Off-roading Holden Commodore?

[LRT]

Came across this on Instagram...

Instagram (https://instagram.com/p/BecjjfnlGE-/)

[donh54]

Don't do instagram, but a (reasonably) common thing out here in bogan-ville used to be grafting an HQ ute or wagon body onto a landcruiser or patrol chassis.

[LRT]

Don't do instagram, but a (reasonably) common thing out here in bogan-ville used to be grafting an HQ ute or wagon body onto a landcruiser or patrol chassis.

The link should work but in case it doesn’t I have copied it below:

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/01/1037.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/01/1038.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/01/1039.jpg

[bee utey]

Fond memories of off roading in P76's, all those years ago. No challenge doing it in a lifted and locked 4WD, is there now? [biggrin]

[Homestar]

Used to take our dunny door off road once in a while when I lived up at Licola - only in the drier months and with a mate in his Pajaro. Got it to some interesting locations - even had a group of Toyota drivers ask how we got up to one of the huts and where the '2 wheel drive track' was. Pointed down the hill from where they had come from - they didn't believe us until we trundled off back the way we came. Nothing stupid mind you or anything that required high clearance and always had my mate to help if needed, but apart from some scrapes underneath, never got stuck.

[rammypluge]

They needed an HQ sedan.

I have taken 2wd's all over the place including the top of Mt Tingaringy.

They just need to fit bigger AT tyres, a mild lift, and if possible shift some weight to the rear for traction!

[LRT]

I have used my Triumph 2000 & 2500 for a lot of off-road driving but I drove according to its ability rather than trying to do the impossible. I used my Triumph to tow a 6x4 trailer full of red gum through muddy ground and just used a couple of pieces of grid mesh to put under the wheels if it started to spin. It certainly helps to use a car without all the modern plastic bumpers though!

[LRT]

Then again the little Freelander 1 is able to go much further off-road than what meets the eye.

[loanrangie]

i think i know that track, in the Pyrenees. He should have kept to the right (high side ) and he may have made it [bigrolf].
There should be a trail of duck down from Marty's sleeping bag bursting and sending a cloud of feathers into the air.

[steane]

As a kid I travelled in my parent's VB and then VL Commodores from Adelaide to Darwin and back (back when the road was more of a track), as well as all through Kakadu, the centre and a lot of places that most people bought 4WDs to travel through. People would line the banks of water crossings to watch dad take the VL through and clap when he made it across. Both cars had homemade bullbars, had been lifted a smidge and ran standard wheels and road tyres. They travelled extensively through outback WA, SA and NT in little Commodores and while there were plenty of places they couldn't go, they went more places than many expected.

They've been doing much the same in a Patrol for the last 17 years.

[Rextheute]

Pictured below ( probably upside down ... ) is a couple of pics from the early 90's .
Full Off Road Hyundai Excel .
I have a pic somewhere of me and it outside Pink roadhouse next to a Kia - and 'proper 4wd ' !

The other is my little lada Niva which took us everywhere .

[crash]

A work friend told me that his father never owned a 4wd but always drove wagons. They use to do a lot of beach camping. He said that car could go anywhere when all 5 kids were in the car. He said he saw a lot of the back of the vehicle from all the pushing he use to do.

[jonesfam]

I have watched film of HQ Holden's being driven/pushed from Doomadgee to Burketown in the 70's & 80's.
I thought the road was bad when we came here in the early 90's, nothing on what these poor guys had to put up with.

Apparently they did the trip regularly.

Good Ol' Days?

Jonesfam

[LRT]

A couple of videos of the Triumph TR7 V8. Unfortunately I can’t find any videos of the really harsh conditions the BL rally cars went through. Not sure about today’s cars...

Triumph TR7 Rally Car Pure Sounds - The TUNDO Rally Team - YouTube (https://youtu.be/wGNMtf53tiA)

TR7.1978 - YouTube (https://youtu.be/Sv5w6wCTa4c)

[LRT]

Some mini pictures.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/01/1051.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/01/1052.jpg

[Hall]

Dad had a early 70`s Kngswood. Being a a tree feller he would have to get to some remote locations for just quoting the work. This he did in the Kingswood. We had also owned a GMC ute a 1946 model I think, pre holden any way.
Tall wheels and a chassis gave it heaps of clearance. Did that ute go places. When a hill was to steep for the carby dad would get up far as it would go, chock the wheels, prime the carby, get up a bit more , repeat till the hill was climbed.
Cheers Hall

[Bearman]

With an experienced driver it is amazing where a standard 2wd vehicle will go. But then again when you think about it this country was conquered by 2wd vehicles as basically that is all that was available in the early days.

