Bob Cooke – contributor
My favourite Top Tip from the anarchic magazine Viz: Put a £20 note in the inside pocket of your dark suit jacket so the next time you go to a funeral you’ll find something to cheer you up! Now, it was just as well the Cherokee had been through a car wash as part of the cleanup for its MOT examination, because along with the bills that came through the front door was an invitation to a funeral. It was the last ceremony of a bloke I didn’t like very much, but I figured it would be a chance to meet up with some distant relatives I’d not seen for years. The fact that it would be a 185- mile drive each way was a bit irking since the Cherokee’s comfortable with it; I reckon if I ever upgrade to a newer model I’ll switch the seats with those from my current Cherokee.
It was quite a pleasant drive on one of those rare sunny days and the Cherokee was still gleaming after the long haul up the A1, the bodywork remarkably clear of dents and scratches and its dark green paintwork still largely unblemished. Just for a brief moment, though, I rather wished the Cherokee had a more modern, softly rounded body style. It was when I arrived at the crematorium and turned in through the entrance gate and made my way sedately past a waiting group of mourners; some older folk removed their hats and bowed their heads as I cruised past, having briefly mistaken the Cherokee for a hearse…
Don’t know about you, but it’s easy to be a little cautious of any product that’s called Smart, but these new pick-up truck tops are exactly that. It’s a new brand to the UK pick-up market and it’s available from Up-Country Autoproducts. The Smart Arctic glazed hardtop is a great looking pick-up truck top that comes complete with roof rails as standard, sliding side windows, heated screen and lighting. Pick-up truck tops do often look particularly ‘add-on’ and clumsy, but this range has a much more authentic look. Check out the Up-Country website and you will see they are good value too. The Arctic glazed top is available for the Ford Ranger T6, Isuzu D-Max 12+, Nissan Navara D40, Toyota Hilux, Mitsubishi L200 long bed and the VW Amarok. For more details go to: 
A trip skiing in the Alps just proves that good 4x4s never die, they just keep on off-roading. And long may that continue
THIS BATTERED old 1977 Land Rover Series III has quite a history, as it was the ‘tour bus’ for Bob Marley and the Wailers and used to carry Bob and his group to gigs around Jamaica. Since Marley’s death in 1981, it has been sitting, neglected at 56 Hope Road, Kingston, Jamaica at the reggae star’s original home, now turned museum. Now, thanks to the support from major hotel and holiday company Sandals Resorts International, the Land Rover is off to get a full ground up restoration. The work will be completed by ATL Automotive a Land Rover specialist in Jamaica and sister company to Sandals. As you read this, the dismantling of the vehicle has been completed and you can see this on You Tube (
SEASONED 4X4 show goers will remember the British Indoor 4×4 Show started in 2002 by David Round of Llama 4×4, writes Hils Everitt. It was held at Donington Park, the famous F1 circuit that was graced by the F1 legends of yesterday including Nigel Mansell, James Hunt and Ayrton Senna. It was a top, mid-England venue for an early season indoor show and very popular. David sold the ownership of the show a few years ago, due to an offer he couldn’t refuse, and it stayed at Donington before moving to Stafford in recent years because Donington would no longer host the show due to massive renovations at the circuit.
FANCY DRIVING a Hummer for 1000 miles over the Atlas Mountains and through the sand dunes of the Sahara? If that’s the case (and who wouldn’t?) then it makes sense to enter the 2013 Conti 4×4 Trophy, and it makes sense to enter pretty sharpish. We ran a feature on the event last year from reader Josh Rice who was one of the lucky UK winners – well, it wasn’t all luck, it took some skill to win the driving and navigation qualifier event. The Conti 4×4 Trophy is surprisingly less known in the UK, last year saw entries being four times the number needed for the qualifier event which, as with last year, will take place at Land Rover Experience at Gaydon. Some 200 teams at Gaydon will be fighting for the 28-team places for the event itself. The event is a cleverly designed promotional campaign for both Continental customers and retail outlets.
FORMER ENGLAND rugby captain Lewis ‘mad dog’ Moody recently competed in the Yukon Arctic Ultra, claimed to be the toughest Ultra Marathon in the world. Moody was supported by Land Rover who provided a Freelander 2 to help with the training. Polar adventurer Alan Chambers MBE and Phil Wall, founder of HopeHIV, were also in the team, which raised money for the HopeHIV charity. The Marathon covered a 300+ mile trek across the Yukon in Canada, for eight days with temperatures dropping to minus 50degC, not so bad if they were doing it ‘in’ a Freelander, but Moody and his team had to pull their equipment and food on sledges. Unfortunately, Moody got frostbite in a little finger, and the rules of the competition meant he had to retire. All that macho stuff and let down by your little finger! Moody was gutted to have to retire, but has resolved to return next year. Mad dog, indeed.
For many, there’s only one real 4×4 and therefore only one vehicle that you should consider modifying. Even for those not complete devotees, the Land Rover has to be an ideal 4×4 to get the personal touch – as this Defender owner explains…
For some years the Polaris Ranger has been the side-by-side ATV to beat. For 2013, it’s got a new chassis and engine. Is it still the best ATV on the market? We froze to death in January to find out. Boy, it was great fun!
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