Some 4 wheel drive vehicles

sjt01 · Apr 17, 2024

Lets start in 1970, with 6 of us from Reading University did a trip round Turkey

Threshing scene

Gearbox layshaft gave up along the south coast, we got a replacement into Istanbul, Roger and I took a bus to Istanbul to get it through customs while Steve drove on 4th gear and the red knob to Izmir camp site where we changed the gearbox, and had to carry the original back on the roor rack.

sjt01 · Apr 17, 2024

1971 Ten of us together bought an ex-Encounter Overland Austin K9, converted to diesel with the lorry version of the Nuffield tractor engine. It turns out that we bought it from the father of our current vet, who was 1 year old at the time. The plan was to drive it to the edge of the Sahara in Morocco. We added a 50 gallon diesel tank as we found out that diesel in Ceuta, a Spanish enclave in northern Morocco was 6p/gallon, (just after decimalisation) and drove back to London on African fuel. 4 week trip cost us £37.50 each including buying and selling the truck.

1122 North coast road lunch at village.JPG

theboytheboy · Apr 17, 2024

A mate of mine tells a story that they drove across the Sahara (not sure which part) in a couple of landrovers. One he still has on our farm.

He says they were shot at (rou ds went through the cab) but got away and had to bury their radios as they were woried they might be accused if being spies.

They took a trailer of old tyres which they sold somewhere in Africa.

melted welly · Apr 17, 2024

what great adventures to have taken!

hard to imagine now what it would have been like before internet, mobile phone, motorways, cashless payments etc.

I got a bit obsessed reading about the truckers that used to run from UK to Qatar, Saudi etc from late 60’s through to the early 90’s, some real Wild West stories. Have a great book about one of the companies involved - Astran.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Long-Haul-Pioneers-Celebration-Transport/dp/1906853339?dplnkId=401e95a3-8852-482a-9efd-f1d7d78f0cf8&nodl=1

also a cracking documentary i think you can get on YouTube called destination Doha.

sahara · Apr 17, 2024

On one of my NH trips I was sat on the quayside in Greece, waiting for the ferry back to Italy, I spotted trucks from almost every country in Europe, and also a day cab style long nose Volvo from Iran. Global logistics is quite amazing really.

sjt01 · Apr 18, 2024

melted welly said:
what great adventures to have taken!

hard to imagine now what it would have been like before internet, mobile phone, motorways, cashless payments etc.

I got a bit obsessed reading about the truckers that used to run from UK to Qatar, Saudi etc from late 60’s through to the early 90’s, some real Wild West stories. Have a great book about one of the companies involved - Astran.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Long-Haul-Pioneers-Celebration-Transport/dp/1906853339?dplnkId=401e95a3-8852-482a-9efd-f1d7d78f0cf8&nodl=1

also a cracking documentary i think you can get on YouTube called destination Doha.

One book that inspired me was "First Overland" by Tim Slessor

sjt01 · Apr 18, 2024

1972 was a (tame) tour to the North Cape of Norway,

sjt01 · Apr 18, 2024

1970 also did the Welsh Hill Rally with the 109.
Full harness seat belts, roll over bar fabricated in the farm workshop from 3" box section, behind the bulkhead and fixed through to the chassis.

sjt01 · Apr 18, 2024

sjt01 said:
1970 also did the Welsh Hill Rally with the 109.
Full harness seat belts, roll over bar fabricated in the farm workshop from 3" box section, behind the bulkhead and fixed through to the chassis.
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@upnortheast , I have no idea how old you are, but you might remember entry no 7, Andrew Davidson from Beal in a Haflinger (more on these later).

upnortheast · Apr 18, 2024

sjt01 said:
@upnortheast , I have no idea how old you are, but you might remember entry no 7, Andrew Davidson from Beal in a Haflinger (more on these later).

Age wise, I`m in the same pen as you

Heard of him, but never crossed his path

sjt01 · Apr 19, 2024

1973 Newcastle University Expedition to Senegal

Loading up at Newcastle

Near Paris we had a gearbox layshaft give up (3rd time on this machine). We carried spare half shafts and spring leaves, but not a layshaft. We knew Spain had cheap Land Rover spares so drove down to Madrid on 4th gear and the red lever. Got baulked on a hill by a very slow lorry, started off winching off the barrier but as we had a spare clutch plate decided to sacrifice the clutch to get us there.

Gearbox repair was on a Madrid pavement.

Teamed up with a French couple in a Peugeot 404 for the desert crossing.

Going back to help the French

towing the French

Trailer wheel bearing seized, and hub separated from wheel bearing housing, so we abandoned the trailer in no-man's land between Algeria and Mauretania. Re packing all the kit when leaving it.

