Well it's been while since the last update so here's the news so far.

Sometime since the last update I picked up a good second hand tow hitch for £25, but I don't intend to fit it until after the MOT etc. I did manage to get the bolt for use on the front bumper from RJ's but haven't fitted it yet. Sadly they didn't have the grill screw I needed.

My uncle returned to help me on Saturday (8th) and we got started on a number of tasks, but generally had an unsuccessful day. Our attempt at fitting the new windscreen washer failed because the new squirter is designed for a larger tube size. It seems the late production Series 3 vehicles, along with subsequent Land Rovers used the same diameter tubing from the bottle to the T-piece as to the squirters. Mine being an early beast used a smaller diameter after the T-piece...typical. We next tried to fix the bonnet catch, so the bonnet would lock down properly. We eventually got this to work, although to release the bonnet I now have to shove it to the right while operating the lever. The mechanism is worn so won't ever operate properly (and particularly after we "modified" it while trying to fix it) so I expect ultimately it will need to be replaced, but it can wait. Next we investigated the fluid leak onto one fo the rear brakes, and discovered it was as had been suggested the axle oil seal leaking. Whilst doing this we tested the brakes and found the cylinder to not be operating properly, and it filled up with fluid preventing us from reassembling the drum. We tried to bleed the brake, but the bleed nipple sheared off, and attempting to remove the brake pipe simply broke the pipe itself. On one hand this did drain the cylinder, but now we need to replace it and all the pipe work on the rear axle - not helpful. On the plus side we did get the front left wing seated properly and bolted up, but this was offset by a flexible brake hose in the engine bay deciding to crack in the heat and letting all the fluid out.

On sunday I tackled easier jobs and started by putting one of the grab handles back on the rear crossmember. The other still needs to be broken free of the old section of crossmember that's in the back on the Landy! I finished off by fitting the battery retainer, that my uncle had fixed the day before. I would have done more but the wind was blowing everything around and lying under the car just meant you got sand blasted. After cleaning up I ordered some more parts to fix the rear brakes and the windscreen washers as well as some other small jobs.

The parts arrived yesterday, so last night I went out and bolted up the other wing as per the manual, but in doing so I broke the welds on the new part I had just fitted meaning that while the wing is held on securely, getting it off again will be very hard indeed. This will be a problem as I need to replace the inner wings before I start going off roading as they are lacking the plates that stop water splashing into the engine bay. I also screwed in the grill cover as I finally had the right screw, hooray, but while replacing the bonnet in it's hinges I broke a plastic bushing, for a second time. I think this is due to the hinge needing to be cleaned out with a file, and I'm not risking another bushing until I've done that. On the good side, I now have 2 new style squirters, a new T-piece and enough tubing to get the windscreen washing system into working order.

Today I went down to the Land Rover agent, RJs in Sawtry and picked up some JCB 2 tonne axle stands, some new bonnet bushings and some injector cleaner so things look all set for progress next weekend when we plan to redo the rear brakes. I'll only have saturday to work this week as I'm off to Snetterton on Sunday to watch the GT racers and then it's my birthday meal in evening (although it's two days early!).