Now is a big Expedition getting started to the South Pole.the crew is in
Buenos Aiers Argentina, waiting to get the vehicles and kit through customs.
in the box are, 2 Ford Econoline 6x6 and 1 James Bond Vehicle ?!:D
http://www.4x4offroads.com/image-files/south-pole-ice-challenger-042.jpg
http://vnexpress.net/Files/Subject/3B/A1/48/13/13_c5.jpg
The Econoline are Support Vehicles for this.
http://telstarlogistics.typepad.com/.a/6a00d834543b6069e20133f41567f2970b-640wi
Expedition will endeavour to cross the continent of Antarctica from the west coast to the South Pole, then heading north through the Trans-Antarctic Mountain Range to the coast at McMurdo. The explorers will be covering a distance of around 3,000 miles.

Mr. Icecool.
Gunnar Egilsson was responsible for modifying the support vehicles at his company’s workshops in Iceland. He was a member of the record-breaking expedition to the South Pole in 2005 and is a highly experienced driver over snow and ice terrain.

Valdi Gudmundsson will drive the other one.
Valdi is a highly experienced snow and ice driver. He has undertaken many expeditions in Iceland, both on skis and in vehicles and in 1999 he completed a journey from the East Coast to the West Coast of Greenland.

more news later.

Oli Bjoss.

very cool!

Gota give us more info on the vehicles!

I sent an e-mail to the guys at Icecool.is asking questions about their 6x6 vans drivetrains....that was about a year ago...

nothing yet...

but I still like the vans...:D

Whats with the ghey tires?

Whats with the ghey tires?

Believe it or not boont there's a world outside appalachia. As said in the post these rigs are built for antarctic expeditions, not for wooing your toothless cousin by doing donuts in your neighbors field.

Believe it or not boont there's a world outside appalachia. As said in the post these rigs are built for antarctic expeditions, not for wooing your toothless cousin by doing donuts in your neighbors field.

What the fuck are you going on about......there usless tires on what looks like a very capable rig.:shaking:

Usa6x6?

What the fuck are you going on about......there usless tires on what looks like a very capable rig.:shaking:

Those tires are awesome in snow conditions like those in Antartica. They´re not the best for wet snow but for dry snow and ice-crusts they work well.

Usa6x6?

No, it´s a setup from Icecool in Selfoss, Iceland.

Believe it or not boont there's a world outside appalachia. As said in the post these rigs are built for antarctic expeditions, not for wooing your toothless cousin by doing donuts in your neighbors field.

:flipoff2:
My toothless cousin thinks that van is "bitchen"

Would love to see more of the rear tandem setup. Looking forward to the updates on the expedition and video of that "snow flyer" thing!

Leave it to our friends from Iceland to come up with these monsters.

would love to see more of the rear tandem setup

x2!!!

This thing looks cool as hell.
http://telstarlogistics.typepad.com/.a/6a00d834543b6069e20133f41567f2970b-640wi

Looks lke it has a BMW motorcycle engine turning the prop and may use a Paraplane parachute for flight above the snow for aerial viewing of the route.

Did some digging on the 3 ski thingy and found this.
http://www.transantarcticexpedition.com/galleries/

It's powered by a BMW motor although it is listed as a Rotax. The Rotax had been changed out in favor of the boxer engine after the write ups for cold weather concerns of the Rotax.

It does not fly with any parachutes or anything. It's only a fan powered single seat sled that they say will realy scoot across the ice and expect many arguments among the perssonel as to who's turn it is to drive it.

There are some neat pictures of the thing going together in the slide show, if you want to watch.

Me, I'd add a paraplane chute to it for aerial pathfinding. But, what do I know about Ice. I live in Texas!!!!!:flipoff2:

Looks lke it has a BMW motorcycle engine turning the prop and may use a Paraplane parachute for flight above the snow for aerial viewing of the route.

