List of specifications for my vehicle

Once I knew I wanted a 4x4 camper, next step was to decide its minimum characteristics.
=> The vehicle was to be a real camper/motor home: a vehicle that you can live in, not beside.

Vehicle would have to be:

1/ Bigger than a long wheel base Land-Cruiser/Rover to be sufficiently comfortable for long overland trips.

2/ Bigger by one “notch”! NOT at a big 10-12 ton truck that would be impossible to rescue when stuck in mud/sand. Hence it would be a big van or small truck.

3/ A true “off-road” vehicle, not simply to have four wheel drive. “Tout-terrain” and not “Tout-chemin”. This would mean having big wheels, decent ground clearance and good approach & departure angles.

3/ Turbo Diesel powered (for power at high elevation) and have NO electronics for simplicity and reliability.

4/ If it was a truck (as opposed to a van) it would need to have doors (or walk through) between cab and camper. Must be able to park the vehicle anywhere and discreetly get into the camper without going “outside”.

5/ The camper part would have to have:

• No “pop-up roof”; one big box, roomy enough to stand-up inside
• Beds that were always "made-up" (no finagling every night before going to sleep)
• A side entrance (back doors get too dusty) and awning
• Seating for 3/4 people around the table
• A sink, cooker, fridge
• A proper toilet and a shower
• A heater.

In summary, the vehicle was to be as independent as possible, that it, it should NOT need to plug into power, water, or sewage every night. The specific goal was to be able to go three days at full motorhome comfort without shore power/water, sunshine, or engine run. Longer if you conserve water, etc.

"The focus when modifying a vehicle for overlanding should be on comfort and every day usability. You want to be dry when it is raining, warm when it is snowing or ice cold, cool in a heat wave, protected from the wind with the ability to store and prepare food under all those conditions, and sleep well at night, safe from bugs and predators—both two and four legged."

Graeme BELL What’s the Difference Between Off-Roader and Overlander?

Because I wanted no electronics, it would mean buying an old truck/van as all “modern” vehicles have electronics in order to comply to current emission control regulations.

With these characteristics in mind I looked at the following vehicles:

1/ Panel vans:

• Iveco Daily 4x4 (older generation, high roof version): + Compact, - Weak front suspension and body
• Mercedes Vario 4x4: + Reliability, - Not an off-roader
• VW LT 4 x4: + Size, - Not an off-roader

2/ Cab-forward trucks:

• Mercedes Unimog: + The king of off-roaders, - A bit too big
• MAN FAE 8-136: + Reliabiliy, - A bit too big
• Renault TRM 2000: + Good clearance, - A bit too big

3/ Anything I would have not thought-off!

Discovered on internet ...

During summer 2007, looking for a suitable expedition vehicle on 4x4 web pages, I see this add:

A VENDRE - Un Brimont Brutt 4x4

Cabine 2 places, basculante. Moteur Turbo Diesel.

Equipement : Cellule en matériaux composites, montée en 3 points élastiques "type Unimog". 

La cellule est découplée du chassis pour ne pas subir de contraintes de déformation. 

Un escalier basculant sur toute la largeur arrière, 2 demi-portes battantes arrières.

Projet à terminer. Visible sur Paris. Date de 1ère mise en circulation: 1 Juillet 1992.

I must confess that I had never heard of a Brimont Brutt!

Obviously, I searched the web about "Brimont" & "Brutt"

"Le BRUTT est un utilitaire 4x4 léger, construit par la société Brimont au début des années 90.

L'Armée de l'Air en a acheté en assez grand nombre pour l'équipement des unités de défense sol-air

et des escadrons de protection."

Technical specifications of the Brimont Brutt -

Quoting from: www.janes-defence-weekly.com
Appearing in Jane's Military Vehicles and Logistics, Publication date March 22, 1996

Brimont Brutt (France) - 4x4 2,225 kg Truck

The Brimont Brutt (4 × 4) 2,225 kg truck was developed to meet a number of military and commercial roles that vary from front-line cargo carrier and ambulance to forestry and fire fighting. The BRUTT has a forward control cab with a horizontal wedge front profile. Seating is provided in the cab for the driver and one passenger and the cab can be tilted forward for maintenance. The cab may have a hard or soft top with the hard top version having provision to fit a roof hatch for access to a light machine gun mounting.

