Mongol challenge car choice

[Micrashed]

The old rules were something like sub 1 litre and less than ten years old, not older! Which made it more challenging. Something to do with import/export duties.

 

Or

 

[beko1987]

My workmate did this a few years back in a 2005 transit connect. Because it was donated not bought it got around certain rules iirc. I'll show him this tomorrow for clarification.

 

He said Micra's did quite well

[Guest Breadvan72]

Under 1000cc -

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fiat-900T-Campervan-1978-Very-Good-Condition-/111306086607?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item19ea5c18cf

[wackywacerwill]

Taken from the Mongol Rally website;

 

 

 

4 wheels of semi-wonder

And they're back. After a hiatus of a few years and many hours of work and planning, the Mongol Rally has finally devolved and the 1 litre crap-mobile returns. You can bring anything as long as it’s crap and has an engine no bigger than 1 litre of yak's milk.

2 wheels of destiny

Feeling like you've got a giant pair of gonads swinging about in your metaphorical ball bag? Then two wheels is the only choice for you.  But on the Mongol Rally it’s got to be under 125cc and preferably a scooter. And crap.

Comedy Exemption

There are times when we will bend the rules. And those times are all about when you've found something truly stupid to take on the world. These chaps came in a car made to look like Thunderbird 4. Full points awarded.

 

Could wangle many a chod mobile in there. Little TU engined 205's would be good in the 1 litre beater class though a fleet of cg125's would arguably be more fun.

[Inspector Morose]

I'd love to do something like this but on second thoughts, fuck it, I'd buy what I fancy and just drive around the world until I get bored. Kudos to those who do it for caridee mayte but that bit I'd find too restrictive and anyway, I have no mates to donate.

[Squire_Dawson]

I'm with Junkman - I've been thinking about this for some time now as I definitely want to do something like it. So I reckon it must be reliable, RWD, simple, have high ground clearance, and British. So we are left with the Morris Minor, Marina, or Hillman Avenger. I would not choose a Ford or Vauxhall, but that is down to my own preferences more than anything else. An alternator is preferable to a dynamo, so really it's a 1970s car you want. That said, I'd love to go flogging a Jowett Javelin or Humber Hawk along some deserted, unmade roads.

 

Edit: for under a litre motoring I would choose a Morris Minor, Triumph Herald or Standard 10.

[coalnotdole]

I'd love to have a crack a it in a Reliant Rebel, though you'd struggle to find a decent one for £700.

[Junkman]

It doesn't have to be decent. It must be beige.

[meshking]

Pajero Junior is 1100cc. Pajero Mini is 660cc I think, but they're pretty rare over here. I'd love to see a line up of all the Pajeros.

 

ah - yes, Junior is 1100. The Mini is very nice though:

 

http://www.tradecarview.com/used_car/japan%20car/mitsubishi/pajero+mini/14559462/

 

[gnomeot]

I did the Mongol Rally in 2009 so if you want any advice just give me a shout.

 

Choosing the right steed is very important. How many are in their team? what is their level of mechanical know-how? How stupid do they want to be?

 

If I was doing the rally under the current rules I would be looking at something like a Skoda Favorit. Just make sure you put a sump guard on it and can easily get hold of lots of spare wheels!

[beko1987]

Also (as gnomeot mentioned to me 15 minutes ago whilst I had a fag) you would have to go into either Russia or China to do the route. Hope your friend is either good at visas or getting bum raped...

[dollywobbler]

IIRC, a team did it in a 2CV in 2009. I seem to recall it didn't end well, with a crash in Russia.

[gnomeot]

IIRC, a team did it in a 2CV in 2009. I seem to recall it didn't end well, with a crash in Russia.

I met a 2CV team at the start line, they were nuts so wouldn't be surprised if it was them who crashed out! Not quite as nuts as a team in a Corolla who smashed their windscreen in Turkey, and drove the rest of the way to Mongolia wearing goggles! Or the team in a fur covered fire engine who decided in Kazakhstan that the truck was using too much fuel so took an angle grinder to the rear of it and finished with just the front cab on a naked rear chassis! 

[Volksy]

I'd be looking for an old Panda, 903cc pushrod, or the 1000 fire, both simples to fix.

That or a Seat Marbella.

 

 

They were designed for the third world after all!

[Vin]

These guys have just got back from 'Panda raid' - the first and only so far, entrants from the UK...They took a Mk 1 4x4, although majority of entrants seem to be 2wd. Looks fun.

 

http://www.pandaraid.com/

 

 

 

 

[meshking]

There are two of then in the team. They don't appear to have a lot of mechanical hands on experience.  They're going via Russia, luckily we have a wide variety of nations present in our office and so we have native speakers of a lot of the countries that they are visiting on their route.

