[Jeff48]

OK folks
Here's the followup
After removing everything that's needed to remove so I could get it out of park (It's harder than you think for a 97 and involves removing the ENTIRE center console), my brilliant son in law (who is a luxury car technician in Memphis) rechecked all the fuses, fusible links and relays. All Perfect. While he was under the dash checking the main panel he found a disconnected 8 place connector tucked in under the fusebox. He asked me where it went. I told him I found it hanging loose, could not find anything that looked like it fit into so I thought it was simply a connector to something that was an non installed option. He pushed around a bunch of wires and found a mating connector. Without a second thought he plugs it in and turns the key. Result is one perfectly running 1997 Land Rover Discovery XD and a very grateful father in law. The moral of the story is --- if there is a disconnected connection make sure it is not disconnected by accident. This one must have just not been properly connected by the first owner after some disconnection and has now finally just worked itself loose.

BTW the connector was for the MFU (Multifunction Unit) which, needless to say controls all the electronics that were acting like idiots.

Thanks to all who helped.