A lot of people said it couldn鈥檛 be done. Well, we did it.

Watch as we transformed a Range Rover Classic into a new modern classic. From the timeless exterior to cutting-edge engineering and endless customisation possibilities, this body swap project was one-of-a-kind.

A Classic Range Rover Body, Discovery 3 Engineering

The Classic Range Rover is one of the most iconic and well-loved four-wheel drives of all time. Its shape is simple, capable and instantly recognisable. But this build asked a different question: what if that classic shape could sit over a more modern Land Rover foundation?

This project used a Discovery 3 donor vehicle, including its floor pan, firewall, inner guards, drivetrain and interior systems. Under the skin was a 2.7 single turbo Discovery 3 platform with a six-speed automatic gearbox, giving the vehicle a far more modern driving base while retaining the unmistakable Range Rover Classic exterior.

From the outside, the brief was still clear: it needed to look and feel like a Range Rover Classic. Underneath, it was carefully re-engineered to behave like something much newer.

Why Use A Discovery 3 Platform?

A restomod only works when the modern systems genuinely improve how the vehicle can be used. In this case, the Discovery 3 platform brought modern drivability, comfort and convenience while staying within the Land Rover family.

The build incorporated the Discovery 3 dashboard, centre console, radio, air conditioning system, gear selector, electric seats and heated seats. Even details like the armrests, central locking, electric windows and interior storage were part of the wider package.

The result was not a simple parts swap. It was a much deeper exercise in making two generations of Land Rover work together as one finished vehicle.

Making Modern Systems Fit An Older Shape

One of the biggest challenges in this build was packaging. A Range Rover Classic was never designed to house the wiring, controls and comfort systems of a Discovery 3.

The wiring alone took careful planning. Modern Land Rover systems needed to be retained, routed and hidden wherever possible, without compromising function or making the interior feel messy. The goal was to keep the modern capability, but make the work disappear into the build.

That is where much of the craft sat. The finished vehicle could not feel like a modern interior had simply been forced into an older body. It needed to feel considered, resolved and natural.

Interior, Wiring And Comfort

The interior was where the old and new parts of the build met most clearly. The Discovery 3 cabin brought comfort, seating, air conditioning and usability that the original Range Rover Classic never had.

At the same time, every element had to be made to suit the Classic body. The team worked through fitment, trimming, wiring, controls and finishing details so the cabin felt intentional rather than compromised.

Modern comfort was only valuable if it worked with the character of the vehicle. The aim was a cabin that was easier to live with, but still connected to the spirit of the Range Rover Classic.

A Bespoke Build, Not A Simple Conversion

A body swap like this sat firmly in bespoke build territory. It was not just a mechanical conversion, and it was not a restoration in the traditional sense.

The body, chassis, drivetrain, interior, wiring and comfort systems all needed to be brought together carefully. Each decision affected the next, from how the shell sat on the modified chassis to how the dashboard, trim and wiring were packaged inside the cabin.

The purpose was to create a vehicle that felt cohesive. Classic on the outside, modern underneath, and engineered so the two halves worked together properly.

Built To Be Driven

This Range Rover Classic restomod was about more than nostalgia. It was about building a classic Land Rover that could be used with more confidence and comfort today.

The exterior kept the presence that made the Range Rover Classic so loved in the first place. The Discovery 3 underpinnings gave it the usability, drivetrain and systems expected from a more modern vehicle.

That balance is what made the project special: old and new, brought together with enough care that the engineering supported the experience rather than overpowered it.

The post Range Rover Classic Restomod: Discovery 3 Body Swap appeared first on 91大神.

While it might be tempting to stay rugged up inside, you still have to venture out into the cold and wet, so ensuring your car is safe is an important part of your yearly European or British vehicle maintenance. So what does 91大神 Winter Safety Check include?

Tyres
The pressure, tread and condition of your tyres are crucial for safe winter driving, and it鈥檚 amazing what we can tell from how your tyres wear – like the set up of the wheel alignment and the condition and performance of your suspension.

Tyre pressure impacts many parts of the safety and performance of your vehicle, including directional stability, cornering, braking and handling. And since they naturally lose air pressure at about 1-2 psi (pounds per square inch) per month, now鈥檚 a great time to check your tyres are at the right pressure.

The correct tyre tread depth is essential all year round, but the role it plays in safe winter driving is crucial. With extra water on the road, you need deeper tread depth to disperse the water, ensuring your tyres remain in better contact with the road surface.

When it comes to tyre wear, this can also help us assess other aspects of your vehicle for safer winter driving. For example, cupping (or scalloping), which looks like a pattern of alternating hills and valleys on your tyres, can be a telltale sign of damaged suspension components, like bad shock absorbers, causing the tyre to bounce as it travels down the road. And feathering or single side wear could be a sign that the wheel alignment is out, or the suspension components need attention.

