My low mileage 127 Quadtech

I have long been a Land Rover fan and as a self-employed bathroom installer/plumber I was growing tired of being just another 'white van man'. so I bought a 110 van. After using it for a couple of years I grew frustrated with the lack of space, forever having stuff piled on the roof and in a trailer so I decided the only answer was a quadtech . . .

As any reader who owns a 127/130 quadtech will know finding a decent one takes time but after several months of fruitless searching I came across G127EAC at The Defender Centre in Stourbridge in the West Midlands (UK).

A journey from my home in Poole, Dorset to The West Midlands was obviously in order. Fortunately my parents live in Shropshire so a weekend with them was swiftly arranged. My father came with me to view the vehicle and although The Defender Centre had several quadtechs in stock, some newer ones on 'S' and 'V' plates this old 'G' reg stood out by a mile and further investigation showed that it was most certainly very different to the rest of the herd.


To begin with it was one of the very early 200TDI 'Gemini's and came with a reasonably well documented history showing that it had only covered just over 28000 miles between it's birth in June 1990 and my viewing in October 2006. After a test drive I immediately left a deposit, returned home and waited for the phone call to say I could collect it.

A journey on the train from Poole and collection from Kidderminster Station by Mark from The Defender Centre saw me parted with the rest of my cash and heading for the M5 with a huge grin on my face for a totally relaxed and uneventful drive back home in my 'new' 127.

Documentation shows that G127EAC was sold by Droitwich Garage Ltd to R J White and Sons Ltd, Electrical and Civil Engineering Services on 17th June 1993 with a recorded mileage of 3088

It would appear that R J White did not use the vehicle regularly but the records which came with it show regular inspections to the vehicle. A sample is shown below:

July 1995 MOT Recorded Mileage: 9588
August 1996 Recorded Mileage: 9599
July 1997 Recorded Mileage: 13184
February 2000 MOT Recorded Mileage: 13327
August 2004 Sold to The Defender Centre Recorded Mileage: 15837

A Mr Smith from Salisbury purchased it and in September 2005 it received a full 24000 mile service at main dealers Ottons of Salisbury

The September 2005 MOT shows a recorded mileage of 25056

It was sold back to The Defender Centre, presumably in 2006 and when I viewed it the mileage was showing 28147

My first job was to change the wheels and tyres, then get it signwritten






Then it needed fitting out . . . (Note the necessary coffee and food!)









The photos show one or two features that I have not seen on other quadtechs:

1. The elevating roof which came with the necessary bit of plastic to make it watertight when elevated. (These can be seen lying on the back floor in the photo taken when I viewed it at The Defender Centre)




2. The one piece full access rear door (which is also great when it's raining!)







3. The 'Conversion by Special Vehicle Operations' signwriting under the cab doors.






4. The 127 Badge on the front









5. On the left hand side it has a side entry door and is also wired for mains electricity with the plug at the rear left corner.

















It also came with the original owners manual.








Apart from what I would call expected things such as a new master clutch cylinder, replacement of one fuel injector pipe, a blowing exhaust, etc it has proved to be a very reliable and trouble free vehicle, sailing through it's MOT in 2007 with no problems and although it is looming again now I am quietly confident! As it comes up for 2 years in my care the mileage now reads 36644 – not bad for an 18 year old. I love it to bits even if it does need a supermarket car park to turn it round!
I would only have one wish – intermittent wipers – still I suppose that would be easily solved.

UPDATE: (October 2009)
In 2008 it passed through the MOT and once again . . .nothing wrong!
Leading up to the 2009 MOT the clutch gave up on me one morning after I had set off for work.
I had to put it into 2nd gear, then start the engine and limp home without changing gear again.
While it was being fixed they noticed that the back box was hanging off so I got that sorted as well. The result? After it's annual service by my mobile (Land Rover trained) mechanic - another clean MOT pass in September 2009.
The mileage is now 41000. As a treat last weekend I gave it a good clean and polish - I even climbed on the roof and did that. It was looking a little black up there!


My personal transport is an 08 plate Discovery 3 and I have previously owned a 55 plate D3 and a 51 plate Discovery TD5.



They say that Land Rovers get into the blood and I have to agree – I've just bought another . . .



So now I am the proud owner of three Land Rovers!

I am guessing that this 127 might have been owned by Land Rover themselves for the first 3 years of its life because of the EAC registration and 'LAND ROVER' on the number plates rather than the usual garage advertising.

The only vaguely similar vehicle that I have come across is in Martin Hodders book – LAND ROVER – Simply the Best where, on page 109, there is a photograph showing an official support vehicle for the Paris – Moscow – Beijing Marathon Raid which has a very similar rear overhang and the same signwriting under the cab doors.

Can anyone throw any more light on the first three years of this 127's life? I would love to know . . .

You can contact me via my websites at:
www.trgplumber.co.uk or www.roygriffiths.com

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