 

I'll report back when I find out which vehicle they are using.  Thanks for all the help!

 

Suffice to say, I think I need to do this now. Just a little thing of work and family getting in the way of a 3 week jaunt...

[beko1987]

When my friend (gnomeot) did it he took an extra week due to getting lost in a desert. He had 3 week board of directors sign-off, and when he came back after 4 he was hauled straight to a disiplinery meeting. When the HR person found out why he was a week late the bollocking was alot less severe!

 

He had to weld the rear axle of their transit together too once after hitting something, and re-wire it whilst they were driving as something fucked up.

 

I've always said I'd like to do it but doubt Ill be able to now. Maybe one of those smalelr rallies.

[Junkman]

Leave it to the young folks, although with the amount of preparation going into this entry, they will be lucky to make it as far as Lille.

At my age, the quarter mile at Santa Pod is an appropriate race distance.

[gnomeot]

With just two people they can go for something relatively small. I'd be looking at something like a Suzuki Swift or similar, ruthlessly reliable, easy to work on and won't use any fuel. Make sure that they spend time sitting in it...if they need to put more comfortable seats in then it's best to know before you leave! Take at least 3 spare wheels and tires, put on a sump guard and take plenty of duct tape! A crash course in welding wouldn't go amiss either, as beko1987 said, we had to weld the rear axle on our Transit Connect, I also had to weld some springs and an axle on a Danish Mazda Demio, and a hole in a sump on a Lada Riva...welding saves lives people!

 

They will most definitely need car insurance for Europe and Turkey (Turkey won't let you across the border without it, if you're going that way), make sure the V5 is in the name of the main driver and get your International Driver License sorted. Make sure you have budgeted to give the odd official a "little gift", and allow at least a spare week for your travels. We were held up for 3 days in the Caspian Sea, trying to get from Azerbaijan to Kazakhstan on a freight ferry, due to bad weather; then got lost driving the wrong way up a dried out river bed on the edge of the Gobi desert. Maps are everything! Make sure you know your route and which borders/border crossings are open at any given time. We nearly got shot by the Russian army trying to cross the border from Azerbaijan...the Azer's let us through their side, but the Russians wouldn't let us in to Russia because of the Chechen rebels...we nearly caused an international incident!!!

[meshking]

This is great advice - thank you very much!

[explosive-cabbage]

I would love to do this, and I think my bodgery-knowledge would make me perfectly applicable.

Problem is I don't know anyone stupid enough and with the right skill set to do it with me.

[eddyramrod]

I'll just leave this here... it's a true story, I know the author.   

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Appointment-Zambia-Sara-Dunn-ebook/dp/B008OX0KRI/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1395938737&sr=1-1&keywords=appointment+in

Not quite the same adventure, but it's all experience you can learn from!

[willswitchengage]

I've attached "the rules" to this post, I downloaded them last year when we were thinking about doing it seriously. I think you have to sign to get them, so here they are. NAUGHTY!

MongolRally2014-NutsBoltsV1-060813.pdf

[forddeliveryboy]

I knew one of the 2cv crews, a few years ago. They made it, but suffered piston failure towards the end and were towed for a few hundred miels at speed, over unmade roads by a LandCruiser, smashing their windscreen then peppering the wooden board they fixed in its place - steering was easy, you just didn't let too much Toyota appear through your side window.

 

Apparently the engine was making a 'weird tinkling noise whenever we put our foot down' from the start, even on UK fuel - so running it on 80-odd octane stuff when the ignition was over-advanced for 95 was asking for bother. I also knew of the car, which was a total bodge-up - most of the lower half of the body was totally rotten. Amazed it managed to do more than a few hundred miles.

 

I would also go for a Moggie if not a 2cv, each has its own strengths for this trek. The back axle strength and strength of attachment is important - your typical modern supermini is often not up to the washboard surfaces encountered further east. (See Youtube vids of Polos with just two wheels, driving along - for a bit).

 

The thought of the engine relying on a rubber band to keep it together would be more than I could take with so many pebbles and grit flying about. Definitely chain or gears.

[Guest Breadvan72]

Slightly off topic, but R4 today had an interview with Antonia Bolingbroke-Kent, who rode a pink Honda C90 along the Ho Chi Minh Trail (the real one).

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Short-Ride-Jungle-Trail-Motorcycle/dp/1849535434

[forddeliveryboy]

I'm not saying anything, other than 27 is a pleasant age for a female to be (from my perspective). Downloading the program atm so can hear what she has to say, rather than just looking at silly pictures. Junkman, get your Mobylette finished, she may want to go out for a ride!