Description
This is a once in a life-time opportunity to purchase a unique Overlanding Land Rover Defender 130 300TDi capable of Global Overland travel. It is a 1998 Land Rover Defender 130 300TDi that was first registered in 1999 with a genuine mileage of only 38, 967 miles. It has had 4 former owners, the first being the British Army, hence the very low mileage! The Land Rover was based in Germany and was built by Land Rover Special Vehicles for use as a Forward Control Vehicle. This was a rare conversion as it was only used by a senior officer on the occasion of military exercises. There was evidence found in the cab of it taking part in NATO exercises. The engine has only done an amazingly low 38, 967 miles which for a 300TDi engine means that it has decades of perfect trouble free motoring ahead of it. I purchased the Land Rover in March 2021 from a lovely gentleman who bought it when it was still kitted out as a military vehicle. There were a number of telescopic radio masts and an air conditioning unit fitted to the roof. When the previous owner purchased it he removed the masts and the air-con unit and converted it into a basic camper which worked well.
When my wife and I purchased it we used it as it was, in numerous camping trips around the UK. However we had plans to travel further afield in our Land Rover and started making plans for a round the world trip when I finally retired.
A Defender 130 300TDi is very capable but we needed to ensure we had a certain level of comfort in the accommodation side.
So in 2022 we started to plan what we needed to do, to make our Land Rover into our ultimate overland camper, capable of travelling anywhere in the world. We needed the vehicle to be completely self sufficient for extended off-grid camping. As neither my wife nor I had the necessary skills or time to undertake the rebuild we commissioned a professional Land Rover expert based in Yorkshire, England, to build our dream Land Rover Camper. We had very specific needs and really took our time to chose all the right equipment and materials for the accommodation box. The original accommodation box is steel framed with external aluminum walls and door panels, we wanted to keep everything as light as possible with no wood used inside the accommodation box. To achieve this we chose aluminum composite internal wall panels attached to the steel frame with suitable insulation in between.
We also needed to have the ability to stand up straight inside so a Drivelodge Elevating roof with a specially commissioned waterproof beige ripstop material was fitted. The roofs side walls are fitted with mosquito net windows with zipped covers and the rear window is fitted with a clear panel to be able to lie in bed at night and gaze out at the stars or the Aurora Borealis, this feature works very well. The roof is fitted with a 150W Flexible Solar Panel.
We did not want to carry any gas in or on the vehicle so we chose a Wallas XC Duo combined diesel cooker and heater which we are very pleased with.
A comfortable bed and seating area is very important for us, so we had designed a 50/ 50 bed/ seat that combined ease of use and comfort. Like everything about this build it had to be specially designed to fit our camper. The bed is no exception and what we have ended up with is a very comfortable seating area that within 1 minute can be converted into a super comfy double bed. The bed/ seat mattresses are professionally made incorporating a mixture of firm, medium and memory foam which ensures a great nights sleep! Underneath the bed is an insulated 100litre fresh water tank for supplying the kitchen sink and external shower point on the side of the vehicle. This is via a Shurflo water pump. The water inlet is fitted externally on the drivers side of the vehicle. The Waeco Fridge/ Freezer is fitted on a slide out shelf opposite the kitchen sink and cooker for easy access. A portable toilet which can be used without chemicals is located in a cupboard at the rear of the vehicle. This means that when the bed is in position, there is still access to the toilet at night and also the sink or cooker if making an early morning coffee with the bed still in position. Adjacent to the sink is another slide out drawer containing all the kitchen cutlery and a further slide out is the stainless steel work top. This means that while cooking on the Wallas cooker you can easily have immediate access to the fridge behind you and the worktop and kitchen drawer beside you. All this can still be done while the double bed is still in position. The Defender is fitted with a dual battery system consisting of a 100 ah Lifepro4 auxiliary battery fitted onto a Flatdog Twin Battery Tray under the passengers seat. This is charged via the vehicles engine and the Solar Panel and linked to a Redarc Panel. The front cab is fitted with Puma Exmoor Trim black cloth 'Cooltec' seats, which are very comfortable and protected by Escape Gear canvas