Custom Land Rover Defender run rampant on today’s roads. Some are hot-rodded to hell and back. Others are simply period-correct restorations to back to the original glory. You might consider some of them too much and over the top or not enough and slightly uninspiring. This modified 1989 Defender 110, on the other hand, doesn’t fit into any of those categories — this glorious green wagon just might be the perfect Defender.

When you peel away all the romanticism and legendary pedestal-earning stories, the average Land Rover Defender is just primitive farm vehicle, a tractor with doors, a roof and a heater (which probably works, sometimes). To get a Defender to a tolerable daily-driver status, you have to upgrade it, give it better suspension, swap out the electronics and wiring, replace the all the seals and clear out all the rust. With that said, a stock Defender is more like a blank canvas, ready to become the car you want it to be.

I’m here to say this 1989 Land Rover Defender 110 V8 is now the bar to which all future Defenders will be measured. As a baseline, it’s painted a deep Keswick Green with custom tan canvas and leather seat covers. Under the hood, there’s a rebuilt 3.5-liter V8 connected to a new exhaust and accompanied by a new transfer case, brakes and wheels fitted with BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain KM2 tires. All pretty standard stuff.

What makes this Defender standout among the rest isn’t the Front Runner full-length roof rack or the Big Country 4×4 clamshell tent mounted on top. It’s not even the bull bar, LED flood lights, rock sliders, high lift jack and snorkel. Which, by the way, all make fantastic additions to any Defender. No, the pièce de résistance is the Big Country 4×4 sliding storage system, National Luna refrigerator/freezer, 10-gallon freshwater tank replacing the rear jump seats, air compressor and custom bar fitted in the rear window which is opened with a ‘Keep Calm & Drink Beer’ button.

Half of the fun of overlanding is taking in the whole experience, enjoying life and relaxing with friends while you’re doing. This Defender is perfectly equipped to handle all of that. Take the road less traveled out to the middle of nowhere, set up camp and crack a beer with friends. You won’t find a more idyllic Land Rover Defender for $30,000.