4x4 in the 70's

[Lewy110]

Found this after watching the SWB in Wonnangatta video

4x4 in the 70's - YouTube (https://youtu.be/aTSqEkzoOo8)

[rick130]

God that was good Lewy, takes me right back to when I was a kid absolutely obsessed with 4wding.

Those old Dunlop RTM's, Bridgestone jeep Service and BFG APL/All Purpose Lugs (Dad's favourite) really lacked grip and compliance !
I think the jeep Service had better grip, (deliberate lower case J) but Dad abandoned them as they wore out too quickly for his liking.

I should have some old Super 8 footage of Dad's that I took as a 10-11 year old of some trips with the Sydney Jeep club that I'd totally forgotten about.

BTW, CJ5 and 6 Jeeps of the same era had better articulation ! :whistling:

Shame about the gearing with only 3 speeds....

[edit] Wirraba Ridge ? Note the G60 Patrol towing the Series II just past the 6 minute mark. Talk about nostalgia! :)
[2nd edit] Dodge Power Wagon, MB Willys, Series 1's !

[trout1105]

Looking at that makes me appreciate just how far 4WD's have come in the last 40 years.
Most of the places these old landies got stuck are now a walk in the park with a modern 4WD [thumbsupbig]

[101 Ron]

Found this after watching the SWB in Wonnangatta video

4x4 in the 70's - YouTube (https://youtu.be/aTSqEkzoOo8)

This video just blew me away.
,My father, uncle and friends used to camp in a road cutting just before the creek........I think its called Weeny creek ?
I was only about Seven to Eight years old and remember the landrover club coming though on different times when we camped over a few years of time.
I remember the fourbies having trouble with the sandy bank after getting across the creek.
I remember winches were few and far between and the we never used tree truck protectors and the dead winching tree at the top of the face at the narrow neck.
Diff locks unheard of.
But to see my uncle driving his shorten Volkswagon buggie and seeing dads one in the video is just mind blowing.
The first buggie seen in the video of my dads still exists in a poor state.
The deep bronze green landrover with red painted hubs would have been my dads................it was a trade mark so to speak of his landrovers and jeeps......they were usually exarmy.
The blokes on the bikes I think were friends of my uncle.......
The bike side of things was interesting.
The yamaha DT1 had only just been around for a few years.
They would come onto power and with a light front end would flip on the rock ledges.
My Dad and uncle where heavy into bikes and in the mix was some B40 ex army BSAs.
The bsas had stuff all suspension travel, but the motor would hang on at zero revs and the front end was heavy and so wouldnt lift and therefore still competitive with the new jap bikes.
I own one of the Bsas used on Wirriba ridge end to end many times and I ride it today after buying it from my dad when I was a teenager.........it survives in very good condition after much dropping and abuse.
I am going to have to watch this video in much detail and see even if I can spot my dad or my self in it and other people I used to know.
Most are now past on.
Ron

[rick130]

This video just blew me away.
,My father, uncle and friends used to camp in a road cutting just before the creek........I think its called Weeny creek ?
I was only about seven to Eight years old and remember the landrover club coming though on different times when we camped over a few years of time.
I remeber the fourbies having trouble with the sandy bank after getting across the creek.
I remember winches were few and far between and the we never used tree truck protectors and the dead winching tree at the top of the face at the narrow neck.
Diff locks unheard of.
But to see my uncle driving his shorten Volkswagon buggie and seeing dads one in the video is just mind blowing.
The firsy buggie seen in the video of my dads still exists in a poor state.
The deep bronze green landrover with red painted hubs would have been my dads................it was a trade mark so to speak of his landrovers and jeeps......they were usually exarmy.
The blokes on the bikes I think were friends of my uncle.......
The bike side of things was interesting.
The yamaha DT1 had only just been around for a few years.
They would come onto power and with a light front end would flip on the rock ledges.
My Dad and uncle where heavy into bikes and in the mix was some B40 ex army BSAs.
The bsas had stuff all suspension travel, but the motor would hang on at zero revs and the front end was heavy and so wouldnt lift and therefore still competitive with the new jap bikes.
I own one of the Bsas used on Wirriba ridge end to end many times and I ride it today after buying it from my dad when I was a teenager.........it survives in very good condition after much dropping and abuse.
I am going to have to watch this video in much detail and see even if I can spot my dad or my self in it and other people I used to know.
Most are now past on.
Ron

