1993 Land Rover Defender 110 NAS

Henry Schmitt Collection

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At a Glance

Seller
schmitthe
Location
San Francisco, CA
Vehicle Make/Model
Land Rover Defender
Vin No.
SALDH128PA918204

Exterior
Willow Green
Interior
Exmoor Leather
Mileage
106,462 miles, 3,000 miles since full refurbishment
Engine
4.6-liter DOHC V8

Transmission
Automatic
Suspension
Solid Axle front and rear with coil spring suspension
Brakes
Front disc and rear drum brakes

1993 Land Rover Defender 110 NAS

Land Rover North America (until recently Range Rover of North America) were restructuring in the early 1990s. To draw attention to the brand, a limited run of North American market specific models referred to as the NAS Defender 110, were introduced in 1993. Intended to be an image car and a launching point for the Defender 90 and Discovery in North America, 534 examples of the NAS (North American-Spec) Defender 110 were built: 25 destined for Canada and the remaining 509 for the United States. Although Land Rover had been sold on North American soil since 1987, this was the first time in an eighteen-year absence that utility Rovers were brought to market. Strict USDOT regulations put pressure on the build. Rover responded with an entirely hand-built truck. Each truck sported a massive full external roll-cage with larger side-indicator and taillights. All were originally finished in Alpine White.

The Defender 110 NAS on offer, is the 76th of the 500-unit U.S. product run. This Defender was purchased new in Aspen, Colorado where it covered 60K miles and remained into the early 2000s before moving off the mainland to Hawaii. In 2006 the truck moved to the East End of New York’s Long Island, where it covered 10K miles of its life before moving again, this time to Nebraska. We must report that CARFAX lists accidents in both 2000 and 2012. In 2015 the Defender found itself in Wyoming. It is at this time the Defender begins a refinishing undergone by a longtime collector. Numerous modifications are performed most noticeably, a complete repaint of the truck in Willow Green. More significantly however, the steel frame exchanged with a galvanized unit. The original 3.9-liter V8 and 5-Speed manual gearbox was exchanged for a new 4.6-liter V8 mated to an automatic transmission sourced from a Range Rover. Other notables include shocks by OME, a fortified external roll-cage, and a Exmoor leather interior.

Truck no. 76 is an atypical Defender 110 NAS no doubt. For starters, it is a truck finished in Willow Green. For the cultists who were largely responsible for it showing in this final finished form, it remains a vehicle of ultimate simplicity that you could easily modify by bolting accessories wherever desired. It is a vehicle that you can fix on the trail with a pair of pliers and a hammer. A Defender 110 with an automatic transmission with electric traction control combined with the mechanical center diff lock works marvelously and offers a truly unique experience behind the wheel. These Defenders are most always something that is collected, tucked away, unlikely to see sand, dirt, mud, snow, gravel or any other alternative terrain that it was built and intended for. This Defender, truck no. 76, is one that can be enjoyed the way its creators intended. Grab your surfboard, a 4x4 vehicle pass and we will see you and truck no. 76 at Ditch Plains Beach summer 2021.

Exterior

The Willow Green on this Defender is quite striking and provides a nice change from the original Alpine White. The sleeper rack certainly evokes images of camping and sleeping under the stars. The paint is in good condition and shows no real signs of use. The fit and finish of the panels and accessories is excellent. It is obvious that great care was taken in the rehab of this vehicle. The wheels and tires appear in excellent condition with only minor signs of wear. The external NAS roll cage and sleeper rack with ladder appear as new.

Interior

The interior of this vehicle still has the utilitarian roots of the Defender with a nice upgrade in the Exmoor Leather. The leather shows normal signs of light use and is in extremely good condition. The carpet in the driver’s side footwell does show some signs of fading, however the carpet in the rest of the vehicle is in excellent condition. The rubber mats appear as new and provide for easy clean up after adventuring. The interior components and accessories function properly and appear in almost new condition.

Engine and Drivetrain

This Defender 110 has had the original engine and transmission replaced. The current engine is a 4.6-liter DOHC V8 mated to an automatic transmission from a Range Rover. The 110 is in full-time 4-wheel drive with high-low range. Per Copley Motorcar, the drivetrain swap was performed by a longtime Defender collector and the vehicle has around 3,000 miles on the clock since the refurbishment.

Underside

The Defender’s original steel frame has been replaced with a galvanized version. Stainless steel hardware and lines have replaced the originals. The underside of the vehicle appears in excellent condition with no issues or leaks apparent. It is obvious that the 3,000 miles the car has seen since its refurbishment have not been driven in anger.