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1986 Land Rover DEFENDER 6x4

5 Bids
9:30 PM, 02 Jul 2020Vehicle sold
Sold for

£12,500

Background

Introduced in 1983 and only modestly revised over the years, the Land Rover Defender has rightly earned a place as one of the most influential vehicles of the 21st century. Able to trace its lineage back to the very first post-war Land Rover (and not a lot of squinting is necessary to bridge the seventy-year gap ‘twixt old and new), the Defender might not be the last word in civility but by heck it’s a survivor.

With its permanent four-wheel-drive system, lockable centre differential, live axles at both ends, and long-travel coil suspension, the Defender is as good off the beaten track as it is appalling on it. But no-one cares, because it has levers sprouting out of the floor, a big, bluff front, and only gets better with age; like a certain type of man, the Defender doesn’t age, it matures, and any hard-won patina it gains simply adds to the legend.

Available from the factory as a pickup, van or stationwagon, there are a vast array of companies out there who will turn yours into a motorhome, campervan, mobile crane, tray-back off-roader, or recovery truck. In fact, if you can imagine it, then someone will have built it.

And the latter-day prettification and domestication of what was once a strictly utilitarian truck means that there are plenty of folk out there who can turn yours into the off-road equivalent of a Singer Porsche; tuned engines, gearbox swaps, Bentley-esque interiors, concours-quality resprays, and a full suite of fitted walnut cabinetry for your weapons and booze are just the start; if you can imagine it, it will be on a spec sheet somewhere.

It’s true that some do it with more skill than others - and some have the ethos that they’ll take the cash and to hell with their customers somewhat wayward life choices. Others, however, are fine engineers who use their considerable skills to bring the Defender slap-bang into the 21st century, something Land Rover never managed in period.

The standard Defender finally died in 2012, killed by The Man. Or Euro-sanctioned emissions regulations, if you like your conspiracy theories Brexit-shaped. In either case, crude and uncomfortable as it was, we miss the old girl, which is why we’re so pleased to be able to offer this highly desirable example of the breed, albeit one that is a very different vehicle to the one that left the showroom almost a quarter-of-a-century ago.

PATINA PICKS: https://picks.getpatina.com/2016/05/land-rover-defender-dies/


  • SALLDHD7AA264430
  • 100305
  • 300TDI 2.5l
  • Manual
  • Battleship Grey
  • Black / Alcantara

Background

Introduced in 1983 and only modestly revised over the years, the Land Rover Defender has rightly earned a place as one of the most influential vehicles of the 21st century. Able to trace its lineage back to the very first post-war Land Rover (and not a lot of squinting is necessary to bridge the seventy-year gap ‘twixt old and new), the Defender might not be the last word in civility but by heck it’s a survivor.

With its permanent four-wheel-drive system, lockable centre differential, live axles at both ends, and long-travel coil suspension, the Defender is as good off the beaten track as it is appalling on it. But no-one cares, because it has levers sprouting out of the floor, a big, bluff front, and only gets better with age; like a certain type of man, the Defender doesn’t age, it matures, and any hard-won patina it gains simply adds to the legend.

Available from the factory as a pickup, van or stationwagon, there are a vast array of companies out there who will turn yours into a motorhome, campervan, mobile crane, tray-back off-roader, or recovery truck. In fact, if you can imagine it, then someone will have built it.

And the latter-day prettification and domestication of what was once a strictly utilitarian truck means that there are plenty of folk out there who can turn yours into the off-road equivalent of a Singer Porsche; tuned engines, gearbox swaps, Bentley-esque interiors, concours-quality resprays, and a full suite of fitted walnut cabinetry for your weapons and booze are just the start; if you can imagine it, it will be on a spec sheet somewhere.

It’s true that some do it with more skill than others - and some have the ethos that they’ll take the cash and to hell with their customers somewhat wayward life choices. Others, however, are fine engineers who use their considerable skills to bring the Defender slap-bang into the 21st century, something Land Rover never managed in period.

The standard Defender finally died in 2012, killed by The Man. Or Euro-sanctioned emissions regulations, if you like your conspiracy theories Brexit-shaped. In either case, crude and uncomfortable as it was, we miss the old girl, which is why we’re so pleased to be able to offer this highly desirable example of the breed, albeit one that is a very different vehicle to the one that left the showroom almost a quarter-of-a-century ago.

