b'there were very few other four wheel drive users venturing resorting to winching with either a Dawn hand winch on oneontothetracks.Astherewerenoseasonalclosures,we vehicle and a Tirfor carried in the other. The always terrifyingoften ventured above the snow line and got into all sorts of HiLift jack was used reluctantly as were ladder pattern snowdifficulty on freezing winter days. I recall one occasion when chains. we had been cross country skiing at Connors Plain north of The short wheelbase was fitted with a flip top camper, aLicolaandoneofthe tentthatunfoldedasLand Rovers had a front thewholeroofwasaxle issue. We all piled tilted over the bonnet.inonevehicle,drove Thatprovedtobehome, picked up spares almostmoretroubleand welding equipment, than it was worth, anddrove back in the dark Isoldtheshortyandand did the major repair boughtanexminingon the side of the road. companyLandRoverWemadeitbackwith SeriesIIIlongwheel-both vehicles in time to basehardtop.Thego to work, a long night. vehiclehadafourItseemedatonevery cylinderenginethateventfulperiodthatwe wasmassivelyunder-wouldgoexploringon powered.Atfirst,wetheweekends,spend turbo charged the littleeveryweeknightinthe petrol engine.workshop repairing one Althoughwehadorsometimesboth,of morepowerthefuelthevehicles,andthen consumptionwasgoanddoitallagain horrendous,about6thenextweekend.You miles per gallon in themay think the mechani- bush,evenwithacal issues were due to Fairey overdrive fitted.our rough driving, in fact AV8enginefromawe were very careful with our Land Rovers, they were just crashedRangeRoverwaspurchasedandfittedintotheolder vehicles that were prone to mechanical issues.vehicle.That was quite a good conversion except in theTracks and roads were managed differently in those days. summer when, even with electric fans fitted, it was inclinedThey were almost never closed due to flood damage, fire, to overheat. Tracks like Collingwood Spur or Billy Goat Bluffdeepsnoworbaderosion.Wejustcarriedon,often had to be driven in stages with little cool down stops.TRACKWATCH SEPTEMBER 2021 15'