Out of interest how far is it to India in Km's / weeks ....

Always dreaming

Salut
Matt

Maybe too left field for you but check out ex-military GAZ66. Six litre of your Russian V8, four wheel drive with locking, fully winched up and they can go anywhere (I mean ANYWHERE!), simple as clockwork so that even an illiterate Russian conscript can fix. With a camper box on the back can be had with very few Km's, here in the UK for ~£2k.

Check out the zil131.com forum and ask around the GAZ section for tips and advice. Meanwhile, here's a GAZ in action:
http://www.russiantruck.co.uk/images...z66-denver.wmv

__________________

The T1 diesel Mercs are a good way to go, Force Motors in India now make them, so spares are also available for everything but the engines from the Force Dealers. Merc are also excellent at supporting vehicles with spares they have sold anywhere in the world without emptying your bank account.

You can pick up a T1 (308/309/310) Merc Westfalia campervan in Germany for 4000 to 8000 Euros. Seen a few with as little as 125,000kms on the clock, which for a Merc is just about run in.

That's awesome! I love the shape of those - looks like they make them with petrol engines 'only' - unless the "BS III" engine is a diesel?

I wonder if they're making them under license / have purchased the blueprint and the rights - interesting that a van that has been discontinued by MB is still been made under another 'label' in India - typical!

This bodes well for service on our 4x4 312d if we need it in India...

Kai

I think its a joint venture of some sort, the whole T1 production line was sold and shipped out to India, so there will be a few worn body panel presses - maybe the reason for a new bonnet design. I think Force have a joint venture with MAN as well.

Sounds like we’re in a similar predicament, we’re planning 3-4 months India… however looking to ship our vehicle out there. So needs to fit into a shipping container.

The only thing I promised the wife was a comfy bed and the ability to sit inside the vehicle…

Thought a lot about the T25 (T3) VW – maybe with a engine conversion 1.9tdi or 2.2 scooby motor but it – well leaves me a little cold, I had a old T2 and it was so unreliable, slow and noisy.

Would love a LR or Toyo but then its roof tents every night – that’s a no go with the mrs’s


So I’m now thinking of a pick-up with clip on back ?


Cheers
Matt

Hi we are doing that trip at the moment and are currently in istanbul . We aare in an Iveco 4x4 1993 55 mile max but thats plenty. Old fashioned diesel, and rubber mounted body to save cuboards falling of wall howver romanian roads still caused a few screws to work their way loose.

Your right a good size bed is so important no sleep equals grumpy days and arguments. we started with the bed and built from there.

All the the vehcles of there advantages and disadvantages, old noisy slow but simple. Versus quick better handling but trouble if you have bad fuel or problems.

You dont need a 4x4 to get to india but its nice to pull into fields, beaches etc to camp. we tend to drive off out of sight into fields if having to stop on main roads. I would have got stuck without the 4x4 by now.

Small vehicles with roof tents dont have to worry about height restrictions and are lighter hence cheaper to run. However solid sides on a van feel secure and are properly more secure with a decent door and small, high windows. If you go unimog or truck size you have the luxury of a permenant bed which would be lovely. But we manage with breaking the bed up and down.

Also if your in small vehicle you coud run from hostel to hostel and mix in a bit of camping.

Found it useful being a major manufacture iveco dealers/parts everywhere.

good luck save the money and go.

Loads of info on this subject on this website.

Jo and Mark Overland

very common for vehicles and engines, old landrover 300 tdi engine production went to brazil, old toyotas and vw's to south africa, gm's to korea.

Not mant imported vehicles in india so i don't think you'll get parts easily, not for a modern merc 4x4 van if i was just doing india, i'd fly out and buy an indian vehicle rather than shipping a european vehicle

now if you do ship then fill it with 900x16 tyres for the return journey - might pay for the shipping :-)

__________________
Rich

Iveco Turbo Daily 4x4 40-10
Ex Owner LR101 300Tdi Ambi 'Tiggurr'

The Germans have some great Overland campers for sale, starting from 3500 Euros. Check out the Mobile.de site, or click this link for campers from that site with 4wd, in English:
Search Results: Motorhomes on mobile.de

Travelling Tim, currently in Nova Scotia