overland vehicle prep.

[nobber]

ms nobber and myself have found ourselves in the awfull predicament where we will be going on an overland trip this time next year. partly because we arnt going anywhere this year and partly because my college course is finished this time next year and im taking 3 or 4 months off.
so , we have a year to plan it all out properly.

we will be using the 90 and were wondering (most info we have found is on 110's) what would you do to a 90 ensure a good trip?
an extra fuel tank under the passanger seat and a water tank is obvious but what would you bring?

also , we are thinking about morroco and northern africa as a destination , possibly egypt , any ideas?

[Geobloke]

Mr Moderator AJ has done Morrocco - pM him!

[Devon-Rover]

Great choice :) I went to morocco in october last year. It was amazing! :D
A roof tent would be a good thing as not many campsites have such a thing called grass.
an awaning is a nice thing as it is nice whilst having luch by the side of the road or when at a campsite to sit under and get out of the sun.
If you are taking to some of the tracks in the Atlas mountains then a nice set of sturdy AT's is a good thing.
A snorkel will help in keepng the dust out of the air intake.
You can get the maps from michelin but IIRC you can buy the satalite maps online. but they arn't cheap!
Give the vehicle a good service before you leave. If a cambelt change is due then it'll be for the best to get it done before you go. Change the oils and give everything a through check. Shock absorber bushes have a habit of taking a hammering esp if your on the rough tracks. Might be a good idea to take a spare set.
Take a spare tyre. Two if your planning going somewhere remote. A spare rim if you have alloys.
Brushing up on your french is an advantage.
This is a few things. I'm sure AJC will be able to fill you in more comprehensivly than i can.

HTH

Rowan.

[toppa]

Extra fuel tank under the passenger seat???? Isnt that where your battery is????

Or you going to mover the battery?



Cheers

[jkelly]

nobber... This is what we do...so hopefully should be able to advise!!

The best piece of advice to remember is this - preparation and quality items are essential.

Are you going on your own or as a larger group? If you are on your own you need to be independant as you cant borrow items from your group when you haven't got something!!

For the puropses of this reply I'll assume your going on your own.

Rubber:
Good Quality AT tyres (235*85*R16)

Suspension:
How old is your vehicle? Chances are even a newish vehicle would beneit from new uprated springs and dampers (OME) as you will be carrying a fair amount of weight and the roads arent all made of that black smooth stuff.

Engine (TD5?):
If your going somewhere hot with a heavy vehicle then an intercooler upgrade and ECU remap would be beneficial. 300Tdi Intercooler and fuel optimisatoin.

Protection:
Expedition style wheel carrier or quality swing away.
Some degree of steering & diff protection
Snorkel to protect from dust

Electrical:
Whole subject in it-self. Ideally 2 batteries and a quality split charge system. Minimum 1 quality Dual purpose gel battery.

Fuel:
A dual tank system is a possibility - we can offer systems for a 90. Another option is simply to have a dual jerry can holder on the roof - thats another 40 - 50L. Giving you a total range of about 600 - 700 miles. Of course the big benefit of an adittional tank is that your centre of gravity is lowered and so give you a bit more stability.

Fridge:
Engel. Need say no more!

Navigation:
Maps are OK. We suggest a complete GPS, GPRS equipped Rugged Tablet PC or one of our car computers. This will then let you run memory-map & other Ordnance Survey style map programs. Navigator 4 give you TomTom style sat nav all over europe. You can then also have Rovacom with you in case of breakdowns...And of course carry Gb of mp3's!

Roofrack:
You need something efficient and light - there are many different racks that vary tremendously in quality - we suggest Patriot as they are made from structural aluminium so are light. They are also modular and bolted together so you dont need to worry about finding a man with a welder if your steel / welded aluminium rack was to crack under fatigue. Just take a few spare bolts, locktite and alan key with you.

Roof-tent:
As others have suggested, roof tents are great. Without naming names there is a best one out there.

Awning:
A definate must - up within 30s and provides immediate shade.

This clearly is just a very simplistic outline. If you want any further advice or assistance, just drop me a line or give me a call.

[100WattWarlock]

Hey Nobber,

We're thinking of going to Morocco in October, you should check out some of the info on this site:

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/

...although predominately for 2 Wheelers, they do have 4WD info in their forums, and a lot of the 2 wheel stuff applies, there are also people logged on almost everywhere you are thinking of going, and they can advise, people have been stuck in africa, have posted their predicament to the site, and people have contacted people, who have in turn contacted people locally, and they have been helped out of the poo. So a good site!

[streaky]

First off...........

You have to decide on your route before you know what kit to take.

Getting a car into Egypt is a pig. The customs authority will lighten your pocket by quite alot even if all papers and documents are in order. Even more if you want to cross boarders within 24hrs.
I'd been toying about doing Egypt for some time but have been put off by my freind at the Embassy in Cairo. It would be a great place to drive through and I don't want to put you off.... but be prepared for hastles beyond imagination.
I would have to say that entry to Egypt by sea via ferry to Port Said would be the best bet.

I've been using roof top tents for years but have recently been introduced to another sleeping solution called the 'tentcot'. (do a Google). They are 500% lighter than the roof tents, just as fast to erect, they are much easier to store on the roofrack....less drag also for MPG.
There's even a twin version although I don't know of anyone who's used it.
Think about putting a secure box/safe somewhere in the truck. Many people look at fitting one under the seats or center compartment, but a mate of mine who's in Dubai at the moment half way through his two year round the world overland trip has made a false checker plate wing top and has his locakble cubby underneath the treadplate. The checker plate is screwed down instead of rivets..... no -one would ever suspect a safe is undermeath....not even the boarder patrol guards who are constantly looking over the vehicles here and in Africa.
Dead locks and window grills secured from inside the car could make a huge difference in having stuff nicked or not. It doesn't have to be top notch water jet cut stuff.....simple grills from old fridges will do just as well.
Fit a hidden kill switch somewhere.......extremely cheap to do.

A small inverter of 500w is usefull for charging camera batteries or the laptop.
Many folk like the on board water tanks but I've found bottled water in just about every country I've been to. To be sure you can use the purification tablets with chlorine to follow etc.

Gotta dash........more later.

[jepaton]

I've been dreaming of a trip for a while, and recently purchased:

Vehicle Dependent Expedition Guide by Tom Sheppard (£35 direct from Royal Geographical Society)

Very impressed with the level of detail. Covers as much about what you shouldn't bring as well as what you should. With a 90 your load capacity is going to be small, so you're going to have to think harder. Consider chucking the fridge and the awning overboard, you need the space (and weight allowance) for water, fuel, food, cooking equipment, tools, spares, sleeping equipment, clothes ...

Jonathan Paton

[jkelly]

Consider chucking the fridge and the awning overboard, you need the space (and weight allowance) for water, fuel, food, cooking equipment, tools, spares, sleeping equipment, clothes ...