[cripesamighty]

Whenever people say you need a 4WD to get out amongst it, I always think back at the Redex Around Australia Trials. Not too many 4WD's amongst that lot!

[Bearman]

I have watched film of HQ Holden's being driven/pushed from Doomadgee to Burketown in the 70's & 80's.
I thought the road was bad when we came here in the early 90's, nothing on what these poor guys had to put up with.

Apparently they did the trip regularly.

Good Ol' Days?

Jonesfam

I came through on that road from Borroloola to Burketown back in the early '70's and it wasn't real good, especially around Hells Gate, Wollogorang way

[rammypluge]

2wd's are unquestionably more stressful to take off road and ultimately limited in their ability. But i have done heaps, and it hones ones abilities. It makes you more capable as a driver in both 2wd's and 4wd's.

[LRT]

Whenever people say you need a 4WD to get out amongst it, I always think back at the Redex Around Australia Trials. Not too many 4WD's amongst that lot!

Yes. Then there was the road going Chamberlain support tractor that was way ahead of its time.

History – Tail End Charlie The Tractor (https://www.tailendcharliethetractor.org/history/)

Not the same tractor but very similar.
Chamberlain Tractors towing caravans around Australia! - Fitzroy Crossing, Western Australia - YouTube (https://youtu.be/BQVLEKpQDyk)

We have an industrial Chamberlain Champion FEL & on a straight road it’ll wind up to 80-90kph. Just the stopping is very vague above 10kph!

[Saitch]

......and on the blokes comments with the commodore, he didn't help??
I couldn't do that to anyone.
Steve

[Roverlord off road spares]

A common mode of transport on the Gibb river road some one told me[biggrin]

[Saitch]

Yep, and came across an old Magna with an overload of pax on the bottom end of the Canning.

[Bearman]

Yep, and came across an old Magna with an overload of pax on the bottom end of the Canning.

That would have been the "bush mechanics" Did they have a 'roo on the parcel shelf?

[LRT]

......and on the blokes comments with the commodore, he didn't help??
I couldn't do that to anyone.
Steve

Maybe he didn’t want to be liable for ripping off the plastic bumpers?

Or he wasn’t driving a Land Rover?

[crash]

Not the same tractor but very similar.
Chamberlain Tractors towing caravans around Australia! - Fitzroy Crossing, Western Australia - YouTube (https://youtu.be/BQVLEKpQDyk)

We have an industrial Chamberlain Champion FEL & on a straight road it’ll wind up to 80-90kph. Just the stopping is very vague above 10kph!
I have met the guy that took that Chamberlain around the country. I think he did it to raise money / awareness for prostrate cancer. My neighbour built / modified a gear box to give him a faster road speed.
The Chamberlain has been sold.

[rick130]

Before dad bought his Jeep in about '71 and my uncle then bought a Series III, they loved telling the story where they'd taken their Holden's on a typical for them picnic trip bush one weekend with the families.
A few weeks later there was a newspaper report on the Sydney Land Rover club going bush and how tough those particular tracks were, how a number of cars broke axles, several had to be towed, etc.
They were the same tracks!! [emoji1]

[crash]

I have seen a Commodore at Pineapple Flats before, but it was also in the company of another 4wd. I am sure it was towed a fair bit as we did see it earlier on on a track being towed through a rough patch.
A company car will go further than a private vehicle off road but not as far as a rental!

[rammypluge]

Loved that car.https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/01/1087.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/01/1088.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/01/1089.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/01/1090.jpg

[loanrangie]

My dad took us to the flinders ranges in about 74/75 in an XW GTHO Pase II, i still remember drinking warm raspberry cordial from a polystyrene esky he kept in the boot while he was prospecting for gem stones at Arkaroola.

[donh54]

When the daughter was a teenager, we used to go for Sunday drives through the Condamine Gorge - in a Hyundai Excel.

[timax]

MOKE with snow chains will go almost anywhere! Especially with "P" plates on it.

I had such fun in that car.

[Bigbjorn]

for decades from 1908 my family did mail, goods, and passenger services from Winton. Initially with a horse drawn wagonette with a sulky hooked on behind to carry feed for the horses during the Federation drought. They went to motor cars in 1918 with two x four cylinder Buicks. The last family member was still doing the occasional mail run in the early 2000's. He was the only one who had a 4wd, a second-hand Nissan. The roads and tracks were appalling. The main road was not even fully sealed until 1988 yet no-one felt the need to buy a Jeep or Land Rover or later, a Toyota. In the early days through the 20's & 30's Buick and Hudson cars were favoured and Dodge and GMC trucks. No mail contractor would have ever considered a British or European vehicle, They simply did not last in the conditions.

