2000 Land Rover Defender 130

Built on a genuine Land Rover 127-inch wheelbase chassis this Defender 130 was originally built on September 9th 1999 in left-hand drive high-capacity pickup configuration. A certificate from the British Motor Industry Heritage Trust shows that it was assembled with heavy duty suspension and axles before being sent to Germany, where it was sold through a Land Rover dealership. At some point it returned to the UK where it was entrusted to Land Rover specialist Ian Prior at FW4x4. A customer had commissioned much of the work to bring it to its current RHD cab appearance but decided he couldn’t pay. Ian took the car as payment and finished the work himself. He then used it as a transporter for his classic race cars.

According to the current owner – who bought it from Ian – everything that rotates was replaced or refurbished at some point in the past five years. The engine has been chipped to produce a bit more power and economy and the headlights have been upgraded with costly aftermarket Ring automotive LED alternatives. The front seats have been swapped for half-leather pews with heated elements (though these aren’t currently wired up). The vendor reports that it drives faultlessly and wants for nothing, though we weren’t able to take this for an extended drive to confirm.

What’s most notable about this Land Rover is its enormous length. That might sound silly, of course it’s big, but we it’s mean REALLY big. These ultra-long wheelbase Landies were made to take on work that not even a stock Defender could tackle. Whether that meant it needed additional crew capacity or load space, these were designed to be rugged go-anywhere vehicles. That’s been reflected in this example with its chequer plate on the front wings, bonnet and step plates. A snorkel and tow eyes front and rear complete the accessories.

The paint looks bright and uniform to a casual glance but if you look closer you’ll notice the section where this body has been extended – immediately rear of the front doors – the paint here has a slightly darker shade. There are other giveaways that a few Land Rover bodies have been sacrificed to make this one, as the front and rear doors are a lighter shade of green. However, all the panel shut lines are good and it’s clear that this 130 has been converted with an eye on the important things. Though cosmetics like the flairs on the wheelarches not matching front to back have been overlooked. Corrosion is just starting to bubble under the paint in a few small places, mostly very small areas and relegated to the driver’s side rear quarter.

It’s clear someone has used this 130 for travelling long distances as there’s several appointments to the cabin that make a driver’s life easier on such a journey. There’s a Britpart battery monitor on the dash that tracks charge as well as capacity and a multiple 12-volt and USB adapter between the seats. There are also such ‘modern’ conveniences as a cupholder and a radio cassette player… That’s luxury by Defender standards.

The configuration of the rear is a little strange. Either this 130 was used to transport basketball playing VIPs in need of a lot of legroom, or there’s some other reason why there’s neither another set of seats or a generous load bay. Hard wearing rubber mats have been fitted throughout and it’s beginning to peel back a little over the rear wheel tubs. In the very back there’s a standard load area as you’d find in a 110 Land Rover.

In the grand scheme of things this isn’t a very old Land Rover so its solid underside is perhaps unsurprising. Though it has to be noted that the original factory underseal has peeled away from the chassis – visible in both rear wheelarches – exposing still painted metal, thankfully. The general level of surface corrosion underneath isn’t out of the ordinary but it could do with being treated and undersealed soon to prevent any expensive welding down the line.

The vendor’s claim that the previous Land Rover specialist owner replaced or renewed almost everything seems to stack up from a closer inspection. A new boost pipe for the turbo (and the turbo itself) seems to have been fitted recently along with engine mounts, a clutch slave cylinder, an exhaust downpipe connector and brake discs and pads all round. That’s just from a cursory inspection. It appears from a further root around under the bonnet that this TD5 is in rude health, in spite of its 200k+ miles. There’s no trace of fluid leaks that we could find.

In addition to the last few MoTs that show a clean pass record since 2008, there’s also a few receipts for work commissioned by the current owner. The side steps from a 110 were modified to fit under the 130 to allow easier access and a new steering wheel was fitted in 2019. A fault with the headlight switch was rectified at the same time along with bleeding the brakes and topping up both coolant and power steering fluids.

A noisy rear differential was investigated by LPME Motor Engineering in July 2019 and was traced to worn pinion bearings. The fix involved draining the fluid from the Salisbury axle replacing the inner and outer differential pinion bearings, diff spacer, seals and gasket and refilling. The upper and lower rear shock absorber bushes were replaced at the same time. As noted earlier from a visual inspection – but backed up by the paperwork too – the clutch slave and the master cylinders were both replaced and bled in June of this year.

An HPI check was carried out by the current owner that revealed that this 130 had been recorded as a Category C insurance write-off (repairable damage) and that the work conducted since to make it roadworthy again was signed off and approved.

The size of this Defender might seem intimidating at first but really it was no more awkward to position than a conventional Land Rover. It certainly shouldn’t put anyone off; it has power steering and a surprisingly tight turning circle. As a later Defender it also benefits from a few interior comfort upgrades and that fantastic TD5 engine, which in this instance is a bit punchier than normal.

The load area in the back might be the same as a 110 but you can also take five people along for the ride. Or you could simply remove the seats and have a load area on a par with a long-wheelbase van, but with the advantage of four-wheel drive and decent ground clearance. Whatever you use it for, this is sure to cause a lot head scratching and pointing from passers-by, which is always fun. Old-shape Defenders – whatever their wheelbase – are on the up in terms of values and this one has rarity on its side to boot.

Taking all this into account, we estimate this 130 to fetch between £10,000 - £20,000

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with the seller near Tetsworth; to arrange an appointment please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

This vehicle is not with us at The Market’s HQ, which means we have had to rely on the owner’s description of it, in conjunction with the photographs you see here, to compile the listing.

With this in mind, we would encourage potential bidders to contact the owner themselves and arrange to view the car in person, or to arrange a dedicated video call in which they can view the car virtually and ask questions.