Transcontinental drive

beachbuggy61 Seriously Crusin Dubber

162 posts · joined Dec 2009 · 8 Jan 2011, 8:32 am

#820455

Hi all,

Call it a middle aged crisis or maybe it's just 3 months long service coming up, but I thought of combining my love for the Baja and world travel.

How about shipping the car to Asia somewhere and driving it to the UK?

Does anyone know of anyone who's done anything like this? I'd be keen to chat with them about routes, registrations, permissions, insurances and the like. And hey, if there are any other dubbers who'd consider doing the trip, my understanding is convoys are the way to go (from the little reserach I've done so far).

Imagine the adventure!! Beats doing it in some soft modern 4WD anyway!

Cheers, Marc.

Baja
1915cc's of raw power 🙅
Turbocharger
Intercooler
EFI
Crank fired Ignition
Runs E85
Engineered

"The Lord does not subtract from the life of a man, the hours spent on his Volkswagen" Anon.

Smiley Veteran Volks Folk

2,125 posts · joined Oct 2008 · 8 Jan 2011, 8:58 am

#820458

Hey Marc

Have a read through this

http://forums.aussieveedubbers.com/viewtopic.php?tid=87976

In my post I put a link down of a woman from London who drove all the way across Europe and Asia. It's quite a good read.

Smiley 😎

If you said I was a Volkswagen man, you'd be right.

HappyDaze Superannuated

2,887 posts · joined Jun 2009 · 8 Jan 2011, 9:17 am

#820459

In 1996, Noel McIntosh (lives in Sydney), drove his 1913 Vauxhall from London to Vladivostok.😎 The stories he tells of his adventure would make you hair curl! 😵‍💫

I'd rather wear a Beetle out by racing it than by polishing it!

beachbuggy61 Seriously Crusin Dubber

162 posts · joined Dec 2009 · 8 Jan 2011, 9:57 am

#820464

Thanks Smiley.

Isn't it funny, that I was starting to think about this drive yesterday and only a couple of days earlier, someone had started a thread on something similar!

I'd really love to make this happen. Imagine the updates on AVD from all over the world!!

Marc.

Baja
1915cc's of raw power 🙅
Turbocharger
Intercooler
EFI
Crank fired Ignition
Runs E85
Engineered

"The Lord does not subtract from the life of a man, the hours spent on his Volkswagen" Anon.

65standard Officially Full-On Dubber

373 posts · joined Apr 2009 · 8 Jan 2011, 9:06 pm

#820546

beachbuggy61 wrote:Thanks Smiley.

Isn't it funny, that I was starting to think about this drive yesterday and only a couple of days earlier, someone had started a thread on something similar!

I'd really love to make this happen. Imagine the updates on AVD from all over the world!!

Marc.

Last July/August, I drove my unmodified 65 Beetle (1200 6V) from Sydney, Cobar, Broken Hill, Adelaide, Warrnambool via Great Ocean Road to Melbourne, Canberra, Batemans Bay and back to Sydney.

That trip was over 4,000km on sealed roads and took 7 days. Between Kingston and Mt Gambier, I broke a push rod for No.4 inlet valve and had a broken piston ring in No.3, but didn't know that until I got back to Sydney and pulled the engine down.

This country has some of the harshest terrain to match any of those in the world. My drive was relatively easy, as I knew I wouldn't be too far away from help if needed and I stayed on the main roads. No international state boundaries to cross, no language barriers.

My small trip took a couple of months planning. One of your magnitude would take up to about 12 months if not more.

What's the longest trip you've done in your bug? Do a trial run of about 1500km over a weekend in the type of terrain you will probably encounter, or at least on some unsealed roads, and see if not only your car can hadle it, but if you can handle the sitting in the buggy seat for about 8-10 hours a day

The drive was great, the car went well (despite the broken pushrod), but I wouldn't want to take the car on off-road tracks without the heavy modifications and a heap of back-up in spares, fuel and technical know-how.

Hope this helps.

Norman

If it ain't broke, fix it till it is!

beachbuggy61 Seriously Crusin Dubber

162 posts · joined Dec 2009 · 8 Jan 2011, 9:21 pm

#820551

Sounds like a fun drive Norman.

I've done some pretty big drives in the car already. Sydney, Bourke, across to Cameron's corner, down to Broken Hill then back via Ivanhoe and Lake Cargellico (I think that's how it's spelt!). I've also done many Flying Doctor Outback treks and Variety Bash's in my EH. Just love getting off road I guess! Sitting in the seat for 10 hours a day is my idea of heaven! 🙂

The transcontinental trip is a bit of a way off yet, but you gotta start somewhere!

I love that you were able to drive back with broken internals. Try doing that in a late model car, eh? 🙂

Cheers, Marc.

Baja
1915cc's of raw power 🙅
Turbocharger
Intercooler
EFI
Crank fired Ignition
Runs E85
Engineered

"The Lord does not subtract from the life of a man, the hours spent on his Volkswagen" Anon.

65standard Officially Full-On Dubber

373 posts · joined Apr 2009 · 8 Jan 2011, 9:41 pm

#820556

I love that you were able to drive back with broken internals. Try doing that in a late model car, eh?

That's what I was thinking when I found out the internals were broken. I wouldn't want that again, as I was coming back up Mount Ousley back to Sydney, it took me a good 10-15 minutes in 2nd gear doing about 10mph. Even the coal trucks were enjoying overtaking me, as they gave me a toot as they passed.

I'm interested in Cameron Corner. What are the roads like to get there? I know they're not sealed, and different forums say 2WD is OK for the roads, even though 4WD is recommended.

If it ain't broke, fix it till it is!

Newt Wolfsburg Wizard

478 posts · joined Mar 2008 · 8 Jan 2011, 11:46 pm

#820579

Overland in a bug would be a buz (though a 4x4 SwimWagon would be ideal). Did it by local bus back in the early 1990s - that waz fun.

Newt

It is as it is - If you didnt enjoy today, you've missed the opportunity.

beachbuggy61 Seriously Crusin Dubber

162 posts · joined Dec 2009 · 9 Jan 2011, 7:37 am

#820609

Camerons Corner is easily accessed by 2WD (although "4Wd's Only" has never stopped me!) and the roads are good - depending on the season - go in June/July when its dry and not too hot.

The road into CC from the NSW side has lovely sweeping dirt bends that were perfect for drifting as I remember 🙂 then the road out the other side towards the Strezlecki Track are a serious of huge up and down dunes/hard road/humps. So much up and down that my navigator was sick!

Great roads out there. Just make sure the tyres and the shocks are good!

Marc.

Baja
1915cc's of raw power 🙅
Turbocharger
Intercooler
EFI
Crank fired Ignition
Runs E85
Engineered

"The Lord does not subtract from the life of a man, the hours spent on his Volkswagen" Anon.

Beerboy Custom Title Time!

1,030 posts · joined Jul 2004 · 10 Jan 2011, 2:32 am

#820795

I parked up to a landy in balmain that had a gb plate on and british number plates. Went for a beer with him and turns out he only passed his test a year ago. He shipped the car from india and I thought thats not that hard but he had already been into china. Best thing he said was that everyone said he was mad and would be shot robbed, positive the english lol. But in fact all he had to say from the experience was that even the most poorest countries had been inquisitive but most had invited them in. Outer mongolia too. Got the wife pregnant too and they were staying on a tent on the roof.

oh and the landy had already been round africa with someone else and looked fucked compared to the tricked up land cruisers you see here with 10k add ons lol

WANTED kombi drivers side rear corner for a early bay! found after six years lol
WANTED engine lid for early kombi 71