Mongol Rally 2010

[muddatrucker 125]

So, this year myself and 3 friends are taking part in the Mongol rally, basically a 10,000 mile drive from the UK to Mongolia, all in the name of charity (and secretly in the name of adventure!) There's no route and no support, just ourselves and our vehicle...which is...a 1998 Ford Transit Ambulance!

 

Now I'd love to be taking a 205, my current daily runabout is a 205GT 1.4 which is covered in stickers, has a sump guard fitted, spot lights, a homemade roof rack, internal fuel line and is left hand drive - and itself did the 2009 Plymouth to Dakar Rally, covering 5,000+ kilometres.

 

Now I don't know if I should post this here, but I figure its for a good cause and is completely 'car' related. Anyone done this before? I literally can't wait, hopefully I can play on your knowledge for tips - mechanical and otherwise and maybe some of you have some old equipment hanging about that could come in handy!

 

Our personal team website can be found at: www.mongoli-huh.co.uk

 

Cheers guys!

[shalmaneser 26]

Good luck, I'd love to do it! What route do you plan on taking?!

[muddatrucker 125]

Good luck, I'd love to do it! What route do you plan on taking?!

The 'fun' route, we're going southern, basically straight through Europe (stopping off at the 'best road in the world' that they did on top gear in romania - probably won't be so great in a diesel shed though!) then into Turkey, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan (Jagshemash!), Uzbekistan, Russia, and then into Mongolia - through the Gobi Desert.

 

I wish I could take my 205, definitely got another rally into it, but the car has to be under 10 years old and less than 1.2 (unless you're taking an emergency vehicle).

 

I can't wait!

 

EDIT: Forgot to mention, Mr Goodhand is providing us with some team clothing too free of charge, good guy!

Edited April 10, 2010 by muddatrucker

[Pugleyrich 37 1 Cars]

I have some friends doing it this year, maybe you will see them along the way - www.gcgb.org.uk

[McDude 33]

I wish I could take my 205, definitely got another rally into it, but the car has to be under 10 years old and less than 1.2 (unless you're taking an emergency vehicle).

205 Police car? The Cheese Eaters used them as paddy wagons.

[hexhamstu 9]

I will be doing this in 2011 hopefully so will be following with great interest

[jonnygoodhand 0]

The 'fun' route, we're going southern, basically straight through Europe (stopping off at the 'best road in the world' that they did on top gear in romania - probably won't be so great in a diesel shed though!) then into Turkey, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan (Jagshemash!), Uzbekistan, Russia, and then into Mongolia - through the Gobi Desert.

 

I wish I could take my 205, definitely got another rally into it, but the car has to be under 10 years old and less than 1.2 (unless you're taking an emergency vehicle).

 

I can't wait!

 

EDIT: Forgot to mention, Mr Goodhand is providing us with some team clothing too free of charge, good guy!

 

Wishing you all the best with this! Should hopefully get your T-Shirts, together with a few decals, in the post tomorrow.

[Guest charityrallies]

Mate, sounds fantastic! I drove to Mongolia in 2004 and 05 as part of the original crew that did the MR, which then split when some of the guys wanted to take it profit making (and founded the Adventurists) while we took it the charity route and founded the Mongolia Charity Rally (mongolia.charityrallies.org) and UK registered charity Go Help.

 

The ambulance is a fantastic donation (and you will get to sleep in it which is great!). Its good to see teams on the MR doing the right thing and not taking a POS that they trash on the way then dump in Mongolia. Its made running events to Mongolia very difficult with the Mongolians getting really upset about MR junk being dumped all over the shop!

 

Anyway best of luck. I was the first team to drive the Southern Route - UK, France, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Caspian Sea Ferry, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Russia and into Mongolia. It was an epic route. Some guys are now going through Iran which is also amazing (we had a team on the Mongolia Charity Rally literally drive up to the border without a carnet and got through no problem) but it doesn't take you along the black sea from Istanbul round to Georgia which was, in my humble opinion, the most beautiful part of the trip. The Altai mountains on the Russian/Mongolian border are also epic, and I would suggest spending some time near Barnaoul in southern Russia (where all the Russians have their dachas) which is beautiful.

 

Best of luck!

 

Best regards,

 

Dave @ Charity Rallies

info@gohelp.org.uk

[jimbo 0]

I did this in 2005 before the whole thing seemed to become very comercialised. We did it in a good old Fiat Panda costing £160 off ebay. Except for changing the oil and the timing belt we completed the "Rally" with the car as bought.

 

We completed a Northerly route up to Moscow then dropped right down through Kazakstan, Uzbekistan and Krygistan then back up through Kazakstan and Russia before entering Mongolia.

 

Its an amazing experience and well worth the effort / risk. The experiences and pictures / videos you will get will be amazing.