Ummm, are you just imagining that the parachute thing would be super cool, or do you have evidence that would support this? (I don't see and structure on the machine, but I may have missed something, either way, that props gonna cause a lot of damage when it gets tangled in parachute ropes)

Edit: Nevermind, too late.

http://telstarlogistics.typepad.com/.a/6a00d834543b6069e20133f4157a73970b-640wi
Bio-Inspired Ice Vehicle (BIV) Originally developed with an 1150 BMW engine adapted to run on E85 bioethanol. The engine was changed in the run up to the 2010 Expedition to a Rotax 914, which will be better suited to lower temperatures and higher altitude and is proven to deliver more horsepower.

Ummm, are you just imagining that the parachute thing would be super cool, or do you have evidence that would support this? (I don't see and structure on the machine, but I may have missed something, either way, that props gonna cause a lot of damage when it gets tangled in parachute ropes)

Edit: Nevermind, too late.


Pure speculation and day dreaming. I've flown a lot of Paraplanes over the years and that thing screams for one.

I did a little research, in fact I'm reading about it now, and it does look like the engine has been changed.

Shame, Put some prarie wheels on it, add a cage around the prop and slap on a parachute to it and it would be a heck of a coyote hunter.
I have a firend, the former Mayor of Gunbarrel City TX, who builds paraplanes like this in his garage for fun. A fun way to spend the day, if the wind isn't blowing. Which in reality is not very likely in the Antartic.

Anyway, it's a nice distraction from a work day.

Back to work!:D

any idea if we will be able to track this expedition as it happens ?

Yes they will have a live tracker, Now they are starting to drive through all Argentina 1900 miles. (the tracker is not working yet)

The Tracker http://www.transantarcticexpedition.com/index.php/antarctica-the-facts/tracker

http://www.icecool.is/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/SudurAmerika.jpg

Icepony -

Please...post pictures of 6x6 van drivetrain...please?

Icepony -

Please...post pictures of 6x6 van drivetrain...please?

Now you have to kiss my *** for this pic :D

This is NP-203 cut, beaten and welded together.on dana60 in the middle,
by Jeppasmidja Ljonstödum at Selfoss Iceland.
these boxes are in six useable trucks and have Never broke.!!!!!




http://www.f4x4.is/g2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=93974&g2_serialNumber=1

That is sweeeeet...the funny thing is that that is damn near what I did without even seeing what they had done...granted I used a 205 instead of a 203, and mine sits at a bit of an angle as opposed to, as the picture looks any way, straight-up.http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showpost.php?p=11573354&postcount=134

If you have any more I'd gladly, just as much as several other members of pirate, love to see them.

Thanks again

Now you have to kiss my *** for this pic :D

This is NP-203 cut, beaten and welded together.on dana60 in the middle,
by Jeppasmidja Ljonstödum at Selfoss Iceland.
these boxes are in six useable trucks and have Never broke.!!!!!




http://www.f4x4.is/g2/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=93974&g2_serialNumber=1

both rear axels are facing the same direction on the icecool van.

both rear axels are facing the same direction on the icecool van.

Mine are also...I went through different positions/orientations to see what would work best...

and marrying a transfercase to the forward of the two rear axles, with both of them pointing forward, seemed to be the best package.

I would really like to see inside that 203 case though. :D

Awesome!

Only from Iceland....

I really want a set of those fender flares for my econoline

Sent from my SGH-T959 using Tapatalk

The team is on the road again,did 370 miles yesterday.They were stopped twice by the police - who were very nice. The Chief of Police now has a smart new Expedition hat!
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs960.snc4/75362_1500995122624_1166570012_31168236_1014169_n. jpg


fuel for the BIV. E85
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs923.snc4/73681_1500992642562_1166570012_31168227_4297564_n. jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs939.snc4/73210_1500995682638_1166570012_31168239_7927764_n. jpg

Mr.Icecool.
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs498.ash2/77186_1500994402606_1166570012_31168234_4422763_n. jpg

One of the cars was missing Cd/Radio and few other items when the container was opened.
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1137.snc4/149899_1500990402506_1166570012_31168217_7007618_n .jpg

And yes thes trucks handle good on the road to :smokin:

thanks for the update!!!

Those vans really look nasty. Any idea as to what they weigh, all loaded up?

