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1997 NAS Defender 90 Soft Top
This low mileage '97 D90 has come to us from California for a nice list
of upgrades. The big upgrade will be the install of the Interceptor 5.2
V8!! (for more info. on the 5.2 click here) This
will give this D90 roughly 340 hp and gobs of torque. Along with our other
5.2 installs this D90 will takes its place as one of the fastest and most
powerful D90 in North America.
In this image you can see that the weak stock 4.0 has been stripped down.
The long block will be removed next and the 5.2, breathing through its carbon
fiber enlarged and ported intake will be installed! Want to never worry
about your Rover's power needs again?? The 5.2 is the answer. Serious horsepower
for those who desire serious performance.
This '97 D90 will also be getting a Safari Gard Stage II suspension, ARB
air lockers front and rear, ECR ROX sliders, Warn winch, front bumper and
much more. Here you can see the Safari Gard Stage II suspension installed
in the rear of this D90. The new springs and Fox racing shocks, as well
as the corrected trailing arms and new bushings will all add up to great
trail performance and excellent road manners.
The front of the Stage II suspension works just as well. Here the springs,
Fox racing shocks, and the ECR corrected radius arms have been installed.
Also notice the Earls plumbing extended stainless steel brake line to deal
with the added extension that the Stage II system gives.
Another item that the customer requested was easy on and off side steps.
We remanufacture the factory side steps so that they come off with just
a few quick turns of the wrench. This means you can leave them on until
you reach the trial if need be, and in about the time it takes to air your
tires down you can have both removed until your finished off road.
Notice that in this image the side sills have been removed so that we can
fit the ECR ROX frame mounted rock sliders.
As the rest of the off road upgrades are set up, the 5.2 install is going
along nicely. in this image you can see the 5.2 tastefully hidden under
the GEMS engine system. The only thing missing is the lack of power and
that 4.0 logo that used to be on the intake plenum! We have also upgraded
the GEMS computer to run better and put out tons of torque and horsepower
with the 5.2. The great thing about the 5.2 is that your local dealer or
mechanic can install and work on all the ancillary parts and keep you 5.2
running great. The initial install has to be done at ECR, but for routine
service needs your local dealer can handle all aspect of the 5.2 as it is
a Rover engine. This D90 will also be getting a full NRP stainless exhaust
system to help it breath better with those 340 horses under the hood.
This image shows the completed ECR ROX sliders. They are frame mounted so
they are ultra tough. We've tested them on everything, and that means a
lot. We run them on ECR 4 (our 1995 project Defender 90) and they have stood
up to worlds of abuse without any sign of failure. They are the toughest
sliders available for your D90, and they are quite stylish too! Shown here
with the removable side step in place. Notice that 5.2 Interceptor logo
on the fender. If you see an ECR 5.2 logo on a Rover, you shouldn't try
to out run it... No matter what you have under the hood, a Dakar 4.5, a
supercharged engine, or even a supercharged Dakar 4.5, it can't help you.
They have about 70 horsepower LESS than the Interceptor.
Here you can see some details of the finished project. We have installed
the Safari Gard front skid plate as well as a front diff. guard and front
and rear ARB air lockers. Notice the small attention to details that ECR
Rovers get. Take a look at the blue ARB air line. Unlike the typical install
we have found that if installed as per the manufactures instructions that
the air line points up and can get caught on sticks and brush. We have our
own way of installing the ARB lockers that eliminate this problem in favor
of a right angle fitting in the top of the differential case, not in the
body of the diff. This means the air line is always tight to the top of
the axle, out of the way of hot catalytic convertors and really hard to
snag on off road obstacles. Just a small reason why you can't afford not
to have ECR work on your upgrades!
In this image you can see the newly installed Safari Gard front bumper and
Warn XD9000 winch. The original Hella lights were retained and switched
over to the SG bumper system,
So here it is, the completed '97 D90 with a nice list of upgrades, from
true 4x4 traction with its ARB air lockers, to true performance with 340
horsepower on tap from the 5.2 V8 and numerous other tricks. If your D90
needs some "pumping up" or some routine service work, ECR is you
one and only Defender source. Weekly we work on more Defenders that most
shops see in a year. The choice is simple... ECR.