The Land Rover Defender stands as an icon in the world of rugged off-road vehicles, embodying a legacy of durability and adventure that has captivated enthusiasts for decades. Since its introduction in 1983, the Defender has earned a reputation for its off-road performance and prowess, making it a favorite amongst adventure seekers.
With its boxy silhouette and utilitarian charm, the Defender not only showcases Land Rover’s commitment to creating vehicles that excel in the great outdoors but also carries a storied history that has shaped its enduring appeal. Whether navigating the wilderness or gracing city streets, the Defender remains a symbol of adventure and resilience, embodying the spirit of exploration that has defined the Land Rover brand.
The TATC Way
It’s safe to say that TATC is your premium destination for exceptionally restored classic Land Rover Defenders. With a passion for preserving the timeless legacy of these iconic off-road trucks, we specialize in meticulously restoring Defenders to their original splendor while incorporating some modern twists for enhanced performance and comfort.
All of our restorations are finished with a TATC build plate. This plate is testament to our commitment to quality, the pride we have for our work, and our willingness to take responsibility for the restoration.
Whether you’re a devoted Land Rover enthusiast or new to the Defender community, our expert team of artisans are passionately dedicated to delivering unparalleled craftsmanship and attention to detail, ensuring that each vehicle meets and exceeds your expectations.
Stay with us as we take a closer look at our restoration process.
A Restoration Like No Other
TATC is renowned for its nut and bolt Land Rover Defender restorations, which are considered the best in class.
Assessment and Planning
Before the restoration starts, we need to source the vehicle. Our knowledgeable team will typically inspect two or three Defenders before making a purchase on behalf of our client, for the restoration project. This is to ensure they are structurally sound and import-compliant.
The aim of our restorations is to give our clients the Defender of their dreams, so to provide the best results we take a consultative approach to truly understand what it is our clients want. Once we have a good idea of how you intend to use your truck, we can offer guidance and suggestions of what a la carte options they may wish to include in the design so it’s best suited to them and their needs.
We want to give our clients clarity from start to finish. We’ll provide a fully costed proposal, featuring a list of our suggested options.
Gathering Resources and Parts
The donor vehicles that we source come from the south of France and other areas in Southern Europe, such as Spain. The dryer climate helps us to find the best and most solid examples, and providing our clients with the best is something we constantly strive for.
Here at TATC, we do what we can to work with and fit new OEM parts, but in cases where this isn’t an option, some parts may require a complete refurbishment, while others are good aftermarket equivalents.
Engine and Transmission Overhaul
At TATC, our engines and transmissions are completely rebuilt original examples. Our skilled and experienced team meticulously rebuild the Defender from the ground up, so clients can enjoy a ‘like new’ condition. Thanks to this complete engine overhaul trucks built by TATC start with zero miles.
The aesthetic benefit of an engine rebuild can also not be overstated. When you pop the hood of a TATC Defender, you wouldn’t think it was second hand; the engine bay has that stunning brand new look you just can’t get enough of.
Frame Components
It’s not just the engine and transmission that get a complete makeover. The foundation of every truck we restore is completely rebuilt, and the chassis is resealed with all new frame components. You can enjoy the high quality performance of new shocks, spring, bushings, brake lines, brakes, and more. The components are key aspects of your Defender’s performance, by rebuilding them, we breathe new life into the vehicle and allow you to enjoy it at its optimal performance.
Bodywork and Exterior
Defenders aren’t just known for their robust performance, they are also highly aesthetically pleasing. Here at TATC, we take care to restore the integrity of the vehicle while retaining its high quality appearance.
We will fully strip the original chassis back to the bare metal – Defenders are aluminum skinned trucks, so they don’t rust. Once we’re down to the metal, we can give ourselves a blank canvas to work with, allowing us to ensure that every part of the Defender is restored to the highest standard. The chassis metal is primed with a zinc coating before it is sealed with a marine grade epoxy coat.
Where we differ from other restorers is by prepping and repainting each body part separately rather than in situ; this is just like how Land Rover used to do it. Once each part has been worked on, we will reassemble the body and fully paint it.
We will typically suggest to our clients that an original Defender color is used for the best retention of long-term value, but if clients would prefer a specific color, we’re happy to accommodate and will paint in any color given a correct paint code.
There are plenty of exterior options for clients to choose from, all depending on how they envision their truck looking. Whether the client is looking for a simple and classic heritage look or something more functional, our team is here to bring the vision to life.
Interior Restoration
As clients and their passengers will be seated within the vehicle, the inside of the Defender is just as important to restore as the exterior.
We’ll provide new seating, and with a range of styles, clients have a range of options to find a look that best suits their preferences, whether it’s cloth trims or custom-grade leather. We’ll also retrim the original dashes and fit new gauge clusters, creating a ‘like new’ appearance.
There are plenty of other options that clients can opt to include in the restoration to upgrade their Defender and enhance the driving experience, such as; enhanced heating, heated front seats, AC, Bluetooth connectivity, a touchscreen sound system, GPS, rear backup camera, and more.
Final Inspection and Testing
In order to give our customers the best restoration, final inspections and testing are a crucial part of the process.
Once all restoration work is complete, we’ll conduct a comprehensive vehicle inspection. We will check all systems, including engine performance, brakes, suspension, and electrical components, to ensure everything functions as expected and at maximum performance.
Prior to shipping our restored defenders are test driven for at least 400 miles, and is British MOT tested – the equivalent of a state safety inspection – and it also undergoes a final team 350 point quality inspection. When we’re happy and assured of the quality and performance, we’ll apply our TATC build plate, indicating it has undergone our meticulous restoration process.
Get The Most Out of Your Land Rover Defender Restoration
Land Rover Defenders are highly practical, aesthetically pleasing, and incredibly fun, so it’s understandable that you want to get the most out of them.
There are plenty of upgrade options available to customize the Defender to the clients needs and intended use, and our knowledgeable team are on hand to offer recommendations – we always look to do right by our customers, so you don’t have to worry about us suggesting unnecessary upgrades. Restoring Defenders is our passion and our goal is to bring your dream Defender to life.
Watching the restoration can be a lot of fun. Seeing the journey from a stripped-back chassis to a high-functioning, ready-to-roam Defender is incredible, and we encourage our clients to visit and experience parts of the process for themselves.
If you’re considering buying a restored classic Defender, find out more by contacting TATC today. This can be done by completing our online enquiry form, by emailing us at hello@tatc.us.com or by giving us a call on 888 586 2165