Believe it or not boont there's a world outside appalachia. As said in the post these rigs are built for antarctic expeditions, not for wooing your toothless cousin by doing donuts in your neighbors field.

Quote of the day.

Those vans really look nasty. Any idea as to what they way, all loaded up?

Before the flight in 2005 Expedition. The Econoline was put on the weight. 5.220 kg. with most of the luggage and the spare parts but no fuel. In the trip it was estimated to be about 7.200 kg. Every kg. brought to the Pole by air did cost around 68 USD! back then.So you better take along only what you really need.
http://www.4x4offroads.com/image-files/ice-challenger-img_0089.jpg

Before the flight in 2005 Expedition. The Econoline was put on the weight. 11,508 lbs. with most of the luggage and the spare parts but no fuel. In the trip it was estimated to be about 15,873 lbs. Every pound brought to the Pole by air did cost around 31 USD! back then.So you better take along only what you really need.

Translated for those too lazy... :flipoff2:

:smokin:

Those vans are the coolest Fords I have ever seen.

They appear to be made of weapons grade awesome.

Thanks for posting, ice'! Best of luck to all involved and we're pulling for you.

Bon voyage!

um.....*ahem*..more drivetrain pics...please? :D

The team finally reached Punta Arenas Chile after three and a half days and 1860 miles driving through an ever-changing landscape of the Pampas and then the drier and drier wilderness of Patagonia.
The vehicles have all been unpacked and equipment is being sorted out. They have had their first of many cleans and Gunni has started work on vehicle overhaul and servicing.
flight day has been slightly delayed as the weather in Antarctica is not cooperating. There is 2 feet of new snow at Union Glacier and that is putting back the flight by two days.

the schedule is for the team to leave Union Glacier - to cross the continent - on Thursday 18 November

Filming the tour
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1142.snc4/148415_1504618853215_1166570012_31175939_3877038_n .jpg

Fawesome!

Believe it or not boont there's a world outside appalachia. As said in the post these rigs are built for antarctic expeditions, not for wooing your toothless cousin by doing donuts in your neighbors field.

That's sigfile material right there :laughing:

updates???

Or are they still waiting on the weather?

Expedition team is currently in Punta Arenas undertaking final preparations for departure onto the Ice early next week.

To understand the size of the tour.!!!!!

The Expedition is only the third mechanised crossing of Antarctica ever undertaken and the first Expedition to attempt a return crossing.

http://www.transantarcticexpedition.com/images/titles/expedition-route.jpg

The team finally reached Punta Arenas Chile after three and a half days and 1860 miles driving through an ever-changing landscape of the Pampas and then the drier and drier wilderness of Patagonia.
The vehicles have all been unpacked and equipment is being sorted out. They have had their first of many cleans and Gunni has started work on vehicle overhaul and servicing.
flight day has been slightly delayed as the weather in Antarctica is not cooperating. There is 2 feet of new snow at Union Glacier and that is putting back the flight by two days.

the schedule is for the team to leave Union Glacier - to cross the continent - on Thursday 18 November

Filming the tour
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1142.snc4/148415_1504618853215_1166570012_31175939_3877038_n .jpg

VERY WELCOME TO CHILE!!!!! all the best for your expedition!!!!!!

***update***
The team is still gronded in Chile.It has not been that much snow at this time of year for thirteen years in the Antarctica.
the runway is being cleared slowly. Half the runway
has now been cleared and there is a possibility the first flight will go tomorrow


little about the trucks, Icecool have built three Econoline, two of which belongs to the expedition and one belongs to the owner of Icecool shop.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2666/142/3/1619191547/n1619191547_176197_1033462.jpg
7,3 l. power stroke turbo diesel
Dana 60 4.88 ARB lookers
Firestone airbag suspension
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs987.snc4/76092_1610306990440_1619191547_1446402_3565332_n.j pg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs602.ash2/155424_1610307150444_1619191547_1446403_8065012_n. jpg
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1183.snc4/150512_1610297550204_1619191547_1446369_6580665_n. jpg

braking the trail on the top of the famous EYJAFJALLAJöKULL icecap
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2666/142/3/1619191547/n1619191547_176195_4462707.jpg

Nice update...too bad about all the snow.

