Highlights
- Convertible conversion with recently renewed hood
- Ex-army Land Rover
- Previously restored, but retaining original interior
- Recent restoration
The Appeal
The Land Rover Defender ranks among very few car designs that are genuine icons, not just described thus for the sake of lazy hyperbole. Having been in continuous production (over innumerable iterations) from 1948 to 2016, it is one of the most recognisable shapes on the road. Tough as old boots and used by everyone from the Army to the Queen, it is intrinsically woven into Britain’s automotive fabric.
Because the foundations are so basic, it also makes a fine platform for customising to suit a variety of tastes and purposes, from fire engines to dolled-up city poseurmobiles. Strictly speaking, the Defender name wasn’t officially applied until the 1990 model year, but the preceding Ninety and One-Ten (named after their wheelbases in inches) of 1984-89 are effectively the same vehicle.
Because the foundations are so basic, it also makes a fine platform for customising to suit a variety of tastes and purposes, from fire engines to dolled-up city poseurmobiles. Strictly speaking, the Defender name wasn’t officially applied until the 1990 model year, but the preceding Ninety and One-Ten (named after their wheelbases in inches) of 1984-89 are effectively the same vehicle.
The version you see here is of military bent, customised with a full-length convertible roof but just as rugged as when it genuinely ferried soldiers around in a previous life. Want to inject your life with a sense of adventure? This well-travelled but thoroughly maintained 110 convertible will take you anywhere you want, and back again, with the option of letting the natural air all the way in.
The History and Paperwork
- V5 present, MOT until June 2023
- Believed to be an ex-army car
- MOT certificates dating back to 2005
- Known to have been restored and modified extensively over past 10 years
The Interior
- Cabin believed original
- Boot protected with diamond plate throughout
- Spare wheel included
- Metric dials with MPH inside KM/H on speedo
Inside, things are just as purposeful and straightforward as they are on the outside. The two front seats are in excellent condition, as are the plastics on the doors and the no-nonsense dashboard largely devoid of distractions from driving. The rear section is completely protected by a diamond-plate alloy cover, with a rubber mat to stop your boots slipping on it, while the new fabric roof fits neatly over a brand new folding cage, ensuring this Landie is ever ready to protect you from British weather.
The Exterior
- New LED front and rear lights
- Body panels all straight and true
- New convertible hood
- Colour-matched wheels and off-road tyres in good condition
The dark grey paint shows very few imperfections along the Defender’s simple surfaces. The front-right corner shows one stone dent on the body and a small surface rash on the bumper (both below the neighbouring headlight), while the left-rear corner has one dent on the bodyside swage line, near the brake light. Beyond these minor signs of use, though, the exterior presents in very good condition overall and certainly looks the part if the buyer fancies doing some mud plugging or countryside camping.
The Mechanics
- Matching-numbers 2.5 diesel engine in fine working order
- Bulkhead known to have been welded
- All seals have been replaced
- Rarely driven in recent years
The seller informs us that the car has received extensive work over the past 10 years, although paperwork is reported to be thin on the ground. The engine and running gear have received all necessary attention and the seller reports the 110 to go, stop, steer and change gear just fine – the only exception is a little bit of smoke on a cold start-up.
Summary
Convertible off-roaders are not especially common, yet the ability to put the roof away and take in the surrounding environment all the more during an all-terrain excursion will only multiply the sense of adventure. To do so using perhaps the most famous off-road vehicle of them all will feel only right and proper – especially as this one is in such great condition and ready to be used however you choose.
Notice to bidders
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