[loanrangie]

Tall skinny tyres with good ground clearance will get you most places.

[Bigbjorn]

Tall skinny tyres with good ground clearance will get you most places.

The early bush motorists declared the Dodge 4 was the best bush car for just those reasons plus the long travel suspension and flexible alloy steel chassis. The tall skinny tyres would cut through the deep mud to the hard pan beneath and the wheels would flex up and down over the ruts and bumps. Good low speed torque and crawler first gear and the old girls would keep trickling along through the black soil mud.

[rammypluge]

Until the ground gets swampy then its all over. Wide does all terrains.

[rammypluge]

Plus skinny can cut into rubble leaving you stranded, or sunk in sand, and the higher ground pressure can shear hard slippery clay seeing you slide across the camber of the road.

[Lionelgee]

Hello All,

Before four wheel drives became so popular on the land I remember seeing an advertisement for a Ford style-side ute in a "Farm Pack". It had improved clearance - heavier springs and a limited slip differential. It was still a two-wheel drive unit.

Kind Regards
Lionel

[V8Ian]

fNo mail contractor would have ever considered a British or European vehicle, They simply did not last in the conditions.
Geez Brian, someone should have told Tom. [wink11]

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/attachment.php?attachmentid=135829&d=1517563960

Tom Kruse (mailman) - Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Kruse_(mailman))
135829

[Tins]

Whenever people say you need a 4WD to get out amongst it, I always think back at the Redex Around Australia Trials. Not too many 4WD's amongst that lot!

Evan Green wrote a book called "Journeys with Gelignite Jack" It was a tale of taking a Mini and a Landcrab on an epic 12,600 mile journey around Oz, put together by Castrol and BMC. Green tells of how these front wheel drive cars coped with this, interspersed with hilarious stories told by Jack Murray, often the hero of the Redex, who had come along as a driver.

If you can find a copy, it is well worth the read. Those two cars achieved things that would appall most people venturing outback today, in their AC equipped, electronic LCs.

[Tins]

Just the stopping is very vague above 10kph!

Steering was a little soft as well!

[rick130]

Way back when you could still drive The Oaks fire trail in the Blue Mountains NP I was driving my Jeep up towards Linden when a Celica was coming down on one of the steepish step sections.

It would've taken a beating!

[Saitch]

This was somewhere North of Yepoon, up Byfield way, from memory.

The Kingswood also did the old railway tunnel just East of the Isa near Malbon and the Wee McGregor Mine.
It was the Mt Isa McTaggarts reps car originally and came with some serious under body bash plates. On the tunnel track the old girl was just sliding on the front bash plate for some distance.

We used to go camping up Jimna way when you could fossick there.

[V8Ian]

HG Kingswood, 186 Trimatic, Steve?

[Bigbjorn]

HG Kingswood, 186 Trimatic, Steve?

A good friend once did an around Australia trip with wife and two kids in one of those dinky little three cylinder Daihatsu pulling a light trailer with their camping gear. Didn't even get a flat tyre.

[Saitch]

HG Kingswood, 186 Trimatic, Steve?
HK 3 on the tree (when the linkages were ok[thumbsupbig][biggrin])

[rammypluge]

A good friend once did an around Australia trip with wife and two kids in one of those dinky little three cylinder Daihatsu pulling a light trailer with their camping gear. Didn't even get a flat tyre.4wd's pull the chicks though?
How funscared is she?!https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/02/86.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/02/87.jpg

[JDNSW]

Australians drove conventional cars in all sorts of offroad conditions, including an awful lot of roads that were worse than the worst offroad tracks most four wheel drive enthusiasts ever drive on today. I think for example of a family trip I was on in about 1951 to visit a friend of my mother's near Booligal. The roads west of Narrandera were essentially unmaintained goat tracks. This was in a 1931 10HP Swift. The only car problem was a cracked petrol pipe between the vacuum tank and the carburettor, probably happened on a bad bump or may have work hardened with the rough roads. Dad made a campfire to heat a makeshift soldering iron (bit of copper pipe) and soldered up the crack.

Four wheel drives did not become available in reality for this sort of travel until Jeeps appeared after WW2. Too small for most people, particularly families (and the 80 Landrover the same), very few used four wheel drives until second hand (usually ex-government) Landrovers became available in quantity in the 1960s.

And mostly, the conventional cars did reasonably well. The difference today, is that since perhaps the 1980s or 1990s, the run of the mill ordinary car has got a lot less suitable for use offroad or on bad roads. I think this was brought home to me when a great nephew of mine, around that time, having finished his apprenticeship, and having a good job, bought a Falcon ute. The day after he got it, he brought it out to show it to his grandparents on their farm - and knocked a hole in the sump on the road which he had been driving over for years, but, as an apprentice, never with a recent model car.

