It all started from a student years dream. Having done my uni degree in the UK I have seen many Defenders on and off the roads. This car has always aroused excitement and I have always seen the potential of it in distant travelling. Some 18 years after completing my degree and having worked my ass of I could finally afford to buy one. That’s how Simba joined the family. He has started as a completely stock car “cub” when I got it and over the years turned into a fully grown lion able to roam the wilds of the world. The car was imported for me from Germany with 30000km bought from an owner of a dental practice in Chemnitz. I immediately fell in love with it and saw how I would love to see it in the future.
This was my first fill-up on a petrol station. I was proud as a father seeing my son to be looking majestically taking the first sips of petrol. My first journey was epic. But I didn’t wait long to start modifying the car but more on the modification in the Specs department. First ever trip off the beaten path I was very careful and cautious since I didn’t know how capable this Defender is. Regardless it being stock it was great driving country lanes and little woods and some muddy paths and getting stuck for the first time.
Following my first careful steps, I sat down with Jacek of Rayo Expeditions and made a detailed plan of where I would like this build to go. In the meantime, I have a few offing trips with friends just to get more acquainted with driving in difficult terrain.
I knew I wanted to sleep in the car so I bought the AluCab Icarus roof conversion and it was the best purchase I could do. This popup solution is just epic.I have made concepts of the front and rear bumpers and manufactured them with the help of a friend who is a car and aerospace design engineer. They came out just cool.
First more serious trip I have made was to Romania to the Maramures and Apuseni mountains. Simba did just great. Weather was not too good but heating did the job and kept me warm inside. After that short 2 week trip to Romania planning of the next one got started. Pin on the map fell on Georgia. The route was set to take us there through Ukraine and Russia and back through Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia to Poland.
