The Land Rover Defender
The Land Rover Defender is one of the most iconic and sought after 4x4s in the world. Unfortunately they have not been available in the US for decades. We can restore your older defender and upgrade it with all the modern amenities so that you will love to drive it everyday!
Restoration
The Land Rover Defender 110 has always been synonymous with adventure in far off places, but why restore a 25 year old utilitarian vehicle when there are much more comfortable 4x4s to choose from?
The Land Rover Defender is a designed vehicle, its intent is to be used in remote parts of the world. It has a huge payload capacity for it size and a cavernous interior that can comfortably seat 5 people and all of their gear. The defender 110 is rated as a 1 ton vehicle. It can carry about 2500lbs of weight which means even if you are on an extended overland trip you will likely be well under its gross vehicle weight rating which translates to less stress on mechanical parts and safer braking and handling than an overloaded vehicle.
When equipped with a diesel engine, economy in the 25MPG range is possible. The suspension design is from the pre 1995 Range Rover, it incorporates coils springs at all corners with long radius arms in the front and a triangulated 4-link in the rear. This suspension system was designed for articulation, durability and comfort. The seating position is perfect with great visibility over the hood.
Although the Defender is a utilitarian vehicle its simple styling is timeless, the basic body shape is carried over from the Series II which was introduced in 1958. It is one of the only vehicles that can look just at home in the city as it does on a muddy jungle trail. Since the basic body and frame has stayed much the same through the years, you can easily upgrade an older defender with parts from a much newer one. For example a 1980s defender with a late model drivetrain, restored interior and all wear items replaced would look and drive much like a new Defender. 
The Defender 110 was only imported to the US by land rover for the 1993 model year and only 500 were available. These bring a huge premium due to collector value but there is another option. Any vehicle that is 25 years old or older can be imported to the US and is exempt from meeting DOT standards. So the alternative to seeking out one of the 500 1993 Defenders is to source a 1980s model from the UK. However there will be some problems if you wish to use it as a reliable daily driver.
Right Hand Drive
It will be right hand drive, this is easy to learn and there is some novelty to it but will be an annoyance at tolls and drive-thrus.
Limited Engine Options
The 1980s Defenders had 3 engine options, none of which really excelled in efficiency or highway speed cruising.
Rust and Wear
Finally, being an older vehicle from a wet climate there is likely to be rust and wear which can affect safety and longevity.
Rebuild your Defender
The Frame
First the body is removed piece by piece from the frame and the chassis is rolled out. If the frame is good with just minor rust it can be sandblasted, and reused, if the rust is pervasive then the frame can be replaced with a new galvanized one.
Axles and Suspension
Next all the suspension is disassembled and all the bushings are pressed out and replaced. As part of a left hand drive conversion a rebuilt power steering box is added. The steering knuckles on the front axle are changed and these assemblies are rebuilt and adjusted to a precise amount of preload for good steering feedback. Tie rod ends are replaced and heavy duty steering rods can be added at this time. The springs are replaced with factory units and the shocks replaced with Old Man Emu gas shocks.
The Drivetrain
The old drivetrain, from the radiator to the rear driveshaft is removed. The replacement drivetrain of choice is the 300tdi 2.5 liter turbo diesel engine coupled to an R380 5speed transmission and lt230 transfer case. Many new parts will be used such as the radiator and hoses, the exhaust system, motor mounts, and the clutch. Because we stock service and replacement parts for this motor scheduled maintenance is quick and easy.
The Body
Next the body will be inspected. All of the outer sheet metal is aluminum so chances are many panels can be good but could have dents or electrolytic corrosion. There are however major structural parts made of steel. One is the bulkhead, the firewall that divides the engine bay from the interior. If rust is found here then all the parts attached to it such as the dash assembly, steering column and pedals will be swapped over to a new one or the old one stripped to bare steel and refurbished. At this time many original parts can be reinstalled in the left hand drive configuration. At this point the bulkhead is reinstalled onto the newly rebuilt rolling chassis. If no other rust or damage is found then the rear body will also rejoin the frame followed by the fenders, grill and hood. Wear items like hinges and latches can be replaced with newer, improved units and all new weather stripping will be added. Finally additional sound deadening and insulation will be fitted to make the truck quieter and to block heat and noise from the drivetrain from transmitting to the interior.
Comfort and Safety
Now that all mechanical aspects have been addressed we can focus on comfort and safety. Options for seat upholstery included vinyl, cloth or leather. New door panels or headliner may need to be installed to further renew the interior. The gauges can be upgraded to VDO units that are more accurate and easier to read at night. The interior may benefit from cargo tie down points in the back or interior lights that comes on when the doors are opened. If the vehicle is to have an intended purpose, then a well though out series of modifications can be carried out on the Rover. For example if the main purpose is camping then a dual battery system can be installed to charge cameras and phones and run a fridge to keep food cold. If off road use is intended then durable more aggressive tires can be installed as well as an air compressor to reinflate them after airing down. Whatever the use or combination of uses the vehicle can be configured to meet your needs precisely. Any of these steps can be individually applied to any Rover to improve it a little here and there over time but the full rehabilitation is by far the most cost effective solution to owning a defender that will provide yeas of flawless service.