If you are considering an awning that has 3 sides (the 4th being the vehicle) and a roof then I'd have to agree. Space is of a premium. However, the awning I was referring to is more of a roller-blind type arrangement that bolts to the side of the roof-rack and takes up about 4" diameter on the outer side of the roof-rack along its length. Once up it is supported by a pole in each corner and guy ropes if theres a wind. Therefore you get the instant shade, no storage or wight worries - A definate consideration for hot destinations.

Also, just my opinion but I disagree with discarding the fridge. If you really cant make space for a 32L / 40L Engel then remove the centre seat and put the 17L Engel in its place and use that as a fridge come arm rest!..

As for cooking. Consider a gas bottle stored on the roofrack or I have seen some mounted on the rear above the spare wheel carrier (not on the carrier though). Then your dual burner stove, gas pipe & regulator can be packed away and stored in a tidy compartment on the inside of the rear door.

[streaky]

I'd have to dissagree with JP about not having a fridge.(try doing a 10 day trip in +40 conditions and you'll be glad of it.)
I have a 32lt Engal, small in comparison to many others but invaluable when it comes to keeping the meat and perishables in good condition. They're not just for chilling down the beer y'know! (otherwise I'd have gone for a massive one!)
Hannibal Awnings rock....no supports and guide ropes nessesary, so as the sun moves around you can manouver the truck with it with minimal of fuss. They are expensive for what they are, hence I made an exact copy for my Discovery using the one from the 130 as an original to follow.
They're also great for hanging the solar shower from.

If you panel the sides of your 90 I think you'd be supprised at how much space there is to stow stuff. Stackable boxes which can be secured properly will save you in weight as opposed to the popular MDF storage system drawers.
I have fitted flush mounted tie down points in every conceivable place imaginable....on the roof rack top, sides, inside the rear cargo area etc. Try to get initciative with this and think out how you'll store your gear. Soon you'll find a pattern which ensures the stuff is put away in the same order each time.
Kids stuff...but remember to store the most regularly used equipment in the most accessible places.... not by putting the cooking gear underneath the spare parts box etc.

Think about stiffening the springs...but this should be done once you've established how much gear/weight you have on board. Weight will be your biggest concern of all though.

Regards.

Streaky.

[nobber]

thanks guys , some brilliant advice there.
a fridge is a must im afraid ,we are both (ms nobber and myself)vegetarians (although i do eat the odd burger) but i need my cold beer.:D
weight is going to be something to consider simply because i like to travel light and keep it simple , also because of space and mpg's.
most of the weight , id assume , will be from diesel and water.

the extra fuel tank under the passanger seat i think is the way forward.
i will be starting to rebuild the 90 sometime within the next few months so this should be an easy modification. now , would i need a tank from a left hand drive 90 or are they all the same?
this will mean battery storage will have to be sorted. the obvious place would be in the back but id rather have a solution that involves putting them under the floor , or at least out of the way , how is the mot test on battery storage?

an awning can be made from tent poles and a tarp with some string , its not a difficult thing to do and i really dont see the point on spending a lot of cash on some shade when i can use the above method for next to nothing. (the more money i save , the further i can go).

and speaking of going far , if i need to go further than morroco do i really have to drive all the way to the south of the country to get over the border? this kind of puts my route down the west coast into marituania (not that i mind , it looks like a nice place) instead of across the north coast. i think the first thing is to research a route , find out how much diesel it will take , add another 30% onto that figure and go from there.

LANDMINES , scare the trousers off me , can anyone recommend some good maps of the area?
ive been reading about this guys travels http://www.roamingyak.org/index.html and its been very helpfull indeed , and also a good read before bed.

now the big issue , cost. diesel seems to be half price in morocco which means i can go twice as far for my money but how much are camp sites , food , beer etc , any one know?

[streaky]

Extra Fuel Tank.
Where there's a will etc.... my under seat tank in the 130 came from a lightweight. I made the extra brakets and welded them to the chassis. Job jobbed. I'd imagine there's a much easier way if you have all of the parts available though. Out here I don't have that luxury........
You can get three Optima batteries into a single Defender seat box. I don't know what you have now but I'd imagine you'll be running at least one extra battery to power the fridge?

For route/tourist information you may want to try Embassies. Either the Britsh Emaassy in the country you intend to visit..... or try the other way around by finding out if Algeria has an Embassy in your country etc.
Lonely Planet books is another good source of info but things tend to change fast in Africa and the info could be outdated quicker than the publishers can keep up.......

[bellis]

I'm currently touring N America in a 110, not exactly Morocco I know, but here are some thoughts following 3 months on the road.

There are 3 things that I wish I had done before leaving the UK : Fit a fridge, build a bunk in the back and (perhaps most importantly of all) think more about how things shold be stored...

I would say that a GOOD fridge is essential - not just for cold beer, but as a way of storing fresh food. Living out of cans and packets gets very dull after a while, and doesn't do your insides any good either.

I've picked up a cheapo fridge here, but it is not in the same league as an Engel or ARB. Its going in the bin the moment I find an Engel for sale here.

Also, being an idiot I've managed to flatten my aux. battery twice with this 'fridge' - once to the point where my split charge system refused to believe that the aux. battery was connected at all. If your split charge system has a low voltage shut off for the aux battery, use it, and also make sure you can override the split charge manager and force the split charge relay to work.

As to the bunk, impossible for you in the 90 I know, but there are times when you just need to be able to pull over to the side of the road and get your head down without all of the fuss of putting up the tent. I did think about a roof tent, but they are small, expensive, as aerodynamic as a brick and weight in the worst possible place.

The above is really down to my third point, how things are stored. In some ways I have found that this is actually more important than what I am carrying - and I'm still learning. Could you pull over at the side of the road, open the back and have stove, water, pot, tea / coffee to hand without unpacking half of the car? Some thought about what you will need, in what combination, and how often will make your trip a lot more bearable. Small things become really annoying after a while. Several small boxes / bags seem to be better than a few large ones in this regard.

What I really should have done is a couple of fault finding trips in the UK first. Getting things ready takes a lot more time than you think - and I ran out. (Take your expected trip food with you - I've found that my tastes are very different when camping than when indoors)

Other things, in no particular order:

Think about passenger comfort a lot, you are going to be in the car for 8 or so hours per day for 3 to 4 months by the sound of it - a comfy driving position is not a luxury.

Don't go overboard on off road toys - you are going to be a long way from help if you meet any 'interesting' terrain and get stuck / vehicle damage so you should not really be doing anything too extreme (you are driving your 'home' not just a weekend toy). The correct thing do do is to turn around and find an alternative route. (That 'interesting' little track can get very scary very quickly - been there, done that, turned round a lot later than I should have done).

Mechanically I'd keep things as standard as possible, much easier to get standard parts in the middle of nowhere.

Fit a few extra power outlets (the cigarette lighter type, not the posh DIN sockets as no one makes anything with the right plug on the end), you'd be surprised how handy they can be.

If you have new tyres fitted (as I did) get them done a month or so before you leave, and give the car a few long trips before you go. I had 5 punctures with the first 3 weeks of my trip - 3 within 12 hours leaving me with 3 flat tyres - and one 70mph blowout. As far as I can see all of these were due to fitting faults not the terrain. (By the way, the 70mph blowout caused the car to spin 180 deg in motorway traffic - the amount of body roll was startling, and I was certainly glad I was not carrying anything on the roof at the time! Hence the comments re a roof tent).

Same goes for any other modifications...

Use jerry cans / water cans not on board tanks. You can remove them to lighten the load, walk to a filling station / water tap etc, and if the worst does happen and you get bad fuel or water, you only lose that can not the entire supply. You can also dunk a water can in a pond/lake/river for later filtration, difficult to do that with a vehicle mounted tank. Double tanks on a diesel are quite complicated to plumb in - simple and repairable is good.

A small length of hose with the appropriate fitting to screw on to a water tap is quite handy.

LED lights are a wonderful invention, so are digital cameras. An easy to use camera stored in the dashboard is much more likely to be used that that wonder camera in the back.

Speaking of electronics, rechargeable batteries are good. I've got an LED lantern that takes the same AA rechargeables as my digital camera, plus a 12v AA battery charger for the car - makes life a lot easier if you only have to look after 1 battery size.

Make sure you take the appropriate plug adaptor for anything mains powered... Guess who didn't.

I've found that standing room inside a tent is quite important to me now that I am effectively living in one, as is enough room to relax and read a book if it is raining outside. Taller, roomier tents appear to be better in hot weather too.

Most camping gear for sale in the UK is aimed at people who want to climb Everest over the week end, not go on a long expedition. Think before you buy.

Don't bother with a sleeping bag, take a duvet or a few blankets instead. I prefer blankets - easier to clean and you can fine tune how hot you are in bed. Cheaper too, especially if you are going through several temperature zones like I am.

"Sahara Overland" by Chris Scott is worth a read - he has been doing the kind of trip you are planning for years, and his book includes lots of advice, plus a number of researched routes you might want to look at. He is a bit less formal than Tom Sheppard too.

[Chock]

finding out if Algeria has an Embassy in your country etc

I was under the impression that the Algerian border was closed for this sort of trip?

[streaky]

I was under the impression that the Algerian border was closed for this sort of trip?

Thats exactly my point.......find out all this stuff along time in advance.
To get to Egypt Via North Africa you'd have to either go through or by-pass Algeria. Hardly practicle by Mali, Niger, Chad,Sudan.....Egypt... but what an adventure that would be!

Some good points from Bellis there. Although I personally hate ciggerette sockets.... not secure enough and the DIN ones have a better amperage rating. I keep a supply of the male ends and swap them over.... but I do hear you there.........

[lrodolly]

Hi nobber

Kitting out you & and your vehicle is the exciting part - the paperwork needs as much if not more planning.

re landmines: I did a lot of field work in Thailand and the remote border regions are littered with old ordinance - stick to used paths and tracks.

Cooking - I like the MSR range. pricey, compact and will run on diesel. Good to have as a back up

In addition to the two good sources 100WattWarlock and bellis have already recommended - bookds and links from the following are a good
http://www.adventure-motorcycling.com/ - Chris Scott

cheers
Dave

[bellis]

Following on from my last post, another thought. Having just met a couple of Americans who have been touring in their NAS spec 90 and had a quick peek inside, I think your concerns re space might be justified (lovely noise from the engine though!). They had gone the roof tent / awning route, and, god forbid, also had jerry cans in the roof rack. Even with empty cans the amount of body roll was alarming as they left the car park.

So, how about a trailer?

Get yourself an ex army trailer and build a robust lid for it. Put the roof tent on the trailer lid and stuff like bulk food, clothes, service spares, some (not all) spare fuel and water in the trailer. Cooking stuff, fridge, the days food plus tools (it would be depressing to break down and have just the thing you need to repair the fault in the trailer 10 miles away), recovery kit (ditto) and sightseeing equipment go in the 90.

The more I think about it the more I like the idea...

From a touring point of view if you need a quick overnight stop, you can just unfold the tent and doze off. Yet if you need to stop for longer you can quickly unhook the trailer and have everything you need "in camp" - much quicker than unloading boxes from the car. You have huge amounts of storage space (probably too much if you keep acquiring stuff like me), yet divided so that things will be accessible without needing to unload half the car or clamber around inside.

It also keeps the weight off the roof of the 90 and minimises the amount of bulk carried inside. And of course allows you to use the 90 day to day without lugging all of your expedition kit around.

There are disadvantages of course, both on and off road (see Tom Sheppard's book for the off road ones) but from what little I know of Morocco, I can't see that many of these would apply.

[jkelly]

...They had gone the roof tent / awning route, and, god forbid, also had jerry cans in the roof rack. Even with empty cans the amount of body roll was alarming as they left the car park...




This sounds like they forgot to give any regard to the suspension on the vehicle whilst prepping it, or did a DIY job and got it wrong!

If you get the right springs and dampers on the vehicle, even a fully loaded 90 should be more than OK to drive off-road, let alone out of a car park.

I may have said before in an earlier post (can't remember), you should really put Old Man Emu springs and dampers at the top of your suspension list...Then give the guys at Devon4x4 a call - they are about the most informed in the UK and will give you a spot on solution. You will need to tell them the weight of your kit, where its loaded, what you want from the vehicle etc etc.

If you are considering a proper expedition trailer then drop me a mail and I can put you in touch with the right people.

[nobber]

thanks guys for the info.
im really liking the trailer idea however it may put my mpg into the expencive bracket. i doubt i could afford an expedition trailer and im thinking a sankey might be a bit heavy.
fiberglass on the other hand....

maybe a diy job....

[bellis]

The trailer shouldn't add too much to the fuel consumption, unless you pick something the size of a bus. It may be less than roof rack etc. will add. If you go this route, personally I'd go for the Sankey as its big, robust and designed for off road use. It also takes the same wheels as a 90 (you may have gathered that I'm a fan of the 'Keep It Simple Stupid' principle).

I can also second the recommendation re Devon 4x4. First class service.

On the topic of fuel consumption, don't forget to monitor yours for a while before you go so you can work out how far you can drive per tank / jerry can / division on the fuel gauge.

[Cannonball Bob]

nobber, PM me if you'd like some up to date gen on landmines and how to spot them.
Can even show you some fake but very believable ones used in training.

[JamesD]

RE: Landmines

http://www.icbl.org/lm/2001/morocco/

Are you going south to Western Sahara? If not then you shouldnt have a problem with mines.

