One of the great things about Land Rovers is the ability to open a flap in the bulkhead to let cooler air into the cab… (until 2007 that is, when these vents were dropped in favour of air conditioning)

The idea is simple and very effective. Combined with the vents in the safari roof, air flow through the cab is quite high even at a slow speed.

The “scuttle vents” (to give them their correct name) on LGL have been open since August! They’ve let in a lot of cool fresh air along with the occasional unwanted visitor. A stunned and angry wasp in the car is not a good thing. The day I drove to the test centre in August, I had to stop to let a bee out… he’d wandered in through the vent.

Later models, sensibly, had vent screens to keep unwanted passages out. I don’t think the Series 2 ever had them specified…. he checks the parts catalogue… Nope. Vent screens were not fitted as standard or offered as an optional extra on the Series 2 or 2a. They were, however, fitted as standard on the Series 3.

When the original bulkhead arrived back from Ashtree, taped to the top rail was a set of used Series 3 screen vents. Odd. They weren’t mine. I hadn’t planned on fitting any as drilling the fixing holes would be very difficult.

I got chatting with a gentleman in the carpark of our local supermarket last weekend and he enquired why I didn’t have any scuttle vent screens fitted. I said it was very hard to get a drill into such a confined space. Which is it.

Yesterday, I was in our local hardware store which is closing down due to another hardware store (selling exactly the same stuff) opened next door. Yesterday was their last day and they were practically giving stuff away. At a discounted price of 40% I bought a Dremel. With the flexible attachment, I would be able to drill the 12 holes in the bulkhead and fit the scuttle vent screens.

Game on…

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Grotty Series 3 screen vents

 

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This plastic cover, protected the wiper motor fitted to the later models.

 

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Easily removed though…

 

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A good scrub in a bucket of soap water with a wire brush got all the oily sludge off.

 

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With a couple of coats of black paint, things will match nicely in the cab

 

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This is where they’ll be fitted. One each side.

 

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First of all, the bracket on the back of the scuttle vent is removed…

 

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… and the opener removed from the bulkhead

 

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New Dremel… even the case is good quality.

 

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Dremel with flexible drill attachment

 

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Perfect fit. I couldn’t get the hand drill in this space.

 

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‘couple of minutes later and the holes are all drilled

 

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The vent is offered up and with the help of a long extension, the vent is fixed using some stainless steel self tapping screws.

 

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Drivers side complete… and repeat on the passengers side.

 

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Both vent screens fitted and less chance of having critters ending up inside the cab.

I’m glad I sprayed the vent screens black, they look right at home. Not sure the naked aluminium would have looked this integrated!