If you’ve ever wanted to try off-roading but didn’t want to sacrifice comfort and luxury, the Land Rover Defender is a great choice. The Defender has an iconic look that we personalized to fit this owner’s unique style. In this custom 2020 Land Rover Defender 110 build all the chrome features are erased with blackout lettering, bronze powder coated wheels, bronze painted bumpers, and a satin black two-tone wrap. Keep reading to see the before and after changes of each accessory upgrade.
| PART LIST | |
|---|---|
| Roof Wrap | Hood Wrap |
| 3M Premium Window Tint | Blackout Badges |
| Tinted Emblems | Bronze Powder Coated Wheels |
| Bronze Powder Coated Skid Plate | Painted Bumpers and Grille |
Blackout Lettering
Factory Defenders come with chrome emblems and badges that can often look tacky. To alleviate this dated design element, we like to use a chrome delete. The chrome delete process involves removing all the old chrome emblems and altering them with paint, vinyl, or tint before re-installing them. Almost all of our custom builds feature some kind of chrome delete element to them.
The name plates on both the front and rear of the Defender now feature a sophisticated gloss black. Customizing the emblems, badges, and nameplates of a car are great ways to break its factory mold so that it feels more personalized.
Tinted Emblems
Land Rovers unmistakable green emblem was way off the color scheme for this build, so we had it tinted. Tinting the emblem is a way to darken the appearance without fully replacing it. The process involves a film similar to that used on windows. Emblems can also be darkened by smoking them which uses a tinted clear coat to achieve the desired look.
Satin Black Hood and Roof Wrap
While all the emblems were removed to be blacked out, we started to install the hood and roof wraps. Installing a color change vinyl wrap is a flexible option used to completely change your ride. This custom Defender went from a Tasman Blue hood to a silky satin black. Styling of this nature makes the build stand out as more athletic and pairs well with the black nameplates.
To complete the two-tone appearance the roof and rear window pillars were wrapped with the same satin black as the hood. Having a roof wrap makes the top half of the car appear compressed which creates an agile and sporty feel. The combination of these two wraps forms a distinct custom aesthetic that complements the vehicle.
Vinyl wraps like these last around 7 years whenever they are properly installed and cared for. They can be removed at any point to restyle the vehicle however you want without damaging re-sale value.
Bronze Powder Coated Wheels and Skid Plate
Once all the new accent features were added the original wheels felt too plain to keep around. Our remedy for this was adding a bronze powder coat finish to the wheels that would contrast the black and blue.
Powder coat finishes have a few important benefits to mention. First off, their flexibility of design allows for the wheels to be customized in almost any color. It’s an awesome capability because you can create the perfect color scheme for your vehicle. The second upside of a powder coat finish is their long-lasting durability. Wheels take a lot of damage from debris and chemicals on the road over the years. Adding a powder coat finish seals the part and protects it from rust and scratches.
Powder coat finishes can be applied to metal parts like tow hooks, exhaust tips, and even skid plates as well. This modified Land Rover Defender had its skid plate powder coated bronze to match the wheels. Having a powder coat finish provides that extra layer of protection for added peace of mind.
Painted Bumpers and Grille Accent
After powder coating the metal parts, we painted the lower bumper and grille accent to cover up all the chrome on the front end. The combination of the bronze with the new hood wrap and original paint gives the grille more personality. It becomes much livelier with the warm bronze and multi-color scheme.
Of course, the rear bumper also got the same bronze paint to keep things cohesive. This bronze coloration has an eccentric appeal since it’s not commonly seen on many cars. Just looking at the difference in the before and after images, you can see the impact the bronze adds.
Window Tint
The final Land Rover Defender upgrade we installed was window tint. We applied 3M FX Premium Window Tint Film both for the aesthetics and functionality. Tint has a ton of great benefits when used properly.
Some practical benefits of window tint are heat reduction, UV protection, increased privacy, and glare reduction. During those hot summer months your tinted windows help keep your car cooler.
When you go to select your tint, try to keep in mind your local laws so that you don’t get ticketed. We always recommend a professional install for this modification. Poor tint jobs will bubble and discolor over time. Make sure your window tint installer has a good warranty to protect your investment!
To customize your ride, take a look at our CATALOG!
Interested in a custom build, blackout, or chrome delete for yourself? We offer pickup and delivery across the contiguous united states. Learn More
