A route-recce summary… - The ERA

London to Cape Town NEWSLETTER 1 - FEBRUARY 2010
London to Cape Town
NEWSLETTER 1 - FEBRUARY 2010
A route-recce summary…
INSIDE...
This has been written as the route-survey team were driving through Angola – with Namibia
and South Africa ahead, they have crossed the Sahara to Western Africa, crossed the River
Congo and the rain-forests and
jungle trails to the Angola
border… and the final stretch
now beckons. A good time to
take stock with a summary
of where we are at.
Frequently asked
questions
Paperwork and costs
Top 20 key points for
good preparation
Spares and
equipment list
Our drive to
the Congo left
us in love with
everything on
offer in this
remote
beating-heart
of Africa
Page 1
Our drive to the Congo left us in love with everything
on offer in this remote beating-heart of Africa. We
found ourselves on a road that twists and turns, hugs
cliffs with long drops and no guard-rails, we romped up
and down bumpy, rutted dirt climbs, splashed through
pools of muddy water, watched the early morning mist
roll away like lumps of cotton-wool through the tops of
trees, swirling into valleys, it was, as Sam Rutherford
commented, like something out of “The Land That Time
Forgot… expect dinosaurs around the next corner.”
Leaves were dripping wet, the early morning sun forces
it way through the tree-tops, producing a strange,
surreal light, and when you stop, and turn off the
engine, all the noises of the jungle fill the air.
This was a mud road that is being improved by
vast armies of Chinese road builders. The tragedy is
that much of the road will be tarmac if the rally has to
drive it, but there will be still plenty of dirt stretches,
and it will still be dramatic.
It had rained hard overnight and it was sticky at
times, but not so bad that would prevent two-wheeldrive cars being successful – indeed the odd Toyota
taxi, and Suzuki mini-bus, joined us on this road.
We think a two-wheel-drive car could have done
what we have just driven, and the Peugeot 504 sitting
in the shed back home would have loved all this. (And
with spares plentiful along the route, a practical and
comfortable proposition).
Talking of local cars, we have only seen the odd
Land Rover (although we passed a scrap yard simply
full of early Land Rovers), and not seen any BMW or
Porsche Cayenne, or Mitsubishi performance “soft
roaders”, in fact we have not seen any kind of BMW.
Local tyre shops we have explored out of curiosity
don’t sell anything bigger than 16-inch. The most
common size of all is a 205-16, and the 13, 14, and
15 inch tyres were all tall profile (sensible, when you
consider the damage pot-holes can do, regardless of
speed).
Our Land Rover TD5 has never missed a beat, it
didn’t consume it’s first litre of oil since leaving France
till we crossed into the Congo, and the only
maintenance check has been routine stuff like
checking the tightness of the wheel-nuts. Surely the
London to Cape Town NEWSLETTER 1 - FEBRUARY 2010
All along the
route we have
been met with
smiling, happy
children
waving madly
or running
alongside the
car
Page 2
TD5 engine has to be the most reliable motor since
Herbert Austin invented the Austin Seven.
A few words about the vexed question of safety.
We are travelling somewhat heavily loaded, (three up,
with a gas-tank giving a range of 1,000 kms), and
doing this on our own unaccompanied. We have yet to
meet any spot of “tension”, have not been accosted
by youths with knives or guns, not found any moment
we could regard as intimidating. We had really good
communications – the biggest surprise is the regular,
almost constant signal for our ordinary Vodafone/BT
mobile phone… we had a signal at regular intervals.
Our carefully plotted route through Nigeria was
bristling with police and soldiers, but we didn’t
experience any sign of whatever it is that gives them
anxiety. Clearly they are doing a good job right now,
as they provide the ordinary overland traveller a sense
of peace of mind. All along the route we have been
met with smiling, happy children waving madly or
running alongside the car – or, on one occasion,
bursting into an instant rendition of the chorus of an
African hymn, belted out with the sort of wonderful
sense of harmony and rhythm that only African
children can deliver.
In short, we have not had one worrying moment.
Our personal experience on the road is a world away
from the image you get from some of the
newspapers. We have stopped in remote villages and
stocked up food supplies and nibbles from street-side
sellers, often a bunch of bananas, a pine-apple, to
produce a fruity sandwich from a fresh bread-stick,
carved up on the move with a pen-knife, using the
back of a clip-board as a chopping board.
The route from the top of Africa started at the
porter of Algiers, after a 23-hour cross of the Med
from Marseilles. And in all the driving-days through
the middle of the Sahara, and down the West-side of
Africa, we have not given away anything that you
could call a bribe to anyone – no border guard or
customs official has even dropped a hint of a backhander – we haven’t even given away a Biro.
I flew back from Point Noire, having sat on the
backseat of the Land Rover since the last big town
you come to when crossing the Sahara, and have
enjoyed every moment of Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon,
Gabon and the Congo. I’ve walked alongside camels
in the southern-Sahara… roamed the streets at
sunrise in Agadez to the smell of bread rolls as rusty
wheel-barrows carry them out of the baker’s ovens…
nailed down planks of rickety wooden bridges in a
gorilla forest in Cameroon… and watched the
remarkable dedication of the team running the Albert
Schweitzer Hospital at Labarene, when we dropped in
to ask if we could use their internet facility to send
photos and words to this website, as well as meeting
loads of enthusiastic people eager to make the
London to Cape Town Rally a success.
And most important, I’ve also seen some of the
most fantastic driving roads anyone could wish to
experience. Set at a fast clip with timing on most
days, this will be an authentic play-back to the
gruelling, demanding, competitive long distance
events of the 1970s.
Sam Rutherford is now plodding on through the
rest of Angola to the long gravel roads of Namibia,
and as he goes, he is noting the GPS waypoints and
the landmarks for our route book, and will be keeping
us updated on the website from time to time…
nobody said this would be easy, but we have cracked
a mountain of misgivings in the last few weeks and,
with over three-quarters completed, it really does now
leave us charged up and full of encouragement for a
most remarkable rally-route.I returned home to find a
bunch of entry-forms on my desk – and right now
that has to be the most encouraging thing of all.
Philip Young (23.1.2010)
London to Cape Town NEWSLETTER 1 - FEBRUARY 2010
A few pointers… frequently
asked questions answered:
“Two-wheel-drive…how practical?”
There are times and places where a lighter more agile
car with two wheel drive will be advantageous. Other
times where the driving will be harder work. It’s really
an impossible call – how can we judge how well
driven a two-wheel-drive entry will be? There were
times when a Citroen 2CV would have left us
behind… indeed, we were overtaken by one. In the
Congo, the Land Rover met a Peugeot 205, very rusty,
doors looking like they were held on with gaffa-tape,
with what looked like a family of 10 inside, and a sofa
on the roof. Small Suzuki mini-buses rattle over the
dirt roads, and seem to cope with long stretches of
mud. There is no doubt that to get to Cape Town
having done it in an “ordinary car” with two wheel
drive would certainly heighten the sense of
achievement… and satisfaction.
“What sort of cars did you meet?”
