1996 Land Rover Defender 90 LHD Convertible

Land Rover’s Defender is arguably the most iconic British off-roader. Initially known as the Land Rover Series, the Defender nameplate entered the scene in in 1990, although it’s not uncommon to find earlier examples badged as such. There have been many special editions of this vehicle, and this 1996 Land Rover Defender Bel-Air is one of those. Hailing from Belgium with 82,000 miles on the clock, it’s a Defender 90 with a new Bel-Air convertible top, that’s undergone a two-year nut-and-bolt restoration. There are key doubles for all locks and the ignition provided, and you even get a full restoration picture album – now isn’t that a conversation starter!

Exterior and Interior

The Defender, and the Series before it changed little in terms of design over its total production run that extended to nearly seven decades. This 1996 Land Rover Defender Bel-Air is the short wheelbase ‘90’ version that’s actually got a 93-inch wheelbase. The G4 Orange paintwork is superbly eye-catching, and there’s a clear coat applied for sun protection. Gloss black wheel arches contrast perfectly with the bright paintjob, and complement the aforementioned new Bel-Air convertible top with leather cover. You also get a Defender Xtreme NAS rear bumper and roll bar which is reportedly very rare, as well as rear wheel mount from the same company. The Bearmach black gloss 16-inch Sawtooth rims wear 265/75R16 K02 BFGoodrich tires. Up front, there’s Bearmach Trucklite LED headlamps and satin black and mesh front grille with wingtop vents. In fact, lighting is LED all-round. It’s also got custom rocksliders, Front Runner sump guard and a custom wooden bed liner. The interior features an updated Td5 dashboard, heated leather seats from a Land Rover Discovery, NAS steering wheel, air conditioning and heater, Pioneer head unit with USB connectivity, extra antenna for CB radio and there’s also a fusebox and light switches for extra lights to be installed.

Engine

This 1996 Land Rover Defender Bel-Air boasts a fully overhauled drivetrain. It’s got the 300Tdi engine which is a 2.5L turbocharged diesel in-line four cylinder powerplant. The engine is rated to put out 111hp and 195lb-ft, which is sent to all four wheels via a five-speed manual transmission and dual-range transfer case. There’s also a displaced battery socket. Braking is via discs on all wheels.