Thread: Can't help a good stir

Originally Posted by disco_thrasher

well we all have our opinions

i reckon Roothy quite a character, so us been LR owners are gonna hate everyone how doesn't agree with LR sh#t we better be careful we gonna have about 85% of the world after us

I agree. I think Roothy is a great character and always good for a laugh and brings a lot of life to 4WD media/journalism - you can just about guarantee and entertining read from Roothy. I'm impressed also with how he gets in, gets grubby and isn't shy with his truck when it comes time to modify and repair it. Yeah, he talks about his truck a lot, clearly he loves it and this is all about 4WDing isnt it. Dare I say it, but you will be amazed at how many similarities there are between the old's 40's and our own series Landys.

I read his articles in A4WDM but I don't find them amusing. I'm put off by the writing style he uses in Bush Mechanic - it's always the same darts, beer, and the Handbrake (an insulting term in my book). In other mags, his style is adapted to suit and is easier (for me) to read.

I guess he is writing for his audience. If you've ever read Hot Fours, etc., or Street Machine, you'll see what I mean. They appear to be written for the adolescent.

Ron

i have never met the man, but know someone who has. he said he was at a dinner for something or other and the a4wdm team were there. he was talking to roothy and offered to buy him a beer...first surprise, he didn't want one. he doesn't drink that much at all. all the beer talk in the articles and videos is all about the yobbo image. (why you would want that is anyone's guess).
the second surprise was when they were talking about 4wds, roothy asked what he had, he told him he had an old landy and roothy was quite knowledgable about the particular model and full of praise for it. (again, all part of the image)
it's possible that the public profile for a4wdm of john rooth is a character rather than a real person. like alice cooper is a character portrayed by vincent fournier.
but this all sounds a little deep and too well thought out for an australian journo of roothy's standing.

Yes, he has owned Landies in the past.

The man is no fool. I think he's an ex-schoolteacher. He grew up on a sheep property, has been a miner. He's had a varied life.

People who haven't met us see us by our writings. Some think I'm a DH, others think I'm OK. My posts don't always agree with theirs so they may form an opinion based on those.

Ron

I dont think your a DH Ron although you do have a strange choice in millinery

Originally Posted by Mick-Kelly

I dont think your a DH Ron although you do have a strange choice in millinery

Well, I bought a new Akubra and left it on the bus in Broome (or Roebuck Roadhouse) - so I guess that pic has to stay up even longer!

Ron

I think Roothy is OK. Good to see someone passionate about their cars and especially older models. I think he has done a great job with Milo. As per all Toyota drivers they need an attitude adjustment. I think there are currently 4 Rovers in the magazines stable and they do seem to give them a fair run. Us as Landy owners pay out on their shortcomings so other brand owners will have a field day.
Having spent a lot of time in early 80s PC's and 70 series utes, they are about equivalent to a Series Landy from 2 decades previous.

Originally Posted by Slunnie

........ Dare I say it, but you will be amazed at how many similarities there are between the old's 40's and our own series Landys.

I used both extensively in the 1960s (and to some extent 70s), and while there are a few similarities, I think the differences are much more significant. What similarities there are are mostly because of their common heritage from the original Bantam Jeep or simply because they were built in the same era.
To give a couple of examples:-

They both have the fuel tank under the driver's seat - but the Landrover one is outside the body, the Toyota one is inside.

Landrover uses a unique box section welded chassis - Toyota used a conventional rivetted U-section chassis.

Both used live axles front and rear - but Landrover used full floating axles from 1958, Toyota used semifloating rear axle until about 1970. Landrover has always had detachable balls on the front axle - Toyota never has.

Landrover offered a diesel from 1958, Toyota did not have one until about 1975.

Series Landrovers always had detachable door tops on at least the front doors. Toyota never did - they had either windup windows or canvas doors with fixed windows.

Landrovers had four speed gearboxes with two speed transfer case from 1948 - Toyota initially had a four speed gearbox but no low range then adopted a three speed gearbox with two speed transfer case, not going to the four speed box until about 1975.

Toyotas came as standard with detachable side rims, split wheels were a rare option for Landrovers.

All the Toyotas sold in Australia in the era we are talking about had a six cylinder petrol engine - Landrover gave the choice of four cylinder petrol, four cylinder diesel or six cylinder petrol (from 1967) - and the Toyota engine was more powerful than all of them.

Toyota established the Landcruiser as the "standard" Australian four wheel drive initially using a shortage of Landrovers, then predominantly using their higher power/weight ratio, and, as Leyland threw away their conventional car business, maintained it by widening their dealer network as their sales of conventional cars expanded.

John