the maxidrive jigsaw

[incisor]

another piece to the puzzle drops into place....

it appears MR Autos at kippa ring have bought the rights plans and specs etc to most things maxidrive, excluding diffs, and things axle related including end caps etc.

so they will be doing the transfer gears, brass bungs etc etc..

[McDisco]

Inc

Thats good to know! Where are MR located?

Angus

[numpty]

Anzac Avenue Redcliffe.......Qld.

[dobbo]

I heard that the official story is the company has closed down however all products will still be produced off shore, very off shore like Europe offshore.

Just a rumour with no proof but that is the story I have heard.

[Phoenix]

I saw this a couple of weeks ago if it's of help


With the demise of Maxi-Drive Engineering there has been a big lost for Landrover owners. Mal was a brilliant Engineer with a head full of knowledge that will be badly missed by a lot of people (and most likely never replaced either). Maxi-Drive was put up for sale over 18 months ago, but due to having no luck with offers, it was decided to sell of the stock and call it a day.

Thankfully for Landrover owners, some items have been taken over by a couple of companies. Barry Ward used to be an employee of Maxi-Drive. He has branched off into his own business, which is called Hi’Tough Engineering. Basically, for all axles and drive flanges that used to be made by Maxi-Drive you can now contact Barry.

Details are:
Hi’Tough Engineering
Ph: 07 5530 4123
Fax:07 5530 6312
Unit 3, No 7 Ryecroft St
Carrara, QLD, 4211

MR Automotive in Redcliffe have taken over the brass filler bungs, track rods, the V belt pulley adjuster and the T pieces for breathers on the V8’s. Warren Smith (the Director) is currently in negotiations with Maxi-Drive with regards to the straight cut low range gears that are available for the transfer cases. There has been no decision made on this yet, but hopefully this will go ahead.

Have a look at MR Automotive’s website at: www.mrautomotive.com.au (http://www.mrautomotive.com.au/) for more information on item such as automatic transmission conversions for Defender’s.

Details are:
MR Automotive
Ph: 07 3284 6688
Fax: 07 3883 1485
182 Anzac Avenue
Redcliffe, QLD, 4020

The diff locks will no longer be made. There are still a few floating around stores, but for the majority of us the options have no decreased. The most bullet proof option left is to use the axles made by Hi’Tough Engineering and utilise ARB’s air locker.

CV’s are also no longer being made. At the time of writing, I had not found anyone that makes a better version than standard, but I’m quite sure that amongst the forums or readers there will be someone who can answer this question. Please pass on the info if you know of anything.

[incisor]

I heard that the official story is the company has closed down however all products will still be produced off shore, very off shore like Europe offshore.

Just a rumour with no proof but that is the story I have heard.
i got my info from the horses mouth..

[waynep]

What's the thoughts on parts for the lockers, vacuum actuators etc ?
I have a MD locker in back and a bit concerned about that.

[dobbo]

i got my info from the horses mouth..


Well like I said my source of info has no merit or proof, just a casual conversation and it was bought up.

[Greylandy]

Any reason why said companies are not taking on the locker? Cost of manufacturing to exy?

Is the rights and plans for the locker still for sale?

[Grizzly_Adams]

I think it was cost of equipment was too exy....

[sclarke]

I love the letter.....

"Maxi-Drive was put up for sale over 18 months ago, but due to having no luck with offers, it was decided to sell of the stock and call it a day."

What about 2 forum members that made an offer...

And Frog Island who made an offer???

Both i believe were on the money....

[Greylandy]

I love the letter.....

"Maxi-Drive was put up for sale over 18 months ago, but due to having no luck with offers, it was decided to sell of the stock and call it a day."

What about 2 forum members that made an offer...

And Frog Island who made an offer???

Both i believe were on the money....

Is that Frog Island based in the UK?

[isuzurover]

I love the letter.....

"Maxi-Drive was put up for sale over 18 months ago, but due to having no luck with offers, it was decided to sell of the stock and call it a day."

What about 2 forum members that made an offer...

And Frog Island who made an offer???

Both i believe were on the money....

