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The past restored
Cape Town, South Africa
Since 2015

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We make Land Rover Defenders new again.

⤷ Watch Full Video 
[ About ]

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When we say we “rebuild Defenders”, what we are really saying is that we make a handful of brand new cars each year. We are saying that we are obsessed with detail, how things feel, how things that no one will see look and function. We are saying that we are not fast or cheap, but that we will do it right. No shortcuts, no rushing, no mass production, and no lack of heart.

Journeymen began as a passion project between friends. Now it includes customers (who are friends in disguise), and a wealth of learning and experience. Everyday, we love and are proud of what we do.

⤷ who we are
Inside a vehicle repair workshop with several classic and vintage cars, including a green car on a lift, a beige SUV, a white Jeep, and a blue car, with workbenches, tools, and equipment, and a person walking through the space.
Front view of a vintage green Land Rover in a car museum with other classic cars, including a yellow sports car to the left and a blue car above, and a sports car on a lift in the background.
A winding mountain road with a, green SUV parked near the edge, surrounded by tall pine trees and dense shrubs, overlooking a cityscape in the distance under a partly cloudy sky. 
[ BUILDS ]

Featured Builds

A silver Land Rover Defender driving on a winding, shaded road surrounded by trees.

Defender 90 - 2009
Rebuilt at 255 525 kms
Completed November 2024

The Zermatt

Though it began long before the Zermatt, the Zermatt has taken on the reputation for being the first official Journeymen Build - Heritage Spec.

Restored to its original colour - Zermatt Silver - and rebuild down to the last washer, this magnificently simple car is an ode to the classic original Defender.

What makes her special are the details inside - kitted out with Melvill and Moon seat covers, drinks cabinets, and a 1950-esque safari picnic set-up, everything about the Zermatt is preserved heritage felt in the most analogue and refined manner possible.

⤷ View Build
A white Land Rover Defender parked on a paved road with mountains and greenery in the background.
A Zermatt Silver off-road Land rover Defender parked near a body of water in Cape Town, on the Atlantic Seaboard, with a mountain in the background.
A Land Rover Defender with a Melvill and Moon gin bar and drinks Cabinet fastened in the load bin.
An old green Land Rover driving on a winding mountain road with shadows from trees cast across the pavement, surrounded by green hills and rugged terrain.

Defender 90 - 2009
Rebuilt at 167 175 kms
Completed April 2024

Sloppy Joe

Rear view of a green Land Rover Defender parked on a forest trail.
Close-up of the back of a green Land Rover Defender, showing the Land Rover logo and various red and orange tail lights.

Based in Cape Town, and part of a broader community of Defender lovers and adventure folk, our doors are always open to visitors and fellow enthusiasts.

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Who we are

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& how it began

Journeymen began in 2015 as a place to learn, tinker, and connect with likeminded people. Initiated organically by Graham Webb, Harley Nash, and a handful of friends, Journeymen then grew into a community that dedicated 10 years to building cars, going on adventures, and learning as much as possible.

In 2024, Adam Hughes, a British Volkswagen-trained and Morgan-experienced mechanic joined the team to help turn the hobby into a business and manage client builds.

The orders started to come in, and a year later, Adam’s wife Josie joined the team to help build the brand and business alongside Graham, Harley, and Adam.

Now, and for the foreseeable future, Journeymen will be making Defenders new again, piece by piece, for a handful of local customers every year.

Builds take several months, things are done slowly and carefully, and customers understand that once you are a Journeymen customer, this place becomes as much yours as it is ours.

⤷ Contact Josie
Two men working in an automotive repair shop with a partially disassembled car chassis, a vintage green car on a lift, and a red tool chest with an angry face design. 
[ FAQS ]

Common Questions

  • Builds take between 8 and 12 months to complete, depending on workshop capacity and customers preferences in terms of when they ideally need their build complete.

  • We offer two main build options - the Journeymen Standard Spec and the Journeymen Heritage Spec. Additionally, customers are able to request specific features and they will be considered. Note features that are overtly non-original will be vetted by the Journeymen team, and may impact the warranty.

  • The cost varies depending on the spec, and whether the customer is bringing in their vehicle or if we are sourcing a donor vehicle. Please get in touch with us and we can quote you according to your preferences and needs.

  • Unfortunately we do not have a service department, other than for our customers builds which we intend to service as long as they are still in the country. However from time to time we have capacity to service vehicles so please get in touch with us regarding your needs.

  • Our primary focus is full nut and bolt restorations of Defenders. We seldom take on smaller modification work, but let us know what you are looking for and we can advise.

  • Yes. Journeymen Builds come with a 2-year warranty and service plan.

  • No. We value the life each Defender lived before it was re-built, therefore we do not set the odometer to zero. We provide documentation of the rebuild and at what kilometres the rebuild was completed. 

[ ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ]

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