1986 Land Rover Defender 90

- 2 Door Wagon
- 3.9L V8 FI Conversion from LR Disco 1
- Automatic Gearbox and Axles from Disco 1 too
- $20k for NAS Running Gear Swap
- Runs and Drives better/faster than original
- 4WD
- Left Hand Drive
- Rear Jump Seats
- 18k Kilometers

(Please note: If you happen to be viewing this 1986 Land Rover Defender on a website other than our Garage Kept Motors site, it's possible that you've only seen some of our many photographs of the SUV due to third-party website limitations. To be sure you access all the more than 135 photographs, as well as a short start-up and walk-around video, please go to our main website: Garage Kept Motors.)

Hagerty Media: “By 1983, the original Land Rover 88 and 109 models were showing their age. The company therefore decided to develop a new aggressive model utilizing the technology that had made its Range Rover such a success. The 110-inch wheelbase model was chosen for the first new vehicle, as the original 109-inch leaf-spring model accounted for 70 percent of the company's sales, and the old leaf spring models were phased out over five years.

“The year 1984 (continued into '86) saw a new short-wheelbase version (of the 110), the Land Rover 90 (Ninety), to replace the old 88. The wheelbase was actually 93 inches, but all of the improvements of the 110 were added to the new model, including a stronger frame, bigger windows and larger payload. Axles were located by radius arms and a Panhard rod up front and trailing links at the rear. Approach and departure angles also improved.”

Offered here is a re-powered 1986 Land Rover Defender 90 in white-and-dark-gray over tan-and-black. The truck's odometer shows 18,642 kilometers (roughly 11,600 miles). More than $20,000 was invested in upgrading the engine, transmission, and running gear. The Defender's overall condition is very good with signs of appropriate use, but not abuse.

The exterior, dark-gray-metallic paint is in good condition with signs of selective fading across most body panels. The windowed white roof shows neither damage nor fading. Textured steel-plate panels on the lower body and fender tops (a Defender design tradition allowing Army Defenders easier maintenance in the field) are unscathed, as are black fender flares. (To best assess the quality of the paint and trim finishes, please be sure to view the close-up photographs of the car in the accompanying gallery.) The classic Defender front grille is protected by a black, tubular-steel bumper and brush guard. Cabin glass and lighting lenses are clear and uncracked. In classic uber-reliablility fashion, the truck's spare tires include one (protected by a Land-Rover-logo cover) mounted on the hood, and a second on a swing-away rear carrier. Factory, 16-inch, 5-spoke alloy wheels with Land-Rover-logo center caps are mounted with Cooper® Discoverer AT 265/75 tires.

Inside, the theme is classic Land Rover spartan functionality. Long-wearing, tan, tweed-weave, fabric upholstery (accented with brown vinyl) on the front bucket seats and four, center-facing, rear jump seats has been generally well-maintained with some signs of light damage (especially on the front seats) and light staining elsewhere. Black-soft-vinyl door trim panels are in very good condition. The left-side-mounted, 4-spoke, Land Rover-branded steering wheel frames the simple yet functional black dashboard. Gauges and controls are straightforward and easy-to-use. The center console hosts the transfer-case selector adjacent to the t-bar shift lever for the automatic transmission.

Under the hood, a 3.9-liter V8, sourced from a Land Rover Discovery 1, commands a properly organized, but not overly detailed engine bay. The engine swap was clearly performed by professionals. Viewed from below, the truck's chassis is complete with no signs of any damage as might exist from too-aggressive off-roading. The 4WD components and the automatic transmission and axles (also sourced from a Land Rover Discovery 1) are visual focal points. Light surface rust is present confined to untreated metal surfaces. The Discovery's re-powered performance exceeds the original in both acceleration and driving behavior.

The Defender's original identification and build tags remain as mounted at the factory.

While the more than 135 high-definition photographs and the short walk-around-and-startup video available on the GarageKeptMotors website showcase this '86 Defender in detail from every angle, including from below, we expect and encourage in-person inspections at our Grand Rapids, Michigan showroom. Please call to arrange an appointment in advance as our showroom is not open to the public. And feel free to get in touch anytime by phone or email if you have questions.

Land Rover Defenders have long been known worldwide for their simplicity, rugged dependability, and off-road performance. All that is on display here, ready to take its next owner on any number of adventures, be they in the forests, jungles, on mountaintops, or in deserts.