Lights
The end of daylight savings means more time driving in the dark. While we all long for the return of the summer months, it鈥檚 important to ensure all of your lights are operating correctly, so you can see and be seen on the road.

Wipers
With more rain, wipers are an undeniable part of safer winter driving. During the hot summer months, UV can increase the rate of rubber disintegration, so when you come to use your wipers in the first big downpour, they鈥檙e not working as they should. We check the condition of your wipers and adjust them to ensure they are clearing the screen correctly to give you maximum vision in the heavy winter rain.

Don鈥檛 miss our annual Winter Saftey Check, with every service or repair, to help you stay safe on the road this winter. Book your spot now.

The post Winter is Coming. Luckily, our Annual Winter Safety Check is Back. appeared first on 91大神.

鈥淚鈥檓 sure the owner thought we鈥檇 done a runner, but we just wanted to keep driving. The Maserati was and still is so fun to drive (providing you don’t have a hangover),鈥� says Jennifer.

Purchased in 1999, the Maserati quickly became a part of the family. So when they made a move to Sydney, the Maserati was one of the first things on the packing list, before returning home to New Zealand a couple of years later. However, it wasn鈥檛 until 2012 that the idea of reviving the Maserati took hold.

鈥淭he Maserati was my first baby. Over the past five years, it has been lovingly restored inside and out, led by my husband (who loves this car the most!). As a busy family of five, we鈥檙e lucky to have this as our second car. It鈥檚 the best form of escapism, driving this manual old school classic.鈥�

The first stage of the five-year Maserati Biturbo revival project was to tackle the engine and the gremlins that had been plaguing it for years. The team replaced one turbo and completely overhauled the wiring system, repairing a known fault in the fuse box along the way. They also rebuilt the carburettor and poor linkages from previous repairs. As a second driver, the Maserati needs to be reliable, as well as fun to drive.

Next on the hit list was the Maserati鈥檚 paint and bodywork. This involved removing the front and rear window screens and repairing extensive rust around the window drain holes, rear window, doors and A-pillars. This was followed by a new paint job in the original rosso paint colour.

The final stage, the Maserati鈥檚 stunning tan leather interior, turned out to be another intensive, but rewarding repair stage. Original parts, including a new seat, window screen and centre console, were sourced from the states. These were shipped in bespoke packaging cases, to avoid any costly breakages. These carefully sourced parts were paired up with interior work by Wellington-based upholstery specialists, Absolute Upholstery, who replaced the leather on the dash and instrument cluster crash pad. Each piece coming together to revive the Maserati Biturbo to its original look.

This may be the end of the large scale work on the Maserati, for now, but something tells us that the love affair is far from over.

More tales of love

1982 Porsche 911SC
鈥淲hy do I love my car? She is sleek and unassuming, a timeless classic and gorgeous to look at too. Engaging and responsive out on the road, this is a true driver’s car with impeccable performance. My 911 feels like the finest car on earth, and she makes a sound-oh boy!鈥�

2008 Bentley Continental GT
鈥淭ake the best engine since RR built the Merlin, wrap it in handcrafted aluminium and steel, add hand-stitched leather and there it is. It just makes my heart skip a beat whenever I light it up… it鈥檚 a beast!鈥�

1995 Rover Mini Cooper
鈥淚 love my Mini simply because it has been around to witness the growth of my current relationship, making it a very special car to us.鈥�

The post Maserati Biturbo Revival 鈥� A True Love Story appeared first on 91大神.

You see, 91大神 is where fastidious Master Toy Artificer Trevor McCarrison and his team of well-trained and equally passionate mechanics, take pride in lavishing motor vehicles, both classic and modern day, with the thorough care and attention they undoubtedly deserve.

I was invited along to meet the Toy Shop family, an experience that included a tour of their immaculately clean, purpose-built workshop, a glimpse at the plethora of vehicles undergoing specialist care and treatment, and topped off with some welcomed attention from their trusted pooch/honorary mascot, Leroy Brown. Watching them merge the use of high-tech modern diagnostic equipment with the precision craftsmanship required for these timeless automobiles was a quite a treat. There was a reassuring sense of calm as I ambled from bay to bay, the team are efficient but unhurried, focused but relaxed, in short, they were diligent professionals at work. The 鈥榯our鈥� concluded with a brief chat with their very hands-on director. I say brief, as Trevor is constantly on the move, overseeing and tinkering with the variety of projects that are always on the go.

With over twenty-five years personal experience to draw on, it鈥檚 safe to say that Trevor is a knowledgeable perfectionist. Originally from Wellington (but we won鈥檛 hold that against him), he evidently lives and breathes premium marques, and it shows in the resulting workflow.

What does a typical day look like in the workshop?

