It looks great, I’m likely going this direction as well. Can you post a few more pics of the final product - from the front 3/4 and side? Also, did you use the OEM fogs or go with something different?

 

No fog lights as I ordered a relatively stripped down (as they should be) p300s. Expedition One does have several fog light brackets to choose from on order, and if non selected generic bracket assemblies come with the kit.

 

Thanks Migs, looks great!

 

Your rig looks awesome!!

 

Nice white Rover. This looks to offer pretty good front corner protection down low and up high (which would be my primary complaint about the JLR Aussie bar, although it looks good).

 

Have to disagree here. If a stripped-down experience is what you want, save a bundle and get a stripped Wrangler or Bronco. The reason to get a Defender (for me) was to have "nearly Wrangler rock-crawling ability" combined with "nearly Range Rover comfort."

I've got the "stripped" side of the equation covered, for a lot fewer dollars than even a stripped 300 costs.





This one needs to be the embodiment of luxurious cross-country travel getting me from Atlanta to Utah and Colorado.

 

Even a stripped down Defender offers near Range Rover levels of comfort, especially if you get the air suspension.

 

On release the Defender was presented as LR's dedicated off-roader that was well within the pricing and capability segment of Rubicons and TRD 4runners. Sub 60k could get into a Defender with rear locker and some options keeping somewhat true to the nameplate's legacy of bridging socioeconomic classes from Britain's monarchy to farm hand.
The Namibia press tour seemed to confirm the idea with the majority of rigs taken were p300's, d250/300, with the oddball p400 thrown in.
Air suspension was standard the first year or so of release before LR started removing standard features and making them "options" or outright deleting fetures that set the Defener apart in a niche market segment.

Having owned a '83 cj7 for 15 years, and putzing around in series "defenders" on other continents followed Fj cruiser ownership, I'm well aware of what a "stripped-down" experience is, and I am also aware that relative comfort and capability need not be mutually exclusive. Somehow, luxury and Defender are words I find difficult to put together in a sentence and keep a straight face.



From the press tour

 

Good for you. But you’re the one making the statements about how Defender ownership “should be.” I didn’t come on saying that ticking off $20,000 worth of options is the way Defenders should be; only offered that it is a completely viable way to order and own a Defender, for logical reasons, even amongst people who love to thrash their Defenders (and Jeeps, G550s, etc.) in the wilderness.

Just as “stripped Defenders with air suspension are still nearly as comfortable as Range Rovers” is true, so is “loaded D110 P400s are still as off-road capable as stripped D110 steel-suspension P300s.”

I celebrate all builds. Except ones with 22s. I kid, I kid.

 

So this past weekend I finally got to install my expedition one front bumper. I think it looks great, much better than the plastic silver bumper that was there before. I also installed a winch though I have not gotten around to hooking up the electrical.






There were a few snafu's with the install. The biggest one is if you have the trim level with the front plastic skid plate the expedition one skid plate won't be able to be bolted on. This was not mentioned anywhere on the expedition one product page or in the direction. The problem is the metal skid plate from land rover uses a different front bar to attach the front of the skid plate than the plastic skid plate and apparently expedition one assumes we all have the metal skid plate. To remedy this I found the correct front metal bar on ebay, so I am waiting on that to mound the skid plate. Another issue is the badland Apex winches control box bumps up against the front camera connector. To fix this I put a couple of aluminum spaces leftover the bumper install on the front feet of the winch. This tilted the winch back enough to not make contact with the connector.

Also while I was doing this bumper work I decided I should install Salteks cooler relocation kit since everything was taken apart. Not sure if I will ever upgrade the tires where I would need that, but might as well. I did have to bend the bracket back a little to clear the new bumper as the radiator's where just barely touching.