Picture: Facebook/Bruce David Kellock/Africa, this is why I live here
Stephanie loves the photo galleries at the Telegraph.co.uk site. She forwards some of them to me, and this one needed to be shared here, as it’s all overloaded old cars and trucks in Africa. And this shot was the star. Wow! Is this the ultimate CC? The real question is, what is it? Ok; I have my guess, but I’ll let you go at it.
Picture: AP
This one is a bit easier to identify: a Corolla, although not the body style we got her in the uS. Well, actually, we did, as the Geo Prizm.
Picture: ALAMY shot in Aswan, Egypt
Peugeots are the favorite car of Africa, and the 504 wagon tops the list. It’s the worlds toughest wagon, or just “The World’s Greatest Wagons”, as I called them in my write-up of all the RWD Peugeot wagons. The 504 was built in Africa until 2005. There’s another 504 wagon (red), and the white sedan appears to be a Volga a 504 sedan.
Picture: ALAMY
Since we’re on the subject of Peugeots, here’s a 404 pickup shot in Mali. I’ve seen shots of 404 pickups with larger and taller loads, but weight-wise, this one is pretty impressive. It looks like there’s 10 passengers in the back, plus baggage on top. Check out the rear tire, which is feeling the load. Is the hood open for a reason?
Picture: Getty spotted in Burkina Faso
Here’s one more Peugeot shot, but this one is a bit different. The 403 is being hauled by a little donkey cart, but I hope not the scrap yard. That body looks in way to good of shape; more likely to a garage to be fixed and put back on the street. Well; 403 are getting a bit elderly.
Picture: AP shot in Senegal
It isn’t just cars that get overloaded; the trucks in Africa are famous for their overflowing loads. Of course, that doesn’t always sit well with the tires, especially since said tires are often ancient. I’m surprised this one didn’t tip over.
Picture: Getty
A nice vintage Mercedes truck, leaning a bit to starboard. This was spotted in Mali. And Johannes Dutch will tell us exactly what model Mercedes this is.
Picture: Facebook/Bruce David Kellock/Africa, this is why I live here
It isn’t just four-wheelers that get heavy use in Africa. This little two-stroke bike with maybe 90cc has two aboard, on of which is a cow. And no, they aren’t heading to the circus for their act. I was impressed at how calmly the cow was taking this bike ride, but a closer look shows that its front feet have been tied to the front forks. I’m guessing the back ones are somewhat immobilized too. But still…at least it gets to sit on the padded seat.
Picture: Reuters shot in Nairobi, Kenya
This couch being hauled by bike seems pretty tame in comparison, especially since the driver is wearing a helmet.
Picture: Twitter/@prepaid_africa
Another little two-stroke with a tall load this time. Easy does it…
Picture: TWITTER/@theflashpack
Japanese cars and trucks have been replacing Peugeots for some time. This appears to be a Datsun 1200 ute, the pickup version of the Datsun 1200 sedan I showed you the other day. These are tiny vehicles. This one has a good-sized load, although it appears to be quite light, looking at its rear wheels and tires. It’s still sitting quite high back there.
Picture: TWITTER/@RhinoTruckParts
Toyota Hilux pickups are revered the world over for their toughness, even under duress. This one has a big load, but again, I’d say the truck is not really being taxed all that much. Now if that tank were filled with water, I’d be a bit more impressed.
Picture: Facebook/Absolute Africa/Africa, this is why I live here
But nothing is quite as dramatic as the trucks used to haul passengers and their loads, through the Sahara in this case. And how do they stay on? Would the truck stop if someone fell off? And we complain about getting on a crowded bus or subway? At least the ride is pretty smooth, through the soft sand. I can’t make out what the truck is, but presumably the windshield is not obstructed with passengers. Bon voyage!
Related Reading: Peugeot 203, 403, 404, 504 and 505 Station Wagons: The World’s Greatest Wagons