All the whispers and "a mate of a mates girlfriend's sister told me..." crap is annoying...

How do YOU know the companies made offers and were "on the money".

I am sure that Mal would have accepted a reasonable offer if the terms were acceptable to him. He is one of the nicest and most honest blokes I have ever met in the LR "parts" community. It is a real shame that MD is no more, and the awesome MD lockers are no longer available.

I hope Mal overcomes any health problems he has at the moment and enjoys a long and happy retirement - he certainly deserves it.

[uninformed]

All the whispers and "a mate of a mates girlfriend's sister told me..." crap is annoying...

How do YOU know the companies made offers and were "on the money".

I am sure that Mal would have accepted a reasonable offer if the terms were acceptable to him. He is one of the nicest and most honest blokes I have ever met in the LR "parts" community. It is a real shame that MD is no more, and the awesome MD lockers are no longer available.

I hope Mal overcomes any health problems he has at the moment and enjoys a long and happy retirement - he certainly deserves it.


SPOT ON BEN!

what ever will be will be.... and i can tell you if a reasonable offer was made it would have been taken...

yes some people from Australia and overseas looked at maxidrive, BUT when they sore the detail and in house work involved they balked....

alot thought that most of maxi drive stuff was outsourced.... HAHAHAHAHA

stupid because thats the key to maxidrive succsess... doing it themselves and controling the end product,

yes some stuff was outsourced ie, heat treating but most manufacturing and machining was done in house.

i think most of Mals machines where customised by Mal himself to be specific for a task.....

the depth of his knowledge and manufacturing ability will never be truly know by most people

i would also like to say, please support HI TOUGH ENGINEERING, as Barry is continuing making axles the exact same as Mal (maxidrive) use to

Serg

[dullbird]

All the whispers and "a mate of a mates girlfriend's sister told me..." crap is annoying...

How do YOU know the companies made offers and were "on the money".

I am sure that Mal would have accepted a reasonable offer if the terms were acceptable to him. He is one of the nicest and most honest blokes I have ever met in the LR "parts" community. It is a real shame that MD is no more, and the awesome MD lockers are no longer available.

I hope Mal overcomes any health problems he has at the moment and enjoys a long and happy retirement - he certainly deserves it.

its not a mate of a mate.........clarkie is right people did make offers and fair offers too.......
the fact of the matter is offers were made it was taken right to the end of the time he allowed him self to get the deal over and done with (before his op) then decided at the last minute not to sell........thats his choice,
yes mal is a nice bloke i agree. i dont think anyone is suggesting otherwise.

but i too am getting sick to death of the poor old mal stories as he did have a choice to save the great name of maxi rather than let it wind down and he decided not too......that is his choice and that is fine.

what ever will be will be.... and i can tell you if a reasonable offer was made it would have been taken...


yes some people from Australia and overseas looked at maxidrive, BUT when they sore the detail and in house work involved they balked....

alot thought that most of maxi drive stuff was outsourced.... HAHAHAHAHA

stupid because thats the key to maxidrive succsess... doing it themselves and controling the end product,

yes some stuff was outsourced ie, heat treating but most manufacturing and machining was done in house.

i think most of Mals machines where customised by Mal himself to be specific for a task.....

the depth of his knowledge and manufacturing ability will never be truly know by most people

i would also like to say, please support HI TOUGH ENGINEERING, as Barry is continuing making axles the exact same as Mal (maxidrive) use to




sorry mate not trying to rock the boat here but that is not the case at all.............

i think you will find that the people that looked were more than capable of the job did not flee when they sore what was sorced out as the people that looked were actually shocked to see how much was sorced out!!!!!! they thought that everything was done in house......

so i dont know where your getting your facts from but they are wrong, and if you got that straight from the horses mouth too then that horse seriously needs a talking to..

[sclarke]

its not a mate of a mate.........clarkie is right people did make offers and fair offers too.......
the fact of the matter is offers were made it was taken right to the end of the time he allowed him self to get the deal over and done with then decided at the last minute not to sell........thats his choice, yes mal is a nice bloke i agree,

but i too am getting sick to death of the poor old mal stories as he did have a choice to save the great name of maxi rather than let it run down and he decided not too......that is his choice and that is fine.