These heaps of rocks, about every km, known as balises, are what marked the route if you could find them

After heading off in the wrong direction as an iron ore mountain had affected the compass, we finally made the Senegalese border

sjt01 · Apr 19, 2024

In Senegal, we made our way to Dakar, the capital as we had to have the diesel injection pump repaired. It had been leaking high pressure fuel from the control cover in the desert, and I had done a temporary bodge with some of the early silicone gasket material while Richard poured clean diesel over the work to keep the desert dust out.
Then across the Gambia country and river to reach southern Senegal, Basse Casemance.

At our study village, Siganar, we set up camp in the school room.

Leaving Siganar after a few week's study

Back across the Sahara

Spanish Sahara had a phosphate mine with a conveyor belt of at least 15 km going out into the sea to load ships

El Aaiun, the capital of Spanish Sahara, is where we did the last leaf spring change on the grossly overloaded Land Rover

Back to Morocco

Back to the north to catch the ferry across the Straits of Gibraltar we bumped into Jon who was with us in 1971, with another Austin K9

Reunion 49 years later

sjt01 · Apr 20, 2024

1974-5 working at the Scottish Institute of Agricultural Engineering at Penicuik, spent my salary on buying a Haflinger SWB from Andrew Davidson at Beal, near Holy Island. Paintwork was a bit scruffy, so covered it in red oxide, and drove it down to Norfolk for the weekend, slowly! Managed to get a lift as far as the Bawtry roundabout on the back of our lorry, and found I had broken piston rings when I got back north.

Top coated it yellow and did some All Wheel Drive Club trials - this one at Haltwhistle

Realising how bad my paint job was, I had it sand blasted and repainted properly, after a total dismantle. All the mechanical parts went up to my first floor flat for cleaning and checking over, then rebuilt it in the car park of the flats, engine first.

Gearbox

Chassis and front diff housing

Add diffs and swing axles (with hub reductions)

Suspension bridges and springs

Platform

The rest

Later, back home at the farm, I managed to source some old Hafs for spares. The one on the back had been used for moving planes on a Navy aircraft carrier and the platform was completely shot.

JP1 · Apr 20, 2024

Fascinating thread S, thank you for sharing

JP1 · Apr 20, 2024

sjt01 said:
1974-5 working at the Scottish Institute of Agricultural Engineering at Penicuik, spent my salary on buying a Haflinger SWB from Andrew Davidson at Beal, near Holy Island. Paintwork was a bit scruffy, so covered it in red oxide, and drove it down to Norfolk for the weekend, slowly! Managed to get a lift as far as the Bawtry roundabout on the back of our lorry, and found I had broken piston rings when I got back north.
View attachment 1177101
Top coated it yellow and did some All Wheel Drive Club trials - this one at Haltwhistle View attachment 1177102 View attachment 1177103
Realising how bad my paint job was, I had it sand blasted and repainted properly, after a total dismantle. All the mechanical parts went up to my first floor flat for cleaning and checking over, then rebuilt it in the car park of the flats, engine first.
View attachment 1177104
Gearbox
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Chassis and front diff housing
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Add diffs and swing axles (with hub reductions)
View attachment 1177108

Suspension bridges and springs
View attachment 1177109
PlatformView attachment 1177110
The rest
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Later, back home at the farm, I managed to source some old Hafs for spares. The one on the back had been used for moving planes on a Navy aircraft carrier and the platform was completely shot.
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Bet that load never moved, proper rope dollies Old School but VOSA / DVSA would still be asking for the breaking strain rating on the ropes these days sadly

sjt01 · Apr 20, 2024

1975 we use to gather at Acorn Bank, Temple Sowerby which a doctor friend was trying to turn into a nursing home.

First task was to collect fallen timber for the boiler

Cook some Cumberland sausage then up to the fells

Back to fettle

Zebbedee · Apr 20, 2024

@sjt01 What an amazing story I have never done anything so exciting ,,,,, that’s the sort of experience that would have a huge impact on the the rest of your lives I imagine
Thanks for sharing

GeorgeK · Apr 20, 2024

Mongolia in 2 Micras. 6000 mile trip. 2 rear springs, many punctures.

JP1 · Apr 20, 2024

GeorgeK said:
Mongolia in 2 Micras. 6000 mile trip. 2 rear springs, many punctures.
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I wanted to give it a

and a

emoji

sjt01 · Apr 20, 2024

1975 All Wheel Drive Club event for Blue Peter at Weavers Down

Competetive Safari at Dyrham Park

Some 4 wheel drive vehicles

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