That is very cool Ron. [smilebigeye]

[101 Ron]

The deep bronze green landrover with the red hubs I remember the trips up the climbs from Sydney on the Putty road.
The Short wheel base series 2 landy was fully loaded to the canvas roof.
Mum was in the passengers seat, I was sitting in the middle, avoiding dad diving for second second gear on the climbs or my leg would cop it.
The Landy was always pulling a trailer with either a Volkswagon buggie or three motor bikes with all the fuel and spares.
A dashhound dog would have a bed on top of the gear behind my dads head in the landy and the dog would stick its head out though the sliding window.
The winding sound that comes from the straight cut first gear on a series 2 landy climbing the steepest pinches of the putty rd road will always live with me.
It the real early days to the Putty end of wirriba dad wouldnt take a tent, but just unbolt the canvass and frame from the rear of the Landrover and sit it on the ground..............we would sleep under that.

[101 Ron]

The landrover club allways had a supply of axles on hand.........they would tend to chew though them.
We would never drop tyre pressures as the old dunlop road track majors would never flex in the side wall, so it mattered very little.
Some of the early toyotas, landys and patrols had home made hand cranked winches .
The old video never shows the true steepness.
The old army road over the wirriba range was badly rutted and steep with rock ledges.
The old wirriba army road goes striaght over the top of the great dividing range in some very mountainous terrain.
The Volkswagen buggies were built for this track and they worked well.
Shorten two foot and only a pipe frame for body work they were very light and could be man handled.
The traction was very good despite being only two wheel drive.
With the good Volkswagon suspension they would go from one end of the road to the old cement works dam and back again in a day, while the same trip could take days if travelling in a club group.

[101 Ron]

Just watched it again.
My dads red hub painted deep bronze green landy , ex army...........you can see the army brush bar...........dont know whos driving it.........my dad driving the first Volkswagon buggie and my uncle driving the second one with the wider rear tyres
starting near the 11.30 minute mark.
The filming date would be 1972 to 1973.
Just so much of a blast to see this.
Would love to catch up the person who filmed this....? If they are still around
Pushing to nearly 50 years ago.........I not long ago turned 54.
I remember the Landrover club driving past as a 7or8 year old kid and those same vehicles........wow wow !

[Lewy110]

That's awesome Ron. It's been on there since 2014 but it's the first time I have seen it.

[101 Ron]

God that was good Lewy, takes me right back to when I was a kid absolutely obsessed with 4wding.

Those old Dunlop RTM's, Bridgestone jeep Service and BFG APL/All Purpose Lugs (Dad's favourite) really lacked grip and compliance !
I think the jeep Service had better grip, (deliberate lower case J) but Dad abandoned them as they wore out too quickly for his liking.

I should have some old Super 8 footage of Dad's that I took as a 10-11 year old of some trips with the Sydney Jeep club that I'd totally forgotten about.

BTW, CJ5 and 6 Jeeps of the same era had better articulation ! :whistling:

Shame about the gearing with only 3 speeds....

[edit] Wirraba Ridge ? Note the G60 Patrol towing the Series II just past the 6 minute mark. Talk about nostalgia! :)
[2nd edit] Dodge Power Wagon, MB Willys, Series 1's !

I have still stored away in very good condition a 1960 CJ6 with the Hurricane motor, pto winch, overdrive and very good bridge stone jeep service tyres still on it.
I have owned it for over 30 years.
I hope one day if time permits to get it back onto rego.
I agree the old CJs went a bit further due to the better chassis and suspension flex and wouldnt pick up wheels as much compared to the series landys.
The torque of the side valve motor , (as well as the later ford and rambler motors ) and lighter weight of the jeeps off set the 3 speed box and lack of a really deep low range.
When I get near a proper computer I will post some pics of it.
My dad was right into this sort of stuff and I was brought up up with it as a kid.
My mid 70s mum still drives in full time rego a ww2 jeep and thats been in the family for 45 years.

