Classic Land Rover Defender Made Better With LS3 Swap

Perfect Combo

Land Rover Defenders have always been cool and fun off-roaders, but like pretty much everything else that comes from the automaker, reliability is a big issue. The answer, of course, is to swap an LS in them, and a lot of people do. That's exactly what a company called Himalaya has been doing for years now, and the results are a pretty much perfect vehicle with iconic styling and plenty of reliable power.

Photos: Himalaya

Step Further

Fitting an LS3 into a classic Defender like this makes a lot of sense other than just making it more reliable, of course. Parts are cheap and easy to obtain, and you can make as much power as your heart (and wallet) desires. But unlike most simple swaps, Himalaya takes this process quite a bit further as it builds some seriously impressive rigs.

Photos: Himalaya

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Right Mix

Himalaya uses their own custom chassis for the swap rather than the existing roller, for starters. They also throw in upgraded brakes and suspension components to handle the extra power. This particular example, a 70th-anniversary tribute model, also features a six-speed automatic transmission, Fox shocks, and 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped in BFGoodrich A/T KO2 tires.

Photos: Himalaya

>>Join the conversation about this LS3 swapped Defender right here in the LS1 Tech Forum!

Customer Spec

The interior is completely custom as well, sporting a black and white mix that looks decidedly more modern than the original Defender duds. This is just one example of the many custom offerings Himalaya presents, as every build it cranks out is done up to customer spec.

Photos: Himalaya

>>Join the conversation about this LS3 swapped Defender right here in the LS1 Tech Forum!

Defender Buffet

If you want more of a retro/original interior spec, they can do that. If you prefer a racier, carbon fiber, and Alcantara-laden interior, well, you can have that, too. Or you can simply purchase a Defender that's already been built, like this one and several others listed for sale on Himalaya's web site.

Photos: Himalaya

>>Join the conversation about this LS3 swapped Defender right here in the LS1 Tech Forum!

Power Levels

That includes how much power you wish to have in your modernized Defender, of course. In this guise, the LS3 produces 525 horsepower and 425 pound-feet of torque, which is quite a lot more than stock but obviously conservative in the realm of the mighty LS. But that's way more than enough to keep up with modern-day traffic.

Photos: Himalaya

>>Join the conversation about this LS3 swapped Defender right here in the LS1 Tech Forum!

Close To Perfection

We've always loved Land Rovers, particularly old ones, but we've also always shied away from them and their famously unreliable engines. But as we've learned time and time again, there isn't much that an LS can't fix. And in this case, it gets an almost perfect vehicle that much closer to perfection

Photos: Himalaya

>>Join the conversation about this LS3 swapped Defender right here in the LS1 Tech Forum!

For help with service of your car, check out the how to section of LS1Tech.com