[steane]

The early bush motorists declared the Dodge 4 was the best bush car for just those reasons plus the long travel suspension and flexible alloy steel chassis. The tall skinny tyres would cut through the deep mud to the hard pan beneath and the wheels would flex up and down over the ruts and bumps. Good low-speed torque and crawler first gear and the old girls would keep trickling along through the black soil mud.

Yep, a great or maybe great x 2 relo of mine ran a Dodge 4 and then I think a Dodge 6 (if that's what they called the later six-cylinder version), always with a buckboard ute arrangement on the back. There's one (a 6) out at the ruins of his old date palm property on the edge of Lake Harry in SA and we have pics of the Dodge 4 getting about out in the middle of nowhere.

[Bigbjorn]

Yep, a great or maybe great x 2 relo of mine ran a Dodge 4 and then I think a Dodge 6 (if that's what they called the later six-cylinder version), always with a buckboard ute arrangement on the back. There's one (a 6) out at the ruins of his old date palm property on the edge of Lake Harry in SA and we have pics of the Dodge 4 getting about out in the middle of nowhere.

The sixes were introduced in 1928. Standard Six and Senior Six. The Senior was a bit upmarket with a bit more power and probably some better quality fittings. These were Dodge Bros. engines although Dodge were by then owned by Chrysler. and in a few years went to Chrysler design engines. The Dodge engines were quite advanced for the times with full pressure lube and seven main bearings. Even had rudimentary air and oil filters. This was the first year for 4 wheel brakes on Dodge Bros. product. Midland self-energising mechanical brakes even though Chrysler had hydraulic brakes for 4 years. Good strong simple reliable cars, easily repaired.

[Bigbjorn]

Yep, a great or maybe great x 2 relo of mine ran a Dodge 4 and then I think a Dodge 6 (if that's what they called the later six-cylinder version), always with a buckboard ute arrangement on the back. There's one (a 6) out at the ruins of his old date palm property on the edge of Lake Harry in SA and we have pics of the Dodge 4 getting about out in the middle of nowhere.

Here's a link to a 1920's promotional film for the Dodge 4

"Oilfield Dodge" Promotional Film 1920s Dodge Brothers Wild Ride - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nq2jY1trxqg)

We still had road conditions like that around Winton in the wet seasons (now rare, drought seeming to be the normal condition in the west) through the 70's and 80's when I was running trucks through there.

[Bytemrk]

Came across this on Instagram...

Instagram (https://instagram.com/p/BecjjfnlGE-/)

Haha I had a '76 Celica Rally Car / daily drive that used to find itself in places like that when I was young enough not to have joined the dots between how I drove and the running costs of the vehicle[bighmmm] .

Amazing where you can get a non 4wd if you really try[biggrin]

[Bytemrk]

Inskip [biggrin]

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/02/91.jpg

[Shoogs]

Only need a Hundi in the desert... glad there all ok...

Goldfields rescue: Missing five ate Witchetty grubs to survive (http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/goldfields-air-search-young-boy-among-five-people-missing-20180203-h0t43b.html)

[steane]

Here's a link to a 1920's promotional film for the Dodge 4

"Oilfield Dodge" Promotional Film 1920s Dodge Brothers Wild Ride - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nq2jY1trxqg)

We still had road conditions like that around Winton in the wet seasons (now rare, drought seeming to be the normal condition in the west) through the 70's and 80's when I was running trucks through there.

That's amazing! :cool:

[Don 130]

Geez Brian, someone should have told Tom. [wink11]

The Leyland Badger has a Thornycroft tandem drive back end salvaged from a crashed truck belonging to Harry Ding, who had the Birdsville run before Tom.
It's a very brittish truck.
Don.

[loanrangie]

The sixes were introduced in 1928. Standard Six and Senior Six. The Senior was a bit upmarket with a bit more power and probably some better quality fittings. These were Dodge Bros. engines although Dodge were by then owned by Chrysler. and in a few years went to Chrysler design engines. The Dodge engines were quite advanced for the times with full pressure lube and seven main bearings. Even had rudimentary air and oil filters. This was the first year for 4 wheel brakes on Dodge Bros. product. Midland self-energising mechanical brakes even though Chrysler had hydraulic brakes for 4 years. Good strong simple reliable cars, easily repaired.

We have a couple of Dodge 4's and a Senior Six in the family, i cant remember which one but Dodge also used a Continental 6 at some stage.

