Comments on: Corvairs Crossing The South American Darien Gap? https://offroadaction.ca/2010/10/06/corvairs-crossing-the-south-american-darien-gap/ World's Largest Vintage Off Road Site! Fri, 30 Mar 2012 05:38:18 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: Ron Aaron https://offroadaction.ca/2010/10/06/corvairs-crossing-the-south-american-darien-gap/comment-page-1/#comment-8844 Fri, 30 Mar 2012 05:38:18 +0000 http://offroadaction.ca/?p=4529#comment-8844 From what I have heard from reading and from someone who had made this crossing in the 70s, this can not be called driving. Rather it is mostly winching up and down steep muddy slopes, lifting/jacking, floating, sliding, prying etc. I would guess that the engines were running only once in a while for the benefit of the cameras. Most of their time was spent clearing vegetation, swatting bugs, digging, winching, pushing, pulling etc. A crew of about 12 is probably the minimum needed. Progress if any is measured in yards traveled daily. About the highest rainfall amount in the world with Malaria, mosquitoes, critters and beasts. Typically the forest is so dense that it is too dark for most photography so the footage you see is shot in the few clearings by rivers.
Clothing whether worn or stored is always wet and mildew and molds take over. Foot rot is the norm as well as skin rashes, welts, sores and infections from the brush and bites. While the video shows this as very difficult, I believe the true conditions are many times worse. Currently there are numerous heavily armed groups and individuals are present as well.
I was told that many vehicle parts were broken in the 70s crossing and had to be helicoptered in including several steering wheels from the stresses placed on them while winching. The crossing took 3-4 months.
Any thoughts of making this crossing in a vehicle are insane. On foot it is a challenge. Vehicles create a burden, multiple vehicles just creates multiple burdens.
The temps are usually in the high 90s with very high humidity.
If you are patient and watch carefully you can actually see the plants growing often 1-2 inches per day.
There is an article from the mid 1980s in the magazine of The South American Explorers Club about a crossing.
Construction of a road will be an ecological disaster.

]]> By: Brian Basura https://offroadaction.ca/2010/10/06/corvairs-crossing-the-south-american-darien-gap/comment-page-1/#comment-8838 Thu, 29 Mar 2012 05:21:23 +0000 http://offroadaction.ca/?p=4529#comment-8838 My uncle was the chief mechanic and a driver on that expedition (and the one riding on the hood when they exited the jungle at the far end). At one point there existed a 16mm film roll of outakes which showed some near misses and the hardships the crew went through.

Regards,
Brian B.

]]>