Vintage Defender is Ready to Wage War
Heavily modified Land Rover Defender comes with a .50 cal turret and can tackle the most harrowing conditions, including the urban jungle.
The Land Rover Defender occupies a hallowed place among enthusiasts. It’s a go-anywhere, do-anything utility vehicle with widespread appeal. In America, Defender love is perhaps even more pronounced. That’s because the company only offered it here for a short period of time. And now that the 25 year import ban no longer applies to many Defenders, dedicated Land Rover fans can get exactly what they want.
After market companies lust after these fantastic vehicles just as much as the public does. Phoenix-based Method SV is one such company. Recoil Magazine recently covered how the highly specialized shop acquired this formidable 1989 Defender. They also detailed what the company has done since they purchased it. One particular addition stands out above the rest. The roof-mounted machine gun is a truly unique addition to the Defender. And apparently it’s street legal too.
According to the article, the Defender originally served as a test mule for arms manufacturer Dillon Aero. It’s unclear whether the company installed their minigun on the Land Rover or used it for target practice, but they did end up stretching it another 17 inches in length. That’s not totally unheard of, as Land Rover extended Defenders before offering longer version straight from the factory. But eventually the Defender fell out of use and was decommissioned.
Brent Frazier, the head of Method SV, eventually learned of the Defender and purchased it from Dillon Aero. Frazier discovered that nearly everything on the Defender had been modified or replaced at some point. Now called Project Ronson, a name inspired by the famous English criminal, the Defender has morphed into a badass road warrior. Method SV installed a Land Rover 300tdi turbo diesel along with an upgraded radiator and intercooler. Additionally, the Defender received a custom aluminum 55 gallon auxiliary gas tank. Off-road enhancements include a skid plate and belly plan. Method SV also outfitted the Defender with a long travel suspension and Bilstein shocks.
It would be insane not to mention the mounted turret included with Project Ronson. According to Method SV’s dedicated page for Project Ronson, the gun itself is a brand new Browning M2HB .50 cal machine gun. Somehow, the addition of a mounted machine gun remains street legal. Recoil magazine says the gun required the Defender’s roof to be modified in order to fit.
Project Ronson also changed up the interior as well. Method SV pulled the front seats from a 2014 Defender and installed a locking center console between them too. They even procured some long range communication equipment for it. There’s no information about the knife or the dual pistols pictured in the above photo, but their inclusion certainly isn’t out of place. Regardless, this Defender certainly has a more colorful history than most. And it seems like it would be right at home on the battlefield with other turreted vehicles like the Humvee.
Jaguar Forums is no stranger to the Defender. Earlier this year we covered another intimidating Defender modified to resemble the ones featured in the last James Bond flick, Spectre. And of course there’s the impending launch of the 2020 Defender, which will finally reach American shores after a twenty year absence. But if you can’t get enough of this combat-ready Defender, head over to Recoil magazine’s article for more information about its extensive upgrades.
Photos: Method SV; Recoilweb.com