| Alan and Brian have a combined Land
Rover experience of over 50 years. Our Land Rover encounters thus far have included
everything from early Series I to late Range Rovers, and everything in-between, like
traveling, buying, selling, rebuilding, modifying, driving, owning, fixing, cursing and
most of all loving. Our first involvement was
in 1973, when as two toddlers, the out of the way camping trips being undertaken in the
family car, were becoming increasingly difficult. So the solution was to get a go anywhere
vehicle, so Dad and Mom (Terence and Ina Cotton) promptly bought a new Ivory SIIB LWB hard
top. From then onwards it was a steep learning curve, like working out what the red and
yellow knobs were for, and getting stuck for the first time. That first time was on a trip
to Ponta Chemucane where we spent the night stuck in a marsh, mozzies in swarm, all alone,
trailer in tow with the in-laws! Joining the Land Rover Owners Club soon sorted that out
and in no time all the necessary driving skills had been acquired.
The trusty LWB was modified to sleep the four of us, Mom and
Dad at the back, Brian on the front bench seat, and Alan on a stretcher
above. This Series 2A is still in daily use after receiving and engine
transplant and a chassis up rebuild. Camping
trips to some of the most unique and unspoiled destinations included Mozambique, Transkei,
Botswana, Rhodesia and the North Coast.
So as we grew up, Land Rovers were always an
integral part of our daily lives. Right up until today you can be
guaranteed of finding either Alan or Brian tinkering on some or other
vehicle or doing some or other Landy related activity. In fact it has
become more than tinkering with Brian running a reputable Land
Rover repairs and service workshop - LandyOnline Workshop, and Alan
running the LandyOnline.co.za website. |
Alan does the bulk of the maintenance of LandyOnline, in terms of keeping
it all together and fielding the general queries, while I do the technical
queries. At the age of 16 Alan did his first restoration job on a SIIA SWB,
which served as his daily transport for almost 14 years thereafter.
Subsequently he and I built another SIIA SWB. His meticulous nature and
need to do everything absolutely right led to the eventual unveiling of a
beautifully converted SIIA 109" TD Camper, which is currently in use
and kept in 'as new" condition.Since his
feet could touch the pedals he has been driving Land Rovers, with the proviso that if you
get stuck you've got to get it out. He adopts a very conservative driving style,
never going deeper than necessary, but always getting the job done with the minimum of
fuss. Over the years he has become a competent and experienced driver with several LROC
rally titles to his credit.
Alan was the webmaster for the
LROC SA website and was the creator of this site back in 1998.
Currently Alan drives a 1997 D110
Tdi, and uses this vehicle as his daily runner as well as for away trips. |
Brian is the resident technical fundi at LandyOnline, his general and
mechanical knowledge on Land Rovers is amazing. He has had hands on
experience on most Land Rovers and has a sound knowledge of the detailed
mechanics of the range of Land Rover engines, drive trains and
suspensions. A qualifies electronics engineer by training he is very
mechanically minded and extremely ingenious. No challenge is too great for
him when it comes to modifying and rebuilding Land Rovers.Brian was one of the first to put up a South African
Land Rover Website back in 1995, with "Brian's African Travel Guide" detailing
his proposed trip through Africa. His other Land Rover Web ventures include the GMC DV8
conversion pages.
Brains skills and daring behind the wheel are
also well (read notoriously) documented. He has won numerous LROC rallies as well as LROC
driver of the year.
He currently has two Land
Rovers on the road, a SIII SWB which he uses daily and his SIII 109"
camper. He is currently rebuilding a Range Rover 6x6 camper and doing a GMC
V8 conversion on a Disco 1 for a daily run about.. |