Well, we didn’t see any British cars, we were surprised
not to see any Fords, and for example, you won’t see
a Fiesta or a Ka till you get to South Africa. We met a
few Land Rovers and found a scrap yard full of old
Land Rovers. Most locals drive Toyotas – the Corolla,
front wheel drive, is a favourite taxi, and Land
Cruisers, with straight-six engines, are everywhere…
boringly common. If you want a challenge and a real
sense of achievement at the end, do it anything other
than a Toyota! Classic 70s-type Mercs and Peugeots –
both 404 pick up, 504 saloons, and 505s – were seen
in all the countries from Algiers onwards. We saw a
small Peugeot 106 in Niger, old Renault Fives, and
when we crossed into Nigeria, even saw a Mini
Clubman in a hedge but that might have been left
there by an optimistic overlander. You are STRONGLY
advised to get a left-hand-drive car, some countries,
like Nigeria and Cameroon, are trying to ban right
hand drive cars… you might have to explain you are
“in transit” and show your Carnet to an officious
bureaucrat, and not trying to import a right-hand-drive
car. This will cost you time delays and penalties at
best.
“How safe did you feel?”
Page 3
Put it this way – we didn’t drive a single road with our
hearts in our mouths, while praying at the same time.
We didn’t feel a sense of anxiety, didn’t come across
areas of “tension” or places where we felt we were
risking it… we were met with lots of smiling faces,
mostly. In Nigeria we saw plenty of police checkpoints
and soldiers, but not what was causing them to patrol
the roads so eagerly, it gave us a feeling of security.
Crossing out of Algeria into Niger we were escorted by
scruffy pick-up trucks of soldiers who hype up the
difficulty and “you really need us” to justify their
existence with escorts, but locals say the
troublemakers were dealt with long ago, and certainly
we saw no evidence in this bit for the escort. I can’t
comment on Angola as the route survey team that are
noting every significant junction are still there, but
things have improved a lot in Angola recently, and the
Chinese are building new tarmac roads… in a few
years time, the Chinese will have given every
significant African road a coating of bitumen.
“What about communications?”
The only place where a satellite phone really helps is
the remote bit in no-mans land after leaving Algeria.
But apart from this all the way to the middle of the
Congo, we had regular signals for our ordinary UK
Vodafone mobile. You will be in the middle of nowhere,
not having seen sight of a soul in hours, and get a text
telling you the fridge in the kitchen back home has
just packed up. In Niger, there are masts every 60
kms, and you have almost a constant signal. Other
countries after this are about as good. In towns at
night it’s no issue – texting is often easier than calling
(and vastly cheaper).
“How do the hotels work in
practice?”
The Organisation is organising, and paying for, five
hotels plus the finish in Cape Town. Provisionally we
have decided to have a re-grouping at the following
points where we will book and pay for a room for you,
Tamanrasset- Algeria, Kano- Nigeria, LimbeCameroon, Dolisie- Congo and Fish River CanyonNamibia. The final night and prize-giving in Cape Town
will be booked and paid for by us at the Table Bay
Hotel . You will book the rest (or not, it’s your choice),
from lists of contact-information that we will give you. If
a hotel refuses to deal with all the crews on an
individual basis, then we might have to consider a
group booking form for all, but basically we wanted to
strip out a lot of the admin, get the entry fee right
down, and, make competitors responsible for their own
overnight accommodation… instead of whinging about
what is on offer, or not on offer. On the whole, we
found some perfectly acceptable hotels… shabby, yes,
missing bath-plugs, yes, missing a toilet roll now and
London to Cape Town NEWSLETTER 1 - FEBRUARY 2010
then, yes, but, they all had a decent bed, we never got
up in the morning having been bitten by bed-bugs (or
gnats for that matter, I personally didn’t hear one
mosquito), all our hotels had an en-suite bathroom with
toilet and washbasin… one didn’t have hot water and
more than one didn’t have electricity, but provided
long queues. We will list the prices we found in the
route-book, obviously this information will be a year
out of date but will give you a guide of what you
should expect to pay. The route-book lists a lot of gasstations, though not all.
“What is the weather like?”
Warm weather. The hottest bit was southern Algeria,
but most days were like a hot summer’s day in the UK,
except it was easier to adapt to as it’s such a dry kind
of heat… it does get humid however after southern
Cameroon. Temperatures, and sunrise and sunset
times, are detailed in the Route Book. It is seriously
cold at night in the Sahara.
“Are all days timed?”
Peter Robinson's
1800 'landcrab'
built originally
for the 1968
London to
Sydney copes
with a stretch of
mud while
romping to third
overall on our
Nile Trial...
it went on to
finish second
overall on the
London
Casablanca....
a car that offers
some comfort to
the crew over
vast distances,
and soaks up
everything that
is thrown at it,
will be there at
the end...
Page 4
candles instead (but we also brought our own candles).
You can duck our of the suggested hotels if you wish –
but you won’t feel like sleeping in the car and will only
want to put up a tent if you really have to. You will need
a tent and sleeping bag for camp sites in Angola, but
once into Namibia you will be giving them away.
Hotels ranged from 10 Euros a room to 50, and
meals for three were rarely more than 30 Euros. Locals
drink a range of good beers, and Sprite/Coke is freely
available. We stocked up on water bottles as we went
along. One downside – a lot of hotels have very few
twin-bed rooms, most are one double bed. Two blokes
sharing one mattress might suggest a sleeping-bag
liner, available from any good camping shop, might be
handy in such a situation. (Or make your own out of a
sheet and sewing-machine).
“How did the money work out?”
Good question. Apart from a Chinese restaurant in
Kano, Nigeria, we didn’t use a credit card, and we
didn’t see a MasterCard sign anywhere… its VISA
card only, if at all. Everyone from Algiers onwards to
the Congo wants CFA, the central-African Franc, and
its cash that does the talking. The CFA is a closedcurrency, which means it’s hard to get hold of… if you
know of anyone who could help, getting even 50
pounds worth before the rally would be a wise move.
We will give advice on banks, and hotels that can help
change money in the route book. Not all the borders
had money-changers.
“What is the cost of fuel?”
In Algeria it’s about 20p a litre, in Nigeria it was nearer
70p a litre (diesel) and petrol is on ration here, with
We are certainly hoping so. We have planned some
Time Trials, and some fast road sections, where timing
will add a bit of pressure (100kph averages on long
open road sections). This is a competitive event, not
planned as a tour… it has a press-on-regardless
nature, and will be similar in concept to the long
distance events of the 1970s (do check out the
background to all this on ww.londonsydney77.com).
It is important that newcomers take part in local rallies
and fully understand rally timing before competing –
consider this part of your personal preparations.
“Is it an event you would take
your wife on then?”
That’s a tricky question to answer. More than one
woman has told us quite firmly that they can reverse a
horse-box and chuck a bale of hale better than most
blokes, and they are not being left behind… and if
your co-driver really can drive the easy bits and allow
a driver an hour or two of rest, eyes-closed, then why
not. But, if you have a wife who can’t or won’t help
jack up a car, is not interested in changing a wheel,
will not drive ‘because it’s the wrong side of the road,”
then, it’s best you leave her behind.
“How Important is French?”
