MyPE

Community Business Directory, Event Listings, News and Views from Gqeberha, Nelson Mandela Bay

Mad Odyssey

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Back in 2007, Brian Clark had the bright idea of taking a few Morris Minors to the United Kingdom, to join the 60th Celebrations of the production of the Morris Minor that had been designed by Alec Issigonis.

Clark had missed the Morris Minor’s 50th anniversary celebration in the UK in 1998, and so was determined to get to the Diamond Jubilee ten years later – driving all the way, of course.
Thus was the Mad Odyssey born.

MAD Odyssey
The MAD Odyssey Teams in Gqeberha

He was quickly joined by fellow Gqeberhan, Colin Stock, and the two set about planning how they would be able to meet this challenge in time for the celebrations.

Not long thereafter New Zealand couple, Mark and Sheila Masters joined the expedition, shipping their Ragtop Morris to Cape Town.

Continental ending up sponsoring the expedition, their tyres proving extremely durable – with just one puncture between all three cars over a total of 11 000 hard miles. Brian had also linked up with the SOS Children’s Villages charity, raising money and awareness for them as they went.

The route was to take them from South Africa, through Botswana, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan, Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Italy, France and finish in the United Kingdom.

Following months of preparation, the group of three cars set off from Gqeberha, to Cape Agulhas, and onto Cape Town where they had a send-off infront of 58 Morris Minors on April 5th, 2008, the start of what was to become a 17,800 km trip which would take them 71 days.

Road conditions in South Africa were great, but once out of South Africa, the road conditions deteriorated with multiple pot holes being the order of the day, large stretches of gravel roads, as well as sand and mud. Through Kenya, they encountered extreme muddy conditions with trucks bogged down on the side of the road for days before they were able to be recovered. They were also to experience severe dust storms making the already difficult and uncomfortable conditions intolerable.

Challenges on the trip were many, but included fuel logistics as with a car that only has a 23 litre tank, sourcing fuel in Africa becomes a problem. Each car did however carry an additional 20 litres.

Another challenge was accommodation, often staying in suspect places, and, on three occasions, the group having to sleep on the side of the road.

To say they had no mechanical problems would be a lie, as they had to overhaul 1 gearbox, a clutch, a water leak, three exhausts, which is not surprising with the road conditions, 2 headlamps, 1 puncture, and 2 starter motors. Having to overhaul a gearbox in a workshop is one thing, but to have to do it in the bush is another.

The cars made the trip and arrived at the White Cliffs of Dover on June 12, 2008. The Charity that benefited from this trip was SOS Children’s Villages.

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Alan Straton

Chief Cook, Bottle Washer and Broom Mechanic at MyPE
Passionate about Port Elizabeth and definitely NOT packing for Perth. Alan's ethos is epitomised in the words of Nelson Mandela; "I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society. If need be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die." See more articles by Alan.