 | Home > My Defender > Puma to LT1/8L90 Restomod |
 
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| JOW240725 Member Since: 04 May 2015 Location: Suffolk Posts: 7905   
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Really honest, interesting and damn right scary post! Wow, those costs soon add up. Individually, they ll seem OK but seeing them totalled is scary.
The exhausts was the one cost that jumped out to me too. I know it's two but £7.5k for a Defender exhaust. How did they cost that much? 
As you've hopefully realised by now all I can add to this project is a little positive encouragement.... you're on the home run now!!  There is no hurry and it's been fascinating following every step, so huge thank you for sharing. Part of me doesn't want it to end, the other half is desperate to see and hear her running!!
Now can you delete the post before anyone's partners see what it really costs!!  James
MY2012 110 2.2TDCi XS SW Orkney Grey - http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic43410.html MY1990 110 200TDi SW beautifully faded Portofino Red - https://www.defender2.net/forum/post743641.html#743641 MY1984 90 V8 Slate Grey - https://www.defender2.net/forum/post744557.html#744557 Instagram @suffolk_rovers |
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16th Nov 2023 6:36pm |
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| mcma1 Member Since: 16 Oct 2012 Location: Northern Ireland Posts: 2892 |
That’s a lot of work on the abacus Paul lol.
Fair play, by far the most detailed V8 project I have seen.  Andy
2014 Fuji 110 SW LS3 https://www.defender2.net/forum/post751233.html#751233 2014 Corris 110 SW http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic40056.html My old Xtech 90 build.. http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic15681.html LS3 V8 build... http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic49051.html |
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16th Nov 2023 11:08pm |
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| Mr Fox Member Since: 10 Sep 2011 Location: green & pleasant land Posts: 1037 
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Paul, hats off to you for the Three Year Birthday post.
As you suggested, mentioning money can be very uncomfortable for a myriad of reasons; however, it is a sobering post for people who want to embark on a similar project on a whim. I've spent a reasonable amount of time around restored classics and restomods and as a result my feeling is certain projects are less about being able to quantify the spend and more about the experience and the unique outcome. The only way you can justify it is to say the journey is part of the overall value of the end product. All in my humble opinion, of course, but what you're creating certainly fits into that mould, at least to my eyes. As for suppliers, a list would be another great asset to the community. Like you've I've dealt with quite a few US suppliers and unfortunately, my experiences mirror yours. Thank you for a great thread and for an informative birthday post.  |
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17th Nov 2023 3:43pm |
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| Co1 Member Since: 19 Aug 2018 Location: North Yorkshire Posts: 3674 
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Brilliant. I never had the guts to add up what I spent on mine, and it’s nowhere near what you’ve spent, so you must have balls of steel!!
Your build, along with Andy’s (MCMA) are two of the highest quality defender conversions I’ve ever seen. Twisted do a tremendous job from the chassis up, but they aren’t at the level you two are. Kudos to the pair of you. |
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17th Nov 2023 6:43pm |
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| L110CDL Member Since: 31 Oct 2015 Location: Devon Posts: 10751 
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Great 3rd birthday post Paul, many thanks for the detailed information in that post, i'm in the same boat as Co1 in that yours and Andy's are the 2 highest quality defender conversions and i've loved reading both of them with great interest
1996 Golf Blue 300Tdi 110 Pick up.
Keeper. Clayton. |
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17th Nov 2023 8:29pm |
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| L110CDL Member Since: 31 Oct 2015 Location: Devon Posts: 10751
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Hi Paul
Only dilemma is where to mount the touch screen . . . . My option is Option 2 - side mounted, easier to see and use from the drivers seat but not as good looking, equally easy wiring. IMO it does look good there if you get the screen central to the " P " when looking at it from the driver's seat, better than tucked away in option 1.  Click image to enlarge  1996 Golf Blue 300Tdi 110 Pick up.
