Sure, the new Land Rover Defender may be loaded with features and advanced technologies but it doesn’t have quite the small ‘cool factor’ as an older model. This particular Defender recently restored and modified by Osprey Custom Cars is especially desirable.
Osprey left no stone unturned when creating this Defender and started off by stripping down the off-roader and fitting a new galvanized chassis. The standard engine was then removed and replaced with a Corvette LS3 V8 coupled to a 6L80E six-speed automatic transmission. Drive is sent through a heavy-duty LT230 transfer case with a center differential lock and powering all four wheels. The engine delivers 435 hp and 445 lb-ft of torque, more than enough for a classic Defender like this.
Beyond the engine, Osprey has also fitted heavy-duty front and rear axles alongside Terrafirma Pro Sport shocks, Terrafirma shocks, Terrafirma caster-corrected front and cranked rear radius arms, a Terrafirma steering damper, and new track rod, and drag link. There is also a Griffin aluminum radiator, stainless steel oil cooler, fuel, and brake lines, and 16-inch matte black wheels wrapped in 285/75 Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT all-terrain tires.
Extensive work has also been done to the exterior of the vehicle. This includes the fitment of re-painted panels finished in Santorini Black, a new wire mesh grill, gloss black light surrounds, and black side intake vents with a gray mesh wire insert.
Various interior upgrades complete the build. These include a new dashboard with a double-DIN infotainment display with Bluetooth and wireless Apply CarPlay and Android Auto. The Defender also has navigation, an eight-speaker Rockford Fosgate sound system, remote start, and new leather seats.
Rumors that Land Rover would be bringing back the three-row variant of the Defender emerged a couple of years ago, and rose in volume when a suspicious elongated Def was spotted testing in summer. Well, the latest patent shots leave no room for doubt: the Defender 130 is coming back.
The most intriguing thing is that, compared to the standard version, the new Def 130 relies on a huge rear overhang to accommodate the rear seats, while its wheelbase stays the same length. Land Rover never did anything like that, and one has to wonder just how well balanced the car can be with over 5.1 meters (16.7 feet) of body length and a meager 3,022 mm (9.9 feet) between the axles.
The launch is expected in 2022. In all likelihood, the company will primarily target the markets of China, North America and Middle East with this model.
Every petrolhead should own a Defender at least once in their lives, but which one to get and what to look out for?
My dad bought my mum a Land Rover Defender to teach her a lesson after she kept scraping her car down the side of the house. (It was an awkward driveway.) She was horrified and demanded its immediate return. He lost a wedge but she never scraped her car again.
A Landie can have that effect. Some people love them (a family friend had a County that he wouldn’t shut up about) while others loathe them (see above). If you have a proper job for one or just buy into the whole ‘one life, live it’ thing, you’re probably of the former persuasion.
We’re considering the Defender here because it’s the version that most buyers are likely to encounter. It was launched in 1990 as the replacement for the prosaically named 90 and 110 (the numbers refer to the length of their wheelbases in inches), its name prompted by the new Discovery.
Fortunately more than just a new name, it featured a new, more powerful and economical 2.5-litre turbo diesel engine called the 200 TDi, coil suspension in place of the old leaf spring set-up, the option of power steering and updated styling, all without diluting its predecessor’s legendary off-road ability.
The next big event for the Defender was the 1994 arrival of the 300 TDi – still 2.5 litres but comprehensively reworked and deemed good enough for the Discovery as well. Four years later, this was replaced by the all-new 2.5-litre five-cylinder Td5. Designed to conform to tough new emissions rules, it relied on more electronics than before. Grizzled Landie buyers feared the worst, but the engine has proved to be reliable.
Skip forward to 2007 and the Td5 got the heave-ho in favour of Ford’s torquier 2.4-litre Puma diesel engine (as used in the Transit van), mated to a six-speed gearbox.
It’s fair to say that with this combination, the Defender came of age – sort of. It was still composed of a collection of separate parts and could be dismantled and rebuilt as required, but it was now more powerful, more frugal and more refined, at least in Landie terms.
That said, diehards bemoaned the new, full-width dashboard, a combination of Discovery and Transit components with a few Austin parts (switchgear from the Metro and the ignition switch from the Marina) thrown in for good measure that they claimed was inferior to the old one.
Whatever the truth, the heating and ventilation system was a big improvement. In 2012, the 2.4-litre engine was replaced by an equally powerful 2.2-litre one, still by Ford, designed to meet the forthcoming Euro 5 emissions rules. And it was this that powered the final Defenders to leave the Solihull factory in 2016.
Whatever your opinion of the Defender, it’s undeniably a practical, modern classic that can be driven in all weathers. Prices are high, but buy a good one and look after it and it’s unlikely to depreciate. Fit mechanical steering and transmission locks and you might get to keep it, too.
An expert’s view: Chris Boyer, Quantock Classics
“A well-looked-after Defender will look after you, so favor service history and condition over age and mileage. A lot can go wrong if the car is neglected or abused. My pet hate is a roof carrier, as I worry the extra payload will damage the chassis and suspension. I also worry about what kick plates and sill covers are hiding. And don’t get me going on over-size tyres, which ruin what little ride comfort there is and drown out conversation. Parts availability is excellent. Just be wary of poor-quality parts masquerading as official ones.”
Buyer beware…
Engine: Issues include oil and water leaks, hesitancy, turbo smoke, perished or detached hoses, hot-starting issues and blocked catalytic converters.
