1966 trip across Australia

[kaa45]

Just found this on youtube YouTube - Wheels Across a Wilderness - 1966 Film (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwiVgwHT8_w&feature=related)

Where are we today Mike?
Beside the Land Rover Mal!:wasntme:

[cucinadio]

very cool when we were kids the we used to watch the leyland's like they were gods on earth i might just have to get that set for the par's for crissy


cheers

[cucinadio]

ok done just brought the pars a copy for crissy, well chuffed

cheers

[JDNSW]

I actually make a cameo appearance in the book they wrote about this "Wheels across the wilderness". I was working in the Simpson at the time, and they used our tracks and carried out major repairs in our camp.

John

[cucinadio]

I actually make a cameo appearance in the book they wrote about this "Wheels across the wilderness". I was working in the Simpson at the time, and they used our tracks and carried out major repairs in our camp.

John


very cool "that makes u a god as well " well in my book anyway

cheers

[Jojo]

I actually make a cameo appearance in the book they wrote about this "Wheels across the wilderness". I was working in the Simpson at the time, and they used our tracks and carried out major repairs in our camp.

John

Wasn't it the book "Where Dead Men lie" you are referring to, John?

[Bushie]

Bought the DVD a few months ago, although I've yet to watch the second re-enactment.



Martyn

[JDNSW]

Wasn't it the book "Where Dead Men lie" you are referring to, John?

Yup! You're right - I think wheels across the wilderness might have been a film name. My faulty memory again.

John

[Jeff]

What rims are they on the 88? The tyres look like slicks.

Where do you get the DVD?

Jeff

:rocket:

[Bushie]

I picked it up in Big W


Martyn

[graceysdad]

What a nice Landy, love those disc wheels, for 1966 that vehicle isnt really fitted any differently to how it would be fitted today most probably , wonder if its still around.

[JDNSW]

What rims are they on the 88? The tyres look like slicks.
.......
:rocket:

I can't remember for sure, but they probably were - in the 1960s it was common practice to use aeroplane tyres on sand. We did not use them on light vehicles (found a batch of 9.00x13 sand tyres, or used 7.50x16 radials) but used them on all the trucks, and I think the Leylands had them on the 88. I've got a photo of them somewhere I'll look up when I get home about 3/1.

John

[Chucaro]

That trailer must put a lot of resistance, it would be better a single axle set up.
Just wander why they choose a tandem ?
The fuel consumption mas be phenomenal !

[numpty]

The DVD is available through Westprint, and the tyres were aircraft tyres.

[JDNSW]

That trailer must put a lot of resistance, it would be better a single axle set up.
Just wander why they choose a tandem ?
The fuel consumption mas be phenomenal !

For the type of expedition planned (across sandhills with no prepared track) a trailer of any kind was a silly idea. Their main problem was that both vehicles were grossly overloaded, and this was the source of most of their problems. Part of this was inevitable, because they had to carry film making equipment, which was far heavier than it is today, but as with most four wheel drive setups, they carried a lot of gear that they did not need.

Another point that needs to be remembered is that society as a whole was a lot less affluent forty years ago, and they had to make do with what they could afford. The crew I was on was a professional organisation, and operating with more or less unlimited finances - but a lot of what we did would be regarded as incredibly primitive today, partly because specialised equipment did not exist, or their was little experience to guide us. Remeber that at the time, probably less than half a dozen non-aboriginal expeditions had ever penetrated deep into the Simpson. Today there would be few months or even weeks without more than this number.

John

[Chucaro]

I agree with your comments John, another thing is that the bigger the rig the more junk we carry. I guess that it is like the back yard shed never big enough :)
With my wife we started touring with a LR 109 wagon then we went "basic" with a BMW bike and the panniers, then we added a trailer with which we traveled 8 months. The capacity of the trailer and panniers was more than enough. After we built a motorhome using a Mazda 3500 bus for 2 years. Biggest mistake, to much junk. Now we have the Disco and a trailer and is more than enough. We are planning to go to a County or Def and get rid of the trailer. One less headache :)

[Jeff]

- in the 1960s it was common practice to use aeroplane tyres on sand. We did not use them on light vehicles (found a batch of 9.00x13 sand tyres, or used 7.50x16 radials)
John

When I was a kid in the 70s the local surf rescue mob had a SWB 2A with 9.00x13 aero tyres. As it only drove on the sand they were no problem. I don't know what rims were used but later when they got a LWB Series 3 it had gal Sunraysias and BFG retreads as I don't think the 13"s would fit over the larger brakes.

