It started as a surprise.
Travis wanted to commission a classic Land Rover Defender for his wife—a one‑of‑one Helderburg that would celebrate their new home in the Hamptons, where time moves at its own pace. But the moment she found out about the plan, she didn’t want to wait quietly for a reveal. She wanted to be part of it.
The result is Arvon, a D110 soft‑top Helderburg that husband and wife designed together—a build that autoevolution recently highlighted as a love letter to open‑air coastal driving and everyday life.
From secret phone call to shared design sessions
When Travis first called Helderburg, his idea was simple: surprise his wife with a Defender that matched their new life in the Hamptons. But a Helderburg is not a handbag you can hide in a closet until a birthday. It’s a 3,000‑hour collaboration that affects how someone drives, travels, and lives for years.
So the advice was honest: tell her. Invite her into the process.
Once she knew, she dove in. She had ideas about how the truck should feel on a breezy coastal evening versus a winter ski trip, what the color should do in different light, and how the interior should balance luxury with real‑world practicality. Over time, the build became less “his surprise for her” and more “their shared project,” shaped by conversations about memories, vacations, and the life they wanted this Defender to hold.
A soft‑top Defender built for the Hamptons and beyond
Arvon is a five‑door classic Defender 110 soft top designed for open‑air cruising along coastal roads, drives to sandy beaches, errands in town, and escapes to the mountains. It wears a custom‑mixed metallic blue inspired by early Porsche 356 paintwork, enriched with a pearlescent pigment so the color changes character with the light.
On bright days, the High Pearl Metallic Blue shines, almost electric. When clouds roll in, the tone softens and reflects the sky; at sunset, the metallic warmth deepens, so the truck feels like three Defenders in one, depending on the weather.
A Helderburg high‑approach bumper and handcrafted red billet winch give Arvon the rugged, “ready for anything” stance Travis wanted. The signature Helderburg grille hides a larger intercooler, flanked by Helderburg statement headlights, while the rear soft‑top‑specific tire carrier, integrated reverse camera, and 2‑inch receiver with trailer wiring keep beach gear, jet skis, and campers part of the story.
Diesel power, re‑engineered for modern life
Under the Puma bonnet, Arvon retains its numbers‑matching turbocharged diesel engine—rebuilt from the crankshaft up for modern performance in a classic‑looking shell. Tuned for high‑20s to low‑30s miles per gallon (depending on conditions and driving style), the powertrain is designed for real use, from coastal cruising to ski‑trip highways.
The diesel works with four‑wheel drive and low‑range gearing so the family can confidently drive on the beach or through winter conditions. Oversized brakes and braided steel brake lines give the stopping power and pedal feel a modern driver expects in a high‑end vehicle.
A coastal‑inspired interior that resists real‑world wear
Inside, Arvon’s cabin had to feel like the Hamptons without drifting into fragile opulence. Medium soft brown and Winter White leather, engineered to resist water and UV, wraps the seats, dashboard, and door panels, echoing the tone of the soft top.
The dashboard is subtly re‑sculpted to integrate a modern touchscreen with Apple CarPlay, while new door cards with diamond stitching replace the factory pieces. Four inward‑facing rear bench seats transform the back into a social space, inviting conversation and laughter with the roof rolled back and the wind moving through the cabin.
For sound, Helderburg equipped Arvon with a high‑fidelity audio system using Focal speakers, custom under‑dash units, beryllium Utopia tweeters, an Italian‑made amplifier, an Alpine head unit, and a subwoofer integrated into the second‑row console. Even with the top down, the system delivers clarity and depth worthy of the build.
More than a surprise: a shared legacy
What began as a planned surprise gift became something more meaningful: a shared project that both owners shaped, detail by detail. The end result is not just a restored Defender with modern tech—it’s a ground‑up, re‑engineered, one‑of‑one build that reflects how this family lives and what they value.
You can read autoevolution’s feature on this story—“Husband Wants To Surprise Wife With a Custom Defender, She Gets Involved in the Design”—(English):
FAQs about the autoevolution Arvon story
How did the Arvon project originally start?
It began when Travis contacted Helderburg to secretly commission a Defender for his wife to celebrate their new home in the Hamptons, but she soon joined the process and co‑designed the build.
Why involve the recipient instead of keeping the Defender a surprise?
A 3,000‑hour commission affects daily life for years, so Helderburg encouraged Travis to bring his wife into the design process to align the color, feel, and use‑case with how she truly wanted to drive and live.
What makes Arvon different from other classic Defender builds?
Arvon combines a numbers‑matching, rebuilt turbo diesel; Porsche‑inspired pearlescent blue paint; a four‑season soft‑top configuration; and a coastal‑inspired interior designed for both elegance and durability, all shaped by the couple’s own story.
