autoevolution
 

Pitch Black 1990 Land Rover Defender Is the British Solution to the Walking Dead

After about a four-years hiatus, the Land Rover Defender nameplate is back in business. The Brits revived it, gave it all the technological advancements it lacked, and sent it onto the market looking better than it ever did. But this doesn’t mean older Defenders don’t have it in them still.
Java Black 1990 Land Rover Defender 110 6 photos
Photo: Barrett-Jackson
Pitch Black 1990 Land Rover DefenderPitch Black 1990 Land Rover DefenderPitch Black 1990 Land Rover DefenderPitch Black 1990 Land Rover DefenderPitch Black 1990 Land Rover Defender
The market for custom Defenders is not as large as that for other types of cars. But that isn’t stopping people from trying to give their own interpretation of the British classic.

On the lot of cars to sell during the Barrett-Jackson auction that takes place next month in Palm Beach is just such a build. Initially a Defender 110 produced in 1990, the pickup has been transformed into something that would not be out of place in a zombie movie.

Draped in pure black (officially called Java Black), from the 33-inch BFGoodrich Mud Terrain tires to the top of the custom cage and rack, this Defender is an all-British creation: it was originally made in the UK, and it has been transformed into this in the UK.

The modifications made to the exterior include widebody wheel arches, a raised hood, and four 6-inch LED spotlights on top. Inside, there are black leather seats, black suede headlining, and a leather-stitched gear gaiter to match the seating trim.

Under the hood, the garage responsible for this build hid a 4.6-liter V8 gasoline engine, and linked it to a 5-speed manual transmission. The engine displacement is larger than what Land Rover offered on this model back in the day.

As most of the cars going under the hammer during the aforementioned auction, this one too sells with no reserve. And since this nameplate, especially customized, is not something we come across at American auctions very often, we’ll keep an eye out and tell you how it performs.
If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Daniel Patrascu
Daniel Patrascu profile photo

Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories