I thought these days they just had to make sure the batteries in their GPS are fully charged

_________________
David L


My greatest fear in life is that when I die my wife will sell my Mini and tools for the price I told her I paid for them!

Batteries go flat in the field - particularly on a two or three week patrol. Good to have old skills and a back up map. The luey can have the toy. Make sure the sargent has the map and the compass.



Mike

There will less free weekends than you think - its intensive and time off will end up being spent with your "mates" as Bloke says. Its a psychology designed to force team work and structure.

There will be times when you wont get near the car for three or four weeks at a time and when you do, the battery will be flat and the tyres flat. Last thing you need or want to worry about.
I still say - put the mini in storage for the duration and get a cheap jap car.

Mike

When you get the DRN access - the motor forums on the DRN are great for cheap stuff(especially for those who are posted OS)

Mike - I sense you have some service in your veins. I was ARES before I joined the Navy. I learnt to not trust platoon commanders with:

a - map and compass
b - live ammo
c - responsibility for doing more than one thing at once.

Hence why the Sergeant did all the navigating...

Magical Mystery Tour comes to mind when I think back to my ARES days(SFMG Platoon and infantry platoon with 25 RQR)

Hooroo

_________________
Rob Forsyth
Miniot!!

Rob



I got called up for nasho's in 1968, did twelve months in SVN 69-70 as a medic. Was never keen on ward work so did a bit of outside stuff.

Walked away after the two years and I am now a TPI directly related to the experience.

Mike

Jesus mate you look tiny against the fella holding you....

Great pic Mike - my relos were over in the lovely little country called Vietnam. Alan my uncle tried to bring a snake back with him...bloody idiot.
So you were a scab lifter...heaven help us all!!!

Jokes aside mate - proud to serve and respect to those who went before us...good job mate...was the monkey the mascot??

Hooroo

_________________
Rob Forsyth
Miniot!!

The monkey - no not really a mascot although it got friendlier. One of our unit was a qualified vet (he ran the Path lab at one stage) and the monkey was run over by a land rover and its leg was broken. The vet (Ian Hobson - now in a successful practice in Southport) set the leg.

Shortly after that there was a rabies scare and the powers decreed that no pets or mascots could be kept in Nui Dat, so the only animals on base then were the tracker dogs.

I did like monkey though - got used to him pissing all other my shoulder

I have had a bit to do with the ADF over the years - when I got into IT I was supporting the optical mark reader scanners that read the multiple choice type answer papers for exams and recruitment purposes. Was often in the Russell and other offices.

Same people as in my time only a lot younger. We didn't have women side by side though and I havn't quite come to grips with that. How would you share an APC with a female CC.
Mike

Getting back to the commuting thing.

I drive my 1100 Mini van EVERYWHERE.

Yes, the constant noise can be a bit mind-numbing at times, but that is cured by a good sound system.

1100 with extractors and single 1.5" SU and it eats the hills - even does OK with trailer (except for the likes of Victoria Pass in the Blue Mountains.

Taller diff will drop the revs on the freeway a bit, but if you already struggle on hills, then that will only make it worse.

If you are struggling on the hills, maybe the car needs a bit of a look see. What carb do have? 1.5" SU with extrtactors is good on 998. Weber even better, but a lot noisier.

My Mini has no probs doing 110kmh on the Hume - will do it all day if need be, but it is far more comfortable (for me and the car) at around 90kmh. So, it takes me an hour or so longer to get from Melbourne to Sydney. I'm not fussed.

Even better, unless you are in a hurry, is to take the back roads where possible. Some great runs from Canberra to Sydney without too much freeway.

Cheers,
Watto.

So what sort of diff does a 998 have? A 3.76 will get you 63 odd mph at 4500 rpm, a 3.44 knocks about 500 revs of that. 63 mph (slightly over 100 kays) is pretty much the usual cruising speed for most cars between Canberra and Sydney according to my satnav. Your average mini with no real problems will do this for years.

If you want a bit more ooomph you should be able to get a 3 branch exhaust manifold, a standard UK alloy inlet manifold and a 1.5 carb without too much hip nerve pain. And spend some money on a good tune up. You won't go any faster but will get up the hills a bit quicker.

Back when I was in your position I had an 850 which commuted regularly between the south Coast and Canberra..... and about 4 trips to Townsville. It travelled quite comfortably at around 65 mph (pretty much flat out). Ear plugs make things much more comfortable I used to envy my mates who had the luxury of 998s.

Cheers, Ian

Its actually not about just the capabilities of the mini. I know what everyone says and I do agree.

Its more about that Duntroon takes over someones life for weeks at a time and that the car will just sit in some deserted car park.

Then a weary cadet will jump into the car and expect it to perform as though its one of the lovingly cared for minis that most of us enjoy.

My bet is that Mittagong is where the tow truck gets called, provided it starts in first place.

It will detoriate in the sun and exposure - stick it in a storage shed and get a throw away jap car.

Mike

Well I am sure I could find room in my garage for an orphaned mini for a few weeks at a time if there is storage needed. The Soob and the patrol stay outside and my bitzer is in one side of the garage. However I would tend to agree with Mike and find a good cheap jap box for your commute(but I would still drive the mini!!!)

Hooroo

_________________
Rob Forsyth
Miniot!!