Transmission: Check for oil leaks and ensure that the low-ratio and differential locks work. Check the operation of the clutch, as it can fail in as little as 35,000 miles.
Wheels and suspension: Front-wheel swivel joints wear, get pitted and then leak, affecting thesteering, which has a lot of rods whose bushes and bearings also wear and leak. The hubs can leak oil onto the wheels.Check none of the coil springs are broken. Inspect the unions at the end of the copper brake lines, as they can rust and leak. Do an emergency stop to check the car pulls up straight.
Chassis: Rust attacks whole chassis sections, including the rails that support the engine, rear springs and axles, plus the outriggers, which support the body (and, in the worst case, must be cut out and replaced). Check the condition of the exposed wiring loom.
Body: The floor corrodes underneath. Replacement back ends, floors and reinforcing cross-beams are available but expensive to fit. Steel door inners corrode where wet and dirt is thrown up from the wheels. The front bulkhead corrodes around the windscreen and fresh-air vents and in the footwells.
Interior: Heavy use quickly takes its toll on the seats and dashboard. Check for damp carpets and broken window mechanisms and door catches.
Also worth knowing
It’s crucial to get a Defender up on a ramp. Leaks from the engine and transmission will be much easier to see, as will rust. You will also be able to easily inspect brake unions, steering and suspension joints and springs. Seller not keen? Look elsewhere.
How much to spend
£6000-£9999: High-mileage 90s; those with a galvanised chassis from £9000.
£10,000-£14,999: Scruffier 110s and tidier 90s
£15,000-£18,999: Well-sorted, lower-mileage 90s from the 1990s; 110s from the 2000s.
£19,000-£24,999: Low-mileage 90s from the 2010s and desirable 110s.
£30,000 and above: The best cars for the deepest pockets.
Back to top
One we found – Defender 90 300 TDi, 1994, 164,000 miles, £13,995:
This tidy example has a fresh MOT, a good service history and a galvanized chassis. If you lack experience with the Defender, this is the way to buy a respectable old value-for-money one.
The Duckworth Aerover is a new overlander from England that combines the frame and front of an old-school Land Rover Defender with a body taking inspiration from a 1930s aero-style trailers, like the classic Airstreams. It’s a handsome machine, and Duckworth is now looking for a customer who wants to commission a personalized interior for this first build.
The Land Rover Defender is an iconic, British SUV, so it makes sense for the English company to use the model as a starting point. Duckworth notes that the vehicle’s size is ideal, too, because the footprint is large enough to attach a compact living space, yet small enough to be maneuverable on the road.
Also, the Defender’s design harkens back to the original Land Rovers, so it doesn’t look out of place with the polished aluminum body on the back. The styling cohesiveness would be lost if using the body from a pickup like the Ford Ranger or Toyota Hilux.
Duckworth starts with a new Defender 130 galvanized chassis and fits a self-leveling air suspension. The company uses the Td5 2.5-liter five-cylinder turbodiesel with modifications like new fuel injectors and a re-mapped engine management system. Tweaks to the clutch make shifting easier. As an alternative, a customer can specify the engine and gearbox from a BMW X5.
Duckworth makes the rear living area from an aluminum frame with aluminum panels riveted onto it. The company has to craft each piece by hand. Composite materials act as reinforcements for vulnerable areas.
While not yet complete, the builders intend to use spray foam to provide insulation. Solar panels on the roof and a 200 amp-hour lithium battery would supply the electricity. Air conditioning and heating from the diesel engine or from a shore power hookup. The Aerover would come standard with a portable chemical toilet, but a buyer could specify something different.
We look forward to seeing how the buyer commissions the interior. An Art Deco aesthetic would be perfect to bring the exterior styling into the cabin.
Article Credit: Chris Bruce Full Article: https://www.motor1.com/news/541978/land-rover-defender-duckworth-overlander/
On June 22nd, Richard Hammond announced that he’s making a show about the restoration of vintage cars on Discovery+. The Smallest Cog is how his new workshop is called, and the British journalist had to sell cars and motorcycles from his private collection to fund his latest venture.
As reported back in July 2021, Hammond auctioned off a 1969 Porsche 911T, a 1999 Lotus Esprit Sport 350, a 1959 Bentley S2, a 1927 Sunbeam Model 2, a 1932 Velocette KSS Mk1, and a 1977 Moto Guzzi Le Man Mk1. The Hamster managed to raise £231,524 from the sale, a pretty considerable sum that converts to $319,480 or €274,640 at the current exchange rates.
Produced by Chimp Television and Krempelwood, the show – Richard Hammond’s Workshop – made the Hamster appreciate his nine-year-old Landy. Purchased from new, the long-wheelbase model has been nothing more than a toy until Hammond started The Smallest Cog. It’s the shop’s truck, and like any shop truck, it’s chock-full of useful and random stuff.
“For 25 years, I’ve been coming back from my travels, going berserk at my wife and girls about the state of the family car. It was always full of girls stuff, hair slides, horse paraphernalia, empty coke tins, crisp wrappers. I declared it a health hazard and refused to travel in it,” said Richard. The tables have definitely turned, though, as you’ll notice in the featured video.
Although the Defender has had a rougher life than usual in the past months, it still appears to be in great nick both inside and out. Hammond forgets to mention what kind of oily bits the Landy has got, but chances are that we’re dealing with a 2.2L turbo diesel borrowed from the Ford Transit.
The unibody Defender of today relies on the Ingenium four- and six-cylinder engine family and the AJ-V8 that Jaguar introduced in the 1990s.
