Gringo Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 Well, we just picked up a second Defender. This one a 110. We have been driving a D90 for a couple of years now,and when a local construction company trying to stay afloat decided to put several of their company Defenders up for sale we grabbed one. The rag top D90 is great,but there are times when we need to haul people around. Or be able to lock things up inside. And of course,it does rain from time to time. We must be nuts. Of course this gives me the green light to customize the little 90 a bit, now that it's no longer the family car. I am thinking a couple inches of lift, a roll bar, a bikini top, some offroad lights...a marine stereo system ( standard auto radios do not last a year here in an open vehicle. ) Yep. Nuts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 I really do like the 110's in white... makes me think of African safaris somehow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oap Posted April 14, 2009 Share Posted April 14, 2009 Nice landys lucky boy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gringo Posted April 14, 2009 Author Share Posted April 14, 2009 Hadn't really planned on buying another one. But we found out suddenly that several were coming up for sale, and we pretty much decided to buy the 110 spur of the moment. We know the people who run the company selling them, they construct major top end resorts (the West Caicos project, for one) and in this little nation Defenders don't come on the market often. Individuals tend to keep them. There is another '04 110, identical to this one, and three hard top 90's for sale, same color, all with less than 20,000 miles on them. You might have to come to a tropical island to test drive them... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgnas Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 Welcome to the club. I'm sure a few other members will be along shortly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reads90 Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 Well, we just picked up a second Defender. This one a 110. We have been driving a D90 for a couple of years now,and when a local construction company trying to stay afloat decided to put several of their company Defenders up for sale we grabbed one. The rag top D90 is great,but there are times when we need to haul people around. Or be able to lock things up inside. And of course,it does rain from time to time.We must be nuts. Of course this gives me the green light to customize the little 90 a bit, now that it's no longer the family car. I am thinking a couple inches of lift, a roll bar, a bikini top, some offroad lights...a marine stereo system ( standard auto radios do not last a year here in an open vehicle. ) Yep. Nuts. Hey Snap , Know what you mean we had the 90 but then got the 110 as better as a family truck Oh and go the bikini top , You won't regret it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronancounty Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 Nobody likes a showoff, and you will end up useing one for parts anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gringo Posted April 15, 2009 Author Share Posted April 15, 2009 Reads90, that is pretty much what I had in mind for the D90. Except I have given up on the idea of a swing-away spare carrier here. Just took one off. Free to a good home. Bumpy roads at 40 mph, it was destroying the body. And noisy. So our spare is back inside. You might notice no spare on the 110 either. The previous owner came to the same, independent conclusion. Where did you find that single hoop internal roll bar for your 90? That is what I am looking for. The suppliers in the States basically are still in a time warp selling stuff for Defenders up until 96 or 97, but they go blank and can't give a coherent answer if you ask them for anything newer than twelve years ago. "Will it fit a 2005?" "Uh....I dunno...are they the same as the 96?" I have had a few of those conversations. A shame, really, since we are only about 600 miles SE of the USA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reads90 Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 It is an ex army roll bar . But you can get them from All wheel trim All Wheel Trim They are the same people who did my Mohair roof and Bikni top As for the rear wheel carrier. I love mine and had no problem . Even with the thousand of k's of really bad corrigated roads here in Aus . Been on the truck for 6 years now, and even for our 25,000 miles trip around Australia , and still all like new. In fact looking at putting one on my 110 now . But mine is a mantec one so not cheap , but worth it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gringo Posted April 18, 2009 Author Share Posted April 18, 2009 Thanks for the info. I emailed those people the day you posted that, and not a peep back from them. I guess my intention to buy a soft top, roll bar, bumpers, snorkel, etc. didn't get their attention. Having driven the 110 for a few days now, we really like it. It doesn't have quite the "oomph" the 90 does, but it also doesnt keep trying to shorten one's spine with the rear axle, either. So it looks like the 110 will become the wife's vehicle, and I am left with that little soft top 90 as a daily driver... One issue that has arisen, strangely enough, is the subject of cup holders. The 90 has the stock LR console/cubby and that has two cup holders built in. The 110 has this strange (albeit sturdy) little middle seat section in the front row, and no cup holders. I am thinking of buying a new, locking metal console/cubby for the 90, and moving that console to the 110, getting rid of the middle seat in the 110. This would solve the locking storage issue in the open 90, as well as giving us a place to store paperwork, etc. in the 110. Would provide cup holders in the 110 as well. Do you guys know of any good, secure consoles to fit between the seats of the 90? I am going to end up with an unused middle seat section from the 110 to throw out, which I am not too happy about. But that's life. Maybe I can think of a use for it. Does anyone make just cup holders to fit in a Defender? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted April 18, 2009 Share Posted April 18, 2009 MSS do a lockable steel secure cubby box store cubbylockable the only cup holders for a 110 fit in the tray on the front of the sloping front cubbybox, probably what you have in the 90. like this one, the cup holder foam part is removable for cleaning here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gringo Posted April 18, 2009 Author Share Posted April 18, 2009 That is a nice looking cubby they make. I notice that all their models have the radio box on them, though. That's not something I need, and it puts the coffee cup holders way close to second and fourth gear... