Thoughts on an old banger for SHTF?

[whenfires]

I feel a Top Gear "SHTF car face-off" coming. Rugged Disco vs nimble Panda vs reliable Volvo all facing a zombie apocalypse test track

[preparedsurrey]

I which case can I have an RB44 or an old Bedford RL 4x4 as long as they aren't fast Zombies....just push your way through obstructions.

[shocker]

Have you ever worked on RLs ? Or any Bedford lorries for that matter ? Its a job for a contorsionist dwarf...I am neither of these, not that being one is a bad thing...you could make good money working on Bedfords for a start

[Yorkshire Andy]

I feel a Top Gear "SHTF car face-off" coming. Rugged Disco vs nimble Panda vs reliable Volvo all facing a zombie apocalypse test track

exhibit a

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qglqhHmbM6g

[gamekeeper752]

I which case can I have an RB44 or an old Bedford RL 4x4 as long as they aren't fast Zombies....just push your way through obstructions.

Ended up using the TM's they were fast, got fined enough by the German Police and could carry a good load as well, but how about a 432 or FV variant good for 60mph plus but always felt it was gonna tip.

[shocker]

Again, Bedford non-tilting cab, bugger to work on. Plus the TL/TM had non grease-able linkages all over - a royal b@stard for maintenance. Plus theres only three places that stock the parts, Marshalls Cambridge, the MOD and a bloke who proffed all he could when they went out of business.

Now your RB44 built on the Dodge/Renault 50 series, that was a good truck. Had a few in the fleet in the past, they put up with me so I can put up with them.

[gamekeeper752]

Now your RB44 built on the Dodge/Renault 50 series, that was a good truck. Had a few in the fleet in the past, they put up with me so I can put up with them.

spoke to a old buddy of mine this evening bought up this vehicle as I never drove one but to me they do look like a slightly large ford transit anyway this was his thought on the matter

The ****** that decided that the army should buy RB44 should have been taken out and shot.
Vehicle is totally Shiite, it is a bitch to work on (we used to play rock, paper, scissors to see who had the joy of working on them) and feels like you are driving a shopping trolley with a slight margin of control when going cross country.
That's just my opinion though, but I would be surprised if there was anyone that had a good word to say about it.

I did say I was aware of one such person LOL

each to their own I suppose

no offence meant to anybody anywhere alive or dead

[shocker]

There where 2 versions of the RB44 - one was a Dodge 50 series- good vehicle, the other was a Renault Master - bloody awful transit van type thing

The Dodge may be like a boxy old laundry van but they are Perkins engined and bloody strong, reliable too. Given, they are not exciting, but they are tough

[gamekeeper752]

so how much would one cost then all the ones I've looked at today are the Renault type

[shocker]

Couldnt say mate, sorry, I have been out of that game for a few years now. I will try and find out when I speak to a bloke at the shooting club next time. He has also had a stroke and retired from Landys, like 8/10 people I know from that world...just see what British Leyland can do to a man Landy people generally have a nose for anything 4x4.

It is a bit of a minefield (what a surprise) as Reynolds Boughton used the old Dodge 50 series which was rebadged as Renault then used the Renault Master instead.

You (or anyone not seriously twisted) want a 50 series, one of the later ones badged Renault and NOT a Master. The master has a lovely set up, no, I tell a lie. Its shite. The engine is under the cab and all the ancilleries like alternator, belts and so on are at the back of the block. Changing a fan belt is a two man, best part of a day job. Slight exaggeration ? Maybe, but not much.

The Master appears to be built out of some "metal" (and I use the term lightly) that resembles cream crackers in its structure. Personally I think the van was built just to sell to the UK market so the French could laugh at us trying to make it work. yes, its that bad. Why RB used it I cannot fathom as the selling point of the Master was its low to the ground, easy loading "capability".

So, the Dodge ones look like the old Commer walk through laundry vans. They were latterly built in Spain so a "friday afternoon model" is not uncommon. I worked on a Dodge 100 Commando 7.5 tonner for a while that had different braking systems either side. Hopefully RB will have picked up on that.

Anyway, imagine a laundry van on stilts and you get the picture. The truck itself, even though its in panel van config, it is a truck, was available with air over hydraulic brakes, trailer braking , PTOs and all sorts of loveliness that RB put to use at times.

I did say minefield, didnt I ? Still, good truck. Raced a couple of 50 series, non RB, trucks through central Bristol once or twice, before speed cameras.