Knysna

1998 Land Rover Defender 110 – 300Tdi (RHD)

ABOUT THIS WELL-STORIED DEFENDER

This project has been sold/adopted, but some very similar Defenders are in stock.  If you are interested in something like this project, reach out via email, and we can discuss options.

Knysna (knys-na – the k is silent) Is named after the town it previously called home – when not exploring southern Africa.  If you’re looking for a true overlander that has spent its life overlanding, this is the Defender you’ve been dreaming of.  Even though it is currently set up as a camper and overlander vehicle, we could return the second row to the standard bench seat, if you wished.

A deposit has been taken on this Defender, but if you’re interested in something similar, please let us know, and we’re sure we have something else in stock that hasn’t been listed yet.

This is a Land Rover Defender that comes out of our South Africa workshop – where we love finding Defenders that have been set up for an adventure – overlanding, camping, and expeditions.  The dry inland climate helps to preserve them quite nicely.

We classify this Defender into our Preservation Series – which comes with an extensive Bishop+Rook Mechanical Certification process, including inspection, refurbishment, replacement, or restoration of all key mechanical components of the vehicle.

We put each project through an extensive QA process to find all those hidden issues that could appear in the future.  This gives customers the peace of mind they want when adopting a vintage Land Rover Defender. This eliminates the stress and anxiety associated with deferred maintenance or hidden mechanical issues often found with used Defenders being purchased online.  While this is not a full rebuild, it provides great comfort and reliability for those looking for an everyday Land Rover Defender to drive.

A DEFENDER FOR ADVENTURE

Soon after getting this Defender to the workshop, several of our team members were able to take it out for an assessment drive.  What better to experience a Defender than taking it to the beach to see how it really performs?

We just completed a full mechanical refresh on this vehicle while keeping as much of the originality of the Defender as possible.

A few things to note:

1. Built as an Overland Vehicle
2. Excellent Chassis + Bulkhead
3. Recent Respray
4. Air Conditioning Kit
5. Set up as a camper
6. Endless Extras (noted below)

Accessories:

Wind Cheetah Roofrack
Jerry Can Holders on Rack + Cans X 4
Roof Mount Front Runner Water Tank
Gas Geyser Shower with Pump – Fits into Water Tank in Seconds
Rear Mount Gas Bottle Holder
Rear Mount High Lift Jack
Stone Accessories Rear Corner Protectors
Rear Ladder
Tow Bar
Rear LED Mounted Work Light
Reverse Camera
Custom Defender Back Window Burglar Guards X 3
Gull Wings X 2 with LED Lighting
Two Front Runner Rubber Traction Mats
30mm Wheel Spacers All Round
Rock Sliders
Long Range Fuel Tank Total Capacity 140L
Back Window Vents
Door Handle Protectors
SVX Style Front Grill Set and Light Shrouds
Bash Plate
SVX Fender Vents
Bull Bar with Winch Plate
Branch Protector Cables
Snorkel
4 Roof Mounted Spots
2 Spots on Bull Bar
2 Recessed Spots Fitted into Bumper
Upgraded Headlights
2 Inch TJM Lift Kit
TJM Gold Suspension Including Springs
Defender Checker Plates Including Bonnet, Fenders and Sills
Little Black Box Engine Management System
Rear Slider with 6 Ammo Boxes and Carpeted Box Storage on Right Side
Small Hanging Closet Behind Driver Seat
Power Inverter
Fire Extinguisher
High visibility Vests X 2
Amp – Sub – 6×9 – Mids – Tweeters
Footwell Lighting
Minus Forty Camping Freezer
Electric Fridge Centre Arm Rest
Garmin with Maps for Africa Sd Card
Iron goat Dash Panel for switches and Radio
Overhead Storage Compartment
Seat Covers
Intelligent Dual Battery System

Preservation Series Restoration

1996 Land Rover Defender 110
300Tdi 2.5L Diesel
R380 Gearbox
County Wagon
RHD
Under Dash AirCon

Our Build Plan:

