Listing on ebay

[ChrisC]

Hi

thought someone might be interested in this:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/volvo-6x6-expe...QQcmdZViewItem

Not sure what it is based on? Volvo military truck?
the phone number is incomplete so I have emailed him for more info

Ta

Chris

[Chris Scott]

Great looking machine, well spotted Chris.
There are some other interesting ones in that category: a GAZ multifueler
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/GAZ66-V8-TRUCK...QQcmdZViewItem

that I suspect is not as great as he makes out, and another van that could save on ferries:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/SeaRoader-Amph...QQcmdZViewItem

Ch

[ChrisC]

Hi Chris

not sure about that amphibious thing, but the Gaz could be good and cheap?
The volvo certainly looks like a very nice bit of kit, but at what money?

Another thats showing on ebay is this Hanomag, saw quite a few of these in Africa - seem to last for ever.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/HANOMAG-AL-28-...QQcmdZViewItem

There was a 6x6 Land Rover FC but it has disappeared - finshed or ended early??

Chris

[Chris Scott]

We helped travelled with an Hanomag once, nice body although a 40 year old 2.8 diesel sounds a bit grim. They did do a very creditable west-east Sahara crossing in the 1970s (only 1 of 4 actually got to the end).
I'd buy it just for the back box (we're vaguely looking for a campervan box body if anyone has/knows of one).

Will be interesting to see how much the Volvo goes for...

Ch

PS: looks like the 6x6 101 is still there - good bit of vid here on Route M13 in Western Sahara: http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...06815226648783

[moodybloo]

Looks like someones brought off auction!
Mind you it sold for £23k A couple of months ago on ebay,but has been relisted,so buyer might have not completed sale.Bloody tyre kickers?

[smokinrider]

just a quick word of warning about ebay.

BEWARE OF SCAMS.
high value vehicle like these and motorhomes are targets for scammers, they either borrow or hire them for when your viewing knowing full well your not going to turn up with 20k in cash. agree a sale, take a hefty deposit and arrange delivery when cheque clears, you never see them again. or you pay by money transfer and thats the last you see of them.

common sense really but some are very convincing.

[ChrisC]

If I went to see kind of vehicle/or anything of any real value I would either have the cash to buy and take goods straight away or know that I risked loosing it to another bidder/buyer.

Chris

[Bert]

If your after these sorts of vehicle give these web site's a look, some times there are real bargains to be had.

http://www.mobile.de/sicherheit/intr...ntro&sprache=2

http://bernard.debucquoi.com/annonces.php

have few more links if any one would like them.

[moggy 1968]

It's a pinzgauer I think, as used by a variety of armies (including the british in 4wd guise)). I met up with the owners of the 6wd 101 in Gib this year. they were on their way through west africa but haven't heard from them in a while, last I heard they were in Senegal but having a few reliability issues.

[ChrisC]

Pretty sure the owner of the 6x6 101 is a member of:

www.mud-club.co.uk

leave a message there if you want to get in touch

Chris

[Luke]

Originally Posted by moggy 1968

It's a pinzgauer I think,

If you mean the 6x6, it's not a rebadged Pinzi, it's a genuine Volvo; their answer to the 101.
Anyone who's seen LR mags featuring a rig with Volvo axles, the truck's the donor model. Live portal axles and 16 inch wheels.
Makes a narrow truck though.

Saw a german owned GAZ in Maroc: brilliant exhaust note! really BUILT, makes the 101 look flimsy. Can't imagine it's too bad in the soft stuff, but must be quite thirsty.
Wide enough to sleep across too.

as used by a variety of armies (including the british in 4wd guise)).

When you consider that the Pinzi is a copy of the Tatra 805 with improved engine/gearbox mounting, and that Steyr-Puch decided to stop production some years ago, it's encouraging to know that our army is being equipped with trucks that are obsolete before they've even been built.

That written the 805/Pinz were so ahead of their time (and so very capable) that it's understandable why LR lost out on the contract.

It was only politics that stopped the Iveco WM40-10 getting it...


6x6 101 vid on the Mud Club site: boing, boing! How to make a dog doggier!
Is it against the rules to let the tyres down when greenlaning in England?