[rick130]

We're almost the same age Ron, I'm a bit over a year younger and we were a Jeep family, Dad had a Wagoneer, my first car in '83 was a'74 CJ6, 104" wheelbase vs your CJ6 with 100" wheelbase. AMC added 4" to the front when they installed the straight 6's, the earlier ones used the F head 4 and Dauntless V6, although I think some assembled here in Brisbane might've used Ford 6's?
The Wagoneer was an Oz assembled car but it had the OHC Tornado engine but used an Oz sourced Borg Warner 3 speed 'box.
Dad installed a Warner T98a with a granny 6.9:1 first when he blew first gear in the three speed on some rocks steps at Menai.

We used to go out with my Uncle who had a really nice Series III. He was the first person I'd seen put radials on a 4WD, he bought a set of Armstrong Norseman's installed on Sunraysia rims. I think that was around 1976-7 or so?
A world of difference compared to the APL's on Dad's Wagoneer.

That's so good that you're seeing your dad and uncle in that footage.

[101 Ron]

I also know about the Wagoneers with the Tornato OHC V6 motor and the steering was that light and low geared you could barely keep up with it.......not many were around.
My dad and uncle also would do Menai on the weekends as we lived in Miranda..........mostly take motor bikes out to Menai near the tip to ride them.
No restrictions and less people around in those days.

[101 Ron]

The 1960s jeeps had alot,of local content in them.........it was the days when Australia used to make stuff.
I know my current 1960 CJ 6 ......every thing except for the engine block and a few odd components were Australian made.
The Lucas electrics was the first to go.
The Borgwarner diffs, gearbox, transfercase etc are good and close copies of the American produced items.
From about 1965 the locally produced combat 6 ( falcon car motor) replaced the F head hurricane motor in alot of the locally produced jeeps.
From 1974 it was the fully imported stuff (rambler motor CJs ) by Ateco?.......
It was a local production story not well known or much recorded.

[rick130]

Interesting.
I knew about the assembly in Brisbane and a bit of local content, but I didn't realise it was that much!

Dad's car was a '67. (US '66)
The only non Dana Spicer or US Warner bit on the Wagoneer was the g/box and the seats/trim were local.

The front diff was a Dana 27, the Rear a 44, t/case Dana 20. Maybe the drive shafts were made here?
The steering was typical US, way too light and no Castor.Dad put castor wedges in the front axle, it made it a lot, lot better.
The big problem was the steering box was back a long way and it had a relay rod and bell crank at the front connecting to the drag link.
From about '69 or so Kaiser or I'm guessing AMC as they owned them then revised it and had a Saginaw pattern 'box at the front with the pitman arm connecting directly onto the drag link, much like a 90/110.
That was so much better.
I had a fully imported '70 J3000 for work with that setup, (apparently brought in for a mining project according to Stokoe Motors in Melbourne) When the Gemmer 'box was beyond repair I bolted an HQ Holden box in, It was a direct bolt in, and the steering was really good then.

LNC were the importers from '74 through to about '79. They brought a few J20's and Wagoneers in for evaluation too.

The CJ5 and 6 would crack body/chassis mounts badly as the chassis was so flexy. The CJ7 fixed a lot of that stuff, but wasn't anywhere as capable out of the box off road as the chassis and suspension was totally revised, anti-roll bars added, etc.
The older cars flexed well, I used to scare mum badly, it had more body roll than an RRC!

I loved my uncles Series III, I nearly bought it when he sold it, but it ended up the coast somewhere.

[101 Ron]

For Rick
The Following is my Australian Willys 1960 CJ6 taken recently , up on stands in storage.
I have owned this since I was less than 25 years old.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/01/780.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Yn3zcX)DSCN0559 (https://flic.kr/p/Yn3zcX) by john smith (https://www.flickr.com/photos/141335301@N02/), on Flickr

The pic below note Willys Australia blue plate and conversion to full flow oil filtering.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/01/781.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Yn3zd8)DSCN0560 (https://flic.kr/p/Yn3zd8) by john smith (https://www.flickr.com/photos/141335301@N02/), on Flickr

