Venezuelan Island rigs

[Brody]

As usual, there was a rather diverse collection of rigs on both the islands and Venezuela. I took a bunch of shots as some are just interesting, many are just beat to death, and many more can't be had in the US. I though that it was cool that there were and almost equal number of Jeeps and Toyotas on the islands, but that the Jeeps were showing the most signs of wear. Some of the older Jeeps had frames so rusted through that you could see through them!

As we got farther off the beaten path and into the jungle, all we saw were Toyotas, some held together with spit and bailing wire, but still chugging along.

Another thing that I didn't take any pictures of were the profusion of early 70's big block American rigs on the islands and on Venezuela proper. These all look like they came out of Mad Max, with huge tires, bad engines and major road damage. It turns out that there are so many because they are so easy to fix and keep running...and there is a very big business in the importing or used 70's parts of all kinds.

One of the things we found out about Venezuela was that you 'buy' a driver's license and buy a car. There are no tests. There are no driving classes or schools. There isn't any insurance. There are very few lawyers. There are no rules. Almost all of the cars look like they have been used in road rallies for years and the main tool used to keep them running is a BFH.

[Brody]

Rigs x2

[Brody]

Rigs x3. I tried to get a little something for everyone, but there seem to be more Yotas that other models...The solid black FJC was very sweet looking, as was the big Dodge.

Oh yeah...gas only cost $0.50 a gallon there, too. Not a big deal to us, but if you were a typical Venezuelan making an average of $2k US a year, still a bite.

It was also a place where we were warned that it isn't somewhere you simply rent a car and drive around. There are only so many spots that are considered 'tourist friendly' and, since there are no real road rules, it was probably a good thing we didn't..

[Brody]

More rigs x4

[Brody]

Wowie Zowie...6,007 posts...wooyah

Here are the last. I'll try to get the videos posted in the next couple of weeks.

[Funrover]

Looks like some great... and some not so great rigs!

[WINKY]

i need to move to venezuela. diesel is prolly real cheap! and id have fun with no rules on the road. just got to armor up a bit lol NICE PICS PETE!

[Brody]

I only saw two Rovers, neither of which I was in a position to get a picture of. They looked very well worn to say the least, but seemed to be doing better than some of the others as far as dealing with the salt rust. Both of them had the old military style tires on, too.

[ShutUpHippie]

It's awesome going new places and checking out what they drive and what they're into! Sweet pics Pete.

[Mporter]

Pete why did you tease me with those pics of HJ75's? Ugh......if only

[RidgeRunner]

I was in Maracay, Ven. a couple years ago and saw a nice XJ on long arms and 35s. I liked it so much that It's one of the rigs I tried to build mine like.

The Mad Max comparison is just about right, lol. There are alot of beat up, accessory'd out rigs down there. Honduras is very similar.

[JeffX]

WTF? No Nissan Patrol?

Nice rigs! :)

[Rob]

And no FJCs?

I like the way you started with a 40, though. :thunb:

So I had to go to cruiserheads.com. It's amusing to read some of the posts after you hit the Google "translate" button. Here's an example:

Regards to all, ls xq write this I am very new in the rustic and q then there are people here know much, I have a male 2008 and after a tough muddy has a strange sound when I accelerate, usually when I'm moving more or less, bone does not feel at first. I say q is of the transmission but I really do not know anything about that and not a mechanic I q I cheated, and the end is silly because they are women and the danger is greater. What do you recommend? or q q can be created?

I wonder what our posts would look like translated into Spanish. I can only guess how amusing that would be.

[Chris]

You need to go to the magazine to have more readable translations:

Guarico state for second consecutive year, was the location to complete a championship full of surprises, this being the last chance of equipment, getting on the podium as winners of a valid.

Maybe Google isn't the tool for this....

[Rob]

You need to go to the magazine to have more readable translations:

Guarico state for second consecutive year, was the location to complete a championship full of surprises, this being the last chance of equipment, getting on the podium as winners of a valid.

Maybe Google isn't the tool for this....

Who wants more readable translations? I want to be amused! Where else can you read the sentence the end is silly because they are women and the danger is greater."? :lol:

[JeffX]

And no FJCs? ....

I don't think they sell those in VE.

They do sell Patrols, though.

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/ll76/mitchelkippen/patrol.jpg

[Chris]

A quick search result


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyS5MaPJ6JQ

[Rob]

A quick search result

YouTube- FJ Cruiser Madness Venezuela (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyS5MaPJ6JQ)

Man, you could see that FJ starting to rust during the video. :lol:

[JeffX]

A quick search result



I've seen that. It looks like Americans trying to ruin an FJ. Am I misinformed in thinking they don't sell the FJ cruiser in VE?

.

.

[Chris]

Looks like you're right: http://www.toyota.com.ve/

[Pathrat]

cool pictures Brody, and I think I will just keep my FJC on the rocks.

[JeffX]

Looks like you're right: http://www.toyota.com.ve/

I'll take your word for it. I can't read it!

I still want to see a patrol, the only SFA Nissan sold in North America.....

[Mporter]

A quick search result

YouTube- FJ Cruiser Madness Venezuela (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyS5MaPJ6JQ)

Is it just me or is anyone else wanting those people to hit a sandbar and bog their engine?

[4Runninfun]

Very cool pics pete! lots of rigs i wish we could get here in the US.

[porkchop]

nice pics pete, lol could you imagine what all the dumb drivers here would do with no rules at all:eek:

[Brody]

Am I misinformed in thinking they don't sell the FJ cruiser in VE? .

I don't know if they do or don't. We did see quite a few FJCs there, though. The reason I shot the solid black one was that (it looks cool...) I don't think you can get the solid black-hood, top, body-package in the US.

lol could you imagine what all the dumb drivers here would do with no rules at all:eek:

Riding with the Venezualan drivers was quite a trip...A lot of the secondary roads are only about 1 1/2 lanes wide and have people parking on them. There were a lot of close calls, but the drivers didn't think anything of it. Interesting to say the least...

[JeffX]

I don't know if they do or don't. We did see quite a few FJCs there, though.....

My experience in foreign countries is that drivers don't give a sh1t. I still wish you woulda posted a patrol!....


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_ogvbAhUZs

[Brody]

Yeah, me too. I did see a couple, but, like the Rovers, they passed us when we were on the road and going the opposite direction. There was also a very set up Jeep that was ahead of us for a bit and we never caught up to it.

With the exception of the one Yota on the road, every picture I was able to take was of parked rigs and we were a bit limited as to where we could travel.

[Chris]

My experience in foreign countries is that drivers don't give a sh1t. I still wish you woulda posted a patrol!....

YouTube- Nissan Patrol hill climb (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_ogvbAhUZs)

I love that video!

[Mporter]

i have seen that video too many times, and it never gets old