drove Hummers, Ilitis and G-Wagons. After many trips I have finally settled on a 1986 Land Rover 110, ex-military 2.5 naturally aspirated diesel. My choice was based on a number of criteria:

-Truly simple, non-electronic design. I am no mechanic but I can fix most things on a Landrover and just have no faith in anything run by computer in remote locations.
-I love the old Series landrovers but really prefer coil springs over leaf on long, rough tracks.
-Probably most unusually, I prefer a open top vehicle. Probably a combination of my military experience in reconnaissance living out of open top jeeps for weeks on end. But also have always admired the old WWII groups like Popski's Private Army, the LRDG and SAS who crossed continents in old open jeeps and Chevrolets. So, my 110 has a canvas top for the cab but I only put it on for cold and rain (sadly the typical UK weather). Most of my African 4x4s never had a roof on ever.

I am a bit of a minimalist as far as gear goes. My theory is if guys on motorcycles can circle the world, I can live pretty comfortably with what fits inside my 110s cargo area. So, my 110 has a chequerplate deck over the cargo area and a slide out table. I carry four jerry cans of diesel giving me about a 1400km range, 100L of drinking water, tent, chairs, spare parts, tools, recovery gear and cooking/food boxes. The lack of roof helps with fuel mileage and the heavy items (water and fuel) are stowed low down for good balance.

So, that is my choice for an overland vehicle. We named it Tembo (elephant in Swahili). Will post some pics once I figure out how....

Sounds great, waiting for the photos.

Tembo pics from our recent trip to the Pyrenees...(hopefully this works)

Nice pics, seems you got the hang of posting pics.

Haha...yep, but not where to post them. This was supposed to be under the "what you drive for overlanding"discussion. Oh well....

Nice one...very much approve of your style

Definitely an unusual conversion, where did you have the hood made?

That flatbed is just asking to have roll mats sleeping bags on it. Sorted!

Those handles must be there to prevent you rolling off - like the top bunk on a ferry.

Yep, the back deck is my sleeping platform. On my slide out table that lives in the center of the cargo area I carry two folded 3" thick mattresses with canvas covers. Very comfy.

The tent...this is a folding wood frame similiar to those in military modular tents. There is a mozzie net that hangs from that over the sleeping area and then a heavy duty tarp lies over the whole thing. The tarp can be pulled tight to the sides at night in inclement weather of staked out as it is to give a bit of cover during the day if raining. I made it all myself...sort of a test to see how it worked. Takes about 10 minutes to erect or take down and all packs awáy in the cargo area. In places with no rain, I can just throw a sleeping mat and bag on the back deck with the mozzie net tied off to the roll bar if needed. Fairly simple, easy to repair and turned out to be quite rugged.

Nice.

Hi Tembo

Nice to meet you today, as I said I was browsing through the forum as I've not been on for AGES! .. but prior to coming to the show I'd thought I'd have a look and you buzzed across the A5 and recognised you straight away!

Anyway .. hope you had a good show!

PB

Thanks, was good to meet someone else from the forum as well. And I suppose Tembo does look a bit different from your usual overland 110. I did enjoy the show even though I could only stay until mid-afternoon. Met and talked to alot of people and learned a few things. I saw several other vehicles I recognized from the forum but didn't see their owners to say hello. Did manage to chase down Tom and introduce myself, which was good. Hope you two had an enjoyable day as well.

James

Lovely vehicle. Im not a massive fan of Land Rovers but your look to be very practical. Chequer plate back is a nice addition and the paint colour too. Very cool.

Jas

Thanks for the compliments...

I have driven Jeeps, Landrovers, every kind of Toyota Landcruiser/Hilux's over the years. Since leaving the military I have worked in either mineral exploration or humanitarian agencies and have run fleets of up to 500 vehicles in various places across Africa. Each vehicle has its own strong points and downsides. Having been a fleet manager I have a deep resentment of Toyota products, not because of any weakness in the vehicle, but more how Toyota operates and screws with you without being obvious about it. I wont go into a rant...

I ended up with a Landrover mostly because I appreciate the absolute simplicity of it. I guess I am more than a bit of a technical luddite but it tends to be a survival trait that has always worked for me in the bush.

Tembo was actually a NATO desert tan when I got him, but looked pretty scruffy. My wife and I spent days sanding off the many layers of old paint...he had been gree, tan, back to green, back to tan at least eight times. He has bullet wounds and shrapnel damage in various places and if he could talk I am sure could tell some amazing stories. We painted ahim a flat green, a bit darker than the NATO colour and it suits.

The only other change I made to him other than the chequerplate over the cargo area was I pulled out all the miles of MOD wiring harness and did a full rewire using a kit from U.S.-based Painless Performance (we were in Canada at the time). And because I planned to change the steering over to the right at some point (he is left-hand at the moment), I built a center console for all the guages and switches. Pics below...

There's some battle damage just to the left of the driver's left knee if I recall - a bit of a close call for someone. Get the camera back out!

I like it. I learnt to drive in Hilux's and then moved on to Landcruisers so even when it was the 78 series troop carrier there was some elements of comfort and ease especially with an auto box.
If I was someone else and did not like my creature comforts like automatic transmission etc I would have liked to have Owned a ex-mod Landie and built it up.
Another reason why this forum is great. Other people like yourself can enjoy and own a Landie and I can see the results even when my lifestyle does not suit it.

I like that your driving around sometimes with the roof off. A good friend of mine has an old Willys Jeep and we fold the windscreen down and take the canvass off and its a right laugh.

Nice one.

Jas

Ahhh yes, Tembo's "Authentic Battle Damage"

This appears to be some sort of shrapnel damage on the bulkhead. During my military career I drove over a stack of anti-tank landmines in Croatia while on a recce patrol and the blast damage looked similar...so I am guessing Tembo must have been hit by something. There are other small, odd shaped dents and dings on her panels. So yep, this 110 earned its retirement I figure...

Somewhere to hook your cup holder, reckon that should go in the suggestion box at Land Rover for the new Defender ... the only practical thing there will be on the vehicle!

I would happily volunteer to blast a few holes in the DC100...all in the name of technical improvement of course!

Tembo wrote:

I would happily volunteer to blast a few holes in the DC100...all in the name of technical improvement of course!