And last but deffinately not least...Thanks for the pics of the under carriage!!!

Details of the expedition please! What is the purpose of this expedition? Who is sponsoring etc? how many days? Site etc?

The expedition hopes to prove that wheeled vehicles are viable and more environmentally-friendly than air travel in this challenging environment.
and save more fule than trac vehicles

The primary sponsor is Professor Winston Wong a Taiwanese business leader and a physics alumnus of Imperial College London. Professor Wong is a generous donor to Imperial College who created the Bio-Inspired Ice Vehicle


The Winston Wong Bio-Inspired Ice Vehicle is the lead vehicle of the Moon Regan Transantarctic Expedition. The BIV is an agile route-finder - with a single driver - for the two Science Support Vehicles ((SSVs)E350 6x6) which carry the other ten members of the Expedition and act as mobile laboratories for the Expedition.

expedition will travel from the west coast of Antarctica at Patriot Hills, to the South Pole, retracing the steps of the famous Fuchs and Hillary crossing, and then head north to McMurdo through the Trans-Antarctic Mountain Range. The expedition is expected to spend some 40 days on the ice and travel some 3,600 miles.
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs965.snc4/75866_166478896719737_131056743595286_410175_41256 80_n.jpg

http://www.transantarcticexpedition.com/

The Econoline Has Landed on the ice. a bit cool -61°F

let the expedition begin :)
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2666/142/3/1619191547/n1619191547_176228_4864520.jpg

Woot - safe travels !

Are those Pitbull Rockers I spy ? :smokin:

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs987.snc4/76092_1610306990440_1619191547_1446402_3565332_n.j pg

Little trouble in the day one, (BIV)fly with broken steering and the other truck with engine trouble
Heavy snow -20°F a bit cold to do motor repair in such weather

I know I would not want to work on a Ford in any temperature! :flipoff2:

But I´m sure that Gunni will get that thing running right.

Little trouble in the day one, (BIV)fly with broken steering and the other truck with engine trouble
Hevy snow -20°F a bit cold to do motor repair in such weather

Well that is crappy to hear...

I hope things get sorted out:)

Bummer on the rough start, but something tells me they will overcome the challenges :smokin:

I hope to hell they've at least got an EZ-Up shelter and a salamander to keep the dude warm while he's gotta work on that thing...

SUNDAY 28 November, 10am

From Expedition team.!!!!!
We faced another incredibly tough day yesterday in the thick snow conditions as SSV2 continued to suffer mechanically. We awoke yesterday morning after a short night’s sleep hoping for a more successful day of progress, Gunni, Valdi and Pete continued to work on SSV2, having slept in the trucks for just a short few hours. Once the tents were loaded we rolled out of the campsite and headed the final 6 miles to the Patriot Hills fuel cache, the plan for the day being to refuel and head to our next major waypoint at Institute, a further 170 mile from there. The SSV engines had been running all night and it seemed like all problems had been fixed, however, the concern now was that SSV2 would not have enough fuel to reach the cache. The fuel economy had already been significantly reduced by the heavy loads and thick snow, and the mechanical fault on SSV2 had burnt a lot of fuel. Once again it turned out luck was not on our side as the engine spluttered to a stop just 1 mile short of the cache. We radioed the other vehicle just up ahead and they agreed to part refuel and return with enough to re-supply, the advantage and necessity of the second vehicle proving itself. By the time the vehicles arrived at the fuel cache it was already about 3pm, the plan was to load enough fuel drums to travel to Institute. The BIV was now fixed and had proved itself to be the best vehicle by far. The re-fuelling process meant digging out the 52 gallon drums of Jet A1 fuel and using the vehicle fuel tanks and pumping system to fill the 500 gallon onboard tanks. The fuel strategy in the conditions had become increasingly important as we needed to balance the weight of more fuel and reduced efficiency, against the risk of running out or running into more mechanical problems in the desolate environment.
We finally left the Patriot Hills fuel cache at 6pm, having invested some time fully preparing to drive the 170 mile to Institute, expected to be completed in 10-14 hours overnight. As we left the fuel cache, all was well with the vehicles, travelling a steady 12-15 mph through the heavy snow.
This strong progress was quickly hindered by thick snow, as we engaged the low range gearboxes on the SSVs. The speedometers began to read over 100mph, confused by the specially fitted gearboxes and we agreed how great it would be if we were going that speed, the reality on the GPS being less than 6 mph

