Vehicle Description
1987 Land Rover Defender 90
The Land Rover Series dates back to 1948 and they always had a four
wheel drive option. In 1983 the Defender 110 was introduced and
visually, was not far removed from the Series III it replaced, but
modernized mechanically, on the interior, and suspension. The 110
refers to the wheelbase and the Defender 90, with the shorter
wheelbase, soon followed. A part time 4x4 system was offered until
1984 when failures caused the company to switch to full time all
wheel drive.
For consignment, a 1987 Land Rover Defender 90 showing 171,564
miles, but the true miles are unknown. This rig was imported from
Italy in 2023 and was subjected to some restoration including new
paint, bodywork, interior pieces, and more. Receipts will accompany
the Defender.
Exterior
A face so handsome it's recently been referenced by another
automaker, here in its original form with round headlights flanked
by a pair of marker lights, backed by a black bezel that blends
seamlessly with the black horizontal grille. Flat fender tops
equipped with texturized plates give way to a rising hood that
widens as it reaches the nearly vertical windscreen. The entire
truck is Chamonix White, including the roof, with its epic sky
windows and in this case, a safari ready roof rack. Out back, not
only diminutive tail lights and markers, but lots of windows
including a large one on the side hinged door. Black fender flares
hover over 16-inch wheels with 265/70R16's all terrain tires with a
mid 2023 date code. This two door rig is gloriously square and
while there's some evidence of body work near the black rocker
trim, the rest of the truck lacks glaring imperfections.
Interior
Simple black plastic door panels look like they would be very
comfortable with some mud, and that goes for the rear door as well.
Inside, new front bucket seats in black leather sit atop the boxed
risers and present cleanly with tuck and roll inserts. In back,
it's a playground for kids and kids at heart with center facing
bench seats that are also new. A textured black steering wheel
leads to a simple instrument cluster where just four gauges live
beside a large panel of indicator lights. There's a touch of patina
on the dash including the center where an oil pressure gauge is
located, and we note a crack in the plastic pad on the left top
corner. A utilitarian shifter rises from the center console with a
rubber boot in a hard plastic case. Some under dash trim is peeling
and as you would imagine, the floor is rubberized front and back
over gray carpet, to trap sand, mud, and snow.
Drivetrain
Under the hood, we have a 2.5 liter four cylinder diesel, fuel
injected and rated at 68 horsepower. A 5-speed manual Leyland LT77
transmission splits power through 5.89 gears at both ends. Power
disc brakes are employed in front and power drums in back. Our
consignor reports recent work includes a refurbished braking system
including master cylinder, new injectors, diesel coils, fuel pump,
and starter.
Undercarriage
There's no rust present, but there are copious amounts of grease
build up, oil, and dirt on the pans, differential, driveshaft, and
other components. Nothing seems out of place nor broken, just
dirty. The ball and claw axles are here with one a bit wetter than
the rest. A single exhaust flows underneath, occasionally under
some protective guards, runs through a stock style muffler then
terminates under the back. Leaf spring suspension is employed front
and back.
Drive-Ability
Our Italian import was a bit stubborn at first and hard to start.
Once running, the truck glided effortlessly through our test loop,
which of course is flat, and we have no doubt this 4x4 could handle
more challenging courses. Rocks, snow, and of course, the curbs of
the Starbucks drive thru. There's no radio or air conditioning on
board but the functions that are available all operate as they
should. Splendido! While Classic Auto Mall represents that these
functions were working at the time of our test drive, we cannot
guarantee these functions will be working at the time of your
purchase. Capiche?
To say that vintage 4x4's are hot in the market would be
understating it. Sure, classic Broncos steal some of the limelight
but Land Rover Defenders are near the top of the list for
desirability. They're rugged, attractive, and legitimately used by
police and military all over the world. Sure, they're great
platforms for resto-modding, but we like the raw, rubber floored
versions like this one! Whether you're a tough mudder or latte
lover, we think you'll agree.
Classic Auto Mall is home to more than 1,000 classic and
collectible vehicles for sale via consignment in a climate
controlled 336,000-square foot showroom (that's more than 8
acres!). The largest single location consignment dealer of classic
and collectible vehicles in the country is located in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, just 1-hour west of Philadelphia off Exit 298 of the
I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. For more information visit
www.classicautomall.com or call us at (888) 227-0914. Contact us
anytime for more information or to come see the vehicle in person.
There is no guarantee of mileage. A $299 Dealer Administrative fee
is not included in the advertised price.
With so many great cars, you know we have a lot to talk about, and
we do that each week on the Classic Auto Mall Podcast with host
Stewart Howden. Stewart discusses new inventory as well as trends
in consignments and car prices, while interviewing celebrities and
automotive professionals about amazing cars and their history. Tune
in each week to the Classic Auto Mall Podcast wherever you enjoy
listening. You can also watch on YouTube!
