96 SE7 Disco 1 here! Heads rebuilt at 140k. 144k on clock. JUST put on 2" TF lift, 265/75 KO2 +50mm shocks, braded brake lines. She is a TOTAL offroad Monster STOCK! Giving her some more love to Overland some in AZ where I live. Does VERY well and has put some "built" jeeps to shame on trails.
Nice intro and congrats on a good buy! I just saw this video and will look for followups. I have essentially the same D1 except for exterior color and mine is a 1997. It's been my daily driver since Jan. 1999. It has been utterly reliable, never left me stranded, except for one time last year when the original starter died right in front of my local repair shop.! A few initial comments: If they still ride well and you see no leaks, don't be too quick to replace the Bilstien shocks. They are among the best available, short of specialized heavy duty, extra long off road shocks (and with those other mods may be required, such as spring retainers). The ABS on the late D1s is a constant problem. It also doesn't work worth a damn and causes rapid wear on the brakes. I disabled mine many years ago. The truck stops better without it and instead of replacing brake pads every 20K miles, I get closer to 40K. Only disable if you are comfortable controlling the braking yourself, but I've never regretted it. (I simply pulled the fuse under the dash to disable... I still get occasional "rough road" warning code, related to the wheel speed sensors, but just clear it and ignore). I also strongly recommend staying away from cheap brake pads and upgrading to ventilated rotors for all but really serious (muddy) off road use. I've been happy with EBC Green Stuff pads and their dimpled/grooved sport rotors (cross drilled/slotted were noisier). Now around 105K miles, I just installed my 3rd set of front pads, 2nd set of front rotors and rear pads and first set of rear rotors. Someone has been busy with paint around your Disco. The grills are always black except for a narrow strip across the bottom (I don't like that LED light bar either... instead I have the full bar and a large pair of Bella driving lights... more traditional/old school look, but also work really well). On your Disco, in addition to most of the grill, the bumpers, bumper end caps, front air dam, and mirror are originally all black (paint on the bumper metal parts, but raw plastic on everything else). My interior is similar to yours, but it's all Bahama Beige, where yours is two tone with some light Sand bits here and there, including the seats themselves. I highly recommend putting seat protectors on now, to keep them nice (especially sharing them with a dog). Don't be too quick to replace the driver seat... They have a lot of adjustment and can be pretty comfortable. Also cover the dash or use a window shade to keep sun off it... Or park indoors to also protect the tops of the door trim. A lot of exposure to the sun will blacken, crack and turn those into "alligator skin". The dash is particularly hard to fix. No amount of Armor All will prevent it! Take care of the ZF transmission. The original factory manual calls for fluid & filter change every 100K miles, but later manuals say 60K. Also NEVER drive with the parking brake on. That will quickly destroy the ZF and it will cost at least $6000 to replace. If your sunroofs don't leak, someone has kept the drains clear. Those get plugged easily and that leads to water inside, which will ruin the headliner (possibly happened in the past and is why your headliner has been replaced... although they do sag even when they don't get wet). I run slightly larger 245/75R16 Goodyear Wrangler Pro (commercial grade) tires. They are a somewhat noisy, but can take higher pressures for occasional towing. I have heard that the BFG KO2s are very good and run a lot quieter. My tire size is the largest possible without body mods or a super high lift. One of the rears on my Disco lightly grazes the fender rim under hard articulation. I have a set of Old Man Emu mid-grade springs that gave about 1 or 2" lift, but make for a bit harsher ride (the original springs sagged badly after just 20 or 25K miles, so the OME have been in there for at least 80K miles). I also have inflatable air bag "helpers" inside the rear, to increase the towing tongue weight capacity and keep the truck level during towing. Without the helpers, tongue weight max is about 150 lb.... With the helpers at 35 psi it's at least 300 lb. and maybe as much as 400 lb. These trucks can tow up to 5000 or 6000 lb. in high range and 10,000 or 12,000 lb in low