PATINA PICKS: https://picks.getpatina.com/2016/05/land-rover-defender-dies/


Video

Overview

Converted from a regular 4x4 Defender into a 6x4, the rear axle is load-bearing but not driven. But heh, who cares because it’s still going to keep ploughing its way through mud and snow long after your Japanese SUV has floundered to a halt…

And the modifications don’t end there because the interior has been given a makeover and is now way more luxurious and better-finished than anything that rolled out of Solihull at the time thanks to sports seats and lashing of Alcantara.

The base vehicle was registered on the 1of October 1996 and the conversion work has been done by HX Motors, a firm set up by an ex-Marine he started to help other ex-service personnel. If you’d like to take a look at what he does – and you should as he and his team are legends – then please go to: http://www.hxmotors.co.uk

Being offered with a very sensible reserve, this forceful Land Rover has both an impressive road presence and a much-improved interior; and if the currently pandemic has shown us anything, it’s that we really can’t rule out the possibility of a zombie apocalypse…

Exterior

The coachwork looks good and the exterior has been finished in a green anti-slip paint for a durable, industrial vibe. It looks great, and the aesthetic works with the six-wheel chassis and huge MT tyres very well.

The panels are pretty good, with straight metalwork and a good finish to the paint; getting the panels to fit perfectly was beyond Land Rover in-period, and these are very far from the worst we’ve ever seen.

The imposing ‘Bulletproof’ front grille and bumper adds another element of ruggedness, as do the headlight protectors and LED rear lights.

The vulnerable rear quarters and sills are protected by chequer-plate, as is the rear load space, the tops of the front wings (making them ideal for resting your mug of tea on) and the centre of the bonnet.

The 15-inch steel wheels have been painted black and are in good shape. The mud tyres, which are 12.5-inches wide, have tread depth that can still be measured in inches rather than millimeters.

Interior

The predominately black interior features a pair of Sparco racing bucket seats, and the addition of a three-spoke suede Momo steering wheel adds to the Land Rover’s sporting vibe.

Alcantara has been used to line the dashboard, headlining and the doors, and the side windows are the iconic sliding glass jobbies rather than the sort of namby-pamby wind-up ones that soft Ranulph Fiennes-wannabes tend to prefer.

Other nice touches include a modern keyless ignition, a push-button engine start, a double-din headunit, a Kenwood subwoofer fitted between the seats, a useful centre cubby box, and extra 12V charging points set in the dashboard for the military spec sat-nav we know you’re going to mount there.

Problems? Well, the drivers’ door lock needs adjusting as it has a tendency to open all by itself, and there are no keys for the doors themselves. Other than that it just needs driving, preferably with your elbow sticking out of the window and C&W on the stereo. (And no, that isn’t optional; only one class of music is specifically written to be played in a pickup, and modern country and western is it.)

Mechanical

Wading might just be this Defender’s forte thanks to the raised air-intake and side-exit exhaust; the former inhales at roof level, while the latter exhales via a hole in the rear wing situated just above the top of the tyres.

The springs, dampers and rear differential cover have been finished in red, which draws attention to the Defender’s massive stance and only adds to its already considerable presence.

The engine bay is a little grubby, but a couple of weekends of work and some strategically placed replacement parts would lift it considerably.

It drives as it should, with the turbocharged diesel engine starting promptly and settling into a steady tickover. The underside looks to be solid and well-finished, but we would recommend inspecting that third rear axle or having it certified by an engineer prior to long distance or overland work.

History

The Defender’s MOT certificate has expired.

It doesn’t have any other paperwork bar the V5 registration document and some old invoices for various bits and bobs. This means that potential bidders must set their bids based on its current condition rather than relying on an extensive paper trail to inform them.

If you’d like to inspect the car prior to placing a bid – something we would encourage – then please use the Contact Seller button to arrange an appointment.

Summary

Like the Panama ‘Snatch’ Land Rover we’re offering from the same vendor, bidding on this Defender 6x4 cannot be rationalized on any sane basis.

And thank God for that; the world can be a dull place, and that there are people still creating monster trucks like this for folk like us can only be a good thing. Sitting atop huge mud tyres, and benefitting from a raised intake and side-exit exhaust, it’s the ideal off-road tool if you enjoy splashing through rivers as part of your greenlining or overland fun.

And, with a guide price of between £16,000 and £25,000, it’s likely to be a whole lot more affordable than buying a modified Defender from one of the more usual sources.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with us at The Market HQ near Abingdon; 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’.

About this auction

Seller

Private: twiggy1664

Viewings Welcome

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and is strictly by appointment. To book one in the diary, please get in contact.

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