Glenn Parent
The Vermont Rover Club wrapped 2025 with one last late-Fall trail ride — a last-minute run with just a few Land Rovers but a great time nonetheless. Dave and Eileen Russ, Lyme, NH, with “Gadget,” their trusty Defender 90, and David Goddard and Heather Brady, Newbury, NH, with Otto and Jeff, their two mini dachshunds, joined the fun, and I led the group in “Spunky,” my 88’ Series III. We had a good ride on some challenging ledges, a few stops for refreshments and pictures on our favorite trails — overall, a nice finish for the year. But then, I believe that some of the best rides include only a few Rovers and some good old Vermont Class Four trails.
When Spring arrives in much of rest of the USA, it’s still winter in Vermont. As a long-time Land Rover tech and restorer, my clients and friends often ask me, “What’s the best way to protect my Rover from the harsh New England winter?” I loudly proclaim, “Don’t drive it!” If you must drive it (as I do with mine), at least get some kind of protective undercoating. I’m a fan of Waxoyl or New Hampshire Undercoating Oil products. A less robust product is Fluid Film. To be most effective, any spray product demands a thorough cleaning and drying of the underside of the vehicle before application.
Another good plan for winter is to check out the charging system and make sure your battery is up to snuff. Even Fall and Spring drives will benefit from a healthy battery. Remove the battery cable clamps from the terminals, clean them and apply some type of corrosion protection on the posts and inside the clamps. Another often overlooked item is a battery box tie-down to secure the battery; there is nothing worse than finding your battery dangling by the cables.
As for the charging system, an alternator is generally preferred over a generator as its output is not tied to engine speed. If equipped with a generator (Series I–early Series IIA), they don’t really charge at an idle until you rev it up a little bit. At a fast idle, your multimeter or voltmeter should show 13–14 volts. With the engine off, a health battery will read 12.5 volts. Conversion kits from generator [positive ground] to alternator are available from Rovers North along with a small wiring harness that makes an alternator conversion easy.
Before taking your Land Rover out of storage (or after a winter of driving), consider an oil change from 10W40 oil to 10W30 or 15W40 on Series Land Rovers. Don’t forget a filter change as well. Castrol GTX is a personal favorite, and I have used it on many Series I–IIIs over the years with good results. In addition to engine oil, drain and replace 80–90 weight gear oil in your swivel balls, front and rear axles, transfer case and transmission.
With the hope that our winter conditions will exit the state by May, the Vermont Rover Club will host their fifth annual Weenie Roast on Mother’s Day weekend, May 15–17, in Grafton, VT, with the famous Roast taking place on Saturday, May 16. All are welcome to attend; for more information, check out the Vermont Rover Club’s social media page on Facebook or Instagram, or contact me via email at gproverguy@gmail.com
Or just show up that weekend. As our Dave Sweetapple liked to say:
“You want to be in the club?” “Okay, you’re in the club.”