Something different - Preparing a car for a Charity Banjul Run

[goodwoodweirdo]

Hi guys,

You know how it is, after a few s with mates and next you find yourself organizing a team on one of these low budget drives to Dakar, all in the name of charity....

The point is, we would use a Pug 806 donated by one of the team, 250,000 kms full history etc etc, I'm looking for advise on preparation...

The general condition is excellent and I would plan to take the most basic spares, but how about sump protection without effecting the cooling, upgrading the cooling, air filters, tyres..

My first thoughts are;
Home made ali sump guard
Removable snorkel mounted on the roof rack - oil soaked air filter in addition to the existing system
Over ride switch for the cooling fan, increasing the cooling by removing some of the inner wheel arch's replacing it with wire mesh.
Replacing the alloys with Pug Van wheels and tyres
Solid mounts for the exhaust...


Please feel free to add to the list

Thanks Matt

[Richard K]

Sounds like you'll be taking off-road diversions, what's your route?

[hurcomb]

I did the Plymouth-Dakar 2 years ago in a 1981 mk1 golf with a 150k miles on the clock. Our car and most of the other 49 others had minimal modifications done and 47 out of 50 made it.

The only thing we did to ours was to put a stocking over the air intake as the carb was getting full of crap. Having said that, most of cars crawled the final leg into Banjul- they got a severe beating on the way through but thats part of the challenge.

Actually thinking back a few people were getting their suspension jacked in Nouadibou before we set off (the sealed road wasn't quite fininished at that time) across the main off road section to Nouachott.

Very much safety in numbers- always plenty of help to push tow etc.

Great trip though - highly recomend it.

Paul

[moggy 1968]

you could have a look at my book, 'Me, Dad and the Plymouth to Dakar'!! it includes a section on vehicle preparation and driving.

follow this link

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Me-dad-and-the...QQcmdZViewItem

it's in my ebay shop where you may find other useful goodies such as desert boots. its called Captain Moggy's Surplus and is at

http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Captain-Mog...3aFQ3aSTQQtZkm

[goodwoodweirdo]

Thanks for the replies, we'll be taking the paved route !! pity but safer I guess....

Its possible we need a second car, I'm thinking VW golf 5 door or Pug 205 5 door ... my budget doesn't run to that of a 806... I don't want to donate junk, it needs to have a half decent second life, are French cars still king there ?



moggy, it looks like you had a great trip, next time I'm buying on ebay I'll order a copy of your book.....

Salut Matt

[Richard K]

Don't know about Gambia, but the three-pointed star is lord of the highway in most of West Africa. Plenty of French vehicles around as well of course.

An 806 could make an excellent Atlantic route cruiser, especially if it's diesel. For your second car, you would be better off with the 205 rather than the Golf - at least in terms of spares and expertise on the way down.

Apart from an inch or two of piste (3-5km) at the Maroc/Mauri border the road is generally good the whole way down so your modding time is probably better spent on basic reliability stuff – although that might be less fun!

[moggy 1968]

don't forget about the 80km to the barage which is on tracks, unless you fancy the Rosso crossing, which most people don't!! I would reccomend steel wheels as well as the potholes are pretty bad and alloys can't be bashed in to shape, also take a lump hammer!!