Get into difficulty, and it can get you out of a
problem… ability to say “Happy New Year!” was a
greeting in French that took more than one official by
surprise and stopped him perhaps asking for “a gift”,
and ability to ask for directions was something we
were glad of. If this is beyond you, you can hope to
muddle through… develop your own phrase-book
style translation of phrases like “I need fuel” or
“where can I get a tyre repaired” or “can I follow you
to this hotel for a small fee” and with a few wits, you
will get by.
French is the main language of most West African
countries – but Nigeria’s main language is English,
and in Angola it’s Portuguese. In Namibia English is
understood just about everywhere, but German is still
commonly found.
London to Cape Town NEWSLETTER 1 - FEBRUARY 2010
“Are there special driving
techniques I could brush up on?”
Mud is different and needs planning… it’s too easy to
get half way up a hill, run out of revs, decide to
change into first gear, and find you are sliding back
down hill because you didn’t plan it, and like snow
and ice, cadence-braking of rapid dabbing of the
brake pedal, and staying off the brake pedal
altogether, is pretty essential, and of course not hitting
the ruts and pot-holes having braked hard first which
just collapses the front springs and ensures even
more shock is transmitted up into the car is an
essential “natural technique” that needs to be
adapted. The Sahara is nearly all tarmac (not including
a 200 kms Time Trial which is a hard dirt/stony
surface), with a day of sand/gravel at the end on the
southern-border.
“What tyres work best?”
It’s such an individual choice it’s hard to say, but we
never saw one low-profile tyre before South Africa…
by that, something less than 75-profile on the sidewall.
It’s because of the pot-holes that locals drive tall tyres.
There are no tyres locally available above 16 inch size
(205-16 being the most common, but 7.50-16 can be
found), and 13, 14, 15 inch sizes can be sourced. You
need a smooth road-tread for sand, but cut-out
shoulder-lugs and a more open pattern work on mud,
particularly if it’s wet. Six-ply tyres with a strong
sidewall are advised. You might need to shop locally for
a tyre, so think carefully about selecting a size that will
help get you out of trouble. Steel wheels will be more
durable than alloy – you can tap dents out of the rims,
alloys crack up. You MUST have two spare wheels and
tyres, and should expect to re-supply locally, the route
book lists tyre-depots now and then.
A guide to costs, paperwork
and other essentials
Page 5
Passports
Registration Papers
You must send into the rally office a scanned image of
the photo/details page for each competitor. It must
have 6 months to run from the date that you enter
each country on the event. It is vital that we have this
by the deadline confirmed in the regulations, as we
prepare a spreadsheet and email it to the Borders and
all the hotels to ensure an efficient service. Advance
paperwork means we should cross quickly. You affect
your fellow competitors and the timing of the rally if
you do not send this in, which is why you will have
deemed to have withdrawn if you do not meet the
deadline. Once we have the scanned image saved in
our Office computer we can use this many times to
obtain the relevant permissions and letters that you
will need for the event. If you have two passports
please note you must designate one to use for the
rally and you cannot change this after the deadline.
You also must supply 3 good quality colour
photocopies of your Vehicle Registration document (
known as a Log Book in the UK) which ideally should
be in the name of the driver. If it is not in the driver’s
name you will have problems at the border trying to
explain the cars is yours and not stolen etc. You will
also have problems with customs when you ship the
car home. Please contact the DVLA now at get the
car in your name. If you have borrowed your car or it
is hired, then you need a letter of authorisation from
the owner, preferably on headed paper, confirming
you have the right to use the car, ship it and
authorise repairs. USA registered cars do not always
show the Licence plate number (all cars need visible
plates fitted), USA entrants should write the
registration plate number neatly on the document and
then photocopy it.
London to Cape Town NEWSLETTER 1 - FEBRUARY 2010
Vehicle Insurance
There are three
Exclusion Points:
Marseilles,
Tamanrasset,
Algeria and
Limbe,
Cameroon.
Failure to clock
in while these
Controls are
manned will
result in
exclusion
Insurance for the Non European parts of the route is
provided by the Rally Office within the entry fee. This
will only be third party vehicle insurance as fully
comprehensive insurance is not available. Competitors
are responsible for insuring their own vehicles for fully
comprehensive insurance if they want this. UK
entrants should be able to upgrade their normal
vehicle insurance to include Europe. Each Crew will be
given their Third Party Insurance documents for each
country on the event
European entrants will obviously not have a
problem with extending existing insurance but entrants
from USA, Australia, New Zealand etc may have
difficulty finding cover. Hagerty International Ltd,
based in Northampton, will arrange cover for entrants
for the European section of the event and give a
quotation for fully comprehensive cover. To arrange
this, contact Phil Dunne: Tel: +44 (0) 8700 420 220,
Fax: +44 (0) 8700 420221 or
Email: [email protected]
with them. The forms to apply for this can be found
on the RAC website, the licence lasts a year and only
costs £5.50. Please note: they will only issue them
three months before your date of travel, so it is best
to bring forward your date of travel on the form so
you can apply well before this. Overseas entrants
need to apply to their own relevant national motoring
organisation.
Competition Licence
You do not require one for this event. That said, it is
vital you take part in shorter, smaller rallies before
taking on something so ambitious. Join a local
motor-club.
Carnet de passage
This is an internationally recognised document that
allows you to temporarily import a vehicle free of
import duty into countries which normally require a
deposit against import duties. You obtain this from
the RAC in the UK. It is a yellow A4 size booklet that
is stamped when you enter a country and stamped
again when you exit. You have to hand your Carnet
de Passage to the CARS UK agent who will clear the
car through customs and allow it to be shipped
home from Cape Town. CARS UK then return the
completed stamped Carnet to the RAC who close
the file. We will help you with completing the forms
but entrants must pay the charges themselves. The
cost of the Carnet is based on the value of your car,
the lower the value you confirm on the form, the
less you pay! See the RAC website for an example
of the costs for Africa.
Competition Numbers
Each Entrant must submit two copies of their Drivers
Licence and a copy of an International Licence by the
published deadline. Note: each crew member must
hold a valid driving licence.
Once the entry list has closed the official competition
numbers will be awarded. These large white selfadhesive numbers will be posted to the main driver
along with your rally plate stickers. The large saloon
type vehicles will receive 14” numbers and smaller
vehicles will receive 11”. If you have a white, silver,
cream or very pale coloured car you will require black
numbers, hopefully we can pick up this information
from your entry form but please e-mail us to confirm if
you will require black numbers.
The cars will be numbered in order that full
payment is received. The first to pay in full will
receive Number 1 and so on.
International Driving Licence
Timing Points
This is compulsory for Nigeria. The cost is minimal
and it can be very useful or all the other countries. If
you are stopped by an official or Policeman en route
and asked for your licence, it is better to hand over
an International Licence which they can scribble on
and examine, and keep your real licence intact. It will
look official and satisfy any officious traffic police, in
extreme cases you can even drive off and leave it
Most days are timed, in addition there are Time Trials
that will establish a leaderboard. There are two in the
UK and one in France, before crossing the
Mediterranean. Some of these are long - one in
northern Africa is 200 kms. There are three Exclusion
Points - failure to clock in at these Time Controls will
result in exclusion from the event. The results will be
posted on the event's website regularly.