Note the extra stick for the overdrive.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/01/782.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Yn3zea)DSCN0562 (https://flic.kr/p/Yn3zea) by john smith (https://www.flickr.com/photos/141335301@N02/), on Flickr

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/01/783.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Yn3zfc)DSCN0563 (https://flic.kr/p/Yn3zfc) by john smith (https://www.flickr.com/photos/141335301@N02/), on Flickr

[101 Ron]

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/01/784.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ChcRcu)DSCN0568 (https://flic.kr/p/ChcRcu) by john smith (https://www.flickr.com/photos/141335301@N02/), on Flickr

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/01/785.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/YixmVQ)DSCN0572 (https://flic.kr/p/YixmVQ) by john smith (https://www.flickr.com/photos/141335301@N02/), on Flickr

Old school tyres below and note how the tyre has been touching the inner guard on full flex.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/01/786.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/YixmXy)DSCN0575 (https://flic.kr/p/YixmXy) by john smith (https://www.flickr.com/photos/141335301@N02/), on Flickr

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/01/787.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Yn3zcg)DSCN0558 (https://flic.kr/p/Yn3zcg) by john smith (https://www.flickr.com/photos/141335301@N02/), on Flickr

That old jeep has trodden many a road that is now closed off.

[101 Ron]

This bike was running around at the time the first video of this was taken at the army rd Wirraba.
It would have been another wow, wow if it actually made it onto the video.
It survived doing NSW toughest fire trail many a time because if was fresh out of army auctions, it had large front and rear crash bars and a bullet proof sump bash plate.
If would think it would be the only bike to be still around to ride from that area and time.
This was taken about 6 months ago at the motor life open day at Wollongong.
It also did many other places now closed off including the Sunday rides at Menai in the early 1970s.
At the Northern side of Weeny creek I was doubled up on the back of the same bike climbing up from the creek when the driver of the bike stopped a put his foot out to balance, but a great wash away /hole was there and over we went, my arm took the full force of this and broke it.....I was 7 Years old.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/01/788.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/YzyRXj)1967 B40 GA BSA (https://flic.kr/p/YzyRXj) by john smith (https://www.flickr.com/photos/141335301@N02/), on Flickr
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/01/789.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/YzyRWY)Ex Aussie Army B40 1967 BSA (https://flic.kr/p/YzyRWY) by john smith (https://www.flickr.com/photos/141335301@N02/), on Flickr.
My mum may have some old Landrover pics from the same time.

[rick130]

Thanks mate.

The Wagoneer had the same VIN/ID plate.

Interesting it has the later Oz spec blinkers (Hella I think) without the spacer.

That is in nice nick, so many of them have rusted away to nothing.
Paint and primer/undercoat was an after thought, especially on the US made cars!
I remember looking at brand new 5's and 6's at Ron Barrett Motors in Penrith as a kid and they had rust everywhere around the edges!

I had so much fun in mine, my mates still talk about it when we get together.
As a 19 yo i installed a panhard rod on the front end to tighten the on road steering up, (I was always caught between going way too fast on road and having fun off road) rose jointed at both ends and all it did was bind the front end up so much I quickly tore my (badly) stick welded clevis clean off the chassis rails! [emoji23]

I forgot, it also had genuine Oz made 10 spoke Sunraysia's, the 3/8" plate centre ones that LNC offered as a wide wheel option with massive amounts of offset.
It did look the goods.

[101 Ron]

Some more for Rick
Taken too day at work
My mums 1944 Jeep still sporting its old number plates and a 1945 No4 Australian made FMC jeep trailer which I have just finished restoring.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/01/790.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Fvy33f)Mums 1944 Jeep at Pace 21/1/2018 (https://flic.kr/p/Fvy33f) by john smith (https://www.flickr.com/photos/141335301@N02/), on Flickr
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/01/791.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Fvy33A)restored 1945 N04 FMC jeep Trailer (https://flic.kr/p/Fvy33A) by john smith (https://www.flickr.com/photos/141335301@N02/), on Flickr

[101 Ron]

May want to check out these links......yes its not landrover, but that old 1970s video just got me going back in time.
the Jeep
So sad to see this empty - Australian 4WD Action | Forum (http://www.4wdaction.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?f=122&t=76990)

and this about the BSA on this forum

Motorbikes (https://www.aulro.com/afvb/military-vehicles-in-general/182634-motorbikes-2.html)

Ron

[101 Ron]

Thanks mate.

