Hi Everyone- Thanks for all the feedback. Regarding, what am I looking for. The car is going to a small coastal town. There are no paved roads. The main road that connects the town frequently floods during the rainy season. When it floods you cannot leave the town unless you have a capable car. It's a combination of mountain, jungle and beach with very dusty roads. They actually pour molasses on the roads during the dry season to reduce the dust. The roads are also very windy and even slippery when wet. Homes are at the top of the mountain so you can imagine the kind of drive the car will go through. The car will be parked within walking distance to the shore so corrosion is common in cars there.
I do see a lot of defenders in the town. That is why I'm considering one. Aesthetically, I like the way the Spectre builds look. The 37" tires and stance seem perfect for that town. I'd say 80% of the cars there have a snorkel. The bed of a double-cab is for wet/salt-water gear and clothing. The less electronics etc the better. Also, every time I've rented a car there, I've always gotten the seats wet. We usually get in the car after getting out of the water without taking the time to dry off. So the less leather the better. I usually place a towel down on the seat before sitting but its not foolproof.
About once a month I plan to do a road trip, which requires highway speeds. So engine-wise, it's got to comfortably cruise at high speeds. But the rest of the time I just need something that can climb, drive through floods, and do well on dirt roads.
The builders I've looked at so far are Monarch, Arkonic, Debsch Motors, Helderburg, Urban Offroad to name a few. Price wise, there is a very wide spectrum. I'll also look at the suggestions in this post as well.
I did have a good conversation with the owners of Monarch and feel comfortable working with them. But the specs just didn't meet what I needed within the budget I set. So I'm still looking.
Thanks again!