Starting a thread on AYI-077

[Sleepy]

As an aside, we probably should lobby someone in NSW to have them made available again.

In VIC we can still order White on Black plates (as used pre 1976). At a price of course. I am sure lots of vehicle restorers would buy them.

Just gotta convince some politician they can make money out of it.

[Sleepy]

Hey, just turned on 7TWO (Channel 7's digital channel) Watching Leyland Bros circa 1972 treking to Cape York. Two Landies (with boats and caravans )


One rego is AYI 566 (sister vehicle ) 109" ute

This is an episode of Leyland Brothers World (1977) which is a flashback to one of their earlier shows OFF THE BEATEN TRACK (1972)

The episode is called TREK TO THE TOP

YEP, There it is AYI 077!!!!!!!!

It is still on for another hour

[justinc]

Just in time to see a stripped crownwheel on AYI 077


JC

[Sleepy]

Just in time to see a stripped crownwheel on AYI 077
JC

Yeah made a mess of it. THose big tyre weren't much chop either. Even Mal admits they later changed to "truck" tyres - I imagine 7.50x16LT

I suspect the combination of the holden donk and those big tyres and a bit too much right foot.- something had to give.

Now all we need to do is track down the ute.

Anyone seen AYI 566??

I'm very immpressed with getting across the Jardine - even though they did winch. That's a hellavu big river - half way up the windscreen. One of them waded across a few times (mustn't have had any crocs back then)

Hellava winch too - they described it as being custom made from an aircraft starter motor. And how much cable did they have to reach across and back

Also note the Landcruiser they joined up with - it was a classic "Slab sider" wagon - I think the designation is FJ25. (Predates the FJ55 and has a FJ40 front end and corrigated sides) You used to see a few in the 70's. Nearly bought one 10 years ago. (Before I saw the light)


SO tell me Rangie Rover, does it still have the cut away guards and the home made flares on the arches?

Damn, I thought the DVD was availlable at JB Hifi but that is the "Ask the Leyland Brothers" series. This was from the later "Leyland Brothers World" series. No doubt they changed the name when they built that theme park north of Sydney.

Perhaps Channel Seven can help us.

[Rangier Rover]

I one of you recorded this.

I think quite a few have seen pics of it as it is now as have been circulating around via email or pm's.

The rear guards have the cut still but fronts have had the outer skins replaced. All the holes for racks,water tanks etc have been plated up.

Interesting your thoughts on Number plates. I think I should hang onto them as would be likely the RTA would do them in

I so much appreciate the support so far Many thanks. It'll be worth it for all of us. My wife and kids have suggested getting some sort of sponsorship from media etc. I'm not sure how it would go though.

Getting it into some sort of a car club may be a good idea though.

Tony

[JDNSW]

Also note the Landcruiser they joined up with - it was a classic "Slab sider" wagon - I think the designation is FJ25. (Predates the FJ55 and has a FJ40 front end and corrigated sides) You used to see a few in the 70's. Nearly bought one 10 years ago. (Before I saw the light)

I had one of them as a company car in the Simpson in 1965-6. Called FJ45V. Worst Landcruiser I have ever had anything to do with. Also the worst ride of any vehicle I have ever had anything to do with thanks to the 104" wheelbase and long rear overhang, giving high rear tyre pressures. Also bad shock absorbers. Bodywork failed to stand up to offroad use. Tendency to break wheel studs, lousy steering, carburetter problems. Alternator regulator failed at about 10,000miles and cooked the battery. But it went pretty well, as long as you did not have too far to go - as little as 6mpg on the highway.

John

[Sleepy]

I had one of them as a company car in the Simpson in 1965-6. Called FJ45V. Worst Landcruiser I have ever had anything to do with. Also the worst ride of any vehicle I have ever had anything to do with thanks to the 104" wheelbase and long rear overhang, giving high rear tyre pressures. Also bad shock absorbers. Bodywork failed to stand up to offroad use. Tendency to break wheel studs, lousy steering, carburetter problems. Alternator regulator failed at about 10,000miles and cooked the battery. But it went pretty well, as long as you did not have too far to go - as little as 6mpg on the highway.

John

Thank god I saw the light!

[MickS]

With a lot of novocastrians on the forum, is it possible for one of them to get a story going in the local media? Stimulate some interest that way, then see if that will spike the interest of larger media outlets/organisations. It may then bring on board sponsorship dollars etc...Australian Story would be a pearler ...

[Jeff]

Due to the magic of Foxtel IQ, I could pause and rewind a few times and the table top AYI 566 definately had a Rover six in it, as the dizzy was too high and on the wrong side for a Holden. You could also see the breather on the rocker cover. The wagon was harder to see in the engine bay as they showed less of it with the bonnet up, I will watch it again soon and try to see it. Maybe they fitted Holden engines later, as this was the first of the Off The Beaten Track series. I remember in their book, Discovering Australia, the Tanami trip they did the wagon, AYI 077, had a similar winch to the other but without the motor (Dawn winch?). They certainly carried a lot of stuff.

Jeff

[350RRC]

Anytime I see an old vehicle with its original plates (usually driven by a senior member of society) I think "how good is that? If that car could talk."

Interesting you said that. My POS was missing the front plate when I bought it. New repro at the time cost $25 and had the Vic political slogan at the time (Kennet era) 'ON THE MOVE' (to Queensland was the joke) which replaced the 'GARDEN STATE' original slogan (Cain era). Vicroads were saying just get new plates with new numbers rather than repros.

Replaced the rear one due to rust recently and repro just has Vic on it.

Point is the guy who put the Chev in it 20 years ago only recognised it because of the plates. (has a red body rather than white now) and that chancy meeting was the only way I found out the full history of the vehicle.

cheers, DL