Modernizing 1987 Defender 110

Hi-

I have a 1987 E reg 110 that i will be taking over to the US soon. Before i take it over, i wanted to update the exterior appearance to match that of the new 110. Can anyone give me a few pointers as to what i will need to do to complete this?

Also, if anyone would be able to do this work please let me know - Land Rover is in Gloucestershire at the moment.

thanks
Ben

Check out Defender Source - THE Land Rover Defender Forum Community to learn about the ever changing do's & don'ts of importing a LR to the US. I know that the US feds are NOT allowing trucks with galvanized frame swaps in claiming that they are not original, unmodified trucks. Most of the guys on that forum have forgotten more about Landy's than I know about them so hit them up before you spend a dime on new anything.

Where are you moving to?

TBH fella,your 87 110, looks exactly the same as my 06 110,assuming you have one piece alloy doors,they are now steel,the bonnet on the Puma engine'd Defender( 2007 -on) was changed and LR used different grill and headlight surrounds on a few limited edition models (google;KBX grill and headlight surround).

Your air intake may be in a different place, also with an un-limited choice of after market grills.

From 2007 on the (Puma) Defender lost its vents in the bulk head (so aren't really proper Defenders anymore,:boink:lol).

And scraping the barrel mine has a locking fuel cap and has four holes drilled into each corner of the front bumper,I assume that's where the newfangled plastic end caps were stored.

Probably just the paint makes it look like a 1987

Thanks for the feedback. I actually live in Washington DC having moved here from the UK in 2000. Do you have a defender over in AZ?

Thanks very much for the information. I assume changing the wheels from the painted steel to alloy is pretty easy? How about respraying from the 1987 light green with white roof to the epsom green full body - assuming the body panels are in pretty good shape does that usually work well? - are the plastic wheel arch surrounds also different?

Wont be hard to find alloys for it, painting Defenders can get some fantastic results,but it really depends on how much of a "good" job YOU want doing.£700 should have it looking clean and tidy,£5000, will be 100% better than factory finish (which isn't hard),again this depends on how much work (YOU) wants doing.Wheel arch surrounds are very much identical (faded by the sun,new or old,lol).

great information, thanks very much.

bendutton said:

Thanks for the feedback. I actually live in Washington DC having moved here from the UK in 2000. Do you have a defender over in AZ?

Click to expand...

Yup, a 87 ExMOD FFR D-90.
If you are in DC I'm guessing half the active members on D-90.com are within a 2 hour drive of your location.

Here is a photo of my basically untouched rig. Lots of work needed and I plan on a single color, desert tan paint job.

I would leave it alone and do the work in the US.

Think you it might be wise to check if your 1987 Landy will be allowed into the US.
They have funny emissions control which I don't think your Defender will meet.

mikescuba said:

Think you it might be wise to check if your 1987 Landy will be allowed into the US.
They have funny emissions control which I don't think your Defender will meet.

Click to expand...

They are allowed 25 yr rule, Diesels didn't need emissions then

only thing is to be left hand drive I do believe .

and a search will answer everything, it is there I have read it.
If you do with a petrol there are lots of disco for parts, just check with a auto scrap yard

thanks for your reply. I had thought that the cost of any re-spray and parts to modernize the appearance would be more expensive if completed in the US. Please let me know why you think it would be best to wait until it is over here (cost?, customs?). thanks.

Benn01 said:

I would leave it alone and do the work in the US.

Click to expand...

thanks for your reply. I had thought that the cost of any re-spray and parts to modernize the appearance would be more expensive if completed in the US. Please let me know why you think it would be best to wait until it is over here (cost?, customs?). thanks.

Thor1950 said:

They are allowed 25 yr rule, Diesels didn't need emissions then

only thing is to be left hand drive I do believe .

and a search will answer everything, it is there I have read it.
If you do with a petrol there are lots of disco for parts, just check with a auto scrap yard

Click to expand...

from what i have seen the 25 year rule seems to forgive all issues including those relative to emissions and safety (at the moment at least!)

bendutton said:

from what i have seen the 25 year rule seems to forgive all issues including those relative to emissions and safety (at the moment at least!)

Click to expand...

If you decide on lockers buy in the US they are half the price. Summit racing has great parts and service and there are **** loads of 4x4 after market parts for you.

Thort everythin was cheaper in the US,as our minimum wage is higher:boink:, even the labour costs will be cheaper.

It should be relatively original to come in. Paint won't be any more expensive in the US.

New grills and lights should be fine but I would not get a respray prior to shipping it over.

everything you need to know: Importing info.

USA ... No VAT on parts/labor, only sales tax which is lower.