1. Refresh/Service 300Tdi Engine – Complete
2. Refresh/Service R380 Gearbox – Complete
3. Refresh/Service Transfer Case – Complete
4. Refresh/ServiceFront/Rear Axles – Complete
5. New seals and trim, where necessary – Complete
6. Refresh Suspension – Complete

Full Service List:

Engine Refresh
Recon injector pump
New lift pump
Injectors refresh and test
Recon alternator
Recon starter
Full service – Fluids/Filters
Radiator and condenser recon
New hoses
New belts including cam belt
New pully and tensioner
New water pump
Gearbox rebuild
Transfer case rebuild
Diffs rebuild
Fuel tank refreshed
New clutch kit
All suspension bushes renewed
All tie rod ends renewed
Replace swivel pin housings and seals
Refit aircon and regas

External respray
Door refurbishment
Full electrical inspection and re-qire
New LED light kit.
Aerial install
New roof lining
Roof rack sandblast and powder coat
Bullbar sandblast and powder coat.
Ladder sandblast and powder coat
Replaced LED spotlight covers
Wheel alignment and balance
New brake pads and service

With any Defender in this category, we offer the ability to upgrade, enhance, or modify the base vehicle.  We can calculate that into an overall build sheet or offer various customer-desired enhancements.  This way, you only pay for what’s important to you rather than taking on someone else’s style or design preferences.

PHOTO GALLERY OF PROJECT

THE BISHOP+ROOK BUILD DIFFERENCE

The difference between a Bishop+Rook Defender and a regular imported Defender on the market comes down to the hundreds (sometimes thousands) of hours we will spend to make them reliable and safe daily drivers. We are committed to supporting the market for those looking for everything from a driving restoration to a fully custom build Defender.

We believe in educating people through the process of adopting their first Defender – ensuring they have as much information as possible before they decide on the approach that fits their unique needs.  For some, it’s a simple driver, while others might be looking for a full mechanical overhaul and customization to be used as a daily driver or financial investment.

SAMPLE PRICING

Each Land Rover Defender project is different.  Our pricing is extremely transparent and dependent upon the features, accessories, and restoration level desired by each client.  Here is an example of pricing based on this particular Defender.

Tier One: Bishop+Rook Certified  – Price Listed Above

This price is based on our level-one mechanical certification service – timing belt, water pump, alternator, starter, radiator, brakes, bearings, etc.  Basically, a really nice running and driving Land Rover Defender that will take you on plenty of adventures without fear of being abandoned on the side of the road.  Cosmetically, the vehicle will be clean and tidy, with no major issues hidden.  You can enjoy this state forever or use it as a foundation for future upgrades, enhancements, or refurbishments.

Tier Two: Bishop+Rook Preservation Class – $56,500 (Starting Price)

Note:  We have completed the Preservation Class build but are temporarily leaving the price at the discounted rate until we ship the Defender to our US Workshop.  Once we do so, the price will increase to the above.

This will include more extensive mechanical and cosmetic preservation of the vehicle.  We will go through both the interior and exterior of the Defender to ensure everything is sorted correctly. This will include all the tier one mechanical elements above but also includes a deeper dive into chassis re-conditioning, interior trimming (headliner, dash trim, door card refurbishment, seat trimming as needed), replacement of seals, tyres, upgraded battery, and repairs to body panels that might need addressing (door bottoms, bulkhead, etc.).  Mechanically, we will pull the engine for a full refurbishment whilst doing a more extensive mechanical refurbishment.

Tier Three: Bishop+Rook Preservation Class Plus – $65,250 (Starting Price)

This level of restoration will include all the elements above but also a partial disassembly of the vehicle to respray in a similar (or close to) paint color.  This oftentimes includes replacing the doors and other body panels that may show signs of wear.  All interior elements will be stripped out and refurbished. The headliner will be re-trimmed, interior panels replaced or retrimmed, new floor coverings (carpet and/or sound deadening mats), Tier III sound deadening system put in place, chassis treated (inside and out) for corrosion, axles refurbished, gearbox renewed, transfer case renewed, and additional options for wheels/tryes, The vehicle will feel like a time capsule when you sit in her – with just enough character preserved.

