SERIES 1, ISSUE 3
SHOP NOTES
What’s in the Bay This Week?
That’s Not So Clutch
This week, an eye-catching Defender 110 200 Tdi arrived on a flatbed with a completely inoperable clutch pedal. The culprit was a failed clutch hydraulic system, and we’re replacing both the master and slave cylinders to restore proper function.
Once on the lift, we discovered additional issues in the suspension and fuel system that had likely been building over time. We’re addressing those now, so the truck leaves stronger than it arrived.
The lesson is simple: don’t wait for failure. Small warning signs, handled early, prevent bigger and more expensive problems later.
A Major Service For A Major Spec
We welcomed a 2006 Range Rover Supercharged in striking Tonga Green this week.
The Black Land Rover badge on the back dictates this was the highest specification available in its day, and still every bit the flagship.
It’s in for a few cosmetic adjustments and a major service, including comprehensive fluids, filters, inspection, and preventive maintenance throughout. Thankfully, this one has been well-maintained, and it shows. Our role is stewardship, keeping a special truck operating as confidently as it looks.
These Supercharged L322’s were monsters when new. Properly cared for, they still are. We’re proud to help keep this one on the road, exactly as it should be.
A Familiar Face Is Back
One of our earliest Agulhas builds, Charles, is back in the shop shortly after delivery. The issue was a transmission leak that made itself known once the truck went into regular use.
When something isn’t right, we take it back, we make it right, and we do it at no cost to the client. Break-in periods always reveal quirks. It's all part of the bespoke buying process, and it's our responsibility post-delivery to make sure the truck is perfect.
Charles is already on the lift, leak traced, components addressed, and everything is being rechecked to ensure it leaves better than before.
Building an Agulhas is about heritage and craftsmanship. It’s also about standing behind the work long after the keys change hands.
FIELDCRAFT TIPS
Maintenance and Troubleshooting
Cold Starts Never Lie
A warm engine hides a lot.
If you really want to understand the health of your Land Rover, be it a Defender, Discovery, or Range Rover, pay attention to the first cold start of the day. That’s when clearances are tight, fluids have settled, batteries are tested, and weak components reveal themselves.
Listen for extended cranking. Watch for a puff of smoke that lingers too long. Notice if the idle hunts before settling. Note how quickly oil pressure builds. A truck in good order should fire with confidence and settle into rhythm without drama.
Cold starts also tell you about maintenance discipline. Fresh glow plugs, strong batteries, clean grounds, and healthy injectors are investments that can show their value in the first five seconds of the morning.
Fieldcraft is about understanding your vehicle when it’s at its most honest. Start there, and you’ll catch small issues long before they become expensive ones.
If your Rover has developed new morning habits, it’s worth paying attention.
ROVER CULTURE
Events and Land Rover News
6 Books That Every Land Rover Fan Should Read
In no particular order, these are a selection of some of our favourite Land Rover-themed literature pieces.
Camel Trophy: The Definitive History — Nick Dimbleby
This is the full story of the Camel Trophy, told properly. It’s packed with photos you don’t usually see and stories from the people who were actually there. You get a real sense of what those events were like, day to day, and why they became such a big part of Land Rover history.
First Overland: London–Singapore by Land Rover — Tim Slessor
In the 1950s, six students drove two Series I Land Rovers from London to Singapore. This book tells that story as it happened. It’s straightforward and honest, and it shows just how capable those early trucks were when put to the test.
Land Rover: The Story Of The Car That Conquered The World — Ben Fogle
Ben Fogle takes a broad look at how Land Rover built its reputation around the world. It mixes history with travel and personal stories, so it feels more like a journey than a timeline. Easy to read and a good introduction to the brand’s bigger story.
Born in Lode Lane — Roger Crathorne
Written by someone who worked there, this is a look inside the Solihull factory during Land Rover’s formative years. It covers how the vehicles were designed and built, but also what daily life was like behind the scenes. It’s part history, part memoir.
A Fool on Wheels: Tangier to Baghdad by Land Rover — Barbara Toy
Barbara Toy drove solo across North Africa and the Middle East in her Series I, Pollyanna. She tells the story with humor and honesty. It doesn’t gloss over the challenges, which makes it all the more impressive.
From Utmost East to Utmost West — John Blashford-Snell
This autobiography covers a long career of exploration, including the first vehicle crossing of the Darién Gap in Land Rovers. It reads like a lifetime of hard-earned experience rather than a highlight reel.
AGULHAS UPDATES
Current Builds
A Big Day For Rhino
This week marked a milestone that never gets old. We fired up Rhino for the first time.
After months of careful assembly, torque checks, fluid fills, and final inspections, we turned the key and brought the engine to life for the first time. The shop went quiet for a split second, then loud in the best possible way.
Oil pressure came up exactly as it should. The idle settled quickly into a steady mechanical rhythm that tells us we got it right.
There’s no exhaust fitted yet, so it was unapologetically loud. The smells of fresh coatings heating for the first time, assembly oils burning off, warm metal coming alive, it’s all part of the ritual.
Moments like this make the long hours worth it. A pile of parts becomes a living machine.
More refinement updates to come soon.