The Wagoneer had the same VIN/ID plate.

Interesting it has the later Oz spec blinkers (Hella I think) without the spacer.

That is in nice nick, so many of them have rusted away to nothing.
Paint and primer/undercoat was an after thought, especially on the US made cars!
I remember looking at brand new 5's and 6's at Ron Barrett Motors in Penrith as a kid and they had rust everywhere around the edges!

I had so much fun in mine, my mates still talk about it when we get together.
As a 19 yo i installed a panhard rod on the front end to tighten the on road steering up, (I was always caught between going way too fast on road and having fun off road) rose jointed at both ends and all it did was bind the front end up so much I quickly tore my (badly) stick welded clevis clean off the chassis rails! [emoji23]

I forgot, it also had genuine Oz made 10 spoke Sunraysia's, the 3/8" plate centre ones that LNC offered as a wide wheel option with massive amounts of offset.
It did look the goods.

The blinkers were added on by me as it predated the need for indicators.
When I purchased it, it had only a single stop tail light at the rear, Two front parking lights and head lights, that is it...........the way it was made all legal for 1960......hand signals were the norm.

[discoRRc]

Awesome old footage of Wirraba ridge mate. Loved watching it

[Larry]

...........Would love to catch up the person who filmed this....? If they are still around.......


It was filmed by Roy Sim, a long time family friend (probably the one to blame for me getting into Land Rovers).:lol2:

He was a bit of a trail blazer in Land Rover circles in the late 60s through the 70s & 80s.
Unfortunately he passed away in 2009.[bigsad]

[crash]

Pretty cool video, thanks for posting.
You talk to the young 4wheel drivers today about those days and they do not understand that you do not need 35"+ tires and dual lockers to have fun in the bush.
It is amazing when you think of where they use to take their 4w drives back then on bar tread, skinny tires. A lot more thought into wheel placement and lines taken then the current crowd would.
The original Rubicon trail use to be conquered with WWII jeeps on bar treads! and most likely no winch.

[B.S.F.]

Great video, thank you. Another thing to remember is that in those days people were reluctant to reduce tyre pressure, the only way to inflate the tyres again was by hand with those T-handled pumps. Portable 12V compressors were not readily available. I remember reducing tyre pessure on the CREB track in the 70's, after a rain storm and I had to drive all the way to Cooktown before I could air up again. Look after that video! .W.

[101 Ron]

Great video, thank you. Another thing to remember is that in those days people were reluctant to reduce tyre pressure, the only way to inflate the tyres again was by hand with those T-handled pumps. Portable 12V compressors were not readily available. I remember reducing tyre pessure on the CREB track in the 70's, after a rain storm and I had to drive all the way to Cooktown before I could air up again. Look after that video! .W.

That is so true.....
It is not some thing I have ever though about recently as we are spoilt with good electric 12 volt compressors these days
The first 12 volt electric air compressor I had ever seen was was about 1975 and it used a windscreen wiper motor and was very slow.
The first way I ever had of pumping up tyres on that old jeep of mine was with a sparkplug replacement pump.( who remembers them)
My dad when I was small often used them on Landrovers.
They worked Ok but it was just a pain to fit and remove it, but still easier than a hand or foot pump and the old engines were easy to access sparkplug wise.
The sparkplug replacement pump was never used for pumping up tyres for off road work, but for puncture repairs or slow leaks the need to drop pressures for off road work with bias thick side wall tyres just wasnt there.
No snatch straps, just cable or chains.
Thick hemp rope was sometimes carried around the bumper for smaller 4wds for towing.
I remember the Tirfor was a heavy option for some people and still is if you are fit and have plenty of time on your hands.

