I can definitely understand that side, too. Honestly, I don't think either answer is wrong, just different. I am surprised you've had so many electric fans stop working. I've never had a single one fail. Then again, I've never personally had a mechanical fan fail, but alas.

 

I'm subscribing because this is interesting... I fantasized the same trip a couple of years ago and researched the southern route to the nth degree. Around then my engine(s) went to poo and I've learned alot more about Land Rover engines and cooling (further discouraging me) and what I need to do to keep them going, but here's what I was planning to take (and I still have most of it):

Electric fan installed with mechanical spare
6 identical tires (16 inch wheels) with some spare lug nuts
Complete metric tools set from 6mm to 24mm, crank tool, 15/16ths socket, with various socket extensions, cheater bar, wrenches (including two 9/16ths) and pliers, breaker bar, impact sockets, compressor, air tools, lots of LED flashlights and gloves
Cash
Grease gun
Pick tools
O rings
Spare oil pump gear
Spare front driveshaft
Spare bulbs for all lights, replaced all that I could with LED
Adios to catalytic converters
Rear O2 spacers
Rave manual in good binder
New springs and brakes, HD steering and panhard
Remove tint
Replace plastic diff plugs with metal
New ball joints everywhere
Razor blades and shears
Check all bushings
Baling wire
Gorilla glue and rtv
Rebuild engine
Delete rotoflex and get double cardan rear axle
Complete set of computers and instrument cluster, matched
Roof rack, ladder, ARB bumper, winch
Wheel chocks
Screwdrivers
Code reader that resets everything
Spare inertial and brake switches, and crank sensor
One spare headlight (entire assembly)
Radios (hand held and cb)
Duct tape (HD)
Spare head gasket kit
Seal puller
Spare front seal and rear seal
Spare injector set
Dual battery (didn't get to that)
A real jack
Oil/water temp gauges
Duct tape and heavy plastic (broken windows)
First aid kit (real one, in its own backpack)
Spare gas cap
New plug wires
Then enough fluids (gas, water, coolant, oil) to make it between cities in case of calamity
Gojo
Fuses
Relays
Wire and marine shrink tubing
Spare bolts for commonly dropped ones
Trash bags and rags
Octane booster
Seafoam
Brake cleaner
Front D Rings (got them but never put them on)
Extra oil filters (in case I have to drain and use a different oil due to leaks) and oil filter wrench
Tow straps

The list went on a bit but I can't remember the rest. Many of the consumables can be bought. A fuel filter is a must (see Alex) though gas in Mexico is very good it isn't as good South of there. Anything else I figured I could have shipped pretty quickly (I was secretly hoping the forum would bail me out with parts help if I got stuck).

The list got so big that I bought a small military trailer on a lark and flipped the axles, but then considered how much extra that would cost to get past the Darien Gap. So I have a very tall, heavy, military trailer now that has been towed twice in two years and a pintle hitch. It is taller than my lifted Disco with the canvas on and probably as heavy as a compact car. But it looks cool and the pintle hitch makes a great point for pulling.

If I had two years I might figure out and implement some sort of engine swap. The Chevy v8 4.3 is a popular engine South of the border and forum member has successfully swapped one into a Disco II. Our transmissions don't worry me at all but the Disco engine and cooling situation gave me, and continues to give me, pause. I hope you prove me over cautious!

 

Holy **** just tow another disco with you!!! Hahaha.

 

Hell of a list, Charlie. Only thing I see on there that's totally useless is the octane booster. The stuff doesn't do anything, I afraid.

As for the military trailer, that sounds really cool! Not exactly what I would've chosen, but realm cool. Haha

 

Hahaha. It was a jackass purchase. I saw it on the side of the road and bought it on the spot from a widow getting rid of her deceased husband''s toy collection, for 400 bucks, then had to find a pintle hitch. Intetesting note: a trailer with a pintle hitch makes fun noises as you drive. Finding the hitch on a Sunday was an adventure. If memory serves it is a 3/4 ton trailer so it holds alot, and is heavy! When I flipped the axles I lifted it with a gantry on the front of a backhoe and it was a balancing act. Heavy. Oh, and it dumps!!!! Hahaha. Suits my unloading procedure.

Wife told me to get it out of the driveway ten minutes after I got home. She has her limits.

Octane booster is snake oil but I read that low octane gas ("magna") was all that was available in some places.

 

Hahaha right! I've always said that every new disco should have come with a free disco for parts.

 

Still taking RTV?

 

Well for that price, I guess I would've bought it too. That's a steal. Dual axle or single? I've got a little single axle trailer on a 70s camper frame and axle. Its a sturdy, heavy little thing too. Complete with rebar floor. Ugly as sin, but I swear I could never break it.

 

ASTUTE observation DiscoBuckeye!

Absolutely not; that was my OLD list. The only reason I would take RTV now would be to sabotage other land rovers.

 

Single axle with military tires. I am hunting a picture of it. It is sitting in a field right now with weeds as tall as the trailer.

Okay, here we go. I know you have seen my old Mercedes--IT WAS NOT TOWING THE TRAILER (nor could it). These were in the golden ten minutes when I had it in the driveway (before flipping axles). Mercedes parked in front so it couldn't be moved (which didn't work, sadly).








The South American Special!

Note my poor Disco in the foreground. Pre-ARB. Well, no, that one may be the one that was hit in front of my house. Pre-hit. Not sure. Anyway, I boxed it in on all sides but wife said NO.

Another problem is that it doesn't have a jack, it has a "foot". So if it is loaded, it would be very hard to lift up or lower down to a hitch--I figured that, and the pintle setup, would make it harder to steal.

Post flip, it is 7 or 8 feet tall.