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Image: KFC
Might as well start this page the same way Rich starts anything - With a KFC!
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For any one that knows Richard you will know that like putting fuel in a car Rich needs a regular in take of KFC to work properly!
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Richard got his motor ready just in time to enter his first event at Tong in 2006. Being a lightweight Rich thought he would test how well it flew and got air-born on a fast straight up through the middle of the wood!
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Lauching out of a hill climb at Stainby 2006
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A tight summit meant Richard could only eat half his KFC or he was in danger of not getting through & bellying out his motor!
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Richards other motor & tow vehicle to get his racer to events - TDI Defender 90 (Tractor!).
It doesn’t take much to excite Richard... Just give him a rock & he'll play all day!
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Taking to the air & making a splash at Driffield 2006
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A practical illusion? Richards lightweight really is flying! - Stainby April 2007
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Yet another trick at Stainby - This time balancing on just 2 wheels...
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Click this TAB to see Richards Lightweight on the Military Lighweight Land Rover Club Web Site.
Not all Lightweight (LWT) Land Rovers are kept in the same condition and specification as they were when used in-service by the Military. Many, because they are perhaps the owner's only vehicle, have subtle alterations to make them easier to use on a daily basis, others have more complex changes such as an engine and/or chassis transplant and then there are those which are radically modified for specialist use. Rich's LWT falls into the latter category, and although it's still road legal, it is used as a competition vehicle, and when averaging just 5mpg you can see why it isn't suitable for daily use! Rich uses his vehicle for Comp Safari racing only and trailers it to and from events, all over the country, racing with the Northern Off-Road Club.
Rich has been smitten with Land Rovers since his early teens and finally bought his first Landy, a 3-door Range Rover Classic, when he was 18. He cut his teeth off-roading in the Range Rover and, having become firmly bitten by the Land Rover bug, has owned a string of Land Rovers, including 2 Defender 110s, a Discovery, a Series 2 Trialer, 2 LWTs and a Range Rover Classic which he later bobtailed. Rich currently has a Defender 90, which he says he will never sell, as his daily transport and he has owned this for the past 6 years. As well as the Defender, Rich owns this LWT Hybrid racer and has another hybrid, in the making, which is at the 'rolling frame' stage at the time of writing (May 2010).
Rich already owned the LWT for around 6 years, but it was a further 2 years before he finished transforming it into a competition vehicle. He bought it from a friend, whilst working at a Land Rover dealership, who had owned it for a couple of years but kept it in storage. The LWT had already been modified for off-roading, but this was nothing compared to the treatment that it has now received since being in Rich's hands.
The LWT has been extensively modified. The chassis is still original, but coil spring mounts have been welded on and the standard spring hangars removed. Range Rover axles with Tomcat racing springs along with Fox remote reservoir race shockers are fitted. The LWT is powered by a tuned V8 engine with a Range Rover injection system and a modified Engine Control Unit (ECU). The gearbox and transfer box are courtesy of a Discovery and the radiator, fuel tank and battery are all located, out of harms way, in the rear. Air is directed to the radiator via a cleverly designed double skinned roof and then down through tunnelling between the seats which Rich tends to bang his head on when giving it the full beans! The body is all hand-built, with a custom made bulkhead welded to outriggers with a full roll-cage constructed around it. A full space-frame skeleton forms the shape of the LWT and this is clad in light alloy panelling, with the front wings and bonnet being original items to retain the classic LWT look.
Rich considers his vehicle to be in good condition, and to pass strict scrutineering regulations the chassis and frame work have to be, and are, super strong and very solid. However, due to the nature of usage, she does tend to get the occasional dent here and there and after every event, a full strip down is carried out with any necessary repairs being completed. With this type of vehicle there are always modifications on the cards, or design changes necessary, to remain competitive. Getting good airflow to the radiator has been the biggest battle and the roof and air-scoop are now at design Mk4 and hopefully this version will be the last. The suspension has had a few upgrades since the initial build too, with the next modification being to fit front radius arms and a panhard rod onto the rear axle and remove the a-frame balljoint to improve handling at speed.
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Richard Wins 3rd place at the 2010 Land Rover Spring Adventure Show in Driffield, North Yorkshire for Best Modified Land Rover.
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Flying high yet again at Baden Hall - 30th May 2010 (Dave Simmonite Memorial event NORC & AWDC)
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