[JamesD]

http://www.wsahara.net/landmines.html

[BigJim]

There's an excellent book on the sahara, covers vehicles, preapration, routes etc. Borrowed it once and can't remeber the full title, do an amazon search for what is available.
Going alone will restrict you to firm 'roads', if you go off road at all (even to camp for the night, and you may prefer to be out of sight of the road in some places) you will need to take full self recovery kit, and a trailer will increase your chances of getting bogged.

[oneten110]

I think the only preparation I did to my car prior to visiting Morocco was to put some diesel in it. I had no problems whatsoever in 2 months there. Driving off road for over 3,500 miles on everything from deep, soft sand to very rocky piste.
I carried lots of spares, especially air filters, but ended up using 1 air filter and 1 oil filter.
This was in an 18 years old truck with 185,000 miles on it, absolutely standard but in excellent mechanical condition.

[baz]

And for a sankey with a 'tent' (no not me plugging it)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Sankey-3-4-High-Top-Military-Army-trailer-with-canvas_W0QQitemZ280014955440QQihZ018QQcategoryZ988 2QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
I't's 6 ft longxabout 52 wide.
See also the sankey thread on the military section of the forum.

LR wheels fit the Sankey studs but are deeply offset to make them level with the body of the tub, 110 wheels are a bit offset so protrude by 1.5", 90 wheels have less offset so protrude by 2.5". So you just have to make arch extensions.
The sankey weighs 600lb I think, of which the tub might be 250lb. I calculated a DIY aluminium tub as around 100lb. or perhaps those should be kg, so might be more.

[billh]

Lots of good advice here. We've just go back from 7 months driving to Cape Town so I thought I'd chip in with some ideas (If you want to know what we did to our 110 hardtop there's a list in the for sale ad here ;) ).

A rooftent is great. It goes up quickly, is nice and flat and you can store your bedding in there. It also gets you nice and far from the nasty animals etc. However it is expensive and heavy, especially perched on your roof. For north Africa a ground tent is fine, but get good thick thermarests. We have a Howling Moon tent (IMHO the best) and wouldn't be without it, but it's 50-odd unnecessary kgs on the roof. That's a lot of useful space/load on a luxury.

A fridge is also great and IMO a necessity. Warm water (nevermind beer) is grim.

As people have said you can get bottled water pretty much anywhere, just carry some iodine (and vitamin c rich powdered drink to neutralise it) or chlorine. Hand pumped filters are very hard work and the electric pump and katadyn system we have is expensive, even if the shower is lovely.

Chris Scott's Sahara Handbook is brilliant, verging on indispensible. We did a few desert crossings with it and the maps we had were superfluous because of the route details. GPS is very useful and there's a range of options. We had a basic etrek we upgraded to a GPSMap 60. This made life much easier, but the Garmin base map had roads consistently out by up to 20km:eek: There's a web community based map called tracks4africa that is great in southern africa, but a bit sketchy in the north.

We didn't find Egypt too bad to enter (from Libya), but we heard a few stories. It cost us the £105 official fee plus about a tenner in "lubrication" and took 3 hours. Some people got stung quite a bit worse.

We also took shed loads of recovery kit, including a handwinch. It's still unused apart from the rope we used to pull out a couple of land cruisers:D We did use the spade though, mainly for digging holes to cr4p in.:o

[billh]

Another idea is converting your rear windows (if you have any) to an access hatch. We saw one landy that had a shelved box behind for easy access to food etc.

[nobber]

nobber, PM me if you'd like some up to date gen on landmines and how to spot them.
Can even show you some fake but very believable ones used in training.

will do bob , when are you off fella?


tent cots , ive been looking into these and they seem way way better than roof tents so im going to go down this road i recon , providing i can find a uk supplier.

now , engines , ive got a 2.3 petrol but this isent any good at all for my needs so im thinking 2.5 n/a for robustness , 2.5 td for extra power and 200 tdi for both.
i dont know if i can include a 200 tdi in my budget no0r do i want an engine that will self destruct (2.5 td) so its boiling down to a 2.5 N/A which gives the most mpg anyways even if a bit slow.

so guys , what are your views on engines , anyone know what top speed i can expect from a n/a?

[jkelly]

will do bob , when are you off fella?


tent cots , ive been looking into these and they seem way way better than roof tents so im going to go down this road i recon , providing i can find a uk supplier.

now , engines , ive got a 2.3 petrol but this isent any good at all for my needs so im thinking 2.5 n/a for robustness , 2.5 td for extra power and 200 tdi for both.
i dont know if i can include a 200 tdi in my budget no0r do i want an engine that will self destruct (2.5 td) so its boiling down to a 2.5 N/A which gives the most mpg anyways even if a bit slow.

so guys , what are your views on engines , anyone know what top speed i can expect from a n/a?

Nobber,
If your after a quality ground tent, I suggest you speak to Trek Overland - They do the Howling Moon ground tents - Excellent. If you speak to them, say Hi from me.

As for engines... Given the overall cost involved in your trip I personally would find the cash to give me a 200tdi. I would agree with you about the 2.5td, strike it off the list straight away. The 2.5D N/A is a reliable lump, but a lump it is... Dont forget torque and all those driving characteristics that the 200tdi will bring to the party that the 2.5D N/A simply cannot. Driving long distances with a weedy slow engine will make your life hell, especially when you keep thinking "I wish I'd put Tdi in now"... which you will.

[streaky]

We shipped our Tent Cots into Dubai from the U.S.. Have you tried Cabela's website? They do them.
Or drop a mail to the manufacture's in the U.S for info on UK distributors.

Regards.

[nobber]

thanks streaky , im sure i will get one in the end.;)




As for engines... Given the overall cost involved in your trip I personally would find the cash to give me a 200tdi. I would agree with you about the 2.5td, strike it off the list straight away. The 2.5D N/A is a reliable lump, but a lump it is... Dont forget torque and all those driving characteristics that the 200tdi will bring to the party that the 2.5D N/A simply cannot. Driving long distances with a weedy slow engine will make your life hell, especially when you keep thinking "I wish I'd put Tdi in now"... which you will.

if i can get a tdi cheap enough then i will certianly go down that road but at the moment its not looking likely , i do have a full year to sort it though.

ms nobber's got two weeks off work and today when i got home she was busy contacting various production companys who may be interested in filming our trip , could be interesting if it pans out ok.

she has also been looking for sponsorship and landrover point blank refused.:( but they did say that using one of their vehicles was 'a bonus' for them.

[bellis]

You might want to check your fuel consumption figures a little, something at the back of my mind thinks I've read a piece by Tom Sheppard saying that his 200TDi used less fuel than a n/a because you are not thrashing it everywere - mind you, I never driven either of them.

Have to say that I've been very pleasantly surprised by just how good my 300TDi is when you get away from the roads though (my last 2 cars were V8 Discos so the TDi 110 was a bit of a shock at first). If I were you I'd go for the TDi motor.