[Chops]

Here's a link to a 1920's promotional film for the Dodge 4

"Oilfield Dodge" Promotional Film 1920s Dodge Brothers Wild Ride - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nq2jY1trxqg)

We still had road conditions like that around Winton in the wet seasons (now rare, drought seeming to be the normal condition in the west) through the 70's and 80's when I was running trucks through there.


Looking at this,, makes you wonder what all the fuss is about with 4x4's,,, they obviously didn't need them.

[rick130]

Looking at this,, makes you wonder what all the fuss is about with 4x4's,,, they obviously didn't need them.That's what my dad used to say, except he still bought a Jeep in 1971.

Said he could definitely get in and out of dairy farms when it rained, instead of wondering if he needed to get the farmers tractor to assist.

[crash]

Looking at this,, makes you wonder what all the fuss is about with 4x4's,,, they obviously didn't need them.
It seems to be the general consensus in Australia that if a road has gravel on it you need a 4wd in order to drive on it!

[trog]

At least there is very little in the way of ice and snow for months on end every year.

[trout1105]

It seems to be the general consensus in Australia that if a road has gravel on it you need a 4wd in order to drive on it!

I am willing to bet that a large percentage of privately owned 4WD's in Australia hardly if ever go anywhere off road where a 4WD is needed and spend most of their lives driving on city roads.

[Tins]

Used to see VW Kombis in some remarkable places.

[Bigbjorn]

Used to see VW Kombis in some remarkable places.

In the 1950's, Alf Tranby-White of Tranby Station, Winton, drove a Holden ute to Perth, shipped it to South Africa, then drove it to Yorkshire. I have wondered why almost nobody has heard of this feat and why a book and a documentary have not appeared.

[hodgo]

Some time ago a Mazda 929 was driven up to the Cape York and back the on ly mod was it was fitted with larger wheels and a mate that is a member of the Mazda MX5 club has told me that an MX5 also did the trip

[JDNSW]

Used to see VW Kombis in some remarkable places.

The VW Kombi was low geared, had very good ground clearance and approach, departure and breakover angles. Depending on loading, it could have good traction, although I remember once on a very steep track in the Blue Mountains, having to add about 3-400kg of rocks right at the back to climb the track.

(I eventually traded that Kombi, actually a ute, not a van, on my first Landrover in 1962)

[rammypluge]

A beetle lives in birdsville that has crossed the simpson.

[bee utey]

A beetle lives in birdsville that has crossed the simpson.

Just about any RWD can cross the Simpson, so long as it is properly loaded, has decent ground clearance and the conditions are good. I was one of a party of four P76's which crossed the Simpson in September 1996. Two were pretty close to stock. Different in high summer of course.

In the bar of the Birdsville Pub was a photo of the then relatively new Falcon Longreach ute, getting air over Big Red. 2WD adds to the challenge.

[JDNSW]

Not only RWD - I heard of a project to cross the Simpson in the 1960s in Citroen D series. (I owned one at the time) While the project never came off, they would be quite suitable, with a high proportion of weight on the front wheels and ground clearance adjustable up to 300mm.

[PhilipA]

I used to run a VW type 3 wagon offroad in the late 70s.

I visited Fraser Island and did some tracks around Eildon etc.

I lifted the front by rotating the torsion bars and put air shocks on the back, and ran FR70x14? tyres.
Went well on Fraser and the tracks.

I learned quickly on Fraser that the approach angle was less than my FJ40 when I went to climb the dune just south of Ely Creek ( where the toilets are now) to camp and stopped very suddenly with the roofrack on the ground in front of the car and daughter in the speaker grille.

I was then "in irons" for a couple of hours as I couldn't get out of my own tracks. I progressively lowered pressures down to 5PSI and then got out.

Only bogged once at the Eurong petrol pump because 4WDs churned up the sand, and some old ladies from a bus helped out with a push.

The reason that I changed to the VW from The FJ40 was that I had been transferred to Melbourne and it was just too uncomfortable for both us and the kids to drive the 74 FJ40 from Melbourne to Fraser let alone the cost of fuel.

Ah those were the days. I learned a lot about sand driving. Next time was in a new Jackeroo

Regards Philip A

[Bigbjorn]

Some time ago a Mazda 929 was driven up to the Cape York and back the on ly mod was it was fitted with larger wheels and a mate that is a member of the Mazda MX5 club has told me that an MX5 also did the trip

In the 1960's the Holzheimers ran a freight service up the Cape with Leyland Super Hippos. A slow, hot, heavy truck. Near non-existent roads then. I have often wondered what the "look at me" adventurous 4WD types of the time thought when a battered Hippo and semi-trailer pulled up at a water crossing and "Toots" Holzheimer in a floral dress and Blucher boots alighted.

