Series I Restoration Process
If you end up wanting to purchase one of the restored vehicles, you should know the restoration process is an extensive one.
Before the team begins any work, they first put each hand-picked vehicle through an in-depth examination. The crew determines what needs to be restored by performing a physical check against the original build specifications.
The team then dismantles the vehicle and restores its panels. The panels are painted in one of the five original period colors. Those colors are Light Green, Bronze Green, Royal Air Force Blue, Dove Grey and Poppy Red.
The crew then gets to work on the interior. They strip back the seats to their bare frames and re-cover them in whatever period material the customer chooses.
As for the engine, it is stripped and rebuilt. Land Rover’s 12-month or 12,000 mile manufacturer warranty helps guarantee it will keep performing.
The last step of the restoration process is dedicated to the details. The team makes sure all components are refinished to the vehicle’s original cosmetic specification.
The Year Leading Up To The Defender’s End
We're sure lots of people will jump at the opportunity to check out the restoration process up close by taking the Reborn Tour. That's because there are a plenty of Series I fans out there. Many of them actually visited the plant before the Defender was taken off the production line. More than 10,000 people took part in the Defender Celebration Tour. It opened on Jan. 27, 2015.
For that tour, visitors were given vintage overalls to make them feel like they were being transported back in time. The tour featured a detailed recreation of a 1948 Series I assembly line. It also included stops along the modern production line of the Defender to view body manufacturing and final assembly. Visitors raved about the tour, saying it was an excellent way to see the Defender in its final glory.
Land Rover really wanted to make sure it celebrated the Defender in every way it could leading up to January 2016 when it was taken off the production line. That’s why before the Defender Celebration Tour even kicked off, Land Rover created a massive, sand drawing of the Defender. It was drawn in Red Wharf Bay in Anglesey, U.K. using a team of Land Rover vehicles. Land Rover posted a video of the process online. It was a delicate one as the drawing had to be completed in three hours so that the tide wouldn’t wash it away before it was done. The drawing was a tribute to the moment in 1947 when Land Rover founder Maurice Wilks first sketched a utility vehicle in the sand that would become the Defender.
Defender’s Future
While we don’t know when the Defender will return to the production line, it will most likely look much different when it does. It will likely trade in its boxy exterior for a more curvaceous look.
In the meantime, however, people can get their Defender fix by traveling back in time. Whether you’re interested in purchasing one of the restored Series I vehicles or just getting an up close look at the restoration process, there are plenty of ways for you to connect with Land Rover’s most classic vehicle. Useful SUV Links
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