[baz]

2 weeks off? you're spoiling her. send Mrs N back to work to pay the extra for the 'i'. :)

[spudboy]

Hi Nobber - just dredging through old posts on overland travel and came across this one. Did you end up getting a TDi?. What did you decide was the best tent for your trip?

Cheers
David

[bvudzichena]

Good afternoon Nobber,

Steve Summers is a friend of mine. Study his site (http://www.whitecottagewebsites.co.uk/africa/).

I have a 200TDi 110 SV SW that I use for my travels. It's well kitted.

Yesterday I took what was left of the 110 300TDi to the scrapyard. While I was there my emotions got the better of me and I found my new camping truck. It's a 1985 110 2.5NA HARDTOP without any holes in the side panels. It currently looks like a piece of junk, but it only cost me just over a grand so I've stashed it in the store room and will deal with it in a couple of months, when I plan on making something very similar to African Wanderer.

If I were in your shoes, I'd finish the 90 and sell it for as much as possible, take the money and buy a 110 Hardtop. I wouldn't take on Africa in a 2.5TD. Please note this is my personal opinion. I'm sure there are many people out there who's done Cape to Cairo in a 2.5TD, but I'm not one of them and I have no intention of ever joining that club.

This paragraph may sound really stupid, but if you are going to use the truck for expeditions (and it's not much fun taking a fully rigged truck to Tesco) you may want to think about a LHD. You can pick an ex MOD 110 2.5NA up for next to nothing. Think about it...

Why did I grab the 2.5NA engine when I saw it? You're on holiday mate. There's no rush. I know the engine from previous trucks that I've owned and know it'll sit at 55-60mph all day, every day for weeks on end without giving drama. I don't know the state of my engine, but if it's been bored, I'll resleeve it, get a new crankshaft and take everything back to standard.

You don't want to sleep in a tent on the ground. Even if you were to get yourself a good canvas tent from SA, you are still on the ground and liable to come face to face with some sort of creepy crawley. It doesn't matter whether it's an earwig or a hyaena. Your tent is your home. Your home is your castle and having your castle invaded does your head in and is the fastest way to develop a thorough dislike for expeditions.

Rooftent, sleep inside or offroad trailer?

I have a 2.4m Howling Moon Tourer rooftent that goes onto my Defender. That's the best and most expensive offroad tent that's available. It is a fantastic tent, but you have just on 100kg sitting on your roof rack. That messes with your centre of gravity and is probably the main reason why I decided to build a trailer.

Marc has a different rooftent, but it's also very good and he's used a lot on expeditions.

Seekingserenity has one similar to mine.

There's a guy on here who has a 110 double cab with a patriot roofrack and a Howling Moon tent.

PM these people and ask them what the tents do to the performance, fuel consumption and roadholding of the vehicles.

I love my rooftent, but I hate having to break camp and load everything back into the truck each time I want to go on a 30 minute game drive.

I don't know what a trailer would do in the dunes of Morocco. Maybe somebody who's been through the Namib or the Sahara towing a trailer can tell us.

My plans for my new 110 hardtop are to make it as comfortable as possible - for me that means removing the bulkhead behind the seats.

Once that's done, I'll do what I did to my Defender namely: fit two battery boxes in the front of the wheel arches and move my primary and secondary battery there. I'll add a long range tank (I got hold of a Mantec some time ago, took pics and now make my own) to the offside wheel arch. The nearside wheel arch will get a stainless water tank.

The two little panels with windows in that sit next to the back door will be removed and replaced with new aluminium sheet. This is a favourite place for people to break in.

The jury is still out on the glass in the back door. I'm tempted to remove the door skin, get a sheet of aluminium and make a solid new one. While the skin's off I can kill any rustworms on the frame, weld it up and send it off to be galvanised. Galv and ali like each other more than steel and ali. No electrolytic corrosion...

I'm going to stay with the lift handle full size doors. They don't jam up with sand. I'll get new interior linings from Lasalle.

The door frames will be galvanised. That's just one of those things that must be done. I may or may not get new skins for the front doors. I'll probably cut the corroded sections out, stick duck tape over the back and fill them up with fibreglass then put a piece of chequer plate on the outside to hide what I've done.

Most Defender doors with chequer plate strips hide corrosion...

Rock sliders and a swing away spare wheel carrier are requirements. You'll need a second spare wheel. You may be able to change a wheel, but this is a skill that Mrs Nobber also has to learn. Don't put the second spare wheel on the bonnet. Please don't take this as an insult, but if you are physically strong enough to get it onto the roofrack, store it there, otherwise store it in the back of the bus.

You will need around 10 padlocks - preferably keyed alike. I use 38mm ABUS brass locks. Yale is good but expensive. Master is good, but I don't like the look of the locks.

I'm going to use an aircon pump with a pressure switch to fill my compressed air tanks. This is a first for me. Up to now I've supported Matt Savage who imports good Viair compressors. Fit one tank above each back tyre and you'll have enough air to drive an impact wrench.

Get an eberspacher or a webasto cab heater.

Northern Auto Electrics Ltd in Manchester do a 90A alternator that'll fit your 2.5 Turbo or a 2.5NA without mods. I'll be getting one. The standard alternator isn't really up to running two spots up front, for on the roof and one two worklights at the back. Add a diesel heater or some alley lights to the equation and you could be in trouble.

There are many ways of kitting out the back of a 90 or a 110. Each to his own. I'd suggest you initially don't spend any money on stuff for the back. Start by taking Mrs Nobber out on those marshes north of the Thames and hang out there for a day or two. You'll soon realise what you want in the back and where you want it.

Some Dutch guy made a framework for an 88" that allowed him and his girlfriend to sleep in the back of the truck. He drove from Holland to India without incident.

I once shelved the back of a truck and put a whole lot of wolffpakks in. it was very nice but didn't work in the real world. I now use ammo boxes to store my stuff. There's no hard and fast rule. You must do what works for you.

Mobile Storage Systems make nice storage devices, but they are expensive

People die on expedition. It doesn't matter whether it's the Sahara or the Peak District, things can go very wrong in the blink of an eye.

Remember: Fail to prepare equals prepare to fail.

[jasper110]

looking forward to seeing how your new toys develops bvudzichena. i must admit that seeing how people kit out their 90/110's for expeditions facinates me. i'm not quite in the same league as you guys but have a 110 for the sole purpose of camping trips and this year we're off to iceland.

nobber, i've noticed the rent-cots on www.expeditionexchange.com but they appaer to have no u.k. importer which is a pitty 'cos i for one would have one for the times when i go it alone.i don't see why you couldn't tie it to your roof rack and sleep up high.

any way, like others i'd like to know how you've got on.

cheers

[Spanish Bob]

Nobber,

have a look at this forum: http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/

Its basically overland motorcycles, but it has an active 4x4 section and the moderator is none other than Chris Scott. Egypt is famed for its rich and long , very very long tradition of paperwork!

