1994 Land Rover Defender D90 NAS

Serial Number
SALDV2286RA945584
Paint Color
Beluga Black
Engine
3.9L V8
Interior Color
Ash Gray Conolly Leather Interior
Transmission
Manual
Mileage
78,472 Miles
Price
$
POA

Among the most iconic vehicles ever made, the Land Rover Defender is a legend. Although it was not officially offered in the United States until 1993, the Defender’s story extends back to the early postwar years. At that time, Rover Cars needed steel to resume car production, which the government (still responsible for allocating raw materials) would allow only to companies with a proven record of exporting their goods. The United Kingdom was economically battered by the war, so the government placed the high priority on acquiring foreign currency by exporting British goods. Thus, Rover hastily designed a vehicle with the export markets in mind: a clever mostly aluminum utility vehicle inspired by the American military Jeeps that were common in England during and after World War II.

The new vehicle, called the Land Rover, was intended to be a stopgap to generate the exports that would get Rover the steel they needed to make cars, but by 1951, just three years after the Land Rover’s introduction, it was outselling Rover cars three to one. The Land Rover included a whole host of thoughtful features, earning it a deserved reputation for usefulness, durability, and unstoppability. They were sold around the globe, and legend had it that for a full third of the world’s population at one point, the first vehicle they ever saw was a Land Rover. It was slowly but continuously developed and remained in production until 2016, a shocking 68 years.

As times changed, so too did the Land Rover, with the 1984 revisions earning it a name beyond simply “Land Rover” for the first time. Called the Defender, it was an evolution of the Land Rovers made during the preceding decades, but did include meaningful improvements including coil springs for the first time. Introduced on the Range Rover, which arrived in 1970, coil springs dramatically improved the ride comfort while sacrificing none of the vehicle’s legendary off-road ability.

Although the Range Rover was designed with the US market in mind, the dysfunction of British Leyland, coupled with the massive demand for the vehicle in other markets, meant that it did not enter the US market until 1987 following a 15+ year absence of Land Rover from North America. The introduction of the Range Rover to America was massively successful and so for 1993, a limited run of Defenders was brought to the United States as well. All were white four-door 110 models and the following year, Land Rover’s North American Specification (NAS) offering became the two-door Defender 90. All 1994 NAS Defenders were soft top models with 5-speed manual transmissions, although approximately 65 “port of entry” examples had steel hard tops added once they arrived in North America, paving the way for 1995’s factory offered “station wagon” model, which was available alongside the soft top.

The 1994 soft top was not initially offered in black, although towards the end of the model year, a special edition Beluga Black model appeared. It was sometimes referred to as the Summer of 94 Defender because these words appeared in large letters in several places in the special brochure which described the model’s features. In addition to the black paintwork, these D90s also had dark ash Conolly leather upholstery (in lieu of the plasticized upholstery usually used in soft top NAS Defenders), and bright finish running boards and A-bar on the front bumper, and an abbreviated Surrey top (open on the sides).

This particular D90 is one of approximately 100 Beluga Black Editions made and has had three owners from new. Its first owner brought it to the San Francisco Bay Area, where it has remained since. He sold it to its second owner, who retained it relatively briefly before selling it to its current owner in July 2019. He set about performing a comprehensive and detailed refurbishment which totaled just under $78,000. Throughout this process, there was specific on sourcing as many NOS/NLA parts as possible. Every cosmetic aspect of the exterior was redone, as was much of the interior. The body was repainted in its entirety, and all new exterior rubber trim was fitted, ranging from window and door seals as well as fender extensions. The grille and headlight bezels were also replaced, as were all badges, lights, and door hinges. All black exterior components were repainted or powder coated, and all new stainless hardware for the roll cage (which was refinished) and door hinges was also installed. A new dash cap was fitted, as was miscellaneous other interior trim such as the shift knob, and the seat foam was also replaced, including the headrests.

On the mechanical front, the cylinder heads were rebuilt and the water pump, fan clutch, radiator, thermostat were all replaced. Ignition components were renewed including cap, rotor, spark plugs, and spark plug wires. Lines for both the oil cooler and power steering were also replaced. The rear main seal was also replaced, and the transfer case was resealed. The exhaust head shields were replaced and a new old stock Borla muffler was sourced and installed. The chassis was steam cleaned and the suspension was rebuilt with new shocks and springs, as well as new bushings and hardware including ball joints and steering damper. The brake pads and rotors were replaced, as was the brake valve, and the axle assemblies repainted. New warning and informational labels and decals were also sourced and installed. An OEM load space liner was also sourced, as were car cover and windscreen sunshade.

A great deal of cleaning and detailing work was done as well. In addition to its OEM alloy wheels, this Defender also has a source of ANR1534 steel wheels (the same ones used on the NAS D110), which have been finished in Beluga Black to match the body. A new set of T/A K-02 tires was also installed.

This Defender’s current owner also went to extreme lengths to source additional rare accessories and various other extras (beyond those included), including no fewer than seven roof configurations! These include the following:

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OEM '94 Coventry Surrey Top

OEM '94 Tickford/Coventry Full Top & Carrying Bag

OEM '94 Coventry Bimini Top

OEM '94 Coventry Tonneau Cover

OEM Land Rover Factory Six Piece Modular Hard Top & Hardware

Badger Coachworks GKII Full Top

Badger Coachworks GK Bimini Top

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OEM Land Rover '94 Date Stamped Alloys (Installed)

OEM NAS D90 Muffler/NOS Borla Exhaust (Installed)

OEM/NOS '94 Specific Floor Mats (Installed)