Mitsubishi Delica Owners Club UK™

[jaf1968]

Wow!! What an experience!!

Sorry I lost you guys at the end. My fault... had to remove a large tree from my roof rack
Headed up towards Corwen but couldn't see any of you. Must fix the CB...

Had a quick look around the car, bashed bash plate, a bent side step and lots of glorious mud...

Can't believe we had to be towed out of the first field but managed the rest under our own steam.
Want to lift it now, knew it would end up costing me
Will post pics if any came out later, off for a hot bath now...

Good day :D

James

[Google]

[bobafat]

yep was an excellent day!

haven't had a look at mine yet but I'm definatly missing a number plate, and i don't dare look underneath after the horrible scraping sounds lol, oh! and a bent tow bar

thanks all for such an excellnt day!

just waiting for some pics now  :D  :D

[Darrel]

Does anyone know if carstairs got off the wayfarer?
Cracking day out, cost me a new number plate though
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I may not be perfect but it scares me how close to it i am

Do dyslexic zombies crave Brians?

[jaf1968]

He did, was stuck behind us when I got distracted by the tree in the roof rack at the T junction before heading off to the Corwen car wash.
Weren't sure which way to go, and my CB don't transmit too good so couldn't get hold of anyone...
Decided to head home at that point, so we headed up towards Corwen. Think he did likewise...
When we going again

James

[Darrel]

We also had a great game of i spy on the way home :D
_________________
I may not be perfect but it scares me how close to it i am

Do dyslexic zombies crave Brians?

[miller]

one of my favourite pics of the day....see the shadows??






and where i got stuck.Thanks you to everyone for helping me get out, mark for towing, the guys for fixing the wiring and fuses so i had lights! It got dark quite quickly and what with snow blasting in it would have been a lot worse if it wasn't for ye!


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#1 Vehicle: Mitsubishi Legnum VR4 Type S
#2 Vehicle: Mitsubishi Delica L300 Super-Exceed. NOW SOLD :-(
#3 Vehicle: Mitsubishi Airtrek Turbo R

[Carstairs]

I didn't get many photographs. I was gripping the wheel too tight to pick the camera up.
Here are some I did manage to get.






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There is a man with a mullet going mad with a mallet in Millets

[strangerover]

Glad everyone had a good time and apart from the odd bashed bash plate no harm done..

I just went to a local car wash.... no extra charge for cleaning it !
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Regards
Mark

[polgster]

Many thanks to Strangerover and Lewis for arranging the day and giving me the best laugh in ages laughing at the missus panicking all day (and at one point nearly in tears).  Good to meet you all and put some faces to names.

I think I came off okay in the end, I only knocked my number plate off, bent my front bull bar on a post and my towbar elecs on a rock (both bent back okay), snapped the plastic drivers seat incliner off and dented my bash plate  :D

Here's some group pics, will post some more later on, along with some vids we took.

http://www.villa-martin.co.uk/off02pano.jpg









I was a bit dissapointed that the missus didn't film some of the really rough stuff but she was clinging to the hand rails too tightly to bother  

[Carstairs]

okay I have posted the pictures now for my views on the NEWBIE day out.
This is a really difficult post to make. Sorry if it upsets anyone.

First I would like to thank Strangerover and Lewis for organizing the day.
This forum is so much better with you input.
I do have some misgivings however.

I found the routes we took to be a bit much for a standard Delica.
I understood we where taking routes that had been resurfaced?
I didn't see any evidence of resurfacing. Did we use other routes?
The Wayfarer for example. Didn't Landrover magazine recently say it was unsuitable for Landrovers?

It was stated there would be no damage to vehicles.
I lost my fog light and a wheel hub cap. Damaged my side step and I am terrified to look underneath.
Apart from those with lift kits, did any one get around with no damage?
I, and others, use the Delica for daily driving. If it's damaged I'm on public transport.

How did I get left on top of the Wayfarer?
I know I'm big enough to look after myself but what if I had got a puncture? Or got stuck?
Judging by previous posts some of you didn't know if I got down at all.
Surely no one should be left behind.


I know this might upset some people and that really is not my intention.
I hope you take these points as constructive criticism.
As far as I am concerned it was two greenlane experiances in one.
My first and my last.

I'm sure this will produce some heated discussion.
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There is a man with a mullet going mad with a mallet in Millets

[miller]

Its very worrying you were left on your own, i thought the whole point of the Glass code was to minimise risks like this. Mark did mention its everyones individual choice and to be fair Mark and co did very well due to the very high number of attendees.

Not wanting to upset you back but i think after the first run it should have been very clear what you were in for, maybe this was the time to make a break and head for home? I was in two minds then though sod it this is sooo much fun, id be kicking myself if i didn't do the rest of them. To be fair i did think at some points 'NO WAAAAAY' then after id got through looked at the Delica in a whole new light!

don't  look underneath, its all tough and only a few bangs and bashes!

