Building a Custom 9-Seat Land Rover
Project: Gravette
I wanted a great utility vehicle, one that was not only luxurious, but also would be there for me long term. After thinking about it, I decided to design and build one.
Each of us have moments when we decide it’s time to reward ourselves for the goals we’ve achieved. Whether it’s a fine wine, five-star restaurants, or the home of our dreams, we seek out what we deserve.
Shouldn’t this apply to what we drive, too? Yes! For me, that meant checking off a five-year goal of owning a custom Land Rover Defender 110 built to my exacting specifications. But first, why a Land Rover?
A British brand, it’s owned by Jaguar, a subsidiary of Tata Motors. The Land Rover was designed in 1947, and its name was created in 1948 by the Rover Company for a 4WD off-roader. The vehicle was granted a Royal Warrant by King George VI in 1951, and in 2001 it received the Queen’s Award for Enterprise for outstanding contribution to international trade. Not a bad pedigree!
It took over 3 years to build this 9-seat beast.
Today, Land Rover vehicles are solely marketed as luxury sport utility vehicles, but for me stopping at just “luxury” wasn’t enough. I’ve had a long-running love affair with the old Defender model and most conversations with auto aficionados I connect with see a Defender in their garage as the perfect weekend classic. I began by finding a custom Land Rover builder and decided on the D110.
It took three years to build this 9-seat beast. The only company I trusted for the job was East Coast Defender in Kissimmee, Florida. Opened in 2013 and founded by men who grew up in England near the factory where the Defenders were built, ECD has a large staff of restoration experts, each a specialist in parts, tear down and fab up, quality control, paint and body, electrical, drive train, and every aspect of building each Defender.
After choosing ECD, my D110 had to be restored and then customized to my specifications: I had the body painted a full-gloss white with silver and black accents; 18” special edition tires; a four-point front roll cage; and an LED light bar in the front and two LED work lights in the rear.
The interior features all-American Series gauges; two modular heated and vented front seats; 60/40 split mid-row seats; four jump seats in the rear; and each seat is wrapped in a silver horizontal stitch leather. There are also modern conveniences built right in, including a state-of-the-art sound system, wireless charging for my phone, and numerous USB ports.
I chose a 6.2 litre 610 horsepower, 6-speed automatic transmission engine. Now that’s power!
What I’m trying to convey is that no matter what each of us can afford in life, the love of a brand and the desire for the highest quality are exciting emotions. It’s our hard-earned money and our goals we accomplished. A vehicle that is luxurious yet has great utility is a wonderful thing, but to me this is something that’s rugged and will last for many years to come. If you’re looking for a car – or a home, a camera, or even just an outdoor grill – always go for the best quality you can find at a price you can afford. Or maybe just a little above your affordable price point, because whatever it is, owning it should be a joy.
Timeline of Build:
