Maybe it’s the age I’ve reached when you try not to look forward to the future and the inevitable decline and would rather concentrate on nostalgia of years past. I have to admit that I’ve become sentimental about my old Toyota Land Cruiser. Yes, Marianne is also sentimental about her but for different reasons – she likes the respect she gets from Honda Fits! They definitely don’t cut her up.
We have decided to sell the old girl and the old Mazda pickup and get a second hand Japanese import, a Nissan X-Trail. It makes sense – the Cruiser (we never had a name for her – she was just “the Cruiser”) is used for little more than shopping and the Mazda is used only to keep the battery charged. I can import an automatic vehicle every five years duty-free on my disability allowance and the Ford pickup is 10 years old so we can get the Nissan for pretty much the sale of the Cruiser and Mazda. The Nissan is nine years old
I bought the Cruiser in the mid 2000s – I think. I needed a vehicle for my paragliding trips and I wanted to improve my mechanic skills which up until that stage had been limited to oil changes and brake maintenance. The Cruiser fit the bill on all counts. Being a station-wagon, a 1989 HJ60 model, she could carry lots of kit and people in reasonable comfort and she was certainly in need of some TLC. I ended up learning a lot more than I’d intended to.
The engine, a 2HZ 3.98 litre diesel was in poor shape so the bonnet went up and out it came. The cylinder head was overhauled with valves being reseated and lapped-in. The head was skimmed, new cylinder liners purchased and put in by what was, I was assured, a reliable machine shop. Then it all went back together courtesy of a how-to-do it book copied off a friend and lots of asking around – remember the days before Google? I did buy a lot of tools and Jenni, my Rhodesian Ridgeback, helped by getting in the way when I was under the vehicle.
She started a bit rough, but after the timing was sorted out and feeling rather pleased with myself I took her for a drive on the farm. It was the rainy season and I needed to test my idea that one couldn’t get a Land Cruiser stuck so I went down a road that I knew was particularly muddy. Nervous moments were had as I realized there was a good reason that the tractors avoided that area in the rainy season. I retreated more than a little cowed and covered in mud and disengaged the four wheel drive.
Just when I was getting pleased with myself (about 2,000 km later) the engine stopped. Something was badly wrong so the cylinder head was removed again and the damage assessed. The machine shop that I was assured was good hadn’t bothered to tell me that the cylinder liners I’d bought were too small and every single one was cracked around the rim, except for the sixth which had been pulled down onto the crankshaft. It took two years for my sense of humour to recover enough to start the search for another engine. It turned out to be a fortuitous wait.
I asked Mark in the 4×4 Club to ask around for a replacement engine. Some time later he contacted me: “I have someone wanting to sell two engines that came from Dubai” he said. “One is a 2H like yours, the other is a 12HT which is the same engine but turbo charged”. I dithered and decided on the 2H which was the cheaper of the two. “It’s already sold” he replied. So I stumped up the cash for the turbo version. It was a good choice.
Once Mark had fitted the engine – he’s a better mechanic than me and there were a few modifications that I was prepared to let someone else do – the adventures began. There was a trip to Ghona-re-Zhou in the south east of Zimbabwe. Several to Mana Pools Game Reserve on the Zambezi and lots to Nyanga. Being a big station wagon there was always plenty of room for friends, dogs and paragliders and she could go almost anywhere. The big diesel would reassuringly rumble from Harare to Nyanga in the eastern highlands without having to change gear for any hills and she could easily stay on the speed limit. There is one hill near Juliasdale that I would really look forward to. A steep descent to a 90 degree right hand bend followed by a long curving uphill. No problem, put the foot down and purr up to the top without a gear change.
She also had some extras added after the engine was replaced. I had her resprayed to a two tone white and maroon. A bull bar was added to the front on a new heavy steel bumper – fortunately I never needed to find out how well they worked. A heavy steel rear bumper was attached and a long range fuel tank replaced the original. That was well put to use. Spot lights were added as the original lights were poor. Back then it was still ok to drive at night. Now we avoid it if at all possible.
On the weekends I’d often go out flying model radio-controlled aircraft or my paraglider and I’d leave the ‘Cruiser by the back door whilst I had lunch and got ready. If the door was open Jenni knew she was coming and would climb in and wait. It could be more than two hours but she was as patient as she was determined. After Jenni there was Zak and Kharma – also Rhodesian Ridgebacks. Once I had to keep them in the ‘Cruiser whilst aircraft took off at the airfield where we flew. Zak showed his displeasure by chewing a seatbelt.
I haven’t driven her for quite a few years now – as my disability has increased my feet have become too slow on the pedals. Marianne does drive her and likes the sense of respect she gets from other vehicles, especially Honda Fits but I think I have already mentioned that. Anyway, tomorrow she goes to her new owner in Kariba who has promised to look after her. Doing the final checks this afternoon and pumping up the tyres I couldn’t resist one last listen to that big diesel. She started easily as always. I couldn’t get my right foot to the accelerator pedal so I used the hand throttle. I gave it a good pull and the engine roared and as it slowed there was that beautiful turbocharger whistle. Perfect! I know one shouldn’t get sentimental about vehicles but I guess it’s the memories they invoke. Farewell old friend.
Zimbabwe Absurdity 