DEFENDER
DAMIAN swept this limited edition Defender 90 from the showroom floor back in 2013, and he’s spent the years since tinkering and perfecting the Land Rover to be the ultimate weekday workhorse-cum-weekend warrior.
Damian’s a carpenter by trade, so the 90 was originally purchased as a work rig, but it’s now far more capable than just transporting hammers and nails during the working week. The 2.2-litre four-cylinder-powered Defender – with power hiked from 90 to 130kw thanks to an ECU tune – spends an increasing amount of time helping Damian and his better half scratch their off-roading itch.
“She enjoys the camping aspect of it more, and she grits her teeth on the way there,” Damian laughed. “We like Caledonia River and Butcher Country in the Vic High Country.”
Eager readers may recognise the Orkney Grey hue of this Defender, as it was featured in the April 2017 issue of 4X4 Australia. However, as with any 4x4 worth its salt, progress has been made since we last drove it.
Only recently, after breaking a couple of rear shock absorbers, Damian opted to add Les Richmond Koni long-travel shocks and coils to soften ride and enhance the Defender’s off-road credentials. Since this tweak to the shocks and coils, Damian reckons the 90 has never felt better.
“The suspension has been the biggest difference. I was breaking shockers and it was a much harder suspension. It’s now softer and moulds to everything a bit better.
“I don’t have any sway bars in and I’ve got soft coils,” he added. “So handling isn’t perfect on-road, but you get used to it. It’s soft for off-road.”
The suspension work is polished off by the ARB twin compressor, Ashcroft front and rear lockers, Ashcroft CVS, Hi Tough axles, oil-lubed bearings, heavy-duty flanges and a
heavy-duty steering arm. Damian also flicked his 35-inch BF Goodrich Mud Terrain KM2S in favour of softer 35-inch Nitto Trail Grapplers M/TS, which wrap around 16x8-inch Dynamic steel rims with -25 offset.
“For a shorty, it’s not too bad. Normally with short wheelbases you feel everything,” he said. “The new tyres are softer, much softer. They mould better, where the KM2S were more of a soft balloon.”
In fact, it was a previous trip to Alcorns – where we were headed for this drive – when Damian decided the change was inevitable. “The last time we were here it was too muddy, so it made me go from KM2S to these Nittos.”
In the past few months, Damian’s Defender has also received a Glind hot-water system, Front Runner glass gullwing windows and custom Recaro specialist M seats.
“I just got these seats done a couple of days ago,” he told us as we rode shotgun. “The standard seats aren’t the greatest, so these offer more comfort and support. I got them custommade. I liked the look of the originals, but I just didn’t like the comfort levels.”
Damian admitted there will probably always be things to update and change, but he’s pretty content with where things sit at the moment. If anything, he might look at getting it regeared.
“The only other thing I can think of doing is possibly getting it regeared,” Damian added. “But it drives 35s fine, so it’s not a necessity.”