Aaaggghh more choices! Thanks. I think

In 10 years I have over 400.000 km WW experience now. Most of the time I travel with friends with different cars, 4 to 5 equipes. There is one thing I can tell you for sure:

Don't count on Mercedes global support. It will become a big disappointment. MAN and Iveco are much better in this.

Sorry but based on experience.

GRTZ,

Jeroen

Just to add to your dilemmas and since you are local to them, why not give Kamaz Export in Dubai a call? Ask them to quote for a new chassis, the one you want is a 43118 with the Kamaz 740 engine (EuroII/III) and it ought to come in ~£20k-£30k. In contrast, the EU version with Cummins Euro IV is priced at ~ €60k. There are endless variants of this chassis and a ball park figure will be the starting point and in this context, will almost be cheap enough to be disposable.


You will know of the Kamaz but for those who don't this comes with 6X6 as standard, disengage- able front drive, locking diffs side to side & front to rear, CTI, PTO rear winch, can be specced with 1600 litre fuel tanks. It is purposely a simple truck, has legendary toughness and reliability, if required can be repaired anywhere with simple tools. Spare parts are ridiculously cheap and can be sourced easily directly from Russia.


A new chassis would give your body builder a clean sheet which they like!


New trucks and utility vehicles; services and accessories for lorries - KAMAZ Trucks in Dubai, UAE


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QylCp7cLfj0


If you do call them post some feedback as I am looking to buy one for myself but like you am prevaricating between a new chassis from Russia and a new (but 20+ yr old) military 43101 direct from preservation with a box for ~£11k.


Example of new Mil spec. 4310 chassis ~£7k


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LouhnBh7884

with a box ~£11k










Personally, I don't have confidence that the type of vehicle you are considering would fatigue well and won't have longevity.

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Thanks Fastship (more choices.................!)


I am personally very familiar with Kamaz, yes, because they often run trucks in the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge which I used to compete in - it was great fun racing behind them (and trust me, they will leave every race prepared Landy and Cruiser far behind them - the race versions are incredibly fast) because whilst we all had to drive over the crests of dunes, they would just knock them off the top - you could find a Kamaz just by heading for the dune tops where the truck width sized rectangular chunks were missing. But god help you if you held them up on a narrow track - they took great delight in nudging you off with the front bumper - many a racer's rally was ended by an unfriendly nudge from a Kamaz, they would give you one warning blast on the horns and if you didn't move over, they did it for you


But it means we are back to the old "8 tonne chassis, two tonne cabin" conundrum. Same problem, just a different brand.


Oberaigner supply ambulances and bank security vans in Africa, the UAE and elsewhere. I realize there's a difference between rough tarmac roads and 100,000kms round Africa but as was said earlier, mechanical sympathy goes a long way. Endurance rallies were never about finishing first each day - just about finishing each day. Before you knew it you were in the top 10 amongst world champions in your 20 year old 110 Defender, because you were still going, not because you were fast. Is a modern vehicle more likely to fail? Nope - a badly maintained, badly treated (overloaded...) vehicle is more likely to fail. In my opinion.


I've done my time in old off roading wrecks that needed constant maintenance - in fact I still have two 1990's D1 and D2 Discoveries I use as desert hacks, but I wouldn't dream of leaving the UAE in them. Of course I could be wrong, probably am, but I've spent too much time worrying about choosing a vehicle - SOME choice is better than none at all.


However I WILL go and see Kamaz Dubai, 'cos I love those trucks and since I've got the license, I can take one for a test spin! . I'll let you know what I find.

Like I said - these Kamaz guys don't mess about - there's a lovely example of "Dune removal" towards the end of this video. And whilst these may be highlight clips, I can personally assure you that they only EVER drive like this - "switched off" or "flat out". They have no other speeds!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUj6VQTVndU

Yeah we saw the Kamz guys around Tidjikja, Mauritania in the 2004 Dakar, they were barking mad - they overtook lots of people in very capable lighter 4x4s.
I know where you are coming from Tim, Ive run heavy overland trucks for Dragoman many years ago, getting 2.5L/Km gets a bit expensive if you are out of the Middle East and away from cheap fuel, Id make sure I crossed over from Turkey to Syria with dry tanks, to fill up our Mercedes trucks 900 Litre diesel tanks (3x300) for $54 USD, at the time it was 6 cents USD/litre!

