Creating the Unimaginable: Land Rover Defender V8 Engine Swap

In 1998, Land Rover commemorated its 50th anniversary with the Defender 50th.  Beefed up with a 4.0-liter Rover V8, this 90 was capable of 190 horsepower and married to an automatic four-speed transmission. While it is a collectible today – it had a limited production run of 1,071 in the U.K. -, it was never the powerhouse that Land Rover buyers craved.

In 2021, Land Rover took another run at fitting their vehicles with a V8. The 2021 Land Rover D90 is equipped with a 5.0 liter 518 HP AJ-V8 supercharged engine with a 5.2 second run to 60 m.p.h. The body has been updated with new roll-bars and a recalibrated suspension that accommodates the extra thrust of the motor. It also has an electronic limited-slip, and the braking does the torque vectoring. 20-inch wheels plant it solidly on the ground. The V8 is also available on the D110.

How Much Power is Enough?

What happens when even 518 horses cannot satisfy the need for more force? 

Power-starved Land Rover fans look for someone who can give them the classic Defender of their dreams. This is where they turn to the experts in old Land Rover models at E.C.D. Auto Design. Their team can combine the base vehicle with the power of something a lot more radical than the Rover 8. 

They can plant an LT4 GM engine or go with their new generation GM LT1 engine with 460 HP and 8-speed automatic transmission into a vintage Defender, creating a workhorse dressed in the best leather. 

While most Defender buyers are looking for a daily driver, some want to step it up a few notches. They want to be ready for the moment when they need the extra muscle to get through adverse conditions like storms or for a weekend getaway on paths less traveled. More muscle means more adventure.

By choosing to create a custom Defender, the buyer is choosing to design their idea of the ultimate V8. Whether it is a GM performance motor, a Cummins V8 diesel or the traditional Rover 8, the build meets the buyer’s specifications. 

In addition to the engine choices, E.C.D. Auto Design delivers the most performance from the V8 by ensuring that the exhaust, heads and other performance parts maximize the horsepower output from the engine. Custom air suspension and performance braking upgrades are also included. Borla stainless steel exhaust systems are a customer favorite. Their design team works with the customer from start to finish building their ultimate V8. 

While the focus may be on the muscle of the vintage Defender V8, the interior and exterior are not overlooked when it comes to customizing the ride. Seat arrangements can be modified depending upon the model.  A D110 custom build can include a 9-seat jump seat layout or a 5-seat layout. Also available is an 8-seat layout. 

All of those seats must be of the finest construction and materials, so E.C.D. turns to Puma, Corbeau, Recaro and more to complete the interiors of their tailored builds. Seats are covered in the softest leather with a choice of stitch designs that reflect the owner’s personality.

The driver can choose their favorite dash set up like a Puma dash with their choice of leather and stitching for the top and the bottom or a suede finish. In addition to the cosmetics of the dash, they have their choice of gauges like Autocross and upgraded sound systems like Alpine radio and speakers.

Take a Look inside E.C.D. Projects

Looking under the hood at some of E.C.D.’s creations exposes the heart of what Land Rover Defender owners crave. 

In what has been deemed the most powerful truck that E.C.D. has built lays a pounding Chevrolet LS3 6.2-liter V8 capable of 600 horses. The design team took that LS3 and did some modifications to it to achieve that horsepower. They installed upgraded piston heads and did transmission boosting to make their Project Savage the dynamo it is. A wireless remote WARN winch and black leather interior with red stitching make up some of the other extras added to this project.  The base may be a D110 under all of the extras, but it lives up to its name: Savage. 

Their Project Booster is also a D110, but the team dropped an LT4 under the hood of this vintage Defender V8. The factory LT4 is a 6.2-liter supercharged V8 capable of 640 HP and has 630 pounds of torque at 6,000 RPMs, but with a little modification, the LT4 in Project Booster hits 650 HP. To keep it on the ground, they outfitted it with an E.C.D. air suspension and 20-inch custom E.C.D. wheels. Brembo brakes bring it to a stop, and the Modo Quark steering wheel navigates it around the tightest turns.

While Project Savage gets 600 horsepower from its LS3, Project Big Tex gets 565 horsepower due to a performance tune and upgraded Hooker headers. It is paired with a 6-speed transmission and built using a 2-inch lift kit. Borla dual exhaust delivers both performance and a throaty growl that turns heads. A Ron Davis aluminum radiator keeps the engine cool and Wilwood disc brakes ensure it can stop its E.C.D. 20-inch wheels. 

While Land Rover attempted to capture the V8 audience, those who live for power are choosing to create the unimaginable by selecting restromod Defenders like the ones built by E.C.D. Auto Design in Kissimmee, Florida.