Keeper. Clayton. |
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17th Nov 2023 8:39pm |
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| Procta Member Since: 03 Dec 2016 Location: Sunderland Posts: 5166
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3 years into the build, not bad at all
i was into 5 years with my Rover metro VVC conversion. I had to buy twice loom and engine wise sadly which knocked the project into 5th year. All adds up though wages wise doesn't. I must have been well close to the 10k marker with mine, if not over. Nearly 700 quid i shouldn't have needed to spend though, that was down to a loom, engine and other bits. MPI the car they said, makes it more plug and play. In the end all i had to do was switch the fuel pump to a high pressure unit, that was it. I didn't need the MPI loom, or pipes etc. I could have knocked those up anyway, which i practically did in the end. The spi loom i had was used as part of the conversion for the engine, even then i later found out, that i could have done it my self with an MGF loom, and swopped 6 pins over. The lad who told me that, said id have told you about that andy, had i known, save you all that hassle. Was a cracking car when we had built it, and the MOT testers had smiles on their faces. Not for failing it but for seeing the car finished car. One said you should be well proud for that like, i would be! the other said Andy lad, that's alright that Just do the bit spanner work with it, and come back and we will pass that! lads looked after it for number of years, they would do a few odds and sods, when it was in, just to make sure all was ok. Would i do it all again? not sure about that one, due to the parts rover stuff now is getting very thin and metro bits were getting harder to find, Plus decent cars now go for money, which means id be pulling a great example to pieces sadly, and a shed goes for £2000 now. rather than a few quid. Defender TD5 90 ---/--- Peugeot 306 HDI hatch back
Success is 90% Inspiration and 4 minutes Preparation # you can make it! |
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19th Nov 2023 2:21am |
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| mrfirepro Member Since: 06 Nov 2020 Location: kent Posts: 230 
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I visited the body shop today, to talk about tub cappings. Ive never liked the way the tub deflects around every rivet below the capping, the rest is going to be razor straight and the deflection will just look poor, so we are going to bond the capping on the inside with panel bond and put some decorative rivets in the holes which will be screwed in from the back... Am I mad does this work???
Whilst there we got talking about what we are calling rivetgate , the tub has 5 holes for rivets but the capping has 6 holes.... I was intrigued so started looking at some pics online and yes some have 5 rivets and some have 6... now the main question...
6 rivets or 5 
Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge |
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4th Dec 2023 7:28pm |
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| L110CDL Member Since: 31 Oct 2015 Location: Devon Posts: 10751
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6 for OCD satisfaction imo
 1996 Golf Blue 300Tdi 110 Pick up.
Keeper. Clayton. |
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4th Dec 2023 9:12pm |
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| JOW240725 Member Since: 04 May 2015 Location: Suffolk Posts: 7905
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My '12 110 & '84 Ninety both have 6, but differently spaced!
Click image to enlarge Click image to enlarge James MY2012 110 2.2TDCi XS SW Orkney Grey - http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic43410.html MY1990 110 200TDi SW beautifully faded Portofino Red - https://www.defender2.net/forum/post743641.html#743641 MY1984 90 V8 Slate Grey - https://www.defender2.net/forum/post744557.html#744557 Instagram @suffolk_rovers |
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5th Dec 2023 2:02pm |
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| Pickles Member Since: 26 May 2013 Location: Melbourne Posts: 3784  
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Hello Mr. firepro (Paul?) from Aussie.
I've been following this thread, just got up to date with it, & noted, as others have, your "candidness" in disclosing your costs. I reckon "cost" is one aspect, and a very important one, but the most noteworthy & commendable aspect IMHO, is your skill, & there's been so much of your skill & research in "your" build. So, congratulations on the build of a very fine vehicle. I might've missed it, but have you given a description of a first long drive, & your impressions of what the LS3 is like compared to a standard vehicle etc,....I know there'd be quite a difference, but it'd be good to hear your words. Congratulations, I've never seen anything like your Defender in Aussie. Pickles. |
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5th Dec 2023 10:04pm |
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| Stacey007 Member Since: 25 Sep 2015 Location: Cheshire Posts: 3750
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What a thread, I just spent some catch up time on this, as I could be tempted to change mine to an LS / Tesla or BMW motor...
