May 28
Capt. Sam White reports on his '76 2CV Van trip to Afghanistan
by
Capt. Sam White, Fugro Explorer, Trinidad/Tobago
Attached is a photo of me in 76 taken in Afghanistan when I drove to Nepal in a 2cv van--similar to the one I am driving these days.
Intention was to drive to Australia--but it ended up too expensive to ship from Madras to Singapore to Freemantle.
Besides I was in a couple of minor accidents on route--a bit too much "tokin" listening to Jimi and the like, and decided to return to the UK sell the van and fly out to Aust.
22,000 klm in 6 months--not bad for 2 cylinders and 29 horses eh!
The return trip was the worst as it was in winter time and sub zero temps in places. Snowed in for a week over Xmas period in Kabul--snow chains necessary to get thru Iran and always a blanket over the front grill to stop freezing to death on the road!!. Only hope of starting the van in the morning was to park on a good slope--enough to bump it into life--the only way possible. Guy next to me was a Spaniard who I kept meeting up with on route--think he made it to India. (Captain your the man !)
I did a final service on the van in a New Delhi camp site--changing the oil and plugs etc
before heading back into Pakistan, up the Khyber pass into Afghanistan. As I mentioned earlier I was snowed in Kabul for a week over Xmas until the road was cleared (huddled over a log stove in lodging room teeth chattering--usually with a huge splif of best Nepalese "Gold Seal" for company!!
Long 12 hr drives across a lonely deserted wilderness to Iran, there more snow and chains thru to Turkey, up thru Bulgaria , Yugoslavia------until in the dead of night in northern Yugoslavia right near the border(s) of Austria--Italy----phut phut phut--the engine coughed and died on me? opening the bonnet I became aware that one of the plugs had blown completely out of the cylinder head--reason? I had inadvertently cross threaded it all those miles back in New Delhi!! Probably not here to tell the story if it had of happened in one of the numerous remoter spots me and the van had come thru!
However here I am still driving a 2cv van?? definitely eccentric as most of my colleagues seem to think (but they don't get it do they!) finally before your attention span fades--lucky old me to of done it back then! Shortly afterwards (1978) the Ayatollah closed the border to Iran and then the Russians invaded Afghanistan--now it's the Taliban and impossible to do that kind of thing anymore without losing your head trying.
Everything has become f! up. (Captain you were the dude then and still are now, i take my hat off to you. people say its 'its just a car', no its a lifestyle ! )
Capt. Sam White, Fugro Explorer, Trinidad/Tobago
Attached is a photo of me in 76 taken in Afghanistan when I drove to Nepal in a 2cv van--similar to the one I am driving these days.
Intention was to drive to Australia--but it ended up too expensive to ship from Madras to Singapore to Freemantle.
Besides I was in a couple of minor accidents on route--a bit too much "tokin" listening to Jimi and the like, and decided to return to the UK sell the van and fly out to Aust.
22,000 klm in 6 months--not bad for 2 cylinders and 29 horses eh!
The return trip was the worst as it was in winter time and sub zero temps in places. Snowed in for a week over Xmas period in Kabul--snow chains necessary to get thru Iran and always a blanket over the front grill to stop freezing to death on the road!!. Only hope of starting the van in the morning was to park on a good slope--enough to bump it into life--the only way possible. Guy next to me was a Spaniard who I kept meeting up with on route--think he made it to India. (Captain your the man !)
I did a final service on the van in a New Delhi camp site--changing the oil and plugs etc
before heading back into Pakistan, up the Khyber pass into Afghanistan. As I mentioned earlier I was snowed in Kabul for a week over Xmas until the road was cleared (huddled over a log stove in lodging room teeth chattering--usually with a huge splif of best Nepalese "Gold Seal" for company!!
Long 12 hr drives across a lonely deserted wilderness to Iran, there more snow and chains thru to Turkey, up thru Bulgaria , Yugoslavia------until in the dead of night in northern Yugoslavia right near the border(s) of Austria--Italy----phut phut phut--the engine coughed and died on me? opening the bonnet I became aware that one of the plugs had blown completely out of the cylinder head--reason? I had inadvertently cross threaded it all those miles back in New Delhi!! Probably not here to tell the story if it had of happened in one of the numerous remoter spots me and the van had come thru!
However here I am still driving a 2cv van?? definitely eccentric as most of my colleagues seem to think (but they don't get it do they!) finally before your attention span fades--lucky old me to of done it back then! Shortly afterwards (1978) the Ayatollah closed the border to Iran and then the Russians invaded Afghanistan--now it's the Taliban and impossible to do that kind of thing anymore without losing your head trying.
Everything has become f! up. (Captain you were the dude then and still are now, i take my hat off to you. people say its 'its just a car', no its a lifestyle ! )
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2CVTV is not responsible for the content of external internet sites, reports featured from third parties, and all advertising material displayed on the web site.
Do look at our specialists pages for buying and selling cars, vans, parts and accessories.
We reserve the right to remove any advertisements at any time for reasons that may remain undisclosed. The publishers of this website cannot be held responsible for any consequence arising from transactions based on material posted here.
