Defender Restoration - buy or not to buy?

I have been offered a Defender 110 with 113,000 miles for a cheap price of £1500 has a few faults and was wondering what you guys thought? I've always wanted a Defender and a project would be quite nice as I've never restored a car before but just wanted to see if you guys think I should or just save more money and buy a slightly better one?

Needs all of the list below plus more most probably:
- Bulkhead needs new panels
- Bonnet
- Needs new rear cross member
- Both footwells need replacing
- Needs a rear door
- New lights
- Front bumper
- Rubber seals
- Full service inc brakes
- Few interior parts

Seems low for an engine and the price may be hiding other issues. What year and Engine type. Have a look at the interior, if the condition has beed replaced then less work to do, but if utter shabby the vehicle could have thrashed on the farm. Check the chassis properly for condition with a toffee hammer for a solid tone a dull thud denotes rust. Do you have pictures we love pictures here to gauge.

It's a 300tdi registered in 1995, it's been left in a field for years and the interior is buggered and has a birds nest in it haha, I can get some pictures up tonight when I'm back home.

At that price you can't go wrong. The question is can you weld and do you have a mig welder ?

If the engine is sound, and the chassis rescuable, might be worth it, but if you've not done a project before assume you'll spend a lot more cash and a lot more time than you might think.......! If you have patience and some skills then could be a good find. Good luck, and remember pics! A

Mine was the same price, same age, with the remains of an mot.

Mine needed a new bulkhead, new outriggers, new roof, etc, but the chassis itself wasn't too bad.

If you're getting to new chassis then youre looking at the sort of money that it might not be worth spending if the rest is also a mess. I mean, if all youre really buying is an ID, and a load of knackered parts, its not £1500 worth.


Is it a CSW (with the price premium) or another build? Either way, i reckon its got to be cheaper, and quite a bit cheaper if its not a CSW.


Sure, you see IDs advertised on ebay for big money, but so what if they sell to fools - just because someone else buys somthing for too much money does not really mean that you want to?

ps. unless its got an MOT fail sheet, those "few faults" may well turn out to be the tip of the iceberg.


If you want a car to take apart and restore, then go for it (at the right price) but, if youre looking for a weekend's entertainment, be cautious, as it will drag on for months and months...

I was going to mention to have a look at projects vehicles that someone wanting to get rid in the papers or mags if this looks to much.

REKT said:

I have been offered a Defender 110 with 113,000 miles for a cheap price of £1500 has a few faults and was wondering what you guys thought? I've always wanted a Defender and a project would be quite nice as I've never restored a car before but just wanted to see if you guys think I should or just save more money and buy a slightly better one?

Needs all of the list below plus more most probably:
- Bulkhead needs new panels
- Bonnet
- Needs new rear cross member
- Both footwells need replacing
- Needs a rear door
- New lights
- Front bumper
- Rubber seals
- Full service inc brakes
- Few interior parts

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If you can do it all yourself, and have plenty of time, that is only around a grands worth of parts. Maybe less if you shop around, and repair items yourself. Maybe more if you go to town, and find other items to add to the list as you go along.

Main thing is, do you have the time? Like they say, that isn't a weekend project, more likely you will be on it for months if you are working round other stuff, and sourcing cheap parts etc.

REKT said:

I have been offered a Defender 110 with 113,000 miles for a cheap price of £1500 has a few faults and was wondering what you guys thought? I've always wanted a Defender and a project would be quite nice as I've never restored a car before but just wanted to see if you guys think I should or just save more money and buy a slightly better one?

Needs all of the list below plus more most probably:
- Bulkhead needs new panels
- Bonnet
- Needs new rear cross member
- Both footwells need replacing
- Needs a rear door
- New lights
- Front bumper
- Rubber seals
- Full service inc brakes
- Few interior parts

Click to expand...

Only you can answer if this is for you or not. However if you haven't done anything like this before, then consider:

Do you have the room
Do you have the tools
Do you have the know how
Do you have the determination to finish it

Also, all projects always take longer than you think and will cost more than you think. But it's well worth coming up with some estimates.

