Bullbar

Being a forward control vehicle with only aluminium panelling between my knees and stray donkeys, something substantial was deemed necessary for the front of the vehicle. A bull bar was therefore designed and fitted to the front. It is bolted to the end of the chassis rails and incorporates the 9000lb electric Warn winch. It is fabricated from mild steel plate and thick-wall tubing, galvanised, etch-primed and painted black.

Spare wheel carrier

Extra internal steelwork to support a spare wheel and carrier was welded into the section to the right of the rear door when Steve Parker modified the bodywork.

The design criteria for the carrier was as follows:

- It was to swing open when the rear door was opened from inside.

- As the wheels are very heavy (255/100 R16), the support bracket had to be substantial.

- A winch mechanism was required raise and lower the wheel from the carrier.

- The whole unit should never rust.

The final result is a structure of galvanised carbon and stainless steel. The hinge is a 20mm diameter stainless bar, running on phosphor-bronze bushes. A stainless gas strut provides the required variable-length link which allows the rear door to open with the carrier still connected to the latter. To relieve stresses from the rear door and hinge, the pin in the end of the gas strut can be removed easily, to allow the carrier to be swung away before opening the door from the outside.

To raise and lower the spare wheel, a demountable manual worm-drive winch is used. It is stored in the original spare wheel compartment when not in use, and bolted to the carrier's frame when required to raise and lower the wheel.