range, so the skimpy tongue weight capacity is ridiculous. When I'm not towing the helpers can be aired down to 5 or 10 psi and have no effect. Removed my rear step years ago. The hydraulic piston to keep them up out of the way always goes bad. There's a video somewhere on CZcams about a DIY replacement much cheaper than the OEM part. Lifting the truck be careful of the brake lines. The originals are about maxed out with my 1 or 2" lift. I'm replacing anyway due to age of the rubber and have a set of slightly longer stainless steel braided hoses waiting to install. A couple years ago I also replaced all the hoses under the hood. This was after a boil over way out in the boonies (due to a poorly sealing aftermarket cap on an aftermarket coolant expansion tank, a long uphill climb at altitude, as well as w neglected coolant... luckily I had the original cap with me, put it back on, problem solved). Limped home and gave the system a flush, new t-stat (180, though it makes no difference), new hoses and fresh antifreeze (70/30). I used aftermarket hoses and all were fine, except the bottom radiator was a poor fit, needed trimming. That one I will only use OEM hose, next time. Also, check the plug in the top of the radiator, near the coolant recovery tank. If it's the black plastic original, go online to get one of the brass replacements and swap out ASAP. The plastic originals will fail and leak badly, possibly destroying the alternator (don't ask me how I know). Looking for best cooling improvement, I watched engine temps closely after evert change I made. It never actually overheated, even when the coolant tank boiled over, but I wanted to be sure. A cooler t-stat merely made warm up slower, didn't reduce running temps. The only noticeable improvement (a few degrees) came from installing a "Saudi grill" I'd bought years earlier but never gotten around to. If I had it to do over, I'd just modify the original grill by cutting out the fat horizontal bars, replacing them with a 1/4 inch black mesh, and adding some slim generic black rubber trim on the cut edge. That"s basically all a Saudi grill is (they were an option in hot countries, mostly to help the AC work better). I also like the different "look" of the grill. Painted mine to match the body and it emulates the older LR Series and D90 front end styling a little more. Speaking of AC, unless you live somewhere it rarely gets very hot, I bet you learn to appreciate the rear AC. The Disco has a ton of interior volume and the single front AC can't keep up all by itself on our hotter days here in Calif. I agree about removing the jump seats in the far back if you want more space. Be aware that the box behind the left-hand seat can't be removed (that's the rear AC). The right seat can be removed to provide a bin for storing other things. Unless you really need a lot of hauling space, I would not remove the rear bench seat. It folds foward mostly into the footwell and doesn't take up much space. I leave mine folded up most of the time, but it's been handy to have room for a 3rd or 4th person, occasionally. There is a "dog guard" available for the rear cargo area, but it sits above the rear bench seat, so only serves any purpose when that seat isn't folded forward. It also requires removing the load space cover, which I see is still in your Disco. Have fun with it! I'll be following your progress. P.S. They all leak oil. It's called "British undercoating" and has kept mine relatively rust free!
got mine this week a 1999 disco V8 Both sun roofs are sealed, thankfully...still leaks a little, but hey. yours says 4.0 but actually its a 3.9 but yanks like big numbers so they rounded it up.. previous owner removed step also. Oh and you cant use the jump seats when you are on the road here!
We have a 1997 Discovery 1 bought it in 1999 and love it. Second engine block so ready for our next 264k miles. More overlanding to come X O California
Bad news, Tama. The D1 was stolen a few weeks after we shot this video. So, the build is off. Sad to say, but this is the first and last installment you'll see on the Daily Disco :(
@@DifferentialComms oh god how cruel. I’m sorry for your loss!! You made a fantastic video to immortalise her. Do you think you’ll get another Land Rover in the future?
I have one just like this. It is for my son and daughter to drive through high school and after. I think I know this vehicle, seen it around. You probably have a good base for this project, and it sounds like the type of upgrade we may do in the future. Will keep watching!