Jeff

:rocket:

[100I]

When I was a kid in the 70s the local surf rescue mob had a SWB 2A with 9.00x13 aero tyres. As it only drove on the sand they were no problem. I don't know what rims were used but later when they got a LWB Series 3 it had gal Sunraysias and BFG retreads as I don't think the 13"s would fit over the larger brakes.

Jeff

:rocket:

I remember the 2a my Dad bought in about 1982 came on a set of ribbed aircraft tyres, though he ditched them for regular rims & roadtrak majors.

[JDNSW]

When I was a kid in the 70s the local surf rescue mob had a SWB 2A with 9.00x13 aero tyres. As it only drove on the sand they were no problem. I don't know what rims were used but later when they got a LWB Series 3 it had gal Sunraysias and BFG retreads as I don't think the 13"s would fit over the larger brakes.

Jeff

:rocket:

Depends on what offset you use. We had them on both long and short Toyota FJ40/45 & 45V, and on IH AB 120s. No problem with brakes on any of them. Special wheels were made for the job by Wilson Wheel works in Brisbane. I don't know if they still exist.

John

[timaus13]

I remember very well looking forward to watching the next episode of the leyland bros along with my bro as kids, our dad is ex british army and brought us up in Tassie , every weekend we would bush walk or camp somewere new.
My bro and I promised each other that one day we would both have 4x4 vehicles and do just what the Leyland bros were doing on TV.
We are now doing just that every chance we get.:D:D:D
;):D:cool:Thankyou for the post enjoyed it more than words can describe.:D:D:D
Even more motivated to get out doors.
PS enjoyed the Mt Wellington 4x4 trip EastWest track on Saturday just gone with Carlos/Stooge of this forum and some NSW visitors. Paul100 from another forum.
Returned the key today and will look at doing the same run in a couple of weeks when Scrooge has his gearbox back in his RRover.
PS once again many tanks.:clap2::clap2::thumbsup:
:D:D:D

[cucinadio]

I remember very well looking forward to watching the next episode of the leyland bros along with my bro as kids, our dad is ex british army and brought us up in Tassie , every weekend we would bush walk or camp somewere new.
My bro and I promised each other that one day we would both have 4x4 vehicles and do just what the Leyland bros were doing on TV.
We are now doing just that every chance we get.:D:D:D
;):D:cool:Thankyou for the post enjoyed it more than words can describe.:D:D:D
Even more motivated to get out doors.
PS enjoyed the Mt Wellington 4x4 trip EastWest track on Saturday just gone with Carlos/Stooge of this forum and some NSW visitors. Paul100 from another forum.
Returned the key today and will look at doing the same run in a couple of weeks when Scrooge has his gearbox back in his RRover.
PS once again many tanks.:clap2::clap2::thumbsup:
:D:D:D

mate that sound's like my life except my dad was RAAF my bro and i did the same and we are now doing the same
we have just moved up to hervey bay from the gold coast, for the wife to finish uni and my bro live's here and we live and breath 4x4 it drives the ladies crazy.
my other bro has a fit of :Rolling: every time we stop at a creek, we get out and check it as you do and he breaks into :Rolling: every time we do and starts to sing :whistling: "travel all over the country side, ask the (last name ) ask the (last name) its bloody hillarias and we carnt stop :Rolling: for ages and this will go on all day if you let him near the uhf so we ban it from him :D but i havent convinced the little bro to buy a landy yet he's allmost coming over, just need to pri him away from his gq, anyways thanks for the flash back

cheers