. SSV2 failed to co-operate, as the engine fault code illuminated once again and power was reduced. Gunni and Pete decided that the fault lay with the fuelling system, perhaps a feature of mixing Jet A1 with oil and antifreeze as a diesel substitute, or perhaps masking a bigger problem. The solution, as we lay exposed and in temperatures of -35 Celsius, turned out to be turning the engine off and re-starting the ignition and fooling the engine to stop it switching to limp mode. This problem, which meant the vehicle had to keep stopping and re-starting, coupled with the thick snow meant progress was once again particularly slow.
By 5am,eleven hours after departure from the Patriot Hills fuel cache we had covered 84miles and though we continued to journey on, a combination the slow progress, lack of sleep and mechanical problems made life difficult and the mood amongst the team struggled to remain as positive as the morning had promised.
The expedition relies on careful fuel calculations and a meticulous strategy of re-fuelling to ensure we make the crossing. At each waypoint we cross re-calculations are made – the risk of running out of fuel needs to be foreseen as soon as possible to ensure we can change the strategy, potentially having to set up camp and once again sending one vehicle in advance to re-fuel. A strategy everyone was desperate to avoid because of the damage to our timetable and inherent risk of separating the team. The clear skies and sunshine over the snow and ice mask the bitterly cold conditions when we have to get out of the vehicles and into the wind, the BIV pilots opting for a thermal jumpsuit over their polar gear.
The Expedition continues to roll on, dinner consisting of an extension of lunch, with the team on driver rotation and sleeping where possible. We continue at 5-6 mph, hoping for a break in the heavy snow surface and keen to make progress to Institute, albeit at an excruciatingly slow rate, where we hope we can re-fuel and depart from there on the next leg to the South Pole.
---------------------------

Kinda reminds me of working out in the Coal-bed Methane fields in Wyoming. Sitting in the cab of the truck, it's sunny and clear outside, open the door and you are reminded what -35F ,before the 30-40mph wind hits you ,feels like...

If the boys in the SSV's carried an OBDII code reader they could clear the check engine light on the fly...this is first hand experience speaking.

I realize that tid bit of information is a bit late...but next time...;)

The guys in the SSV should've ditched the electronically injected diesel in favor of a p-pumped Cummins. That would eliminate the electronics, and the engine oil lubed p-pump has no problem running on straight jet A or A1...

Sometimes low tech really is best :smokin:

the guys in the ssv should've ditched the electronically injected diesel in favor of a p-pumped cummins. That would eliminate the electronics, and the engine oil lubed p-pump has no problem running on straight jet a or a1...

Sometimes low tech really is best :smokin:

yep!

Latitude : 84°55'1.2" S
Longitude : 80°36'56.16" W

The snow is geting beter to drive on.And the Pole moves closer.....

Right on!!!

sometimes ya just gotta keep sluggin away

very cool to hear progress

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1195.snc4/154711_169215753112718_131056743595286_426162_3855 328_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1176.snc4/154798_169215189779441_131056743595286_426146_6598 558_n.jpg

The firmer conditions as they passed the 84 degree mean that they are making much better progress when on the move and the fuel economy has improved dramatically.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1176.snc4/154798_169215189779441_131056743595286_426146_6598 558_n.jpg

The firmer conditions as they passed the 84 degree mean that they are making much better progress when on the move and the fuel economy has improved dramatically.


Good to hear...

I was thinking of mounting two 20mm ammo cans on the drivers side in the same location as the tarped cargo in the above picture...