Driving Licence
Page 6
London to Cape Town NEWSLETTER 1 - FEBRUARY 2010
Trip Meters
Corbeau seats make
the GTB recliner (seen
here) and also, the
original LondonSydney and LondonMexico "Marathon"
seat, now known as
the GTS recliner, for
around £150 a seat (or
less).
Luke full-harness
belts in the lightweight
road going material with
simple push-button
buckle will be under
£50.... contact
Corbeau Seats for
these items on
Tel: 01424 853288,
and talk to Richard or
Colin - we have asked
them to put together a
special-deal package for
London to Cape Town
entrants (discount had
not been worked out
when this newsletter
went to press). Philip
Young drove the Paris
Dakar using the Corbeau
GTS "marathon" seat
and so they come highly
reccommended.
www.corbeauseats.co.uk
All 4x4s must have
a full roll-cage fitted
Page 7
There are four main types of trip-metres - Monit,
Brantz, Terratrip and Halda. Any of these will be
suitable. We prefer the Monit as it is light, discrete,
easy to use and you don’t have to ruin your dashboard
and it has the same type of touch screen as a mobile.
Our second choice is the basic model Terratrip simply
because it has bigger buttons making it easier to use.
You can purchase Trip-meters from Holden Vintage
and Classic Suppliers Tel: 01885 488 000 or
Demon Tweeks Tel 01978 664555. The Monit can
be purchased from Rally Preparation Services Ltd
Tel: +44 (0)1865- 301908 or email
[email protected] Remember the Trip needs to be
calibrated for Kilometres and should be sited on the
dash so that both Driver and Navigator can see it useful if the Navigator wants to sleep for a while, the
Driver can continue without waking him. The
Organisation prefers the Monit – on the Nile Trial, Brantz
proved unreliable due to not liking strong heat coming
in through the windscreen, do bear this in mind.
Names
You must put your names on the front door or wing of
your car but for this event no nationality flags please.
Coba Graphics Ltd Tel: +44 (0) 1420 511255 can print
and post these out to anywhere in the world or you can
arrange this with a local screen printer of your choice.
Computer cut vinyl lettering is best. Any size. Having your
names on the wings helps the Film Crew and
Photographers identify you, and is helpful at borders.
There used to be a bad habit of putting blood
groups on doors - no doctor is going to pump blood into
anyone on the basis of reading information on a door so
this is to be avoided.
Website
Our website www.capetownrally.com will be updated
daily whilst the event is running, please pass our
website address onto your families and friends who will
want to see your progress on the leaderboard. Keep an
eye on this as we are giving news updates to the site
regularly, along with the entry list.
Shipping
CARS UK is the official shipping agent for the 2011
London to Cape Town, although you are free to
arrange an alternative shipping agent if you wish. To
ship your car home you will must supply a shipping
agent with a copy of the car owners passport, the
Vehicle Registration Document, a carnet de passage
and a list of spares/kit/clothing etc that may be
packed inside the car when it is loaded. You must also
confirm the value of the loaded kit. It takes 6–8 weeks
to ship a car home. CARS UK can be contacted at Tel:
+44 (0)1284 850760 or [email protected]
CARS UK have quoted approximately £1850 to ship a
car home to the UK or Northern Europe. They will give
individual quotes to entrants from the rest of the
world. CARS UK have a good record of helping with all
the paperwork, getting the job done and removing
hassle for you.
Satellite Phones
It is compulsory for each crew to take one satellite
phone with them on the event. One per crew not one
each! Hire companies can be easily found on the
internet. The usual cost is about £9 a day.
www.cellhire.net or Mobell.
Safety Harnesses
The lightest is the simple 4 point harness and we have
found the cheapest is the best. This is a push button
buckle and not used for special stage events. They
cost around £45 each and can be purchased from
Demon Tweeks, Tel: 01978 664466 for a catalogue.
You should specify “Road Rally” as suppliers will be
keen to sell you a set that is double the cost and twice
as heavy. The best, with beautiful stitching as each is
hand-made, is LUKE, and these belts can be ordered
via Corbeau Seats. They come in blue, black, red and
gray and can be made to your personal requirements
in terms of length. Tel: 01424 853288.
Sponsorship
You are allowed to obtain sponsorship and details of
how much of the car you can cover in logos and
decals is in the official regulations. (Front doors must
be kept free). If you trying to obtain publicity we can
send you a sample press release which may help. You
cannot reproduce our logos and titles without
permission, although we are usually happy to give this
following an official request. Copyright for the official
rally plate of the 2011 London to Cape Town belongs
to the Peking to Paris Rally Association Ltd. We will
supply a London to Cape Town sunstrip, but you can fit
an alternative if you wish.
Consulates
We have a list of the UK consulates for our own use
but all entrants are advised to check on the web and
make a note of the relevant consulate addresses and
phone numbers for their own embassies.
Secret Compartment
Have you got a secret and secure place in the car for
keeping a copy of your car registration document,
insurance, passport and Health Insurance, even if it is
only under a rear floor mat or wired up under the
dashboard? Copies of visas will help… This might
help get you out of the country if you lose everything.
Local Customs
We strongly recommend that you buy the Lonely
Planet Guide (or similar travel guide) for Africa. The
route passes through Muslim areas and the local
customs and traditions must be respected at all times.
London to Cape Town NEWSLETTER 1 - FEBRUARY 2010
Road Book and Maps
The road book will list waypoints, distance in
kilometres and also have description notes and some
map references. The road book will be sent before the
start to the driver. We will issue a list of recommended
maps for the route, once the second recce trip has
been completed. The Map list should come out
approximately six months before the event. Michelin’s
North Africa, and Southern Africa, are vital reading.
Camping Equipment
As you all know, you need to bring a tent and sleeping
bags. This is a matter of personal choice but with
regards to a tent we recommend that you buy a “pop
up” design if possible (cheapest is often simplest...
from around £30). The ground will be hard and you do
not want to be banging in tent pegs into rock hard
ground in the dark! The recce team used a Flash
Eurohike tent from Millets (code number 094591) and
said it was great. This sleeps two and is ideal for a
married couple. However, an all male crew would need
one each as this tent is very snug! You can order on
line at www.millets.co.uk You may also like to check
out a company called Blackwells who supply Everest
mountaineering teams, they are more expensive but
better quality, although most people will give the tent
away after the camping section to lighten the car. Just
try and choose the tent that is easiest to erect.
Event Clothing
Page 8
We assume everyone is aware of the importance of
travelling light keeping the weight down in the car at
all times. The right clothing is vitally important, it has
to be tough, easily laundered and keep you cool in the
day but warm at night. The event is not a fashion
show, the correct clothing that protects you from
sunburn but is comfortable to wear is vitally important
for comfort in the car.
The Rally staff on all our events wear Rohan
Clothing which is specially made for travelling. Whilst
we are aware that many experienced competitors
already wear Rohan clothing, newcomers to the sport
may not be aware of this range, so we have enclosed
their catalogue.
