Talk Morgan Forums Community Vehicle Talk (non-Morgan) CLASSIC V8 Defender

If I had the means, I would be getting one.

There is a market for unique vehicles that can be fully customised. Yes, one can order something new and pick the interior and body colour but not to the level that is shown here. Much like a Morgan, the choices are endless.

However, most manufacturers are not set up to offer this. Porsche for example does offer this but the lead time and cost are eye-watering! I asked about changing the set colour/pattern on a Porsche I ordered and it came to £25,000!!!! Many would happily pay that.

So, a second hand Defender where LR breaths new life into it, allow you to bespoke it to your hearts content is something that those who are enthusiasts about the previous generation Defender will happily sign-up for.

As mentioned, there are companies out there that offer this service but there is something about knowing it was a factory build that ticks the boxes for many.

I should play the lotto again this weekend

There is a lot to like about the classic Defender but I'd rather have a 50th Anniversary (also V8 and also auto) for under £50,000 than pay JLR £190,000.00 (base price for a 90) or £199,000.00 for a 110.

Even with the respect I have for the base vehicle, there is no ignoring the limitations of it. Simple things like there being no room for your right elbow, as a driver, or left for the passenger, that they suffer horrendously with corrosion unless you stay on top of it constantly (and even then, you'll still have issues), that the ventilation system is compromised and the chassis is designed for off-road and thus manner on-road are agricultural at best. You'd have to really want one for £190,000.00+ and even then, I can imagine quite a few people who like the image but have never owned one being woefully unhappy.

A superb vehicle, if used as intended, at the prices they were sold at in 2015 but, personally, I just don't see the value in one with a circa 400% mark-up.

hmmm, sounds like you could be talking about a Morgan, bar the off road bit hehe. Lack of shoulder room, can't ignore the limitations etc, perhaps why I love them

I would say the same if MMC started buying back pre-CX traditional Morgans, adding a larger engine and auto-trans and charging £190,000+ for them.

I'd take a pre-CX standard Morgan (a Plus 8 if I wanted a V8) for £30,000 instead of a 'do-over' for six times the price!

I like the 2016< Defenders but I've always struggled to see the appeal of modifications that try to turn it into something it isn't. Improving the interior, suspension and remapping the 2.4/2.2 diesel engine to improve performance and smooth out the 'kangarooing', I understand. However, all of that can be done for under £10,000 easily AND that would be with great components.

Using your Morgan analogy, which I'd agree is fair, the same could be said and much of it is documented on this forum - people spending thousands to improve brakes, suspension and amending various aesthetic elements to their own taste; nevertheless, the issue is they spend thousands of pounds, not 400% more than the donor car.

There will be a market for these 'Classic Defender V8s' but it will be small and certainly isn't aimed at the people the original Series and Defenders were designed for imho.

Each to their own and because I have a great affinity to the Defender, I'm not knocking the base vehicle, but I do find the end product - in this instance - incongruous to the original on which it is based.

Quite. I don't get trying to turn a Landy into something it isn't, but I'm all in favour of working with its base capabilities to make it better at what it is.

Once we stopped keeping sheep and llamas we didn't want to get rid of the Landy but did want to make it more usable for 'er indoors to go wild swimming in remoter places, often meaning we need to go further on motorways and suchlike to get there. A Roamerdrive overdrive system, sound proofing and insulation, thick floor mats a decent set of seat covers, and some homemade cupboards in the back to hold cooking and portapotty have completely transformed it for a few thousand quid (mainly the Roamercrive) whilst still meaning we can chuck chainsaw and kit in the back for when we go logging.

BTW, if anyone has got any clever ideas about how you can squeeze a bed into a 90 Hardtop I'd be very interested!

What about the rooftop tent conversion, my vet has one and uses it all the time.

'Er indoors ruled that out immediately, she's convinced she'd fall out. Plus it's a bit obvious if you're doing a bit of stealth camping up a lane in Wales.

Idly thought about a fold down bed in mine ... possibly a ply base that folded up against the side ... fold it down then open a hinged foot section that bridged over the passenger seat (that had been tilted forward) ... in the morning, fold the short front section back then the whole lot back up against the side.

K

Yep, that's the way I've been thinking too. It's one of those things that I'll probably never get round to, when she goes on longer distance wild swimming expeditions she tends to go with a bunch of her mates and they get an AirBnB, so I really doubt if it would get any actual use if I were to make her one.

There are many similarities between Morgans and Land Rovers which I guess is why so many people have both. It is also pretty common for Morgan owners to attempt to "improve" their cars by suspension changes for smoother rides, tuning or changing engines, even Jewellery et al. It strikes me that the main difference between "improving" and "changing it It into something it is not" is simply the cost of the process.

As far as this Defender goes, whilst I don't need the extra power I would buy it like a shot if I had that level of disposable income. But I suspect that JLR have missed the boat, there are MANY rivals in this market place - Twisted, Mahker, Retro Defenders, Cool n Vintage, ECR, Helderburg, Blackbridge, JE, King, Squire and no doubt many others I have not stumbled across. But, in general the Defender market place seems to have tanked,

Love them or hate them, be disparaging of the sort of people who buy them, but if they are keeping skilled artisans in work then they get my vote.