Oddest 'what car' ever? What V8 to drive from UK to Vietnam?

[fivetenben]

tsubodai said:

ive done the overland thing to malaysia before but i did it by train, boat and bus.

driving sounds a whole new adventure though!

if you have any spaces going in vehicles, i would actually join you! i can drive but have no mechanical skills at all. i can make cups of tea.

i was planning on going off on an adventure again in march anyway but yours sounds better

You have mail...

[tsubodai]

fivetenben said:

tsubodai said:

ive done the overland thing to malaysia before but i did it by train, boat and bus.

driving sounds a whole new adventure though!

if you have any spaces going in vehicles, i would actually join you! i can drive but have no mechanical skills at all. i can make cups of tea.

i was planning on going off on an adventure again in march anyway but yours sounds better

You have mail...

replied

[davepoth]

May I suggest:



Pretty sensible choice really - very long travel suspension, understressed engine, body on frame construction, and nudge bars front and rear on most models. Also will be rather amusing to drive through nearly every country the USA has been to war with in the last 60 years.

[Mr MXT]

There is a v8 monster truck London taxi on eBay at the moment..... (can't figure out how to copy and paste on ipad sorry)

[EddieFelson]

http://item.mobileweb.ebay.co.uk/viewitem?itemId=1...

[airportparking]

They are quite cheap in the US saw one for just $2000 while i was out there, it was the police version though

davepoth said:

May I suggest:



Pretty sensible choice really - very long travel suspension, understressed engine, body on frame construction, and nudge bars front and rear on most models. Also will be rather amusing to drive through nearly every country the USA has been to war with in the last 60 years.

[Egbert Nobacon]

airportparking said:

They are quite cheap in the US saw one for just $2000 while i was out there, it was the police version though

davepoth said:

May I suggest:



Pretty sensible choice really - very long travel suspension, understressed engine, body on frame construction, and nudge bars front and rear on most models. Also will be rather amusing to drive through nearly every country the USA has been to war with in the last 60 years.

A Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor could be a strong candidate - they already have heavy duty chassis/suspension (they were built using the F150 truck chassis) and are built/modified to take abuse. Getting one within budget may be a stumbling block though.

Edited by Egbert Nobacon on Tuesday 11th September 09:18

[Bill]

fivetenben said:

Very under-rated expedition vehicles, are 2CVs!

Not great for fording rivers and the centre box takes a hammering on rough ground but they're immensely capable. You wouldn't want to crash in one though

[ILoveMondeo]

Audi s8 (d2) plenty of those inside your budget with some cash left over to fill the cavernous boot with spares.

Also the Quattro may come in handy with the rough bits.

Not very iconic though, but there was one in the film ronin!

Edited by ILoveMondeo on Tuesday 11th September 10:35

[J_S_G]

Egbert Nobacon said:

airportparking said:

They are quite cheap in the US saw one for just $2000 while i was out there, it was the police version though

davepoth said:

May I suggest:



Pretty sensible choice really - very long travel suspension, understressed engine, body on frame construction, and nudge bars front and rear on most models. Also will be rather amusing to drive through nearly every country the USA has been to war with in the last 60 years.

A Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor could be a strong candidate - they already have heavy duty chassis/suspension (they were built using the F150 truck chassis) and are built/modified to take abuse. Getting one within budget may be a stumbling block though.

Would be immense fun and plush 'n' lush to do a rally in one of these.
BUT... biggest problem is in the undercarriage... not great ground clearance to begin with, HUGE overhangs, and a loooong wheelbase. Unless you raise one about 3" or so, the off-roading / half-built road sections will involve a lot of grounding out and likely a fair bit of pushing when beached. No worse than a Roller, really, though.

[fivetenben]

J_S_G said:

Would be immense fun and plush 'n' lush to do a rally in one of these.
BUT... biggest problem is in the undercarriage... not great ground clearance to begin with, HUGE overhangs, and a loooong wheelbase. Unless you raise one about 3" or so, the off-roading / half-built road sections will involve a lot of grounding out and likely a fair bit of pushing when beached. No worse than a Roller, really, though.

Agreed, they've got a lot going for them - toughness, familiarity, comfort, and that much sought after element of being a bit leftfield. Just had a look on carandclassic though and all the few in the UK seem to be a bit over budget. Unfortunately same is looking true for the Daimler 250, with most of the sub-£5k ones being restoration projects, so the search continues... (Should have got rid of last trip car - ironically a Rover P6 V8 - in a few weeks, so will be in a position to buy then.)

[2.5pi]

Great idea!

Just thinking about getting a lower mileage V8 led me to this;


1997 (R reg)Saloon62,978 milesAutomatic4.4LPetrol
4 Doors, Automatic, Saloon, Petrol, 62,978 miles, Metallic Calypso Red, MOT-07-2013, 2 Owners. 62000 MILES ONLY FSH 10 Service Stamps to 61568 miles. WARRANTED LOW MILEAGE YOU JUST CANNOT FIND THESE WITH LOW MILEAGE. PAS. ABS. Metallic Red with Beige Full Leather Interior. 2 Owners. Full Automatic Climate Control / Air Conditioning.Electric Windows/Mirrors. Remote Security/Central Locking. Alarm, Immobiliser. Cruise Control. Multi Function Steering Wheel. Headlamp Washers. Service Indicator. Traction Control. Front & Rear Head Restraints. Front & Rear Centre Armrests. Height Adjustable Drivers Seat. Steering Wheel Rake and Rech Adjustment. Front Fog Lamps. Audio Remote Control. Maple Wood Interior Trim. Front Cup Holders. Rear Parking Sensors. Driver,Passenger and Side Airbags. Radio Stereo. Sports Alloy Wheels. Insurance Group:18. £3,450
Call dealer now

Tel: [phone]
Tel: [phone]

Looks a promising start point surely ? Not British but stands a reasonable chance of being up to it?