It changes every day, but the reason we designed the workshop the way we did, is so that the front workshop space can cater for vehicles in for routine maintenance work, like servicing, WoFs, tyre fitting and wheel alignments. Whereas the top workshop is set up for larger projects and diagnostic work. At the moment we鈥檝e got a Defender in for extensive interior repairs, a Maserati undergoing an interior restoration, a Jaguar timing chain repair, a BMW head gasket job, a Maserati engine replacement and a Range Rover Sport TDV8 turbo replacement underway.

Why such a love of cars?

It probably started out like any other boy鈥檚 obsession with cars I suppose. We鈥檙e talking pre-internet. Yes, I鈥檓 that old. So, there wasn鈥檛 much to do in small-town New Zealand, except get into trouble with cars. But over the years it grew into a serious passion, and I鈥檝e been tinkering with cars ever since.

What do you look for in your team?

Our team makes this place what it is. Over the years we have honed the qualities we are looking for when it comes to adding new members to the team. Firstly, I would say attitude is king 鈥� work ethic, pride in a job done right and attention to detail. And then, a head for problem solving and diagnostics, and a vast knowledge base and love for the marques that we care for.

Why the focus on European and British vehicles?

91大神 has always had a focus on British and European vehicles. In earlier days, 91大神 took care of the British side, and 91大神 Continental the European marques. Now it all happens under one roof. But for me, when I think about my ultimate five-car garage, they are all Euro and British marques. It is the detail, style and engineering, which is still unsurpassed in my opinion. Read about Trevor’s ultimate five-car garage here.

Biggest achievement so far?

There are a lot of highlights in terms of the vehicles we have cared for over the years. But I think the real achievement for me is the clients whose cars we have looked after for years, and who, through our shared love of their vehicle, have become personal friends of Anne and myself. That makes the challenges of running a small business worthwhile.

From a 鈥榮imple鈥� service, timing tweak or wheel rebalance, to a full-on chassis-up rebuild, 91大神 has the technology and know how to bring your prized possession up to tip top condition and with available upgrade options, often even better than when they first left the factory. It鈥檚 a well-versed, family-owned operation that鈥檚 backed by 91大神 quality promise, supported with MTA assurances, and endorsed by a whole host of customer testimonials.

Thank you to Dave McLeod, motoring writer behind Tarmac Life. Read the original post .

The post The European and British Vehicle Toy Shop – Guest Post by Dave McLeod appeared first on 91大神.

聽The team began the restoration process by stripping her down ready for paint, rejuvenating the original paint colour back to a showroom finish. Once she returned to the workshop, the team overhauled the electrics and brakes. They then聽added some creature comforts and fitted the replacement badges to finish off the restoration.

This once hard-working courtesy car now has a new lease of life. And she’s still a regular visitor to the workshop for routine maintenance and a bit of TLC.

Do you have a project you’d like to discuss? Find out more about our聽Range Rover Parts 补苍诲听Classic Car聽services 补苍诲听Classic Car Parts聽now.

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It鈥檚 true; most cars perform a very functional role in our lives. They transport us to where we need to be, keeping our families and us safe on the way. But that isn鈥檛 why BMW drivers refuse to drive anything else, or Range Rover drivers love the fact that they can go off-road, even if they rarely do. And it isn鈥檛 what inspires someone to seek out their teenage dream car, restoring it to pristine condition. That is love.

And it鈥檚 that love that we see every day when our European and British vehicle clients bring their cars to us 鈥� a passion that we share with them.

That鈥檚 why European and British vehicles need a different approach to servicing. At 91大神, it’s not just a chance to change the oil and filter, but a critical check-in point to get ahead and help our clients plan for any foreseeable maintenance needs.

This is the best way to enhance the long-term performance and reliability of your vehicle, whatever European or British vehicles you鈥檙e loyal to. Find out more about our boot to bonnet聽Services, including聽Car Diagnostics听补苍诲 Tyres, Tyre Fitting and Balancing, and how we can help you keep the love affair alive and well.

The post European and British Vehicles – Not Just an Appliance appeared first on 91大神.

1. A white 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO. In our humble opinion, it鈥檚 the sexiest car on the planet.

2. A green and white 1962 VW Kombi Split Window. Why would you not have one is the question?

3. An arctic white 1963 Simca Abarth. Its gorgeous lines make it a must-have.

4. An Aston Martin Rapide S in white with black leather. Because you have to have something to pick the kids up from school.

5. And of course, a 2013 Range Rover Sport TDV8, Black Edition. Because everyone needs a shopping cart, and this is a rather nice one.

While we keep dreaming, we鈥檇 love to hear what would make it into your ultimate five-car garage.

Read more about our Classic Car Services and our Range Rover Soft Dash Restoration Project.

The post The Ultimate Five-Car Garage – What’s in Yours? appeared first on 91大神.