Please bear in mind that you probably won’t get a
laundry service in the hotels (and you won’t have time
to use it if there was). If you are travelling light (as you
should be) this could be a problem. The Rohan
catalogue shows men’s trousers Cat Number 01602
(page 22), and women’s Cat Number 01652 (page 53)
which dry in only 3 hours, meaning you could rinse
them out in your room ready for the next day. They
also do shirts and T-shirts which can be dried quickly
and are impregnated with insect repellent. Their
clothes have zippable pockets which are so useful for
hiding credit cards and money so no need for a
handbag. You can order on line at www.rohan.co.uk
or call Tel: 0870 601 2244. The recce-team took four
shirts, four pairs of socks, four pairs of under-wear,
and did a spot of washing each night, with a line
across the back of the car to finish off the drying
process.
Please do look through the catalogue, heavy jeans
that rub you when sat in a hot car for hours and thick
polo shirts that make you sweat are not a good idea
for this marathon! You might also wish to take a small
bottle of soap powder/travel washing powder for
rinsing items overnight. Shorts and T-Shirts can be
worn in Algeria, Niger (and on).
Whilst on the subject of clothing we would
recommend that you take a light waterproof
fleece/jacket etc in case of rain and at least one warm
jumper. For any well travelled person it is common
sense, but all entrants are strongly advised not to
carry expensive and/or ostentatious jewellery, watches,
cameras, camcorders etc on the event.
Garmin GPS Satellite Navigation
We can confirm that the Garmin GPS unit you need is
the Garmin GPS Map 76cx. Our “master GPS” will be
a Garmin and this will upload your Garmin with the
correct waypoints at the start of the event after signing
on. If you use any other model it will not be compatible
and we cannot upload your machine. You should also
buy a booster aeriel, fixed to the roof, or you will lose
your signal amongst trees and in valleys. A special
mounting is also advised to fix the Garmin securely to
the dash. The cost of the GPS kit ranges from £250
to £400 depending on where you buy it from - hunt
around on the internet for the best price.
GPS Notes
We will be issuing a booklet that gives a detailed and
simple explanation of how to use your Garmin GPS. You
should practice using your Garmin along with these
notes so that you are completely at ease with GPS by
the time you set off. The notes also list the accessories
you need to ensure your Garmin works properly. We
plan to hold a GPS training day along with a general
briefing - the date will be advised shortly.
Border Crossings
A recent recce trip to India showed us the importance
of little things! Border guards like to check the engine
number and chassis number on your paperwork
matches those on the actual car. We found that
making a small badge/plate engraved with the engine
and chassis number, and fixed near the engine so it is
clearly visible once you lift the bonnet, was invaluable.
It looks official and certainly satisfied the guard on the
Indian/Pakistan border. This saves a lot of searching
and taking the block off! You could get this done at a
key cutting shop or ask your car preparer to do it. A
brass dog tag will do, we used a black sticker covered
in a bit of grease.
London to Cape Town NEWSLETTER 1 - FEBRUARY 2010
elsewhere but it is compulsory for every entrant to have
personal insurance. If you already have your own cover
please check the small print of your policy and ensure
that it includes Motor-sport and rallying. Many policies
class rallying as a dangerous sport and it is excluded
along with Skiing and Bungee jumping. You cannot
complete the medical questionnaire without having Travel
Insurance so this needs to be sorted at least six months
before the start of the event..
We have been using Campbell Irvine Ltd for over
12 years and know that if there is an accident on a
rally there has never been any problem in getting
immediate approval for medical treatment, and
payment is dealt with quickly and fairly. They will offer
a specially tailored policy near the date of the event.
Visas
The cost of obtaining event visas is not included in the
entry fee. Our official Visa Agent for UK entrants is
Travcour (UK) Ltd who have a vast experience of
obtaining visas for rallies. Travcour can only handle
visa applications for UK passport holders or UK
residents. Overseas entrants must contact their local
Visa Agent and pay the fees for obtaining their visas
themselves. Please look at Travcours Web site
www.travcour.com and check the requirements for
the visas. The onus is on the competitor to ensure they
have the correct paperwork to apply for each visa and
within the necessary time frame.
At the time of going to press the cost of obtaining
all visas for the event is approximately £850 per
person from a good agency such as Travcour. They
need at least 8 weeks to get all the visas, if this is a
problem then we may be able to help you get a
second passport. Only ONE passport must be used
throughout the event.
Travel Insurance
Page 9
Every Competitor will need a Travel/ Health Insurance,
that is a must – we had to get a light aircraft to land
on the road to take a crew to hospital when they
landed in some bushes after a rear wheel fell off on
our Cape Town to Kenya Classic Safari a couple of
years back, and a lot of time was lost trying to
persuade the Flying Doctor to take off as we searched
for insurance policies. It’s no good asking the crew
when they have just been knocked on the head… so
all our officials need this sort of information to hand.
Doctor Paul Rees will accompany us on this trip
with well equipped ambulance. We will prepare a
spreadsheet which will detail every entrant’s policy
number and the 24 hour help-line number for the
policy. We can then authorise treatment anywhere along
the route.
You may, of course, already have personal travel
insurance, and you are all free to buy your cover
Medical Notes and Advice
These notes are designed to introduce you to some
medical issues to consider whilst preparing for the
event. They are not exhaustive and you should discuss
any concerns with your own doctor.
Medical Teams A medical crew will accompany
the event. Each crew may comprise a physician plus
either a skilled medical assistant or specialist nurse.
They will be using an all-wheel drive vehicle which is
equipped as an ambulance. The crew carries enough
gear to care for a critically ill patient for around 48
hours, and also carry equipment to enable them to be
entirely self-sufficient for this period. The crew will be
mobile throughout each day, and will provide accident
and emergency cover during this time.
The Basics Arrive as fit as possible at the start of
the event. Some of the legs are long, and the fitter you
are the better your ability to endure long hours.
You must have a dental check up before you go,
ideally within two months of the start.
Discuss any medical issues with your own doctor
in good time for the event. Complete any outstanding
tests/treatments well in advance.
Ensure you bring any prescription medicines with
you in sufficient quantity to last the event. It is most
unlikely that we will be able to rectify any shortfall
once on the move. You will need Lomotil and Cypro
from your doctor for “Delhi Belli” – forget Immodium, it
takes too long to be effective. That said, non of the
recce crew had any stomach complaints, regular use
of “wet wipes” helps keep hands reasonably germfree.
Personal Protection
It is vital that you take appropriate equipment to
protect you from the elements over such a long
distance. Some suggestions are as follows:
Head – sun protection (eg hat)
Face – sun block, shemagh for dust or dust mask
Eyes – sunglasses, sand-goggles
Hands – will be exposed to a lot of wear and
London to Cape Town NEWSLETTER 1 - FEBRUARY 2010
tear and vibration. Good gloves will be of value. If not
using “period” gloves try the well-padded OMP “Prova”
range (available from www.demon-tweeks.co.uk)
Consider disposable vinyl or latex gloves for
mechanical work.
Body – warm jacket, especially for cold nights or
if awaiting assitance. The “Buffalo Special 6” jacket is
a excellent for wearing around camp or whilst working
on the car in the cold. Worn next to skin. Available
from www.cotswold-outdoor.com
Boots – warm, comfortable boots or shoes.
