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I have had the best days off-roading since competing with BAFMA when I was in the Navy. My old driver Dave Chislett came up and navigated for me (Unusual role reversal there Dave hates maps!) Shrek the Range Rover had a faultless day, not missing a beat once.

The job of changing the front diff still fresh in my mind meant that there was a lot less throttle being used than normal and I was astounded where the Rangey would go on special tracks on a low throttle.

Driver error saw Shrek getting a good pasting on his rear roof quarter, but between us we collected some punches that I never thought we were going to get to. However we did get all of the punches apart from 22 and 19 that were in the stream in the bottom paddock, even though some of them took some lateral thinking to get them.
Having a sunroof helps on a Range Rover….

But the scale of the bog on the extreme area in the top paddock meant that we were unfortunately missing a few red ones from that area.

We walked the course, but as I nearly lost my wellies down there on foot I decided that a 2 ton Range rover wasn’t going to make it.

There was a tough punch near the fenceline that was in the middle of the bush, and driving to it would have meant falling in a very large boggy rut, but we solved that problem by driving into the bush and getting the punch through the sunroof again.

On reflection maybe I should have gone a class up into the modified and used my winch. but as Byron pointed out I would still be on the course now If I had done that…..

All in all this was a top Quality event, with a good turnout. I’m sorry I had to leave early before the prize giving, and I still don’t know who won at this moment but Dave had to get back to Southampton and time was catching us all up.

Thanks are in order, and I don’t know how many different people helped in different ways. So Byron and Trev, stand up take a bow and give yourselves a pat on the back for the organisation. I know many others helped especially Gaz, Calla and Pete and I pass our best wishes to you all. You helped make a fantastic challenge, and a great driving day.

Or is it? ……..for once I wasn’t at work etc so raced home at 8.00pm, had a quick scrub then straight down the pub, bugger me where are the lads? anyone would do just

somebody to talk to would be nice! A few phonecalls later and I realise Monday night has been changed to flippin Tuesday night this week only! GREAT.

Luckily a very ’senior’ member turned up followed by another ‘long termer’ and we did have a good a laugh (neither of these guys knew of the day change).

Suppose the Monday pub turnout equaled the Saturday driver total at Wagtail!

Maybe the Tuesday turnout at the pub will break all attendance records? Hope it does .

Hopefully with the Website getting better by the day and Summer comin things will improve, especially with a Challenge planned and a wicked bit of new ground to beat.

Also worthy of note is that a ‘brightly’ coloured car with 2 astromoners in it has been seen a lot recently, well we assume they’re into astrology as they’ve been staring

at the Moon quite a lot. I’m off now but please follow this post with any comments at all, might just make myself a jam sandwich before I go to bed!

Cheers.

Hello fellow off roaders here are some pic’s from the new site at Stoke on trent.

As you can see Alex was the test driver and a good job was done by all who attended.

Thanks to Mark (beaver) Mark N, Ako, Shrek, Gaz, ChevyChris, Alex,Callum, Mat (beaver)and Cooter the dog, Little Chris, Ben.

Hi everybody Shrek ere……………………

I will not be using a l200 ever again for off roading there crap.. I was so disgusted with mine i sold it as soon as i got back from wagtail. I think i could have got round the course better with no truck in my slippers after drinking 15 pints of pedigree, in the dark. with no legs, I hated it, its better off as bean tins, I’d rather stick pins in my eyes and kiss Ako than ever use one again.

my trusty diacrapsu that big Jim built will be back for the next meeting. I love that one…

I have also just purchased a 4.2 bob tailed range rover its fully tricked up. i will use that for my new R.T.V. adventures.

So back to wagtail where were you all ?

and Chris yes I did do the doughnuts, but as i remember last time at wagtail you tried to break the land speed record so i suppose we are quits now ?

and also Chris i noticed you scratched your Toyota a little bit ,so I will be giving you 39p less for it now.

and any body who now makes a brew at the meetings must wear asbestos gloves, see Mr Harrison for details..( sausage fingers)..

come on lads start supporting the club a bit more it will be a crying shame to loose it.

anyway going now my salad is ready lotsa luv the Shrek………………..

.

Some pics for your delight

I will try and up load the vid’s on you tube under spondon off road.

(posted by Club Secretary Trevor Harrison)

Hello to you all,

Thanks to those of you who attended this weekend at Leek….
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This clip is cribbed from youtube, We have many more within the club to be put on youtube.

When I can pin Nigel down, there will hopefully be a write up of his truck on here too.

Scammell Explorer History

(Shamelessly cribbed from www.rememuseum.org.uk)

During the early development of the Scammell Pioneer in the 1920s and 1930s, a few six wheel drive versions were produced and others were made experimentally during World War 2. The limitations on the Pioneer’s cross country mobility were mainly to do with traction, if the four driving wheels were unable to grip on soft ground. So, soon after the War ended, experiments began with a 6 x 6 recovery vehicle. The outcome was the Explorer which bore a strong resemblance to its predecessor. Read More »

Although I didn’t take the yellow thing I thought it was a good day, we were dead
lucky with the weather and all those who attended were getting nice and muddy,
especially the Hilux lads, they are just mad for it.
Mark couldn’t keep his tyres on his wheels on his Rangie, that’ll soon get sorted
and we even signed up some new members which was nice.
I took the Landcruiser for a little run all around the perimeter but it’s a big lumbering
thing to do it in and the weight seems to make it slide sideways alot although
it is somewhat reassuring to see a full row of difflock warning lights illuminated!!

What’s this all about eh? There is only 1 possible place where a Spondon offroad buggy could be found queing with a Yamaha R1 grasstrack car, a Dodge Viper and a massive collection of Ford Escorts , VW beetles, bikes, in fact just about every conceivable kind of motorised transport known to man,

This was our day at Santa Pod Raceway. Although the the whole idea of running an offroad only 4×4 up the drag strip was completely mad I felt it just had to be done so the buggy had been cleaned, painted and ’serviced’ to give the best possible chance of reaching the other end of the strip without putting me in Northampton General!. Read More »