seat covers. We owned Land Rovers for many years always using a roof top or ground tent for camping, this was mainly in the Middle East where the climate was warm and suitable for this type of travel. When we returned home to Scotland we tried to continue travelling in the same way with a roof top tent. After the first year we realized that this was now not suitable for us, partly due to our age but also to the unpredictable UK/ European weather! This was when we decided to look for a Land Rover that we could comfortably travel and live inside on a global trip, when the weather was not so good. We knew that the best engine option is the Defender 300TDi due to its relative simplicity and reliability and complete lack of any electronics. We also needed a 130 Land Rover with a rust free chassis and bulkhead. After searching for over a year we eventually found our dream Land Rover. It had amazingly low mileage and the chassis and bulkhead were completely free of rust. The first job we did however on the vehicle was to have it professionally rust proofed to ensure it always remained completely free of rust. It was not cheap to have it done but it was well worth it for the peace of mind. Even in its first basic camper build it was a joy to be inside when the weather was bad. We affectionately named the Land Rover Camper 'Sultan' in recognition of our special connection to Oman. Every part of the build was very carefully thought through to make sure we got it right first time. Because it is a unique build nothing in the interior was "off the shelf" as everything had to be made to specially fit the vehicle. This included the elevating roof, the bed/ seat, the water tanks, the steps, the interior wall panels and all the cupboards and drawer units. Certain things are of course standard like the Wallas Cooker/ Heater, sink unit, the lighting/ electrical system, Redarc Panel, Sargent PMS EC 160 system plus the shore power connection. We also fitted two Seitz S4 Top Hinged windows 500mm x 300mm with mosquito screens. There are 2 LED reading lights strategically positioned for reading in bed at night! A folding table is stored on the wall adjacent to the side door which can be positioned when eating inside. This is nice when the side door is open and a nice view can be enjoyed. Also it is worth noting that in good weather the back doors can be opened to enjoy a nice view, while sitting in bed enjoying the first coffee of the day.
Externally, a fold down table (with attached sand ladders) can be used for a quick stop to prepare a coffee or meal while travelling. On the other side of the vehicle a full sized Front Runner stainless steel table is secured. This can be removed and positioned when setting up a longer stay camp. On the passenger side a Fiamma F45s awning is fitted to give shelter from the sun or rain when cooking outside. All the equipment manuals and instruction will come with the vehicle. At the rear there is a specially designed rack to hold a water/ waste jerry can. The roof rack over the front cab was specially designed using galvanized steel to ensure plenty extra storage is available. On the passenger side of the roof rack is a Bunducube Shower cubicle for external showers. The roof rack is fitted with a Fiamma Top Box and a variety of other boxes plus two jerry cans and holders for additional fuel when needed. Inside the cab there is a camera system with 3 cameras, The main one acts like a rear view mirror and the other two are for reversing and overtaking when driving on the left hand side of the road. A new Kenwood DAB radio has been fitted which ensures Bluetooth connections are available for phones and iPod etc. There is also a secure pedal lock fitted.
As we had also planned to travel internationally to remote areas and be off-grid as much as possible we consciously made the decision to leave the outside appearance of the Land Rover very much as it is. Apart from liking the patina we deliberately chose not to remove any marks on the body and not paint the wheels as we did not want to look like a very expensive shiny camper and thereby draw attention to our vehicle or ourselves. Inside, the accommodation is immaculate and very comfortable but outside we prefer the 'patina look'.
Despite all the effort and time we have put into constructing this very special Land Rover Camper we have decided to sell it. Unfortunately this is due to health reasons which has made it impossible for us to travel to remote global locations and be away for long periods. It is fitted with LED headlights and has just had a full service and is ready to travel now! If anyone is serious about completing a global overlanding adventure then I do not think you will find a more suitable Land Rover camper. I am selling the vehicle for what it has cost us to buy and build it. We would just love to see our 'Sultan' go to someone who is going to use it for what is was intended for namely, Overland Adventures.