You could always do a lap of the entire med. Ive always thought that would be a good trip (except for having to bypass algeria).

bob

[neil00001]

Hi Folks,

Great advice ! I also recommend Chris Scott's book, we intend to go to Morrocco in 2010 or 11 for about 6 weeks, I know a long way off but as we have a baby due in Jan it sort of puts us back a few years.

At the moment we have a Disco 200tdi, not sure if I will change it for a 110 sw for the trip but I do intend to get a Sankey trailer and fit 2 overland tents to it, will need 2 as I will have 4 kids by then, will also carry a ground tent for when we pitch up for a few days.

Between now and then we will have plenty of time to get to know the disco and its ideosyncracies (sp) with plenty of trips around Europe.

Cheers

[aclarke]

I've picked up a cheapo fridge here, but it is not in the same league as an Engel or ARB. Its going in the bin the moment I find an Engel for sale here.

In case you're still looking for one of these:

https://www.expeditionexchange.com/engel/
http://www.pangaea-expeditions.com/engel/

I shopped from Expedition Exchange before, and highly recommend them. I've never used Pangaea before, but I've only ever heard the best of praise for them too.

- Andrew.

[nobber]

thanks for the info guys.
the trip has been put back until the end of next year , Ive had to put my college back a year due to work commitments , or a lack of them so Ive got a year and a bit to sort everything. this means i will have a better prepared land rover , more money and more time to get further.

the vehicle prep side of things hasn't really changed much , I'm using a 19j TD motor at the moment but will be changing this to a N/A for the trip , the N/A in question will be rebuilt by myself hopefully after this summer. i will be putting a re-con gearbox in there as well as my main shaft is worn, probably an ashcroft box.
jury is still out on a roof tent , they cost way too much money and weigh way too much as well. a tent cot might be an answer but I'm also considering a decent dome tent perched and secured to a tread plate base on the roof rack , light , cheap and easily replaced should it go pear shaped.
i like to travel light so I'm not going over board with supplies. the obvious such as a fridge and cooker , awning , folding chairs and table , water , fuel , spares etc will all be considered and prioritised. a second fuel tank will be fitted to the 90 instead of the battery box and the battery's will be moved somewhere else , under the bonnet perhaps? not sure how much free space there is in a n/a engine bay. I'm thinking a small wind sheet thing like you use on the beach so that i can make a shower bag thing , you know , heated water in a canvas or similar bag strung up to make a shower. anyways , all this will come in time.
ms nobber and my self try to get to Corfu every summer (ms nobbers parents live there) and have driven there in the past , in a Nissan micra :eek: but this year , if we can wangle it , we might try and take the 90 instead. its only a few thousand miles but it should give us a rough idea about prolonged journeys in the ninety. since the rebuild Ive done around 3000 miles or so , so its well bedded in and i think a trip to Corfu should be a piece of cake for it.
now , a route , we initially wanted to go for 3 months but from what Ive been able to gather 3 months wont be long enough , so , we might have to lengthen that to six. now , what kind of a budget would we need for 6 months in Africa? the routs we are thinking about is , Tunisia , Libya , Egypt , Sudan ,Ethiopia , Kenya , then either ship back from Mombasa or drive back via the same route or perhaps a different one.
any thoughts on this route? also , we are thinking of 100 pounds per week as a budget , too much or too little?
and last but not least , can we bring our cat?:)

[jepaton]

and last but not least , can we bring our cat?:)"Dogs, cats and ferrets entering the UK from non-qualifying (unlisted) countries must spend 6 months in quarantine on arrival."

http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/quarantine/pets/index.htm
Personally, I think a cat would be a poor travelling companion. It would probably go for a late night forage and never be seen again. Except, perhaps, as a juicy steak at the next cafe.

Jonathan Paton

[aclarke]

Nobber, have you seen this new magazine, http://www.overlandjournal.com ? It's just come out with the first issue, and if you order this month you can be a charter subscriber. I just got my first issue the other day, and it has at least two articles you'd probably be interested in.

First, it has a review of most of the major brands of roof tents. I'd just bought a Hannibal 1.4 so it was a little late for me, not that I necessarily would have changed my purchase.

Second, it has a fairly in-depth article of people who spent 9 months driving from London to South Africa. I know you can find this sort of thing online but it's a great magazine.

It's written primarily from a North American point of view as there aren't so many of this sort of publication here, but I highly recommend it based on the premier issue.

- Andrew.

[bvudzichena]

probably go for a late night forage and never be seen again. Except, perhaps, as a juicy steak at the next cafe.

Animals and small children are not designed for overland travel.

This may not be politically correct and for that I suppose I should apologise, but leave the cat, the dog and the parrot at home and wait until any kids are at least four before dragging them halfway around the world in the Landie.

[bvudzichena]

Nobber old mate!

About them thar tents. I have a caranex sitting in a cupboard in my office that a previous Mrs Bvudzi gave me for Christmas a couple of years ago. Used once and never again. It's too thin for the real world and isn't as wonderful as everyone makes it out to be.

Rooftents mess with your centre of gravity. Been there, done that. Never need to do it again. My next tent could well be an Oztent. It's cheap (well as least here in SA it is), quick and easy to erect and it keeps the cold and the wind out.

I've been doing a lot of thinking about expediting in a 90. I haven't taken the tape measure out to measure the back of my 110 station wagon to compare it with a 90, but I think they are about more or less the same size, so this is what I'm doing in the back.

The side and back windows are coming out and being replaced with aluminium sheeting. If they can't see it, they can't steal it. I've also made this tray that I'm attaching pics of to house the two batteries in there as there isn't enough space in the engine compartment for batteries and I'm makings a drawer system for the back. I then plan on shelving the sides and making some alimiunium drawers (yes, one part of my garden already looks like a non ferrous metals scrapyard as I'm doing the rounds on the industrial estates collecting any aluminium I can find). I recently saw a similar setup in a mate's truck, but it was all steel, so too heavy. But the idea was good and I've decided to implement it.

The fridge can sit on top of the drawer system. Those fridge mounting systems and drawer setups are way too expensive, so that'll have to be a 'make your own' - like most everyting else.

Have a look at this (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/trutti/detail?.dir=df6e&.dnm=1164.jpg&.src=ph) pic for ideas on side tables. In that case, the table goes back into the truck to double up as a shelf.

Another option for a tent is to fit one of those awnings and get sides for it.

An an aside - earlier in the week I saw an offroad trailer with a pressurised water system and a Junkers lpg boiler for the shower. It makes my effort look like a donkey cart.

While we're talking LPG. It may be the same thing inside the bottles, but nozzles and fittings differ from country to country. We have very different nozzles on our bottles in SA to what you have in the UK.

[bvudzichena]

Another reason why I should not be allowed to roam around an 'off road centre' unsupervised.

You should be able to make your own fridge mounting system from these pics.

[bvudzichena]

Some of the guys who were working for National Luna have broken away and started their own fridge company.

