7 years & 7 days ago - I challenged the world!!!

[Mad Manny]

On 1 February 2014; 7 years & 7 days ago, this happened:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KI4BprI4mzw

[Mad Manny]

This is the back story:

Lead Up:

On the 4x4 Community Forum, I read yet another chirp from a Jeeper about how the Wrangler is the only serious 4x4.
I finally had enough & said "Like for like, a Fortuner will go anywhere a Wrangler can go".

Well, this cause an outrage, especially when I refused to retract my statement.

Some Jeepers even left the 4x4 Community Forum in disgust.

Now, most guys who make bold statements, are just winging it & back down when challenged. But I didn't.

So as the outrage, ranting, leaving & general shock & horror continued unabated, I decided to put my money where my mouth is.

I set up an event at Hennops Pride (who were the most unhelpful, ungrateful venue hosts ever).

I got DVR (Dirk Van Reenen) to lead the Jeep team & gave him Mark Van Der Merwe *(who now lives in Singapore) & Rudolph78 (who I still see occasionally)
I led the Fortuner team & recruited Uys of Stofpad4x4 & Cobus of Amada Suspensions.

The problem was - two of the Jeeps were SWB & the total lift on the 3 Jeeps was 140mm more than the total lift on the 3 Fortuners.
But you just can't find Wranglers with so little lift - if you do, they can't go Off Road.

But despite the unfair advantages, I decided to proceed.

The guys (especially the Jeep guys) were taken aback when they sawI was prepared to put my money were my mouth was.
Everyone thought I'd back out.

So, On 1 February 2014, we held the event...

[Mad Manny]

The Event:

I had arranged for the Commercial guys to display their wares.
I arranged for Hogs Head to come sell Burgers.
I had set everything up - it was an enormous amount of work.

I asked Sakkie to act as 'Control' - he and 'Granny' (a KB280DT Isuzu Frontier with SFA Conversion & a 100mm lift would lead the way on each obstacle.

Over 194 people paid to enter. It had a carnival atmosphere.

We did the obstacles, Sakkie doing them first, then a Fortuner, then a Jeep, followed by a Fortuner & so on.
Obstacle 1 Down - all did it.
Obstacle 2 Up - all did it.

We then went to the 3rd obstacle.
Sakkie did it in Granny.
No Fortuner managed.
The LWB Rubi couldn't do it.
Mark's SWB Wrangler couldn't do it.
Finally, with much drama, DVR managed it in his SWB TJ with great lift & big tyres - but no Diff Locks.

So, technically DVR won, but I had proved my point "Like for like, a Fortuner can go anywhere a Wrangler can go".

[Ricof4e]

I remember the challenge, and the build-up to it.

Fearless did better than expected.

[Mike Nel]

https://youtu.be/S-rsyLOBhe8

ASPW says the Rubicon is the best 4x4 off the showroom floor.

[HenriSteyn]

I recall that video from the thread on the 4X$ CF.

I learned then not to mess with a guy named Mad Manny.

But now I am all grown up!

Well done then 7 plus 7 Manny!

[Mad Manny]

If you guys ask nicely I'll tell the Gobabis story!

[HenriSteyn]

please please please please please please asseblief

[grips]

When Manny first said a stock Tuna could go where a stock Wrangler goes I did not believe him. After many trips where Tunas and Wranglers were involved I am a firm believer. Wranglers are nice but they need serious mods.
Things become even more interesting if you throw a FJ in there.

[Shane]

If you guys ask nicely I'll tell the Gobabis story!

So will this story ever be told?
It's been nearly two months.

[Mad Manny]

Shane, no one has asked...

[KurtG]

Shane, no one has asked...

Read post #8

[Shane]

What Kurt said!

[Chris Stoffel]

I sometimes wonder if packing rocks is the manly thing to do. Should one not take the obstacle as is?

[LesseW]

I sometimes wonder if packing rocks is the manly thing to do. Should one not take the obstacle as is?

Stoffel, vertel bietjie op die draad vir ons weer die Mortier storie wat agter op jou Tata was?