Land Rover Defender Alucab Camper build 1991 - 200tdi - Price Drop to 65K

[SonoranRovers]

Here is a pretty special, we think, build that was done for the Alucab stand at Expo West this year in Flag. Maybe someone here saw it.

75k obo




1991 Defender 110 Hi Cap Pick Up with Alucab Alucabin canopy camper - custom fit - first time this has been done on a Hi Cap pick up.


Sourced in the Lake District in September 2020 the truck was originally used in sheep farming before the farmer embarked on a partial resto project. He sold to the new owner who intended to use as an accompanying add on to his Air BnB before selling to Sonoran Rovers UK ltd after COViD made that business non viable.


Engine


235 k miles on the clock ( we are told that the engine was rebuilt some 60k miles ago) the engine pulls very strongly with good compression and no blow by.


Initial testing in the UK showed the engine to be strong and able to pull happily at motorway speeds.


We tested with 600 kgs of pallette cardboard in the back in the Staffordshire peak district no problem.


The engine has clearly been tuned for extra power as evidenced by the EGT (exhaust gas temp) gauge and ita strong acceleration. See Instagram for a fun video of us beating a brewery owned Mini Cooper at the dragway in Tucson. 68 mph after ¼ mile was decent.


New allisport radiator

New allisport intercooler



New HD steering bars


Recent poly bushings (truck corners very well and tracks straight)


Truck stripped to the chassis all welding and repairs done professionally then reassembled with new bolts and seals on the body and new galvanized body sills. 2019.


Bulkhead replaced in 2019 - rust free.


Doors replaced with much better puma doors 2019


Genuine puma bonnet 2019



Rebuilt rear differential - 09-20


Rebuilt transfer case - 09 - 20


Heavy duty springs and Terra Firma Big Bore shocks


New winch bumper 05-21


Warn VR Evo 8000 lb winch - 05-21


ARB Solis Lights


Optima Yellow top dual battery system with Red Arc isolator 05-21


Brake service with new pads. 05- 21


New refurbished and reupholstered front puma seats - 05 -21


BFG 285 75 r 16 KO2 tires



Arb air compressor



Alu Cab 270 degree shadow awning


The vehicle was painted 05-21. We aimed to keep this a rugged vehicle so really just prepped and set the paint up to really smarten the truck up. It was not an expensive job though care was taken to be smart and very presentable. There are still signs of a previous working life. Blemishes here and there that we didn't care to eradicate.


Camper build


Custom fit Alu Cab Alu Cabin 6.5 foot bed - The first Alucab Cabin on a Defender anywhere in the world. Fits perfectly.

• 270 degree shadow awning
• Shower cube
• Alu Cab water tank 60L - faucet on back of the truck
• Custom craftsman built interior with ample storage and L track in the floor for extra cargo control. Built for function and also a comfy hide away. Lovely live edge mesquite touches. Mesquite external trim to match.
• Comes with the GP factor basic power board for future accessories
• 55 quart canyon cooler (an ARB, Dometic or other fridge can be added into the space

The interior is designed so that there is storage for batteries, BMS and inverter etc should the new owner choose.

• Expedition essentials propane holder on rear molle panels - quick connect to
• Dickenson p900 fireplace with custom mounting system
• Expedition essentials exo camp kitchen, table and partner stove
• Upper door molle plate with Last US Bag company kitchen bag system

Above camper build spec retails at around 37k with install.

$ 750000 obo

Will attach more pics later. Need to resize

 

[SonoranRovers]

Here are some more pics. These all came from a friend who wanted to do a fancy shoot. I'll catalog a bunch more this week and make available

 

[SonoranRovers]

Some more including the interior of the camper

 

[Lucidless]

Okay few red flags, and this is coming from a defender collector and enthusiast maybe you can clarify.

1. If there isn’t paperwork on the engine rebuild, it wasn’t rebuilt. That’s the only receipt the previous owner would keep as it’s a serious job ($$$) in the UK. And really the only one defender buyers look for. Since you guys are drag racing minis you should pull the head just in case, you may have scarring on the walls and oval’d pistons without having any blow by.. I’ve seen these drive into the shop on one piston with the others hanging out the block. Hard to know if the internals are solid when they’ll creep around at 35kmph on one piston hahah.