These fridges are about 2/3 of the price on a N L, but they use the same compressors and the same technology.

These fridges are big. One's a seventy something litre and the other's a 90 litre.

Divide by 14.2 for a price in £'s.

I'm thinking of getting myself one.

[nobber]

i was going to put my fridge where the cubby box normally sits.

[bvudzichena]

i was going to put my fridge where the cubby box normally sits.

That was how I did it with my first fridge. I looked at various fridges and settled on an Engel 55l that was a good fit in the space between the seats. It had a nice padded lid and I thought it was just fantastic.

After a couple of weeks behind the wheel, I started having serious problems with a numb right bum cheek and right leg. The numbness would turn to serious pain when I tried to get out of the truck and once out of the truck, things just got worse. We ended up having to cut the trip short, head home and seek medical advice.

When I got back I went to see my doctor. Xrays were taken and it turned out that I'd done my spine a bit of damage by sitting at a weird angle (the fridge lid is high) while bouncing around Africa. A couple of visits to a chyropractor sorted the problem and I removed the fridge.

No bone injury is ever 'sorted' though.

I really, really wanted a fridge between the seats, so I went out and got another one. This time it was a Waeco. It's lovely, the same height as the cubby box and now lives in my pantry. Why? It may be a 30l fridge, but you can't even fit a 2 pint bottle of milk or a big bottle of Coke in there. It's designed for keeping cans cool and that's about it. I'm not that into drinking beer whilst driving and I also don't like drinking soft drinks from cans, so it's useless to me.

The 55l ended up behind the seats in my 110 hardtop. That was great for when we were driving, but absolutely useless for once we'd set up camp. You aren't supposed to open your fridge every five minutes, but it's still a huge ball ache having to unlock the door and climb into the can to get a couple of beers, the milk or whatever is needed from the fridge. The fridge went with the truck.

These are my thoughts on the matter.

[bvudzichena]

Nobber,

If you have cable or satellite, take some time off and watch "Quest" on CNN today or tomorrow (24 / 24 June 2007).

You may find it very informative.

[graemeelliott]

Before any trip you need a few practice runs in the UK!!!!!!!

[andyb43]

:rotfl:

Nobber one visit to us and you have pursuaded the good lady or was it the other way around, was it the world map in the lounge that did it.

:rotfl:

But glad you are planning it good luck mate enjoy the planning it was half the fun;)

[Pawperso]

Hi,

I see that there hasn't really been much speak of recovery equipment.

A decent strong, long handled shovel will be needed. You're sure to get stuck.

Also, something like a 5m metre 24mm 3 strand nylon rope,with spliced ends, a few shackles, a Jackall/ Hi-Lift jack, A couple of lightweight sand ladders(even if they are only short ones), and if you can afford it, maybe a Tirfor style hand winch.

I also thik that installing a dog guard is a good idea. It will prevent objects from hitting you on the back of the head should the vehicle move suddenly whilst off roading or in the event of an accident. It also helps to keep out thieves if they break into the front.

Hide a spare set of keys very well somewhere on the outside of the vehicle.

Do a first aid refresher course.

Take some overalls so you don't have to crawl around on the floor in your good clothes.

A workshop manual.

As for the engine, the N/A diesels are reliable, but so are the 200s, so if one comes along it would be the better option.

Towing a trailer around Morocco would be ok if you were to stick mainly to roads, but I think it would become a real hassle when you go off the road. Also, visiting some towns, it can be a problem to find some secure parking so a trailer will just make life difficult. It's just more stuff to worry about when it comes to security etc.

If it was a road trip using campsites a trailer would be convenient, but not for Morocco. It would be restrictive.

I don't think there is any need to go overboard on navigation equipment. Again, more stuff to worry about every time you park up. A good map and a decent compass. A small hand held gps if you can afford it, but you won't need it.

I'd take a brake master cylinder and clutch master and slave, either repair kit or the actual thing amognst the spares, propshaft ujs, wheel nuts, and get locking wheel nuts, a bogde kit, such as plastic padding chemical metal, ptfe, silicone sealant and instant gasket, paracord, insulating tape, spare fuses.

A lot of the time when people plan trips, they end up taking loads of kit which doesn't end up getting used.

Anyway, good luck and keep it simple.

Cheers, Julian.

[seekingserenity]

Take some overalls so you don't have to crawl around on the floor in your good clothes.

A workshop manual.

In a similar vein, someone mentioned elsewhere taking a 1m square sheet of white opaque plastic (doesn't have to be thick) to put any screws, nuts, bolts and small bits on when working out in the middle of nowhere. Not only does it keep them clean, but they're easier to find than hunting in the long grass or dust!

[AJC]

what kind of a budget would we need for 6 months in Africa? the routs we are thinking about is , Tunisia , Libya , Egypt , Sudan ,Ethiopia , Kenya , then either ship back from Mombasa or drive back via the same route or perhaps a different one.
any thoughts on this route? also , we are thinking of 100 pounds per week as a budget , too much or too little?Nobber, have you considered your Carnet de Passage yet? There are some African countries that demand up to 400% of the value of your vehicle should you leave the country without it (sold/wrote off/stolen). Not too bad if your vehicle's only worth a couple of hundred quid.

Tom Shepherd gives a good dit on how they can be obtained/arranged.

AJ

[big ad]

whne are you planning to go as me n the missus will be haeding off to morocco in april next year .

[big ad]

Anyone else planning anything for next year?

[dreaming]

dont know about the awning. i have one on my 110 (probably the best on the market) hannibal. no poles. amazing the space you have under when no poles. BUT i really think in the eight months we were on the road we used it a handfull of times. if anything it gets in the way of the zipper to the rtt. which I eventually gave up on zipping closed. just velcro the straps and it was fine. buy an awning if you got the spare cash.

[mmgemini]

Anyone else planning anything for next year?
Not next year. 2010. Fancy joining us. Nine months at least.......

[dreaming]

hi Streaky
the border crossing Algeria from morrocco are closed. that was from the last i heard a couple of weeks ago. most things change in africa quite quickly so by the time you go there, there may be no Algeria or Morrocco.... or hugs and kisses and made up. best bet for you is to go direct to Algeria and then across. good luck in Lybia.
from reading your posts you have lots of planning especially doing this in a 90. i thought they were made for town patrols. best thing about them is the short wheel base. then again a 90 with air diffs front and back in the right hands is awsome. maybe not for a long trip though
sure o chat again soon

[dreaming]

hey just realised i am answering bloody things from moons ago.

