WOW! Spectacular Defender 90! Superb condition, off-road ready, rust-free import

1980 Land Rover Defender Description

This stunning, tastefully updated 1985 Land Rover looks virtually identical to a 2012+ model, virtually NOBODY believes it’s a classic! Driving this beauty around town is a true rockstar experience: countless people asking questions, stopping to take photos, endless honks, thumbs up, and waves in traffic.

The car was imported from Italy, where it spent its entire life in the dry, Mediterranean climate. Virtually all of these Landys from the UK, Germany, and similar countries are completely rusted due to harsh elements, road salts, and snow. Plus it’s factory LHD, not a conversion of questionably quality.

This example was lovingly looked after by its previous owners and it shows. The photos speak for themselves –the time, money, and energy put into maintenance/restoration is truly astounding. This Defender hasn’t been beaten to death off-roading, nor has it received “upgrades“ that destroy its character. It has truly retained its factory appearance, spirit, and feel.

It’s impossible to tally up all the work performed throughout the years. Some of the more recent items include:

• New high quality paint, shines like a factory finish.
• New battery, high capacity Optima gel cell.
• New high-quality, OEM seats
• New door hardware, hinges, locks, weatherstripping, and trim pieces.
• Freshly serviced window regulators
• New wheels and tires (road legal, with plenty of bite for off-roading).
• Upgraded suspension: shocks, bushings, slight lift, etc.
• Modernized headlights, new turn signals, lighting (all LED, including the gauge cluster).
• New Bosch glow plugs on all cylinders
• Noise reducing Dynamat under the hood

Notes about major components:

I’ll try to document the plusses and minuses as accurately as possible –happy to provide any additional pictures, clarification, or details!

Engine: reliably starts up every time (usually needs a few seconds to crank). PLENTY of torque, especially when running in 4L. Absolutely zero overheating issues, whether stuck in a traffic or going all out on the highway. Even incredibly hot Florida weather’s no match for this cooling system, handles it with ease. There’s the usual exhaust smoke from diesel motors of this era. Luckily it’s exempt from emissions testing (over 25 years old), you could even register it in California without issues or smog checks.

Gearbox: smooth engaging clutch, absolutely no slippage, with plenty of life remaining. Shifts into all gears with zero issues. The lever has some lateral play, typical on trucks from this era. It could easily be converted to a notchy, sports-car like feel if preferred (doesn’t bother me).

Paintwork: recently re-painted, countless hours were spent during preparation. No corners were cut with excessive filler, poor workmanship, or other gimmicks. It’s definitely a quality job, looks terrific, and shines like it just rolled off the factory floor. There’s a thin scratch on the driver’s door, aside from that nothing major (please see closeup photo).

Interior: virtually bone stock, including the dashboard (no huge cracks). Steering wheel, gauge cluster, instruments, and door panels are original. The seats were just re-covered, and look brand new. All of the interior rubber pieces are new: both shift boots, weatherstripping, etc. Virtually every exposed screw or fastener has been replaced. LED lights throughout, including the gauge cluster.

Speedometer: currently displaying a bit over 202k km, or roughly 125k miles. From the overall condition, I believe that number’s accurate. It displays the correct speed, however under 30km/h it jumps/twitches a bit (like virtually all classics of the era, especially older Ferrari models).

Wheels: in essentially perfect condition, no curb rash, chips, or scratches. All four tires were just replaced, the spare’s older but in serviceable condition. The steering’s configured for off-roading and is a bit “loose“, makes the vehicle much easier to handle in the mud (not so twitchy). This can be adjusted by tightening one bolt on the steering box, it’s a 15 minute job.

Suspension: upgraded shocks, bushings, and other small components. Travel has been increased a moderate amount over stock, with no squeaks, noises, or issues. The vehicle feels rock solid at all speeds, zero wobbling. Occasionally, there’s a slight pull when braking (maybe pads?).

Additional remarks

Ready to go as-is with no additional work. Would make a great daily driver, there isn’t much to go wrong on these simple Defenders. The shop manual’s very thin, and virtually anything can be fixed with simple hand tools.

Clean Florida title in hand, with no excuses, delays or liens. Ready to transfer to a new owner immediately. Document are in my name, and ready to sign over to the new owner. Listed as a 1980 model as eBay doesn't recognize foreign VINs, title is actually 1985.

These are amazingly cheap to insure, much less than an inexpensive modern car. Traditional carriers such as Farmers, Liberty Mutual, Allstate, Esurance, Geico, Nationwide, Progressive, USAA, State Farm, and Safeco all provide coverage. They can do agreed value, and the import status is a non-issue.

Of course, you can also go with specialist carriers, which are great if you won’t be driving much. If you keep it garaged and off the road, it’s around $25 a month for comprehensive.

Classic car financing’s available from several companies, with very low rates (many offering 10 to 12 year terms if desired). Many traditional banks also handle these deals. A quick Google search will yield plenty of results.

I’ll gladly work with your third-party inspection company, or if you’re in town feel free to stop by in person. Worldwide shipping is available, either in a 20’ container or RoRo. I can have this Landy delivered anywhere on the planet at cost (to a port or your front door). Contact me for a quote.

Thank you very much for looking, and good luck!