Nice Looking Disco if i were you i wouldn't change the tyres because they designed to look good on any vehicle and we have had bfgs on our past 3 discos and they have been just fantastic looking forward to see the build.
that looks like a real nice condition D1 - their value is going thru the roof (check bring a trailer) I would not do the mods - I would fix the issues keep it stock and sell it and find something more worthy to mod - IMO (I own a low mileage 96 D1)
Interesting thought. There are some D1s that go for big money on BaT. But they have half the mileage of this one. I am not convinced I could get for it what I want. The biggest issue is the valve or lifter noise it makes when it's warm. It's not a bad thought, though. I'll definitely keep it in mind!
Indeed, values no longer make sense on anything right now. The problem would be finding a replacement if he sells. The mileage is high, so this will never bring crazy money. I would say keep it, as it appears in good cosmetic condition. If you’re mechanically inclined, I would just pull the heads to find the cause of the noise with the piece of mind of new head gaskets. These are simply motors to work on, and fairly reliable if you don’t get them hot. The transfer case leak is usually very simple. Also, make sure there’s fluid in the swivels. Nice find
94 disco here, V8, 3.9. I’ve built mine up as an over lander. Great vehicle, turns heads.
Good ideas :) Greetings from Rambling Lando
96 SE7 Disco 1 here! Heads rebuilt at 140k. 144k on clock. JUST put on 2" TF lift, 265/75 KO2 +50mm shocks, braded brake lines. She is a TOTAL offroad Monster STOCK! Giving her some more love to Overland some in AZ where I live. Does VERY well and has put some "built" jeeps to shame on trails.
Nice work! Thanks for your comment!
Mint condition....I'm a proudly owner of a 94 300tdi D1.....still in rebuild process.
No more videos ....just the first one.... :(
Nice intro and congrats on a good buy! I just saw this video and will look for followups.
I have essentially the same D1 except for exterior color and mine is a 1997. It's been my daily driver since Jan. 1999. It has been utterly reliable, never left me stranded, except for one time last year when the original starter died right in front of my local repair shop.!
A few initial comments:
If they still ride well and you see no leaks, don't be too quick to replace the Bilstien shocks. They are among the best available, short of specialized heavy duty, extra long off road shocks (and with those other mods may be required, such as spring retainers).
The ABS on the late D1s is a constant problem. It also doesn't work worth a damn and causes rapid wear on the brakes. I disabled mine many years ago. The truck stops better without it and instead of replacing brake pads every 20K miles, I get closer to 40K. Only disable if you are comfortable controlling the braking yourself, but I've never regretted it. (I simply pulled the fuse under the dash to disable... I still get occasional "rough road" warning code, related to the wheel speed sensors, but just clear it and ignore).
I also strongly recommend staying away from cheap brake pads and upgrading to ventilated rotors for all but really serious (muddy) off road use. I've been happy with EBC Green Stuff pads and their dimpled/grooved sport rotors (cross drilled/slotted were noisier). Now around 105K miles, I just installed my 3rd set of front pads, 2nd set of front rotors and rear pads and first set of rear rotors.
Someone has been busy with paint around your Disco. The grills are always black except for a narrow strip across the bottom (I don't like that LED light bar either... instead I have the full bar and a large pair of Bella driving lights... more traditional/old school look, but also work really well). On your Disco, in addition to most of the grill, the bumpers, bumper end caps, front air dam, and mirror are originally all black (paint on the bumper metal parts, but raw plastic on everything else).
My interior is similar to yours, but it's all Bahama Beige, where yours is two tone with some light Sand bits here and there, including the seats themselves. I highly recommend putting seat protectors on now, to keep them nice (especially sharing them with a dog). Don't be too quick to replace the driver seat... They have a lot of adjustment and can be pretty comfortable. Also cover the dash or use a window shade to keep sun off it... Or park indoors to also protect the tops of the door trim. A lot of exposure to the sun will blacken, crack and turn those into "alligator skin". The dash is particularly hard to fix. No amount of Armor All will prevent it!
Take care of the ZF transmission. The original factory manual calls for fluid & filter change every 100K miles, but later manuals say 60K. Also NEVER drive with the parking brake on. That will quickly destroy the ZF and it will cost at least $6000 to replace.
