What makes a restored Defender from E.C.D. unique?

When you’re in the market to restore a Defender or a custom Range Rover Classic, there are many aspects of the process to consider when deciding who you will choose to build with. The easy part is deciding what parts, if not all, of your classic Land Rover you will restore and upgrade. The not-so-easy part is choosing the company you commission the work to.

E.C.D. Automotive Design has made its mark as an industry leader in the US for classic restored Land Rovers. Their reputation isn’t simply a result of the beautiful custom Land Rovers they consistently deliver. The true difference of a restored Range Rover Classic or custom Land Rover Defender is found behind the scenes.

Build a Land Rover Defender from Scratch

One of the very first questions you might have is, “just how much of the work is done in-house?” A fair question, as many automotive restoration companies typically outsource. With E.C.D., the answer is, “all of it.”

From our state-of-the-art paint facility mixing any color you desire to our dedicated team of meticulous upholstery artisans, every part of your restored British classic is completed in-house at our 45,000 square-foot facility located in Kissimmee, Florida. For our custom vehicles, we wanted to produce the quality and performance of premium luxury vehicles that we ourselves dream of. To achieve that, we needed full control of production - every step of your build is completed in-house.

When you’ve commissioned your build with E.C.D., your journey begins with a trip to our facility so you can see exactly where and meet the in-house team who will be bringing your dream of restoring a Range Rover Classic or custom Land Rover Defender to life.

Once you take delivery of your restored Range Rover Classic or custom Defender, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that your vehicle comes standard with a 1-year bumper-to-bumper warranty. You get even more peace of mind knowing that should you need assistance, our dedicated warranty team is on standby, ready to come to you within 24-hours of your warranty inquiry. If you wish to have more than a one-year warranty, we proudly offer an extended warranty program designed to give you extra security so that you can spend more time enjoying the thrills of your newly restored Range Rover Classic or custom Defender. Our first-class warranty service is truly unique, offered nowhere else in the world.

Over the years, we have continued to bring new technology and performance options to our restored Range Rover Classics and custom Defenders, implementing various Chevy engines into our custom vehicles. The ability to pair the Chevy performance engines to our vehicles has made them some of the most highly desired upgrades from Land Rover enthusiasts. A 1990’s era genuine Land Rover Defender topped speeds at approximately 60 mph max, taking a full 30 seconds to get there. An E.C.D. custom Defender with a 6.2L Chevrolet LS3 can reach the same 60 mph in 7 seconds compared to its 1990’s era counterpart.

Our wide range of engine options ensures that our clients are getting the performance, power, and reliability that they want for their restored Range Rover Classic or custom Land Rover Defender. We currently offer five engines to choose from.

The newest addition is the Chevy 6.2L supercharged LT4 V8 engine. It’s a direct-injection small-block V8 engine that produces 640-horsepower and 630 lb-ft of torque at 6600 RPMs. It is the most powerful engine now offered by E.C.D. The LT4 features an Eaton TVS supercharger capable of producing more than 9 PSI of boost, a cast-aluminum block, forged aluminum pistons, and a forged-steel crankshaft.

We’re excited to be able to offer this engine option for our custom restored Land Rovers. It’s a huge performance upgrade in comparison to the original Rover V8. The only thing to note with the LT4 is that it must be used with premium 93-octane fuel, which could be something to consider when traveling long-range in your custom E.C.D. truck.

Also newly introduced into E.C.D’s engine options is the Cummins R2.8 diesel engine, which produces almost twice the horsepower and 4 times more torque than the original classic Defender diesel engine. It’s proven to be efficient and reliable, bringing a new power option to the classic Defenders from E.C.D. Automotive Design.

Our most popular engine choice by clients for their custom Ranger Rover Classics and custom Defenders is the LS3 V8 engine. Used by GM in the Chevy Corvette, the LS3 is known for its modern performance and reliability. ECD also offers optional performance tuning to further increase the power output of the LS3 V8, allowing it to produce just under 600-horsepower.

Additional engine options include the LC9 V8 engine, which is a more affordable alternative to the LS engine if you’re looking for excellent reliability. Still packing plenty of power, this is the second most popular engine. We also offer the original Rover V8, a compact engine if your preference is to maintain all original parts on your restored Range Rover Classic or custom Land Rover Defender.

For more information about a restored Defender or restored Range Rover Classic from E.C.D, contact our design team at [email protected].