Ive had first hand experience with Mercedes parts availability too, its nothing amazing, but if you are not in any particular rush, then waiting on parts to be shipped is not big deal - getting them through customs quickly can be a headache in certain countries though.

Id also go a similar route with a smaller vehicle, I have looked at 6x6 Defenders, Pinzgauers and the 4x4 Mitsubishi Fuso campers, the Unimog/Overlook is an amazing vehicle but is again too big and heavy for me.

What gearbox will you specify ? I guess it will have a crawler 1st gear and no low range ? any Central Tyre Inflation System available on it ?

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Cheers
Grif

'11 KTM 450 EXC
'09 Suzuki DR650
'00 Discovery Series 2 V8
'95 Defender 90 300 Tdi Overlander
http://gipperstravels.blogspot.ca

Nope you can specify your choice of low range or ridiculously low range (basically 1/2 or 1/4 of the original final drive).


The Euro 5 440Nm torque engine comes with a 5 speed auto as standard. So that's not ideal, but like all these things, where there's a will there's a way. The Euro 3 engines came with a 6 speed manual - but also produced 30% less torque, so I don't know whether that box might be an option. Still looking into it along with so much else!


You can specify a PTG CTIS system but though I've used them on 2wd buggies in the desert, where there are very few trees and branches to rip the hoses off, personally I won't bother. Too easily damaged and just more stuff to go wrong. Maybe I'd fit a central compressor and some permanent airlines under the chassis to make it easier to air up afterwards - with 6 tyres to inflate it would be worth it!


Spare parts can always be couriered. A mate of mine runs TNT Middle East - now THAT might come in handy!

If I'm doing some fairly hard-core off roading I still prefer a control of a manual box, but for not too extreme overlanding the auto boxes have come a long way and are very good - yes there are still torque converter losses ( torque and fuel economy) and you lose engine braking, but they offer better traction especially in sand where you don't have to come off the power to change up and in mud and snow less chance of wheel spin with a softer power delivery.
With some form of HDC for steep descents (or a very deep low range) and a manual gear lock control they are hard to beat and on the vehicle you are looking at- Id definitely consider one with a diesel engine.


Yes a central compressor and plumbed in air valve(s) would be a good idea, anything to make airing up easier when its hot!

__________________
Cheers
Grif

'11 KTM 450 EXC
'09 Suzuki DR650
'00 Discovery Series 2 V8
'95 Defender 90 300 Tdi Overlander
http://gipperstravels.blogspot.ca

just what my cousin did. He has a camper van now, nothing like yours, just a nice hymer and he and his missus just follow the sun. I asked him how long could they keep going, he said 'as long as we want' They live nicely on a budget of 450e a month and have enough money stashed from the sale of their last development to pretty much travel forever if they so wish.

nice!

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1990 Landcruiser H60. Full rebuild completed 2014

Yeah it's a good point; if I get my 43118 I plan to take it over to Reiger Suspension and have them re-spring it and fit their fantastic shocks ala KAMAZ Master. Then I can float or fly just like Chaggin does (or did!).

All's I need now is to find who makes the air horns for Kamaz Master

www.reigersuspension.com/English | T4

TATRA 810 is an impressive looking truck T 810 C :: Tatratrucks.com Mostly Renault but Tatra never made a bad truck.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDr_Ud6fbYU

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moggy the difference is - your cousin HAS a vehicle. So he's well ahead of me!


Since my wife is not remotely interested in joining me for my travels, it's caused quite some friction in the house as you can imagine. So there was no way I could spend a small fortune and blow the family finances - not with one daughter at Uni and the other due to start in September.

She did at least agree that we could invest in bricks and mortar, and that if I could turn a profit on it, I could spend what I made. So I hatched a plan, and I'll know by the end of January if I've received some planning permission which will have made it all worthwhile. I didn't see any other way of affording what I wanted, and I wasn't prepared to compromise, which is why it's taken me so long to get around to it. But I do see it as a good way of financing my dreams, just as your cousin did.


Fastship are you planning on racing trucks? Bloody hell I though racing Defenders and Schlesser type buggies was expensive - trucks are in another league! If so, let me know if you are planning to do the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge sometime - I can help with some advice and local crew.