2. 200tdi is ECU-less, so the only tuning you could really do is cooling system & boost pin, and turn up the boost - which kills your reliability (when doing pulls like you said you were doing drag racing a mini) with these unless you have an AMC head, or larger cooling components- which you have (btw Alisports cooling system will mess up your AC system if you ever install one, and in colder climates your truck doesn’t always get warm- had these issues with mine in MT). Boost pin also allows you to over-boost easily. Post picture of the manifold

3. Did you guys in the states do the strip down and rebuild or did the guy in the UK do it. Did you make sure to use authentic LR parts for the re-build or upgraded components. Lots of fake parts in circulation, even knock off bulkheads. Any receipts for that work that shows part numbers? Also is the bulkhead galvanized, very odd to do the full strip down and only do the chassis. Everyone usually does the bulkhead, chassis, and rear end.

4. It’s not the first alucabin defender- maybe in the USA. There’s a few cruising around SA, and some that even have the old old “alucabin” that Alucab did before they exported to the states.

none the less, cool truck! If you did the Terrafirma 2” kit. You’ll want to do caster correction as well. You don’t need to buy some fancy kit. Just pull the swivels and drill a hole 3° from the bottom screw hole. And remount. Also do you have heavy in the front and back? If so get medium springs and soft shocks front and heavy/medium in the rear. My previous 3.5T 130 runs heavy rear, medium front. Yours is much much lighter.

 

[SonoranRovers]

Okay few red flags, and this is coming from a defender collector and enthusiast maybe you can clarify.

1. If there isn’t paperwork on the engine rebuild, it wasn’t rebuilt. That’s the only receipt the previous owner would keep as it’s a serious job ($$$) in the UK. And really the only one defender buyers look for. Since you guys are drag racing minis you should pull the head just in case, you may have scarring on the walls and oval’d pistons without having any blow by.. I’ve seen these drive into the shop on one piston with the others hanging out the block. Hard to know if the internals are solid when they’ll creep around at 35kmph on one piston hahah.

2. 200tdi is ECU-less, so the only tuning you could really do is cooling system & boost pin, and turn up the boost - which kills your reliability (when doing pulls like you said you were doing drag racing a mini) with these unless you have an AMC head, or larger cooling components- which you have (btw Alisports cooling system will mess up your AC system if you ever install one, and in colder climates your truck doesn’t always get warm- had these issues with mine in MT). Boost pin also allows you to over-boost easily. Post picture of the manifold

3. Did you guys in the states do the strip down and rebuild or did the guy in the UK do it. Did you make sure to use authentic LR parts for the re-build or upgraded components. Lots of fake parts in circulation, even knock off bulkheads. Any receipts for that work that shows part numbers? Also is the bulkhead galvanized, very odd to do the full strip down and only do the chassis. Everyone usually does the bulkhead, chassis, and rear end.

4. It’s not the first alucabin defender- maybe in the USA. There’s a few cruising around SA, and some that even have the old old “alucabin” that Alucab did before they exported to the states.

none the less, cool truck! If you did the Terrafirma 2” kit. You’ll want to do caster correction as well. You don’t need to buy some fancy kit. Just pull the swivels and drill a hole 3° from the bottom screw hole. And remount. Also do you have heavy in the front and back? If so get medium springs and soft shocks front and heavy/medium in the rear. My previous 3.5T 130 runs heavy rear, medium front. Yours is much much lighter.

Thanks for the questions.

It's true I do t know if the engine was rebuilt but like I said it doesn't drive like a engine of this age. I've had quite a few. Let's assume it wasn't since I don't have documentation.

The truck has new puma doors and a genuine puma hood and it's obviously been taken apart and reassembled the I'm not entirely sure if the bulkhead was new or repaired but it's certainly rust free and has been off the vehicle.

There is no way we'd have done this build on a crappy old rusty uk farm truck.

Drag racing was a one off but fun. I've done over 2000 miles since then and it's still driving really well.

Terra firma big bore on the back. They work well.

 

[Lucidless]

Thanks for the questions.

It's true I do t know if the engine was rebuilt but like I said it doesn't drive like a engine of this age. I've had quite a few. Let's assume it wasn't since I don't have documentation.

The truck has new puma doors and a genuine puma hood and it's obviously been taken apart and reassembled the I'm not entirely sure if the bulkhead was new or repaired but it's certainly rust free and has been off the vehicle.

There is no way we'd have done this build on a crappy old rusty uk farm truck.

Drag racing was a one off but fun. I've done over 2000 miles since then and it's still driving really well.

Terra firma big bore on the back. They work well.

How is it obvious that it was taken apart and re-assembled? Puma doors and puma hood are easy to take on and off- and can be done in 3 hours. No bolts in the hood. And only 4 exterior on each of the doors. Not a lot of strip down required, and it’s easy to do a blow over on the paint inside when you have no sound proofing, Floor rubbers or, LR canvas mats. Do you have any receipts or photos of the full rebuild that show the vin plate? That’s also not the sort of thing someone would do and not take a bunch of photos, even if a shop did it they would’ve taken a ton.