Tier Four: Bishop+Rook Heritage Class Restoration – $75,000 (estimated)

This restoration level is much more extensive than above, which starts with a complete disassembly of the vehicle (every panel, every nut-and-bolt, and every fastener.  This process includes stripping the chassis bare and putting it through media blasting to bring it back to bare metal.  Any rust or corrosion issues will be rectified before the chassis is sealed and painted to your specifications (raptor, satin, high gloss, etc.).  All axles will be media blasted and painted to suit.  All mechanical components will be restored: engine rebuild, gearbox, transfer case, differentials, etc.  The Interior will be retrimmed, including seats, headliner, and door cards.  New/refreshed window glass, seals, and other trim panels will be replaced with new.

Tier Five: Bishop+Rook Bespoke Class Restoration – $95,000+ (based on features)

Our Bespoke class of builds allows for more customization options for each build.  Customers can choose interior retrimming styles, a deeper level of restoration, and more external paint options – including upgrades like air conditioning, roof racks, offroad accessories, and more.  This class of vehicles includes more performance upgrade options to tune the vehicle to your ultimate use (daily driving, offroad, hybrid, etc.).  The vehicle will be better than new once it completes this process and will become an investment-grade restoration.

COMMISSIONS + BUILDS

Each Land Rover Defender build begins with a donor vehicle sourced and supplied by Bishop+Rook to fit the needs of each commissioned project based on customer requirements – ensuring eligibility for import into the American market and a suitable level of quality as a base vehicle for restoration. We also welcome the opportunity to preserve and restore our customer’s classic Land Rover as part of the same refurbishment and enhancement process.

A DEFENDER FOR EVERYONE

Whether you’re looking for a unique low-mileage Defender survivor or a complete nut-and-bolt bespoke restoration, we want to be the team that provides you with your dream vehicle. When other companies focus on cheap mechanical nightmares, or Defenders costing the same price as a house, we focus instead on – Defenders for the regular person. Our Defenders undergo an extensive mechanical refresh to ensure years of reliable adventures.  From there, you can decide how much further you want to go with a restoration.

BUILDING A DEFENDER

For those of you just starting your research on Defenders, there are a few areas you will want to learn about (maintenance, driving experience, and budget).  The Bishop+Rook Journal is a great way to get started – as it’s the place where we post as much information as possible about buying a Defender.  Once you’ve gathered a base level of knowledge, you’ll need to decide on one very important thing: budget. We recently launched a “Defender Budget Pricing Calculator” to help folks understand the different pricing levels you should expect to see on the market.

We offer each person the opportunity to collaboratively put their stamp on a Land Rover build – from color and style to accessories and performance features. We aim to build a one-of-a-kind Defender that is reliable, even more capable, stylish, and versatile than the day it was born. We provide a fully bespoke build process in the spirit of 17th-century tailors of Savile Row, where we mold your donor vehicle into a Defender to fit your needs, budget, lifestyle, and taste.

INSTANT QUOTE

ABOUT BISHOP+ROOK

Bishop+Rook is a Minneapolis-based importer and restorer of classic Land Rover Defenders. We have multiple workshops and sourcing centers worldwide – ensuring easy access to Defenders, parts, and experience to give them a second life.  We are passionate about film, photography, travel, adventures, and vintage cars. We finally found a way to combine our life’s passion into helping others find their dream car. We restore the vehicles to an adventure-tested stage – not over-restored and not over-priced. We simply want to share our love and passion for these amazing vehicles with like-minded people.

For those just getting started, please read our Guide: The Unicorn Hunt

CONTACT US

For more information, feel free to call or text us at +1 612.424.1642 or email us at info@bishoprook.com