For many fans of the classic Defender, they choose to preserve the past by driving into the future in a custom Defender.

When you order a custom Land Rover Defender from ECD Automotive Design, you become a member of a growing family of restomod Defender owners – E.C.D. Automotive Design has created over 300+  restored vehicles.

According to John Price, leader of sales and design at E.C.D. Automotive Design in Kissimmee, Florida, the first email begins the design process. The design team will meet you at your home or pick up the tab for you to meet them at the Rover Dome at E.C.D. Automotive Design’s home base in Florida.

Over a series of meetings and emails, you will quickly see your ideas take shape in renderings. The design process takes between five and six months, and the team works closely with you to ensure that they are meeting your expectations before they ask you to sign off on them.

While this sounds like a lot of work, it is exciting to reimagine the vintage Defender in ways that make it better than it was when it was new. The engine options, interior surroundings and high-tech choices of today are superior to what was available in those older model Defenders.

One of the first things you will notice when working with the E.C.D. Automotive Design team is that you are not a passive participant in the design process. Upon ordering, you have access to the client portal where you can watch your dream unfold in real-time throughout the process with a click of a mouse.

Model Choices

It all starts with a body. The E.C.D. Automotive Design team led by Tom Humble, Founder and U.K. Logistics Manager, scours Europe searching for the body your project needs.  Once the body is secured, it heads to the United States. The original V.I.N. is used, and it complies with the 25-year old vintage law, so there is no problem registering it.

Some of the models they work with include the Defender 90, Defender 110, Defender 130, Series IIA and Range Rover Classic. They can even design an electric Defender or an Electric Range Rover Classic powered by Tesla.

Once your Defender body is sent to the Rover Dome, the team takes it down to the chassis and goes over every inch of it looking for anything that may need to be repaired. They replace every nut and bolt, so you get a rebuild that begins on the ground.

“If there are any body parts that need to be replaced, we do them immediately,” John Price said.

Exterior Options

While there is much more to the exterior than color, the color choices are designed to complement the original body.  Staying with choices like olive green, corris and Santorini black give a nod to the original military intent of the Land Rover. However, for those looking for attention, nothing can compare to Fienza Red and Madagascar Orange for the body. Painting the roof and the wheel arches black makes for a striking contrast.

For those who seek extreme adventure, the addition of a roll cage is a ‘must have’ accessory that adds protection for both you and your Land Rover. A roof rack with side rails gives you extra cargo room for your off-road toys that can be securely tied down.

While most of the restomod Defenders they do are daily drivers, it is always a good idea to have safety features like roll cages in case you suddenly get the urge to drive up mountains or forge streams.

When it comes to the front end, some grille options offer protection to the lights and the radiator from damage for those off-road trips in rugged territory. You can equip your Land Rover with a WARN winch complete with remote control or add an ECD slimline front bumper winch with daytime running lights. Side and rear steps make getting in and out easier. Full running boards are available for some models.

Wheels and tires are customizable, as well. Depending on your model, you can choose between 16” – 20” EDC wheels with BFGoodrich All-Terrain tires.

Power Choices

Your restored custom Defender needs power, and there are many engine options to choose from that will bring that body to life. GM and Land Rover ASE certified technicians are hands-on when it comes to removing the old engine and replacing it with your choice. All of the old wiring is taken out, and the new wire is redone by hand.

You can stay with a classic Rover 8, or choose a Chevrolet LS3 with a 6-speed automatic transmission, LT4 or other high performance drivetrains. They also offer a Cummins diesel and a Tesla electric option.

“We have specialists in electronics solely for the Tesla-powered models,” John Price explained.

Once the chassis is torn down and rebuilt, the new power is installed.  Then the design team adds the color to the body. Each panel is sanded, polished and hand-painted for a flawless finish.

Interior Choices

One look at the interior from the 1980s will have you looking forward to a fresh cabin with the latest high-tech components and most comfortable seating and arrangement options. This is where the fun really starts.

ECD offers trim packages like Signature and Custom, as well as the Retro package for the D90, D110 and D130 models. The Series II A trim levels are 88” and 109” and more bare-bones than the restored Defender models.

All of the interiors feature hand-stitched upholstery that includes the seats and the dash in your choice of leather colors.

Depending on your model choice, you can sink into the heated Recaro driver’s seat and curl your fingers around a leather-wrapped steering wheel. Your Puma dash with its hand-stitched leather trim sports an infotainment center that offers map coordinates alongside of your personalized playlist from your favorite device. Superior sound and insulation give you a personal concert hall.

Other seating options include name brands like Corbeau seats for racing and trail and Puma depending upon your build. Leather colors include everything from red and gray to your own custom color mix. When these seats are hand-stitched, you choose the stitching. This includes horizontal stitch, diamond stitch – both vertical and horizontal -, and square stitching. Your dash trim is also done in your pattern choice.

Seating can be customized, too. From jumpseat layout to a regular six-seat set up or something in between, it can all be customized. There are options that include room for a storage box, and you can equip the passenger compartment with dual A/C, if you choose.

Whether you choose a Puma, a TD5 or a traditional dash – all model specific -, you will get the latest technology you need to navigate off-road and through the city streets.

With many seating arrangements to choose from, you can design your interior to meet your needs. There is even an optional dual A/C.

Delivery Day 

“We do a pre-ship walk-around at this point,” John Price said, “to make sure that everything is perfect.”
Every vehicle that comes out of the Rover Dome comes with a 2-year/50,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty.

When it comes to delivery of your new restomod Defender, you can pick it up from the Rover Dome or have it shipped. “We have some people who come to pick them up, but most are shipped,” John Price said. “The entire design time from the first email to the pick-up date is around 14 to 16 months.”

During that time, you will get bi-weekly emails with progress updates, in addition to portal access.

I’m going to see if John can get us a direct client quote to add to this piece. Please let me know if anything in particular works best, otherwise, I’m just going to ask them about their experience and why they wanted a custom Defender.

Hi Dia – why they want would work well  – it could be incorporated into the lead. Why did you decide to customize a Defender? What appeals to you about a custom Defender? Maybe if someone has a special mod that is over and above. That would add excitement. Txs