1996 Defender 110 High Capacity Pick-Up
1996 110 Land Rover Defender
Engine - 300TDI 2.5L Turbo Diesel
Transmission - 5-Speed Manual R380
Suspension - Superior Engineering 11.5” Remote Res Shocks Custom Springs - 2” Lift
Tyres - Maxxis RAZR MT 35x12.5r15
Equipped For - Four Wheel Driving
The defender, affectionately named Devon, is a 1996 Defender 110 HCPU (High Capacity Pick-Up). I've owned it for about three years now. Initially, when I was looking for another four-wheel drive, I was strongly against Defenders. Having driven one owned by a friend in the past, I thought they were agricultural, had a poor turning circle, and were altogether unnecessary vehicles. So, when I saw this one pop up on Marketplace, naturally, I thought, Why not have a look? As soon as I saw it in the driveway of the house, I had a good feeling—but I would later realise I was severely misguided.
When I bought it, it was in a somewhat sorry state—worn out, mostly stock and original, except for numerous missing parts, and plagued by some questionable DIY workmanship. It had bald 29-inch tyres, rust in the floors, tek screws holding everything together, cheap sound insulation stuck all over it, and a rat's nest of seemingly unnecessary aftermarket 12-volt wiring—the list goes on. It had charm, though, and was a special car to drive. Devon had me under its spell, and I was now a Land Rover owner.
Willingly, I began the process of undoing the crimes committed to this vehicle (and I’ll admit, committing some of my own). I'll spare you the intimate details of everything I’ve done to fix the car since purchase—I’d be writing all night. However, in my time owning it, I’ve had to tighten and replace seemingly every nut and bolt—seriously, I’m not sure how it was held together, because literally every bolt I came across was loose. I fixed the rust, serviced or replaced almost every mechanical component from the fuel tank forward to the radiator. It has been a strenuous, educational, and sometimes emotional process. I never bought this vehicle as a big project car, but I was under the spell, so I obliged.
It hasn’t always been in the workshop, though. I have—believe it or not—taken Devon on a number of extremely enjoyable trips, and it’s brought me to some incredible places. My first two trips with Devon really cemented my love and appreciation for these vehicles. Even after slapping on 35s the day after I got it, it drove nicely and performed great on sand, dirt, and mud. The little 2.5L turbo diesel kept up and, in low range, had enough power to get me through most situations with the rest of the convoy—and even drag a Nissan Patrol 3 kilometers through sand dunes. Naturally, these trips pushed me to upgrade and set the vehicle up to suit my needs, and it’s been a great learning experience figuring out how performance modifications affect on- and off-road capability. It’s also taught me an incredible amount about four-wheel drives and off-roading in general.
Upgrades along this process have been extensive. While I don’t mind working on the car in the garage, I really don’t love working on it on the tracks. I’m pretty particular about making sure parts on the car work the way they should, and I try to attend to any worn-out parts straight away. Owning a Land Rover, I’ve learned that preventative maintenance is key to a reliable vehicle (yes, those words can be in the same sentence). Whenever I encountered a worn-out part, I’d either fix it or upgrade it. And by upgrade, I mean figure out every part I’d encounter in the process and upgrade all of them—because I’ll be there doing it anyway.
So, I’ll admit, it’s actually me keeping the Defender off the road most of the time. As much as I hate to admit it, maybe I’m the problem.
Some of the upgrades during this process include: 11.5-inch Superior remote reservoir custom-valved shocks, Dobinson springs, HD steering links, HD panhard rod, Superflex radius arms, HD extended trailing arms, air lockers (front and rear), HD rear axles, a 100AH dual battery system, LED light conversion, rock lights, MOMO steering wheel, custom 3-inch stainless exhaust, custom stainless 80L water tank, custom stainless snorkel (thanks @semplesolutions), Upgraded Alisport Intercooler, Engine Tune and probably a few more minor things I’m forgetting.
Most of the big-ticket items were done right before a huge Blue Mountains and High Country trip with @thisandthatwithisaac and @cream31. Not to be outdone by two Patrols, it only seemed necessary to build a super tourer. I worked for about a month, chatting with Rick from Kingpin Fab about how to best set up the suspension and learning everything I could about the parts I’d just ordered, and figuring out all the things I wanted to include in my camping set up. I love being prepared so I wanted a vehicle prepared for anything.
At the time, the Defender still had the DIY steel tray it came with when I bought it. It wasn’t going to work with how I wanted the vehicle to look, and nothing about it matched the design of the Defender. So, with help from various friends, I designed a new tray to make it work and look like it belonged on a Defender. I then got to work welding it up and making all my gear fit, including the canopy and rooftop tent, turning it into a practical tourer. Honestly, the final form of this setup was incredible and suited my needs perfectly. It wasn’t a super expensive build—I did almost all the work myself or got friends to help me. I’m still proud of the work I did, and it was incredibly rewarding to get away and use everything id spent months building.
And then I got a message.
I had always dreamed about having a 110 HCPU ute. Brooklyn Coachworks had posted a build of their immaculate 110 HCPU (High Capacity Pick Up, which, if you aren’t familiar, is just LR talk for styleside tub). It was a real beauty, sitting on huge Michelin truck tires, and I knew that’s what I wanted. Then I realized how incredibly rare these tubs and vehicles are in Australia—probably fewer than 20 in the country. It was a long shot, but I started cheekily messaging people online: If you ever want to sell the tub, I’ll buy it.
Years passed.
One day, I got a message.
“Hey, if you still want to buy the tub, I’ll sell it to you.”
The rest is history. I drove to Victoria, picked up the tub, and after a few months of sorting everything out, there it was—my very own HCPU. This marked the beginning of what I call the “tub era.” I shifted my focus to cosmetic mods, finding parts and making things that kept the Defender aesthetically in the ’90s (give or take). Most recently, this has included buying a lot of old canvas goods and making my own canvas accessories and interior trims, which the previous owner had happily thrown in the bin.
I’ve taken my practically flawless touring setup from the tray and canopy and going back to basics. Ive taken the bare essentials - essentials for me anyway -and have building it into olive-drab army cases, and making various little storage spots to ensure the camping setup suits the car. It’s really part of the fun too. I love making things, and going away gives me an excuse to “prepare” and make more things.
So that’s the story of Devon up until now. I’m really looking forward to just getting out and using it. I don’t get out as much as I’d like due to work, but I know it’s there, waiting—ready to tackle anything I throw at it.
Words by - David Musch
Photos by - Isaac Urban