Hm,
Strolling through the archives (slow Easter weekend!), I came across this and wondered if anyone had yet used a Hummer in the Sahara?

No cant say I have, but I met two German Hummers in Mali in Janurary, they had no problems whatsoever and were a bit bored by the dunes which I was just scraping over in a HJ60. On the other hand they were using frightening ampounts of fuel, cost about €120,000 new and any spares had to be flown in from the US or Germany. If you can afford it then why not.

>Hm,
Strolling through the archives (slow Easter weekend!), I came across this and wondered if anyone had yet used a Hummer in the Sahara?

I think Hummers where used ones in the Dakar-rally. Too heavy and too thirsty, great engine however.

The new expedition-vehicle for the alcoholic Land Rover-enthusiast : the ONE THIRSTY.

Kar El

Ho Ho Ho - the "one thirsty"

Whatever, the Hummers had no problems with weight, you can let the air in and out of the tyres from inside the air-con cab (bastards). The problem with weight begins with the fact that because the weight of the thing exceeds 3.5 tonnes they are treated like a truck and are limited to 80kmh on the autobahn -cue falling off the seat laughing.

The consumption was also a problem, we met one of the Hummers just before Douentza on the tar road. He said he was waiting for his friend but we found out later that they were running so low on fuel they emptied what was left of one tank into another but the guy was just to embarrased to say this.

In 1997 I met an english guy who was going to South Africa with an Amphibian truck, ex UK army. His idea was to cross the twelve biggest rivers in Africa. I saw him cross the Senegal river at Rosso, I know he crossed th Gambia river near Banjul and the Niger on a number of places. He was arrested in Bamako because he caused such a commotion crossing the river there that the police held him responsible for an accident on the bridge caused by people watching him.
I think the truck was called an "Alvis" or "Avis" maybe some of the British people reading this know more about this kind of truck.

__________________
----------------
Roman (UK)

Sorry, a slight cockup.

Alvis Stalwart (http://www.4wdonline.com/Mil/Alvis/Stalwart.html), a BAOR transport that fell foul with strategic planners and went into the hands of military junk enthusiasts.

The guy must have been arrested not for causing public disturbance but for seriously depleting fuel reserves of the African countries he passed on the way.

Rgds,
Roman
www.polandrover.com

__________________
----------------
Roman (UK)

Hmmm.. selling a Landy and getting a Cruiser? Why? I am not going to get into the yah-boo-mine's-better stakes but I genuinely cant see a reason.....

As for the Alvis.... it's a Stalwart, a huge 6x6 amphibian with a Rolls Royce diesel engine.
As far as I remember it has permanently locked diffs so if you drive it on the road for long lengths of time you will knacker the transmission. Spares would be a nightmare. How did this guy get on? Fab idea.....!

__________________
Take nothing but photographs, leave nothing but wheeltracks..... tread lightly.