Say hello to “Ingrid”!

A 1980 Land Rover 88″ series 3

Ingrid is a Massachusetts, Nantucket local.

She is at the Rad Rovers classic land rover restoration shop here in Sarasota, Florida to get a ground up, frame off, chassis sand blasted and powder coated, full restoration!

The owner lives on Nantucket during the summer months and wants to hit all the beaches down that sandy spit all the way to Coatue Point and Brant Point Lighthouse to enjoy sunsets and campfires.

Now as we all know, many trucks get stuck in that soft sand,

Rad Rovers is going to trick out Ingrid with everything you would want to save yourself whether you are alone or with friends.  I’m counting on her to be the good Samaritan and help out every one in need, so if you should see her wave her down and swap phone numbers just in case.

Having said that,

What will she look like? How do you recognize her?

What are we going to do to her?

– Body style

1. Gray body
2. Tan soft top / rag top
3. Red tire rims with 245-75-16 mud tires and 30mm spacers

*  Recovery / Emergency equipment (add-ons) at the ready:

1. WARN 8274 winch mounted on the front bumper. Definitely the best, most iconic winch every made.
2. My friends over at Pangolin 4×4 are making a customized front bumper for me, that are designed and manufactured for the public.  I’m really excited about it.  Ike and Jason are just super fellas. They recommended this winch and designed the bumper for it.
3. Also from Pangolin 4×4 we ordered a tow hitch receiver that bolts up directly to the preexisting holes in the back of the chassis, and it’s such a tough little unit.
4. And last but not least, also from Pangolin 4×4, we ordered an under body skid plate, mostly for something to push up on with a jack should you get stuck.
5. Plus if you are getting up close and personal with rocks or logs and the like, the lowest spot on the under belly of the truck are the differentials, so we said “well heck! We better put protective guards over those!”
6. If you get stuck:

1a. an air bladder (that looks just like a super yacht fender) can be slid under the truck and using the engines exhaust pipe, run a tube to the bladder, fill it with air, and voila! It lifts the car up!  Clever isn’t it?

1b.  At which point you can do a number of things, but mostly fill that hole where your tires just got stuck (using the 2 shovels mounted in the truck) and then drop a set of traction boards down (mounted in the truck), then deflate that bladder of air, and drive away using those boards to get you out of that little soft spot.

1c.  If you still have a hard time, don’t worry; we thought of more tricks.

Deflate the tires to about 12psi and try again.  When you get back to hard ground, Use the 12v twin cylinder tire inflate air compressor (also provided) and re-inflate your tires to the desired pressure for the terrain in a matter of a few short minutes.

1d.  LED lights:

2a. If you’re going out to Coatue Point for sunsets, I think it is a given you will be returning in the dark.  (seems to happen every day like that… I still haven’t figured out why…)  SO! What are you going to do about that??

The Headlights – are now of a high quality Red Halo LED waterproof unit.  Exceptional light all around in front of you.

2b. LED white flood lamps will be mounted all around the back to face in any direction to you need so you can tend to your evening’s festivities with ease and not forget that pair of sunglasses buried half in the sand, or the marshmallows graham crackers n’ chocolate, or the crystal stemware… we wouldn’t wanna lose those now would we.

2c.  BUT as everyone knows, Nantucket is famous for its disappearing act, re-enacted time and time again using a thick veil of fog juuuuuust at the time the sun drops over the horizon, you turn around to go home and boom… you neeeeed what? FOG Lights!

2d. LED amber flog lights… up on the front bumper, you’re welcome.

2e. LED strip lights all around the interior on a dimmer switch, in red of course, protect your night vision.  If you can’t find your equipment in your truck… what good is it?

1. The dashboard will have 2 USB charging stations AND a 12v (cigarette) power outlet
2. If you are concerned that all this stuff will drain your battery… good! Congratulations, you’re a smart person.  SO! there is a digital readout of your battery’s voltage at all times to put your mind at ease.
3. BUT if that’s not good enough for you when you are out there with your engine off, enjoying yourself, and you leave everything on… DON’T worry, you have a power pack / battery jump starter at the ready in your handy dandy tool box. And even the tool box is disguised like a vintage 1950’s 5gl jerry can! How cool is that?!
4. Now, if you are really a concerned owner and definitely want to conserve power and not stress about not being able to get home due to a dead battery (very embarrassing I might add…), there is a full car shut down master key switch mounted on the dash for easy access to turn off every time you get out of the truck if you wish.
5. Another great addition is the waterproof seat covers. No one wants to have a soggy bum, and even worse if you HAD a soggy bum and sat in your seat, and then came back the next day now in your Nantucket Red’s, and your seat is still wet then you have a soggy bum again! And not only that, but now it smells like a wet dog… and that my friends… doesn’t go away!  Protect those cloth seats, with water proof seat covers.
6. BUT! Maybe you DO want water…? I’m going to go out on a limb here but I dare to say we are going to be the first to develop a custom water tank (roughly 12gl) built in the chassis framework that will have an electric pump to a portable shower handle, so stay tuned for that customization Rad Rovers is developing.
7. Now if you don’t know, the 88″ Land Rover has a bed that is… petite. We all know item number one to bring upon leaving the domicile is a spare tire.  Now make that spare tire a great big fat knobby off road tire (like the ones we are putting on this Rad Rover) and say bye bye to any storage space in the bed.  Rad Rovers has developed a spare tire mount for the tail gate! It has no moving parts to break. It’s fixed and rigid. The big ol tire now sits outside the truck, hanging off the tailgate, and is also much more accessible, should you need it.  Plus, the weight of it aids in rear axle traction off road.

Land Rover also put the tire on the hood.  We at Rad Rovers don’t like that at all.  The hood just wasn’t made strong enough for that and it caves in the framework permanently distorting and warping that once lovely piece of craftsmanship.

And don’t get me started on what you have to do to access it;

1-  You must clamber on up there

2-  Stand on the hood and fenders

3-  Dent the heck out of them

4-  Plus also adding your body weight to the already to heavy tire

5-  Wrenching away on the mounting bracket

6-  Then back breakingly lift that giant tire up and somehow hold it, turn 180° in place and what… throw it off like shot put?…. mmmmm no thanks.

7-  PLUS you are in a precarious position anyway, up high and with bad footing & your truck isn’t going to be anywhere near level let alone safe to walk all over…

you can see where I’m going with this…  (I did build a 1969 Land Rover Ambulance series 2a should you need it…)

Do what we do. Just stand behind your truck like a normal person / sane person, and use a Rad Rovers spare tire mount.

Plus, who wants to lift a tire every time you need to look at your engine?!

As I think everyone also know, Nantucket is a relatively small island with a vivid whaling history.  Its rustic landscape, salty sea air, and beautiful beaches is part of what makes it so attractive.  But cars however do not enjoy it so much and rust easily, fancy that. We know how to combat that.  We will sand blast and powder coat the chassis, body, axle housings, wheels… just about any and all steel parts to have superb longevity for maximum life expectancy so that the sand you DO want to enjoy, won’t be a sinister, alluring little devil of mischievous decay.

Well Rad Rover fans and Land Rover fanatics…

I think 3 pages of build notes on a Land Rover we haven’t even touched a wrench to yet is quite enough. It’s time to put our money where our mouth is and get to work!

Take care,

And keep your eyes peeled for Ingrid on Nantucket!

Cheers!