Unfortunately with only 37 inch tires the cans would be too wide and eventualy end up getting scrubbed of on a tree or rock...but maybe if...LOL:D

ah nevermind:p

The expedition hopes to prove that wheeled vehicles are viable and more environmentally-friendly than air travel in this challenging environment.
and save more fule than trac vehicles

The primary sponsor is Professor Winston Wong a Taiwanese business leader and a physics alumnus of Imperial College London. Professor Wong is a generous donor to Imperial College who created the Bio-Inspired Ice Vehicle


The Winston Wong Bio-Inspired Ice Vehicle is the lead vehicle of the Moon Regan Transantarctic Expedition. The BIV is an agile route-finder - with a single driver - for the two Science Support Vehicles ((SSVs)E350 6x6) which carry the other ten members of the Expedition and act as mobile laboratories for the Expedition.

expedition will travel from the west coast of Antarctica at Patriot Hills, to the South Pole, retracing the steps of the famous Fuchs and Hillary crossing, and then head north to McMurdo through the Trans-Antarctic Mountain Range. The expedition is expected to spend some 40 days on the ice and travel some 3,600 miles.
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs965.snc4/75866_166478896719737_131056743595286_410175_41256 80_n.jpg

http://www.transantarcticexpedition.com/

Nice, wish I could be a part of it@@

150 miles to go.
Unless something very unexpected happens, the Moon Regan team will arrive at the South Pole tomorrow, Thursday, and realise one of their objectives - the arrival of the Winston Wong Bio-Inspired Ice Vehicle at the South Pole. This will be the first bio-fuelled vehicle at the South Pole.

150 miles to go.
Unless something very unexpected happens, the Moon Regan team will arrive at the South Pole tomorrow, Thursday, and realise one of their objectives - the arrival of the Winston Wong Bio-Inspired Ice Vehicle at the South Pole. This will be the first bio-fuelled vehicle at the South Pole.

Very cool!!!

The Team has reached Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station.At 90 degree
:smokin:

best thread on pirate... those things are amazing.

The Team has reached Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station.At 90 degree
:smokin:

Congratulations!!!

they have had to go slowly over the cracked area last few hours.
They had to be extremely careful about crevasse, which were larger and deeper and more open than they had previously experienced (2005). Then it came in handy to have ultrasounds equipment that was attached to the car to find the best way through the crevasse area.Yes the crevasse are hidden under snow.And look like this when they crack.
http://www.timwafer.com/Tucker/images/CREVSS.jpg



They hopefully made it over. And are celebrating at the South Pole now.:beer::bounce2:

they have had to go slowly over the cracked area last few hours.
They had to be extremely careful about crevasse, which were larger and deeper and more open than they had previously experienced (2005). Then it came in handy to have ultrasounds equipment that was attached to the car to find the best way through the crevasse area.Yes the crevasse are hidden under snow.And look like this when they crack.
http://www.timwafer.com/Tucker/images/CREVSS.jpg



They hopefully made it over. And are celebrating at the South Pole now.:beer::bounce2:

I'd like to see the recovery process for that!!!

I'd like to see the recovery process for that!!!

Somehow I think that the first step is a change of undershorts... :eek:

they have had to go slowly over the cracked area last few hours.
They had to be extremely careful about crevasse, which were larger and deeper and more open than they had previously experienced (2005). Then it came in handy to have ultrasounds equipment that was attached to the car to find the best way through the crevasse area.Yes the crevasse are hidden under snow.And look like this when they crack.
http://www.timwafer.com/Tucker/images/CREVSS.jpg



They hopefully made it over. And are celebrating at the South Pole now.:beer::bounce2:

Any more pics from this occasion ?:eek:

You can watch the video on you-tube
( 1955 tucker sno-cat ) It's a good video

You can watch the video on you-tube
( 1955 tucker sno-cat ) It's a good video

http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2008/12/trans-antarctic-expedition-getting.html

The team continues to make progress towards the Leverett Glacier, travelling slowly, in good spirits, with a heavy fuel load, on soft snow.
They departed the South Pole at about 1am Sunday morning to continue there crossing of Antarctica.
The snow was soft as soon as they were away from the station, with both SSVs and the trailer in tow, loaded with six drums of fuel.And with 1.8 tons of fuel onboard, as well as spare parts, tools, kit, food and camping equipment. The tyres were set as low as 3 psi,in the thick snow

About 47mile into their journey they were forced to a stop once again, due to probably the most ironic mechanical fault in Antarctica - the engine of SSV2 overheating.
Running with very heavy loads at high altitude and soft snow meant the engines of the SSVs were working incredibly hard, often with the low low-range gearbox and front and rear differential locks active. The result of all this work was at times a speed of only 1-2 mph in the snow which meant that the engine had very little to no airflow.
This was fixed in one hour, with the cold fingers and frozen noses.
Despite the long days and slow travelling, spirits remain high, as they are now free from their cooling issues and travelling as light and efficiently as possible towards the Leverett Glacier.

At the Pole
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs822.snc4/68290_170612369639723_131056743595286_434975_32854 62_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs802.snc4/68290_170612372973056_131056743595286_434976_43382 57_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1357.snc4/162985_170612519639708_131056743595286_434978_7809 360_n.jpg

Sounds like a real Adventure! Even with the overheating issues. Congratulations on getting back underway!!!

That Ski Machine looks like fun. Too bad it not a 2 seater! I can hear the arguments now over who's turn it is to drive it.
And if it ever had a problem with getting buried in a snow drift one guy is gonna have a challenge getting it out alone.
A tandem seater would have been a blast! And the back seat could be used for storage for fetching stuff.
But, it sure looks like fun.

I never realized the South Pole was a Candy Striped Pole.:laughing:

About 47mile into their journey they were forced to a stop once again, due to probably the most ironic mechanical fault in Antarctica - the engine of SSV2 overheating.

:laughing:

Awesome stories and pictures guys, following this with great interest!

I'm currious to hear how they cleared up their overheating issues? Something tells me that just taking the thermostat out wasn't the answer ;)

‎The team is less than 180mile from the coastline at the bottom of the Leverett Glacier and the completion of there Transantarctic crossing, the vicious weather and complete white-out has stopped them in there tracks.
They have been stoped for 24 hours. They will be forced to wait out the conditions for a while.

‎The team is less than 180mile from the coastline at the bottom of the Leverett Glacier and the completion of there Transantarctic crossing, the vicious weather and complete white-out has stopped them in there tracks.
They have been stoped for 24 hours. They will be forced to wait out the conditions for a while.


Damn.
So, I'm fairly interested in the crews sleeping quarters, gear, food, etc ?
Got any insight in those regards ?

They have done it.The expedition team has crossed Antarctica.:smokin:

The vicious wind had moved a lot of snow around their campsite and had not relented, but the visibility had improved. Once the decision was taken that it was safe to go, they set to work completing the fuelling of SSV1 and taking down the tent, which was now entirely filled with snow except the inner sleeping area. Taking down a tent in 50-70 km/h winds was not easier than putting one up and it took four of them to ensure none of it blew away.

With all the fuel barrels now empty they dug a cache to store them, with the intention of collecting them on their return. Once they had ensured that all waste had been removed from their camp site, they put the vehicles into Drive and set off.
The approach to the Leverett Glacier, they realised that they were probably the first people ever to use this route to cross this side of Antarctica except for the National Science Foundation, Andrew Moon estimating that less than about 60 people have even seen the plateau and mountains from the ground.
The visibility had dramatically improved and, masked by the snow still blowing in the strong winds,
there were blue skies up ahead. They covered the next 60miles with relative ease, everyone delighted that they were back on their way and not held at the mercy of the conditions.
They are now resting at the coastline near Mc Murdo Station

The Team at Ross ice shelf
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1163.snc4/150551_171358366231790_131056743595286_439537_7842 070_n.jpg

Congrats, That is an amazing adventure, and it sounds like it is not over yet.

The Moon Regan Transantarctic Expedition team have just completed the fastest ever vehicle crossing of the Antarctic continent. The 10-man team left Union Glacier on 25 November and arrived on the Ross Ice Shelf on 9 December. The total distance covered was 1206.52 miles and the total time taken was 303 hours.

Next is going back, pick up all the empty barrels and stop at the Pole to get more oil and keep on going to Patriot hills to catch a flight to Chile.

