1974 FJ40 through the Sahara and sand dunes!

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Greek Cruiserhead said:
Nice encounter with the Cruisers of the Moroccan Military (the whole scenery reminds me Egypt and especially the Sinai peninsula...)!
Several years ago you could even encounter these so rare LHD/conduite à gauche HJ47 of the Armée Royale...
Safe travels mate!

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On the French forum there is a member that was able to find and buy one of those ex-Moroccan army HJ47! Last news I think he was getting it restored in Morocco.

I think nowadays they destroy their Cruisers when they finished their service life...
 
flx said:
On the French forum there is a member that was able to find and buy one of those ex-Moroccan army HJ47! Last news I think he was getting it restored in Morocco.

I think nowadays they destroy their Cruisers when they finished their service life...
Click to expand...
Sure, there is a fascinating reading at série4.fr! The splendid HJ47 he saved should have completed her restoration in Morocco, did not appear in France though.
It is sad to hear that many of these beauties don't have a chance to enjoy a second life in the civvy street...

PS. Attached a pic of the ex-Armée Royale HJ47, saved by our above mentioned French brother...

4. Une fois débarrassé de ses grilles.jpg
 
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Before to explain what was the original plan for today and how it changed I'll start with those vehicles I saw the previous evening, that were driving around in column and looked like they had armed people in the back...

I tracked their campement and you would have guess it, it is a film set.
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Logo painted ont he vehicles is FFL (Free French Forces from WWII).
Someone pointed to me that there is a Netflix series on the SAS and where it is currently stopped they were about to meet the FFL in North Africa... so would make sense that it is the following of this serie.
FFL never had those kind of MadMax variety of vehicles AFAIK though... They had regular French and American military equipment.
 
flx said:
Before to explain what was the original plan for today and how it changed I'll start with those vehicles I saw the previous evening, that were driving around in column and looked like they had armed people in the back...

I tracked their campement and you would have guess it, it is a film set.
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Logo painted ont he vehicles is FFL (Free French Forces from WWII).
Someone pointed to me that there is a Netflix series on the SAS and where it is currently stopped they were about to meet the FFL in North Africa... so would make sense that it is the following of this serie.
FFL never had those kind of MadMax variety of vehicles AFAIK though... They had regular French and American military equipment.
Click to expand...
Incredible pics of awesome vehicles (with the green FJ40 the most awesome ;))!

Sure, WWII Free French vehicles in North Africa did not have this Mad Max look!

PS. Found a video with some of their vehicles. Rare 1943 footage of an élite Greek unit (the "Sacred Squadron") attached to the Free French Forces of General Leclerc (source: the British Imperial War Museum, sorry, no sound):
at 4:20 the Greek commander (Colonel Tsigantes, the bearded officer with the monocle) exchanging badges with the legendary General Philippe Leclerc (never without his walking stick). Tsigantes was a graduate of the superior French Military College (Ecole de Guerre, Paris)
at 4:58 a knocked out German armored vehicle (SdKfz 222 Panzerspächwagen)...

 
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I was wondering if they were filming PBS’s World on Fire season 3 😂.
 
One can never bring too much coffee... :)

FWIW, the 'Rogue Heroes' series is not on Netflix (in USA anyways). It's on MGM+/Starz if anyone wants to watch.

Great thread! Really enjoying this travelogue.
 
The original plan for today, referring to my pre-trip map was to start from Merzouga a long trail (yellow on map) as far south as possible of the desert part of Morocco. This is 300km desert driving up to the little town of Tagounite where there should be a fuel station and then start the next trail (purple) still in the desert up to Foum Zguid.
Lot of people come with their 4wf in the desert part of Morocco but those itineraries are as remote as it is possible in Morocco and a lot further south than were the organized tours are.

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Now I always knew I will have to adapt this plan because I also planned to participate to an event this evening (and why I was trying to keep a progression pace in the previous days).
One of the admin of the West Africa section of the Overlanding Association (and also an organizer of 4wd tours in Morocco) is organizing once a year a pizza party in the middle of the desert where the exact location is provided only 24h before.

I guess you understood where it was on the map, I thought about my options and one of them was to start in Merzouga, and leverage the detour I had already planned to visit the Lost City (and avoid a bad Wadi crossing) to push North to the event location.
Now, I took a long time wandering in Gara Medouar this morning and made a stop in Rissani to visit the souk and a break in a coffee shop. Also the previous days were very loaded, I want a light day, and I want to arrive on site early to enjoy the event.
So my plan is to go in Merzouga to visit the 4x4 Museum (mini version of the UAE's one) and have a good lunch, then to access the event place by the North which should be the fastest.
Then tomorrow I'll see how/when I get back on my plan.
 
At the road intersection to start the trail I met 2 other vehicles also going to the event, a 120 Prado (African spec with I think the NA diesel 5L) and a Ford Ranger.

Opportunity to get some pictures driving xD
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Event is in the middle of the dunes so for the first time I really have to tackle it but not being alone gives a lot of confidence to juste give it a go.

Had to shift down 3->2 but did not got stuck even without momentum =D
Stopped to wait for the Ranger that wasn't succeeding to pass the dune and had to try many times and takes a lot of momentum...


Then this time it's the Prado in front of me that got stuck and so I decided to go on the side to not stop uphill on soft sand.

The Prado really had a hard time to pass here, took it a very long time. He did not had enough power to pass without momentum (and maybe not deflated enough).

The action shot!
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I might have missed it.. @flx how old are you? Such a cool trip. I and I’m sure many others dream of trips like this.

Baja in a 40 story and this one are right up there. Along with the one where the guy delivered the 40 to Hawaii. I love the trip. I’m enjoying your minimalist approach. And coffee, that’s important.
 
clrussell said:
I might have missed it.. @flx how old are you? Such a cool trip. I and I’m sure many others dream of trips like this.

Baja in a 40 story and this one are right up there. Along with the one where the guy delivered the 40 to Hawaii. I love the trip. I’m enjoying your minimalist approach. And coffee, that’s important.
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34 !
 
Journey of a lifetime!
 
One of my option was to drive south and get back on my original trace but I took the opportunity to follow the group leaded by the organizer in a path through the desert a lot more direct toward Zagora.

Not having to manage the navigation and not being stressed about getting lost or stuck alone is a very relaxing change of pace.
Obviously it's less practical to take pictures whenever you want and you're good for eating a lot of dust.

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