Back to the Defender Section
1993 NAS Defender 110 Station Wagon #151/500 Rebuild
How would you like to step back in time to the Fall of 1992 and be able to buy a new 1993 NAS Defender 110 Wagon? That might not be possible, but we have something even better!
Over and over we heard our customers ask,"I would like a Defender 110 with no apologies" (meaning no flaws, no issues, no rust, no corrosion), but as all 1993 NAS Defender 110s are all getting on in years (all built in mid to late 1992) that is hardly possible today. They all have flaws, or corrosion, or rust, or poor paint work, so it isn't possible to get a "no apologies" NAS Defender 110... or is it?
ECR can build you a "No Apologies Defender 110" and make it better, not just a repeat of the original. Our specifications out do the stock NAS 110. Items like the air condition systems are better. The stock system was basically a joke, so we have updated it to the better, newer system. The rear drum brakes have also gone in favor of new 4 wheel power disc brakes, the new style hinges are used and so on and so on.
We completed the first Rover of this new restoration program in the Fall of 2005 on NAS Defender 110 #132/500. We took #132/500 from a rusty mess to better than factory new and we fully updated it and made it better with every upgrade in the book.
Now it is time to do it again. This time it is #151/500 that is under the knife here at ECR. The 110 will be stripped down completely. Every nut, bolt and washer will be removed and replaced. Every bearing and every seal will be replaced with new. The tired old 3.9 EFI engine will be tossed and a brand new factory fresh 4.6 EFI V8 will be installed. The ratty old HVAC system (Heating Ventilation and Air Cond.) will be removed in favor of all new parts and so much more. Every part will be replaced or restored to better than new and we'll even update all the door hinges and upgrade the 110 with all the latest parts, as well as stainless steel oil cooler lines, a ROX 304 stainless steel exhaust... the list is too long to detail. Basically everything we have learned about Defender 110s in the last 13 years is applied to make these ECR 110s better than any stock NAS 110 out there.
Here you can see the starting point for the restoration, NAS Defender 110 #151/500. It isn't a bad truck, it has just lived out its useful life and now needs to be fully restored. Unlike some shops that give things a new coat of paint, fix the obvious items and then slap on some new tires, we fully strip these vehicles and rebuild them with all new Genuine Land Rover parts.
If it is a steel body panel, it is replaced, not matter what its condition. We cut no corners in these vehicles and only 100% new steel pieces will do. The bulkhead rust in this 110 is pretty severe, but it is not patched or repaired, the entire bulkhead will be replaced with new. This isn't a refurbishment or a patch job, this is a full restoration to ECR standards, and that means like new or better.
The next step for this 110 is complete tear down to its smallest part. Each part will be evaluated and then restored or replaced as required to achieve "new" status. The cage will be removed, blasted, zinc coated and then powder coated in stain black, a new 4.6 engine will be installed and much more.
Speaking of new engine. Here is a shot of the brand new, not rebuilt, 4.6 that is being set up for 110 #151. The brand new engine has been taken apart, balanced and is now being set up to run with the 110's 14CUX fuel injection system. Some items that will make this 4.6 better than any factory 4.6 will be a new timing chain, without Land Rovers plastic gears, a better distributor and Jet-Hot coated exhaust manifolds to increase performance and reduce under hood temps. Everything we have learned about 4.6 engines over the years is built into these restored 110s and everything is new.
This image shows more "newness". The new steel wheels have been epoxy primed and painted and are ready for the new tires. In these build ups we don't mean the rims have been repainted, we mean we install new rims with new paint.
We install new body panels too. If the panel has steel in it, like the frame-work of the hood, it is replaced with new. Here you can see the new hood is primed and painted on both sides. The under side needs paint and primer too so that is won't rust out quickly, the exterior paint is the pretty part, but paint underneath is what helps keep rust away. Sadly, this 110 was being built during the move to our new shop, so we didn't have much time for detail pictures, sorry. The next project we'll show more build up images.
This image shows the safari cage just back from powder coating. All the threads will now be cleaned in preparation for installing the cage onto the 110.
