GroupSe7en
Adventurer
Hey - well done!
Looking forward to the update...
Looking forward to the update...
An expedition truck on portals...
- Thread starter Oilworker
- Start date
Oilworker
Explorer
Here I am!
Where shall I begin?
It definitely was a tough way to end 2011 and start 2012, though it was one of the greatest moments to celebrate New Year in southern Morocco, in a Camp of the Africa Eco Race.
As nights got longer and the stages during the days tougher I not only overlooked a huge ditch, but also got airborne once (pretty scary high) and crashed through a 4ft high 1 ft thick brick wall a few days later.
As said a tough way to begin a new year
With the great help of Noel Essers and his crew of mechanics I got the radius arms straightened, the mounts re-welded and the most severe damages fixed (January 3rd, 2012)
Somehow I really made it to Senegal and Erik and his Porsche 911 Safari, too!
It was indescribable how it feels when you finish at Lac Rose!
At the hotel, after a night´s rest and a great shower, Niels Hatzmann, a dutch journalist, shared some of his supplies as I was preparing to drive home from Dakar.
I continued north, hoping and working hard to keep the Rhino going (at the Senegal/Mauretania border),...
... as both axles where bend, most bushings gone....
4000km of driving! Solo, endless roads across fantastic landscapes...
...got me back to Nador where I missed my ferry
Luckily they have a pretty nice restaurant next to the beach...
...and this is how my axles looked like, 6000km after crashing through the wall...
Nonethless, I made it back to Sete (France) in time to pick up the Porsche 911 Safari from the ferry and drive back home, passing Stuttgart for another picture...
Where shall I begin?
It definitely was a tough way to end 2011 and start 2012, though it was one of the greatest moments to celebrate New Year in southern Morocco, in a Camp of the Africa Eco Race.
As nights got longer and the stages during the days tougher I not only overlooked a huge ditch, but also got airborne once (pretty scary high) and crashed through a 4ft high 1 ft thick brick wall a few days later.
As said a tough way to begin a new year
With the great help of Noel Essers and his crew of mechanics I got the radius arms straightened, the mounts re-welded and the most severe damages fixed (January 3rd, 2012)
Somehow I really made it to Senegal and Erik and his Porsche 911 Safari, too!
It was indescribable how it feels when you finish at Lac Rose!
At the hotel, after a night´s rest and a great shower, Niels Hatzmann, a dutch journalist, shared some of his supplies as I was preparing to drive home from Dakar.
I continued north, hoping and working hard to keep the Rhino going (at the Senegal/Mauretania border),...
... as both axles where bend, most bushings gone....
4000km of driving! Solo, endless roads across fantastic landscapes...
...got me back to Nador where I missed my ferry
Luckily they have a pretty nice restaurant next to the beach...
...and this is how my axles looked like, 6000km after crashing through the wall...
Nonethless, I made it back to Sete (France) in time to pick up the Porsche 911 Safari from the ferry and drive back home, passing Stuttgart for another picture...
Last edited:
Oilworker
Explorer
Upon reaching home at the end of January....
...I went straight to my workshop and fixed the car as good as possible in the little time I had.
On my way to Hamburg I quickly stopped by Ralf Berlit´s place (Offroad Extrem), who´d helped me a lot installing the 2.5" KING Suspension with bump stops and the Devon4x4 mounts, only 3 days before I left Germany for the start of the Africa Race....
In Hamburg, Erik´s Porsche 911 Safari went on display at the local Porsche dealership...
....and I went back to work
The Rhino was send to Tibus by transport later that February as the estimates I received for the necessary repairs where summing up to more than 20K :Wow1:
At that moment most of my plans for 2012 where coming to a grinding halt and the overland trip to the US started falling apart.
I tried to distance myself from the whole project, the car and everything that had been connected to it....which took some time.
...I went straight to my workshop and fixed the car as good as possible in the little time I had.
On my way to Hamburg I quickly stopped by Ralf Berlit´s place (Offroad Extrem), who´d helped me a lot installing the 2.5" KING Suspension with bump stops and the Devon4x4 mounts, only 3 days before I left Germany for the start of the Africa Race....
In Hamburg, Erik´s Porsche 911 Safari went on display at the local Porsche dealership...
....and I went back to work
The Rhino was send to Tibus by transport later that February as the estimates I received for the necessary repairs where summing up to more than 20K :Wow1:
At that moment most of my plans for 2012 where coming to a grinding halt and the overland trip to the US started falling apart.
I tried to distance myself from the whole project, the car and everything that had been connected to it....which took some time.
Last edited:
Apart from the little "escapade" with the Bowler EXR, I am working hard on getting this right...
Currently I have a operation range of approx. 1870mls and if all my changes and modifications work as calculated I will be able to extend that to just over 5000mls.
But first I need to fix the Rhino and prepare it for the last and final modifications.
Hey Robert,
any news on the above mentioned modifications and your possible engine upgrade that you mentioned earlier?
Mark
GroupSe7en
Adventurer
Still my favorite thread...
mogwildRW1
Adventurer
I think Robert should publish a calendar for 2013 of his truck, put me down for one
bill the dill
New member
You have very long days in Europe it seems Robert! That post was 16 days ago in Australian time. Come on, show us what happened, what bent and what further strengthening of the axles may be required.
Bill.
Oilworker
Explorer
Work, work and more work :-(
Too much driving and too many days shooting competitions...
Work on the truck will continue in about 2 weeks all with the goal of my planned 11.000mls trip east.
The drawings for the bolt-on reinforcement kit of my front and rear axle are almost completed.
The chaotic arrangement of different devices and gizmo boxes, which I euphemistically call "Intelligent Power Management System" will be cleared and soldered into one single box by someone who´s really good with industrial electrics.
I have one more job to go, apart from finishing 3 reportages for my german magazine, and will then continue with images.
Oh, Bill, time on "planet Robert" is no constant, sorry ;-(
Too much driving and too many days shooting competitions...
Work on the truck will continue in about 2 weeks all with the goal of my planned 11.000mls trip east.
The drawings for the bolt-on reinforcement kit of my front and rear axle are almost completed.
The chaotic arrangement of different devices and gizmo boxes, which I euphemistically call "Intelligent Power Management System"
will be cleared and soldered into one single box by someone who´s really good with industrial electrics.I have one more job to go, apart from finishing 3 reportages for my german magazine, and will then continue with images.
Oh, Bill, time on "planet Robert" is no constant, sorry ;-(
Last edited: