Logging Halftrack

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally Posted by Lang

Shane Harris and I have had the Sahara crossing planned for years. Our Kegresse is finished mechanically - it was a big job! Shane put his heart and soul into the restoration and many worn or corroded parts had to be duplicated for a real life journey. Luckily the rear axle, diff and complete brake/steer system were as new. The tracks had to be made in China with Kevlar internal cord to replace the original steel rope inside the rubber - could have bought 2 restored CMP's for the cost of the tracks but now we have the molds and drawings they can be made for about the same price as a good set of tyres.

The vehicle is just sitting at the old car club hangar in Darwin at the moment.

The whole area through which our route takes us is totally out of control of the government and Timbuktu is a no-go area. Maybe we will do the Black Journey from north to south of Africa which passes away from rebel territory (well, sort of!)

Lang,

Great to read about your and Shane's efforts in restoring it to better-than-new condition. Here's hoping you will once take it on one of those epic trips you make. Meanwhile - not that you're procrastinating! - waiting for the situation along the "croisiere" routes to improve, here is some reading dating back to 1925 which may be of interest to you: http://archive.commercialmotor.com/a...tractor-trials

HTH,
Hanno

[Lang]

Thank you for that Hanno

Lang

[motto]

I was greatly amused to see the Saharan expedition carried a machine gun on each vehicle and in some instances personal weapons are to be seen.
Guess that part of the world has always been lawless or can I not say that?

David

[Lang]

David

At the time this expedition was underway in the early 1920's the French were fighting a decades old war with the Bedouin (and other tribes). Beau Geste was more than a little based on fact.

During the first world war most people are unaware that the French had thousands of troops, often in small and large skirmish action, against the tribes taking advantage of their distraction elsewhere.

Quite apart from the colonial history and "freedom" movements they traveled through areas with centuries old traditions of caravan robbing, murderous local warlords and fanatic sects - exactly like it is today.

If we did the trip even with an M-60 on the vehicle I doubt there would be much success against a hundred blokes with AK-47's and RPG's all fueled with fanatic religious and political motivation.

Lang