Ensure they are worn-in before the event.
Food and Eating - Most food is being provided
on the event. The usual rules for eating whilst abroad
should be used. Ensure thorough hand washing
wherever possible. Small bottles of alcohol hand-lotion
can be used in place of soap and water, where toilet
facilities are less than ideal
Water – bottled only throughout. Canned/bottled
branded drinks okay. Most beers fine.
Keep several litres of drinking water with you,
especially on the longer legs. Drink enough water to
keep your urine a healthy light colour – treacle
coloured urine means you need more water!
Food – anything cooked or peeled should be
okay, hotels should be fine. Avoid seafood.
Pack some emergency food. You will be glad of it if
you have to wait somewhere remote for a mechanical
crew to catch you up. “Wayfarer” meals can be
bought from most outdoor shops in the UK for £3.50
(and www.cotswold-outdoor.com) They can be
heated up by resting on a hot radiator! Pack a plastic
spoon. Most camping shops supply good quality armyrations that come to life with a drop of water, ideal for
emergency use.
●
Use DEET-based insect repellents especially in the
evenings. Follow instructions on the container and
reapply regularly.
●
Consider pre-treated clothing for wear in the
evenings when around camp (usually with
permethrin or DEET).
●
Take a can of “Doom” or similar in case of heavily
infested areas, for pre-treating sleeping area.
●
There is no evidence to support the use of garlic,
vitamin B or sonic tone buzzers for insect
avoidance.
All animal bites should be cleaned thoroughly with
soap and water or alcohol solution and should be
taken urgently for assessment by one of the
medical crews. A course of antibiotics will be
needed.
You are referred to www.traveldoctor.co.uk and
www.nathnac.org for further information.
●
Actions in Emergencies
A short first aid course is advisable. If you have an
accident or medical emergency, your driver/co-driver
is most likely to be the one to save you! Remember
there are long distances involved on this event. At the
very least you should both go on a CPR course.
If on Rally Route:
●
Stop car
●
Display SOS board
Get help as for accident (below)
Accident resulting in serious injury: if you
come across a fellow competitor who has been
involved in an apparently serious accident do the
following:
●
●
Driver: Park safely. Use hazard warning lights etc
if fitted
Vaccinations
●
Place warning triangle in suitable location
Following a risk-assessment of the route, and taking
into account the latest advice from a range of sources
the following are compulsory vaccinations: Typhoid,
Tetanus & Diphtheria, Polio and Hepatitis, Yellow Fever
and Meningitis.
You will also require malaria protection, such as
daily tablets of Malarone. Speak to your doctor about
these in good time. You will be asked at borders for
sight of your Yellow Fever certificate, if this is missing
you might not be allowed to enter. Get a good quality
colour photo-copy!
●
Display SOS board
●
Return to vehicle and make safe by applying
parking brake, switch off motor etc
●
Now give first aid
●
Navigator: Direct driver to perform tasks above
●
Confirm your exact location using distance from
last feature/tulip in roadbook.
●
Note down GPS coordinates also
●
Make a brief assessment of the injuries involved:
●
Nature of injuries (are they awake, in
pain, bleeding etc)
●
Avoiding Insects
A number of diseases that we are trying to avoid are
transmitted by insects. These include both flies and
ticks. A number of simple precautions can cut the
risks of being exposed to their bites.
●
Page 10
Try and keep covered if outside between dusk and
dawn.
How many casualties?
●
Call Rally HQ number and give the following
information:
●
Your car number
●
The victim’s car number
●
Your EXACT location
●
The number of injured people
London to Cape Town NEWSLETTER 1 - FEBRUARY 2010
A short first
aid course is
advisable. At
the very least
you should
both go on a
CPR course
Your initial assessment of injuries (it doesn’t
matter if you’re wrong)
The second car on scene, if not needed to help,
should proceed to the next control. Do not go back
against rally route.
We will send the nearest medical team direct to
you. There will usually be one crew positioned at the
start of the test sections, with another crew roaming
near the middle of the test.
●
Paracetamol 500mg tablets – minimum 30 tablets
●
Ibuprofen 200mg or 400mg tablets – minimum
30 tablets
ALLERGIC REACTIONS
●
Chlorphenamine 4 mg tablets, total 20 (Piriton)
●
Prednisolone tablets 5mg, total 40 tablets
●
Anthisan cream or similar
DIARRHOEAL ILLNESS
First Aid Kit List
●
Ciprofloxacin 500mg tablets, minimum 20 tablets
A complete First Aid Kit containing the items listed
below will be supplied by the Rally Office to each
crew. You must supply any personal prescription
medicines that you may be taking yourself.
AIRWAY AND BREATHING
●
Loperamide (Imodium) or Lomotil (sold over the
counter in UK as Dymotil), 2 boxes
OTHER INFECTIONS
●
Co-amoxiclav (augmentin) 625mg tablets, total 15
●
If penicillin-allergic substitute Erythromycin 500mg
tablets, total 15
SUNDRIES
●
Page 11
●
Laerdal pocket resuscitation mask or similar
CIRCULATION
●
2 medium sterile dressings (12x12cm pad)
●
Scissors
●
2 large sterile dressings (18x18 pad)
●
Splinter forceps/small tweezers
●
“Steri-strip” wound closure dressing strips or
similar
●
6 safety pins
●
1 small bottle antiseptic solution
●
Aspirin 300mg tablets – small bottle
EMERGENCY INFUSION
●
1 small pack tissues
●
1 pack antiseptic wipes
●
500ml 0.9% sodium chloride solution or
Hartmann’s solution or Ringer’s lactate x2 bags
●
1 triangular bandage
●
1 x 7.5cm crepe bandage
●
Sterile intravenous administration set x2
●
1 x 1m elastoplast fabric strip
●
Sterile intravenous cannulae eg Venflon (18-gauge
or similar adult size) x4
ANALGESIA/PAIN RELIEF
Disposable latex or vinyl gloves (3-4 pairs)
You will receive a yellow medical questionnaire in
due course, which must be completed in full and
●
London to Cape Town NEWSLETTER 1 - FEBRUARY 2010
returned to the Rally office by the deadline. These
questionnaires must be placed in a sealed envelope,
with your name clearly marked on the front stating
MEDICAL QUESTIONNAIRE. All envelopes will then be
passed, unopened, to Dr Rees.
Spares List
Africa is going to
have some
rough sections
that are difficult
and challenging
At the end of this guide is a recommended spares list
including all mechanical spares that you may consider
carrying on the event. Please remember, no service
crews are supplied by the rally organisation, you must
be reasonably sufficient in sorting small problems on
your own vehicle. You must be able to adjust the
brakes, change a wheel and understand how the jack
works, and confirm it’s strong enough to lift a loaded
car. You must be able to cope with routine service
items including attending a blocked up fuel filter. If you
cannot carry out these items you should find a friendly
mechanic and spend a morning in a workshop being
taught these essentials.
You should photocopy this spares list and places a
financial value against it, then attach a copy with the £
value shown to your shipping application and this will
serve as a list of the contents of the car.
