Black & White

DEANO STARTS KITTING OUT HIS DEFENDER.

- Dean Mellor

AFTER throwing a heap of money at my old Defender, I reckon it’s finally mechanically sound (knock on wood); although, there are still a few little things to sort out, such as the still-leaking auxiliary fuel tank.

When new, the little 2.5-litre four cylinder turbo-diesel engine only made a claimed 111hp (83kW), and I reckon a few of those ponies may have got out of the gate in the last 23 years, but on-road performance is still acceptable. The Defender will happily cruise at 100km/h on the highway and I can even stretch it out to 110 clicks on the freeway, so long as the terrain is flat … or pointing downhill. It struggles a bit on inclines and often needs a shift down to fourth, but I try to leave early for appointments so I’m never in too much of a rush. The upside of that modest output is excellent fuel economy, the Defender averaging just 10L/100km over the past 1000km.

The best thing, however, is how the Defender now rides and handles. There’s minimal play in the steering, ride quality is good and cornering is predictable with well-controlled bodyroll … relative to other Defenders, that is. The new Xtreme Outback clutch has bedded in nicely. It offers a progressive feel and is only a little heavier than I remember the old clutch being.