OMG look a person who was part of the dealings.....

Yeah it was not a mate of a mate... it was a AULRO member who was one of the "potential buyers"

You tell em Skippy Dullbird...

[isuzurover]

the people that looked were actually shocked to see how much was sorced out!!!!!! they thought that everything was done in house......


If you are going to bother to post, at least give some facts rather than cast aspersions and innuendo. This makes it sound like like the potential purchaser backed out or significantly reduced their offer once they found out how much was outsourced. There must have been a reason given.

At the end of the day it is pointless to dredge all this stuff up. What's done is done, and it was Mal and Paula's company so their decision.

Now if someone wants to do something constructive - and get MD lockers back into production...

[dullbird]

If you are going to bother to post, at least give some facts rather than cast aspersions and innuendo. This makes it sound like like the potential purchaser backed out or significantly reduced their offer once they found out how much was outsourced. There must have been a reason given.

At the end of the day it is pointless to dredge all this stuff up. What's done is done, and it was Mal and Paula's company so their decision.

Now if someone wants to do something constructive - and get MD lockers back into production...


ok you the man and you obvioulsy know it all........

mal backed out not the purchaser!!!!!!!..........there you go theres a fact for you

[gruntfuttock]

There exist some people who, when presented with the facts, and the proof, still doubt and still want more proof and more facts and still fail to believe.
I strike this type of thing everyday.

MD is no more. Turn the page.

[isuzurover]

ok you the man and you obvioulsy know it all........

mal backed out not the purchaser!!!!!!!..........there you go theres a fact for you


I know nothing... That's why I am asking questions. I don't disbelieve you, but there are 2 sides to every story.

In my dealings with Mal - he was a great bloke, but definitely an engineer/machinist/enthusiast/LR tinkerer first, and a businessman second.

This thread sheds more light on the issue - didn't read page 2 and 3 of this before...
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/general-chat/47535-maxi-drive-has-shut-its-doors-2.html


mmmmmm i dont think so, he had it in his head what he wanted and what he wanted was too much for what he had

I think it is great that you and other AULRO members tried to keep MD going. Shame it didn't work out.

[dullbird]

its all good mate:)

its not something we wanted to ram down peoples faces..... hence why we all dont shout out about it.....

just got alittle upset when i read unimformeds post......as it was very long way from the truth if it wasn't for that i wouldn't of even spoke up

i just wonder where all these people like imfored get there info from as we pulled together to try and do a good thing, i would hate for anyone to think we were bad people or even people that would baulk (if i said that right) from a situation when it is not true......

so to set the record straight

we flew, we saw, we organised finace which was granted on the day, we offered, for not only the busines but for the sale of the entire property which would be negoatiated in a couple of years time (there choice), they asked for more, we weren't prepared to go any higher 1. was allready offered a fair price 2. it was to risky for us, it was dragged out and out and out 2 weeks later he pulled out.......

upset: of course.
his choice: absurltly.



I know nothing... That's why I am asking questions. I don't disbelieve you, but there are 2 sides to every story.

In my dealings with Mal - he was a great bloke, but definitely an engineer/machinist/enthusiast/LR tinkerer first, and a businessman second.

This thread sheds more light on the issue - didn't read page 2 and 3 of this before...
http://www.aulro.com/afvb/general-chat/47535-maxi-drive-has-shut-its-doors-2.html



I think it is great that you and other AULRO members tried to keep MD going. Shame it didn't work out.

