You can never go wrong with a classic, they say. Osprey Custom Cars knows this only too well, as it should: it’s a shop that specializes in Land Rover restorations.
We’re now in the second year of restrictions of all kinds, due to the ongoing health crisis. The year 2020 brought with it a lot of unexpected changes, from the way we socialize and work, to the way we eat and travel, and how we define personal hygiene. It’s been tough (and it will probably continue to be so for another while), but many of us have found escapism in the great outdoors and local tourism.
One of the few upsides to this terrible, collective experience has been that we’ve been forced to rediscover the joys of nature, of traveling on land by car, camper, RV, bikes, and everything else in between. Sales of these vehicles have consequently boomed, but that doesn’t mean that you have to go for the newest and shiniest thing in order to get your money’s worth.
Photo: Osprey Custom Cars
You could always go for a classic.
As noted above, Osprey specializes in Land Rover restorations and, for their latest project, they chose a 1990 Defender 130, a camper. It is now being listed for sale on eBay for a hair under $100,000, which is less than other Osprey conversions but more than other entries on the market sold as new.
But for this kind of money, you get a reliable, sturdy vehicle that offers the most basic amenities with a very healthy side serving of retro ruggedness.
For some, it might just be the hottest selling point.
Photo: Osprey Custom Cars
This Osprey Land Rover conversion has already traveled to four continents and, according to the listing, it is now ready for the next chapter. Osprey made sure that it is: it includes everything you need for camping, from a bed to sleep in, a place to store and cook your food, and plenty of storage. It doesn’t allow for glamping (the glamorous version of camping), but then again, you’re driving a Defender. You’re probably not the kind who glamps either way.
“The size of the truck makes it great for getting out in the woods, but still small enough to park it in a grocery store parking lot,” the listing notes. It also allows to pack everything you need in, and still leave some room for wiggling around. You get a queen-size bed in the pop-up, well ventilated side tent, which converts into a dining area when you’re not catching Zs. There’s a slide-out kitchen in the back, with an oven, a sink and a refrigerator. You have a water heater and extra storage for a large propane tank to use it, along with storage for two more diesel fuel tanks.
Osprey’s custom work on it includes converting it from right-hand drive to left-hand drive, replacing the tenting materials, restoring the original camper shell, and just as importantly, dropping in a new 300Tdi 2.5-liter four-cylinder diesel engine paired to a late-model R380 5 speed manual transmission. A new transfer case, drive shafts, radiator, shocks and springs, and chunky BFG all-terrain tires are also on the list of upgrades mentioned in the listing, as are a front winch bumper, brushguard and a new winch with synthetic rope line.
Photo: Osprey Custom Cars
While onboard amenities are basic, this retro camper comes with new air-conditioning and a stereo. Up top, you get extra storage room for stuff like bikes or surfboards.
The Land Rover camper is listed as $99,950 or best offer, and is offered with a full history of servicing. If you know yourself in the market for a camper to help you get away from it all, you still have 19 days to ponder this option.
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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