I'm intrigued with the figures though. Your list of spec I total to around £128K and I also note for you that includes many items an owner with the base car already would not need, So deduct the base car, some YRM panels, bulkhead, maybe chassis, possibly some paint. However you also say your in around £163K? what is over and above the £128K? is that labour for other people also? Also looking at your figures:- how does (even 2) exhausts cost £15,000 long range tank £4500 ? shocks £7000 I've been in talks with engineering companies for various items on other projects and these prices just seem ludicrous? The build looks amazing and will be fantastic once you turn that key. I would Love the sound of a V8 and the rubble as you prod the throttle. Its scary though as I would have thought around £65K / £70K (on top of my already base car) Look forward to the updates now I have found this thread though |
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6th Dec 2023 8:54am |
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| mrfirepro Member Since: 06 Nov 2020 Location: kent Posts: 230
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Thanks all for your comments, I feel it was always a risk talking about costs however one of the reasons for talking costs was that during my research there was no or little discussion around costs, there is no doubt that I've gone overboard and these figures should not put people off an LT1 build for an already owned Defender. I'm happy to talk costs of anyone has a questions as its a critical element of these builds that never gets a mention, but please remember my costs do not include any labour except for the bodyshop.
I see as a headline I have had two extravagances (if that's even a word) which are 1. A complete strip down and build with as much new as possible 2. Build the best spec defender I can. Looking at building the best spec I can I've opted for lots of items that can be classified as nice to haves such as.... Typre Pressure Monitoring Bespoke Cluster Paddle shifter Button shifter Dash Cams incl battery back up Onboard 5G integration Air Suspension including fully adaptive traction system 3 off Quaife ATB's 8 pot brake front and 6 pot brake rear bespoke kit 300M shafts Clutter free interior (no gear lever, handbrake of HI/Lo levers) Specially manufactured Diffs Roof lighting Panoramic roof All new glass Long range fuel tank Recaro seats plus full leather interior Optimill Washer system Optimill Steering boss All items are Croytec billet (interior and exterior) and probably lots of things I've forgotten......
My total spreadsheet now has 327 lines with 310 items with an average item value of just below £500, this does not include any labour except paint. But does include some tools I've needed to buy along the way and lots of consumables like oils, fluids, coatings, paints etc etc.... To give you an indication of how things add up, none of these items for April/may would be on any budget but they were all needed for one thing or another, I cant even remember what some of these items are.. Click image to enlarge Anything custom is expensive (long range fuel tank as well), you have all commented about the exhausts, the first was made by a company in Coventry which subsequently closed down which was £5K, Mahker made me the second exhaust at £10K. Other prices I got at the time were £9k from a local company and £7K from a company in Birmingham, none of which filled me with confidence. Mahker did a great job of the exhaust, just dont get them to build you a bespoke fuel tank or install brake lines
Others have also mentioned the shocks, originally I bought the Fox 2.0 high performance shocks to go with the air suspension system then I recently was made aware of the Tractive adaptive suspension which was about £5K, I could go on but none of the above are essential, however in my opinion if you were looking to take your existing defender and do a DIY swap I'd think you'd be looking at around the £50K mark and possibly £60-£70K for one of the Defender modifiers doing a no frills build. In summary I don't think you can build a new defender from the ground up to top spec for any less than £150K doing it yourself I hope this is of help to someone.... |
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6th Dec 2023 6:42pm |
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| JOW240725 Member Since: 04 May 2015 Location: Suffolk Posts: 7905
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I for one, appreciate your candid openness on costs, its fascinating, thank you.
But... I dare you to put a figure in for your labour, including research time?!?! James
MY2012 110 2.2TDCi XS SW Orkney Grey - http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic43410.html MY1990 110 200TDi SW beautifully faded Portofino Red - https://www.defender2.net/forum/post743641.html#743641 MY1984 90 V8 Slate Grey - https://www.defender2.net/forum/post744557.html#744557 Instagram @suffolk_rovers |
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6th Dec 2023 8:25pm |
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