1980 Paris - Dakar Rally

[Juan]

I accidentally found this video about the Marreau Brothers who competed in the 1980 Paris Dakar Rally with a Renault 4L, but check on the video at 0:32 secs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-XylS3c8bc

Is that a modified M-37? (I know it's french for the yellow headlights) or a Dodge Power Wagon?

I can see "Dodge" on the hood.

[Monkey Man]

It's so modified it's hard to tell, it may even be a hybrid of the 2 but I did see an M37 in a video called "raiders of a lost dream" about what I think was a trans andies rally but I would have to drag it out and take a screenshot to show you, Good find though Juan....

Best Regards - MM

[SOTVEN]

KEEN EYE JUAN!!! I WOULD SUSPECT ITS AN M37, SINCE THE HOOD FRONT SEEMS TO BE SQUARE, AS OPPOSED TO THE TALLER PW RADIATOR/2 PIECE OVERFOLDING HOOD. THEN AGAIN, THE CUSTOMIZING ON THIS VEHICLE IS TOO MUCH!! I HEAR THEY HAVE REALLOWED THE PARIS-DAKAR RACE FOR THIS YEAR. THEY HAD STOPPED IT A COUPLE YEARS AGO DUE TO THE HIGH FATALITY RATE.

[Juan]

They moved it since 09 to South America, due to terrorists threats to the participants in some countries on the way.
Lucky for us, The Dakar has been crossing our landscape every year since then. This year is the first time the Dakar touches Perú, were it finished.

Coming back to the images, I think it can be one of those one piece fiberglass hood conversions that were offered in the '70s. It even has a one piece windshield like in those conversions.

[Monkey Man]

I reckon you're right Juan, it does look like one of those Fiberglass conversions....
I remember the video title now, it was "Racers of a lost Dream", not Raiders and it was a trans Amazon rally, if I find the tape I'll convert it to digital media and put it on mt server space for downloading.

Regards - MM

[Monkey Man]

I have converted the video to a digital movie file, the conversion isn't great but quite watchable, I can shoot a copy off to someone if they are interested...
And the M37 sighted in the first few minutes (described as a WWII Truck) dosen't get too far as I know, I reckon lack of speed would have been a big factor in this given the length of the race sections and the time required to complete them.

Best Regards - MM

[Juan]

It's more than possible that it was repowered in some way, to make it more speed friendly. Probably a 318 like yours.

And I couldn't find any information on the entrant on that dakar, but It may have been a support vehicle for a car or bike, they are registered as competitors but they just follow the pack to assist teammates.

[Monkey Man]

I would hope so Juan, can you imaging driving that far at 50Mph in a truck like this over terrain such as in the Andies, I think I would fall apart long before the truck did....

Best Regards - MM