Defender 110 60th Anniversary
About
We had an excellent starting point to work with. — a well-maintained Land Rover 2.4 TDCI Defender 110. The only weak point was the motor under the bonnet, while it was still running at the time of the conversion, for how much longer would it be reliable?
How it started
When the vehicle first arrived at our workshop, it was a standard 2.4l TDCI engine that had done little over 70k miles but was starting to show signs of engine failure.
Our customer was looking for a significant upgrade-something far more refined and capable of keeping pace with modern motorway traffic. The customer didn't want speed, they just wanted reliablilty.
To meet those expectations, we specced them an M57n2 engine (Stage 1 tuned) coupled to an 8 speed gearbox.
Engine Servicing
Before going in, the engine received all the essential maintenance to ensure long-term reliability — a new timing chain, fresh seals, and gaskets throughout. The customer didn't want the ultimate speed machine, just the confidence to get in and have trouble free motoring.
Gearbox Spec
To make the most of the new engine’s performance and improve overall drivability, the customer opted for the 8HP-70x automatic gearbox — a huge upgrade over the manual transmission the vehicle originally arrived with.
We then finished the shifter installation using one of our pre-built centre consoles, paired with the MW Machines air actuator kit for the high-low ratio and diff lock controls, keeping the interior neat, functional, and factory-looking.
The end result is an effortless driving experience — smooth, refined, and enjoyable, without the constant battle of a heavy clutch pedal.
A lot of time went into getting every detail right, but the finished drivetrain feels as though it was built that way from the factory.
Extras
The vehicle was fitted with a custom 3 inch stainless exhaust from Demand Engineering to let the engine sing with two siliencers to dampen any motorway drone.
The customer also requested that the air con in the vehicle was retained so we fitted our TDCI aircon retention kit.
Have a flick through some of the pictures the team took whilst doing the job...
