Truck Progress and Updates

The story is...........

My truck has been off the road. Not offroading but off the road since just before Christmas. The MOT has now run out and with skiing getting in the way I have not had a chance to sort it out. During the events I did last year there were a few little niggles that I wanted to get sorted. I have decided to keep it off the road for now and give it a bit of an overhaul and much needed TLC.

I want a bit more power and I wanted to sort out the problem of running SU Carbs on steep slopes. So it is going to get a heart transplant. I have got another V8 engine a bit bigger than before and this time with Efi (electronic fuel injection) lined up thanks to the guys at Strathearn Engineering and will hopefully be getting that fitted in the coming weeks. So if you want to get hold of my old engine it is up for sale. £250.00 click on the SORC or Devon 4x4 forums for details. I'm going to be putting in a new fuel tank and fuel system as well.

I will also be tidying up some areas including some of the wiring straightening some of the panels... But most importantly I'll be tidying up the interior to make it a nicer place to be and I think I'm also going to fit some Harness Seat Belts. This will save the trouble when getting back in on a steep slope and the seat belt won't move.

My new simex tyres should be arriving at Devon 4x4 any day now and will be getting sent up ASAP.

Finish of the TFC Aug 2008

So that's it for now. I'll keep you posted on how I get on.

Skiing

I got back from Morzine a week ago now. It was a great week out seeing Craig and Dani. Lots of skiing and some planning for their wedding in May. Ate lots of food and drank a bit. Excellent week but now it is back to work......

Powder day on the last day.

We had a sunnier start to the week.

It was cold when the sun went down.

We did a bit of off piste but we were hit with high avalanche risks at the end of the week.

Some videos here.

Next Year

Well the dates are out for some events next year and so it is time to work out what to do.

The Scotia Winch Challenge Club who organise the TFC have launched a Winch Challenge series based at Drumglog.

This looks as though it could be a good series of events but Drumglog can be a mud bath and it is not my idea of fun to winch through a bog all day long. To me that is a test of your winch and not your driving. It would be great if the Cheviot 4x4 team could organise a series of events like the one we did in Co. Durham as that was a great mix of technical driving and winching.

I've decided I'm going to enter the first SWCC event and see how it goes.

TFC 2008

Cheviot 4x4 Challenge 2008

There are still some upgrades to do before then. The new tyres have been ordered. a set of 35/10.50 16 Simex Extreme Trekkers. These are the same tyres I used this year but the sets I used were borrowed so I better buy my own for next year.
I'm also going to upgrade the shocks for next year. With relocation cones on the front to match the rear end. I ended up poping the front springs out a few times this year and in the process wrecking my front shocks. A product from Llama 4x4 should sort that. This is an 11" travel set up that will use my current springs. Going to get that ordered soon to try and fit it in December sometime.

Cheviot Autumn Challenge

This Sunday I was competing in the Cheviot 4x4 Autumn Challenge. Its been a few weeks since the TFC and I have had a few jobs to do on the truck before competing again. I managed to distroy the steering box and a steering arms so they had to get replaced. I had to give the truck a service and sort out the exhaust. After a few evenings down at Strathearn Engineering I had things sorted with the help of Dave and Allan. Thankyou.

This event was another 2 car team event and Dave and I teamed up with Steve Burton as my winchman and Allan worked with Dave. We met up on the Saturday at Strathearn to start the 200mile trip to Co. Durham. We were trailer both cars down for me to save fuel and to allow us to go a little harder on the day. Oh and Dave had only had a couple of evening shakedown... We arraive at the campsite and got the trucks off the trailers. We changed my wheels (thanks Bob) and headed off to find a chippy. Well steering lock with the different tyres was not an option so we had the local police ask Dave if he was ok while I was struggling with a multi point turn in the middle of the road....oops.

We got to Drivers Briefing in the morning after scrutineering went smoothly and the format of the day seamed fairly simple. We were competing in the Modified class which means we have more than one traction aid per vehicle. ie 2 Winches and diff locks. There were 17 punches over 2 sites and 2 special stages. The punches were each worth 100 points per team and you lost 50 points every time you broke the tape marking the course. The 2 special stages were timed for both cars to get through and the fastest team got 500 points and 2nd got 490 and so on.

Our plan was to keep on the move as much as possible and also make sure we do both the special stages. This was the first time Dave and Allan had done a challenge event and the first time we had all worked together. We got on great and really understood each others vehicles and what we were capable of.

The stages were set out close enough together and were short enough that you could get through them quickly and move onto the next. The first Special we did was great. A short Trials section round a tree and back out again. I felt we did well but thought we could go quiker. The 2nd special we did was awesome. Driving over some very large tyes again timed for both of us to do it. Great. We got our time but we were the first to complete it so the marshall couldn't tell us if we were fast or not. I fealt we were quick and the results show we won that stage. 500 points in the bag.

The TFC was tough this was a fun event and although the stages were technical and a little tough at times they were fun and our whole team I think had a great time.

There were some really steep climbs and descents so front and rear winches were used. I think a rear winch is next on Dave's list of mods....

Haddington Woods was a great site and this was one of the best days off roading I have ever had. Thanks to the organisors Cheviot 4x4. They said there might be a few more events next year. Bring it on. Thanks to Dave for being keen prepping his truck and asking me to join him. Thanks to Steve and Allan for being winchmen. Thanks to Dave Alonzi for taking the pictures you see here.

Oh the results. Well WE WON!!!!!!!!!!!!

Having Fun. Told You.

Dave's 3 week build. Well worth the evenings working on it. Nice one.

Some more pictures of the event can be found here.

Results of the event are here.

Loch Tay Paddle

I had a day out on Loch Tay last weekend. It was a good get away from the Landrover Prep. The Loch was like a Mill Pond. I did about 10km over 5hrs or so. I was not in a great rush and stopped a couple of times on the way. I was paddling the Dagger Exodus.

Looking down towards Kenmore with Drummond Hill on the left.

One of my stops near Acharn.