Who needs four-wheel drive? Offroading in the Golden Era.

[Stearmen]

Here's Bagnold

And here are some Long Range Desert Group vehicles

Thanks for the LRDG trucks! If I was rich, I would love to build an LRDG Chevy replica.

 

[Two Types]

This thread reminded me of a conversation I had recently with an old fellow who lived in India as a child. He remembers going out with a large hunting party in the mid 1920s, whilst staying in a maharajas palace. The entire hunting party rode in open topped Rolls Royce cars (apparently the Maharaja owned over twenty Rolls Royces)!
He told me it made a distinct impression on him, since at home he only got to hunt from the back of his pet elephant!

 

[Oldsarge]

I'm surprised no one has come up with this pioneer before. It's the g'granddaddy of the unmatched Dodge Carryall, 4x4 of 4x4's.

 

[Costin Moga]

.....Dodge Carryall was matched (if not surpassed) by Volvo TP21:
http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/default.aspx?carID=11021&i=4#menu

 

[Silver Bird]

The only thing that would make that Volvo TP21 better would be suicide doors. Nice rig! John in Covina: Bullseye! Skill's the key.
David: That Fords a Beauty!

 

[Costin Moga]

it did not had suicide doors, reason for not beeing exported to US. way too dangerous...

 

[1930artdeco]

Somewhere, I saw a picture of the Russians using Model A's like jeeps on sand dunes. They fitted balloon tires and you could go anywhere in those cars. I went down a beater road (unintentionally) in august in my 'A' with dad following in the 4 runner and trailer. I bounced around and had a blast, dad-not so much.

Mike

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Those cars, and Model T's were built to handle roughing it. Overall road quality then was much different than now. Those cars may not ride like today's Cadillacs, but they will go through a lot. Those pizza cutter tires and the clearance they had really does the trick.

Somewhere, I saw a picture of the Russians using Model A's like jeeps on sand dunes. They fitted balloon tires and you could go anywhere in those cars. I went down a beater road (unintentionally) in august in my 'A' with dad following in the 4 runner and trailer. I bounced around and had a blast, dad-not so much.

Mike

 

[Costin Moga]

russians had Gaz 61-73: http://www.hobbyport.ru/venicle/gaz_61_73.htm
and

Gaz M72: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7oYBoIkq9E
and

Volga 4x4: http://m.blog.hu/au/autofilia/image/prokee/080514/fantom8.jpg

french had the Renault Colorale (Coloniale+Rurale): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gt3IoAZrmg8&feature=related

 

[scottyrocks]

Those cars, and Model T's were built to handle roughing it. Overall road quality then was much different than now. Those cars may not ride like today's Cadillacs, but they will go through a lot. Those pizza cutter tires and the clearance they had really does the trick.

Still, life expectancy for cars back then was not what it is now for today's vehicles. True, they were built for what passed for thoroughfares on those pre-interstate days, but they only had the technology they had.

 

[AtomicEraTom]

Very true. Even in the 50's, if your car had 100,000 miles, that car was done. Now, it's not uncommon to see a few hundred thousand miles on a car and it's still going strong. I know a few people with 500,000 miles on their vehicles.

Still, life expectancy for cars back then was not what it is now for today's vehicles. True, they were built for what passed for thoroughfares on those pre-interstate days, but they only had the technology they had.

 

[Stearmen]