Dakar rally spectator in Morocco
 

Hello all,

I am planning a trip to Morocco in Januari 2006 to watch the Paris-Dakar, to do some pistes (fromChris's book) and visit Marrakech.
I want to prepare a Mecedes 190 2.5D to Chris's specifications as a fast through Europe desert cruiser for this trip.

Maybe somebody can help me with some advice regarding:

- Drawings or templates for making an aluminium bashplate for a 190 2.5D (I think ordering one with Allisport will be to expensive for me, because they would have to deliver it to The Netherlands)
- The best place or area to watch the Dakar rally in Morocco?
- What to look out for when camping in the wild in Morocco?
- Has anybody ever tried to make a home-made rooftent (maybe out of a cheap normal tent)?

Thank you,
Michiel

You may be in luck Michiel, I flogged some 2.5D bits on ebay recently, including the bashplate but the bloke never came to collect it all. Will chase him up - bash and bits could be yours if you want them.
Otherwise I can send you bash pix and measurements if you want.

Regarding the cheapo rooftent - its an excellent idea (did I suggest it in the book?) - sideways fold out would work best I think - like the top pic on p..153

Ch

(my 190 Merc is now rotting in a Croatian graveyard with a stake through its engine and garlic all around...)

(my 190 Merc is now rotting in a Croatian graveyard with a stake through its engine and garlic all around...)

Chris, was this a conscious decision based on what the merc put you through or just a consequence of natural atrition?
Are you therefore back in a 4x4 or are you going to try the 2CV or Peugeot 504 adventure, or bigger (see post on tanks)?

Obviously, I should have written Tanks Overland!

A consequence of natural atrition is about right - tried to sqeeze a quarter million out of it but it wasn't having it so we put it down and carried on in a rental.

>Are you therefore back in a 4x4 or are you going to try the 2CV or Peugeot 504 adventure, or bigger (see post on tanks)?

Actually I obtained an Audi 80, same huge miles, half the price, more poke, a bit heavy but much nicer to drive - tho it lacks the magical 3-pointed star... The 'Merc Effect' is quite amazing - the Croat guy in the campsite was wetting himself at the thought of a free [dead] car - until he unearthed the import tax hassles...

If the Audi had not turned up I think I would have tried a 405 TD - around here all the 504s are long gone. My memories of a 2CV evoke corporal mortification - a bit extreme.

Ch

(fyi, I have just written an epilogue on my Merc Project 'S-File' - I made some mistakes there.

[This message has been edited by Chris Scott (edited 10 August 2005).]

Hello Chris,

Thank you for your reply. I read your new Merc update whit lots of interests.

I think it is too expensive to send the original bashplate to me (in The Netherlands), but I am very interested in those pix and measurements of your bashplate to try to make one myself.

You can send them to klitsje(at)hotmail.com

Thank you!