Cheers

[chongwong]

2.5pi said:

Great idea!

Just thinking about getting a lower mileage V8 led me to this;


1997 (R reg)Saloon62,978 milesAutomatic4.4LPetrol
4 Doors, Automatic, Saloon, Petrol, 62,978 miles, Metallic Calypso Red, MOT-07-2013, 2 Owners. 62000 MILES ONLY FSH 10 Service Stamps to 61568 miles. WARRANTED LOW MILEAGE YOU JUST CANNOT FIND THESE WITH LOW MILEAGE. PAS. ABS. Metallic Red with Beige Full Leather Interior. 2 Owners. Full Automatic Climate Control / Air Conditioning.Electric Windows/Mirrors. Remote Security/Central Locking. Alarm, Immobiliser. Cruise Control. Multi Function Steering Wheel. Headlamp Washers. Service Indicator. Traction Control. Front & Rear Head Restraints. Front & Rear Centre Armrests. Height Adjustable Drivers Seat. Steering Wheel Rake and Rech Adjustment. Front Fog Lamps. Audio Remote Control. Maple Wood Interior Trim. Front Cup Holders. Rear Parking Sensors. Driver,Passenger and Side Airbags. Radio Stereo. Sports Alloy Wheels. Insurance Group:18. £3,450
Call dealer now

Tel: [phone]
Tel: [phone]

Looks a promising start point surely ? Not British but stands a reasonable chance of being up to it?

Cheers

what type of car?

[chrisispringles]

chongwong said:

what type of car?

This appears to be it.

I'm not sure I'd take a modern barge on a drive like this. Too little ground clearance, too little tolerance to crap fuel and too many possibilities for electrical problems.

[chongwong]

chrisispringles said:

This appears to be it.

I'm not sure I'd take a modern barge on a drive like this. Too little ground clearance, too little tolerance to crap fuel and too many possibilities for electrical problems.

it would sound nice though :-)

[davepoth]

fivetenben said:

Agreed, they've got a lot going for them - toughness, familiarity, comfort, and that much sought after element of being a bit leftfield. Just had a look on carandclassic though and all the few in the UK seem to be a bit over budget. Unfortunately same is looking true for the Daimler 250, with most of the sub-£5k ones being restoration projects, so the search continues... (Should have got rid of last trip car - ironically a Rover P6 V8 - in a few weeks, so will be in a position to buy then.)

http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/genu...

Here's one, top of the price range, but looks to be quite nice. There are a couple of ended listings on eBay too - here's one.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1998-FORD-CROWN-VICTORIA...

As for offroading...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFwPXEeJ3aI

Looks pretty good to me.

Edited by davepoth on Wednesday 12th September 11:53

[2.5pi]

chrisispringles said:

chongwong said:

what type of car?

This appears to be it.

I'm not sure I'd take a modern barge on a drive like this. Too little ground clearance, too little tolerance to crap fuel and too many possibilities for electrical problems.

Hi Chrs

Yup that was the beast.

Point taken re gremlins on a modern but iirc there are quite a few beemers of that vintage operating out in the 'stans so the fuel issue may be soluble, at least it has an adaptive ECU to retard for low octane .

Cheers

[fivetenben]

2.5pi said:

Hi Chrs

Yup that was the beast.

Point taken re gremlins on a modern but iirc there are quite a few beemers of that vintage operating out in the 'stans so the fuel issue may be soluble, at least it has an adaptive ECU to retard for low octane .

Cheers

Yeah, that BMW would probably make the journey rather effortlessly, without too many problems, and is right up there with big Mercs and suchlike as a good choice if you're after the most rational non-4x4 vehicle to take... as well as being a very appealing thing to get to use in the UK.

Unfortunately, my love of the random means that its practicality actually counts against it, just as it counts against the Audi S8 suggestion a few posts above - I'm after something you'd not expect to make such a trip; something which will likely throw up those small issues which will make the journey a challenge. In Jupiter's Travels (excellent round-the-world motorbike book, btw), I seem to remember Ted Simon saying that on this sort of trip, the delays, and problems you overcome 'are' the journey - the memorable parts of the trip which live with you long after the easier days on the road are forgotten. This is why I don't want anything 'too' suitable; conversely, something impossible to make the journey in would obviously be a bad idea too - it's the happy medium I'm after.

There's a reason my blog is named '80breakdowns', you know! ;-)

[fivetenben]

davepoth said:

http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/genu...

Here's one, top of the price range, but looks to be quite nice. There are a couple of ended listings on eBay too - here's one.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1998-FORD-CROWN-VICTORIA...

As for offroading...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFwPXEeJ3aI

Looks pretty good to me.

Edited by davepoth on Wednesday 12th September 11:53

Cheers for that, it's certainly an interesting leftfield choice; I'll give it some thought. Seems that gumtree one has had a price reduction btw, as it's the same one I found for £5750 here: http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C322582

Would look rather incongruous driving around downtown Hanoi too, me thinks!

[g3org3y]

Absolutely awesome potential trip. Really best of luck with this