It is not unusual for us to recieve a call from stranded travellers, and yesterday was no different. An SOS was sent to us at 6.21 am! An early start for sure. Turns out a Rally team from German had got into trouble with their Land Rover Discovery 1 300 tdi.
The team, Flo and Jan, were from Hamberg, and driving the rally to raise Money for TAFEL Hamberg, an organization that helps struggling and low income families. The Rally consists of 7500km and over 10 countries around the Northern Hemisphere. Having reached Sweden, it seems the Disco had other ideas, and there journey did not look very optimistic.
Fortunately they had found us and with a little flattery ( Ive heard you are the best Land Rover mechanic in Sweden - can you help us out) we agreed to help. How could we not?? Fortunately for them, a delay in a parts arrival from the UK had meant that we had time to squeeze them in and get them going again.
At 13:00 a recovery vehicle unloaded the Disco outside our workshop in Kolbäck. On inspection it was found that the head gasket was blown.
When the cylinder head was removed we found it had warped so it would need to be skimmed. It did complicate things a little but we continued and we managed to get it good , and then all was left was to put it back together.
Being time aware and knowing that these guys had to get back on the road Björn and our incredable team continued into the night. at 22.00 the Disco was back on the road and the very happy Germans were once again on their way.
Having been in a similar situation myself doing the Screwball Rally in A series 2a, I know exactly how they felt but there is one thing I learnt, words to be passed on to anyone that takes part in a rally, or overlands, on an expedition, holidays in their Land Rover or has a failure during an epic journey....
"Its the unexpected and problems that turn a journey into an adventure"
Follow the adventures of Flo, Jan and "And Over" the disco at
Words by Rachael Cook
Photos Curtesy Jan Fischer