Camel Trophy vehicles - Series III 88 & 109

CAMEL TROPHY VEHICLES - SERIES III 88 Y 109

UNA SOLA EDICION PARA ESTOS MITICOS VEHICULOS

El Series III solo se uso en una edición, Zaire 93. Los vehículos que participaron en esta edición eran modelos Station Wagons de 2 1/4 litros diesel en sus versiones de 88 y 109 pulgadas. Todos los vehículos de los equipos eran Series III 88 pulgadas, con 2 participantes por equipo, mientras que los periodistas y personal de soporte viajaban en Series III 109 pulgadas. Parece ser que en las ediciones del año 81 y 82 donde participaron los Range Rover, llevaron vehículos Series III 109 de soporte (esto último no lo tengo confirmado).

Todos estaban pintados en el representativo color sandglow con un adhesivo del Camel Trophy en negro y amarillo en cada puerta, y serigrafiada la palabra Land Rover en la base de los laterales, lo que podría ser una versión cortada del típico adhesivo de Land Rover V8. Placas prensadas de aluminio con el anagrama de Camel Trophy sujeta en el paragolpes delantero, el cual iba pintado de negro. Una pequeña placa iba sujeta junto a la puerta trasera, mientras que un adhesivo pequeño del Camel Trophy en la esquina superior derecha del parabrisas y en la ventanilla trasera izquierda el número del convoy.

De la defensa delantera, sobresalían focos auxiliares, algunos de la marca Lucas (como los que llevaban los Series III County) mientras que otros llevaban focos Hella. Un número enmarcado iba fijado en el paragolpes y atado a la aleta. En todos los casos, llevaban defensas para los faros que iban fijadas al paragolpes, y también llevaban soportes frontales para los Jerrycans. Una baca iba montada en los 88 con un soporte trasero para la rueda de repuesto, que parece ser no llevaban los 109. Las bacas llevan 2 focos Hella 1000 montados a cada lado. Planchas de arena de hierro iban fijadas en los laterales de la baca. Las luces traseras iban protegidas con protecciones.

En la foto se ve el winch mecánico, defensas para las luces, baca, focos adicionales, rueda de repuesto adicional, y los soportes para Jerrycans (uno a cada lado del radiador).

Las llantas eran de medida standard 5.5Fx16 con acabado "Limestone", calzados con neumáticos de medida 7.50x16 de 3 diferentes marcas. Algunos vehículos montaban Dunlop T29A Trakgrips, otros Michelin XZY radiales, mientras que otros llevaban "bar grips".

Los winches que llevaban eran el Warn 8274 y el Ramsey DC-200 mecánico. Ganchos de remolque y para el gato iban anclados sobre el paragolpes y un protector para la barra de la dirección bajo este. En algunas fotos se ven paragolpes militares, mientras que en otros no. Algunos llevaban liberadores de rueda Fairey mientras que otros no.

No llevaban ganchos para herramientas, ni barras antivuelco, ni defensa delantera (solo como protección de los faros). Todo hace ver que iban sencillamente preparados en comparación con los vehículos que les seguirían en siguientes ediciones. A los participantes se les equipo con material de acampada y de cocina.

Hay que recordar que el Camel Trophy solo había disputado 3 ediciones y que Land Rover aun no era Sponsor de la prueba, por lo que se aprecia en las diferentes variantes.

Desgraciadamente, muy pocos vehículos de esta edición continúan vivos, la mayoria han desaparecido. Uno de ellos lo tiene el intrépido aventurero Miguel de la Quadra-Salcedo en Madrid. Otro muy famoso cuyas fotos recorrieron el mundo, se quemo en la propia edición, por una negligencia de un periodista con un hornillo de gasolina, cuando cocinaba en el interior del vehículo para guarecerse de la lluvia. Los periodistas salieron corriendo y el techo salto por los aires sin dañar a nadie. El motor se rescato y consiguieron arrancarlo pero el vehículo fue abandonado en el camino.

Texto en ingles:

Note: This superb article was written by David Hatherill and was originally included in our old website (regretfully omitting credits to the author). It is reproduced again here and with full credit to the author for excellent information. When will we have a CT Series replica in LROM?

The Series 3 was only ever used on one event which was Zaire 1983, and probably represented the most rag bag mix of vehicles ever seen on the Camel Trophy. The vehicles were all 2 1/4 litre diesel station wagons in both 88” and 109” wheelbase versions. Team vehicles were all 88” versions.

All were painted in sandglow with a black and yellow Camel Trophy decal on each side door, and a Land-Rover text down the side, which appears to be a cut down version of the Land-Rover V8 decal. Pressed aluminium Camel Trophy plates were fitted to the front bumper, which was painted black. A small Camel trophy plaque was fitted adjacent to the rear door, while a small Camel Trophy sticker in the top RH corner of the windscreen and to the LH rear window denotes the convoy number.

Wheels were standard 5.5Fx16 finished in Limestone, all of which were fitted with 7.50 x16 tyres, although at least three types were used. Some vehicles were shod with Dunlop T29A Trakgrips, some had Michelin XZY radials, whilst others had bar grips.

From the bumper up, all had auxiliary lights above the bumper, some of Lucas manufacture (as fitted to the Series 3 County) whilst others had lights of Hella manufacture. A number were fitted with framed mesh guards mounted to the bumper, and braced to the wing whilst others were not. In all cases these guards were fitted, front Jerrican mounts were also utilised. A roofrack was mounted on the 88” models with a rear door wheel carrier attached to it, which does not appear to have been fitted to all the 109s, although even these are not all the same. The roof racks had one extra Hella Rallye 1000 lamp mounted each side protected by weldmesh fitted to the front of the rack. Steel PSP was fitted to the sides of the racks. Rear lights were protected by the standard wire mesh basket lamp guards.

Winches included the Warn 8274 and the Ramsey DC-200 mechanical drum winch. Lifting and towing rings were fitted above the bumper and a rudimentary steering guard below. In at least one photograph the vehicle pictured can be seen to have a military spec bumper, whilst others did not. Some had Fairey freewheel hubs, some did not.

There were no fittings for pioneer tools, no roll cage and no bull bars. That aside it must be said that the Series 3 has a certain charm in its simplicity, and managed to go the distance without the later “essentials”.

It should be remembered that when this event was staged Camel Trophy had only been going three years and that Land Rover were not a sponsor. This probably goes someway to explain the highly varied nature of the vehicles.

Unfortunately only very few of these early vehicles still exist, the majority having been broken up long since. One famously went up in smoke on the event, but this was actually as a result of an accident a journalist had with a petrol stove, rather than a vehicle fault.

Here are the detailed technical specifications for the Land Rover Series III.

ENGINES

Type: 4-cylinder in line

Diesel

Capacity: 2,286cc

Bore x Stroke: 90.47 x 88.9 mm

Valves: Overhead, 8

Compression Ratio: 23:1

Fuel Injection: CAV, indirect mechanical.

Max. Power: 62bhp@ 4,000 rpm

Max. Torque: 103 lb-ft@ 1,500 rpm

TRANSMISSION

Type: Four-wheel-drive, or rear-wheel-drive, with choice of High or Low range

Gearbox: Four-speed manual gearbox, synchromesh on all forward gears

Clutch: 9.5 inch single dry plate.

Ratios

Top: 5.396

3rd: 8.05

2nd: 12.00

1st: 19.88

Reverse: 21.66

High-range step-down: 1.148

Low-range step-down: 2.35

Final Drive: 4.70

Suspension and Steering

Front: Live axle, by half-elliptic leaf springs, telescopic dampers.

Rear: Live axle, by half-elliptic leaf springs, telescopic dampers.

Steering: Re-circulating ball

Tyres: 600x16 cross-ply OR 750x16 cross-ply

Wheels: Steel disc, five bolt-on fixing

Brakes

Type: Drum brakes all round, hydraulically operated. Vacuum servo assisted as optional.

Size: 88: 10x1.5 inches drums all round

109: 11x2.25 inches drums all round

Dimensions

Track: 88: 51.5 inches front and rear

109: 52.5 inches front and rear

Wheelbase: 88 inches (Short)

109 inches (Long)

Overall Length: 88: 142 inches

109: 175 inches

Overall width: 66 inches

Overall height: 77 inches minimum

Unladen weight: 88: 2,953 lbs

109: 3,301 lbs

Diesel 4-cyl: add 144lbs

Seating Capacities: 88: 3

109: 3

88 Station Wagon: 7

109 Station Wagon: 10/12

88 'County': 6/7

109 'County': 12

109 V8- 10/12

Here is the answer from David to a entusiasth who wants to build a Replica:

Hi,

The question as to how easy is it to build a replica Camel Series 3 largely depends on what vehicle you have to start with. The team vehicles were 1982 LHD 88 inch diesel Station wagon to German spec. Post 1980 series 3s have quit e alot of differences from the earlier ones as do German ones, so if you haven't got a post 1980 one you're on a losing path already (The German spec bits can be added, but they're really difficult to source)

How easy will it be to make a replica? Virtually impossible, as I have bought most of the remaining bits required (I've had to get bits from UK, Netherlands, Germany, USA as well as scouring redundant old stock. In addition some of the differences are so fundamanetal you need to build them into the rebuild as you go, you can't really add them on afterwards.

Also, don't think you can do it o n the cheap, by the time I've finished it will have probably cost about 9000 GBP.

Really you've got a a few options.

1. Rebuild it as a Series 3 non Camel.... nice if it's original.

2. Rebuild it as a Series 3 painted sandglow with some accessories and stickers... probably evocative of the event, but not accurate, probably a personal taste one that. It certainly wouldn't do it for me.

3. Build a completely a ccurate replica. Fantastic, virtually impossible to do now, and a huge amount of research is required, (which I have done.)

If that hasn't put you off you should be certified insane. Even though I started with the right aged base vehicle and have four years head start I still have days when I wonder why I didn't start something simpler!

There's more consistancy in the vehicles than you think, but you have to understand what you're looking at to know why.

109's. They were support and since they had different functions they will be different, same as the modern 110s are different (My 110 was the ambulance from the 97 event, so different from the other general supports.)

88's. There appears to be a mix of specs of 88s. This is not so. There were seven teams vehicles and all are identical. These are German spec. There were also two Pre Scout 88s. These are LHD UK spec. On the films and in books there is a mix of pictures of prescout and event mixed up, so there appears to be two specs used. Amazingly the pre scout vehicles were built AFTER the event vehicles. (It is possible to tell from some detailed specs of the vehicles.)

For research get a copy of the book 1000 miles of adventure. There's loads of good pictures in there. Also there's a guy in Holland (camel_cte) selling DVDs of the 83 event on ebay. You can probably play this on your computer as PAL is virtually unplayable in the US.

One thing I would say is to be careful not to fit accessories that are a later age than the event. These always spoil any period project. Winch wise you'll need a Ramsey, yes Ramsey RE 8000, although a few support 109s had 8274s

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