The HOFS Ladoga 2009 Blog

[FridgeFreezer]

Since the ferry leaves in 2 months I thought now would be as good a point as any to start up the official blog for 2009.

For those not paying attention at the back, the HOFS entries for Trophy Raid Ladoga this year are:

Proto Team
Drive crew
Jez Goodwin & Kim Nikolajeff - Proto/TR4 driving "Mouse", LS engined Portal axled freaky thing (Vehicle blog here)

Chase crew 
James "Jockboy" and probably Dan "Special Child" F driving Suzuki SJ "Jesus" (Vehicle blog here)

Tech crew
John "Fridge", (artist formally known as) Vince, Lee, John F driving Land Rover 109 "Eddie" (Vehicle blog here)

The Brains - aka "Camp crew"
"Papa" Kai & Toni "the Axeman" driving Toyota Land Cruiser 60 "Tardis"
Milla & Pavel "The Spy" driving Land Rover Discovery - Campsite crew

Tourist Team
Drive crew
Colin "Flipper" Rose & Al Dickson - Tourism driving Suzuki SJ
Jen Rees, Dan Wallace, "Marky" Mark Hankin - Tourism driving "Charlie", an ex-Camel Trophy Land Rover Defender 110 (Vehicle blog here)
Mike Brown & Ashley Parsons - Tourism, driving "45", Land Rover Defender 90 200TDi (Vehicle blog here)

Tourist Support Crew
Ryan driving Defender 110 200TDi "Gary" - Supporting the Tourism crew (Vehicle blog here)

Also being seen in the most exclusive swamps in the 09 season is:
"The Belgium Collective"
Filip & Kjell - Tourism Open, driving "Nessie", Land Rover Defender 90 (Vehicle blog here)
Michel & Jeroen - Tourism, driving "Whitey", Land Rover Discovery 300Tdi
Quentin driving Range Rover V8 "Clarice" - Supporting the Belgian Collective

There are blogs for most of the vehicles in this forum, the Belgian Collective even have their own website.

So, what's the state of play - are we all prepped and ready to go? 

[who?]

sounds good!
enough people going to almost be classed as a "clan" or a "posse"
good work either way, im waiting for the frantic work to begin to finish these trucks in time for the ferry!
Hugh

[Jez]

eeek, best start doing some prep.. 

Revised steering setup is in build and should show up in the next 2 weeks, angle grinder might get a work out as well 

[FridgeFreezer]

On the 109 front, the new clutch goes in Friday and then pending communications with the Northern chapter, some rear seats go in Saturday/Sunday.

Apart from that, other plans will have to wait as time allows, a bit of fettling is on the cards but nowt major:

• Trailer lighting
• New door hinges
• Change the stat, HT leads, all oils & fluids
• Get the speedo working
• Oh yes - MOT it!
• Maybe do a kingpin bearing conversion if there's time, or just take the kit with me if not.

[Jez]

do the Kingpin conversion on Saturday? I'll check stock of shims but Im 90% we have a full clip

[FridgeFreezer]

do the Kingpin conversion on Saturday? I'll check stock of shims but Im 90% we have a full clip

I'll bring the bitses.

[dan]

Charlie Camel has a new clutch (130 plate supposed to be heavy duty or something but looks exactly the same to me!! ) and a working winch.

Jobs for the weekend coming up: Change all the swivel seals and bearings in the front axle.
Rear locker has been ordered and should be here by the weekend so may get around to fitting that too.
Rear seats have been won on Ebay... in Norfolk Hopefully my Dad will be collecting sometime this week.
Still can't get the smeggin diff lock light working on the dash... think I'll leave that for Marky to sort out... he's a dab hand with wiring stuff
And have sprung a new leak on the transfer box... it seems to be coming out of the join between the front output housing and the main part of the transfer box... I sometimes wonder if leak chasing isn't a bit of a futile exercise!

Dan :)

[FridgeFreezer]

Reading back through previous blogs, I'd just like to record officially that I refuse to carry the pump-action jizz pistol or any other pressurised vessels of lubricant this year  someone else can have that honour.

[who?]

couldnt an externaly mounted holster be whittled up to keep it under control?

[Belgian_Dude]

eeek, best start doing some prep.. 

2nded...
still focussing on welding and tidying up another restauration project (RRC) right now, but I'll have to get crackin' on my rangey!

Planning:
-suspension: make it more apt to load-bearing
-transfer case: make it stop making such terrible noises 
-interior: PC mount, stowing arrangements and latching points, ...
-extensive service, bits & bobs

should be doable ;-)

[Ryski]

Tourist Support Crew
Ryan driving Defender 110 300TDi "Gary" - Supporting the Tourism crew (Vehicle blog here)

I'll have you know Gary is a 200 tdi! We can't have incorrect information on an open forum now can we?

As for prep...I have a list...but one of the big jobbies - the Polybushes - is now sorted out in its entirety thanks to a slotting disc and a lot of hammering. I was hoping to do some minor-ish jobbies over the next 4 days, but i think the weather may put a stop to that.

[Jez]

this weekend will see Mouses new (and more more combat resistant) clutch actuator mechanism go into build, a wee bit of chunky ally welding and a little bit of machining should get it done 

[Jock Boy]

this weekend will see panic drive engaged with me as all contacts for garage place keep falling through

[FridgeFreezer]

Well thanks to Terry-the-car my clutch is sparkly and new, up to the lab in the AM for some seating enhancements.

[who?]

so has the hyper-drive-clutch-ometer been attached for clutch clamping tyre spinning goodness?