[strangy]

As a kid I travelled in my parent's VB and then VL Commodores from Adelaide to Darwin and back (back when the road was more of a track), as well as all through Kakadu, the centre and a lot of places that most people bought 4WDs to travel through. People would line the banks of water crossings to watch dad take the VL through and clap when he made it across. Both cars had homemade bullbars, had been lifted a smidge and ran standard wheels and road tyres. They travelled extensively through outback WA, SA and NT in little Commodores and while there were plenty of places they couldn't go, they went more places than many expected.

They've been doing much the same in a Patrol for the last 17 years.

Thats it isnt it.
Commodores and Falcons out in my parts have been places most people would only go with lifted and locked ete etc.
A little care a little knowledge and mechanical sympathy can achieve surprising results.
Similar stories with the FIL's 64 Corona and Dads 65 Humber. Not to mention their mates in Kingswoods and Falcons.

[Colmoore]

A beetle lives in birdsville that has crossed the simpson.

Sadly, the girl that owned that beetle, rolled it on the Oodna track and was killed in 2016.
Super capable cars those Volksy's

[rammypluge]

Sadly, the girl that owned that beetle, rolled it on the Oodna track and was killed in 2016.
Super capable cars those Volksy'sOh thats shocking. I thought that couldnt be possible, but actually i crossed the simpson in mid 2016, so it presumably happened within six months after that.

I think i saw an article or something about it doing the crossing, then happened to see the car parked in birdsville.

Well, once cars with abs and airbags became super cheap secondhand, i do recall saying there is no point now in not having them.

[3toes]

Have done a quick Google on this but nothing came up however many years ago I had a book about the first west east crossing of Australia. Going across the widest point in a fairly straight line rather than following the roads. This would have been I think early seventies. There might have been factory backing of some sort. Book claimed they were the first to do it in a car. What car were they driving? A Mini.

[rammypluge]

I reckon a mini is going to be damn uncomfortable doing that.

There used to be a moke club that would go to all kinds of places, and of course there was a diehard that preferred the small wheels.

[Chops]

I reckon a mini is going to be damn uncomfortable doing that.

There used to be a moke club that would go to all kinds of places, and of course there was a diehard that preferred the small wheels.


Que Mick Marsh and his favourite pic [biggrin]

[JDNSW]

Have done a quick Google on this but nothing came up however many years ago I had a book about the first west east crossing of Australia. Going across the widest point in a fairly straight line rather than following the roads. This would have been I think early seventies. There might have been factory backing of some sort. Book claimed they were the first to do it in a car. What car were they driving? A Mini.

I thought the first west-east Australia at the widest point was Leyland Brothers in 1966? Hadn't heard of any previous effort when I met them in the Simpson, and I think I would have.

[rammypluge]

I was only thinking about mokes this morning as i drove to work, and extremely bizarrely there was one right in my eyes. I had to blink a few times before i believed it. Wondered if i was dreaming.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/02/198.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/02/199.jpg

[rangieman]

Sadly, the girl that owned that beetle, rolled it on the Oodna track and was killed in 2016.
Super capable cars those Volksy's
And sadly the story.
Onslo by Kelly Theobald + Paul Nash (http://www.vividpublishing.com.au/onslo/)

[rammypluge]

And sadly the story.
Onslo by Kelly Theobald + Paul Nash (http://www.vividpublishing.com.au/onslo/)Oh. Thanks. I guess i was a bit mixed up, but i reckon i have a hold of the chronology now.

[rammypluge]

I thought the first west-east Australia at the widest point was Leyland Brothers in 1966? Hadn't heard of any previous effort when I met them in the Simpson, and I think I would have.I heard there was quite some drama when the leyland bros gained sponsorship money to be the first to cross the simpson desert but when they got there they found that mining companies had already done it, so they changed the wording of their endeavour to remain technically factual and exciting and ignored the existing tracks and forged their own.

[V8Ian]

A three axle, Austral coach did it in the '70s.

[bee utey]

A three axle, Austral coach did it in the '70s.

In the heyday of the Rig Road, no doubt.

[Tins]

Have done a quick Google on this but nothing came up however many years ago I had a book about the first west east crossing of Australia. Going across the widest point in a fairly straight line rather than following the roads. This would have been I think early seventies. There might have been factory backing of some sort. Book claimed they were the first to do it in a car. What car were they driving? A Mini.

Find a copy of this:

135979

As I posted at #41. Mid sixties. 12,600 miles in a Mini and a Landcrab (Austin 1800). On "Floats on Fluid" Hydrolastic suspension! They did have a LC as support, but it never saw service except to carry the camping gear.

