I think there are a lot of us out there that love classic 4x4s but, don't off road. I'm one of them. We buy classic 4x4 vehicles and enjoy sharing stories when we run into fellow enthusiasts. Twenty years ago, I purchased a 1977 FJ40 and slowly fixed it up. Today, it's a beach buggy and I've thoroughly enjoyed it. When I sold my company a few years ago I was going to buy a Defender 90 but, decided on a 1992 Mercedes 250 GD 'Wolf'. Now I enjoy both but, I ran into some similar issues with the Wolf that I have with the FJ40.
Recently, I purchased a 2nd home and contemplated a 1995/1997 Defender 90 for when I vacation there but, after thinking about how much of a pain in the butt old vehicles are I decided against it:
* most old 4x4s are under powered (wolf = 80HP, FJ40=120HP)
* it is difficult to remove the doors on both vehicles
* generally stiff suspension - although the wolf has coils which make it much better.
* significant waiting time when new parts are needed. It can take a week or more.
* finding a mechanic that wants to work on the vehicle
* noisy at speeds above 40 MPH
* terribly time consuming to go topless and put back on especially for sudden rain
* tops sometimes leak in the rain
* generally a miserable ride if the top has to be on
* no highway riding as the vehicles have high winding engines at speeds over 50MPH
* no cruise control, electric windows, backup cameras, heated seats, etc.
I wanted a cool classic vehicle like the Defender that had modern bells and whistles. I agree that I can add some of the above features to older vehicles but, it all gets very expensive and very custom which isn't ideal if something has to be fixed.
I decided to get a Jeep Wrangler and see if I could put a Defender front end on it. I searched the web and I couldn't find anything from anyone who had done it. So, I gave it a shot and I'm pleased with the results. I'm going to start a company to do it for other Jeep owners. Pictures of my Jeep/Rover made it to social media where Jeep and Defender purists, had mixed opinions. There were haters and some who had positive things to say.
Do I need to worry about my Jeep/Rover's paint getting keyed because some enthusiast just can't stand the thought of a 4x4 that celebrates two great vehicles from different manufacturers? I'm interested in everyone's opinion. Please be constructive.
Recently, I purchased a 2nd home and contemplated a 1995/1997 Defender 90 for when I vacation there but, after thinking about how much of a pain in the butt old vehicles are I decided against it:
* most old 4x4s are under powered (wolf = 80HP, FJ40=120HP)
* it is difficult to remove the doors on both vehicles
* generally stiff suspension - although the wolf has coils which make it much better.
* significant waiting time when new parts are needed. It can take a week or more.
* finding a mechanic that wants to work on the vehicle
* noisy at speeds above 40 MPH
* terribly time consuming to go topless and put back on especially for sudden rain
* tops sometimes leak in the rain
* generally a miserable ride if the top has to be on
* no highway riding as the vehicles have high winding engines at speeds over 50MPH
* no cruise control, electric windows, backup cameras, heated seats, etc.
I wanted a cool classic vehicle like the Defender that had modern bells and whistles. I agree that I can add some of the above features to older vehicles but, it all gets very expensive and very custom which isn't ideal if something has to be fixed.
I decided to get a Jeep Wrangler and see if I could put a Defender front end on it. I searched the web and I couldn't find anything from anyone who had done it. So, I gave it a shot and I'm pleased with the results. I'm going to start a company to do it for other Jeep owners. Pictures of my Jeep/Rover made it to social media where Jeep and Defender purists, had mixed opinions. There were haters and some who had positive things to say.
Do I need to worry about my Jeep/Rover's paint getting keyed because some enthusiast just can't stand the thought of a 4x4 that celebrates two great vehicles from different manufacturers? I'm interested in everyone's opinion. Please be constructive.
Last edited: