The Statewide Shuffle!Author: jawapro
Date: Sun 15/05/2011 09:55 PM
Time to do the Statewide Shuffle!
Ok - so Turkey and I are geeks. We’re into our computers and technology - but both of us want old-school 4x4s.
If it’s simple enough, it should be reliable, and there’s a good chance it can be fixed when it goes wrong. Keep computers and stuff out of the bush! Plus - the classic 4x4s just look awesome.
And we found some - within a week or two of each other.
We’re pretty useless when it comes to geography though. Turkey really wanted an old-school Landrover with the headlights in the centre (series 1 and early series 2) and he wanted a long wheelbase Troopy. Not common - especially not in Tassie. We found one though - but it was in Launceston (he’s from Hobart).
Myself, I wanted an old Nissan. I found one too - but it’s half an hour east of Hobart.
Wouldn’t that be right! The cars were at opposite ends of the state - and the wrong ends!
Anyway - on Saturday Dad and the mighty Maverick volunteered to help us both out. So thus began the shuffle.
First up it was time to brave the locals and head to Ravenswood in Launceston to collect Turkey’s Landy. It’s a 1966 model (I think) and is pure awesome. Anything that comes with a crank handle is awesome in my book.
Apart from having the world’s worst camo paint job, it looks awesome too. It’s missing a window or two, but has an escape/shooting hatch in the roof and just oozes personality.
So we loaded the Landy onto the trailer - and headed southward.
A lot of people were staring as they drove past - and a guy in a Defender rocked up to say G’day when we stopped for a drink. Certainly some interest in the old girl.
We got it to Turkey’s place in Hobart, and he hid it behind the shed so his Mum can’t see it.
Next up it was my turn.
My Nissan G60 Patrol is an orange tray-back from 1979, and it weighs quite a bit more than the Landy - so the trip north was somewhat slower. Like the Landy, the Patrol runs and drives, but isn’t registered or up to the trip under it’s own steam yet - so it was back on the trailer.
The Maverick sure got a workout today!
Not a bad looking bus!
But what I really wanted with a wagon version - not a trayback.
Found one! In the paddock next door from my G60. The farmer came and took us for a tour through the paddock to look at it (during which I broke his fence - whoops!). It’s very rough, and engine is in the barn next door - but it’s the style I was after.
On the way north we found another one - it’s in better nick and has me extremely tempted. Sadly it’s still south of Oatlands.
So my ute may be safely at my parents place, but I’m not sure the shuffle is over yet...
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