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Nov 23, 2008 11:42:29 GMT
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Right, so here is the situation as it stands - I'm going to Morocco on Boxing day to do the PBC Morocco off road challenge. The car buying has so far been drawn out, but fun - however ultimately it has left me with a bit of a problem, in that I still don't have a car ot go in. First I bought this Landrover, which I converted to Diesel and did  this to:   Then I found out they don't allow NATO green 4x4s into Morocco. So I bought a couple of Shoguns, made one good one and ended up with this:  Which I have been driving around for a couple of weeks. I then discovered that at the current exchange rate I can't actually afford to pay for the fuel there and back in it. So a small amount of thinking and research late I bought this:  and put it through its test. Unfortunately it hasn't got a V5c, which I need to get it into Morocco. I've sent off for it, but the DVLA are wibblepoo and I'm getting jumpy that they aren't going to get it to me in time to tax it and make sure it's reliable enough. So I'm doing the natural thing and looking at buying another car just in case - one with a 'kin V5 this time so I can be pretty sure it'll be back in time. I'm watching a BX in the bay, and the idea of adjustable ride height and the extra space, combined with decent economy appeals to me, but anybody actually taken one off road or have any idea what they are like? The AX was chosen as it is nice and light, so it doesn't really matter if it gets stuck, but I suppose a BX isn't as good from that point of view. |
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Nov 23, 2008 11:46:21 GMT
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With the BX i would be worried about a suspension failure if spending to much time on bumpy ground. They tend to disintegrate quite well enough on tarmac!
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1997 TVR Chimaera
2009 Westfield Megabusa
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Neil
Posted a lot
Posts: 2,485
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Nov 23, 2008 11:46:29 GMT
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paint the landy?!  |
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Nov 23, 2008 12:04:37 GMT
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BXs are pretty light too.
With the right tyres you'd be surprised how far off-road a 2wd car will go.
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Nov 23, 2008 12:07:53 GMT
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The Land Rover and the Shogun are both gone now  I did think about painting it (again) but the Standox NATO green IRR paint I used was 40 could a curse word litre, and there was no way on God's earth I was painting over it. Plus it was horrible to drive. |
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Nov 23, 2008 13:14:38 GMT
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Yep did some light green laning in a BX 1.7d,and when i mean light it was only a gravel track of sorts with a few puddles,But the best bit was when a certain road in my town got flooded i drove all the way through with the suspension wound all the way up ;D.BX's are quite light for their size as they have quite a few fibreglass panels and are made from thin quality steel.If your traveling on sand let alot of air out of your tyres(but you probably know this already)and obviously take some sort of compressor to pump them up again  Best of luck! |
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Nov 23, 2008 13:45:39 GMT
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The best option would have been the shogun if it was diesel.
You can run them on used filtered chip fat with a few spare diesel filters just in case.
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Nov 23, 2008 14:06:29 GMT
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 ;D |
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Nov 23, 2008 14:10:08 GMT
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ask jean luc pallier ;D
you should get the v5 v quick as this is their quiet time
we asked for a replacement as we lost ours and were changing the keeper and it came in less than a week - sold last week appliied for it came yesterday
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2001 HONDA CT110 (NOT RCV)
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Nov 23, 2008 14:11:33 GMT
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oh and bx fairly light and with the hydro susp = win if you come across sand ax good also dooooo it lotsa pics - can you speak french - will they understand yorkshire good luck |
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2001 HONDA CT110 (NOT RCV)
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Nov 23, 2008 22:12:27 GMT
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I can't but my good lady can This 1.9TD is now mine:   |
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Nov 23, 2008 22:25:24 GMT
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The best option would have been the shogun if it was diesel. You can run them on used filtered chip fat with a few spare diesel filters just in case. It'd cost the same as running it on real Diesel if I was filling up at Hypermarkets. I know there are plenty of people running cars on SVO and having no problems, just like there are plently of people driving B series engined cars round on Unleaded without hardened valve seats, but I spend too much time fixing Diesels at work that have been broken up by it to take the risk. Plus the Shogun was curse word off road anyway - the 4 wheel drive system only worked going forwards  |
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conrad
Posted a lot
Here to fix your cabin.......
Posts: 1,678
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Nov 24, 2008 10:11:50 GMT
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you know... expensive paint or not... it really would have been a far better idea to just make the landrover non army coloured... and used that. as it was a proper 4x4. the bx idea is amusing, and cool i suppose. but it IS french, and that suspension, while very cool, was never the most reliable and i wouldnt imagine fixing it would be very possible in dodgy countries like morocco
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Nov 24, 2008 10:21:14 GMT
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I think a BX will be great! Comfy at least.  I seem to remember working on a BX years ago and noticing the air intake was right down near the ground. Not sure if it's like that on all models or just the one I was poking around. Anyway, if it is there, I think I'd want to shift it to somewhere higher up incase it slurped up a load of muddy water whilst offroading! |
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Last Edit: Nov 24, 2008 10:21:40 GMT by BenzBoy
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Nov 24, 2008 12:59:14 GMT
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^ Or a load of sand.
4" PVC drainpipe snorkel FTW!
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Nov 24, 2008 13:48:12 GMT
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don't take this the wrong way, but please don't kill the bx taking it to moroco  kill the ax instead, thats what there for ;D |
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"quote hairnet"
I'm not paying nine pound for a pi$$!
[/quote]
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Nov 24, 2008 17:40:48 GMT
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I've got no intention of killing it! I've already saved the Landrover and Shogun (dead engines) and the AX (just dead) from certain crushery during this project. I think I deserve a medal for curse word car saving Oh, and it's hard to explain just how horrendous an ex-Army Series III Diesel is once you get up to speed. Bearing in mind I drive an early 80s panel van as my daily and have done for a long time, there is no way on earth I would have attempted a pan European motorway journey in the Landie. Unfortunately I didn't know that before I bought it It looks like it's going to be BX rather than AX anyway as even after a new rad, rad cap and fan switch and lots of bleeding I still can't stop it from boiling up. I've used all genuine, new bits as well. Unfortunately my compression tester will not work with the TUD but unless I can get it to hold temperature properly I've got to assume the head gasket has gone. |
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Nov 24, 2008 17:49:19 GMT
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don't want to wee on your bonfire ( and sorry if you already knew this ) but please don't drive the BX in the highest suspension setting , its the quickest way to kill one the top setting is for maitainence purposes only
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Light travels quicker than sound.That's why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.  |
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Nov 24, 2008 18:49:18 GMT
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I remembered that from when I was a nipper - my parents had a matching pair on an F and an H, both 1400s...
You can't drive them any distance on the "HARDSLAM" setting either IIRC.
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Nov 24, 2008 19:03:29 GMT
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I remembered that from when I was a nipper - my parents had a matching pair on an F and an H, both 1400s... You can't drive them any distance on the "HARDSLAM" setting either IIRC. thats cos you end up with no power brakes as theres no pressure in the hydraulic system |
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Volvo back as my main squeeze, more boost and some interior goodies on the way.
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I did think about painting it (again) but the Standox NATO green IRR paint I used was 40 could a curse word litre, and there was no way on God's earth I was painting over it. 
Best of luck!
I seem to remember working on a BX years ago and noticing the air intake was right down near the ground. Not sure if it's like that on all models or just the one I was poking around. Anyway, if it is there, I think I'd want to shift it to somewhere higher up incase it slurped up a load of muddy water whilst offroading!