Sorry you have had a rough time with it.


Mike
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#1 Vehicle: Mitsubishi Legnum VR4 Type S
#2 Vehicle: Mitsubishi Delica L300 Super-Exceed. NOW SOLD :-(
#3 Vehicle: Mitsubishi Airtrek Turbo R

[Carstairs]

[quote="miller"

Not wanting to upset you back but i think after the first run it should have been very clear what you were in for, maybe this was the time to make a break and head for home?


Mike[/quote]

Good point.We where told, however, that we had done the hardest bit.
_________________
There is a man with a mullet going mad with a mallet in Millets

[chrisfoster1971]

WOW this looks like it was fun..

At least for most of you

I think judging by some of the comments I will be leaving it until I can get my rear shocks and torsion bars sorted...and of course my starting problem sorted ( hopefully next time I won't be on call either   )

Fantastic shots.. although some show rather a lot of people together  :?

As much as I don't want to stir up a hornets nest. I think if you going on these types of days out you should expect to get some kind of damage, all be it minor.

at the end of the day the decision to go is yours and you do follow others.... I must admit I wouldn't be too happy if mine got damaged but luckily for me it isn't my only form of transport and I can sympathise with you on that.

I am sure with hindsight your judgement may change as you realise the damage is superfical scaring etc but I do understand how it must feel right now and like wise how you may well laugh about it in the future.
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100% BIO DIESEL ! Well not quite at the moment

My Delica Album

[jaf1968]

That first picture Carstairs posted was us stuck in the first field!!!
Bashplate and rear diff both on the deck and not enough traction to go anywhere...

The big line of cars was the queue behind me, were split nicely into 5s and 6s before we left the cafe.

Also my daily driver here... Had to accept the risk that I MAY break it before contemplating such a trip.
Was a little more challenging than I thought it would be, but all the better for that... Hairiest bit was the
icy rocky leany bit, followed by the rocky leany icy bit, followed by the track down from Wayfarer... that's where
me side step got modified... that extra foot or so makes a difference

I'd love to do it again, but would REALLY like to do a 'Lewis' lift first. Can't £stretch£ to an ironman lift.

J

[andyrep]

Hi All

Had a great day so big thanks to all especially Lewis and Strangerover for making it happen

i have completed some of this course in the past and can confirm that it is better than it was

but i think the thing that made it worse was that the ground was frozen solid, so on the rutted section were you would normally of slid over mud it was like scraping over concrete.

I have attended 3 outings over the last 2 years and i have not sustained any damage except the bash plates which is what they are there for

Carstairs please don't let this put you off these are trully great machines and the potential of them is incredible mine incedently is completly standard including road Tyres

sorry you didn't enjoy it

i havnt many pics but will post what i have when iam back from germany in 3 days time

Cheers Andy

[polgster]

This was my first off-roading experience in my daily runner standard ride height L400 (the silver one).  Although we came away thinking that it wasn't a newbie day out, we did have the opportunity to back out after the first run but we didn't as we were enjoying it too much (or at least I was  :D ).  I was amazed at how far the Delica can lean with falling over, we got to 40 degrees with the missus almost sitting on my lap.

I don't think it was neccesarily the lanes we took but rather the conditions.  All of the crunching sounds underneath were from the frozen ground between the ruts and perhaps if the ground wasn't frozen then we would have been less worried about what was going on underneath.  If Mark and Lewis could have predicted the conditions beforehand then I think they're in the wrong job.

Carstairs, with regards to leaving you on Wayfarer, I passed on the message to you that we were leaving but I guess you stayed to finish your curry first.

I won't be raising my Delica and I'm looking forward to the next trip but I don't think the missus will be coming again  

Here's some more pics, vids to follow

Steep


James stuck


Tonkatruck jamming on the brakes


We tilted more than this but the missus wouldn't let go of the handrail to film it


Tight squeeze


Carstairs on a tightrope


Proof we did it


Snowing


Tonkatruck taking the plunge

[Jimjim]

Carstairs wrote

[Lewis]

Carstairs

I'm certainly not upset by what you say, its also constructive criticism in my view. I will try to answer some of the point you raise from my perspective.  

First though, thanks for the appreciation and I like your photo's!  Like you my Deli is my only means of transport and as a person with a particular health problem and two elderly parent to do stuff for in my case public transport is not even an option.

The first time I did those routes was before I fitted replacements for my worn springs and adjusted my torsion bar to level the ride height off and the Deli had the same ride height as yours, but then my truck was empty and as you had been staying in the area the night before I wonder if the extra weight of your camping equipment and accessories had lowered your suspension an inch or so.  :?

