Micra mods for Mongol Rally???

[Johnny Bravo]

Morning folks & Happy Easter to you all!

My very first posting on here.
Had a nosey around & it looks a top site.
Apologies if this has been done to death (probably usually around this time of year).

Less than 100 days to go until The Mongol Rally & looking at getting my 2003 Micra K11C ready (my 5th Micra, the very last of the old shape to roll off the line, love them).
I'm not wanting to go completely overboard, as the spirit of the rally is to make it a bit of an epic & if we all went in 4x4s, it wouldn't really be as much of a challenge, but...

What modifications would any of you suggest?
- I've got some Avon Avanza tyres already, going on just before the big day.
- Looking at a sump guard. Not yet found one, but seen something possible at Demon Tweeks:
http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/motorsport/sump-tank-guards/demon-tweeks-sump-guard
(Still waiting on word back if they could do one for a Micra).
- Also looking at beefing up/strengthening the suspension. (Although, don't want to go too insane with this, as it just creates extra stress on the car somewhere else).

Any other thoughts/ideas/advice would be much appreciated.
Cheers
Johnny

p.s. We have a website if you're interested: www.mongoliando.com

 

[frank]

hi JB
there are a few "mongol rally" threads on here eh

 

[Johnny Bravo]

How do Frank.
Cheers, will have a good look through.
Getting giddy about the rally, but not looking forward to handing over the car at the end.
Got a bit attached to it, all for a good cause though

 

[Noddie]

I did it last year, really good fun but expect it to cost you a lot! which route are you taking?

Absolute MUSTS: Sump guard, raise the suspension and lots of spare wheels and tyres (the more the better, but at least 3 spare wheels with tyres fitted)

Not got a lot of time to type now but any help i can be just ask, PM me and ill give you my number might be easier..
All the best mate!
(this was my little thread http://www.micra.org.uk/threads/mongol-rally.40988/ )

 

[Johnny Bravo]

Hi there Noddie

Thanks for your mail, much appreciated (& for thread link too).
Just dashing out, on nights, but will drop you a line real tomorrow.
Would be good to get some advice of a rally veteran.
96 days to go, simply cannot wait!!!

Cheers
Johnny
www.mongoliando.com

 

[Tara L]

Hi Johnny,

You beat us to it and got your Mongol rally post up first

I'm also part of a team taking part in the rally this year and we collected our 2003 Micra today!!!

The other half of our team is a rally 'veteran'.... Chris attempted it in 2007 but a piston went through the side of the engine in Germany on the second day so we're hoping that our little Micra will get us a bit further... although the gear change seems to be really stiff so maybe we have a duffer again

We're also looking at getting the suspension raised and be interested to hear what you find out about getting a sump guard.

Which route are your team planning on taking? We're taking the southern route although with only 5 weeks off work it might be a bit tight.

We'll look out for you on the start line

Cheers,
Tara

 

[Johnny Bravo]

Hi there Tara
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you, been on nights :-/
Hope you like your new trusty steed & that your rally prep is going nicely.
This (The Silver Streak) has been my one & only since last autumn. My 5th Micra, I love them!
Grown a bit attached to it, so it will be hard to hand it over in UB, (providing we get there!)
Getting very, VERY excited about the Rally.
I've got some Avon Avanza tyres (they were on offer at a place called Camskill, highly recommended).
Not 100% sure about suspension yet, will definitely be doing something, but budget is running a bit close to the wind at the mo.
I've been told from quite a few folk that a sumpguard is a must, so will make one priority.
Will let you know any news, just 93 days to go...
Be in touch.

Cheers
Johnny

p.s. We are Team Mongoliando.com
How about yourselves?

 

[Tara L]

Hi Johnny,

Sorry for taking so long to reply haven't been round much lately.. I'd like to say we were doing rally prep but that would be a lie!

We've been running our micra for the last couple of weeks and so far so good. The gearbox seems stiff but we're hoping our mechanic friend will be able to take a look at that soon... and the smell of the 40-a-day previous owner is finally starting to dissipate.

What size wheels are you intending on using? I see lots of people on here increasing the wheel size would that help to raise the ride height? Also people rolling the arches to give more clearance but guess that starts to get expensive.

We're team 2nd attempt, but we've only just chosen our charity and are starting to get the page together but finding time is hard at the moment as we're both working so much so we can afford the time off.

