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Morocco 2CV-moto 'survival' story - Real, hoax or publicity stunt? Morocco 2CV-moto 'survival' story - Real, hoax or publicity stunt?
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  #1  
Old 24 Jun 2012
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Morocco 2CV-moto 'survival' story - Real, hoax or publicity stunt?
I'm told you can read this in today's Sunday Times online 'In Gear' section, but you gotta pay for that.

Another version on the same story here. Motivation seems a bit far fetched - perhaps he just watched Flight of the Phoenix? - but there it is.

Ch

Written and researched a few years later: my version of what may have happened
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Last edited by Chris Scott; 21 Nov 2021 at 10:17.
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Old 25 Jun 2012
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I'm a cynical old bugger and as you say there's lots of references to this on the Internet but I have my doubts over (a) whether it's true, and if so, (b) whether it was a sensible thing to do.

All the reports are a rehash of the same sketchy story and none I've looked at say what time of year it was, but "tens of kilometres" from the nearest settlement isn't far. The only reference on the Internet to Tilemsem comes back with this story, possibly it's a reference to the village of Tilemsour which is about 30km (yup, tens of km) south east of Tan Tan.

He's somewhere in Morocco, so it's not as if he's in the middle of the Sahara. All he had to do was to walk back along his own tracks to find the military checkpoint. Last year I walked 18km to get a mobile signal when I had a hole in my sump and it only took a few hours.

If you had water for ten days would you really risk your life on a 'Mad Max' scheme? Add him to the list of travelling companions it would be safer not to have (along with bomb jokes and wheelie pulling Charlie B).

But thanks for the link, Chris, it made an interesting read...

Tim
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Old 25 Jun 2012
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read this in yesterdays times. little sceptical myself with the whole story.

the guys own website has this map as the location


the website details another 2cv project in africa, this time turning one into a boat in Mali.

BATEAU page 1 - CHAMEAU D'ACIER - Emile LERAY
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Old 25 Jun 2012
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That's the location I have as Tilemsour. Probably no more than 8-10 hours stroll into Tan Tan. If this was midsummer and blistering heat you could undertake it at night, navigating by the north star (Polaris).
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Old 23 May 2016
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Real, hoax or publicity stunt ?
Came across this piece of news via a link picked up by Hungarian press. Anyone out there who can confirm it as a true story ?
Emile Leray built a working motorbike from a broken down car to escape the African desert
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Old 23 May 2016
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The Mythbuster guys attempted to replicate this but they weren’t enthusiastic with the results

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MythBu...ransformers.22

What We Learned from the MYTHBUSTERS Transformers Special | Nerdist

I think I'll stick with my bike

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Old 23 May 2016
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I went through the original French version with a French friend who is also a developement engineer for Renault sport and a 2CV fan, he thought the chap had done it but it was slightly contrived. He seemed to have enough tools and materials to do the job and was carrying more supplies than needed for the road he was travelling on, it might have been a set up job to make a good story.
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Old 25 May 2016
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Thanks, as I thought... Chris, missed your post at the time, I guess this thread is a good candidate for deletion or merger.
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Old 20 Nov 2021
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Going in the other direction with a 2CV, here's a cool vid of Cyril Ribas' tasty new AWD 2CV getting a work out in the French Alps prior to setting off for back country Mauritania.

Cyril has explored many hyper-remote corners of the Sahara in regular 2CVs.
MAURITANIE - Périple dans la Majâbat al Koubra - L'AVENTURE EN 2CV



https://youtu.be/_H8yk5cdndA
Last edited by Chris Scott; 10 Dec 2021 at 22:10.
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