Mick Farmer's Blog (my outlet to rant and rave)

First two helmets are bought from the general market place. The blue one is the most common one to be worn as it is the cheapest!

At OnCourse we teach a failed hill climb recovery technique that requires the driver to do a “key start” (this only relates to manual / stick shift vehicles). Over the years of instruction this technique is the only one we have confidence in. For instance, whilst doing training in DRC we had to use a route that included a very severe climb.

I think that the 100 series Land Cruiser is one of the best 4wd vehicles ever built. The GX part time 4wd version is great. It has the best compromise available of all time for off road capability, on road handling and executive luxury appeal. It is the only large 4wd vehicle that could be armoured without any modification to the chassis and still maintained quite good handling capabilities with only up rated brakes and suspension.

When talking of the double cab pick up (dcpu), most of us in this region automatically think of the Toyota Hilux. The first 4×4 double cab version was made available in South Africa in 1984. I’m sure that any 4×4 enthusiast remembers the original leaf sprung model. Its robust reliability spoke for itself. It was a good, strong, simple vehicle.

January the 16th 2009 will be a date remembered by all OnCourse staff. Two of the team lost their lives to a tragic Road Traffic Collision.

Central locking system in this one failed. Seems that some systems cannot take the rigours of African road conditions. Or they may just be poorly refitted/fitted when the armouring was carried out.