The cargo area to the rear can be provided with side bench seating to carry up to 10 men and is covered by a canvas tilt stretched over bows. The rear area can also be used to accommodate a light weapon such as a 12.7 mm machine gun in a ring mounting. The payload for the open-backed version is 2,225 kg; if the full canvas cover and bows are installed this is reduced to 1,770 kg. The chassis frame is constructed from high stress steel with two box-sections and cross members, all precoated with a special anti-corrosion finish.

The axles are of the Brimont rigid type with optional lockable differentials. Coil springs are used for the front suspension and spring leaves at the rear. Anti-roll bars are fitted front and rear. Various forms of gearbox can be fitted. The standard manual gearbox is supplied by ZF, although a Peugeot gearbox will permit higher speeds. If the vehicle is to be used for towing light weapons, such as a 105 mm howitzer or 120 mm mortar, it is recommended

Cab seating: 1 + 1 (up to 10 in rear). Configuration: 4 × 4. Weight: empty 2,275 kg; loaded 4,500 kg. Max load: 2,225 kg. Towed load: braked 8,000 kg; unbraked 5,250 kg. Length: 5.275 m. Width: 1.95 m. Height: (top of cab) 2.48 m. Ground clearance: 0.275 m. Track: 1.5 m. Wheelbase: 2.78 m. Angle of approach/departure: 44º/43ºMax speed: 96.4 km/h. Range: 430 km. Fuel capacity: 90 l + 2 jerricans. Max gradient: 58%Fording: up to 0.9 m.

Engine: Peugeot XD 3 T 2.5 l 4-cylinder diesel developing (DIN) 95 hp at 4,150 rpm and 210 Nm (21.4 kgfm) at 2,000 rpm. Gearbox: ZF manual with 5 forward and 1 reverse gears. Clutch: single dry plate. Transfer box: 2-speed with differential lock. Steering: worm and ball, power-assist. Turning radius: 6.4 m. Suspension: front coil springs with shock-absorbers and anti-roll bar; rear leaf springs with shock-absorbers and anti-roll bar. Tyres: 10.5 × 20 MPT. Brakes: main servo-assisted, disc front, drum rear; parking mechanical on transmission. Electrical system: 24 V. Batteries: 2 × 12 V, 100 Ah. Alternator: 70 A

Discovering the Brutt

During October 2007, I had to go to Paris and organized to see this vehicle.

Surprisingly, it was parked in a "normal" street of Paris!



Had a good look and took lots of pictures...

I really liked the ruggedness of its design and construction: 
- a REAL "off-road" vehicle  (big wheels, good ground celarance, excellent angles, etc. 
- everything was "heavy duty"
=> All this was exactly what I wanted!

The price was too high, I wasn't interested.

=> Then the owner lowered his price.

Now it started to make sense...

Road testing and buying the Brutt

The seller then lowered his price...

Now it was worth to test drive the beast and see what it was all about.

Well... the drive was convincing, and I decided to buy it!

Driving back from Paris to St-Cergue

On 13 November 2007, I drove the Brutt back from Paris.

We had a real blizzard and by the time I arrived in St-Cergue the truck was covered with snow.

=> Scroll down, there is more to discover...

=> In a hurry? Click here to read about my intended Route

Importing the truck into Switzerland

For various reasons, in 2012, it was time to officially "import" the truck into Switzerland.
It had to go through customs at a major border to get all the paperwork done.

Because the truck was not insurred, altogether it was easiest to do this process on a trailer.

On 19 September 2012, I drove the truck onto the trailer and the tow Land-Cruiser + truck on top of trailer  made their way to the border  - I love those mighty Land-Cruisers...

Everything had been prepared ahead of time and it took half an hour to get the customs paper done: out of France and into Switzerland.

 Notice the difference in size of wheels: Land Roamer vs trailer...

A few days later I had to surrender the French plates and car documents to the Swiss vehicle registry office.

When the truck will be ready, it will have to be checked by Swiss inspectors to make sure of it's "road worthiness" before getting Swiss registration plates.

History of the Brimont Brutt

Click on this link to learn about the history of the Brutt (the truck)

Click on this link to learn about the history of Brimont (the company)

The 10 Commandments of Modifying an Overland Vehicle

By Scott Brady - www.expeditionportal.com

1) Complexity is the enemy: Keep the vehicle as simple and reliable as possible

2) Weight is the enemy of performance: Keep the vehicle as light as possible. The goal should be 90% of GVWR or less.

