It’s More Than A Restomod: Building Osprey Off-Roaders From The Ground Up

Osprey Custom Cars builds some incredible vehicles from the ground up. These aren’t restomods, but hand-crafted master pieces, providing amazing fun and excitement on the roads and trails.

The bright red Defender from Osprey Custom Cars has very little about it that dates back to its original days. The frame and body date back as far as 1983, using a build that was part of the Defender lineup until the early 2000s. This means the look of this custom vehicle is more than 40 years old, making it a true custom vehicle right from the start, but there’s a lot more going on here.

Despite its old-school look, the 2023 Osprey Custom 4×4 OC110 Station Wagon, as it’s called by the manufacturer, is a handcrafted masterpiece wearing Defender badging and modern engineering features. The timeless look coupled with the bespoke build provides a glimpse into the craftsmanship and performance that is part of what you can expect from Osprey Custom Cars.

Everything You Want For Off-Roading

The Osprey Custom 4×4 is built on a robust hot-dipped galvanized chassis. It was completed in October 2023 and has 2,100 miles on the odometer. If you want a station wagon with incredible traction across any terrain, this is the vehicle for you. It has a heavy-duty LT230 transfer case with a center differential lock along with upgraded axles to deliver hardcore traction through some of the toughest mud and sand in the wilderness.

The suspension has been slightly lowered, giving the Defender a welcoming stance, but it also rides on 18-inch Iconisus Icon7 alloy wheels wrapped in 265/65R18 Goodyear Wrangler Territory all-terrain tires. The combination of a lowered suspension and massive tires and wheels allows this SUV to be comfortable on and off the road, making it a great vehicle for every drive.

Sophisticated Excitement Outside

The Land Rover Defender look provides recognizable luxury elements that you expect, even from a fully customized vehicle. Osprey Custom Cars painted this OC110 Station Wagon in Barcelona Red Metallic, which looks incredible. It’s even more attractive when you see the deep-tinted glass, gloss-black trim, and impressive LED lighting that are part of the build. The satin black powder-coated bumpers complete the overall look, giving you the ruggedness you want in a true 4×4.

Taking The Old And Adding The New

You might look at the OC110 and think that it’s a restomod, but there’s much more going on here. At Osprey, every vehicle is handcrafted and built from the ground up. There’s very little of the original Defender in this vehicle, and that’s exactly as it should be. This allows you to drive a vehicle that has the classic look you want while enjoying modern features and advanced engineering instead of staying in the past.

Modern Interior Features

• Heated front and middle rows
• Rear air conditioning
• Modern-style dashboard
• Kenwood, Rockford Fosgate, Blaupunkt infotainment system
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration
• Viper two-way security system with remote start
• Power windows
• Wireless charging
• USB charging ports

There’s also an interesting push-button gear selector in the center console, leaving more room for storage and additional electronics where a gear shifter would normally reside. In this SUV, you push the desired selection from the PRND row, and off you go.

Impressive LS3 Power

The LS3 Corvette engine is one of the most common engines used at Osprey. It’s easy to fit into the engine bay of the classic Land Rover Defender body, and it mates well with the frame, ensuring drivers can enjoy some serious power when they push the gas pedal hard.

Power comes from a 6.2-liter LS3 V8 engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. This powertrain sends 430 horsepower and 425 lb-ft of torque to the wheels, making this a powerful and fun vehicle to drive.

This naturally aspirated V8 engine rockets the OC110 off the line and gives it the power to push through the wilderness with ease. This incredible powertrain delivers much more power and performance than a Land Rover Defender from the 1980s could offer.

Superior Power At Your Fingertips

The originality and cost of the OC110 made me hesitate to drive it, but the confidence of Aaron Richardet, the owner and founder of Signature Autosports, let me know it was ok to take it out for a spin. The modern electronics in the center stack are really cool, and pushing the D in the PRND lineup to get going was a great way to start.

The Corvette engine roars to life immediately, and I took the OC110 on some of the city roads and on the interstate to feel it take off. The amazing and immediate power of the LS3 did not disappoint, proving that it is the perfect engine for this build. The Defender took off like a rocket and proved it was ready to go.

The steering provided by this custom Osprey SUV was quick, decisive, and ready for anything I tossed its way. Other drivers were staring as I whizzed past them on the highway in a custom-built vehicle that looked like it was picked up from the 1980s and dropped on their roadways. If you look closely, you’ll notice the Osprey name in the oval where you would see Land Rover on similar vehicles, just a little Easter Egg from the builder.