unimog in Morocco

[merv]

Hi Folks,

We finally got going, and we're in Morocco with our Mog. It's like a dream come true! This is an awesome place for off-road trucks, and being able to use them. The scenery is incredible!



We will have a few tales to tell, but for now if anyone is interested, we've got our blog up and running here.

We plan to ship to south america (Argentina) later this year.

[The Sphinx]

Looks cool! I'll be following this!

[strvger]

Very Impressive!! both the view and your mog !!

[merv]

I've put up a few video's on youtube, if anyone would like to see more of what Morocco looks like.

This one shows the start of the route from M'Hamid to Foum Gzuid. And no, you could'nt make up the town names! Imagine what it's like getting directions from people who try to talk to us in French, which we dont speak, and trying to figure out the town names from that :-)

Linky

(Anyone care to tell me how I can embedd or link to youtube?)

Merv.

[merv]

This is a bit of a tight squeeze trail in the atlas mountains. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKGge3SGqYs&sns=em

It would be amazing in a small 4x4 up there!

[bdkw1]

We call that a good road in Baja.........

[Seabass]

Subscribed keep the photos and updates coming Merv.

bdkw1 eat a bowl of bleach marinated dicks. Get the fuck out.

[merv]

Thanks for the feedback folks, It feels strange to be posting about what we're doing, and wondering if anyone is interested or not. I know I spent a few years reading about this stuff before taking a deep breath and jumping in.

So, We have a few updates about the trip, but I have to say there are not about hard core off roading, even mild stuff. There is a post about shopping. Shopping for food. Yup. Really. but you would really need to see one of the markets (Souk) here to believe it. There are guys that make stuff out of reebar (steel used for reinforcing concrete) and sell it. It's pretty crude, but works. It's amazing what they can do with so little.

For example, Want Butter? Make it yourself!


More about it all on the blog.


Normal "off road related images" service will resume shortly :-)

[crashnzuk]

^^That last pic could be SoCal or Nevada, crazy. Keep it up, I like seeing other parts of the world if only through someone elses lens.
Travis..

[merv]

I'm guessing many folks here like Dirt bikes, it's kind of hard not to. I've always love them. So, when we found out our camp site was going to be the overnight stop for an Enduro event that would have over 100 bikes coming in for the night, I got the camera ready....

The blog...

but we also had a great night with some new friends. You just cannot beat a proper camp fire!



Merv.

[Ponyracer1]

Do you have a build thread of you mog and setup? I'd def like to look into something similar for my retirement exploration vehicle.

SO, there's a place in morocco names PENISCOLA huh? I don't think I'd have stopped LOL.

[merv]

Hi,

I dont have a build thread as I bought it 80% as it is now. The long story is that an english bloke called Dave bought the truck from the German army about 4 years ago. He bought a lorry body that was crashed, and got enough material from it to make the camper body. he put 50mm steel inside the body, filled the space with insulation and then lined the inside with plywood. He put in all the usual bits and pieces (Happy to list it all if you like!) and set off for 2.5 years from London through North Africa, Middle East, Far East, Russia and back through Northern Europe. At this stage he needed some cash, so he put it on e-bay, at just the time we were looking for similar.

We bought it, and made some mods, and here we are!

Merv.

[UCTJ]

Originally Posted by merv

I've put up a few video's on youtube, if anyone would like to see more of what Morocco looks like.

This one shows the start of the route from M'Hamid to Foum Gzuid. And no, you could'nt make up the town names! Imagine what it's like getting directions from people who try to talk to us in French, which we dont speak, and trying to figure out the town names from that :-)

Linky

(Anyone care to tell me how I can embedd or link to youtube?)Merv.

If you have a red star you can do just by putting the link in your post. Looks like a great trip!
Unimog in the sahara desert, outside M'hamid - YouTube

[Ponyracer1]

thanks for the info, I was wondering about the lorry box, it looks alot like a modified uhaul box.....hmmmmmmm

[merv]

No problem.

But if I was starting again, I'd not do it the same.

1. 3.5 metres is too tall. We have had issues with low bridges and tunnels.

2. I'd setup 2 water storage tanks not 2. 1 for perfect water, happy to drink, and the other for not so perfect water, but ok for showers, washing up.

3. Larger waste water tank (Grey water). We hold 45 litres, but that's about 1 to 1.5 days depending on how much cooking we do (and therefore washing up) and showers. Out in the wild, I let it flow right through, but when parked at someones house, that's not such a nice thing to do.

The mog is a very capable off road machine, and not so brilliant on the road. with a huge camper back, it's no longer so great off road, and even less brilliant on the road. I think I'd go with a smallish camper back, even a pop-up which would help both on and off road. If you want comfort - and therefore a larger camper back - dont start with a Mog! :-)

[Ponyracer1]

Thanks for the tips.

[rugburn]

merv you are living the dream!

Keep up the great photos, stories and above all ...BE SAFE!!!


God bless

john

[merv]

Thanks Rugburn, Sometimes I have to pinch myself to prove it's not a dream. I know I'm lucky.

But, since I'm here, I've a few photos of other expedition rigs to show. We either met, or camped near these rigs.

Older Mog



A Mowag. I had no idea what it was, except that we saw 2 within a few days, and both owners were swiss. Turns out it was a military rig, very simple but very small.


