DOTS - outside my office window

"Mark Tucker" (markbt73) 10/05/2020 at 12:05 • Filed to: Dots

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Land Rover - now with 50% less bodywork!

I’ve seen this thing go by a few times now; finally got a photo of it. Looks like a fun toy...

adamftw > Mark Tucker 10/05/2020 at 12:14

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The back of that cage isn’t doing much, but that thing is badass. Nice trailing arms and big ole resi coil overs.

TheJWT > Mark Tucker 10/05/2020 at 12:18

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Wait, is that in Portland on Grand street?

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Mark Tucker 10/05/2020 at 12:20

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It’s clearly Land Rover Defender based, which is odd considering how valuable they are in the US because of the cost of importation. It’s a LHD too!

My theory is this one was rolled some time ago and they repaired what they could, hacked off the irreparably damaged bodywork, and decided to make it some sort of prerunner/buggy thing. Because you’d never import one in that condition so it had to have become like that after it arrived here.

PatBateman > Mark Tucker 10/05/2020 at 12:20

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Stripped down Defender rallytruck. Weird.

Maybe TOO weird...  

Mark Tucker > adamftw 10/05/2020 at 12:31

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I have a feeling that the “cage” sticking out over the back is really just a glorified roof rack. Maybe he puts a rooftop tent up there or something.

The suspension articulation on this thing has got to be nuts. You should have seen how far it dove when he stopped, and then squatted when he drove off... it moved a good 6-8 inches in each direction.

Svend > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 10/05/2020 at 12:39

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It’s probably been rolled but intentionally.

Likely a cheap Series vehicle updated to Defender looks and made into an off road rally special.

Svend > adamftw 10/05/2020 at 12:40

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Probably there to cushion the roll at the rear in a roll over. 

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Svend 10/05/2020 at 12:44

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In the US, there are no “cheap” series vehicles, which is my point.

The cost of importation has set a very high price floor for Defenders, which makes it not economically worthwhile to import crappy examples.

Look at this!

https://www.carfax.com/Used-Land-Rover-Defender_w409

You’re far more likely to find one closer to 100k than 4 0k. I think this one is suspiciously cheap actually.

https://www.carfax.com/vehicle/SALLDVAB7FA414547

Svend > Mark Tucker 10/05/2020 at 12:51

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They are common on off road rallies (no racing but time trials, etc...) a nd hill climbs.

They are great, they are light weight, nippy, etc... 

Svend > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 10/05/2020 at 13:16

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Yes, but old Series IIs, IIAs, IIIs, etc... can be updated with Defender parts and accessories, etc... they are in most aspects Defenders but that's the great thing about the Series and Defenders, they are very modular so you can take an old salvaged chassis, add a Series/Defender cab, add newer parts and off you go. 

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Svend 10/05/2020 at 13:23

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The problem is that there are simply not enough chassis to go around.

https://classics.autotrader.com/classic-cars-for-sale/land_rover-series_ii-for-sale

It’s like saying why don’t you base your next project off of an old Ford Crown Victoria frame and swap in an LS. . . in England? There are mountains of unwanted Crown Vics and spare parts on this side of the Atlantic but the strategy doesn’t work elsewhere.

Old Land Rover series vehicles and Defenders alike are awfully scarce. I have never once seen a Defender that looked like it cost less than 60k (even the ultra budget restomods are rare enough) and the small number of reasonably priced Series vehicles are all in nicely restored condition.

https://classics.autotrader.com/classic-cars-for-sale/land_rover-series_ii-for-sale

There simply is no such thing as a cheap Defender around these parts, which makes the apparent hacked together nature of the once Mark saw intriguing. 

hillrat > Mark Tucker 10/05/2020 at 13:49

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What are those tanks aft of the B-pillar? Are those gas tanks? 

Mark Tucker > hillrat 10/05/2020 at 13:53

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Air tan ks, I think, for pumping the tires back up after airing them down to go off-road. That would be my guess, anyway.

Mark Tucker > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 10/05/2020 at 14:29

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Well, whatever its origin, I may have to start thinking about building an RC model of it...

Edgyhal94 > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 10/05/2020 at 17:57

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I don’t think it is entirely Defender, the bonnet is, but the roof line and front window are off... maybe it’s a Frankenstein’s monster of Series 3 and Defender parts? Plus the chassis... that doesn’t look Defender to me, unless they’ve cut that up to shit too?

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Edgyhal94 10/05/2020 at 18:33

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Maybe. The rear suspension looks pretty custom to me but I don't see too much else to go off of when identifying the starting chassis.