What vehicle for bushcraft?

[cyclist]

it´s just an Unimog (probably a bit bigger than a "Hummer"), without all that mine protection and military stuff it would be much nicer to drive.
Btw, a Swedish based company was among the first to convert Unimogs (Type 404 SH) to a certain miltary standard. Those pansarbils were exported to Ireland (UN Force for Kathanga/Congo conflict) and the Netherlands (Police)

The French also have nice vehicles.... Unic SUMB

 

[bushman762]

I think I may have discovered a mode that would suit me on my expeditions...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEpj48CYFMY

Off road tyres , disc brakes, eco friendly, and good fun, ticks quite a few boxes!

What do you think?

 

[cyclist]

great, an easy to tune (speed needs feet) eightfootdrive rather than a 4x4.

 

[Matt Weir]

I am lucky enough to drive a spanking new Landrover 110 for my work, nice big warn X9000i winch on the front......................................................totally useless road tyres (transport managers eh! no nothin ).
I've allways had a 110 for work, and we've punished them over the years, they do take a battering. I find that (being a tallish, big bloke) that Landy's lack space, width wise, leading to Landy elbow - driving with elbow hanging from window. And, for such a big vehicle......................not really much stowing space, even in a 110, thank god for the roofrack! Off road, i dont think you can beat them, but on road, they aint up to much, just to damn noisy an uncomfortable. One day i was introduced to the Toyota Hilux :notworthy comfort, spacious, good handling both off and on road. If i was going to shed some cash myself, i think the Hilux would win.

Mark

I have had a Hilux for over 2 years now and have to say it's the best thing ever.

 

[havingagiraffe]

What do you think?

Looks like great fun. Surprised they haven't caught on...I bet they'd be quite cheap to produce on a big scale, and I bet dogs love pulling them. Perhaps there's an animal cruelty issue though...imagine chav kids racing these around town instead of mopeds...

 

[Deleted member 4605]

never underestimate the small guys !

For a while I was greatly enamoured of the SJ410 and it's ilk. Great fun. Then I truly discovered Land Rovers and my wallet has never recovered!

Currently free of my (or rather this particular) addiction, although my father-in-law has a late 69's Series IIA that needs an MOT and he's thinking of selling. Trying to resist 'adopting' it!

 

[cyclist]

just in case your LR or Vitara gets stuck while trying to get the firewood from the forest and you can´t afford a helicopter, a Pinzgauer or an Unimog (a couple of thousand with very low mileage went just recently into steel recycling) get one of those:
http://jeep-m201.chez-alice.fr/marmon.htm

 

[twisted firestarter]

I owned this 4x4 rig last year and had a bowtop shaped tarp over the payload. I ended up only driving it a couple of hundred miles so not too bad on the carbon front Great vehicle for parking up off the beaten track

 

[Spikey DaPikey]

Me like that truck

 

[twisted firestarter]

This beauty was on Ebay a couple of months ago...





It is a Volvo C306 and the nicest 4x4 rig I have ever clapped eyes on. Shame my pockets weren't deep enough to buy it

 

[rik_uk3]

A good friend of mine works for Landrover, and we were talking recently about what dream car we would buy if either of us won the lottery, I asked him "what would it be for a 4X4, Defender, disco, or Range Rover"

His reply was "A Toyota"

Landrover get 4X4's in, and basically destruction test them, the only ones they can't break apart from blowing them up are the Toyota's, they are just so well made all round

 

[nobby]

So can anyone give me a better idea of the mpg's of various 4x4's? (real life estimates, not the optimistic manufacturers ones )

My 1964 2.25 diesel does 28mpg on a run towing a 3/4 ton boat. It cruises along at 50mph in overdrive and doe 55 flat out. Makes it difficult to get caught for speeding although I did get done for 38 in a 30 limit when the speedo said 25. There is an adjustable friction drive and it was loose. I check it regularly nowadays.
For local journeys I don't know what the mpg is. Like you I live in a city and use bus, bicycle and foot. I've never thought that it can be a good idea to use an engine for short distances. It can't have a chance to get to a proper working temperature.
As for Landy reliability: well, it just depends how well you look after it. It is basically a post war agricultural design and people expected to do there own maintenance in those days. Oil changes and grease points shouldn't be beyond anyone and they are good for access when working on them. There is also an excellent support group: the 110, 90 and Series 3 club.
Isn't all the eco friendly stuff tedious?

 

[cyclist]

It is a Volvo C306 and the nicest 4x4 rig I have ever clapped eyes on. Shame my pockets weren't deep enough to buy it

no it´s not a 4x4 - it got 2 more wheels.

A similiar vehicle is made in .... was it Austria, no wait a moment, that was some time ago, now it´s made in .... Pommieland : the Pinzgauer www.pinzgauer.uk.com

"A Landrover in Australia is as useless as an ashtray on a motorcycle"

 

[Swede]

no it´s not a 4x4 - it got 2 more wheels.

A similiar vehicle is made in .... was it Austria, no wait a moment, that was some time ago, now it´s made in .... Pommieland : the Pinzgauer www.pinzgauer.uk.com

"A Landrover in Australia is as useless as an ashtray on a motorcycle"

Right, it´s a 3x6! Three axles and six wheels driven by the three axles. Question: an ordinary car (rwd and fwd), how would it look (XxX)? /Swede

 

[Martyn]

Right, it´s a 3x6! Three axles and six wheels driven by the three axles. Question: an ordinary car (rwd and fwd), how would it look (XxX)? /Swede

Isn't it simply "number of wheels x number of driven wheels"?

So that vehicle would be a 6x6, a defender would be a 4x4 and a regular car would be a 4x2 - no?

 

[Martyn]

What about this beast...

 

[twisted firestarter]

no it´s not a 4x4 - it got 2 more wheels.

You're quite right, I hadn't spotted the extra wheels

 

[paulcd]

The ultimate vehicle for me would have to be a VW T25. I have the 2wd version, but 4wd are available. They did still make them in South Africa until this century, but I don't know if they were 2wd or 4wd. Also they seemed only to make the petrol version. For this century, we need a turbo diesel like mine that can run on veg oil.

If I felt I could easily convert a petrol to diesel (its more than just changing the engine) AND they were 4wd, I would travel to SA and drive one back...it should be poss to make it last a lifetime. Anybody with the knowledge and wanting an adventure, lets talk!

I also have a landy short wheel series 3 for my woodland work, but could'nt imagine a nights sleep in it in a town like I do in my camper....+ when I turn up late at bushcraft site, the bed is already made!

 

[cyclist]

What about this beast...

as used by thousands of soldiers ....

don´t need it on flat terrain as shown on the pic, others ( www.rockymountainmoggers.com ) may have different priorities

if you ever get stuck with one of those you´ll have a really hard time to get out - no worry, in most cases the driver´s limitations won´t meet the vehicle´s

ever thought about spare parts pricing?
ever worked on one?

 

[nobby]

I also have a landy short wheel series 3 for my woodland work, but could'nt imagine a nights sleep in it in a town like I do in my camper...!

Park overnight in industrial estates; nobody gives it a second look unil you pop out in your pj's in the morning and it's too late then.
:0)