Terrain and Car Preparation
Africa is going to have some rough sections that are
difficult and challenging. Chassis members flex and
engines move up and down when driven fast on a
gravel road. This requires caps to the enginemountings, and flexibility in the exhaust system,
otherwise the exhaust-mountings soon let go. Please
make sure your workshop reads the Preparation Book
– caps to engine-mountings and a proper rally
Page 12
exhaust system (not using stainless-steel, and not
wrapping pipes in modern asbestos bandage that
overheats the pipes and makes it difficult for roadside
repairs) is vital.
Remember, if you are not able to depart one
morning in the middle of Africa, you are on your own –
you will probably have to hire a truck to carry you.
Equally, catching up after we have left will be a
problem – reliability will be vital.
Enjoying a trouble-free run… things
you must know
Please ensure you spend some time with your
workshop and get someone to teach you personally –
and ensure your co-driver is capable of driving the car
should you fall ill or not be up to driving for a day.
Both crew members should be “self-sufficient” in
these areas that require regular attention:
●
how to adjust the brakes…
●
change a wheel… and understand how the jack
works. Is it strong enough to lift a fully-loaded car?
Can you mend a puncture?
●
Can you change the fan belt…
Grease the car and routine service items…
including attend to blocked up fuel filters (the
Lucas glass jar for trucks and tractors is best –
see our preparation book). And can you adjust the
points in the distributor?
If you can not carry out these regular tasks, you
should not be entering this event.
A morning in a workshop with a friendly mechanic
could teach you these essentials.
●
London to Cape Town NEWSLETTER 1 - FEBRUARY 2010
Our Top-20 key points for
good preparation…
...show this to your workshop
Here are some of the main items that can cause you
problems in Africa
1
Can the engine work under full load
(accelerating uphill, for example), with 90octane fuel? You need to be prepared for the
worst, and the engine is the heart of the car.
Octane boosters are rubbish and don’t work and
you would need a caravan to carry all that you
would need for this trip! Get the engine right in
the first place. No high lift cams, you need a
“tractor engine” that can chug at low revs.
2
Has the engine been waterproofed – have
the tips in the Preparation Book been carried
out? Silicone bathroom sealer helps here.
3
Engines rock around on rough roads, you need
to cap the tops of the engine-mounts to
ensure this doesn’t happen, as it’s the main
cause of broken exhausts. Bring a spare engine
mount, and also a spare gearbox mount.
4
Do you have numbers on the plug-leads –
someone might have to work on your car in the
dark. Do you have the Top Dead Centre marked.
Mark the firing-order. Is the engine number and
chassis-number plate easy to see, if not make
one up yourself and mount it at the top of the
engine, so you are not poking around at borders
holding up customs officials. They are not
interested in originality, just what matches the
paperwork! If you don’t have a number, think of
one, all border-guards are interested in is
ticking their boxes.
5
6
Page 13
7
Do you have a trouble-free flexible exhaust
system – have the tips in the Preparation Book
been carried out? Do you have wire straps that
will catch the exhaust if a mounting breaks? Is it
normal steel piping – not stainless steel, and
free of modern gimmicks like asbestos
wrapping? Have you a “flexible” section?
Have you fitted a new clutch? New wheel
bearings? New prop-shaft joints? All
suspension joints like new? Have you used
water-proof grease in the wheel-bearings (not
all grease is water-proof). Bring spares, bring
the old ones as back up.
Have you got the fuel lines and brake pipes
protected, or run inside the car? Have you
fitted the Lucas GLASS fuel-filter – so you can
see at a glance if you have picked up water or
dirt? Do you have full under body protection? All
exposed brackets, levers for the clutch for
example, pipes need to be skidded and
protected, including spring-hangers. Sump
shield needs to be mounted on the chassis rails
(perhaps using Land Rover engine-mounting
blocks?), not on the suspension, not on anti-roll
bar mountings and anything that can not take
the full force of heavy impact. Stone protection
needs to be considered for the gap between the
top of the sump-shield and the bottom of the
engine-pan, cork, rubber, wire-mesh or foam,
this area fills with mud that sets hard like
concrete, and then acts like a punch when you
hit something, holing the engine and you then
lose all the oil. Vital… so too is protection for
the petrol-tank, skid-shields for gearbox,
differential, spring-hangers.
8
Have you fitted HIGH profile tyres with a sixply or similar “light-truck” strong
construction? Are they NARROW and not overwide forced onto the rim – so they can be
changed with ease, and do you have spare
tubes, and a puncture repair kit?
9
Make sure all wiring and switches are in
good condition. Bring a wiring diagram for your
car. A battery-cut off switch is not mandatory
but a good idea. Fine dust in the desert gets in
everywhere, so the silicone waterproofing trick
helps here. Brackets to dynamo or alternator
should be reinforced. Bring a spare bracket!
mountings need to be
10 Suspension
reinforced and strengthened. Reinforce
brackets for shock-absorbers. Why not put wire
loops under the axles to catch them from
dropping down when a wheel is momentarily
airborne, this snatch is the biggest cause of
shock-absorber failure.
you retained the original mechanical
11 Have
fan – modern electrical additional fans only help
at speeds less than 50 kph, and often fall apart
due to vibration. The makers original fan was
designed for hot weather and is probably
perfectly up to the job! Fans fitted to the outside
London to Cape Town NEWSLETTER 1 - FEBRUARY 2010
of radiators often block airflow and cause a car
to run with a higher radiator temperature – so
it’s not cooling things down at all! Don’t use
aluminium radiators, unless you have to, as they
are harder to repair, and being softer more
easily damaged from flying grit. Use MiniCooper rubber exhaust-mountings as washers
to give some flexibility so the radiator is not
solidly mounted. Have you an expansion-tank for
catching hot water, (see the Preparation Book)
and is the radiator cap on a piece of bath-chain
or wire? When you drop it in the dark you will
wish you had done this… bring in the spareskit some radiator sealant.
the car come with tools for this
12 Does
particular model which you are familiar with and
can use? Have you a workshop manual, why not
bring it along?
your workshop seen the Regulations
13 Has
and the list of safety-items you must comply
with, such as a fire-extinguisher? Has the car
now got a Monit or a Terratrip (the basic model
is the best you can get), or other distancerecorder (in kilometres), do you have spare
cable, sender-unit or couplings?
Security – keep a copy of all documents,
14 passports,
visas and some spare money, in a
metal cash-box and weld it up under the
dashboard or under the floor as a secret
compartment for emergencies. One driver had
his briefcase stolen on the last Peking to Paris
when at Mount Everest, he had to get through
all borders without a single item of proof of who
is is… worrying moments like this happen to
the best of us but a back-up copy hidden in the
car would have reduced delays.
you got good lights? A caravan strip
15 Have
light inside the car, a light in the engine bay,
map reading light. Do you have spare torches, a
light you can wear around your head is ideal…
there is no night time driving, unless you have
problems, but you need to think of all
eventualities. When you arrive tired and need to
get out the tent, you will need to be able to see
your way round the car with ease.
get problems with petrol tanks splitting.