The new owner of 110 #151, yes it was pre-sold before it was completed, also wanted a few upgrades so we are taking care of that in the build up as well. In the image above you can see we have made some alloy rear speaker mounts that will house bigger Alpine speakers than the factory parts allowed. We have primed and painted this in white for a nice clean finished look. To make the sound system sound as nice as possible we have installed as much sound deadening material as we could throughout the 110.
This 110 is getting a new 4.6 V8 with an automatic gearbox. Here you can see we have finished all the detail work in the engine bay and we are ready to drop in the new 4.6 engine. The new ZF automatic has already been installed and wired up. So not only is this 110 restored to like new, it is being built in a combination that Land Rover never offered... a V8 EFI automatic. Land Rover never built one, but we do. Go here for more details on automatic conversions.
The safari cage has now been re-installed, new headliners installed and we are getting the customer's upgrades installed. A raised air intake, a rear work/reverse lamp, running boards and a great sound system are just a few of the things in store for this ECR restored 110.
This image shows the interior coming together. As this 110 is an automatic we are installing all the factory automatic parts for a clean and finished look. Above you can see the correct shifter, correct brake pedal and all is in place. The ROX kick panels have been installed and we have run all the wiring for the new Alpine audio system and have mocked up the new dash system. Next up we will install the updated AC system under the dash and get it wired into the EFI system.
Here you can see that we have install the new headliners and the trim for the sunroof. NAS 110s didn't come with a sunroof but because we are rebuilding these trucks from the ground up we can add in things that Land Rover never offered in 1993, like a sunroof... or a 4.6 V8 mated to an automatic.
This image shows the new 4.6 a little further along in the build process. These ancillaries have now been added and the EFI wiring has been installed. All the sensors, hoses, belts and all wear items are all brand new Genuine Land Rover parts, so there is no worry when the customer heads off down the highway.
To make the EFI system understand that it has a new 4.6 to work with, instead of the old 3.9 we have added a new Tornado chip to the 14CUX ECU (see red arrow). This will help the engine put out the power and torque that a 110 Wagon needs and also improves the drivability of the EFI system.
Here you can see that the 110 is coming together nicely. Options like the front and rear mud flaps have been added, along with the rear work reverse light. Once the interior gets buttoned up it will be time to fire up the systems and then take #151 for its first ride since being fully restored.
This image shows the front cabin area. The new seats have been installed and all the automatic console parts set up. Hiding under the console is an Alpine digital amplifier to power the 2 8" subwoofers in the rear of the 110. The set up is controlled by an Alpine head unit that has CD, MP3, AM, FM and even an iPod connection for tons of music choices.
Here you can see the interior trims have all been installed along with the heavy duty rubber mats. The interior of the 110 is now ready to go and ready to handle whatever the new owner wants to dish out.
The new owner also wanted a new ROX front bumper and skid plate set up. We topped that off with a Warn 9000 winch with 2 recovery points and triple Hella 4000 CELIS lights. We also installed a turn signal conversion kit so that all the front lights work correctly and the flashers blink at the correct rate. The 4.6 V8 automatic powered 110 will now get cleaned up on the inside and made ready for delivery to the new owner.
Here are some final shots of the completed NAS Defender 110:
Completed engine bay
All our 110s carry all our updated parts, like stainless oil cooler lines (shown above). That means no problematic and fire prone factory oil cooler lines in an ECR 110.
Completed dash. Updated dash, better heating and cooling system and all the correct automatic parts.
Drivers area
Middle row passenger area
Cargo and rear passenger area, with updated rear door, sturdy bench jump seats and 2x 8" subwoofers for great sound reproduction.
Updated headliners with twin interior lights. You can also see the auto dimming rear view mirror and the sunroof.
Here you can see the completed restoration of NAS Defender 110 #151/500. Its better than new, fully updated and built in a way that Land Rover never thought of (4.6 EFI V8 with an automatic). It is now ready for transport to the new owner for years of faithful service.
You can search for one of the 13 year old, or older, Defender 110s out there, and hope you find one without problems, or you can buy one of our as new, restored 110s. Our restored versions being far superior in many ways to a stock NAS Defender, even if that stock Defender had only 5 miles on the clock, the ECR 110 has all the updates and is built better in all respects.