Why did you only do big bores in the rear?

Also, why did you spray over a galvanized chassis? I’m guessing it is, as I couldn’t see any silver/gray when zooming in on the photos. Do you have any photos prior to spraying it to show you do in fact have a galv chassis?

 

[SonoranRovers]

How is it obvious that it was taken apart and re-assembled? Puma doors and puma hood are easy to take on and off- and can be done in 3 hours. No bolts in the hood. And only 4 exterior on each of the doors. Not a lot of strip down required, and it’s easy to do a blow over on the paint inside when you have no sound proofing, Floor rubbers or, LR canvas mats. Do you have any receipts or photos of the full rebuild that show the vin plate? That’s also not the sort of thing someone would do and not take a bunch of photos, even if a shop did it they would’ve taken a ton.

Why did you only do big bores in the rear?

Also, why did you spray over a galvanized chassis? I’m guessing it is, as I couldn’t see any silver/gray when zooming in on the photos. Do you have any photos prior to spraying it to show you do in fact have a galv chassis?

It's not a galv chassis. Big bores in rear as it was set up to carry loads it works well. I drove it with 600kgs in the back in UK before we exported.

I'll take some pics and show where you can see it having been stripped down. I don't have pics of the process and but it's pretty clear.

We aren't in this for a quick profit Lucid. 75k is about what we have into this truck and to prep another. It's ready to use.

I'm also not a novice here. Have a good reputation and also drove a 200 TDI defender 110 with my family from Tucson to Argentina in 2018. And that I do have pics to prove. So know these trucks quote well.

As for earlier Alucab, first of it's kind, claim. That was also confirmed by the owner and their core management team from Cape Town in Flagstaff in May. I spent a fair few hours drinking beer in the back with them. The Alucabin is a new product. I know the Khaya camper has been installed in 130s and probably 110 hi caps before.

 

[Lucidless]

Sweet man, just post photos to substantiate your claims on all the stuff that has been done, post receipts etc etc.. Its too easy to hide defender issues, and lots of people send me rigs to get my $0.02 here.. But its always defender related, 90% of people that want one, haven't even seen one in person, so im sure you can guess how my inbox gets when spec'd out defenders get listed to the North American market. Good luck with the sale

 

[IndianaDano]

Damn Marcus dude put you through the ringer. I've seen the rig in person and it looks great...but didn't crawl around on it. I have a 1995 110 that Marcus helped me source parts and such. He is not a novice to Defenders.

 

[Lucidless]

Damn Marcus dude put you through the ringer. I've seen the rig in person and it looks great...but didn't crawl around on it. I have a 1995 110 that Marcus helped me source parts and such. He is not a novice to Defenders.

To be fair, I think for a $75,000 truck that was hardly the ringer- I think it’s fairly base line for what people are going to ask when you get into email and call threads with an interested party.

Lots sent it to me because they found it odd that a Company that rebuilds defenders, and built this truck, posted this with no receipts of work or photos of major stuff/the frame off rebuild. Also guessing the 8 guys that sent to me in FB messenger and Instagram are worried about getting banned for questioning things here.

 

[wagenman]

Having had multiples, could you comment on the difference in cabin road noise between having the Alu-Cabin and the roof conversion?

 

[SonoranRovers]

Having had multiples, could you comment on the difference in cabin road noise between having the Alu-Cabin and the roof conversion?

Its not much different from the previous iteration of this build where I had a roof top tent on the back.

The main difference is it is certainly heavier and does drag a little more.

We are actully using this truck on a guided trip into Sonora - El Pinacate Biosphere Reserve

We have some spaces left on that trip if anyone would like to join and drive this truck.

I'll have it up on the lift on Weds and we can take some pics of the chassis etc.

 

[SonoranRovers]

Bump and dropped to 65k USD firm

Truck is in Tucson and registered - viewings welcome as are conversations.

Lost my taste for this thread after the above interactions but keen to engage with any potential serious buyers.

 

[SonoranRovers]

Listening to offers for this build

The vehicle is in Tucson and registered - any interested party can feel free to come out and drive. I will also be driving to Flagstaff in a few weeks and showing.

Extras

AC - 5500

Left Hand Drive Swap 10000 (the replaced bulkhead takes some of the gamble out of a left hand drive swap as you wont be encountering rot when removing the dash and other components

 

[Horseshoe1]

These rigs aren’t made for comfort, (the cab) but I love the way they look!