dirty work
JOHN ROOTHDEADLINES CONTINUE TO HAUNT ROOTHY AS HE SCREWS TOGETHER MILO2.
S
O LAST month I diddled around
fitting the clutch and getting the
gearbox built, and this month
we’re talking about Milo2’s maiden
run – that’d be a worry if it wasn’t
pretty much how it unrolled in real time.
Why? I’m the sort of bloke whose life
has been dictated by deadlines. I got
through college – it was free in the 1970s
and they’d take anybody – by waking up
a day or two before the exams. Then life
was ruled by the seasons during my bush
days, where we had to get machinery
ready for the summer’s gold prospecting
and then change everything for winter’sopal hunt. Then there were the 30 years
or so making a living out of magazines,
where to miss a deadline just wasn’t on.
I can hear Editor Matt chuckling about
now, seeing as he still hits me with a stick
to get his words most months.
Milo2 got to a critical stage. I had
most of the bits back home, the chassis
rolling thanks to the two Nicks up at OL
Sunshine Coast, and Terrain Tamer had
rebuilt the engine, gearbox and transfer.
Building a 40 Series is hard in one
sense because they’ve all been flogged
mercilessly, but it’s also easy because
you can get most parts brand new – andimproved, thanks to Alan Gray and
Terrain Tamer. After 50 years in the parts
business, they know what breaks.
Getting everything together wouldn’t
have been possible without Mr Land
Cruiser Paul Reid, either, because a
project like this needs a mate with a
heap of wrecks. Paul and I are also both
members of the Classic Land Cruiser
Club of Queensland.
It doesn’t matter what you’re trying
to do, someone’s usually done it before.
Like fitting that 12HT, which was made
a whole lot easier thanks to constant
messaging with fellow CLC member188 http://www.4X4australia.com.auBY BREAKFAST MILO2 WAS REGISTERED
AND I WAS ON THE ROAD TO VICTORIA
Milo2 on her maiden run
at Terrain Tamer’s HQ in
Melbourne. Just like driving
a new 45 – only better.
PHOTOS: ROD PILBEAM