Finding an old Defender in the U.S. is pretty rare since the vehicles were only produced here for a limited time and in a limited series. If you’ve found one of these rare Defender vehicles or if you’ve been thinking of importing one (following the 25-year vintage vehicle import laws), then you may be interested in some creative add-ons you can invest into your build to make it a more custom Defender.

When you build a Defender from scratch, you have much more of an opportunity to make it the custom Defender you’ve always wanted. Ground-up builds and customizations are a long-standing passion for E.C.D., so we’ve cornered the market on the best creative custom accessories to transform your classic Defender.

If you’re a fan of taking your old Defender to its roots and making it the off-roading vehicle it was meant to be, consider adding some sand tracks and jerry cans to ensure your build never gets stuck in the trenches. Sand tracks are ideals for those muddy, snowy, or sandy terrains that are easy to get stuck in. The jerry cans are just a cool way of saying gas cans, perfect for keeping your off-road excursions going, and so your adventure doesn’t have to stop. These additions can easily be installed onto your Defender’s rear or in your build’s rear storage or bed.

A rooftop tent is another creative addition to your old Defender that can make it the ideal outdoor adventure vehicle. This setup is perfect for family trips to the lake or even a cross-country road trip spent under the stars.

A creative addition to making your build into the 21-st century isn’t really an accessory at all… technically. Painting your old Defender a more fun or modern color is a fantastic way to transform it into a more customized Defender. We’ve seen our share of cool colors that borrow from heritage classics (Mercedes Desert Sand paint on Project Shiloh is reminiscent of the Camel Trophy Land Rovers) or a color based on a more modern vehicle (like Project Soho’s eggshell Quantum Grey color). We’ve even had clients color match their favorite piece of clothing (a sparkly fuschia, yes, really) or their other custom luxury vehicle’s like Project RC’s design mirroring the client’s Aston Martin.

With so many modern innovations, the creative additions to making your old Defender a true lifestyle vehicle built to fit your needs are truly endless. Luckily, with the internet and custom builders, the ability to find these add-ons for your vehicle is relatively easy. Check out some of our vehicles to note some of our favorite brands to work with, or get in touch to start your own custom Defender build.