Is this possible?

**grey_ghost** · 31st January 2021, 03:21 PM

So I was watching an old Movie on Friday night called "Ice Cold in Alex". It's a WW2 movie set in/around Tobruk.

Anyway - 3 army guys, and an army nurse driving an Austin Ambulance across desert country. They get to a very steep sand dune, and the Austin can't get up it - the rear wheels keep bogging down.

Their solution was - pull the spark plugs out, go up in reverse by using the crank handle.. The Austin was 2.5t, and the sand dune was very steep.

Their theory was - by going up in reverse using the crank handle, they would only move inches at a time, and not bog down..

I call foul on this - but, has anybody ever heard of this tactic before?

Cheers,
GG.

PS - In the last 10 seconds of the film there is a Series 1 parked in the street. The director of the film wanted to pay respect to the land rover and the film crew loved it, so it is seen in the very last scene. The film was set in 1943 - so not technically period correct. Ahem.

**V8Ian** · 31st January 2021, 03:42 PM

I used to own a Hillman with a crank handle, duff battery and no compression. I lived in a gully and used a similar method to get the car far enough up the hill to clutch start it. It was damned hard work, with a light sedan on bitumen. I'd say you're call is accurate.

**austastar** · 31st January 2021, 04:17 PM

Hi,
Ever tried to drive a front wheel driven car up a slippery slope (sand dune).
My guess the wheels would turn, but lack of friction and weight distribution would impede progress significantly.
Cheers

**JDNSW** · 31st January 2021, 07:53 PM

I'm guessing the vehicle had a lower reverse gear than first.

In 1946-49 our family 'car' was a Ford T truck. With gravity feed from a petrol tank under the front seat, and with petrol rationing in place (so there was never much petrol in the tank), a steep hill occasionally required going up in reverse to avoid fuel starvation. Especially interesting on a dark night with no streetlights. (reversing lights were not even dreamed of then)

**101 Ron** · 31st January 2021, 08:03 PM

The Austin Ambulance had a non standard Bliz 4 WD.conversion
The Ambulance should have been 2WD if period correct.

**loanrangie** · 2nd February 2021, 12:03 PM

Not on sand but years ago the battery died in my 81 RRC while at my parents place when no one was home.
Oddly no other cars around (my old man has more than you Tom) so nothing to jump off and pre-mobile phones, i tried roll starting but ended up with the rear facing down hill and no way to pull it back up. I got the crank handle out of the back put it in first gear low range and manually cranked it back onto flat ground ( spark plugs still in) took me over an hour but i managed to get far enough up that i could roll start it.

**RANDLOVER** · 3rd February 2021, 11:30 PM

Originally Posted by loanrangie

Not on sand but years ago the battery died in my 81 RRC while at my parents place when no one was home.
Oddly no other cars around (my old man has more than you Tom) so nothing to jump off and pre-mobile phones, i tried roll starting but ended up with the rear facing down hill and no way to pull it back up. I got the crank handle out of the back put it in first gear low range and manually cranked it back onto flat ground ( spark plugs still in) took me over an hour but i managed to get far enough up that i could roll start it.

I'm wondering why you couldn't just start it with the crank handle, or are they very difficult to start that way?

**Tins** · 3rd February 2021, 11:39 PM

Originally Posted by loanrangie

Not on sand but years ago the battery died in my 81 RRC while at my parents place when no one was home.
Oddly no other cars around (my old man has more than you Tom) so nothing to jump off and pre-mobile phones, i tried roll starting but ended up with the rear facing down hill and no way to pull it back up. I got the crank handle out of the back put it in first gear low range and manually cranked it back onto flat ground ( spark plugs still in) took me over an hour but i managed to get far enough up that i could roll start it.

Don't believe a word of that, Nick. Nobody has more cars than Tom. Mick Marsh doesn't count as he is no longer playing.

**loanrangie** · 4th February 2021, 07:49 AM

Originally Posted by RANDLOVER

I'm wondering why you couldn't just start it with the crank handle, or are they very difficult to start that way?

Ever tried hand cranking a V8, i dont know why they bothered with the handle and crank spigot. Might have worked if i removed half the spark plugs.

**jspyle** · 4th February 2021, 08:44 AM

'strewth, I remember that scene, always stuck in my mind. I could not recall the name of the movie, must have watched it 30 or 40 years ago.
Guess I'll have to watch it again.

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