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wozza35 Posted April 18, 2009 Share Posted April 18, 2009 paddocks do a good lockable metal cubby box for about £160 and it has the option of a radio holder or not plus you can put the cup holders on the front or the back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted April 18, 2009 Share Posted April 18, 2009 this one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gringo Posted April 18, 2009 Author Share Posted April 18, 2009 Oh yeah, I like that one. Thanks. I seem to have a difficult time getting companies in the UK to even respond to emails from me, but I will give it a try. What would really be good would be to find one company who can sell me the cubby, the roll bar, the bikini top, and a good swing away tire carrier for the 110 all in one initial purchase. With more to come. I am still struggling a bit with the terminology, by the way. to you guys, a 'hood' is a soft top, right? Canvas? And what we call a hood is what you call a bonnet.... IF I got that right, that a hood is a canvas top.....what's a 'tilt'??? And eyebrow arches definitely threw me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted April 18, 2009 Share Posted April 18, 2009 hood/canvas/soft top & tilt are all the same thing a none metal roof/sides on a car or other vehicle like a military LR & your 90. what you & USA call a hood [covering the engine bay] in the UK is known as a bonnet & a Trunk is called a boot over here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gringo Posted April 18, 2009 Author Share Posted April 18, 2009 Well, thanks. That explains the terminology, or rather, defines the terminology. I am not sure why you need four terms for the same thing... Maybe both sides of the Atlantic should just call it 'canvas'. That would cover them all, wouldnt it. Top canvas and side canvas. And I am not even going to ask what 'mohair tilt' is. Sounds like something from a questionable video... I knew about the bonnet. I put aluminum bonnet plate on the 90 last year. I had to order the Euro pattern specially, as what they have up in the US is diamond plate. Different pattern. And I am assuming the term 'boot' is not applicable when discussing Defenders. Whew. We have become big time Defender converts. I would imagine we will probably have at least one in the stable from now on. Certainly as long as we live in undeveloped nations like this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reads90 Posted April 18, 2009 Share Posted April 18, 2009 Thanks for the info. I emailed those people the day you posted that, and not a peep back from them. I guess my intention to buy a soft top, roll bar, bumpers, snorkel, etc. didn't get their attention.Having driven the 110 for a few days now, we really like it. It doesn't have quite the "oomph" the 90 does, but it also doesnt keep trying to shorten one's spine with the rear axle, either. So it looks like the 110 will become the wife's vehicle, and I am left with that little soft top 90 as a daily driver... . Does anyone make just cup holders to fit in a Defender? My wife drives the 110 most of the time as i have a company car for work. She likes it but says the 90 is alot faster and the 110 is like the 90's older brother with a fat arse We have an exmoor trim center lockerable steel cubby box which has two cup holders. Great for the soft top for the sericty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gringo Posted April 19, 2009 Author Share Posted April 19, 2009 Thats perfect. And while looking at that site, I discovered the little truck style canvas top, with a clear roll-up window. I am thinking that makes more sense here than an open bikini top for a vehicle that stays outside. Blowing road dust is a huge problem here. It's destroyed two radios in the 90 already. The dirt is just crushed limestone that was formed on the sea bottom. So the dirt has a salt content that only needs some rain to become seawater. I am wondering if there is room behind that soft top for the roll bar, and to still mount the spare on the bulkhead. You guys are helping enormously, as usual. The clutch master cylinder I replaced with your advice some months back is still working fine. Ah, I thought of another question! The 110 came with a towing package on the rear crossmember. (thats what the US calls a bumper,right?) It has a wonderfully designed tow ball on it, which is a curved base that bolts flat to a plate attached to the chassis, etc. We have two tons of boat, and this tow hitch is welcome. However, it appears to be 50 mm diameter. That's no good to me. Do you know of anyone who makes these in inches? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 Should be able to source a 2 inch ball hitch from USA, over here in UK/Europe it's only the standard 50mm the old UK 2 inch was killed off many years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gringo Posted April 19, 2009 Author Share Posted April 19, 2009 Yes, I could get together with a welder and cobble up something that would bolt on to the mount, but it just would not be as nice a design as that forged, curved piece that came with the 110. It would be some welded together thing with right angles, etc. A pity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 2 inch USA spec ball tow hitch on ebay USA here & here & here one of those should get you sorted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gringo Posted April 19, 2009 Author Share Posted April 19, 2009 Oh yes, I have several of those now. Have one on the D-90, in fact in a 2 inch receiver type setup. It would not take much to cut a thick piece of angle iron, drill it to bolt to the vehicle with a hole for a tow ball like those. But those do not equal these: There is just something elegant about that design that I hate to lose. Strange thing to say about a Landy piece, isn't it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted April 19, 2009 Share Posted April 19, 2009 Yep, the cast ones we have over here are much better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gringo Posted April 19, 2009 Author Share Posted April 19, 2009 So when were the two inch ones discontinued in the UK? There must be a box or two of them of them sitting around somewhere unsold since you guys went to 50 mm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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