If your sunroofs don't leak, someone has kept the drains clear. Those get plugged easily and that leads to water inside, which will ruin the headliner (possibly happened in the past and is why your headliner has been replaced... although they do sag even when they don't get wet).
I run slightly larger 245/75R16 Goodyear Wrangler Pro (commercial grade) tires. They are a somewhat noisy, but can take higher pressures for occasional towing. I have heard that the BFG KO2s are very good and run a lot quieter. My tire size is the largest possible without body mods or a super high lift. One of the rears on my Disco lightly grazes the fender rim under hard articulation. I have a set of Old Man Emu mid-grade springs that gave about 1 or 2" lift, but make for a bit harsher ride (the original springs sagged badly after just 20 or 25K miles, so the OME have been in there for at least 80K miles). I also have inflatable air bag "helpers" inside the rear, to increase the towing tongue weight capacity and keep the truck level during towing. Without the helpers, tongue weight max is about 150 lb.... With the helpers at 35 psi it's at least 300 lb. and maybe as much as 400 lb. These trucks can tow up to 5000 or 6000 lb. in high range and 10,000 or 12,000 lb in low range, so the skimpy tongue weight capacity is ridiculous. When I'm not towing the helpers can be aired down to 5 or 10 psi and have no effect.
Removed my rear step years ago. The hydraulic piston to keep them up out of the way always goes bad. There's a video somewhere on CZcams about a DIY replacement much cheaper than the OEM part.
Lifting the truck be careful of the brake lines. The originals are about maxed out with my 1 or 2" lift. I'm replacing anyway due to age of the rubber and have a set of slightly longer stainless steel braided hoses waiting to install.
A couple years ago I also replaced all the hoses under the hood. This was after a boil over way out in the boonies (due to a poorly sealing aftermarket cap on an aftermarket coolant expansion tank, a long uphill climb at altitude, as well as w neglected coolant... luckily I had the original cap with me, put it back on, problem solved). Limped home and gave the system a flush, new t-stat (180, though it makes no difference), new hoses and fresh antifreeze (70/30). I used aftermarket hoses and all were fine, except the bottom radiator was a poor fit, needed trimming. That one I will only use OEM hose, next time.
Also, check the plug in the top of the radiator, near the coolant recovery tank. If it's the black plastic original, go online to get one of the brass replacements and swap out ASAP. The plastic originals will fail and leak badly, possibly destroying the alternator (don't ask me how I know).
Looking for best cooling improvement, I watched engine temps closely after evert change I made. It never actually overheated, even when the coolant tank boiled over, but I wanted to be sure. A cooler t-stat merely made warm up slower, didn't reduce running temps. The only noticeable improvement (a few degrees) came from installing a "Saudi grill" I'd bought years earlier but never gotten around to. If I had it to do over, I'd just modify the original grill by cutting out the fat horizontal bars, replacing them with a 1/4 inch black mesh, and adding some slim generic black rubber trim on the cut edge. That"s basically all a Saudi grill is (they were an option in hot countries, mostly to help the AC work better). I also like the different "look" of the grill. Painted mine to match the body and it emulates the older LR Series and D90 front end styling a little more.
Speaking of AC, unless you live somewhere it rarely gets very hot, I bet you learn to appreciate the rear AC. The Disco has a ton of interior volume and the single front AC can't keep up all by itself on our hotter days here in Calif.
I agree about removing the jump seats in the far back if you want more space. Be aware that the box behind the left-hand seat can't be removed (that's the rear AC). The right seat can be removed to provide a bin for storing other things. Unless you really need a lot of hauling space, I would not remove the rear bench seat. It folds foward mostly into the footwell and doesn't take up much space. I leave mine folded up most of the time, but it's been handy to have room for a 3rd or 4th person, occasionally.
There is a "dog guard" available for the rear cargo area, but it sits above the rear bench seat, so only serves any purpose when that seat isn't folded forward. It also requires removing the load space cover, which I see is still in your Disco.
Have fun with it! I'll be following your progress.
