The Forty Bastions of Automotive Lust

"Baber K. Khan" (beekay) 02/19/2014 at 09:20 • Filed to: None

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Cholistan Rally is quite a big event in my country riddled with terrorism, car enthusiasts find solace in the shadow of centuries old Fort Derawar. This feat of historic architectures by the mughals of the sub-continent is visible from the proving grounds of the massive Cholistan Desert for miles. The Forty Bastions of the fort is what I call as the "Forty Bastions of Automotive Lust."

The recent rally just concluded last weekend and while it is mainly competed by automotive enthusiasts who, for the whole year spend their time collecting and saving every penny to be able to afford their vehicles into the rally where sand is so soft that the pleasure of driving it in at considerable speed is immense. It is literally like flying in your car. Might as well mount a rudder on your roof.

The soft sand mean high entry and exit speeds in the curves which in turn enable photographers to take some unbelievable pictures that if they were to be found randomly on the internet, you wouldn't believe in them. They will look like the work of photoshop wizard.

This picture of a friend's 60 Series Land Cruiser were taken by !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . And its been a while since I last saw such a great off-road picture.

The vehicle? Well it ferried 5-7 people from the capital to the desert where it took part in it and then brought everyone back. The 60 runs stock with 4.2 liter diesel, except livery of the guy's company who owns the vehicle and some cheap suspension updates and yet! The vehicle despite being taken to the ragged edge, did ever so well except a few hiccups which were addressed and fixed on the desert.

Although the desert was flooded with vehicles such as Raptors, 200 Series LCs, Patrols, Jeeps, Pajeros but none of them was seen competing in the rally. There's a thing with old LCs, people are just too comfortable with them, the fear of a massive bill despite being able to afford them is overwhelming and is not just limited to sports cars.

ssidd47 > Baber K. Khan 02/19/2014 at 09:25

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As an ex-pat Pakistani, this fills me up with so much pride. Glad to see that auto enthusiasts in the motherland have at least 1 opportunity to enjoy this hobby. Thanks for this article, and the pictures. What a gorgeous looking event.

505Turbeaux > Baber K. Khan 02/19/2014 at 09:30

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Those diesel BJ60/62s are great. I had a non turbo 3.4l with a 4 speed manual and I would pound around the desert in that thing with no worries. Awesome story and shots, thanks!

banjo cat ghost of oppo past > Baber K. Khan 02/19/2014 at 09:47

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THATS IT...there's a clean, lifted FJ60 parked out in front of a cobblestone mechanics shop with a 'for sale' sign on it. Today is the day I go check it out

Jonny Edge (@thejonnyedge) > Baber K. Khan 02/19/2014 at 10:00

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I love this photo, and you can almost see ghostly sand cloud fans next to the car there. Amazing.

Jonny Edge (@thejonnyedge) > ssidd47 02/19/2014 at 10:01

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Looks absolutely fantastic, what a beautiful fortification. I bet that's a terrific event to attend. The photo's from the event are just plain awesome!

boobytrapsandtreasure > Baber K. Khan 02/19/2014 at 10:09

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One day I will hopefully be able to participate in a event like this. Thanks for posting the story and photos.

craig-oesterling > Baber K. Khan 02/19/2014 at 10:20

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Kudos to the photog on that lead pic. It's so epic and mysterious!

Gabriel > Baber K. Khan 02/19/2014 at 10:45

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4.5 Liters engine on a 60 series Land Cruiser? This is not stock... It's maybe a newer Toyota diesel engine such as the 1VD-FTV.

But the pictures are great, I wish I could do that with my 60 series...

Petehammer > Jonny Edge (@thejonnyedge) 02/19/2014 at 10:52

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I love it too, except that it looks heavily photoshopped. Especially because that bumper sticker is so visible and clean.

Secondhand News > banjo cat ghost of oppo past 02/19/2014 at 10:56

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FJ60's are nice and have quite a cult following. Get one that is not rusted for a good price and it is a slowly appreciating automotive investment rather than a dismal depreciation trap. Good luck.

Baber K. Khan > Gabriel 02/19/2014 at 11:00

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It was a mistake. It has a stock 4.2 liter 1HD.

Angry Dorito > Baber K. Khan 02/19/2014 at 11:04

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Okay I NEED a wallpaper of this.

911e46z06 > Baber K. Khan 02/19/2014 at 11:08

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Your post inspired me to look at some pictures from the event, and it's always interesting to me how different cultures build cars so differently for basically the same purpose. The conditions look near as makes no difference to Baja or Southwest US desert pre-running areas. But other than a few mild trophy-truck looking rigs, the cars are totally different. I didn't see a single tube-frame or buggy, most of the cars have little or no lift, and the tires are unbelievably skinny for anyone familiar with North American pre-running. Cool stuff.

TulsaMtnBiker (OkieRising) > banjo cat ghost of oppo past 02/19/2014 at 11:34

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Nice! I've been strongly considering selling my 100 series for a 60. And putting a diesel in it.

oldestyoungn > Baber K. Khan 02/19/2014 at 11:38

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Is there a higher res version of this somewhere?

OldManMcKenna > Baber K. Khan 02/19/2014 at 11:38

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I've spent quite a bit of time in your region of the world and can say there are parts whose beauty is unrivaled anywhere else in the world. It has its (very) bad parts, too, and most people can't look past those but if they did... the beauty they'd see is really quite remarkable. Thank you for sharing.