[big ad]

not to worrie fella i am still answering from years back when i search for stuff. :eek::eek::eek:

[pedromahon]

Great thread and many useful and valid points. I read Chris Scott's book and agree with most of what he says. I opted for Morocco with my 110 with my brother in his mainly standard Disco 1. He, due budget decided to take a risk and not really uprate/change the standard car. I, however, spent lots of time and money doing prev maint on defender (300 tdi). -
Firstly, a thorough service!!! brake pads, fluid levels in diffs etc, i changed oil viscosity to cope with high temperatures in Sahara. Get some one who knows Landie's inside out to give thorough checking over, (play in prop shafts etc)
parts list off the top of my head!
- new prop shafts and UJ's (mine were bit slack) new HD clutch, new radiator and hoses, new alternator, dual batt system, dual optimas. Solar panel 80W (5amp max) plus controller, Engel fridge with two zone. Hannibal roof rack, tent and awning. Long range fuel tanks (130L total) plus internally fitted water tank (50L) (plus 3 jerry's) New rims and tyres (BF mud terrain) heavy duty suspension 3" lift (not essential, but looks bling) pro comp shocks. New Calipers all round, vented and cross drilled discs, new ebc brake pads. Cooling and braking biggest threats for car up mountains.
-Gps: garmin 60csx, Garmin quest 2, plus tom tom go 510 to get me to Algeciras! maps essential!!! also good to plot yr waypoints to cross check position. Forget compass, look at sun or gps
-ARB winch bull bar plus Warn Winch, on board air system for air tools and tyre inflation. Staun tyre deflators (very useful!) Air jack (big bag lifts really high!! hi lift jack, great but really dangerous! take blocks of wood for stablility.
-Security: safe and window cages, with extra hd lock on rear door, bulkhead cage.
Cooking: cadac safari and bbq. Plan and set reserves in concrete. Bottle of Rum for sun downer! we took ribena to take away the tedium of water, you get very very thirsty in 58 deg!!
-Towing: snatch rope, shackles, chains, ground anchor (never used) 2 spare wheels, puncture repair kit.
-music, mp3 essential!! high quality 12V cig lighter socket (mud uk) essential! plus multi adapters.
-torch, take head torches, these are essential, camp light useful.
-Personal security, prevention better than cure!! be sensible, we took pepper spray, still unused thank god. Sturdy boots, sun tan lotion, hat, mosi spray. Local dictionary, although french very common.
-comms: walkie talkie (since upgraded to cb) and mobile phone network extensive in morocco, sat phone is an expensive addition (could rent and share cost?)
Water: on board from UK 140L, topped up using gallon containers from morocco and spain. Ribena left in fridge was a god send, cold corona was bliss.

Summary.
There are some things i consider essential and others that just make the trip more enjoyable. Honestly you could spend all day talking about this!! incidently some of the essential equipment werent even used, eg first aid equip, ground anchors etc. Shakedown trips great idea for throwing out unwanted gear/flagging up faults.

Essential: list not total either!! car spares and tools. roof tent (scorpions and horned vipers would not make very nice bed companions) fridge, (cold beer, fresh veg, frozen chicken, chocolate etc, good morale booster.) Chairs (fold flat type) head torch. Fuel policy and realistic daily mileage aims (max 500miles, this is a long day in a LR!!) walkie talkies for comms between cars, spare batteries! Sun tan lotion and hat, we experienced 58 deg cel one day, has been 68 deg once!!! maps michelin type. Make sure next day driving is agreed after dinner, get all involved with plotting waypoints on map to see progress, plot fuel levels against waypoints. Do daily check on vehicle religiously, takes few mins and may flag up faults eg coolant loss.
Get documentation organised to anal level!! take photocopies of everything.
Take list of hotels, it is a welcome break, especially if they have a pool!!! food excellent, especially tagines. Lots and lots of reading books, mags, forums like this or HUBB brilliant. Take a sense of humour! we thought we were driving through the lower atlas when in fact we were in Rif territory, not exactly a pleasant experience! Avoid RIF!! intimidating and relentlessly trying to sell you dope, it is a very large area too, 5hrs drive at least, very glad we didnt run out of fuel so didnt have to stop.
My car , after 4500 miles didnt suffer a single mech failure, miracle!! my brothers clutch fork decided to break just as getting ferry bk to Spain (they let me tow him on) and his suspension had his sorry ass dragging on floor at rear for latter part home. AA cover down to Spain and no further! We took it in turns to drive, 1-2 hrs each whilst the other slept in pass seat. Biggest change for next time, take less stuff and be realistic about goals. I took way too much. Also take the failures of the cars as to be expected, plan scenarios. Where are nearest garages, what spares to take?? Write down lat/long of garages as you pass them. Algeciras has main dealer LR, most towns have mechanics and will be able to fix yr defender, somehow! Think Morocco offers so much and will be def going early next yr down W coast. Please feel free to add to the list, i spent a shed load of money knowing that i was taking a sorted car. My bro took a risk and was unlucky (?) to suffer clutch failure. This post could go on!!!

[mmgemini]

Just as well there were no trees. Scorpians and spiders drop from the trees. Especially if you catch the brances and knock them down. They then craw inside the RTT cover and then into the bedding. :D

pendromahon
The three most important things on any trip are
Preparation
Preparation
Preparation
Shoud you want to add anything then add preparation....:eek:

We find 400km is the max in southern Africa for sensable driving.

[pedromahon]

I think you forgot to mention about the preparation! yes, agree 100%, didnt see many trees though. I was told the scorpions dont come out to play (by the local Berber) when too hot, ie summer. We did 500 miles on one day , although averages 350-400 on way down. This makes for very long days and it is a toss up between getting there and enjoying the experience. We are thinking of Portsmouth-Bilbao ferry next time to cut down time in the seat.

[mmgemini]

Yes did you mention preparation :D :D

LRM have been running a story about four people travelling Cape Toen to UK.
The best thing is the whole story is "How not to do it"

They contacted me last year for advice on shipping and other things. My Defender was nearly ready to go to the docks.
They hadn't even got a vehicle but the shipped out before we did.

[pedromahon]

I wish i had the time to drive to Cape Town! getting a month off work was difficult enough! happy to fly there and enjoy the place anyhow, do you live in Cape Town? hows the weather down there? jo'burg was p*ssing with rain last week and the UK in freezing! I cant win! (-1deg cel last night!) I would be very interested in self hiring well equipped LR if you have any contacts?

[mmgemini]

I wish i had the time to drive to Cape Town! getting a month off work was difficult enough! happy to fly there and enjoy the place anyhow, do you live in Cape Town? hows the weather down there? jo'burg was p*ssing with rain last week and the UK in freezing! I cant win! (-1deg cel last night!) I would be very interested in self hiring well equipped LR if you have any contacts?

Nope...NE England.....My town is in my profile :D :D and at the side of the page......
At least the hissing rain in J'berg is warm........

When you reach my age. You have all the time you need. Well not exactly ALL 'cos there's still 24hours in a day and 7 days in a week. I could do with more :eek:

[nitwit 66]

If anyone reading this thread is looking for a 110 exped prepared we are selling one in Newcastle area....More info in for sale
It even has a Winter Sale price tag attached!