More stuff on the blog, www.moglander.com so there is no point in repeating it.

i am surprised at how few rigs there are. Only a handful of 4x4's with rooftents, and about a gazillion french folks in plastic boxes (campervans).

[montanatrout]

so awsome.....thats all

[66Halfcab]

Great thread, im defenetly going to be following your blog. Im in the begining stages of a build to travel north America in. I worked for a government agency that had Mogs and i hope you have alot more luck than we did with them. What creature comforts are in your living area and what powers them? Good luck on your journey.

[merv]

Originally Posted by 66Halfcab

Great thread, im defenetly going to be following your blog. Im in the begining stages of a build to travel north America in. I worked for a government agency that had Mogs and i hope you have alot more luck than we did with them. What creature comforts are in your living area and what powers them? Good luck on your journey.

Hi, So far we've been pretty lucky, but then it's a 1986 truck so we are allowing for anything to happen :-)

In terms of comforts, I'd describing as comfortable camping, but not a luxury trip. We're in great shape for bad weather, we've a lot in insulation and ventilation, the engine water heats a 30 litre tank, so we have 30 litres of water for showers and/or washing up when we park up. We also have a diesel powered water heater that heats the same tank (and also heats the engine, which is good as they do not have glow plugs for the cold cold days).

we have a permanent fixed double bed, and it's nice not to have to make up the bed each evening. We sleep with a regular douvet, not sleeping bags, so its like a regular nights sleep each night - always good. The insulation also kills a lot of noise, so when we stop by the side of the road, we still sleep well.

we've a shower, chemical toilet inside, which makes late night / bad weather stops much more acceptable when you cannot "go" outside (parked in towns, or at peoples houses).

We have a 60 litre compressor fridge, and a 40 litre engel freezer. 4 gas rings, gas grill and gas oven (Smeg cooker - nice bit of kit). Seating for 4 at a squeeze, but as there is usually just the 2 of it's fine. Loads of storage for bits and pieces in the luton and outside at the back. We have enough presses that we dont have to live out of luggage bags - which is nice.

the rear cabin is 2.5 metres wide, so it is wider than the cab of the truck. The guy that built it is 6'3" tall, so he made sure it has loads of headroom.

All that said, it's pretty home made looking, but functional. The next wet day, I might just do up a blog post with images from inside. it does'nt look fantastic, but works well enough for us.

Merv.

[merv]

Originally Posted by montanatrout

so awsome.....thats all

Thanks!

[66Halfcab]

Originally Posted by merv

Hi, So far we've been pretty lucky, but then it's a 1986 truck so we are allowing for anything to happen :-)

In terms of comforts, I'd describing as comfortable camping, but not a luxury trip. We're in great shape for bad weather, we've a lot in insulation and ventilation, the engine water heats a 30 litre tank, so we have 30 litres of water for showers and/or washing up when we park up. We also have a diesel powered water heater that heats the same tank (and also heats the engine, which is good as they do not have glow plugs for the cold cold days).

we have a permanent fixed double bed, and it's nice not to have to make up the bed each evening. We sleep with a regular douvet, not sleeping bags, so its like a regular nights sleep each night - always good. The insulation also kills a lot of noise, so when we stop by the side of the road, we still sleep well.

we've a shower, chemical toilet inside, which makes late night / bad weather stops much more acceptable when you cannot "go" outside (parked in towns, or at peoples houses).

We have a 60 litre compressor fridge, and a 40 litre engel freezer. 4 gas rings, gas grill and gas oven (Smeg cooker - nice bit of kit). Seating for 4 at a squeeze, but as there is usually just the 2 of it's fine. Loads of storage for bits and pieces in the luton and outside at the back. We have enough presses that we dont have to live out of luggage bags - which is nice.

the rear cabin is 2.5 metres wide, so it is wider than the cab of the truck. The guy that built it is 6'3" tall, so he made sure it has loads of headroom.

All that said, it's pretty home made looking, but functional. The next wet day, I might just do up a blog post with images from inside. it does'nt look fantastic, but works well enough for us.

Merv.

Im guessing your diesel water heater is using a coil around the exhaust and a pump to circulate the water? Do you have a shower or are you using a garden sprayer type pump? Id love to see pics whenever you can.

[66Halfcab]

BTW whats a smeg cooker?

[merv]

Hi,

Nope, not an exaust related heater, the hot water from the engine is plumbed into the engine cooling system. There are T pieces between the engine and the cab heater, and these allow pipes to go to the back to the calorifier. It also flows through an eberspacher hydronic heater, Link here, which when turned on, heats the calorifier and the engine block.

The main issue has been that the header tank for the engine coolant was too low, so there is now a second one up higher in the camper which acts as the header tank for the whole system.

As to the shower, it's a proper stand up shower! Basically it's a shower tray installed in the floor of the camper, just inside the door. I've a wooden cover for it which is a set of wooden lats with gaps between them for the water to flow through. The shower is a normal household shower unit, and I've a shower curtain and rail that covers 3 sides. When it's not in use, you just tie the shower curtain up, and it basically takes up no space at all, and it then becomes the hallway into the truck.

And I had a typo on the cooker, its a smev cooker, Like this one just that ours is an older model.

I'll do a few photos of this stuff soon.