3) Suspension Performance: The vehicle must perform just as well on pavement as it does on the dirt.

4) Keep the Engine Stock: If the environment you are travelling in demands a certain amount of power (like sand) then buy the right truck, with the right engine to start with.

5) Isolate and Minimize All Electrical Modifications: Electronics are the bane of all travellers, taking more time and requiring more “fiddling” than any other system.

6) Use High Quality Tires in an Appropriate Tread.

7) Avoid Roof Loads at all Costs: Loads must be as low as possible and as close to the centreline of the vehicle (fore/aft) as possible. If all that gear needs to be on the roof, you probably bought the wrong vehicle.

8) Self-Recovery: Everyone gets stuck, even with the best possible vehicle and driver experience. A winch can provide control and mechanical advantage that no 4wd modification can match. We have also found traction plates to be essential for extreme bog conditions, and now carry at least four.

9) Secure the Load: Take the time to secure all loose items in the cab, ensuring that proper lashing points are installed throughout the vehicle.

10)  Quality and Design over Quantity: A stock, properly maintained Land Cruiser can easily drive around the world, and take on some seriously remote and rugged terrain along the way. So, make modifications only as absolutely necessary.

=> Simplicity and reliability is the key to vehicle preparation for long-distance adventure travel.

Long ago (circa 1977-1980) I undertook a first BIG project...

Already bitten by the "travel bug" while working in Morogoro Tanzania I was dreaming of oufitting a 4x4 vehicle to travel back to Switzerland at the end of my contract.

To this effect I bought a Land Rover Forward Control, Serie IIB with a 6 cylinder engine (2.6 litre).

The Series IIB FC produced from 1966 had heavy duty wide-track axles (designed by ENV) were fitted to improve vehicle stability, as was a front anti-roll bar and revised rear springs which were mounted above the axle rather than below it. In the process the wheelbase was increased to 110 in (2,794 mm). Production ended in 1974 when Land-Rover rationalised its vehicle range. Many IIB components were also used on the "1 Ton" 109 in vehicle.

Being young and foolish (yes, yes!), instead of building my camper truck on this VERY nice base, I undertook to modify it to become a standard 109 Station Wagon Land Rover...

=> It took me a long time and lots of work but I did it!

BEFORE

DURING

AFTER

You may notice:
1/ The chassis is higher than a "normal" Serie II/III (like the 1 Ton/Military)
2/ Because the ENV axles were wider than the body, I had to extend the bumpers plus make wheel arches out of aluminium (partly made from the arches that were under the doors of the Forward Control (see first photo).


Then the first oil crisis happened and it would have been foolish to do such a long trip with a gas-guzzler.

=> So, when all done I sold it at and bought the diesel Short Wheel Base Serie III that I still possess to this day.

Did you notice that the telephone number had only 4 digits !!!

PS - For those of you too young to know about the first oil crisis, please read what Wiki tells us:
The 1973 oil crisis began when a coalition of Arab states led by Saudi Arabia abruptly halted oil shipments in retaliation for America’s support of Israel during the Yom Kippur war. By the end of the embargo in March 1974, the price of oil had risen from $3 per barrel to nearly $12 globally, US prices were significantly higher. The oil crisis, or "shock", the embargo caused had many short-term and long-term effects on global politics and the global economy. It was later called the "first oil shock", followed by the 1979 oil crisis, termed the "second oil shock."

Just for fun: my vehicles in 1980 and 2012

Here are my vehicles in 1980, just before I left Tanzania:

Land Rover 109 Serie IIB (ex Forward Control) just before being sold

Land Rover 88, Serie III, diesel (the one I shall drive on my trip)

Renault 16 TX (a fantastic car - loved it!)

Yamaha 125 trail motorcyle

Chinese bicyle (used by my wife!)

And my vehicles in 2012, in St-Cergue:

Land Rover 88, Serie III (1977) - Same one as above, now being used "topless"!

Range Rover LSE, Classic (1993) - My dream car since 1970! Bought it in 2004 as an investment

Brimont Brutt (1992) - The "Land Roamer"

Toyota Land Cruiser (1991) - Now sold, having a second life in Algeria

=> Not pictured is my Yamaha 850 TDM