Thread: Roof off - Can it still be done?

The roof has never been removable on five door wagons (well, the roof isself strictly is, but I don't think that is what you meant), I don't think even on the Series 1. Since the only Defenders sold in Australia today are (I think) the five door wagon and the dual cab 130 (which shares the one piece B-pillar with the five door), the answer for the new version, for Australia, is no. But overseas the roof is still removable on any version except the five door wagon and dual cab 130 and 110, although since this involves removing the seat belt anchorage on most bodies, the legality may be a problem, and most non-military body styles have one piece doors, and have done so since the mid eighties, and in the case of the five door wagon and derivatives have had for at least the rear doors since the Series 2.

John

Thanks JDNSW

My dad must have had a hard top/non station wagon series 2 then. He used to drive round no roof & the windscreen flat.

I was picturing doing the same in a few years time when my boy grows up - hoping for a newer Defender tho.

Might have to 'invent' a method.

Knew I'd get the answer here!

Technically you can remover the roof from anything.....puting it back is the tricky part

The seat belts can be fitted to roll hoops but that would need engineering if you were wanting it legal and for the fold down screen, Im not 100% sure but I did fit a screen to a Deefa Ute a long time ago when I was at Lowline which was fold down, we fitted a sliding insert instead of him folding it down as I think it was a bit fiddly.

I remember because we took the frame out and did the job on the bench....Much easier that way

If you're looking for one, I know of one that's probably for sale in Leichhardt, think it's a Series 3. No roof, and run without one for years.

PM me if you're interested.

Cheers
Simon

Originally Posted by mcrover

Technically you can remover the roof from anything.....puting it back is the tricky part

The seat belts can be fitted to roll hoops but that would need engineering if you were wanting it legal and for the fold down screen, Im not 100% sure but I did fit a screen to a Deefa Ute a long time ago when I was at Lowline which was fold down, we fitted a sliding insert instead of him folding it down as I think it was a bit fiddly.

I remember because we took the frame out and did the job on the bench....Much easier that way

The windscreens on the pre-Defender 90/110 are hinged even where the roof is not removable, and these hinges would fit any Defender - most of these have a fixed bracket not a hinge except for military ones.

John

Originally Posted by carjunkieanon

Can you still take the roof off (officially, by undoing things, not with a cutter) the new Defender?

If not, which is the last Defender you can do it to?

r

So what year is the last Landie that you can do it to and what is it?

Originally Posted by Gillie

So what year is the last Landie that you can do it to and what is it?

well the army had rag-top S3s made up to 1981 as far as I am aware with over-shoulder lap-sash belts that could be civvie registered....

and from that time 2 piece doors were on hard-top Stage 1s from which the roof could be unbolted, but whether this is legal or not would be questionable as the lap-sash seatbelt mountings are bolted to said hardtop...

Laurie

Originally Posted by Gillie

So what year is the last Landie that you can do it to and what is it?

Well the ute I was refering to would have been in 96/97, it was new when we did the job but as far as wagon goes, I would have to say series 3 but maybe Stage 1 or county Im not all that sure but any of the wagons you will have engineering hassles with seat belts.