Luke now ducks

[nigel_all]

Yes, it's a Volvo C303 6x6 Swedish Army truck. I looked at them when searching for a suitable base vehicle but they usually come with 2-litre Volvo B20 (4x4 version) or 3l B30 petrol car engines, and I didn't want a 6x6 anyway as despite extra weight carrying capacity they can have their own problems. Don't forget most converted six-wheelers are actually 6x4's with a 'dead' axle added for load carrying purposes. The engineering needed to power the second axle is complicated. These can be a liability off road as the dead axle lifts the driven rear wheels off the ground in a gully. Or on a crest if the dead axle is in front of the live one (but that would make for a very short vehicle...!). Pinzes are expensive if not old and can be unstable, especially when built up high as a camper, having a narrow track on swing axles. The predecessor, the Haflinger, was forever 'lying down' and was famous for it!

You said it, Luke! All the other potential tendering firms chose not to submit vehicles as they knew it was a pre-arranged conclusion. Only LR, Iveco and Steyr-Puch went in for it. I heard the LR130 failed the test so the army sent them back to be strengthened further (and quietly lowered the test requirements) so they could try again....! 40.10WM's are also made under licence in Canada for their army, my squaddie mate was on excercise over there a few years ago and he said on the plains the LR's were breaking up but the Iveco's just kept going!. That's why after three years of looking for a camper base vehicle I chose an Iveco 40.10WM. Eight and a half years later I've still got it.

Nigel

[Chris Scott]

If anyone really fancied that Volvo (tho now we know the engine, it's doubtful) there are 45 of them here:
http://www.staaling.dk/Army/Img_2737.jpg

Ch

[Luke]

Which brings us to a question of engine swaps.
I know that if one swaps an engine there's less chance of finding parts etc.
If it's more powerful then it'll put extra strain etc.etc.
One seems to read about them often in LR rags, what are the legalities of swapping a petrol engine for a diesel one?
Or for that matter an old diesel thumper for a newer TD?
At similar power outputs.

Do they salt their roads in Denmark?

[nigel_all]

I know people have done non-standard engine swaps in many types of vehicle (Tdi into Series L/R's for example but they are not radical swaps) and had successful trips but my experience of conversions is not good. Parts problems, interface between standard and non-standard bits (clutch usually!) and compatibility of components - yes, over-stressing transmissions with more powerful engines; there's plenty of sad stories too.
Not to mention the difficulty of working on engines not designed to fit into that engine bay!
A 4x4 Bedford CF, professional approved conversion, had it for 12 years, good vehicle but a b*****d to work on the front suspension/axle etc. Finally blew the fromt diff, had to buy another 4x4 CF for spares to fix it.
Also a L/Rover 130 crew cab I bought to tow/service my Bowler Wildcat racer (spaceframe special with BMW 3l turbodiesel but it's a racer, not an expedition vehicle. Mind you, it's done several Dakars...); with a 3.5 N/A 4-cyl Nissan diesel conversion, went like the wind and great fuel economy but the clutch was a lash-up and spares from Japan only as that engine not used in the UK. Sold it soon after, before my left leg muscles failed.

Plus other vehicles through the years, sorry but I'm a big fan of keeping things standard as the manufacturer designed them nowadays!

Nigel

Update... It's happened again! As bought, my WM ambulance had a professional air suspension conversion fitted to the back with a 24v air pump. I have had lots of problems with the motor, Australian, spares difficult. Burned out some years ago, £200 rewind plus eats brushes every year at £25 a set. Half the pump drive sheared two years ago, no idea who manufacturer is (despite having all the spec sheets from the converter). Still works on half a drive flange and crossed fingers, been meaning to get a Viair pump from Matt Savage for some time now, I will get round to it sometime (the day it shears completely, probably!).
Now the 15 year old air springs are tired, losing pressure, ally trumpet cracked (not up to weight of truck?) gave local truck factors (not an Iveco part, is it!) the Firestone part number and one of the springs Friday, an hour ago they reported back - never seen one like it, American application, Firestone New York only ever sold one like it before....factors are looking for an equivalent for me but no luck so far. And we were aiming to leave for Morocco end of next week.

So; I don't like conversions even more now! The rest of the truck is great, 100% reliable so far (I'm not saying nothing has ever gone wrong, but that it's never failed to keep going when something has - fingers crossed again!) and no problem with spares even though it's the rarer military model as it's mostly the same as a 4x4 Daily (unlike, say, a L/Rover 101 which has no civilian equivalent). I am now seriously considering reverting to standard steel springs, the air is a nice ride and handy for levelling on site but reliability is more important. Anyone breaking a 40.10 4x4, I may need some rear springs and back chassis mounts soon!

N.