Just bought an ex-MOD Defender 90 and drove her from Dallas to West Texas (the one in the picture).

She's going to live on the ranch up in the New Mexico mountains once I have her all sorted.

Pretty exciting drive in the rain with highway speeds of 75 mph with the 2.5 normal aspirated. First project may be to get someone to do an engine swap unless a turbo bolts on somehow.

Just now cleaned her up and buying bits and pieces (e.g., dash, tires) to get it going.

Anyway, hello, and I am happy to find this place.

 

Bit more:

I got into Defenders in the Army because we were stationed such that H1s could not be dropped to us and the lighter rovers were supplied. We abused the heck out of them and they were acutally a lot easier to use 90% of the that the Humvee.

My other Rovers are a 2012 Range Rover Sport Supercharged, that my wife drives. (I drive a 911 primarily.)

My other classic car is a 1955 Porsche that is in some mechanical dissarray (body is great but the engine is a racing engine that is very particular).

"Jewbacca" is the name I got in the Army. You get put on a rolling date for the beginning of basic, then usually in a "half way house" for basic as they process you and then find you a slot, which usually takes a week or so for each one.

Well, I have a bit of a beard and am a Jewish guy.

I was told my "half way house" was a couple weeks away and then had to leave the next day --- and then at the half way house was told my paperwork and shots etc would take a week or two. Well, in less than 24 hours, this bearded dude went from college to basic training, and, well, I stood out.

Dog tags say "Jewish." Tall, big, guy.

So, anyway the DI promptly named me Jewbacca and all my new friends had to do push ups as I dry-shaved a 1inch beard off with a disposable Bic.

Name stuck.

 

welcome, i'm an ex navy guy myself here i houston. I drive a disco II, always wanted a defender though so you have my envy lol, hows the project coming?

 

If it will live on the ranch, forget the engine swap. Having original simple to fix vs one of a kind might be desired. Here's a link to some older manuals. Land Rover Manuals

 

It's done. I just changed all the fluids, battery, filters, tires, and cleaned her up. Put a new dash on. Looks new, really.

I decided against the new motor because I doubt I will ever get above 40mph out in the boonies or up the mountains, and the defender is geared such that this is just not a problem.

Plus, all the native New Mexicans are smoking pot, so you have to drive slowly or you freak them out.