CUSTOM LAND ROVER DEFENDER 90
AT A GLANCE
ENGINE: 2.5L 200Tdi turbodiesel, 300Tdi turbodiesel, or Td5 (Td5 not currently legal for export to the USA)
TRANSMISSION: Five-speed manual with two-speed 4WD transfer case
BODY STYLE: Hard top, soft top, or both. (Inquire about the availability of D90 pickup truck.)
EXTERIOR: Your choice of color and wheels
INTERIOR: Your choice of color and materials
PRICE: from $49,500 plus shipping.
AVAILABILITY:
In almost all cases, we do not take custom orders for Defenders unless we already have the base vehicle in our facility. If you are interested in having us build you a Defender, contact us for pending availability, or keep an eye on our Instagram page. All available base vehicles are listed there when they are available.
What is a Defender 90?
Arguably the most recognizable motor vehicle of the last thirty years, the Defender 90 (or D90) is Land Rover’s evolution of the legendary “Series” 88, and was created to bring the classic Land Rover body style into the modern age. Built in Solihull, England, they are vastly more refined than their “Series” predecessors and fully useable on modern roadways. Even highways.
Unlike the last of the Series III 88’s from which they evolved, the Defender 90 uses long-travel coil springs at all four corners, full-time AWD, 5-speed manual transmissions, power steering, and they enjoy a roomier and more livable cabin. As a result, they are (by comparison to a Series III) comfortable, quiet, powerful and much better suited to daily driving.
But make no mistake, the D90 is still a savagely capable off roader, and has earned its reputation in the most difficult terrain on earth.
What will it look like?
What you see in the gallery above are just a few of the bespoke Defender 90’s we have built recently for clients, but how yours looks is totally up to you. Choose your body style, choose your engine, choose your paint color, choose what type of interior you want, and choose your wheels and tires and other details, and we get to work. Starting with a rust free, low mileage, and fully functioning donor, the exterior and interior are stripped for the color change, and the interior handcrafted in whatever combination of materials you'd like. Body is stripped and any flaws attended to, and the respray is done inside and out to a high standard. Wheels and tires are new, and the vehicle is reassembled, fully serviced and sorted, and test driven extensively to sort any niggles. Then we deliver it you, anywhere in the world, ready for daily use on road or trail.
So the finished truck is fully restored?
The word “restored” is a loaded one, and everyone has their own definition. In our minds? Absolutely not, it is not “restored.” We are starting with honest, healthy used vehicles. We are servicing them and checking them to insure proper operation. We are taking them apart and refinishing the bodywork, inside and out, in the colors we want. We are refurbishing the interiors in the colors and materials we select. We are reassembling them with the details and wheels and tires and finishing touches which suit our aesthetic. But they are used vehicles when we start and they are used vehicles when we are finished. And this means, in almost all cases, they are 20, maybe 30+ year old unrestored Defenders. Each of them, because they are not 100-point nut and bolt restorations, have many parts on them that, while functioning fine, are old and worn. Each of them, because of their age and because of the nature of old vehicles in general, can and will fail at some point. If you want a 100-point nut-and-bolt restored Defender, there are plenty of places where you can buy one, and we will be happy to refer you to those places, but if you want an honest, healthy, and beautiful classic vehicle, mechanical serviced and checked, cosmetically refurbished in the colors and with the interior materials and details you choose, we provide it for roughly one-fourth the price of a restored example.
What comes standard on the build?
The following items are included in all our builds at no additional cost:
- Complete strip and respray of the bodywork in your choice of color(s)
- Your choice of front grille from available choices
- Your choice of upholstery colors for seats, using high-quality German-made synthetic leather and/or available cloth
- Center console with integrated cup holders and cubby box lid upholstered to match interior
- Full hand-cut carpeting throughout the interior, front and rear, in your choice of available colors
- (5) stock steel Defender wheels painted in your choice of color
- (5) New all-terrain tires, size 235/85R-16
- New turn signal and other ancillary lighting front and rear
- Full mechanical check over and service
- Starting price: $49,500
Are there any optional extras?
This is a bespoke build, and many things are possible, but below are some of the common optional extras people ask for, including pricing for each:
- Air conditioning ($5,300 installed)
- Soft top conversion ($6,600 - includes three new doors, painted to match)
- (5) NATO “Wolf” wheels in your choice of color ($1250)
- Matte-finish paint on bodywork ($850)
- “Swingaway” rear tire carrier ($550)
- Bonnet-mounted spare wheel (+$425)
- Full leather upholstery ($1250)
- Heated front seats for driver and passenger ($370)
- Wood rimmed steering wheel with 3 silver spokes, or black leather steering wheel with 3 black spokes. ($475)
- Sound deadening/anti-vibration panels underneath interior carpeting ($400)
- High-build, rust-deterring undercoating spray on chassis rails and crossmembers ($450)
- Twin 12 volt charging ports in rear cargo compartment ($200)
- Twin USB charging ports in dashboard ($180)
Is there anything you cannot do?
Yes. We cannot change engines or transmissions here, as doing so would make the vehicle illegal for import into the USA. The same applies to suspension lifts, which complicate transportation and importation. We also do not offer stereo, speaker or navigation installations, as these are best handled with an installer local to you.
Any additional costs?
Just shipping, which is currently $3,900, all-included, to the available east coast ports in the USA, or Houston, TX. Defenders, because of their higher value, also carry an additional US Customs duty charge of $1,000. Port-to-port cargo insurance is also available to protect your investment during shipping, and it is $500.
How long does it take?
About 24 weeks, give or take, but but build times always vary a little depending on the availability of suitable donors, and how much work we have underway at the time of your order.
What are the terms, and how do I pay?
Typical terms are 50% of the price of the vehicle as a deposit to get started, with the balance due, plus shipping, when the vehicle is completed and ready to ship to you. In some builds with a large number of expensive front-loaded options (such as air conditioning, soft top conversions, etc) the deposit to get started may be slightly higher in order to cover the costs of ordering those parts. All payments are by bank transfer in US dollars.
Do you finance? Can I pay by credit card or PayPal?
No, I am sorry. We do not offer financing and we do not accept credit cards or PayPal for payment.