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Forget cars, although we did meet a French fugitive who had got to Lahore in his company Citroen!
The Truck
Its a long way to India. Its a long way when you look at the maps and when you actually get down to it and drive there, its a helluva lot longer!!
If you took four weeks to get there, from Western Europe, you have been driving flat out for twelve or fourteen hours a day.
There are hundreds of kms of motorways, a dozen mountain ranges to cross, three deserts and a host of major rivers.
Most of the roads in Pakistan and India are in poor condition, some no more than rutted tracks. Temperatures can get to 50c.+. Dust devils swirl about and choke all and everything if they can. There are regions where bandits roam at night, replaced by the local police during the day! The vehicle just has to be the right one for the job. Able to contend with all and everything, and give you accomodation and security as well. A tall order by any standards. What sort of vehicle can cope with all this?
Meet 'Nosey'!!
.
Forget cars, although we did meet
a French fugitive who had got to Lahore in his company Citroen!
Vans properly prepared will be OK if you are an experienced driver. Buses have too much glass, and are too low to the ground.
What are we left with? Unless you are rich and can afford a specialist expedition vehicle, (we met three en-route!) you will probably be thinking about a Landrover, Landcruiser, Unimog, or an ex military truck of some description. The Landrover or the Landcruiser are great. But offer no accomodation. That leaves the Unimog and the ex military option. Build a box on the back of the Unimog and it wallows about like a drunk, even on good roads. So on with the search for an ex military truck.
Having searched far and wide for an ex British Army Bedford M series truck, (which I am very farmiliar with) what did we eventually come up with? An ex German Army MAN 630L 2A !! It came complete with a 'radio box' (very hard to find) that has been converted to living space. Old, (1969) but it in good condition, and had just undergone a survey by a MAN main dealership. The truck completed a journey from Holland to China and back in 2000, under the ownership of a consortium of 5 Dutch business men. Taking into consideration the cost of building a box on a Bedford and fitting it out came to about, E5,000 we decided that the 'ready made' MAN was the man for the job ('scuse the pun).
Specifications
M.A.N 630L 2A (1969) ex German Military
7.75 mts length x 2.44 mts width x 3.52mts high
4.6 mts wheelbase
13,000 kgs GVW (total permitted design weight)
8250 kgs ULW (Unladen weight)
9980 kgs fitted out
8.275 litre 6 cyl diesel
120 h.p.
High and Low ratio six speed gear box
Four wheel drive
2 fuel tanks (340 litre total cap.) 1360 km range +
8 Jerry cans (160 litre total cap.) Gives extra 640 kms
range
4x12v batteries supplying 24v/12v/220v
Dutch registered. (No road tax on vehicles
over 25 years old)
2 spare wheels with Russian military spec 'Voltyre'
tyres (Hardwaring but very slippery in the wet)
5 metre accomodation box
2 burner Gas cooker/sink unit
80 litres in filtered drinking water system
1x150 litre water tank
Seagull
IV Water Purifier
Thetford
Flushing toilet
Shower
Wardrobe
4 berths
Gas/12v/24v/220v Electolux
Fridge
CD/radio/cassette player
14"
colour satelite TV system
Access to accomodation by side door, or from rear.
10 ton jack
Rigid tow bar
Full length HEAVY duty roof rack with access from inside vehicle.