Also consider what the finished vehicle will be like. Does it have the correct engine for what you want, will you want to change anything on the way?

And also worth considering, is a Defender really what you want. Have you actually been in one before? These days so many people are jumping on the fashion wagon of "must get a Defender". To end up spanking loads of money, to find out that it's totally not the sort of vehicle they actually want. And that what they want is actually something more akin to a Range Rover or Discovery.

In short....

If you want a comfy, quiet, refined road vehicle. Do not buy a Defender, you will be disappointed. Even if you spend stupid amounts of money on it.

That will be rusted to ****. You'd be lucky if he chassis is salvageable. Saying that get a galv one and rebuild it. You'll be a pro by the end of it

I did start pricing bits up last night for most of the replacement parts and that came to £340 for bulkhead/xmember/both footwells/bumper and a few rubber seals. I have no clue in welding I know a few people who could for me but they want £50/£60 per hour for welding or I could teach myself and just take my time. I'm in no rush if I do get this project but before I do decide I just wanted some of your opinions as I'm bound to miss bits as I'm new to this. oh and I think the mileage is real as its done 450 miles since it's last mot in 2012 and 13000 in past 11 years.

Defoe don't go into that with the plan to pay someone to do the welding for you.

payydg said:

Defoe don't go into that with the plan to pay someone to do the welding for you.

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Is welding hard? haha I have some idea but don't think I'd trust myself I've got a MIG welder but think its broken anyway

REKT said:

Is welding hard? haha I have some idea but don't think I'd trust myself I've got a MIG welder but think its broken anyway

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Not very, just takes a bit of practice with a good machine and mask. Plenty of youtube tutorials, etc. The prep and cutting out the panels is more difficult than the actual welding. But you only need a few bits of scrap steel, and a grinder and clamps, to practice, and those are cheap.

That chassis is hanging, going to need a lot of work to make good.

your a braver man than me OP

REKT said:

I did start pricing bits up last night for most of the replacement parts and that came to £340 for bulkhead/xmember/both footwells/bumper and a few rubber seals. I have no clue in welding I know a few people who could for me but they want £50/£60 per hour for welding or I could teach myself and just take my time. I'm in no rush if I do get this project but before I do decide I just wanted some of your opinions as I'm bound to miss bits as I'm new to this. oh and I think the mileage is real as its done 450 miles since it's last mot in 2012 and 13000 in past 11 years.

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Has it been in the sea/lunching boats?

With hat much evident rust I'm betting it needs a new chassis to be safe or legal. Lots and lots of work. As it is in such poor condition, what is the engine and gearbox like?

I know prices are on the up on Defenders. But this looks like it needs a huge amount of money spending on it. Not sure I'd want to pay more than £500-800 as is. And that might be pushing it.

I suspect its worth more to a breaker for the salable parts than it is for a restoration.

The bulkhead will take you a load of time. The chassis may be more bother than its worth.
It looks like its been out of use for long enough that the clutch might be stuck on, etc.etc.
Then all the standard mot things like track rod ends, bushes etc. (noone cares for a vehical when they know theyre about to lay it up forever)

Its doable, but you can do better for £1500 than this.

What's your budget? A richards chassis is, what, about 2.5k. A bulkhead probably the best part of £1k, once its blasted, dipped, and sprayed.

So that's 3.5k. Say another £1k on all the other bits. 4.5k. Then whatever you pay for the vehical. If that's £500, then youve got a 5k truck, which would be a nice vehical, but is still 5k, which is maybe abut £3k more than youre expecting.

By all means get a defender and take it apart, but just buy more wisely than that one. Or buy that one for a load less cash.


As an indication, there's been a chap selling two 90s on ebay (one ID between them) and he keeps relisting them, as noone is bidding at £1k. Id rather spend £1k on them, than £1.5 on that one.

What does a standard 300tdi 110 van sell for, with MOT now? 2.5-3k for one that's nothing special?

julianf said:

What does a standard 300tdi 110 van sell for, with MOT now? 2.5-3k for one that's nothing special?

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Maybe a wee bit more, depending on location. But I agree, might as well spend the 5k on something useful and running, rather than invest loads of time in a total rebuild.