Bespoke Land Rover Defenders
Having owned and driven quite literally hundreds of Defenders over the years, we’ve (perhaps unsurprisingly) learnt the difference between a good and great vehicle. Slightly disappointed with other ‘restorers’ cutting corners and saving money, we decided to offer restorations ourselves.
We offer bespoke Defender’s built-to-order, allowing you to chose your perfect vehicle and have input right from the very start. Each and every build we do it a very personal project for both of us, and you will be involved from Day 1.
Less is More.
Our philosophy when in comes to Defenders, has always been less is more. It’s such an iconic vehicle for so many reasons, not least how they are to drive.
We take the essence of the Defender, and refine a few edges to make them easier and more comfortable to live with.
We believe we build the perfect Defender.
We offer two levels of vehicle:
Tier 1
A Tier 1 car involves a complete nut and bolt restoration, culminating in an effective brand new - Zero Hours car. This is obviously a much longer, more expensive and more in-depth process, but give you an as close to new vehicle reborn today.
The car is stripped down to the bare chassis, with the Engine, Gearbox and Transfer Case completely refurbished. The axles are rebuild with new Brakes, Bearing and Steering components. The car is then rebuild from the ground up, receiving either restored original components, or new OEM parts.
These vehicles receive a complete new interior throughout, with any other cosmetic upgrades. The only limit to the build is your imagination!
For the US Market these still retain their original engine and chassis.
Tier 2
A Tier 2 car is a much faster and simpler process utilising a very good condition base car. The car is repainted and upgraded, with custom interiors and specification.
The cars undergo a through mechanical inspection with parts replace where necessary, with generally the suspension, steering and braking systems replaced as standard to ensure it’s in excellent mechanical condition
These vehicles retain their existing engine, gearbox and transfer box, and can be rebuilt if required. The original chassis is retained and refurbished.
The choice is yours.
The Defender 90
Our most popular car, the 90 (92.9 inch wheelbase), is more agile and manoeuvrable with its smaller dimensions, and thus more capable offroad. It’s capable of seating a maximum 7 people, although generally we’d recommend sacrificing the smaller centre front seat for a more convenient cubby box.
Available as either a 3-door station wagon, or soft top.
The Defender 110
In its 5-door Station Wagon variant, the Defender 110 is probably one of the most recognisable vehicles in the world. It’s the perfect car for adventures with many configurations and a large load capacity, and is capable of carrying up to 12 people as a station wagon. The 3-door model can seat either 10 or 8 people, depending on the rear seat choice. The 110 is available as either a station wagon or soft top in both 3 and 5 door variants.
Engine Options
We currently offer three engine options the 300Tdi and Td5 Diesels, and the Rover 3.5 V8 Petrol. All the engines come with a 5-Speed manual gearbox as standard and the LT230 Transfer Case. All engines are available in a Defender 90 and a Defender 110.
300Tdi
The 300Tdi is a 2.5 Litre 4-cyl Direct Injection Turbo Diesel engine and is mated to a R380 5-Speed Manual Gearbox. It uses the LT230 transfer case. For everyday use we would recommend the 300Tdi. With 111bhp and 195lb/ft of torque, It offers ample performance and is capable of cruising at 70mph whilst returning decent economy of around 25-30mpg. A longer transfer case ratio, improves the comfort and performance, whilst engine performance upgrades can take these power and torque figures much higher.
Td5
The Td5 is a 2.5 litre 5-cyl Turbo Diesel engine. It was introduced in 1998 to replace the aging 300Tdi and bring in an up to date competitive engine. Like the 300tdi, it use the R380 gearbox and LT230 Transfer case. As this engine uses an ECU to control the engine, the tuning options are much greater and at a much lower cost. Whilst it produces around 122bhp and 221lb/ft as standard, with a conservative Stage 1 Tune it can achieve figures achieve around 160bhp and 370Nm of torque, whilst a Stage 2 remap can achieve in excess of 200bhp.
V8
The V8 is an all aluminium 3.5 litre Rover V8 based on the Buick 215 from where Rover bought the rights. It is mated to the LT85 5-Speed manual, and also uses the LT230 transfer case. This engine makes a great weekend warrior. It’s a much more drivable engine being naturally aspirated, with great torque throughout the rev range. Fully rebuilt and with some great upgrades, it produces around 200hp and offers performance that might even surprise you!
The Restoration Process.
The Chassis Restoration
Stripping the vehicle right back down to the bare chassis is the first major step in any thorough restoration. The chassis is shot blasted back to bare steel and inspected. Any minor metal work is carried out, before the chassis is powder coated, and ready for rebuilding.Suspension, Axles and Brakes
The axles are disassembled, inspecting the differentials for wear and replacing the bearings. The casings are powder coated, and rebuild back up with new brake callipers, discs and pads. The wheel bearings are all replaced with new OEM items, and all seals and gaskets replaced.Engine, Gearbox and Transfer Case
For our Tier 1 cars, the engine is completely rebuilt by some of the best engineers in the business, leaving us with a brand new ‘zero hour’ motor. The gearbox and transfer case is sent off and rebuilt by Ashcroft Transmissions, world renown in the Land Rover community.Bodywork
The body work is stripped down to individual panels, and prepared inside and outside for paint. The doors are often replaced with new items, as minor galvanic corrosion can be established in the aluminium door skins. Panels are replaced as or when is necessary.Paint
Once all the preparation is complete, the panels are transferred to the paint booth. All the panels are painted off the vehicle to achieve the best possible finish. The underside of the tub is painted with a textured polymer-based sealant. Unlike Raptor-type paints, this rubber like coating ensures that the tub will look perfect for years to come, and helps reduce road noise.Assembly
Once the paintwork is complete, the body can be mated back on to the rolling chassis. First the wiring loom is inserted back into the chassis, then the tub can be fixed in place. The bulkhead is then mounted and the rest of the vehicle is gradually build back up.Interior
With the body now almost compete, the interior starts taking shape. The dashboard goes in first with all the wiring and electrical items, carpets can then be fitted on top, and the headlining is installed. The seats are then fitted, along with load bay mats and trims. For convertibles, the hood frame and hood is now installed.Testing
Each and every Defender will be driven on the road for around 200 miles. This shakedown testing ensures that the vehicle performs as expected and gives us a chance to recheck the vehicle after some road miles. It also commences the running in process on the engine.