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This Range Rover started life as 3.9 Petrol version, plus it came with sunroof, ABS, heated windscreen and tow bar all included in the price. I purchased the car just after it had done 5,000 miles and it was an ex demonstrator for the local garage in Exeter, near to where I then lived, after ten years of really faultless driving and no problems at all! The only major one being the ABS pump gave up at about year nine, so not too bad really! then, at 127,000 the engine started to play up, after having had a head gasket done once, Knowing the cost of that, I decided to install a new engine! 
I went to Overfinch and bought their 460i engine (4554cc) but I would have loved the 570i, who would not have! The Engine now has 238bhp @ 4900 Revs compared to the stated 1990 brochure being 185.1 bhp @ 4750 Revs and torque being then 227.0lb @ 3000 RPM I now get torque of 280 lb ft @ 3000 RPM. It Still runs standard unleaded fuel. It should do 0-60 under 9.0 Seconds and 60-80 mph approx 6.5Sec using kickdown. Within a few months of the engine conversion, the gearbox went! So I fitted a heavy duty exchange model. I also had Overfinch handling kit fitted (Model 1) it consists of anti-roll bars (which mine did not have) Stiffer dampers and stiffer springs all round. Then the steering box had got old & worn! (it was a re-con one!) That got replaced after five years, and boy you can feel the difference! So it now has a closer ratio steering box too. Whilst the engine was being replaced I had air conditioning added. The car still has the original Alloy wheels and uses the normal tyres, needed for a 3.9 . 
Externally the car looks normal and the colour is Plymouth Metallic Blue, It also has bull bars and rear light covers too. Plus Rally 1000 spot lights. I had the spot lights in the front air dam replaced with fog Lights. Internally it is also very good condition too with the normal dash, no wood effect around the air con vents or the gear selector either. It does not have leather seats. Just the normal velour, which still looks like new after all this time.
The car has done 162,000 miles now! I think that works out to approx 14,500 miles per year, roughly. It has got a completely new lease of life now!! It really does feel completely different to the normal handiling that we are all use to!
Nigel.P. De Wallens |
