Two co-Autopista.es, Carlos Díaz and David Jiménez, participated with 4 cans in the Classic Rally 1983 Atlas. Do not miss the first-person testimony which has been the adventure of their lives.

The adventure of being 8 days in Morocco We did not begin the day we hopped on the ferry in Tarifa. Following the decision to point us to the “Atlas Rally Classics”, the adventure began with minimal preparation must be done before successfully addressing desert adventure a Renault 4 and with 33 years with the backs.

After talking to friends of friends, and a lot of research online, we decided to take the car to Rodriauto Navalcarnero, to make a tuning the vehicle and modify the electrical system. We had to put long range lights, 12V connectors for charging mobile, tablets and, most importantly, the fridge. For the battery would support the new requirements, we also had to adapt a 55 amp alternator who rode the Renault 5 1985, which we bought at a scrap yard. They recommended put a second electro, with positive direct, to avoid high temperatures and could find one in one thousand times we went touring the scrapyards. It intuits that the budget was tight …

Mechanics our Renault 4, or 4 cans popularly known as, He was able to make the adventure (a propellant 1.1 liter just under 40 CV), So only we perform a review and change one of the transmissions. In the regulation Atlas Rally Classics requiring us also covers housing, and had to “settle” one of a Renault Kangoo 4×4 (Blessed crankcase cover when you’re constantly bounds near many stones).

After collecting our R4 in Rodriauto, we decided to bring it to the Technical Center facilities Autopista.es. ahead still we had many improvements to make and, as always, shortly. Evenings are Iberian in Motorpress long.

Again, another visit scrapping to get a little more comfortable seating and insurance, as ours did not have headrests and were so given himself after 30 years, they had a table at the docks so they do not sink. So we set up a Renault Clio seats after 2000… and they were inclined out: because we had to go back to unmount and make some plates to level them. In addition, for trying to keep the car itself supports the regulation remained far ahead, so we remove the rear bumpers of the guides.

This is where Javi Nuñez enters the scene, a friend who decides to invest your evenings in our madness, seeing that time were arriving very fair. Time to put the rear fenders, a plate fixing to give more rigidity to the alternator as swayed too (this in the Morocco is one of our worst nightmares, the sound of the belt notes kilometers before entering villages). We change again because we did not cover housing site where the case may be dragged, so we had to remove the bumpers back and modify them. We bought a “Tow strap sparco” and put them (they lasted us two tugs, literally: money thrown away).

Output in the stretch, and take a two-day adventure is to make matters worse we broke the clausor: The key would not turn and after 2 liters of loosening all, nothing to do. Things of age. We thought and therefore in go to the bridge made to Morocco, but again Javi was able to pull out of the hat starter competition. Once we put it, and one day, we left over a cable, which was good for nothing, until you go out for the final lap of recognition, we saw that the car is warm and the thermostat did not work. In 10 minutes we fix: it turns out the cable left over.

Complications did not end there: We also saw that the car leaked water, but we did not know where, as it was normal water and could not find the leak. The problem was that he had broken the wiper motor and went out there. Eventually we had decided to leave as well and pull arm through the window with a water bottle: Fixed … so we did a hundred times. Buff. A finalized and details such as vinyl, radio, ground anchors for boxes, metal mats … Go for it! Farewell with co-writing and feeling that we would never return: little faith believe in the car.

First compulsory stop at Rodriauto Navalcarnero wheels taco we had not tested by time, begin to rub on the wings. OMG how we started the journey. Then a flood for 430 kilometers to Calzadilla de los Barros (stop sleeping) … and suddenly water begins to enter heating: Photos and laughter inside the car.

We arrived finally Tarifa and make us into the past to ferry: as we thought we were hanging out on top. Tangier really begins and adventure with a link section 280 km in 4 hours, works by national roads, does not go. Toca pass the checks smoothly and attend the first briefing: the brand rutómetro us that the stage is difficulty “easy”. Now, here adventure really begins

1st stage: the beginning

Following the link section, “we” chrono off, and I say we because we were 2,200 meters high, at means Atlas and on a track with a loose stone and ruts that touched us the car. All 4×2 got towed and when we got out, we were told that the stage had been neutralized by a snow slope or a Jeep Grand Cherokee had been able to pass: they had to rescue him. We are wondering: “If this was easy … what awaits us”.

2nd stage: and “plates and slings”

Yes, we expect the worst. We arrive at first dune and we were stuck a few metersThanks to the plates and into the arms of our fellow Iñigo and Itziar we get the car. Time to rethink things and find an alternative path, around a little dune. Carlos Díaz at the wheel “in depth” (word and accompany us throughout the adventure) and David Jiménez in front of the car looking hard surfaces where happen. So we enter the first CHPO (Check Point) in the 32nd of 67 (Quite an achievement for our WR4L).