[101 Ron]

Camping near the creek on that old video/super 8.
The fresh meat only lasted 3 days in summer as that was when the ice melted in the Esky.( unless you carried a .22, plenty of rabbits running around)
Sweetened condensed milk or Sunshine powdered milk.
Anyone one remember making a hot cup of Bonox in winter or drinking out of steel cans which you needed to pearce open.
They were the days, I remember the grown ups drinking KB, Dinner ale and Reschs Pilsner. .........I know I got the job to fetch the tinneys out of the creek that kept them cool.
What about the hessan water bags hanging on the front bumper of the Landy.
The water was cool enough, but always had that hessan and muddy creek water taste.
We had a twin burner Primus stove that folded flat, but still used a pressurised kero mantle lantern and the job of setting up the new mantle after a days of off roading in a leaf strung Landy usually broke the old one.
Cutting fallen trees across the tracks and fire wood with a axe.
The old square canvas tents with a pole in the centre and took more than one person along time to set up and were just generally heavy and bulky to handle.
Burn, bash and bury rubbish? ....
The fun we had.

[67hardtop]

Spark plug replacement pump was a menzle pump from memory. My father had one and would use it to pump up repaired flat tyres fixed on the side of the road with those vulcanising patches that you had to burn to patch the tubes. Would use the car to break the bead etc. Tyre levers and a rubber hammer. Joys of driving. Memories of some of the places we used to go in some of the cars we had. Dad towed a 27' 6" caravan from Perth to Derby in 1969 with an HR station wagon. Mostly dirt roads back then. We made it ok. Sensible driving is all it took. Anyway im not gonna bore everyone with my stories.

Cheers Rod

[Preston]

If I remember correctly Roy Sim was a member of the NSW Police Rescue Squad and President of the Land Rover club. I went on one of their trips in my 1971 swb Patrol having upgraded from an ex government series 2 lwb Land Rover which had previously been owned by "The Travelling Carpenter" emblazoned on the hardtop. The club had organised an XY Falcon 4x4 for evaluation, it went okay until it exploded a free wheeling hub. I guess it was Wirraba ridge that stopped everybody until a series 1 winched itself to the top and then winched the rest of us up. The hill was so steep that gear oil in the steering box of the patrol ran up the column and dripped into my crutch, Nissan apparently didn't see the necessity to fit a proper seal. Have to love the smell of gear oil in the morning. The good old days. My old Land Rover made it to the Jardine River in 1969 and half way across before it went onto 3 cylinders. Time to back out I figured. In 1969 I passed only one vehicle between Coen and the Jardine return, it was a Jeep and he was looking for some missing leaves from his rear springs.

[Erik]

Found this after watching the SWB in Wonnangatta video

4x4 in the 70's - YouTube (https://youtu.be/aTSqEkzoOo8)

Wow.....what a find!!. Thank you for that. I am amazed that, all that work was called FUN in the day. I used to play in the African deserts, and looking back today, no wonder my skeleton is busy breaking apart..

On another note, many years ago a South African film maker called Jamie Uys made a movie called "The Gods must be Crazy". There were a no. 1 and a no. 2. The first was by far the best, and a Series 1 SWB played a main role. Very entertaining for a Sunday after lunch. See if you can find it, you won`t regret it.

Erik in Oz.

[Erik]

Wow.....what a find!!. Thank you for that. I am amazed that, all that work was called FUN in the day. I used to play in the African deserts, and looking back today, no wonder my skeleton is busy breaking apart..

On another note, many years ago a South African film maker called Jamie Uys made a movie called "The Gods must be Crazy". There were a no. 1 and a no. 2. The first was by far the best, and a Series 1 SWB played a main role. Very entertaining for a Sunday after lunch. See if you can find it, you won`t regret it.

Erik in Oz.

Oh, forgot to add, I cringe very time the front wheels find a rut....non-power steering, suddenly full opposite lock, and all the knuckles and fingers in the steering spokes.....OUCH!!!

Erik in Oz.

[Lewy110]

On another note, many years ago a South African film maker called Jamie Uys made a movie called "The Gods must be Crazy". There were a no. 1 and a no. 2. The first was by far the best, and a Series 1 SWB played a main role. Very entertaining for a Sunday after lunch. See if you can find it, you won`t regret it.


I wore out my VHS copy of The Gods must be Crazy, I now have both 1 and 2 on DVD.

