Alys Beach, Florida · October 2 to 4, 2026

Come spend a few days
with us in Alys Beach.

This October we are bringing a few Helderburgs to 30A. We will be driving the coast, making photographs and film, and spending time with the people who love these the way we do. October 2 and 3 are open to everyone. Come find us.

Join Us, October 2 & 3 Design Day with Paul, Oct 4
On Display at the Annual Cars of 30A
Helderburg classic Land Rover Defender on the coast road at 30A, Alys Beach, Florida
The Invitation

A few days on the coast, together.

We could tell you about the paint and the engineering, and we will if you ask. But that is not really why we are coming to Alys Beach. We are coming to spend a few unhurried days on 30A with people who understand what a Helderburg is for. You are welcome to join us.

While We’re Here

What we will be doing.

We are on 30A to display Helderburgs at Cars of 30A, the coast's annual automotive gathering at Alys Beach, on October 2 and 3. Around the show, here is how the days go.

i.
On display at Cars of 30A.

We are bringing Helderburgs to the annual Cars of 30A at Alys Beach. Find us among the collection. Sit inside, open the doors, and ask anything. No appointment on the open days.

ii.
Making photographs and film.

If you have ever wanted to see a Helderburg shot the way it should be, this is it. Come and watch the day unfold, or be in it.

iii.
Driving the coast.

We are planning to drive on the beach in the early light, open air, the road mostly to ourselves. If you would like to come along, or lend a hand, tell us.

The Helderburg Life

A Helderburg is what you choose when you could drive anything else.

It is a way of spending time. A reason to take the long road, to bring the people you like, to be somewhere good and in no hurry. The engineering is what lets you do it every day. The rest is up to you.

A Gentleman's Guide to an Intentional Life by Paul Potratz — book cover
From the Founder

A Gentleman’s Guide to an Intentional Life.

By Paul Potratz

The way of spending time we keep returning to has a longer form. Paul wrote it down. The book is about choosing well, living deliberately, and keeping the things that last. The same idea that sits behind every Helderburg.

Find the Book
A Helderburg soft top Defender, open air on the Florida coast
Soft Tops

Made for days like these.

Clients who live near the water tend toward the soft top, and a few days on the coast is the reason why. Open air, the canvas back, the sea somewhere close. We build the canvas work to the same standard as the leather and the paint.

  • The D90 soft top. The shortest wheelbase, the most open.
  • The D110 two-door soft top. The open drive, with more length and presence.
  • The D110 five-door soft top. Room for the family, open to the air.
  • The D110 double cab. A four-door with a canvas roof over the cargo area, where we install seating.
The Days

Open to everyone, then a day to begin.

October 2 & 3

Come and find us. Open to everyone, no appointment. See the Helderburgs, sit inside, and drive the coast with us if you like. Bring whoever you want with you.

Open to Everyone
Tell Us You’re Coming

October 4

A quieter day, by appointment, for anyone thinking about a commission. Time with Paul to begin a design, choose your colors, and choose your leathers. The start of your own.

Private · With Paul
Schedule Your Design Day

Alys Beach is one of several Florida cities on our list this year. We would love to see you wherever we land next.

See all upcoming Helderburg events →

Not a restoration, not a restomod. A re-engineered classic Land Rover Defender, numbers-matching, hand built in England.

What makes a Helderburg →
Before You Come

A walk around a Helderburg.

A taste of what you will see in person. Then come and spend the day with the real thing.

A walk-around of a finished Helderburg custom Land Rover Defender — YouTube thumbnail
Good to Know

A few things people ask before they come.

Where can I see a custom Land Rover Defender in Florida?
In Alys Beach, on 30A, from October 2 to 4. October 2 and 3 are open to everyone. October 4 is a private design day for those considering a commission. We will also be showing at Cars of 30A.
Is the event open to the public?
Yes. October 2 and 3 are open to everyone, no appointment needed. October 4 is private, by appointment, for those considering a commission.
How much does a Helderburg custom Defender cost?
A Helderburg commission ranges from $274,000 to $480,000+. The figure is set before the build begins, shaped by specification, materials, and the level of personalization.
What is the difference between a Helderburg and a Defender restomod?
A restomod fits a new body to a new chassis and drops in a crate engine. It is no longer numbers-matching, and, respectfully, a kit car. A Helderburg keeps the original chassis and the original engine block, so the numbers still match, and re-engineers every system in-house. Not a restoration, not a restomod.
What is the difference between a Defender 90, 110, and 130?
The Defender 90 is the short-wheelbase two-door. The Defender 110 is the longer wheelbase, in two or four doors, and the most commissioned. The Defender 130 is the longest, for the most room. Helderburg commissions all three.
Do you build soft top Defenders?
Yes. Soft tops are a favourite among clients on the coast. We build the D90 soft top, the D110 two-door soft top, the D110 five-door soft top, and a D110 double cab — a four-door with a canvas roof over the cargo area where seating is installed.
Is a Helderburg numbers-matching?
Yes. Each begins with an original classic Land Rover Defender. The original chassis and engine block are kept, so the numbers match. Authenticity is the foundation of long-term value, for the second owner and the third owner.
How long does it take to build a Helderburg?
Twelve to sixteen months from commission to delivery. Each is built one at a time, by hand, in England, and delivered worldwide.
Can a Helderburg be driven every day?
Yes. Where a classic Defender is a weekend vehicle, a Helderburg is re-engineered to be driven every day, composed at highway speed and capable across any terrain. Power is not the point, composure is.
Can I commission a Helderburg at the event?
Yes. October 4 is a private design day with Paul. Begin the design, choose colors, choose leathers, and walk through the choices that make a Helderburg yours and no one else's.
What is Cars of 30A?
Cars of 30A is an annual, curated automotive event at Alys Beach on Florida's 30A, featuring a selection of rare and high-performance automobiles. Helderburg will be displaying Helderburgs as part of it.
About Helderburg

Helderburg is a design and engineering house dedicated to the classic Land Rover Defender, founded in 2020 by Paul Potratz. Each Helderburg keeps the original chassis and engine block, preserving numbers-matching authenticity, then re-engineers every system the Defender relies on. Built on the Defender 90, 110, and 130, including soft tops. Hand built in England, one commission at a time, never the same twice. Read the full story.

Join Us

Two ways to spend the day.

Tell us you are coming on the open days, or book the private design day with Paul. Either way, we will follow up personally.

October 2 & 3 · Open to Everyone

Tell us you’re coming.

Let us know to expect you. We will send the details, and if you want to ride along on a drive, just say so.

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October 4 · Private Design Day

Spend the day with Paul.

For anyone thinking about a commission. Reserve time with Paul to begin a design, choose colors, and choose leathers.

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Or just call · +1 518.714.0772 · commissions@helderburg.com