Say “hello” to Samson. He is a black Land Rover Defender 110 built in 2012. He weighs about two tons and has a 2.2 litre TD4 Diesel engine delivering a maximum torque of 360 Nm.

I purchased Samson in 2019 in almost mint condition (i.e. equipped with a new replacement engine and without any dents or corrosion) from a Swiss specialist for exotic off-roaders and heavy duty vehicles. Samson is still quite “naked” and will be converted into a rugged yet cozy go-anywhere camper van in the coming months. All modifications will be documented here.

Samson was named after a character from Sesame Street – a big and clumsy bear having the psychological age of a five year old. But Samson (“man of the sun”) also refers to the biblical Hercules, a mighty man of superhuman strength. Big, strong and clumsy. That is the perfect description of a Defender, isn’t it?

What makes a Land Rover Defender a great base vehicle for a camper van?

Granted – a Land Rover Defender is a quirky lame duck offering little comfort or safety. In my opinion, however, there are some distinct merits in using it as a base vehicle for a camper van conversion project, particularly if your goal is to be able to go literally anywhere.

1. Compact and suitable for everyday use

The camper van would be my only car. And although I usually take the train or bicycle, I was looking for a base vehicle that would also be suitable enough for grocery shopping here in the city and for the occasional day trip. The Land Rover Defender is a box-shaped beast with the streamline of a refrigerator, but still relatively compact and always fun to drive. It fits on a regular parking lot (those are quite cramped here in Switzerland) and even in a standard shipping container (if this is what you need).

2. Very easily customizable

The Internet offers all sorts of spare parts as well as an endless selection of Defender-specific extension kits for off-roading and camping. Tinkering with a Land Rover Defender is like playing Lego Technic. All rivets and screws are exposed to the naked eye. Nothing appears to be welded. The interior trims or even the roof and all other parts of the aluminum body can be removed in a matter of minutes, simply by untightening a few bolts.

3. Reliable and easy to fix

As rustic, slow and quirky as the Land Rover Defender may appear, it is a highly reliable vehicle that was built from 1948 with little to none technical interventions over the years. There is no cruise control, no headlight warning chime, no automatic transmission, no airbags, no power windows (at least not in older models) or other complex electronics. What could possibly break that a trained mechanic or even yourself wouldn’t be able to fix?

4. Insane all-terrain capability

Thanks to the permanent four-wheel drive, low-range gear, differential lock and narrow body design, the Land Rover Defender is a strongman and one of the most capable off-road vehicles that takes you anywhere. There must be a reason why the Defender is used by many armed and special forces around the world.

5. It’s a style icon!

The Defender is already an icon as production ended in 2016 after a long 67 years. Also, there is this strong sense of community and almost family that comes with owning a Land Rover. Something you will most likely not experience with any other vehicle.