Last, but by no means least, Car number 18 – Hector

 

Car 18 is Hector, a 1997 Toyota Land Cruiser and the property of Neil Mitchenall. Up to this point he has been nameless and as Neil’s own suggestion of “Cruiser the Bruiser” seemed rather disrespectful of Hector’s good looks, Neil spent some time considering the right name for this Rally.

Neil explains:-

“I decided upon the cracking name of Hector because I think Hector gives the right impression that my impressive motor will be good at chivvying others along….with slightly less menace than would have been the case with “Cruiser the bruiser”!

Hector has become a faithful friend since Paul Marsh found him, some 5/6 years ago after a 6 month exhaustive search for just the right one. P65PLW had recently arrived from Dubai with only 25000 km on the clock & was quickly made into the even more robust rally vehicle it is today by Paul & the team he then had in Peterborough.

Since then it has been faultless through both of the 10,000 mile travelling dinner party jaunts through the 2 America’s with the lovely group we are all about to rejoin, collecting  and assisting quite a few on the way.

Our 2 favourite (!) experiences have been towing Jasper through the muddiest town centre in Ecuador & memorably driving through Death Valley twice in one day …the “return“ trip to provide Paul & Terrence with a couple of batteries… a mere 777 KMS travelled that day)

We have seen this tree before, but perhaps not quite so intruded upon!

 

 

 

And finally, Neil’s navigator on the second half of the trip, Charles Patchett, a stalwart of all Global Rallies to date.

 

 

 

When Charles was asked if he would like to travel with Mitchenall on this Rally, he thought he would ride with Sarah. Unfortunately, for him, he gets Neil………….

Now now Charles, put her down……..