If you own a Defender then you have to be a bit of a fanatic. However, it has shortcomings and with the number of overland trips I was doing with clients and family, I required my Landy to be fully functional at all times. The old dash had its routes back in 1956 and never moved forward with the times. Afterthought bits and pieces of plastic added randomly did not work for me, especially when they routinely broke off. I wanted a dash that was not only robust but could survive the rigorous off-roading in Africa, as well as being functional and aesthetically pleasing.

As much as I love my Landy, I was very aware of its shortcomings and its vast ability to be upgraded and personalised. The original dashboard was not a part anyone at Land Rover appears to have taken much time to think about. I think Land Rover rode on the wave of their legacy box shape nostalgia. They simply added bits and pieces of plastic in the hope of satisfying owners. These pieces of plastic broke in no time due to harsh conditions and the sun making them brittle. There were also not enough gauges or switches to optimise the Defender's full potential.

It was created specifically to overcome shortcomings in the original dashboard design. It is functionally and aesthetically a huge improvement. All functions are at your fingertips!

I wanted my Landy to be the best it could be. I wanted a strong and robust unit that did not shake, rattle and fall apart. I wanted an air system that did not leak. I wanted functionality at my fingertips. I also wanted a lockable cubby.

The dashboard is made of 2mm aluminium that is CAD designed, Laser cut, machine bent, TIG welded and powder coated.

We use Carling switches in double format. These are readily available.

No. I bought blank switches and had them laser engraved to my exact specifications. This is relatively cheap even in South Africa.

I retrofitted my landy with VDO gauges and they worked just fine. You can just transfer your old gauges across or even go for LED gauges.

Absolutely, rip it out and bin it. Just keep the parts that you need.

You disconnect the existing wiring and air piping carefully. You then remove the existing dashboard in its entirety. Connect the 2 x new arms for the below windscreen air vents. Install the supplied air tray over the said air vents and install the pipe bracket for the heater/blower onto the bulkhead/firewall. Land Rover have thoughtfully pre-installed a track on the bulkhead/firewall just below the windscreen into which the new dashboard hooks. Connect the piping with soft flexible piping and stainless steel clamps. Get an auto-electrician to wire up your gauges and plugs. There is ample space to work inside the new dash. Any auto electrician worth his salt will provide you with master plugs which will allow you to disconnect both your centre console and driver’s binnacle with ease. This will give you full access to the heart of your dashboard.

The SLK dashboard simply slips into a conveniently installed slot just below the windscreen. Then on completion, you drill 2 x holes into the bulkhead/firewall below the new dashboard and screw in 2 x self-tapper screws. It's that simple.

There is an air tray just below the top of the new dashboard. It has 4 x rotating plastic vents that can be used to demist/defrost both the windscreen and side windows. This air tray connects to the blower/heater in the engine bay. The aircon can also be ‘T’ed into this unit. There is also a pipe that connects the air tray covering the bulkhead/firewall air flaps to the air tray under the top of the new dashboard.

Absolutely, provided you connect the pipes, re-install the control arms in the slot supplied and connect the blower to a power source, then you are good to go.

Yes, you can re-install your old Landy evaporator unit under our dash.

In all my thousands of kilometres of travel through southern Africa I have never had an issue with glare. On the contrary, with the angle of the new dash in relation to the driver visibility of the gauges and switches, it is better.

There are die-hards who will never change their Landies and they are entitled to their opinion. However, I personally think Land Rover sold us - the owners of their legacy box shaped Land Rovers - short. Anyone wishing to stick with their original Landy as stock standard are welcome to it. I have tried to keep our SLK layout as close as possible to the original with regards to the driver’s binnacle layout, but the rest is completely new and revised, bringing our unit into the 21st century. It’s still a Landy but better!

The speedometer is non-negotiable as is the temperature gauge and fuel gauge. I also installed a rev counter, volt meter, engine oil pressure gauge, a clock. However, these were all personal preferences. My gauge of choice was the VDO.

The cutouts on the centre console were specifically made for 6 x double Carling switches. I allocated them as follows : bull bar mounted spotlights, roof rack mounted spotlights, rear work light, back door demister, rear door water pump, back door windscreen wiper, blower, winch, inverter, compressor, fridge/freezer, hazard light.

These are redundancy KC switches. I used them as follows : bonnet work light, bonnet box work light, solid state fuel pump No.1, solid state fuel pump No.2, fuel tank petrol pump, additional radios.

Yes, I installed a double USB-3 charger for charging my cell phone and GPS. I installed a second USB-3 charger at the back of my centre console cubby for the use of passengers.

Any 6 inch radio/DVD/CD player of your choice will work. I chose a mid-range Pioneer that was touch screen and connected to my iPod which I magnet-mounted in the lockable cubby. The radio also connected via Bluetooth to my magnet-mounted mobile telephone that was installed on the RHS of the radio. My kids were able to watch movies on the move and in camp. No more : ‘Are we there yet ?’

For one main reason - it is extremely functional. And the emotional appeal has made the Defender withhold its iconic British presence around the world for the past 70 years.