• Braided brake lines and new master cylinder 
• Troublesome glass fuses have been replaced for modern blade fuses 
• Lots of money spent to make reliable
• Sought after 90
• Will conquer anything thrown at it.

A true icon of the British countryside the 110 and 90 were a further refinment of the legendary Series III Land Rover. This legendary machine, latterly known as the Defender from 1990 onwards, is notorious for being the king of just about anywhere it pleases to venture, with production carrying on until 2016.

The 90 and 110 was really an evolution of the very first Land Rover from 1948 and it has been loved since then. Jaguar Land Rover bought the name back in 2020 with a more modern adaptation of the Defender but the original 90’s and 110’s are still loved by all.

The current owner purchased this 90 around 10 years ago with a worn-out Rover V8 and transfer box. They soon set about rectifying this issue by shoehorning in the Lexus derived 1UZ-FE quad cam V8 and a better 1.2:1 transfer box (this gives you better cruising capabilities without affecting the lower ratios).

The new engine had 136,000 miles on it, which for a 1UZ-FE is nothing to worry about and prior to fitting a new timing belt, thermostat and water pump were fitted prior to installation. Since then, a lot of smaller works has gone on to make this defender both more reliable and more fun. Running Inca Turbos and with a 5 inch lift it is perfect for the back roads and lanes of the UK.

With the Land Rover known for its capability of being easily worked on with only a few tools the current owner did a lot of work themselves with a friend, so there may be the odd bit of paperwork lying about but don’t expect mounds.

With or without paperwork it is clear that the current owner has put a lot into getting the right parts for this Defender, with parts being sourced from Bearmach and other 4x4 specialists.

As you’d expect from a rugged Land Rover, the interior is pretty sparce with only the things you truly need to get you into and out of a situation. With this being a 90, you can see that there is less space in the rear bed but that is the only downside.

Next to the passenger seat you will see one of the many improvements made to his 90 and that is the Blade Fuses, these are now a lot more reliable than the original glass fuses fitted from factory.

The jump seat in the rear of the truck is in good condition but the two front seats are currently under seat covers so we cannot say what they look like. The steering wheel is also in good condition along with the door cards and center console.

This Landy has been used as it should be over its lifetime so you can appreciate that there will be a few marks on the exterior body work, this is not to detract from the car as a whole as it just adds character to the iconic defender shape.

The truck is currently riding on Insa Turbo Special Tracks, a true off-road tyre, and it also has a 5 inch lift with HD springs, shocks and adjustable Panhard rod.

One key point on these older Land Rovers is making sure that you take care of the chassis so that you avoid any rot, the current owner knows this and therefore they have regularly undersealed, and wax oiled the chassis to prolong its lifetime

The mechanics is where this 90 will stand out from the crowd. The major feature is that the old worn-out Rover V8 has been replaced for a more powerful Lexus derived quad-cam V8, it produces the same amount of torque as the original but now power is up to around 260hp. A true rocket on the road, that can now tow like a dream.

A more comprehensive list of parts that have been replaced follows; New Timing belt, Water Pump and thermostat fitted during the engine swap. Converted 300tdi extra high-capacity radiator by Arrow Radiators. A 1.2:1 transfer box to give you better cruising capabilities without affecting the lower ratios.

TD5 front double Cardan prop shaft and the rear prop shaft joints were replaced with spicer units. Braided brake lines and a new master cylinder. With the only slight issues being the last MOT was failed due to a brake light switch which is now sorted and an ignition aux contact that affects the interior fan.

As you can see a lot of time, money and effort has been involved in making this 90 the best it can possibly be. The new owner will definitely be appreciative of all of these little and big jobs that have already been carried out.

This is not just any Land Rover 90, it is a powerhouse of an off-roader and with thanks to the current owner it can now go anywhere, tow comfortably and stop well. 

These 90’s are now highly sort after as both an off-roader and a collectors item. The one major benefit with this truck over others fitted with the normal Rover V8 is that this one has a proper Toyota immobiliser system thanks to the 1UZ-FE engine and thus is more secure than normal. 

A Defender is a true modern classic and a marvel of British engineering, with routine maintenance this Defenders are known to go on for years having all sorts thrown at them. The new owner is going to benefit from a well-engineered truck with some special bits bolted on to make it even better.