In the second lap, one great dune crossed the path of all 4×2. Then we get the news that a GR is half overturned on the dune and 7 4x4s stuck: so a score of 4×2 cars we turned around trying to find a way out of this hell. Start to granizar up in the desert, trapped cars and pushing codrivers under the hail … and constant rain. Thanks to the collaboration of a partner with a Jeep Cherokee V8 that accompanied us for not leaving us alone could leave all jams. Night came and the rain did not stop, so we decided to call the organization that came to fetch them all. About 11 pm and the rain stopped and hunger began to appear: ham, cheese, food of all Spanish regions, wine, beer and some liquor another to try to get warm. Finally we arrived at the hotel around 1 am, Following another R4 towed would not start. Almost nothing for the second day.

3rd stage: we begin with navigation and compass

The stage is affordable for our R4, but our the compass skills leave much to be desired. We were nearing the end of the stage by one of the thousands completely flat expanses of the desert, when we realized that the reference antennas not watched from the front, but about 2 km to the left … and the trail of the other cars he looked into the distance.

On our route just we are going us and a Mitsubishi Montero V6, so we got to try to cross towards the antennas: the steady changes and begins to have soft sand, so we have to abort in the middle of the racing line and go one comfortable track. This fortuitous change of course made us avoid dune lake where many cars stuck then we saw. When we faced and control, we realized we had targeted the wrong time of entry and began to panic inside the car. The result? We entered three minutes late when we reached more than 7 hours ahead…

4th stage: long stage with navigation and some sand.

Just outside the leg started to see sand lagoons, that we can go dodging slowly until we get in and we were. After removing plates and push a Jeep Wrangler appears eager to crawl a few meters. We hitched the sling and when we go to the car begins to accelerate and we start the shooter. We have to shift to Plan C: Sling directly to a frame crossmember.

5th Stage: with night stage!

5th etapase consisted of three sections, one night which started at 4 am and restuarnt day, and one for after eating. After the briefing we made the decision several cars 4×2 not go out in the night as it began with sand and at this early stage no assistance car, so we could be on a dune until 4 hours waiting to pass someone. Out in the second and looked as though there was sand, you could always go through the edges or off the track: we were stuck twice and we go on our own. The escape was beginning to sound more account until the car begins to set free escape, so we decided to pull ahead because we were 3 km to the CHPO. But the car began to fail, exhaust fumes entering directly to the intake and lack of oxygen choking the engine. We tried to put without wasting much time to enter time. Once we got to CHPO we had to pull our great ally, the wire, and fix everything so that it will not release more. Other participants also began to have problems with gasoline, because the only gas station we had not had near Lead.

coming the third lap by a beautiful track in the mountains, many stones and slopes. Reaching a complicated area we find a brother (another 4 cans) that needed our help, so we lost momentum and time. We also realized that the trunk was open a bit and we were missing tools and anything else. Arriving at great cost, the car did not want to go up, he drowned in the middle of the slope (2,000 meters high). We then reaches another R4 that shows his invention, an electric auxiliary pump gasoline active from within. Us forward and two corners later we find him emptying the extinguisher: after the “exhibition”, the engine began to burn. Time to wait for rescue cars come because the road was blocked: the situation penalizes us a long time.

6th stage: backtracking

In the briefing we say that we have to cross a large river, dragged and reverse in the best, because with the recent heavy rains and the river has been growing since the awards weeks ago and have to turn around. In fact, Moroccan police recommended the cancellation of step. Since yesterday we are in the Atlas Mountains. The most intrepid and “competitive” decide to go to the river evening before and say the water is waist by car, covering our wheel: it makes us think of all our material and the hard time we could spend.

Finally, stage canceled for cars 4×2: we go by road map. We arrived at a village where delivery of the solidarity box is a school. Right there starts the second lap. For this we ask boards to pass ditches. Well out of time and spent the first. In the latter we find an Italian rider on the ground and our friends “2-Soon of Granada” auxiliándole unemployed. Seeing that the motorist had lost a while knowledge and did not remember anything. We spoke to his colleagues to bring it to our medical team and unfortunately for us we terminated stage. We turn to control the biker in our car talking Italian with Carlos and David his bike. Almost nothing.

Our adventure just like in Ouarzazate, a pretty city ​​south of Marrakech, best known for having several movie studios: it is 850 km from Tangier. So at night we take to “tighten” and put all the road wheels because we expect a final sprint to get back to catch the ferry in time.

In short, a week in a Raid-Adventure we suffer more than it may seem to anyone, but in which we also enjoyed double. We pay a lot of hazing that if we repeat, and we witness that yes, at least try not to fall back on them. But above all, travel and special this year that we were not prepared for two-wheel drive cars. There were places where 2RM stood directly because they knew the result. Waiting for the 4×4, and do not carry a hurry …. It is not logical. When designing a special need to provide at least the entry list and the total number of participants can dispute it on their own without relying on third parties. Or at least, so we thought the 2RM.

We were with the experience and the group of friends and their cars. The R19 Rodrigo e Isabel, the “Pandita” Brothers chickens, the Panda Iñigo and Itziar with scaffolding including the powerful Golf of Andoni and Fernan, the Panda of the brave Madrid Joseba and Ricardo, the Discovery of ” university “. Repetiremos. Definitely.