Heaven, I'm in heaven and can't believe it's true

@urbandekay (18278)
January 3, 2008 2:11pm CST
At last the parts came for my Landie so I was back driving this delightful, agile and robust machine. A vehicle so quintessentially British that it has become a cultural icon. And who can wonder, with two large wheels situated right at the front and back and hardly more than the door width between them, giving it unrivalled off road ability and the uniqueness of design lending it a charming quikiness of layout. Although, it was off the road for only a week it seemed like forever. We bounded down the road like a young pup, the enormously torgue diesel sending it rushing up the hill, then we turned off on to a track. I open the door and both dogs jump out and off we go again. I'm doing 30mph up the track and the dogs are apace behind me for a while but as the track rises slightly they start to fall behind. Then I turn down another track and we're sliding through the mud at 30 degrees yet with no feeling of loss of control, I bounce one wheel up onto the bank to avoid a fallen tree and plunge down into the bottom of the valley. Here the mud is massively deep but we sail through without a struggle and bound up the other side and into my yard, two filthy, bedraggled and fiercely grinning dogs arrive moments later. Forget sports cars (yawn) this is serious fun, hope get a chance to have a go. all the best urban
1 person likes this
5 responses
@veganbliss (3895)
• Adelaide, Australia
11 Jan 12
A magnificent piece! So how long has this love affair been going on? I'd be very hard pressed to find mud down here like that - especially mud & hills. They should have motor races in this sort of terrain - forget around & around a track! How is acceleration & pedal response in the Defender? Is there nothing that can match a Rover in the mud?
@urbandekay (18278)
12 Jan 12
Here they do race in mud! And yes there are better vehicles, the Landrover based, Bowler Wildcat, 0-60mph 3 secs off-road in race spec!!! But £££££££s and then some. Well, acceleration depends on tyre choice, final diameter can vary by about 10" so I am sure you can appreciate how much difference that makes to the final drive ratio. I find them surprisingly nippy with my summer tyres; wide and smaller diameter but with skinny mud tyres on for winter of large diameter a lot slower and noisier all the best urban
1 person likes this
@urbandekay (18278)
13 Jan 12
Yes it is turbo(ed) (owch, sorry for that tortured English) and inter-cooled, the choice of small turbo means no turbo lag and that power is available from 1400 (from memory) Modern diesels can be very nippy, sometimes on paper rivalling petrol engines and in terms of driving superior due to their better torque spread; on one remarkable occasion that professional buffoon and avid diesel hater, Jeremy Clarkson of Top-Gear fame, had to admit that the Diesel version of a car accelerated better and was more tractable The 200/300tdi was an award winning engine and on of the first small direct injection engines for road use and with the improvements made by International lives on, not bad for an engine over 20 years old all the best urban
1 person likes this
• Adelaide, Australia
12 Jan 12
Wow! It seems I have been missing out then. The last time I drove a diesel, I put my foot down & the thing nearly stalled! I haven't really equated diesels with good acceleration since then, unfortunately. I think turbo diesels would have a better response. Is yours a turbo or does it have other performance modifications?
@fannitia (2167)
• Bulgaria
13 Jan 12
Hi, Urban, it was a pleasant experience to read this! I don't have a car and never been a good driver. But you are an excellent writer, I can imagine everything of your ride. I won't have a chance to make this, but I'm glad for you! Have a nice weekend!
@urbandekay (18278)
14 Jan 12
Life can always throw us an unexpected turn in events, perhaps we should not be so quick to think some avenue is closed to us all the best urban
1 person likes this
• United States
4 Jan 08
Wow - one can tell two things by reading the above" 01 You really love/adore your car and 02 You are a poet
@Adoniah (7513)
• United States
3 Jan 08
That was lovely! By your writing anyone would know that you were as close to heaven as you could possibly get!! It is fun to know that someone is having so much fun! Shalom!~Adoniah
• United States
4 Jan 08
Wonderful. Sounds pretty awesome. Love the way you told the story.
• United States
6 Nov 08
Ooops! Pardon me for the gay response!