The Big Lap of Oz

[Deleted]

G'day everyone,

I was wondering whether anyone has attempted the big lap of Australia in their classic van. How did it go? What route did you take? What would you change if you had the chance? Any advice to offer anyone else thinking about it?

I'm hoping this is will be a good discussion. I've spoken to many people who claim that to do it well you need the latest and greatest 'off-road' van with an expensive 4x4 towing it. It just sounds like bollocks to me.

I ask because I'm up for long service leave in about a year or so and I'm thinking a good option would be to take my 12 foot Franklin Regent around Oz, towed by a fairly standard commuter car or wagon.

Look forward to hearing about your experiences.

[ForumMod]

G'day keiramoo,

I've spoken to many people who claim that to do it well you need the latest and greatest 'off-road' van with an expensive 4x4 towing it. It just sounds like bollocks to me.

I get the impression a number of caravanners these days think caravanning only started in Australia a few years ago. The thought of the possibility of their parents or grandparents exploring this great country in the 1950s, 60s, or 70s seems to be too far fetched. But we all know the reality is quite different, and in fact they used to run official annual caravan safaris to pit the various brands of vans against each other. For example, in 1972, Franklin won the Safari which was run over a 6,912 mile distance in 30 days over some of the roughest roads in Australia (that distance converts to about 11,000 kms).

So, I guess we should pity people who know no better than to think it can't be done in anything less than a tricked-up modern white box.

Our forum member kiwijim leads the number of journeys in different vans or vehicles. You can read his various trip reports here...

2008: The Thomson Travels the Country

2010: AROUND THE BLOCK

2012: Crusin in the Coaster

2013: Around the W.A. Block


On the Vintage caravans forum, there are three trip reports for vintage vans doing the big trip, or a significant part of the big trip...

2008: Lady Madonna's Travels

2009: THE KINGS TOUR

2014: The Long Way Home


There's very good reading in all those threads, to show how it can be done with old vans.

I reckon all you need is determination,
...and petrol

cheers,
Al.

[Deleted]

Petrol indeed. I have an old ZH Fairlane sitting in the shed that's been waiting for a restoration for a few years that I once thought I might use to tow the van around Oz. The only thing stopping me from starting (other than time and cash) is the fact it used to get about 20L/100km new! This is it below.

[ForumMod]

I tow my 17ft Windsor van with a 2004 Prado 4-litre auto. The best I've got is 16.9L/100kms. The worst is 23.5L/100kms. I average around 20L.

I just keep getting my wallet out when we travel around. I can't take any surplus money with me when I eventually go to the big caravan park in the sky, so I might as well enjoy myself while I'm here. The true cost of towing is the difference between travelling in just the Prado, or travelling with the Prado towing the van. That's about 5 litres/100kms, or $7.50

cheers,
Al.

[Deleted]

Crikey! Maybe it's not that bad after all.

I should have said thanks Al for the links to other people's big travels.

Anyone else wish to share their Big Lap stories?

[awbeattie381]

Dont have a story myself but have been keen to do it since I was a kid. More recently we have been doing the maths trying to work out how to fund a 6 month lap and whether that will be pre kids or within the first few years of their little lives (before school age). We will have no hesitations doing the lap in our old van and 1989 Pajero. I guess as long as you are always on top of car and van maintenance and drive to the conditions and have appropriate roadside assistance you will be fine.

Al those links look like good reads. Can't wait to get stuck into reading them!

Those old fairlanes have the most amazing low V8 burble. Love them!

[Deleted]

Yeah, I've been doing the maths, too. My quick guesstimate is around 40K for a 6 month lap. I do like the V8 burble which is why I got it in the first place. Pretty funny though - the 302 V8 has only 30 kilowatts more than my late model 2L turbo diesel Mondeo.

[awbeattie381]

Yep after 3 months of proper planning (back in 2012 when it was on the cards for this year - long story) we came up with a figure of around $40k too including contingencies.

Classic how much they can squeeze out of small 4 cylinder engines these days. The tolerances are right on the edge...

[ForumMod]

If you want some ballpark figures on the costs, kiwijim posted his expenditure after returning home from the "big lap" back in 2010, and he was on the road for 7 months. Bear in mind that's now 4 years ago, but it will give you something to think about. Click on this post for his costs, and then on this post for a cost/day figure.

cheers,
Al.

[doublechevron]

Aug 11, 2014 16:32:10 GMT 10 @keiramoo said:

Yeah, I've been doing the maths, too. My quick guesstimate is around 40K for a 6 month lap. I do like the V8 burble which is why I got it in the first place. Pretty funny though - the 302 V8 has only 30 kilowatts more than my late model 2L turbo diesel Mondeo.

I bet the old 302 has nowhere near the factory specs for power/torque (I reckon they pulled figures out of thin air back in the 70s). No doubt the little diesel will have way more pulling power than the 302, especially bolted to a modern gearbox.



seeya

Shane L.

[Deleted]

So I've done a quick 6 month itinerary for the 'big lap'. It looks like the big lap will end up a half lap. I think a full circumnavigation of Australia over 6 months is a bit unrealistic. Basic gist of it is from our place near Shepparton to Melbourne, across to Adelaide, up the guts via Flinders Ranges and the Oodnadatta (what do you think, would a classic van hack it?), up to Darwin, Kakadu, across to the west towards Broome, down the coast to Perth, down to Margaret River, then Albany, then up to Wave Rock and Kalgoorlie, back down to Esperance, across the Nullabor, across to Broken Hill, down to Menindee Lakes, Lake Mungo, follow down to Mildura and then back along the Murray until we get home. That's a 6 month adventure right there!