With regard to the quality of the tracks; Mark was advised that rough lanes had been sorted by the local council, so I accepted what Mark had been told. However it seems they had only done part of the route to Lake Alwyn (though as you can see from a post above there was some problem with that). Lake Alwyn was a section we did not get around to doing having run out of time ( I judged it would be too dark to continue by the time we got there). As for the rest of the lanes they were considerably degraded from when I had last been on them and has been mentioned above the first lane of the day should have been an indicator of if or not to continue!  

The last time I did the first lane at this time of year, with Strangerover, it was wet and muddy, then was slippery and some towing was done, but wet slippy mud doesn't really damage a Deli.  I think it fair to say the inclement weather and hardened ground could not be forseen. When jaf1968, who was in front of you got stuck in the ruts I took him up to have a quick word with the Landrover club member policing the top of that section to see about driving out of the ruts. He turned out to be the rights of way officer and said it was okay to drive with one wheel on the centre hump and the other on the field edge, at which point I asked jaf1968 to let the others know it was okay to prevent anyone getting stuck. I couldn't really do more than that, other than advise every individual driver personally. I was heading back up to my own Deli which was blocking the top section when I noted a tow rope had been produced and Tonkatruck was towing jaf1968's Deli up the ruts, with Strangerover driving it and jaf1968 walking at the side. So I took the opportunity to take a couple of photo's and went back up the hill to keep the by then 13 vehicle convoy moving.

As for the Wayfarer being unsuitable for Landrovers, there were a fair amount of them, as we saw, using it. There is a metal box at the top of the Wayfarer, chained to a stone. Inside you will find a photo of a Landrover taken at the top, parked next to it is a Peugot 205.  Was the magazine article done with tongue in cheek, to indicate the route was not sufficiently hard enough for them?  

You ask why you were left at the top of the Wayfarer!  :?  Well actually you weren't and I take issue with that. All seven Deli's were parked together and when I said we were going everyone got into their Deli's, yourself included. It is hard to imagine you didn't notice the others were no longer parked by you!  Within two minutes of getting down the track someone came on the CB and said you weren't following. He reversed back up the slope to you and indicated we were going and said you had put your thumbs up so set off again.  At that point we have to allow you time to reverse out from where you were and then follow on.

Once we get going down that section its kind of hard to see what is going on with seven vehicles strung out behind me plus there is not exactly anywhere else to go but down it.  As you had a CB radio in the Deli I assumed you would call if there was a problem. We drove down the track at a very slow crawl to ensure the 'little person' in the extra Deli we picked up from group one did not get shaken around too much. Several times I called out on the CB for you but was getting no reply,. Then I noted that two 'Landrovers' were following us so assumed you were a little way behind them.  

When there was enough open ground to be able to visually see you were not behind them I found a level section safe enough to get all six remaining Deli's off the track (to let the Landrovers pass) whilst we waited for you. After 10 minutes I was heading to my truck to come back up the hill on my own, but was asked a question about the next offroad section. Whilst I was answering that you came round the hill and into view. The distance between the top of the Wayfarer and where we waited for you was less than 3 miles.   When I stopped to let the ladies use the public toilet I didn't leave you behind when your passenger disappeared into a local pub and I would not have gone any further down the track without you either!  

Now having said that I'm going to have a rest, a heavy coffee and then set to editing a bit of video and some photo's!.  
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[Carstairs]

Thanks for the reply Lewis. All points duly noted.
I was under the misconception that Strangerover had recently traveled those routes.
I didn't know he had got the information off the council.
I put the post up really to spark some discussion not just to have a go.
I really do appreciate what you and Strangerover do for the forum.
Keep it up.

Perhaps you did me a favour really. At least I know now I don't need to spend money on a lift.
Although I did enjoy myself I don't think green-laning is for me.

I was disapointed I didn't get to meet many Deli owners but that was perhaps down to the weather.
_________________
There is a man with a mullet going mad with a mallet in Millets

[jaf1968]

Carstairs, assumed the thumbs up given to myself and Tonka were a 'be along shortly - post lunch'. As indeed you were...

Getting left at the T junction as the group headed off to the Corwen car wash was my fault... apologies for that

Felt the need to remove the huge branch that I spotted lodged in my roof crate as the group left...

I too would have been happier if it had been slippy mud we were sliding over instead of frozen mud embedded with rocks.
With hindsight I may have waited for a trip in the spring... did sound fairly horrendous scraping it's belly up the lanes
Handled it with ease though, cruised the 120 miles home and got the kids to school safely this morning 8-)



Thanks to Lewis and Mark for organising the whole shebang, Dave for the tow, and the rest of you for making it a grand day out.

James