Hello Friends,
I received this photo from a lovely fellow who has owned this car since the early 1980’s. It was taken by his wife as he drove through a creek in Australia’s Kakadu National Park towing a caravan, and it made it! I can’t imagine anyone reproducing such a scene these days. The car is in much the same condition as it was back then I believe.
You are more likely these days to see a more genteel effort made by certain lovely Scottish SS owners, however.
Tim
Yowsers! Water in six wheel bearings, brakes, clutch, and rear axle/differential? Scripting ideas for sequel to Carry On Camping? Excellent photo work for much amusement later.
Genteel effort looks okay.
Thanks for sharing.
I hope he has knocked out the kangaroo dent by now!
That’s what my guess would have been too but apparently it was caused by a ‘spooked’ herd of cattle running all around the car and into it! By all accounts it was very terrifying.
Tim
Definitely a wet feet occasion in the first photo but not in the second. In the first is he making slow progress or is it just the flow of the water?
Peter 
Wow! I would be loathe to try this in a MKV because of the fuel pump location. Is the MKIV’s pumps higher up, like on the firewall bulkhead?
Yes but the distributor is somewhat lower.
Peter
More to the story.
On the opposite bank of the “wet foot” photo were two outback lads who saw what was about to happen. They offered to attach a rope to their 4x4 and assist with the crossing. The offer was politely declined with the MKIV owner preferring to “have a go”. The lads said that they would wait to make sure all was okay and that it would give them time to have another beer while they watched the crossing. All went well and the lads said that they never would have believed it if they hadn’t seen it with their own eyes!
Where have all the characters gone these days?
Tim
We’re still around…
I wonder if this was taken during the Variety Bash?
Come on all you experts. Have a close look at the Tourer, top up, towing the caravan.
Roger
I love the comment, “Have to dry her out a bit, I reckon.” It’s that laconic, ironic and understated humour which is so typical Australian country folk. 
Also loved the dog on the roof. Must have been practicing on the “tuckerbox”.
https://www.thedogonthetuckerbox.com
Tim
One of my better memories was learning about this, from Manfred Vijars, when he visited me back in 2017. I think you’ll like his stuff!
In the UK “mate” has rather different connotations. As in “Up your’s mate!”
That Tourer engine sounds pretty sweet, and so does the horn, in case the brakes fail.
Daniel
Much heartier people those Australians.
That country has some amazing terrain at both ends of the spectrum.