Upgrades
Turbo diesel conversion
The Land Rover 300tdi is a 2.5 liter direct injection turbo diesel that is known the world over for its robust and econmical nature. If you have the need to improve the fuel economy or reliabilty of your Land Rover, this engine is the answer.
Heavy duty tie rods
The factory track rod and drag link are notoriously easy to bend when off
road, we can upgrade these to heavy duty high clearance units.
Power steering conversion
Many older Defenders came fitted with manual steering. We can convert your
Defender to power steering to make parking and off road use easier on your
arms.
Brake upgrades
Early Defender brakes are adequate but could stand some improvement. We can upgrade your front
brakes from solid brake discs to vented brake discs and wider calipers
like those that come on newer Defenders. We can also convert your rear
drum brakes to discs using all factory Land Rover parts. Finally a more powerful brake booster and new style master cylinder will take the strain off your right foot when braking.
Brake lines
Many Rovers have brake lines which are severely corroded creating a
dangerous condition. We can replace them with stainless
steel brake lines for the ultimate in corrosion resistance and longevity.
Hard top to soft top conversions
We can convert your hard top Rover to a soft top using all factory parts.
This includes installing a new hoop set, canvas top and replacing the rear
door with a tailgate.
Defender door locks
We can key all your doors so they open with the ignition key.
Cargo lashing points
If you frequently carry cargo in you Rover you may have notice the lack of
good tie down points in the load bay. We can add some Genuine Land Rover lashing points so that you can easily and safely secure whatever
you might carry.
Seat reupholstery
We can rebuild and reupholster your Defender’s seats to make them feel
like new. This includes refinishing the frames and adding new foam and
the factory vinyl, cloth
or leather upholstery.
Right hand drive to left hand drive conversion
We can convert your right hand drive Land rover to left hand drive just as
it would have come if it were originally imported to the US. There are
lots of upgrades we can do at the same time like convert it to power
steering.
Td5 dash conversion
We can install a dash from a newer TD5 defender. This provides a large center console to mount in dash navigation and additional factory style switches.
Dash problems
Defenders are known to have problems with the plastic dash parts
cracking and deteriorating resulting in a loose and rattling gauge
cluster. We can permanetly fix this problem by removing the broken plastic
gauge cluster support and installing a metal one.
Sound deadening
Rovers by nature are noisy vehicles whether it’s the sound of your tires,
engine, or gear whine from the transmission. Installing a sound deadening
material in your Rover will help lessen these noises and make the drive a
little more civilized.
Rear jump seats
We can add inward facing jump seats the to back of you Rover to extend its
passenger carrying capability. Jump seats come in two types; individual
seats installed in pairs on either side or two man seats installed one on
each side. Either configuration will add seating for 4 with the individual
units being the more comfortable. We will also add lap belts to each seat
installed.
Locking Center Console
A locking center console can provide a secure means of storage, especially in soft top Rovers. It also provides a place to mount a radio and additional 12 volt outlets.
Galvanized frame replacement
If your frame is rusted beyond cost effective repair we can replace it
with a new galvanized unit. Most Rovers suffer from some degree of frame
rust that could make the vehicle unsafe if left unchecked. During the
frame swap we can also fix other rust prone areas like the bulkhead and
seat box and fit new corrosion resistant parts to complement the new
frame.
Trailer hitch
If you need your Defender to tow, whether it’s a boat, a small utility
trailer or log splitter, we can install a 2’ receiver hitc
Radio
If your Defender came without a radio, we can install one in the dash or
center console just like it would have come from the factory.
Gauges
Early Land Rover Defender gauges are known to be somewhat
inaccurate, also they can be hard to see at night as the backlighting is
inadequate. We can replace your gauges with very similar looking gauges
made by VDO. We can even replace the mechanical speedometer with an
electrical one that, unlike the original, can be adjusted to read
accurately with oversized tires. Some other recommended gauges include
fuel, temperature, voltage and oil pressure. For diesels we can add a
boost and exhaust gas temperature gauges.
Fuse Box Upgrade
Early Defenders came with glass fuses which tend to be prone to corrosion. This makes the electrical system seem faulty when really it is just a poor connection at the fuse. We can replace your early fuse box with a much improved fuse box from a later model Defender which uses the common blade fuse. This upgrade will also provide the opportunity to add additional circuits for accessories such as a fridge or additional lighting.
Transmission spline wire
Early Defenders are known to have a problem with spline wear on the
transmission output shaft due to oil starvation. We can prevent this
problem by fitting a cross-drilled transfer case input gear. If the
splines on your transmission are already worn the only solution is to
rebuild the transmission with a new output shaft. If you have an unusual
amount of slop in your drivetrain you may have this problem.
Contact North America Overland today to discuss repairing your Land Rover or schedule an appointment.