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ARCHIVE STORIES FROM THE FIRST YEAR OF OVERLANDER 4X4
Argocat + Supacat = Cheshire Cat! by Brian Hartley
The Argocat (on the right) with its bigger team-mate the Supacat
One of the main assets of any ATVs, its tyres. The Goodyear “Terra” type fitted to the Supacat
42 | NOVEMBER 2022
3pp Argocat/Supacat.indd 42
‘All Terrain Vehicle’ is a much abused phrase in my humble opinion. It’s nearly as misunderstood as ‘diff-lock’ when applied to a Range Rover! To my simple mind, there are four categories of ‘off-road’ vehicles: 4wd cars; cross-country vehicles such as Land Rovers and Jeeps; ATVs, usually with several axles, large tyres or track systems, which are normally very specialised vehicles unsuitable for road work; and ATVs with amphibious capability. The two vehicles tested here, which were demonstrated by MH Truck Services Ltd, fell into the latter two categories. This gave me the chance to fulfil yet another childhood dream, driving on water!
Supacat MH Truck Distributors are agents for several off-road vehicles including the Mitsubishi 8-wheeled ‘Hill Farmer’, the Crayford Argocat (imported) and the Supacat which is designed and built at Hemyock in Devon. The Supacat, which costs £14,200 as tested, is powered by a Citroen 1300cc flat four, air-cooled engine, driving through a torque converter and 3-speed gearbox. All six wheels are driven and steering is by slewing brakes. There is something intensely satisfying about turning a vehicle in its own length which produces a slightly eccentric desire to go round and round in circles for the sheer hell of it!
The tyres are the vehicle’s greatest asset. Broad Goodyear Terra tyres of 31x15.50-15LT section are fitted and run at a pressure of approximately 6psi, giving exceedingly low ground pressure figures – just right for soft ground or doing minimum damage to grass/crops when passing over. There is an all welded steel chassis and cab frame with bodywork provided by aluminium panelling, the whole lot weighing in at less than a ton. With its mid-mounted engine, the balance is just about neutral in the unladen condition. This vehicle has been evaluated by the Parachute Regiment, the Governor of the Falklands and the Civil Aviation Authority. It is also
4x4 27/09/2022 17:11
