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Nyathi - which means Buffalo in Zulu - is a 1975 Series
IIA long wheel base Land Rover.
The process of getting Nyathi ready for this trip has been
a long hand harrowing experience. The first mechanic in Cape
Town was in a big rush and really didn't spend quality time
with Nyathi. A whole bunch of things were fixed/replaced (propshafts,
brakedrums, etc). Rob was driving the vehicle back from the
mechanic over the mountain and the entire front left wheel
came off. The mechanic had forgotten to tighten the wheel
nuts. Could have been a disastrous end to both Rob and Nyathi.
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Then Nyathi spent time in hospital in a very sorry state
- this time in George with a mechanic who is actually giving
her some quality time. She was reduced to a chassis and a
body. There are no seats, no engine, no gearbox and no clutch
(see the photo gallery). This
is all a very sad and sorry tale.
When we originally brought Nyathi we didn't realise that
the vehicle was pretty shonky. The previous owners had put
in a 3.8L Perkins diesel engine. This is the engine that is
used to power Massey Fergusen tractors, so it a very big and
powerful engine. The original engine for Nyathi is a 2,25L
diesel, so it was a significant upgrade in power. However
the whole conversion was a complete ballsup. The clutch and
gearbox were not changed, so a clutch capable of handling
the power of the original engine now had to handle the power
of a much stronger engine - and of course couldn't. The engine
pulled right through the clutch. If you put the handbrake
on, revved the engine then dropped the clutch one would expect
the vehicle to stall. Na. Not Nyathi with this great big tractor
engine. The engine had enough power to continue turning through
the clutch.
So we had to reversing the entire conversion. Nyathi now
has a reconditioned 2,25L diesel engine. The engine is has
so many new components that it is pretty much new other than
the block itself. This engine is the original type of engine
for Nyathi. It is not a hugely powerful engine, but there
should be parts available through Africa. Hopefully it will
be able to drive, bully and push us through to Europe.
At the end of all work Nyathi has the following new components:
- Reconditioned engine
- New clutch
- New propshafts
- New alternator
- New brake sets for all wheels
- Flushed and repaired radiator
Essentially, Nyathi is going to be a new vehicle but for
the chassis and body.
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