Pocket knifes at gunfights

Dancers, Robyn, Mandy, Shannon and Carla
added glamour to the George Valley 4x4 jamboree 2017.

GOING to a muddy 4x4 jamboree with all purpose tyres is a lot like taking a pocket knife to a gun fight, especially when the annual event is hosted by blokes with farmer tans in the George’s Valley, outside Tzaneen.

But this is exactly what Isuzu did, inviting Wheels to join a crew of city slickers in KB bakkies and Chevrolet Trailblazers. 

Bear in mind this is the kind of place where recyclers of bovinal and ovinal excreta like Koos "Kak"
Jandes build their own go-anywhere 4x4s on top of Unimog chassis, because obviously the legendary Unimog is not formidable enough.

This is what the Tzaneen farmers consider a lekker 4x4,
Koos Jandes used a 404 Unimog chassis and a Chev V8
engine as the base for this tractor-tyred monster.

This is also a place where they build the tables to carry barn-stomping dancers, who were all jiving to the Michael Ferguson Band until late at night. The Georges Valley community was created to provide security through constant communication, with 90 citizen band radios acting like old fashioned farm lines (or new fashioned Facebook forums?) to ensure everyone knows everyone's movements, business and eventually, music. 

Which is why in this tight night society the sun-tanned teenagers know all the lyrics to 'Sweet Home Alabama', 'Man on the Moon' and other hits that showed the 1970s still rules when it comes to good tunes. 

These and more modern numbers were jammed to perfection by the members of the band, which is more than can be said for the 4x4 contestants, who jammed up in many a muddy pit on the fiendish course hacked out of a steep ravine.

But despite wearing smooth mud-retaining tyres that quickly became coated in a gripless muck, the Trailblazers again showed it will climb any obstacle as long as its tyres have grip, as this video shows. Notice how the vehicle see-saws on three wheels as the driver gently exhales.

The KB's on the team did not fare much better, having the same city-slicker all purpose tyres. 

The Isuzu KB is the third best selling bakkie in SA, for fashion reasons only, as there are no flies on these workhorses, but the real bargains will soon be found in the Trailblazer, what with the sentiment currently against it in the wake of General Motors announcing its exit from South Africa.

In its place, we can expect Australia’s favourite SUV, the seven-seater Isuzu MU-X. 

More details on this when the launch happens. 

Meanwhile, we advise SUV buyers in South Africa can do a lot worse than to negotiate with a GM dealer nearby to get a good deal on the outgoing Trailblazer.

Grant Mcleary checks the bumber strip that did not make it.