16 We
Original mountings are already fatigued and will
Page 14
fail if you have not reinforced them. You are
carrying lots of heavy fuel, a strap underneath
that can take some of the weight will reinforce
original mountings. Spring hangers have rubbed
through the side of tanks on Bentleys, you will
see full movement of suspension that you do
not normally see on other events, it’s not good
saying “I never get this problem.” It is a BIG
problem if you split a petrol tank.
you sitting comfortably? This is hours and
17 Are
hours every day, for a month… Have you fitted
good comfortable seats, with some adjustment
– can you adjust the back, can you snatch
some sleep? Beating fatigue means being
comfortable, a top area of concern for you and
your co-driver. Do you know where everything
is, have you built in lots of compartments? Have
you fitted a good foot-rest so your co-driver can
be properly braced, have you handy strap for
hanging on – driver’s have a steering wheel,
navigators bounce around a lot more! Good seat
belts help here and make an enormous
difference in beating fatigue. Take out the back
seat and fit lockable storage boxes, don’t forget
room for your own tent and sleeping bags.
you got spare ignition keys? Has your
18 Have
co-driver got one. Also keys to the petrol cap,
and why not hide a spare key under some tanktape hidden on the car, like the back of a
bumper or under the dashboard? Keys often get
lost on events.
biggest single problem on our last long
19 The
distance event was broken shock absorber
mountings and broken springs. Make sure you
bring spares.
Don’t overload it – the biggest single enemy
20 you
face is weight. Engine oil is available at the
roadside at every fuel-station, why carry that
heavy item? You need lightweight things like
steering, suspension joints, prop-shaft joints, a
wheel bearings, two spare shock absorbers. We
will be making up a suggested spares-list
nearer the start. You are now 12 months away
from shipping your car – you should be testing
your car with all equipment in six months time,
how is your time-table shaping up?
Fuel Tanks
Our recce team have confirmed that all competing
vehicles should be able to carry 250 miles worth of
fuel, this is the maximum between fuel stops. Fitting a
long range fuel tank is therefore highly recommended.
Refer to the Draft Technical Regulations on our
website for further information.
Engine Mounts
These will almost certainly need tying down or
reinforcing with a cap to stop upward movement of the
engine on severe jolts, this alone is the biggest cause
of exhaust pipe problems. You could snap an engine
mount if you don’t secure things down properly.
London to Cape Town NEWSLETTER 1 - FEBRUARY 2010
Equipment & Spares Lists
Compulsory Equipment
Consumables
Metal bolts to repair shock
absorber mountings
Warning triangle
2 inner tubes
Tow rope
I Litre Dot brake fluid
Two spare wheels
Exhaust bandage and paste
1.75 Litre AFFF Fire
Extinguisher
Short piece of exhaust pipe
Front and rear wheel bearings
Hose bandages
Front and rear pad shoes
First Aid Kit
Cable ties, plastic and metal
Master cylinder repair kit
Tent and sleeping bags
Rapid Araldite/Radweld
Salve cylinder repair kit
Insulation tape
Brake pipe blanking end or
spare
General
1 wiper blade, wiper arm
Tank tape, WD40 oil
1 wiper motor brush kit
Disposable gloves
Halda drive wheels and cables
Insulated gloves
Bungee straps
Hand cleaner/baby wipes
2 or more inner tubes
Puncture kit (& aerosol foam)
Tools, Workshop Manual
Brakes and Hubs
Brake pipe, split pins
Engine and
Transmission
Water pump (share with team
mate)
Electrical Spares
Complete engine gasket set
Torch and batteries
Alternator or dynamo
Engine core plugs
Funnel and fine filter
Repair kit for above
1 rocker and push rod
Petrol can
Regulator
Exhaust valve, inlet valve
Water carriers
Plug leads
Clutch master cylinder – repair
Foot pump or compressor
Coil lead, condenser
Clutch salve cylinder – repair
Strong jack, flat piece wood
Coil, rotar arm
Prop shaft joint, half shaft
Plastic sheet
Ballast resistor
Speedometre cable
Strong wheel brace
Points, spare screw
Accelerator cable
Spare wheel nuts and studs
Distributor cap and imput lead
Fan belt, (stretched belt)
Body filler (isopon or chemical
metal)
Full set light bulbs
Welded link chain and strong
nuts
Bolts to fit links
Large +small Jubilee clips
Exhaust clamp
Selection of terminals
Insulation tape
Fibre and copper washers
Spare key for fuel filter cap.
Folding sand shovel
Sacking/rubber mats if stuck in
sand
Sleeping bags and tents
Total Value of above
Fuses, electrical switch
Nuts and bolts to fit car
Work light
Camping
Map light and Potti bulbs/spark
plugs, electrical wire
Spare ignition key – separate
from car
Jump leads
£
Car Make/Model
Steering and
Suspension
Front shock absorbers (or
inserts)
Rear shock absorbers (or
inserts)
Track rod ends
Page 15
Spare front spring
Spare leaf spring-rear
Driver Name
London to Cape Town NEWSLETTER 1 - FEBRUARY 2010
Specialist
preparation experts
The Endurance Rally Association has personal experience of a number of specialists in long
distance rally preparation – here are a few pointers:
To get your copy
of ‘How to Build
a Successful LowCost Rally Car’
send a cheque
for £15 payable
to ‘Event
Secretarial
Services Ltd’ to:
Rally Office,
St. Mary’s Road,
East Hendred,
Oxon OX12 8LF
Rally Preparation Services: Based at
Standlake, just outside Witney, Oxfordshire, run by
Simon Ayris, Andy Inskip, and Bill Hitchcock, the team
are currently building several cars for the Peking to
Paris. Simon and Andy have personally served rally
organisations as sweep-mechanics, and have an
appreciation of what cars and crews have to endure.
They are rally experts and that is all they do. Email:
[email protected], Tel: 01865 301908, website:
www.RPSrally.com
Matt Savage: Specialists for Toyota 4x4s for
rally raids, expeditioins, and long distance equipment
suppliers. Email: [email protected] or
Tel: 01629 55855
Chris Bibb: Former Pirelli Classic Marathon and
Monte Carlo Challenge regular, Chris Bibb is planning
to enter the London to Cape Town in a Citroen 2CV,
and founded the McRae Enduro, a Dakar Special,
which is built up at Extreme Race+Rally Ltd at
Braintree, Essex, and says the workshop could
undertake a replica of the Bill Bengry London to
Mexico Rolls Royce Shadow, a 2CV, or a Datsun
240Z... long distance rally-raids is all the workshop
undertake...Tel: 07801 191329.
Robert Kitchen: Rally Specialist, based in
Norfolk, vastly experienced.Tel: 07867 516281.
Simon Ayris
Lenham Sportscars: This long-established
workshop based at 47 West St, Harrietsham, on the
A20 south of Maidstone, Kent, is run by Andy Actman
and Peter Rix, who have built several cars for long
distance events and Andy Actman himself is a regular
competitor. Email: [email protected]
or Tel: 01622 859570.
Frog’s Island: Specialists in Land Rovers for
rallies and expeditions, based at Milton Park, near
Didcot, Oxon, supplies of numerous rally modifications,
suspension upgrades, long range tanks, under body
armour. Email: [email protected] or
Tel: 01235 832100
There are regular information updates, and
photos of the route survey, on
www.londoncapetownrally.com
Page 16