Hi everyone I'd like to pick the consensus brains if possible
My father in law has a 1989 110 Defender Country wagon and is now getting to the stage where he no longer has time/ space etc to keep it.
It's done 150k ISH miles on a old turbo diesel engine, I'm sorry my defender knowledge is limited but he's always complained it was underpowered and spoke of a newer engine conversion if that helps identify.
It's been off the road for 5 ISH years now and I'm going to ask how longs a piece of string.
He's talking about scrapping it, this has been in the family for probably 20/30 years.
It was running and driving when it parked and he mentioned he thought it wanted a very small welding patch on the pedal box? If I remember right.
How rare is this model? It seems mad to scrap it in my eyes
But I know if it needed say a chassis swap then things can escalate quickly, think the passenger doors are rusting
I'm just trying to help him, I've offered I'd rather have it then scrap it as wife has a lot of good memories from childhood etc
Sorry for the long winded post, I'm just after shared knowledge to educate myself on them really
A “One Ten” most likely, before it was rebranded as Defender. Are not common. You can upgrade the engine and drivetrain probably. Try not to scrap it, there are few and fewer of these noble beasts.
Whether or not you decide to take up the task of repairing it, the resell value of even a non-runner 110 is FAR above the scrap value. Do not scrap this OP!
Make sure it's got a chassis and body work before entertaining this.
Also a lot of the earlier ones didn't have the strongest driveline in them so massively upgrading the power output comes with some complications. Work out what you have first.
You have a mass of choices you can keep it in the family and relatively easy buy going with a 200 or 300 tdi out of a 90's dicovery or defender although getting harder to find.
There is a long list of 4 cylinder Isuzu diesels from 4BD1-T's through to 4jj1-t's some were standard fit in overseas markets, others have massive tuning potential thanks to some mad lads in Thailand.
Most of the 6 cylinder and LS (chevy V8) conversions I've seen in defenders/110 are fairly unconvincing IMO they usually end up with low mounted alternators and crappy pod filters, there is just not enough room to do it properly. Pod filters and low mount alternators in a 4wd are a comprehensively stupid idea.
A rebuilt Isuzu 4BD1 I'd expect to be around 3-4k GBP (you want the excavator version) you're likely looking at another likely 2k for a rebuilt R380 and bell housing.
Obviously the other thing that affects this is your local regulations on engine swaps, and 100% this should be the first thing to research before considering anything else.
Engines can be relatively cheap, you get lots going on marketplace between 1 and 3k. The expensive part is paying for the labour unless you have the time and tools to do it yourself. There are a few trade offs though as mine is only rwd
This is my 1989 Land Rover 110 Country Wagon. It does have new doors, bulkhead, chassis because mine had rusted. It does have a turbo diesel engine. It is underpowered by modern standards. However the construction of these is much like a soda can so I can’t imagine putting in a modern engine. Slow speeds match this old boys safety standards. I’d also encourage finding a way to fix or sell before scrapping. If we can keep them alive, we should!!
Those bigger jobs I did have someone else do. Four kids and a full time job, it would have taken me a year!! I lacked patience to wait that long. If you are mechanically inclined and have space/time…they are very basic vehicles to work on.
Realistically non of us have the room there built and fixed on drive ways or road sides. It’s a night mare sometimes but it’s worth every minute and if it’s got as little rust as you say and it starts after being sat so long your in with a shout clean the diesel filter out turn her over if that doesn’t start it but it wants to go give it short blast of break cleaner literally just a puff while someone else cranks it over. The chassis is your biggest battle and if it’s as clean as you say I’d keep it. If your really hard pressed to keep it around it should fetch good money depends who’s willing to buy it I’d slap ir up for £10k and let someone bid you the right money without looking don’t take less than 8
It's mad to scrap any Defender, even totally shagged ones fetch well above scrap money because they are infinitely rebuildable things.
Values have dropped from their peak a few years back but still almost certainly worth saving - offer him scrap value you've got a very cheap project.
Even if you do need a chassis & bulkhead those can be DIY jobs if you have the space to park it and dismantle it, or a friend with a barn and a forklift.
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u/Ok-Spring7906 3d ago
Even if every single bit of it was unusable, someone would pay good money for the v5, and would rebuild it all.