I remember my parents going to see it when it was released at the movies. I think they thought it was going to be a serious documentary on Africa[bigsmile]

[Erik]

I wore out my VHS copy of The Gods must be Crazy, I know have both 1 and 2 on DVD.

I remember my parents going to see it when it was released at the movies. I think they thought it was going to be a serious documentary on Africa[bigsmile]

I thought I found it on YouTube, but the thought police there chose to remove it. Not PC.

Erik in Oz.

[67hardtop]

I loved that land rover

[Chops]

What a great video,,, geez they were working hard in spots,, good to see it all, thanks for sharing.

[cosmo]

Cool video, they must have had a large supply of landrover axles. What a difference suspension travel makes to 4x4's and motorbikes.

[101 Ron]

At about the 11.30min mark on the video shows the Exarmy Landrover with the red hubs and the Volkswagen buggies.
Here are some very old pics of the buggies the Landrover and me.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/02/403.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/21CfaZG)Ron and Landrover Putty (https://flic.kr/p/21CfaZG) by john smith (https://www.flickr.com/photos/141335301@N02/), on Flickr

Thats me above sticking my head out.......taken somewhere on the Putty side of the army rd .

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/02/404.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/21CfaZ1)Volkswagon Buggie crossing Weeny creek army Rd Putty (https://flic.kr/p/21CfaZ1) by john smith (https://www.flickr.com/photos/141335301@N02/), on Flickr

the above is crossing Weeny Creek when the sand was softer than normal on the army road at the putty end.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/02/405.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/21CfaYQ)Kurnell Bob and Ron (https://flic.kr/p/21CfaYQ) by john smith (https://www.flickr.com/photos/141335301@N02/), on Flickr

My father and my self with the same landrover in the video......taken at Boat harbour Kurnell.
Note the canvass water bag on the bull bar.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/02/406.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/21CfaYu)Ron and Judy 1969 Putty army road (https://flic.kr/p/21CfaYu) by john smith (https://www.flickr.com/photos/141335301@N02/), on Flickr

Same Landrover again, this time taken on the Army road at the putty end.
Note the types of bikes in use.

[101 Ron]

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/02/407.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/21CfaXY)Camping Putty army road using Landrover top as tent. (https://flic.kr/p/21CfaXY) by john smith (https://www.flickr.com/photos/141335301@N02/), on Flickr

The above is camping on the army road near putty, the canvass frame has been taken off the back off the Landrover and is now used as a tent.........the landrover runs around the army road putty/wirraba topless and perfect for shooting rabbits at the time.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/02/408.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/21Cfb1d)Ron at Weeny creek army rd Putty (https://flic.kr/p/21Cfb1d) by john smith (https://www.flickr.com/photos/141335301@N02/), on Flickr

Me playing at the Weeny creek road crossing

[101 Ron]

The Picture below shows the same landrover this time towing some bikes......note the types of bikes.
Taken in a road cutting just before weeny creek on the northern side on the Army rd Putty.


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/02/409.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/Gfy5h7)Army road Putty 1969 Ron and Judy (https://flic.kr/p/Gfy5h7) by john smith (https://www.flickr.com/photos/141335301@N02/), on Flickr

[Chops]

What agreat way to grow up [biggrin]

Thanks for sharing Ron, much appreciated.

[harry]

Thanks Ron,
It brought a tear to my eye seeing this old film and your connection to it.
Thanks so much for sharing it with us.

[muddy]

Thanks Ron

remember going on many trips with Bob , Judy and little Ron with AMVCS

these bought back many memories

[101 Ron]

Check out this youtube.
The last 30 mins has plenty of series one Landrover action.
Looks like Malcom Douglas first commercial film.

Malcolm Douglas - Across The Top [Full Feature] - YouTube (https://youtu.be/5PRv7Z0JjdM)

[chinaplate]

What a great video and associated memories with some of the comments.
I was 20 in 1971 and also rode bikes in the Menai area and buggies out to Boat Harbour while living in Caringbah so probably crossed paths with some of you way back then.
Now I have to go and search for some of my old photos of my old Landy and bikes taken around Hill End , Sofala and Newnes in the 70s.Think I still have some shots of it taken in the Gulf country while pig shooting in about 1974 as well.