ECD has had plenty of notable custom defenders come off our line; we specialize in building custom Vintage Land Rovers. Every now and then, however, a select few make huge waves in the automotive industry, picking up features across several online magazines. Here’s a look at some of our Top Rare Land Rover builds:

Project Beast

In 2016, Project Beast was our first ever restored Defender to feature an LS3 V8 engine and have paint in an eggshell finish. Due to its power and menacing all-black look, the build shook the Defender restoration world. Thanks to Beast, we now build 565hp custom Defenders as standard, along with the option for a defender with a 2.8L Cummins Diesel. ECD is one of the very few LS3 Defender builders in the entire world.

Electric Defender and Electric RRC

Last year in 2020, ECD announced our bid to bring the classic electric Defender to the U.S. as the new 2020 Defender was making its way across the country. Our first order for electric didn’t happen to be a Defender at all but a Range Rover Classic. The following spring, Project Ski, an alpine white electric RRC with a warm-toned interior powered by a Tesla motor, rolled off the line, making headlines everywhere. Media visits from Carbuzz and other influencers proved that the most astounding aspect of the vehicle was its low hum as it climbed from 0-60 mph at an impressive rate of speed. Shortly after, ECD had not one but several orders for an electric Defender. This year in 2022, ECD’s Project Britton led the way as the company’s first EV Defender to come off the line. The 4,000lb vehicle turned heads as it pulled up in the local shopping center to plug in for a daily charge with its classic look painted in Cool Grey Khaki. Project Britton was shortly followed by Project Morpheus, an electric Defender 110, and Project Arizona Desert, our first convertible Electric Defender 110.

Project NAW

Over the years, ECD has also seen its share of builds in a range of different colors, from traditional Land Rover colors to custom swatches from a client’s personal collectible; we’ve seen it all. Enter Project NAW, a soft-top Lamborghini Verdi Mantis Defender 110 with a removable black canvas top and an all-white interior. Looking like a vehicle off of a film set, Project NAW is probably one of ECD’s most popular head turners as its paint process gained thousands of fans across our social channels and in the media alike. The brightly colored lime green Defender is extremely unique and a great reflection of the custom work ECD produces.

Project Rowdy

Project Rowdy made headlines as the Land Rover Defender built for wine and shotguns. Appropriately named, the custom Defender was built for its owners to have a good time. In the traditional British Racing Green and with a warm-toned interior, one might say Rowdy is not noticeably special compared to our past builds at first glance. However, once your open the vehicle’s rear door, one can easily see what makes this build special. Inside Rowdy’s rear storage space is a custom one-of-a-kind Thewlis Gregson cabinet box. Thewlis Gregson is known for their elite luxury and exact customizations, and Rowdy’s custom Thewlis Gregson box was no different. The top shelf holstered the owner’s shotgun and accessories in a perfectly measured slot, while the other two drawers were custom fitted to hold picnic gear such as plates, silverware, and wine glasses, and the bottom shelf was designed to hold wine bottles, perfectly in individual cutouts cushioned with soft material. In addition to the custom Thewliss Gregson box, Rowdy had a pull-out fish cleaning station built into the rear door and a custom ski rack built over the rear wheel carrier, making it the ultimate vehicle for vacation with family and friends.

From custom NAS Defenders to fully restored heritage-styled Series IIA, ECD has no shortage of rare Land Rover builds under its belt. With 450 vehicles built and counting since 2013, ECD is always excited to see what custom vehicles we get to build next.