[uninformed]

its all good mate:)

its not something we wanted to ram down peoples faces..... hence why we all dont shout out about it.....

just got alittle upset when i read unimformeds post......as it was very long way from the truth if it wasn't for that i wouldn't of even spoke up

i just wonder where all these people like imfored get there info from as we pulled together to try and do a good thing, i would hate for anyone to think we were bad people or even people that would baulk (if i said that right) from a situation when it is not true......

so to set the record straight

we flew, we saw, we organised finace which was granted on the day, we offered, for not only the busines but for the sale of the entire property which would be negoatiated in a couple of years time (there choice), they asked for more, we weren't prepared to go any higher 1. was allready offered a fair price 2. it was to risky for us, it was dragged out and out and out 2 weeks later he pulled out.......

upset: of course.
his choice: absurltly.
hey mate if you have a problem with me take it up with me!

as for along way from the truth, its not specific to one individual person mate, so who says i was refering to you, you werent the only one looking at maxidrive....

all good and i uderstand your point of view...

but thats just it, your point of view, Mal also had his i guess and thats that....

maybe a part of it was the fact that he may of felt that his name was so closely conected to Maxidrive, that if things went bad it could have reflected on him, just a guess

but the other stuff i have posted was not a guess,
the french people thought that most of the products where outsourced and bought of the shelf, they walked when they saw the detail involved...

i was also told that atleast one of the Australian offers wanted too much of his invovlement after sale, he did not want this....

im not saying that it was you, as i dont know who but was an Australian offer....

i think we should put this topic to its death now

IN MY OPINION: Mal story is a awesome engineer , great and kind person. he chose not to sell thats that.

if you guys had the finance and motivation, maybe you could start your own business, im sure you would get alot of support.

serg

[dullbird]

hey mate if you have a problem with me take it up with me!
as for along way from the truth, its not specific to one individual person mate, so who says i was refering to you, you werent the only one looking at maxidrive....

all good and i uderstand your point of view...

but thats just it, your point of view, Mal also had his i guess and thats that....

maybe a part of it was the fact that he may of felt that his name was so closely conected to Maxidrive, that if things went bad it could have reflected on him, just a guess

but the other stuff i have posted was not a guess,
the french people thought that most of the products where outsourced and bought of the shelf, they walked when they saw the detail involved...

i was also told that atleast one of the Australian offers wanted too much of his invovlement after sale, he did not want this....

im not saying that it was you, as i dont know who but was an Australian offer....

i think we should put this topic to its death now

IN MY OPINION: Mal story is a awesome engineer , great and kind person. he chose not to sell thats that.

if you guys had the finance and motivation, maybe you could start your own business, im sure you would get alot of support.

serg



when you said some australians and some oversea's people!!!
in our group two were ozi's and 2 where british so i could of only made the assumption it was us. wrongly but i did! so i appoligise.....


who said i had a problem with you?..........i mearly said i was upset by your post as i thought with out you knowing, info you had been given about us that was incorrect....

hey mate if you have a problem with me take it up with me!


i also would like to reitterate that by no means do we think mal is a bad person we except that he made his decision....
we know from meeting him in person as well as the reputation that he has that he is a good bloke..... and i have never said otherwise........i merly said enough of the poor mal boo hoo stories as we all know it was his business and he choose to wind it down.

[uninformed]

[quote=dullbird;699048]when you said some australians and some oversea's people!!!
in our group two were ozi's and 2 where british so i could of only made the assumption it was us. wrongly but i did! so i appoligise.....

what i ment was various parties, some from overseas, some from oz.........

who said i had a problem with you?..........i mearly said i was upset by your post as i thought with out you knowing, info you had been given about us that was incorrect....

just got alittle upset when i read unimformeds post......as it was very long way from the truth if it wasn't for that i wouldn't of even spoke up

i just wonder where all these people like imfored get there info from as we pulled together to try and do a good thing, i would hate for anyone to think we were bad people or even people that would baulk (if i said that right) from a situation when it is not true......

this is why i said you had a problem with me.....


dont worry mate, i think the internet is a very dangerous tool...

one reason why Maxdrive never had a web site, or why Mal never went online to forums....

if anyone here knows Bill Larman,aka daddylonglegs aka agrover they will know he left forums because of the missinfomation and bull**** that goes round, he is a great asset to the landrover comunity...

and i think that is what ben was refering to, people talking second hand info that they can't even repeat properly, and turn wrong into wronger

i dont think anyone was saying poor Mal, just saying stop with the heresay,

not saying that yours was heresay but others were......

serg