Seriously impressed with your pages and your efforts so far, puts us to shame! Though we have one company agreeing to double any money raised for one of our charities so that's good.

Three of five visas approved now as well, do you have route sorted yet?

Talk soon,

Tara.

 

[Johnny Bravo]

Hi there Tara

Good to hear from you.
With 80 days to go (!) it is starting to dawn on me that there is a shedload of stuff to do, but all good stuff.
Juggling shifts with rally prep/fundraising/website stuff, everything else will have to wait until September!
Would love to try to learn some Russian & get to know the car inside out too, but time is really ticking now...
Running on 14" wheels, fitting some Avon Avanza tyres the week before the rally. Bought the tyros, but hit a bit of a financial brick wall of late, (was due a bonus at work, which wasn't quite as expected & just got whacked for a monster tax bill, as was on wrong tax code), doh!
A sump guard of some shape or form is another mod that I'm very keen to fit, think it is pretty much vital.
There is a long list of other mods that I'd love to do, but budgetwise, we've gone well over already.
(Optimistically dreamt up a figure of five grand when we signed up, for everything, including spending money, I was indeed dreaming...)
Passports are currently with the good people of The Visa Machine, keeping fingers and toes crossed.
Routewise, from the Czechout party to Russia is one part we need to suss out, from Volgograd, it's via Kazakhstan (all of it), Russia (Barnaul) and through the NW border of Mongolia. 4 weeks off work, so although would really love to see more countries, we're up against the clock a bit, (flights booked back August 13th!)
All exciting stuff. Sometimes wish I could just take a few months off work, to get everything sorted, but daydreaming won't pay the mortgage & what gets done gets done & what doesn't get done will get tie-wrapped/duct-taped!
Good luck with all your prep.
Speak soon
Johnny

 

[Tara L]

Hey Johnny,

Not long to go now! Only 27 days!! How are your preparations coming along? We finally got our passports back from the Visa Machine this morning. We'll be going the southern route, across the Caspian Sea to Turkmenistan and then Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Russia and hopefully Mongolia, only got 5 weeks off work though.. that might not be enough but too late to change it now (and have no holidays left for the rest of the year). Haven't booked flights at all yet, we're planning on winging it a bit and hoping for the best...

Still got so much to organise between now and then.. work every day, F1 the weekend before.. think we've only got 4 full days left to get everything sorted

Hope everything is going well your end.

Tara

 

[Johnny Bravo]

Hi there Tara

Good to hear from you. 26 days to go!!!
It all seems to be coming chaotically together :-/
Fitted a (chequerplate) sumpguard & also a tank guard.
Our Silver Streak seems to be running ok, (maybe not aware of just what lays ahead...)
Had a morning of panic, when the Post Office managed to (temporarily) lose my passport (full of Visas) for 4 hours.
I really did think it was game over, what a lame ass excuse that would have been!
We're tapped for time & heading (from Czech-out) through Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, Russia & Mongolia.
4 weeks & we've booked our flights (had to for work).
Making lists & lists & lists of lists, but not getting much ticked off.
Sure that all will work out in a complete stressfest the week before, will be more than worth it
Hope you get eveything done, be good to catch up over a beer on Friday the 13th (der-der-derrrrr, good job I'm not superstitious, says he who salutes at Magpies & a thousand other daft things....)
Are you camping at Goodwood?

See you in 25 days
Cheers
Johnny

 

[Johnny Bravo]

Hey Johnny,

Not long to go now! Only 27 days!! How are your preparations coming along? We finally got our passports back from the Visa Machine this morning. We'll be going the southern route, across the Caspian Sea to Turkmenistan and then Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Russia and hopefully Mongolia, only got 5 weeks off work though.. that might not be enough but too late to change it now (and have no holidays left for the rest of the year). Haven't booked flights at all yet, we're planning on winging it a bit and hoping for the best...

Still got so much to organise between now and then.. work every day, F1 the weekend before.. think we've only got 4 full days left to get everything sorted

Hope everything is going well your end.

Tara

Hi Tara

My reply only took me 10 years!
Just stumbled across this website now, whilst looking for something and reminiscing about the MR!
How did it go???
We made it in 26 days, with just 2 days to spare.
It was bloody brilliant, but hard.
Never a day goes past when I don't think abut my old Micra (and those bloody awful roads in Kazakhstan!)

Hope you are well.
Cheers
Johnny