Awesome, congratulations guys :smokin:

This is how real Expedition looks like.
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1379.snc4/163099_171544049546555_131056743595286_440329_2020 729_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs739.ash1/163099_171544046213222_131056743595286_440328_7945 929_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs739.ash1/163099_171544036213223_131056743595286_440325_1107 46_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs605.ash2/155759_171544159546544_131056743595286_440331_4525 700_n.jpg

cool expedition,


what idiot would take a computerized diesel engine on an expedition?

a mech pumped one would have been way more reliable.

Awesome adventure, great pics and story. :beer:

what idiot would take a computerized diesel engine on an expedition?

a mech pumped one would have been way more reliable.

What a nice guy ! :shaking:


Congrats for this great challenge. :smokin:

what idiot would take a computerized diesel engine on an expedition?

a mech pumped one would have been way more reliable.


Link to your Epic Arctic Expedition . . . ? :flipoff2:

Link to your Epic Arctic Expedition . . . ? :flipoff2:

X2
I would love to see your qualifications....:flipoff2:

South Pole is geting to be hard on the trucks.They were right on there way from the Pole when fule problem occurs. on both trucks :D And to top it all
the rear dif broke in SSV1 truck.So the Sunday has been Garage day.SSV1 truck stoped runing.And after few hours they found a bad injector.
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1335.snc4/162750_172479966119630_131056743595286_446560_3248 379_n.jpg
Monday has been beter and they are on the move in heavy snow.

After living in a very cold environment (<-30 deg F winters) for a few years, I can say that vehicles need significant retrofitting to work well in very cold places. And oil doesn't flow too well when the engines aren't running at these temperatures. If you're rig breaks down and there's no one around, you're totally screwed ::D:

http://www.timwafer.com/Tucker/images/CREVSS.jpg
:eek: Imagine driving over that!

Link to your Epic Arctic Expedition . . . ? :flipoff2:

Umm ok let me be more polite:

If I were planning an arctic trip Id take the most simple engine/trans combo possible. Which would definitly exclude a computerized diesel, at least they didnt take he 6.0


waaay too many things to go wrong with a computerized diesel. that defeats the simplicity part of having a diesel.

A mech pumped engine would have eliminated 3/4 of their mechanical problems

Kudos to the people though, I figured that by now everyone and their brother would have made the trip, kinda like climbing Mt Everest. anyone that wants to and has the $$$ has done it already. Its not like it was when Hillary climbed it.

Link to your Epic Arctic Expedition . . . ? :flipoff2:

You mean epic Antarctic expedition?

You mean epic Antarctic expedition?

I did not.

Epic adventure...congrats guys :smokin:

They have done it, completed the first ever TransAntarctic crossing there-and-back.

The team was ecstatic, after 20 days and 12 hours and 30 minutes, they had crossed from Union Glacier, to the Geographic South Pole and across the continent to the Ross Ice Shelf, before completing the journey in reverse. As a team, they had pulled together through 60 mph winds, white-outs, sub -40 Celsius temperatures, thick snow, sastrugi, crevasses, mechanical failures, delays and frustration; the elation was phenomenal. They got out of the vehicles, appreciating their incredible performance In Antarctica, surviving all that was thrown at them, with no catastrophic breakdowns and SSV1 even traversing the Continent with half a drive belt. At times of frustration it felt like all the odds were against them and that a TransAntarctic crossing in wheeled vehicles hadn’t been attempted before for a reason, and they were delighted to prove it could be done and had been done.

They didn’t do it for the speed of the crossing. They wanted to show how technology has moved on and how such technology might improve access to Antarctica and the secrets its holds - geological, scientific or the Continent’s pure beauty. They hope that the scientific data they have collected will provide a legacy for research and work at Imperial College, and beyond.

The arrival at Union Glacier, whilst the end of our Expedition, does not mark the end of their stay in Antarctica; they have the vehicles to unload, their kit to pack and the wait for the Ilyushin to fly them out to Punta Arenas.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs403.ash2/68160_172479782786315_131056743595286_446553_68542 30_n.jpg
.

here is a trailer from the trip
winston wong bio-inspired ice vehicle on Vimeo (http://vimeo.com/22735491)