Thread: Engine Shot...

Originally Posted by slug_burner

mike_ie,

Some removalists put your stuff in a container, have you considered seeing if you can get a 20ft container, put your vehicle etc in it and then transfer the stuff that way. You would not be dependent on a car carrier that way and maybe removalists have containers they can hire instead of having to buy and sell a container.

Otherwise I'd be ok to provide a tow from Ballarat (ish) over to Gippsland were ever Vern is.

I'll take a look into it, thanks. We're currently looking at the costs of either shipping the personal items and roofrack separately on a pallet, or putting everything in storage up here and shipping the bare-bones defender down to Melbourne. Main concern with that being once we do that, we're committed to returning here to get it, and if there are any more delays, then it could be a serious problem.

Hi , i realy feel for ya mate , but it would not be a lot less stresfull and cheaper to ship or trailer the izuzu eng to the Alice , and spend the time waiting to strip out and get ready for new eng . Just my thoughts . Hope a solution is at hand soon , Al.

Originally Posted by Fatso

Hi , i realy feel for ya mate , but it would not be a lot less stresfull and cheaper to ship or trailer the izuzu eng to the Alice , and spend the time waiting to strip out and get ready for new eng . Just my thoughts . Hope a solution is at hand soon , Al.

I know it might sound like I'm doing this backwards, but the Isuzu is not a direct drop in, so there's a certain amount of fabrication involved, plus, rerouting the exhaust, maybe having to pick up a more suitable oil sump, so on and so forth. Down in Melbourne, Dave, Steve and others have done this swop before and are willing to help and offer advice, and if I need anything that we haven't already foreseen it's available within close proximity. Getting the engine to Alice means I'd have to get Vern or someone to take out the engine down there, freight it up, then I find I need a new sump, another week waiting (see headgasket fiasco earlier), turbo needs work, that's another week. It adds up very quickly.

Not disagreeing with you, just saying why we've chosen to get the Defender to the donor vehicle, not the other way round.

Sorry to hear about all the bad luck.

Long shot - what about buying a small/cheap flatbed truck and selling it again when you get to Vern's?

(though it may be hard to find one in Alice).

Hi Mike,

Have a look at the website Rental Relocations Australia New Zealand United States Canada - Hire Now at StandByCars ...They have some very cheap rentals for one-way between various towns in Oz ..if one of them has a trailer setup, you can tow your car with it. The prices start at $1 per day and they also have fuel allowances in some cases where they pay you some costs for fuel. I can see a 2Bed Caravan with Shower/Toilet from Alice to Melbourne for $1/day and $50 free fuel on the site now.

Might be worth giving them a call to see if they can help you out. Might also be useful to "ship" yourself if you can get the car shipped via other means

Good luck !

Funny you should mention it, We're on the phone with the relocation agencies right now. We're running into a few problems regarding dates - there are very few cars or campers requiring relocation at the moment, though we did find one for the 25th. The bigger problem is that the campers and 4WDs don't come with towbars on the back, I assume to specifically stop tourists from towing loads that they can't manage. I can hardly blame them - I've seen first hand the way tourists drive these things. But we are toying with the option of, if we get a big enough camper to relocate, chucking the roofrack, roof tent and contents of the Defender in the back of the camper and driving it down.

being Alice Springs there has to be some small truckie operators around that are having to go back empty (to adelaide or melbourne, or at least port augusta). (My father was an interstate truckie, had to do it all the time from major capitals no less!)

Get on channel 40; "breaker, breaker, anyone looking for a load back to adelaide?"

Go down to the truck stop if that doesn't work and enlist some help from the guys. Someone will know someone, hopefully.

if he is going back empty anyway, he'll jump at the chance to make some money.

You want the small time truckies, the companies are better organised and will send their trucks back loaded with their own empty trailers, or not at all.

then all you need is a stock ramp, or decent sized forklift...

Originally Posted by AndrewGJones

being Alice Springs there has to be some small truckie operators around that are having to go back empty (to adelaide or melbourne, or at least port augusta). (My father was an interstate truckie, had to do it all the time from major capitals no less!)

Get on channel 40; "breaker, breaker, anyone looking for a load back to adelaide?"

Go down to the truck stop if that doesn't work and enlist some help from the guys. Someone will know someone, hopefully.

if he is going back empty anyway, he'll jump at the chance to make some money.

You want the small time truckies, the companies are better organised and will send their trucks back loaded with their own empty trailers, or not at all.

That may be the best option. Try and find an owner driver who is interested in a cash job???