Classic Safari vehicles!

[Selous]

Yup, Mick Dundee.

 

[Oldsarge]

I really like that! If I ever move to the US southwest, one like that will be my desert exploration vehicle.

After my first safari, I came down with an acute desire for a Toyota Landcruiser pickup with safari seat behind the cab and a winch for that express purpose. Then I discovered that I couldn't get one in the US. Poo!

 

[Bushman]

Considering the current windchill is in the -20s, daydreaming about being in an open air vehicle on a warm African savannah is very enticing right now.

 

[fireman]

Considering the current windchill is in the -20s, daydreaming about being in an open air vehicle on a warm African savannah is very enticing right now.

I hear that....gonna be -30 tomorrow with the wind chill.

 

[fireman]

Sitting here rereading this thread and looking out the window....-6 degrees and wind is blowing sideways. I really need a safari.

 

[fireman]

Here is a great video.

 

[David Conwill]

That is wonderful, @fireman !

 

[MikeKardec]

After my first safari, I came down with an acute desire for a Toyota Landcruiser pickup with safari seat behind the cab and a winch for that express purpose. Then I discovered that I couldn't get one in the US. Poo!

While you can't get the 70 series, the all time winner when it comes to serious Toyotas, the older pick up based on the FJ 40 can occasionally be found. Here's an ultra rare diesel from a few years ago ( https://bringatrailer.com/2014/08/04/1975-toyota-land-cruiser-pick-up/ ) I notice one of these for sale once or twice a year.

 

[Oldsarge]

Ah yes, the Land Cruisers of the '70's. Classic safari cars for wherever your safari is going. Thanks Mike. That's a great reference. I'm going to keep my eye open. One of those would be just what the NCO (ret.) needs.

 

[GHT]

Has nobody ever heard of The Moke? Based on the original Mini, it's a go anywhere, do anything, including off roading, but in miniture.


Very popular on the Caribbean Islands

An all electric version.

Serious off roader.

Makes a great snow plough.

Plenty of grunt with two engines.

Ideal military use with outriggers.

Fire & rescue.

And when you have finished working it hard, strip it down and race it.

 

[Tiki Tom]

Hatari!

 

[MikeKardec]

Has nobody ever heard of The Moke? Based on the original Mini, it's a go anywhere, do anything, including off roading, but in miniture.

The last place I saw many Mokes was in the West Indies, specifically Barbados, back in the 1980s. Not so sure of their real qualities off road but people did take them anywhere. I was unaware of the dual engine version, a lot like the ultra rare dual engine off-road Citroen 2CV Sahara!

 

[GHT]

You're right, they were very popular all over the Caribbean, I hired one on the Island of Tortola. It was one of the few vehicles with right hand drive. The one that I hired had a canvas sun protector in yellow and white candy stripes. I couldn't find an image in those colours but it was similar to this:

What a jumbled mixture Tortola is, they practically all drive left hand drive American cars, their currency is the US dollar, yet they cling to a kind of quintessential Britishness. The Island is regularly referred to as the 51st State of the Union, but just ask why they won't drive on the right.

I'm impressed with your knowledge of European cars. You didn't happen to be in Petaluma in 2013 by any chance, when the 40th anniversary of American Graffiti was held? Did you know that the American Graffiti 1967 Citroen 2CV. The car that Curt Henderson drove in the movie, the 1967 Citroen 2CV, made an appearance at the parade there. It is owned by classic car collector, Jerry Causbrook.
I could show you a picture of the tin snail as it's known in it's native France, but I thought that you might like to see what a 2CV would look like if Picasso had designed it:

 

[David Conwill]

The one that I hired had a canvas sun protector in yellow and white candy stripes....

Sounds like the old Jeep Surreys!

 

[Oldsarge]

Obviously not a 'classic' yet, but this holds great promise. Add a hunter seat with rifle rack in the bed and I think 'it will do'.

 

[STW]

Also not yet a classic, though 19 years old, this is the daily driver I use in the mountains and desert. Really need to get a backcountry shot of it. It'll rock-crawl but I just prefer the go-anywhere adventure travel side of it.

 

[Bushman]

Nonsense! The Jeep is as classic to the American off road experience as the Land Rover is to the African safari. It's just a shame what Chrysler has been doing to them in the past couple years. The Jeep of today is definitely NOT the Jeep of 20 years ago. The Cherokee I had several years back had transmission problems, terrible heating and cooling, and window leaks. The modern Jeep is an overpriced wannabe luxury vehicle that still thinks it's an offroad performer. A Jeep in 1980 still didn't ride soft, but would get you over the mountains on a couple cans of leftover campfire grease. Now, if you bounce on a pebble, it tips over and catches fire.

 

[trialsallday]

Here’s mine
77 fj40

 

[Correus]

Grover, my '63 SIIa 88 Station Wagon is finally drivable. He's undergoing his sea trials to work out a couple mechanical issues and then we'll start on the final kitting out. The sidewalls and tropical top are starting the rebuild phase and will be ready by fall - hopefully. The plan is to kit him out in a classic expidition/safari manner.

 

[belfastboy]

You're right, they were very popular all over the Caribbean, I hired one on the Island of Tortola. It was one of the few vehicles with right hand drive. The one that I hired had a canvas sun protector in yellow and white candy stripes. I couldn't find an image in those colours but it was similar to this:
View attachment 161482

What a jumbled mixture Tortola is, they practically all drive left hand drive American cars, their currency is the US dollar, yet they cling to a kind of quintessential Britishness. The Island is regularly referred to as the 51st State of the Union, but just ask why they won't drive on the right.

I'm impressed with your knowledge of European cars. You didn't happen to be in Petaluma in 2013 by any chance, when the 40th anniversary of American Graffiti was held? Did you know that the American Graffiti 1967 Citroen 2CV. The car that Curt Henderson drove in the movie, the 1967 Citroen 2CV, made an appearance at the parade there. It is owned by classic car collector, Jerry Causbrook.
I could show you a picture of the tin snail as it's known in it's native France, but I thought that you might like to see what a 2CV would look like if Picasso had designed it:
View attachment 161483

My all time favourite ride was my 1967 Citroen 2CV that I bought it Amsterdam in 1969. Paid approx. $350 for it....(new they were under $1000) It was the little truck version, an ex delivery vehicle for a typewriter sales and service company. I slept it in for 6 months as I toured Europe. If I turned the front seats around (doable by just releasing the clip holding the seat rails I could get 6' in length. It was stealth as I could park anywhere in the city and sleep in it...no one the wiser as it was a delivery vehicle and ubiquitous. I quickly learned I had to glue some Styrofoam tiles onto the inside of the roof to stop being awoken each morning by the condensation dripping on to my head.

It got 60mpgallon and I could do German freeway speeds given enough time. It had already begun to rust out in the real wheel wells but I put a lot of miles on it in the 6 months. Sold it in Amsterdam for about $180. Would have got more but it had oil leaking onto to the manifold that created much smoke. Turns out it would have been a cheap fix.