Photo: andrewkshuna/Bring a Trailer
Everyone who ever had a Defender knows that the British brand and the "reliable" word could not be part of the same sentence unless there was a "not" between them. But that changed when the Arkonik company decided to do something.
You may be excused if you've never heard about Arkonik, but this British company considered that it could build a better Defender than the factory. And, in a way, it did that. But it didn't start from scratch. It buys donor vehicles and, after a complete strip-down and rebuild process, it makes some of the finest Defenders on the road.
The example you see here started its life in 1986 as an LHD Defender powered by a 3.5-liter V8 Rover engine. But after an Arkonik treatment, it gained more power and more refinement than ever. On the outside, it's easy to see the new front bumper with incorporated fog lights. The Puma-style hood (mentioned in the papers as bonnet) is still aluminum and features a central bulge. From the sides, apart from the 18" Sawtooth Wheels, there are no hints regarding the car's abilities.
Inside, the Aniline Cracked Brown leather upholstery gives the impression of an old armchair from a British club. This kind of seats was never an option for the old Defender 110. It is true; the driver still sits pushed to the door in an awkward position. The 15" Evander wood-rimed steering wheel is still non-adjustable, but this is just part of the Defender. Either you like it or hate it. The instrument cluster, on the other hand, is new. Even though it sports the same design as the original dials, it is new and features a 120 mph (194 kph) speedometer.
Apart from the two seats at the front, there are two in the back and four rear folding jump seats facing inwards. All of them are upholstered in the same expensive leather. For the comfort of the occupants, this Defender features a new AC unit, a Pioneer multimedia touchscreen stereo, and an Alpine subwoofer.
But the most important part is under the hood, where Arkonik installed an LS3 engine mated to the original LT77 five-speed manual gearbox. It features the same all-wheel drive system with a two-speed transfer case. The axles are also Defender-specific, with that differential mounted on one side. Also, worth mentioning that the entire electrical system was rebuilt with proper connectors and wires that won't come out and leave the car stranded in the middle of the road or, even worse, the woods.
But this is not a bargain Defender 110. The seller, andrewkshuna, will close the auction on February 6th, at 12:51 AM. Worth noticing that a top-spec, new rebuild Arkonik Defender with an LS3 and an automatic transmission costs more than $200,000, so I won't be surprised if this one will go into the six-figure price range.
The example you see here started its life in 1986 as an LHD Defender powered by a 3.5-liter V8 Rover engine. But after an Arkonik treatment, it gained more power and more refinement than ever. On the outside, it's easy to see the new front bumper with incorporated fog lights. The Puma-style hood (mentioned in the papers as bonnet) is still aluminum and features a central bulge. From the sides, apart from the 18" Sawtooth Wheels, there are no hints regarding the car's abilities.
Inside, the Aniline Cracked Brown leather upholstery gives the impression of an old armchair from a British club. This kind of seats was never an option for the old Defender 110. It is true; the driver still sits pushed to the door in an awkward position. The 15" Evander wood-rimed steering wheel is still non-adjustable, but this is just part of the Defender. Either you like it or hate it. The instrument cluster, on the other hand, is new. Even though it sports the same design as the original dials, it is new and features a 120 mph (194 kph) speedometer.
Apart from the two seats at the front, there are two in the back and four rear folding jump seats facing inwards. All of them are upholstered in the same expensive leather. For the comfort of the occupants, this Defender features a new AC unit, a Pioneer multimedia touchscreen stereo, and an Alpine subwoofer.
But the most important part is under the hood, where Arkonik installed an LS3 engine mated to the original LT77 five-speed manual gearbox. It features the same all-wheel drive system with a two-speed transfer case. The axles are also Defender-specific, with that differential mounted on one side. Also, worth mentioning that the entire electrical system was rebuilt with proper connectors and wires that won't come out and leave the car stranded in the middle of the road or, even worse, the woods.
But this is not a bargain Defender 110. The seller, andrewkshuna, will close the auction on February 6th, at 12:51 AM. Worth noticing that a top-spec, new rebuild Arkonik Defender with an LS3 and an automatic transmission costs more than $200,000, so I won't be surprised if this one will go into the six-figure price range.
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