This Land Rover

Built as an export model on 3rd September 1996 in Solihull, England destined for Land Rover Italia Spa. Finished in Tweed Grey (GR4) a BMC/Rover Group colour from the 1960’s that beautifully blends classic and contemporary. This Defender has undergone our flagship Tier 1 restoration that involves all mechanical components as well as the chassis and body.

Starting with a very original two-owner vehicle that had covered just 151,000km or around 93,000 miles. The Defender was stripped down to the bare chassis which was sandblasted and powder coated Satin Black. The axles have been stripped down and repainted, again in satin black, the differentials were disassembled, inspected for wear and new bearings fitted. Each axle was rebuilt with new stub axles, wheel bearings, and oil seals throughout. The front axles also received new swivels. 

The original AP Lockheed brake callipers have been rebuilt, and new discs and pads fitted at each corner. The hard brake lines have been replaced with modern Copper-Nickel lines and the flexible brake lines replaced with more braided stainless steel replacements. The brake servo and master cylinder has been replaced with new OEM items. 

The suspension has all been replaced with new factory-spec springs and new Bilstein B6 shock absorbers. All the mounts have also been replaced. The suspension was reassembled with comfort-spec Polybushes. The steering box has been overhauled and new Heavy Duty steering rods fitted with all ball joints replaced. 

The Defender has been refinished in Tweed Grey with a contrasting Alpine White roof. The Defender’s bodywork was completely disassembled, and each panel was painted individually to ensure the best possible finish. New front door skins have been fitted to the front door frames, which on a dry climate and low mileage car were in very good condition. A new later-style rear door has been fitted which is significantly stronger than the earlier doors and allows the spare wheel to be fitted without a swing-away wheel carried. It sits on a matching set of Wolf Steel wheels painted in the Tweed Grey body colour, and are wearing a set of new BF Goodrich AT KO2 tyres in the size 235/85R16. On the exterior stainless steel nuts and bolts have been used to ensure that they look smart for many years to come, including a set of stainless steel wheel nuts and later-style door hinges have been used, as they are much stronger and more wear-resistant 

Inside the Defender, Chocolate Leather heated front seats have been fitted with a matching fluted leather cubby box in the middle. To allow more legroom in the front, the bulkhead has been removed and a strengthening bar, colour matched in Tweed Grey, has been fitted. In the back four individual rear seats have been fitted on top of a Genuine Land Rover load mat. The Defender features our Level 2 sound deadening package which greatly reduces the noise levels inside, and to further enhance the driving experience, an Exmoor Trim moulded matting system has been fitted in the front. The headlining and side trim panels have been retrimmed in two-tone alcantara matching the original colours, but adding a touch of luxury. For the warmer months, the Defender is fitted with OEM-style under dash air conditioning. 

All the interior gauges and switches have been replaced with new OEM items, and the dash binnacle has been replaced with a stronger steel replacement which will ensure it will last the lifetime of the vehicle. A NOS leather bound steering wheel from a later Defender has been fitted which completes the interior. 

As a Tier 1 restoration, the engine was completely rebuilt by one of the UK’s leading Tdi specialists. The rebuild included machining of the original block to accept new pistons, the crankshaft was reground, and new bearings installed throughout. A new gas-flowed AMC cylinder head was fitted, along with a performance VVT turbo. All the ancillaries were replaced, including the timing belt, oil pump, water pump, starter motor and alternator, and the injection pump was rebuilt. To complete the performance package, an Allisport intercooler was fitted. 

The gearbox and transfer case were rebuilt by Ashcroft Transmissions, the world leader when it comes to Land Rovers. The original R380 5-Speed gearbox was rebuilt in standard specification. We elected to have the transfer box ratio changed from the standard 1:1.1410 to 1:1.2, a 15% increase. This change can bring about two effects, either decreasing the engine speed at freeway speeds, making the journey considerably quieter and more fuel efficient, or allowing you to travel faster and more comfortably. For example, at 70mph the engine revs drop from around 2850 rpm down to 2400 rpm. 

This is an eye catching Defender painted in a historical British colour that blends classic and contemporary with an upgraded drivetrain and welcoming interior. Since completion, round 100 shakedown miles have been driven commencing the running in process of the freshly rebuilt engine.

$124,500