Defender Bender

By The Editors
June 25, 2013 9:00 am

From time immemorial, man has been drawn into the lawless wilds — whether to hunt, defend his tribe, or, for those who live downtown, get milk from the grocery store.

Now there’s something else calling you:

West Coast Defender, a boutique Land Rover Defender-retrofitting concern based in LA, now taking orders.

Started by Matthew Perlman – a Defender enthusiast – WCD has a team in the U.K. that scours the globe for Land Rover Defenders older than 25 years.

Why 25? Because anything older than that is considered a classic car and can bypass our nation’s strict automotive import regulations.


Though their rugged moxy knows no age, both models — the four-door (seats nine) and the two-door — have been updated to include MP3-ready stereo, navigation and Bluetooth.

The seats are upholstered with fine leather, and you can add grills, soft-tops and fog lights.

Each of their finds undergoes a rigorous 230-point restoration so that it meets European safety standards, which actually surpass those in the good ole U.S. of A.

At up to 28 mpg, fuel standards are better, too. So rest easy, Nader.

And drive well, driver.

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