A heritage resume of accomplishments

[overlander]

I hereby start this thread as a collection of my beloved marque, the "Muddy Oval". Over the years, we have all come across this story and that, where someone made history, big or small, in a Land Rover.

Tonight, I read the story of the Darien Gap, which to this day, is considered the missing link in the Great Pan American highway. As I read through this wikipedia overview, I came across this extract, which brought a muddy green tear to my eye:

"The first successful vehicular crossing of the Gap itself was by the Land Rover La Cucaracha Cariñosa (The Affectionate Cockroach) and a Jeep of the Trans-Darién Expedition 1959-60..."

I invite all Land Rover enthusiasts and supporters to join me in celebrating our rich heritage, by using this thread as a scrap book journal of stories, links, historical references and anecdotes of the many sorted accomplishments of Land Rover vehicles over the years. :ylsmoke:

Having been a Jeep owner before I became a Land Rover owner, I found this alliance of Marquees quite symbolic, given that the Jeep was the inspiration behind Land Rovers genesis.

 

[Sirocco]

Along with the Darien Gap,

London - Singapore in two 88" series one vehicles stands out the most for me. A cracking read and highly recommended. There is also a DVD which I have yet to see. 6 university students with no money and no cars manage to talk David Attenborough into a loan for a documentary not yet produced! LR gave them the vehicles and they wrangled various sponsors along the way to complete the 18,000 mile journey in 6 months...

I cannot find any good links on this, best buy the book. there is this one: http://www.firstoverland.com/ but it seems some people are retraced their steps 50 years on.

Anyway, happy reading.

G

 

[Antichrist]

Tonight, I read the story of the Darien Gap, which to this day, is considered the missing link in the Great Pan American highway. As I read through this wikipedia overview, I came across this extract, which brought a muddy green tear to my eye:

Sponsored by the Pan American Highway Congress. 101 days to travel 271 miles, crossing 180 creeks and ravines, 26 rivers and built 125 log bridges.

London - Singapore
snip
I cannot find any good links on this

http://www.firstoverland.com/

 

[greenmeanie]

The first west to east crossing of the Sahara by Tom Sheppard, the MOD and 7 101s some with Rubery Owen powered trailers.

The Widest Beach in the World is the documentary that covers it.

 

[James86004]

The "Great 1953 Trek", a family of four travel overland from Bath in the U.K. to Salisbury, Rhodesia.

http://www.great1953trek.nidi.org.uk/

 

[Windaroo]

First Overland. Trip to Singapore

Can buy copy of reprint of book and DVD from here.

http://www.teeafit.co.uk/firstoverland/

 

[justfreeman]

Video about First Overland:victory:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xy460_de-londres-a-singapour-en-land-rove_auto

 

[Funrover]

Very cool, I see me coming back to this post often. I am wondering about buying some of the vids...

 

[kellymoe]

I found a first edition copy of First Overland at a local used book store here in Burbank a few years back, paid $2 for it. Compared to other adventure travel essays it's not that great but it's still a good read.

 

[nargun]

Any discussion about Land Rover heritage should pay homage to Len Beadell

Len Beadell was a surveyor with the Australian Army who, in 1947, was given the task of surveying a road across the interior of Australia as part of the search for a suitable site for weapons testing (including the Maralinga nuclear site and the Woomera Rocket range).

His books: Too Long In The Bush. Blast The Bush,Bush Bashers, Still In The Bush Beating About The Bush and End Of An Era recount his trips through trackless bush and desert in a Series 1 and 2 Landy and the building of the roads

His legacy still lives on in some of the infamous tracks beloved by Australian expeditioners, the Gunbarrel, the Connie Sue and the Anne Beadell Highways.

The ‘highways’ were mapped using celestial navigation. He could fix up to 6 punctures a day, no winch and could be away from the base camp for weeks at a time.

On at least one of his trips he met aborigines who had never met a white man before, let alone had seen a car

Fascinating (and humorous) books if you can get hold of them

 

[I Leak Oil]

Camel Trophy....