YOUR DESIGN. YOUR PROJECT.
Built from the chassis up, to your exact vision.
Let us show you our Retro build adventure step by step.
YOUR DESIGN.
YOUR PROJECT.
Built from the chassis up, to your exact vision. Let us show you our Retro build adventure step by step.
RETRO RENDERS: SOON A RETRO REALITY
Your design, your Defender...the world is your oyster! After your specification consultation with our co-founder Ben, we will hit the road with our Retro renders. During this time, we produce 4 renders of the front, side, rear, as well as a birds eye view of your soon to be interior.
DONOR
We begin by transforming a previous love into a picture perfect, innovative workhorse, eager for adventure.
To begin, we strip your donor (sourced by Retro) down to the chassis. We are very selective and only use chassis which are in a pristine condition.
Once the chassis has passed our technicians high standards, it is then time to commence with the next chapter.
TRACK YOUR BUILD
Be part of your bespoke build each day. Take a step into our technicians boots (at your own leisure!) and see your Retro come to life.
From striping the donor to seeing your car taking it's final form, our app even lets you follow progress whilst allowing you to interact with the technicians building your car.
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CHASSIS AND BULKHEAD
Providing the best longevity imaginable, our process prepares your classic Land Rover ready for its fresh start, its rebirth, its next chapter, its finest durability...
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Firstly, we shot blast the chassis back to bare metal enabling a clean slate. We then etch prime it before painting it in extremely durable Raptor paint.
​Depending on the vehicles final location we can also offer new galvanised chassis' as an alternative to the original.
The original bulkhead is also repaired where necessary & shot blasted.
Alternatively we are able to a offer new stainless steel bulkhead to provide ultimate longevity.
ENGINE
Each engine fitted to a Retro is completely rebuilt by our partner, Hobson Industries. It is stripped right back to the bare block, which is then measured for wear & corrected if necessary. From there it is fully rebuilt with all new ancillaries, leaving you with an engine built with more care & attention to detail then the day it originally left the factory in Solihull.
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Depending on your location engine upgrades/swaps is something we are pleased to offer as part of our total restorations.
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GEARBOX AND AXELS
Whether you want your Defender to have a Manual or Automatic gearbox, all the
transmissions fitted to our vehicles are fully rebuilt by the best specialists in the UK.
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The transfer box is also fully rebuilt with the option of altering the gear ratio's to ensure it suits your driving habits.
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The axles casings are repaired if necessary before being fully rebuilt with refurbished differentials & new drive shafts.
BRAKES AND SUSPENSION
All brakes & brake lines are replaced as standard. Upgrade options are available &
we would offer our advice to help you choose the right brakes for your Defender.
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Our go to suspension is Fox shock absorbers which we team with a responsive spring that is 1" lower than the standard springs found on a Defender. We believe this setup offers excellent ride & handling qualities as well as providing a better aesthetic stance.
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However, there are a world of options to choose from. Whether that is an extreme lift, further drop or the best of all worlds with adaptable Air Suspension, which allows for several different setting options depending on weather conditions or personal driving preferences.
BODYWORK
Given the age of the donor vehicles we often replace large amounts of the bodywork. As standard the wings, bonnet, doors, tub & tailgate are all replaced.
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Once you have narrowed your favourite colour choices down we will send you some colour samples so you can decide for yourself.
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Unlike most of our competitors, every panel is painted individually off the vehicle, ensuring greater paint coverage & a better overall finish around the full car. We don't just paint the areas you can see, we paint the areas you can't as well.
INTERIOR
The interior of your Retro can be configured in a number of different ways depending on your model of choice.
Ben will run through all the different seat configurations as well as the actual seat options to make sure we get the right balance of comfort, aesthetics & usability.
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You can choose from the finest Scottish leather, vegan vinyl or canvas. The colour, stitch pattern & design can all be custom to you.
There are also a number of different options when it comes to the flooring, from rubber mats to beautiful Iroko wood, stained & protected as desired.
REBUILDING
The process of rebuilding the vehicle is laborious but thankfully for our team, it is a labour of love.
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Done in stages over a period of around 6 months, we take great time & care at each
stage to ensure the vehicle is built to the absolute best of our ability.
We spend time on details that you will probably never see, but for us, knowing it is done absolutely right from
top to bottom, inside & out is what shows the true extent of our passion for building classic Land Rovers.
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Once the car has been rebuilt it is topped up with fluids ready for road testing.
TESTING
Each vehicle we build undergoes a rigorous testing procedure to ensure they are ready for delivery.
Thanks to the variety of local roads we are able to test the vehicle under many different conditions.
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A minimum of 500 miles is applied to the clock, allowing us to ensure the vehicle meets our high standards
and we are happy with the vehicles performance in all aspects before our final pre delivery inspection
is carried out and your new Retro is signed off ready for delivery.
HANDOVER STAY & PLAY
Taking place at the breathtaking Swinton Park Hotel on the Swinton Estate, our technicians will countdown from 10 before you pull the cloth to unveil over 1000 hours of your truly unique hand-built Retro. However, handovers also get a little sweeter!
On your planned handover date, we will accommodate you in the opulent Swinton Park Hotel, with award winning facilities, for the duration of your handover.
After you unveil your Retro, we will take you on a demo drive exploring a slice of the Swinton Estate’s picture perfect 20,000 acre landscape.
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SHIPPING
From our English workshop to beyond! You can choose to drive away in your new Defender after our handover process or we can arrange for it to be delivered right to your door.
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We work with a number of shipping & customs agents worldwide. They are on hand to
ensure the import process is seamless & your Defender is well cared for in transit to it's new home.
YOUR ADVENTURE
Let the journey begin! However you plan on using your Retro Classic,
we can’t wait to see your photos of your Retro in action.