Castrol and BMC backing. Great advertisement for them both. The cars made it all the way around. The time they did it it in was amazing as well, on tracks that make the CSR look like St Kilda Road.

[Mick_Marsh]

I was only thinking about mokes this morning as i drove to work, and extremely bizarrely there was one right in my eyes. I had to blink a few times before i believed it. Wondered if i was dreaming.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/02/198.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/02/199.jpg

Squadron Blue.
I quite like that colour.

I had a Squadron Blue Moke. I should never have sold it.


Que Mick Marsh and his favourite pic [biggrin]
Which favourite pic would that be?

Of a Moke? This is a good one:
135980

[rammypluge]

Squadron Blue.
I quite like that colour.

I had a Squadron Blue Moke. I should never have sold it.


Which favourite pic would that be?

Of a Moke? This is a good one:
135980Bet theres a rubber glove over that dizzy?

[rammypluge]

Find a copy of this:

135979

As I posted at #41. Mid sixties. 12,600 miles in a Mini and a Landcrab (Austin 1800). On "Floats on Fluid" Hydrolastic suspension! They did have a LC as support, but it never saw service except to carry the camping gear.

Castrol and BMC backing. Great advertisement for them both. The cars made it all the way around. The time they did it it in was amazing as well, on tracks that make the CSR look like St Kilda Road.I came across excerpts of this story i think. They had to drive the mini offset to the ruts so it didnt bottom out in the middle.

[Mick_Marsh]

Bet theres a rubber glove over that dizzy?
No. Worst thing to do. Rubber keeps the water in.

[rammypluge]

I love adventures. Maybe we should create a group adventure. The challenge is to buy a 2wd for less than $1000. If during the challenge a vehicle is unfixable, that person(s) then hops in another car.

[Mick_Marsh]

The challenge is to buy a 2wd for less than $1000
That describes my daily drive. No challenge there.

[rammypluge]

That describes my daily drive. No challenge there.Yeah, i was in a rush. Of course, the whole point is to go somewhere, maybe cross the simpson east to west, or madigan, etc.

Maybe just stipulate that it must be 2wd. Money spent irrelevant.

[Mick_Marsh]

Yeah, i was in a rush. Of course, the whole point is to go somewhere, maybe cross the simpson east to west, or madigan, etc.

Maybe just stipulate that it must be 2wd. Money spent irrelevant.
135984

[86mud]

I had no idea about the beetle story at Birdsville. I was there last year (September for the races) and saw the blue beetle parked outside the bakery and just thought that some mad idiot it driven the beetle to Birdsville for the races.

Sad story

135986

[Shoogs]

In reality you really only need 3 wheels...

Tuk Tuk Travels (https://tuktuktravels.com/)

[Colmoore]

I came across excerpts of this story i think. They had to drive the mini offset to the ruts so it didnt bottom out in the middle.

Just like driving a defender nowadays [emoji6]

[cripesamighty]

That idea would be the ****box rally. This year they are going from Brisbane to Darwin.

https://www.****boxrally.com.au/the-event/

[rammypluge]

135984Thats not a Moke! [emoji6]

[Mick_Marsh]

Thats not a Moke!
That is rather observant.

You did stipulate:

Maybe just stipulate that it must be 2wd. Money spent irrelevant.
It satisfies those conditions.

Actually, what about
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/02/233.jpg

Driving in style.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/02/234.jpg

[rammypluge]

Well, it would be great if you bring your dakar car. I for one would be hanging out for a ride or drive, and i hope its got good recovery points because it could make a good recovery vehicle.

If you bring your Merc, that looks pretty cool too. Definitely got character. Brings a sense of occasion to it all.

There would have to be various awards, fun factor, most unusual/rarest, .....

And of course we need good media creation!

[rammypluge]

Interesting choice.........https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/02/238.jpg

[Mick_Marsh]

Interesting choice.........https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/02/238.jpg
Better choice:
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/02/239.jpg

[rammypluge]

GT might even join us.https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/02/252.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/02/253.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/02/254.jpg

[rammypluge]

I had a quick browse and many prices were a shock.https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/02/255.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/02/256.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/02/257.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/02/258.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/02/259.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/02/260.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/02/261.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/02/262.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/02/263.jpg

[PhilipA]

SWMBO "you have to sell that heap of **** taking up the garage"

Punter "Sure love, I will put it on sale straight away"( hee hee , it will never sell at the crazy price I will put on it)
I always marvel at the incredible chutzpah of some would be sellers. F100s ask from say 14K (sensible) to 40K (crazy)

Regards Philip A

[rammypluge]

Here is THE car!https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/02/267.jpghttps://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/02/268.jpg

[Colmoore]

