D431 UGF - Full Dakar 4x4 company demonstrator build.
Completed March 2003.

Once the chassis on the donor was stripped of all the Range Rover body work it was cleaned and painted with a high zinc primer. The roll cage was now positioned and bolted down, this too was given a coating of rust resistant high zinc primer.

The standard fuel tank for the Dakar is a Vauxhall Cavalier 13 gallon unit, but these are becoming hard to source. Instead a new custom built unit was developed for the demonstrator that would work  with the original VDO fuel gauge sender and in tank fuel pump unit.

A new tray to house the battery was built and sunk into the floor beneath the passenger seat.

Solid doors are built along a similar design to those used on Rotrax kits. A filler section is required to be fixed to the Dakar's 'A' post and a flat 'B' post is made to both hinge the rear door and provide a latch location for the front door. Wooden templates are used to develop the design and will then be copied in fibre glass for the finished item.

10 inch steel wheels shod with BF Goodrich Mud terrain tyres are fitted and a side step designed to incorporate five bar tread plate grip. Land Rover rear light units fitted across rear wheel arches.

Fully assembled the Dakar is given a test run to ensure everything works and is secure prior to being stripped down a final time for painting.

Roll cage and all fittings are painted in gloss black with the sills painted to match the bodywork. 

Painted in Yamaha R1 Blue and with colour matching doors and sills the Dakar is finally finished.