P.S. They all leak oil. It's called "British undercoating" and has kept mine relatively rust free!
got mine this week a 1999 disco V8 Both sun roofs are sealed, thankfully...still leaks a little, but hey. yours says 4.0 but actually its a 3.9 but yanks like big numbers so they rounded it up.. previous owner removed step also. Oh and you cant use the jump seats when you are on the road here!
Nice to see somebody using and building a D1 ! :)
Thanks! Yeah, they're under-loved and under-appreciated. Gotta give them some love!
@@DifferentialComms they sure are! Would love to have one again. I learned to drive in my dads old 1996 model.
We have a 1997 Discovery 1 bought it in 1999 and love it. Second engine block so ready for our next 264k miles. More overlanding to come X O California
“I’m not going to build it up crazy...”
Famous last words.
hahaha truth.
Welcome to the Land Rover family.
2001 Discovery 2 V8 owner here.
Thanks for you comment!
mint looking disco!
Checking in next video
300tdi do auto owner here bout to drive 5000km round trip with family can't wait
Sounds awesome!
beautiful truck.
Thanks for you comment!
Nice LSE!
Thank you!
I’m very excited for this series!
Bad news, Tama. The D1 was stolen a few weeks after we shot this video. So, the build is off. Sad to say, but this is the first and last installment you'll see on the Daily Disco :(
@@DifferentialComms oh god how cruel. I’m sorry for your loss!! You made a fantastic video to immortalise her. Do you think you’ll get another Land Rover in the future?
@@DifferentialComms oh shit no wonder I couldnt find it!!
Love my RRC..always been a chevy guy but this old is just so freaking cool.
I have one just like this. It is for my son and daughter to drive through high school and after. I think I know this vehicle, seen it around. You probably have a good base for this project, and it sounds like the type of upgrade we may do in the future. Will keep watching!
My 95 disco has 230,000+ and still running great. Knock on wood.
Subscribed 👍
Thank you!
Nice Looking Disco if i were you i wouldn't change the tyres because they designed to look good on any vehicle and we have had bfgs on our past 3 discos and they have been just fantastic looking forward to see the build.
Fair enough! Thanks for you comment!
@@DifferentialComms No problem
that looks like a real nice condition D1 - their value is going thru the roof (check bring a trailer) I would not do the mods - I would fix the issues keep it stock and sell it and find something more worthy to mod - IMO (I own a low mileage 96 D1)
Interesting thought. There are some D1s that go for big money on BaT. But they have half the mileage of this one. I am not convinced I could get for it what I want. The biggest issue is the valve or lifter noise it makes when it's warm. It's not a bad thought, though. I'll definitely keep it in mind!
@@DifferentialComms that is an easy fix - probably stuck lifter - either replace lifters or run thru ATF / Rislone and change oil to clean it
Indeed, values no longer make sense on anything right now. The problem would be finding a replacement if he sells. The mileage is high, so this will never bring crazy money. I would say keep it, as it appears in good cosmetic condition. If you’re mechanically inclined, I would just pull the heads to find the cause of the noise with the piece of mind of new head gaskets. These are simply motors to work on, and fairly reliable if you don’t get them hot.
The transfer case leak is usually very simple. Also, make sure there’s fluid in the swivels.
Nice find
4x overland is causing the price of these to sky rocket🌚
Good. Have one for sale just finished restoring
It’s a love and hate relationship with my D1.
Ain't that the truth! Thanks for you comment!
What ever happed to Safari Guard?
They died, but now they're kinda back? Haha I am not sure.
You can call it the double Ds LOL
I’ve never seen a Land Rover with a left hand drive
Glad to be your first ;) Thanks for you comment!
Funny how in UK it’s the jeep that’s unreliable and expensive to keep on the road
gotta be parts availability and mechanic know how, we dont see jeeps as the most reliable over here either.
Ese no es el disco 1
Si es el 300 TDI del año 95 en adelante
@@joseglez6090 entonces el que monta el 200tdi cual es?
@@elreydelcirco el disco 200 y el disco 300, se conciderán ambos discovery 1.
shame yours was stolen :(