Before Land Rover named it Defender, it was the Ninety. That’s where the heritage begins. Our 1988 Ninety is in the final stages of a nut-and-bolt restoration in our workshop. It will be finished in about three months: a soft top, ready for spring.
A Defender restored to this standard usually comes with a waiting list measured in years, and a price to match. This one is already well over 1,000 hours into its build, and it’s offered at a fraction of that. Its original chassis has been hot-dip galvanized with the VIN preserved, the Discovery 200Tdi rebuilt with a Garrett turbo and paired with an Ashcroft HD transfer case, and the body painted panel by panel in Polymetal Grey metallic. Inside, it’s finished in distressed brown leather with a teak cargo floor.
Details
| Price | €72,000 (USD and CAD quotes on request) |
|---|---|
| Status | In final build. Completion early 2027, ready for spring |
| Model | Land Rover 90, soft top (Chocolate Thermoblock), full and half door sets |
| Build type | Nut-and-bolt restoration |
| Year | 1988 |
| Registration | EU registered |
| Engine | Discovery 2.5L 200Tdi diesel, rebuilt, Garrett turbo |
| Transmission | 5-speed manual, Ashcroft HD transfer case |
| Steering | Left-hand drive |
| Colour | Polymetal Grey metallic |
| Interior | Distressed brown leather, teak cargo floor |
| Air-conditioning | No |
| Chassis | Original, hot-dip galvanized, VIN preserved |
| Mileage | TMU (true mileage unknown) |
| Labour | Over 1,000 hours |
| Import eligibility | Clears the US 25-year and Canada 15-year import rules |
Build Highlights
Chassis: Original frame hot-dip galvanized, VIN preserved. Galvanized bulkhead reinforcement, tub cappings and teak-tread side steps. Rebuilt axles and differentials, BOGE shocks, Geomet-coated discs.
Drivetrain: Discovery 200Tdi rebuilt with Garrett turbo and stainless exhaust. Ashcroft HD transfer case with cross-pin upgrade. Hardy Spicer HD prop shafts.
Body: Painted panel by panel in Polymetal Grey metallic. Galvanized full and half doors. Nakatanenga Heritage grille, Optimill billet vent grilles, colour-matched Wolf wheels with plated wheel nuts.
Interior: Distressed brown leather, hand-stitched dash and knee guard, galvanized rear benches, teak cargo floor with stainless mariner cleats. Leather cubby box with a built-in Marshall Stockwell speaker.
Design flaws we fixed
- Original chassis galvanized inside and out
- Bulkhead reinforced with galvanized steel
- Tub cappings replaced with galvanized caps
- Heavy-duty cross-pin in the Ashcroft transfer case
- Heavy-duty hood sticks
From the workshop
The build so far, from the galvanized chassis up.
Reserve it now
Reserve the Ninety today and it’s yours when the last bolt goes in, ready for the first warm days of spring. Book a live video walk-around and we’ll show you any part of the truck, underneath included, before you commit.
Delivery
We deliver across Europe. For North America, our partner Brad handles import and registration, and has brought Defenders into both Canada and the US. US and Canadian quotes include an estimate of import duties and taxes, and the truck ships insured for its full retail value at no charge. See how delivery to the US and Canada works →