Road Trip Coming Up

[Zuffen]

Next Friday I set off on a road trip to a place called Wallabadah about 325klm from home. For Aussies this is just south of Tamworth on the New England Highway.

After a weekend of 4x4 activity I then set off for Tweed Heads another 650klm away.

After a few days visiting my 90 year old Mum I'll then drive 800klm back home. This trip home normally takes me about 10 hours in my daily driver so it will be interesting to see how the Rover goes.

I'm hoping for around 17l/100K (about 17miles per imperial gallon or 16miles per US gallon) at a cruising speed of 100kmh (60 miles an hour for those who speak that language).

This is the longest trip this car has made in over 20 years so it will be interesting how it goes.

I'll be pretty windblown by the time I get home as I don't have the luxury of a roof, doors or windows.

Now to think about some spares and tools.

 

[Sudsy]

Just have a fully loaded esky Rod. The rest will be fine

 

[melvinmelvin]

Pic of the roof/door less cart?

 

[gloverman]

Seems you made a spelling mistake. You wrote "spares" we all know Aussies don't take spares, they take "beers". Cheers

 

[George_R]

Taking spare beers is just as important

 

[Zuffen]

Not the prettiest car but quite capable off-road.

At one stage it had a hot Rover engine, then a stock 1UZ then a supercharged 1UZ (that never really ran all that well) and now back to a stock 1UZ.

I wouldn't mind a 3UZ but it would mean all new Engineering and I'm over getting it all through the system.



It runs Nissan Patrol 5 speed manual, Patrol axles and brakes all swinging off Rover suspension.

To give you an idea of its size the tyres in the photo are 35"(885mm) diameter and the car is 2.2metres high. The chassis is 600mm off the ground and it won't fit in our local Westfields Shopping Centre.

Surprisingly it handles very well and keeps up with most drivers on twisty roads.

I've had the car a little over 20 years and my wife won't allow me to sell it.

I won't be taking beer, it takes up too much room. The Esky (or Chilly bin) will have diet coke and a bottle or two of Bourbon to go with it.

 

[melvinmelvin]

Not the prettiest car but quite capable off-road.

At one stage it had a hot Rover engine, then a stock 1UZ then a supercharged 1UZ (that never really ran all that well) and now back to a stock 1UZ.

I wouldn't mind a 3UZ but it would mean all new Engineering and I'm over getting it all through the system.



It runs Nissan Patrol 5 speed manual, Patrol axles and brakes all swinging off Rover suspension.

To give you an idea of its size the tyres in the photo are 35"(885mm) diameter and the car is 2.2metres high. The chassis is 600mm off the ground and it won't fit in our local Westfields Shopping Centre.

Surprisingly it handles very well and keeps up with most drivers on twisty roads.

I've had the car a little over 20 years and my wife won't allow me to sell it.

I won't be taking beer, it takes up too much room. The Esky (or Chilly bin) will have diet coke and a bottle or two of Bourbon to go with it.

looks like a great tool and big fun
on the photos it looks a wee bit small compared to a sedan?

must be a bit tiring to run for hours on end

re Rover,
many ages ago I bent and kicked a small Rover V8 into an Austin Healey,
was that any fun?
Yes!!! it was just great great great



btw,

you seem to be married with the right wife, since she woun't let you get rid of the toy

 

[Zuffen]

The car has the standard Range Rover wheelbase with about 500mm chopped off the rear of the chassis.

It's 2 metres wide and around 2.2m high.

It's a fair climb up into it.

When it had the canvas roof and sides it wasn't a problem to put down 1,000k's in a day in the dirt but the canvas has shrunk and I'm too idle to have them relaced.

By the time I do the 800k's from my Mum's place home I'll be ready for bed.

The stereo has to be loud to drown out the tyre roar at 100kmh.

 

[Zuffen]

I'm Back

I'm back from my run.

Covered 2183klm (1353 miles) in 3 driving days and averaged 16.85l/100klm, wich is pretty close to my guess of 17l/100klm.

The car didn't miss a beat but it sure doesn't like hills!

At 100kph it is doing 2200rpm. If it was doing 2500rpm it would romp up most hills in 5th. Unfortunately 2500rpm in 5th is 120kph and the Police don't like this.

I can change the final drive rations from 4.11 to 4.83 which would boost rpm's to 2600 rpm at 100kph. This would make it much nicer to drive but pretty buzzy at 110kph.

I'll give it some thought as I feel a diff ratio change may actually improve economy as it would be rolling along closer to max torque.

The car handled all the off-road bits with ease and went places without diff locks that most of the other's had to lock to go. In a ramp test it was the equal of other Range Rovers who had diff locks. Softer springs would have made it a more comfortable ride and also improved its off-road ability.

All in all, very happy with how it went.

The engine is a $600.00 stock jobbie that I haven't even changed (or checked) the spark plugs in and I've now put 6,000klm on it.

 

[George_R]

Can you by any chance share some pictures you took during the run?

 

[Zuffen]

In this photo the aim was to get as far up the rock as possible. My car went about as far as the others there but they had air locker diffs so I was happy with my effort. The spring rates are all wrong for off-road as they were installed for the old supercharged engine and fast road work. Softer springs would have made the ride more supple and allowed more flex, giving more height up the rock.



Just cruising one of the tracks in the area.



This is the largest gathering of these cars in Australia, ever. There are roughly 30 in Australia and 120 worldwide.



There's always someone who can go further!



This vehicle had portal axles and 37"tyres and diff locks each end. Truly awesome what it can do. I only run 35"tyres. The tow strap beside the car is to drag it off the rock as it is stuck on its belly. The owner is walking around the front of it going, nice job!

 

[JBrady]

Nice work Rod!

Maybe a low boost turbo system... 4-6psi sort of thing... could do the job.

Still, excellent job running in a self engineered vehicle. Very few could manage.

Very cool that the wife requires you to keep it!

 

[Zuffen]

My youngest son suggested the same thing but I have $5,000.00 worth of exhaust under this and I'm not going back and starting again.

I figure change down a gear before the hill and it will sail over.

Something about factory tuning that just works.

 

[BlackUZZ31]

what blower did you have on the 1uz and what ecu?

 

[Zuffen]

The supercharger was an Opcon and the ECU was an Autronic (I think) SM4