Day meet- Scottish Borders?

[mister munkey]

Has the volcanic ash disabled all your cameras?

[MountainGoat]

No not quite Chris, just a cameraman who is a bit slow off the mark. Waiting, waiting, waiting.

Tony

[dunslair]

Has the volcanic ash disabled all your cameras?

I remembered to bring my camera.....but when I saw Alec with tripod and semi professional outfit...... I decided to leave it in the van. I tend to be very good at taking pictures that either chop off the heads, or make it look as if telegraph poles or trees are growing out of people or vans!!!

It seamed it was very difficult to get all of us in one place at the same time. Tony was so obsessed with making best possible use of the 'free toilets' he didn't even notice the Tweed about 20meters away

[dandywarhol]

Still in the Hebrides til Sunday night, maybe next time - new "toy" doing well

Hope the weather is holding out for you. I look forward to seeing the holiday photos posted when you feel good n ready You know what we're looking for...Idilic sandy white beaches with the van parked artfully in the middle distance

Y'mean like this?

[missfixit70]

Looks like you been feeding your bongo steroids Dandy What is it? certainly looks like you got a few feet more space in there, but it's not a bongo

[dunslair]

Yes that is exactly what I meant! Is that your 'brokeback mountain' coming out photo then

Hope the van performed as well as expected..with no 'parking moments' to spoil the trip.

All the best

David.

ps. Did you watch your favourite....... Monty Hall last night? We missed him be a few days last summer....thankfully

[dandywarhol]

Its a Toyota Hiace Hitop Superlong Custom a 2.8 turbo diesel - a v. rare beast! Toyota do either a 2.8 non turbo or a 3 litre turbo engine - mine has a Jap fitted aftermarket turbo fittd to it and very nice too! Sits happily at 65/70, will do 95 flat oot and turbos up hills nicely.

I shouldn't compare the Bongo with it - they're different animals - but it's difficult not to - so here goes.........................

Bongo drives better, less of a van
Hiace handles better - less affected by crosswinds, passing trucks etc. but ride is harsh with the rear leaf springs.
Bongo quicker off the mark, but is unconverted and nearly 1/2 a tonne lighter.
Hiace (surprisingly) quieter at cruising speed despite the engine in the same place and having a mechanical viscous fan
Bongo has more modern interior/switchgear etc. - Hiace designed in the 80s, a generation behind the Bongo
Hiace a much better campervan - full kitchen, cupboards, fridge, sink, extraction fan, portapotti, diesel powered heater all in the back, behind the centre seats which rock & roll to face front or rear. Lots more space despite being only 5 metres long.
Hiace has great, big, comfortable downstairs bed - and a drop down double bed which swings down from above the passenger/driver's area and extends to the rear - clever bit of kit, sleeps 4 if you're close friends!!
Hiace has selectable 2 or 4 wheel drive, limited slip rear diff, locking front hubs which manually disconnect the driveshafts/cv joints, front diff and front propshaft. If you know you aren't going on the slippy/rough stuff then you leave the hubs in "free" position and it drives like a 2WD with no power losses through the front transmission. If you're doing a combination of road/slippy stuff then you lock the front hubs manually at the wheels and set off in 2WD, when you need 4WD you just flick a switch and the whole transmission drives all wheels through a viscous coupling.To top that, there's also a low/high ratio option giving you 4 gears in low range 4WD to climb the steepest slopes - we tested it up tractor/sheep tracks in the Hebrides at Easter - pretty impressive climing abilities with Yokahama van tyres - although the cups and plates rattled a bit!!

The Hebridean trip was a good shakedown to see if we really liked it and it came out pretty well - but withdrawal systems from the Bongo could be the big problem....................

[dandemann8]

Here we have the shortened version I hired in Australia.



First class vehicle, wouldn't mind importing one of these as they are only built for the southern hemisphere

[brorabongo]

Hope your not planning to leave us Dandy.

Your new wagon, looks like it's more suitable for your camping needs, so can see why you've "changed".......that was close...I nearly said "upgraded."

but withdrawal systems from the Bongo could be the big problem....................

Be strong, one day you might get over it.........others hav'nt.

All the best with your new mota.

[vanvliet]

Any interior pics DandyW?

[dunslair]

Apologies for the delay in posting the pics folks....Here we go.... Reminds me of the line up from The Usual Suspects! Has anybody here actually seen Keyser Soze

[steviebongo]

Usual suspects david? more like the fantastic four! great pics from alec just as well as the kit he was using looked expensive (don't no much aboot camera's).Hope ure jar lids fit ok sum pics me thinks req'd


cheers stevie

[dunslair]

Usual suspects david? more like the fantastic four! great pics from alec just as well as the kit he was using looked expensive (don't no much aboot camera's).Hope ure jar lids fit ok sum pics me thinks req'd


cheers stevie

I was keeping that one quiet untill I checked that it actually worked and they didn't all fly off at the first pothole It has become a bit of a family joke in our house the kids keep saying.... 'dads gone a bit pickle lids again' (oh yee of little faith.....) Hopefully I will have time to get them fitted before the Scottish Bash!