When I was 14, I went to the wreckers in Mt Gambier with a mate, aged 13, to buy a paddock basher. We paid $100 for an XB falcon, which we pushed out the gate, telling the bloke we had a car trailer around the back. We drove it on the back roads to his property where we welded a set of Sunraysias (with 33” muddies) onto the brake drums, chopped out the guards with a grinder and painted it Matt black with rattle cans.
Mad Max would have been proud.
If I could just find that car now, my entry for the ****box rally would be sorted......
It only had brakes on the front wheels, is that ok? [emoji6][emoji51]

[ozscott]

I had a HQ ute with large Desert Duelers, front and rear bar and underbody protection. Amazed where that thing would go at speed...not a crawler though! Cheers

[trog]

A panel beater I deliver to is in the process of quoting some repairs. It seem a Bentley was stolen and taken for an off bitumen jaunt. The initial quote based on purely visual damage is 60 k and rising. Guess I won’t be taking mine up the telegraph to the cape.

[PhilipA]

A group of international Citroen 2CVs went up the cape to the tip about 10-15 years ago. There were some dramas with broken elastic bands for the suspensions but most made it. I remember driving along at about 110Kmh just south of Port Macquarie and being passed by one driven by an attractive woman on a downhill stretch, I passed her when it became flat.

I also helped out a group of Peugeots at Moreton Telegraph station. The bloke had broken a windscreen on a 403 and couldn't get a replacement so had bent a piece of Perspex over it. I had some Plastix Perspex polish so polished it up for him where the wipers had scarred it.
AFAIK they made it.
I also met some students at Punsand Bay who had ridden Postie Bikes to the tip.
Regards Philip A

[Markf]

Used to see VW Kombis in some remarkable places.

Yeah, you'd spend two days of digging, winching and jacking to get to your chosen spot and there'd be an old Kombi already there who came along the same track.

May be this was their secret.
139082

[trog]

Yeah, you'd spend two days of digging, winching and jacking to get to your chosen spot and there'd be an old Kombi already there who came along the same track.

May be this was their secret.
139082

I would have one of those , thank you very much !

[Saitch]

A group of international Citroen 2CVs went up the cape to the tip about 10-15 years ago. There were some dramas with broken elastic bands for the suspensions but most made it. I remember driving along at about 110Kmh just south of Port Macquarie and being passed by one driven by an attractive woman on a downhill stretch, I passed her when it became flat.

I also helped out a group of Peugeots at Moreton Telegraph station. The bloke had broken a windscreen on a 403 and couldn't get a replacement so had bent a piece of Perspex over it. I had some Plastix Perspex polish so polished it up for him where the wipers had scarred it.
AFAIK they made it.
I also met some students at Punsand Bay who had ridden Postie Bikes to the tip.
Regards Philip A

Met this delightful young pommy bloke at the Pentecost River crossing on the Gibb. He was waiting for someone to come along to keep an eye on things while he crossed. Just happened to be me. Photo is at Home Valley in '05.

Oops, I forgot to mention he embarked from France in the vehicle for this journey. Landed in Perth from Sth Africa, across the Nullabor, up the East coast, Savannah Way, Gibb River and back to Perth. I can't remember if he was taking the vehicle home or selling in Oz.

[JDNSW]

A group of international Citroen 2CVs went up the cape to the tip about 10-15 years ago. There were some dramas with broken elastic bands for the suspensions but most made it. I remember driving along at about 110Kmh just south of Port Macquarie and being passed by one driven by an attractive woman on a downhill stretch, I passed her when it became flat.

I also helped out a group of Peugeots at Moreton Telegraph station. The bloke had broken a windscreen on a 403 and couldn't get a replacement so had bent a piece of Perspex over it. I had some Plastix Perspex polish so polished it up for him where the wipers had scarred it.
AFAIK they made it.
I also met some students at Punsand Bay who had ridden Postie Bikes to the tip.
Regards Philip A

One of the design criteria for the 2CV was the ability to drive across a ploughed field. heir light weight makes unbogging pretty trivial - "all out and lift"

[Meccles]

I found some photos of my Dad in early fifties driving from Tenant Creek to Darwin then down to Kalgoorlie where he met my mum. He was a good Dr but crap mechanic. Driving Austin Major there is a caravan in some of shots. Was a wet year lots of mud/flooded roads. Taking two young kids with him and of course tie and jacket by the campfire. He never mentioned the trip it was considered normal and in eventful. And then me - I buy in 83 one of last Mokes a galvanised body 1275 California which I then figure is going to be popular. So re built it with cam headwork 45dcoe Weber etc. New paint/ chrome etc. then sell it in 88 story of my life stupid should have kept it [emoji849]