About Us
I'm Andrew, owner and founder of Balto. I wanted a custom Defender but didn't want to wait 18 months for one to be built and be forced to spend $400k+ on one where all the options I wanted weren't available so I did it myself.
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I flew around the world; found established builders, craftsmen, fabricators, family run suppliers and put them all together to create Balto. A place where workers are paid well, cars are built honestly and unique visions come to life.
Hand Crafted
From the leather hides being cut by hand to each engine being independently built by a single person. Every step of the process is done by true craftsmen and women who have a passion for what they are creating.
Build
No drama, no lies, and no lengthy waits. 9 months or less is what we aim for you to have your finished Defender.
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Every build is a frame off restoration, every bolt is replaced, 80% of the body is new, any paint colour is possible and no idea is too bold.
Eco Options
Vegan leather, ethically sourced wood interior, biodiesel running engine; no problem.
Non Eco Options
Rebuilt 0 mile diesel engines, stroked diesel engines, chipped and stroked diesel engines, LS3 swaps, LT swaps, turbos, superchargers, valved exhaust, forged internals and polished gears; anything is possible.
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There is more than just putting a bigger engine in a vehicle, suspension is adjusted for the different weight balance, brakes are upgraded to larger forged components, exhaust is tuned to the buyer's preference noise level; the result is a balanced and performance orientated Defender that keeps it's original soul with performance and reliability in mind.
Tall People
Standard Defenders are not the most comfortable experience for tall people which is why we rework the tub and adjust the seating location to allow drivers and occupants of all heights be able to sit comfortably in a Balto.
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Whether it's a 2 seat Defender 90 or a 8 seat Defender 110 multiple seating configurations are possible.
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6'8 has been our tallest customer to date
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Partnerships
From Ceika building our brake kits, to Protech engineering us custom dual adjustable shocks, to Scott handcrafting the roof speaker boxes; we've partnered up with our suppliers on a first name basis to offer a truly bespoke product at a competitive price in a quick manner.
Bespoke
From vegan leather to the same leather hides used in Rolls-Royces, Alcantara, wood trim, carbon fiber, lab grown diamonds, gold plating, painted axles and engines, diesel or 1,000hp LT4 motors; you dream it we build it.
Sound
Often overlooked but one of the most important parts in any vehicle for me is the sound and the soul of a car.
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After 27 different prototypes of exhaust diameters, design, baffles, coatings, and mufflers we finally achieved a signature note that only a Balto makes inspired by 90's NASCAR design.
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This same philosophy applies to the interior as well with sound deadening throughout and premium audio components such as beryllium; your Balto will sound like no other.
Worldwide Delivery
Delivery to your door is included in the price with every Balto truck. Since we only build a handful of Defenders every year I, Andrew, will personally deliver every build to make sure every detail is finished right until the keys are in your hands.
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Visit our shop in Austin if you want to see behind the scenes and brainstorm ideas for your build or lets hop on a call to get your vision on paper and off to the workshop to start your build.
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Warranty
Each Defender may start out as a 25 year old vehicle but by the time we are finished building it better than new we stand behind our builds with a one year unlimited mile warranty.
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These are built to be driven, taken offroad, explore the world with; and we are here to stand behind our builds if anything fails to perform prematurely.
Servicing
With our shops in Texas and in the United Kingdom, we are happy to service and keep your Defender on the road. If you are not near those locations we will find a suitable shop in your area to get you sorted.
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Even with our custom engine swaps we make sure the every Defender is easy to work on with so that any mechanic who is familiar with Chevy engines can work on them easily.