Yousaf.R > Baber K. Khan 02/19/2014 at 11:47

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Awesome Pictures that warm the heart of a Pakistani. Please tell me there are more?

OldManMcKenna > ssidd47 02/19/2014 at 11:48

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I can't find it anymore but about a year ago I was authoring an engine swap thread on RX8Club.com and ended up getting most of my wiring answers from an RX8 club member in Karachi. Hit Facebook and search for RX8 club Karachi. Thats just a small slice of the car culture that's alive and well in some parts of your country.

banjo cat ghost of oppo past > TulsaMtnBiker (OkieRising) 02/19/2014 at 12:33

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That is interesting because its been kinda a struggle between a 60 and an trying harder to find a solid 80

Whilst in Desert Storm my father saw Landcruisers in Kuwait/Iraq of all vintages rolling over everything and punching Canyonero-sized holes in sand dunes, so he had to have one when he got back. Ended up being mostly my tiny, angry mom who drove it, flooring it through snow drifts on ski trips and everywhere else. We'd get pulled over all the time because no one else had one in'91 so we assume cops thought we were drug dealers...Freaking miss Big Gray everytime ther's a Landcruiser post

Gabriel > Baber K. Khan 02/19/2014 at 13:23

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Ok good! But still not a 60 series engine ;)

By the way, where you there? Looks like a lot of fun !!!

HammerheadFistpunch > banjo cat ghost of oppo past 02/19/2014 at 13:25

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BWAWAHAHA!

Your going to like my Moab post coming to oppo soon.

Loping Camshaft > Baber K. Khan 02/19/2014 at 14:08

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TL;DR

Saw 60 Series and clicked. Couldn't help it.

Loping Camshaft > banjo cat ghost of oppo past 02/19/2014 at 14:09

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Pls deliver OP

Loping Camshaft > HammerheadFistpunch 02/19/2014 at 14:10

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We need a "Land Cruiser YEAH" Oppo page...

HammerheadFistpunch > Loping Camshaft 02/19/2014 at 14:13

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I tag all my posts cruiser related for easy finding if you are interested

Baber K. Khan > Gabriel 02/19/2014 at 14:20

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Na, I wasn't able to go there this year but I did go in the past year. And its a sort of an event where even if you're not competing in, you'll have the same, I think even more fun. The place is just that good, the sand is a dream bed to drive on.

Baber K. Khan > HammerheadFistpunch 02/19/2014 at 14:21

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Just came to know about that tag. Cheers. Will contribute.

Baber K. Khan > 911e46z06 02/19/2014 at 14:22

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Yeah, as I said, except the few rich feudal lords (who own those rigs), everyone just basically brings their daily drivers.

Baber K. Khan > OldManMcKenna 02/19/2014 at 14:25

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Very true. We're a planning a trip to touch the Chinese borders in the Karakoram ranges coming summer, and in the way there comes just one small and beautiful town called Chilas where if you are a Shia Muslim, they'll kill you. Army and other LEAs provide escort but still they manage to stop one or two buses and check your IDs and if you're a shia, you're done. But after that, I think you know what kind of beauty there is. It just make sad that the world has been kept away from it.

HammerheadFistpunch > Baber K. Khan 02/19/2014 at 14:35

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excellent! looking forward to it.

bobrayner > Baber K. Khan 02/19/2014 at 14:43

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That looks great. Where do I sign up? :-)

Baber K. Khan > bobrayner 02/19/2014 at 14:44

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Haha, the next will be next year. Get your gear ready by then and hopefully, things will be even more peaceful then.

Baber K. Khan > TulsaMtnBiker (OkieRising) 02/19/2014 at 14:47

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100 series is a great vehicle. I think the last of the great where not much computer sorcery is involved. Its just a plain off-roader like the 60 with newer engineering.

TulsaMtnBiker (OkieRising) > Loping Camshaft 02/19/2014 at 15:17

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This pleases me

DUCK-HAMS > oldestyoungn 02/19/2014 at 16:03

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I keep refreshing this page hoping someone has responded with the high res pics!!!

Saf1 > ssidd47 02/19/2014 at 16:31

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Same here man!! I wasn't aware of this rally before today! :)

Saf1 > OldManMcKenna 02/19/2014 at 16:34

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I'm from Karachi, and my god there's an RX8 club for there?! Most must be in Clifton !

Baber K. Khan > DUCK-HAMS 02/19/2014 at 17:41

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Man I tried to convince the photographer to share the full-res but he wouldn't. You can try to here .

OldManMcKenna > Baber K. Khan 02/19/2014 at 20:45

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I don't think I'll ever see it in my lifetime, but perhaps one day in the future that area will be safe for foreigners and members of other religions like it once was in the not-so-distant past. Until then, even a "flythrough" in Google Earth is beautiful.

Best of luck to you, and please try to stay safe on your journey.

OldManMcKenna > Saf1 02/19/2014 at 20:51

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One of their last meet ups was in Clifton, at BBQ Tonite. From memory I think maybe a dozen or so people made it. For reference, a dozen people is quite a high number for any RX8 meet, much less one in Pakistan.

Saqib Mirza > Baber K. Khan 02/19/2014 at 23:40

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I was part of this build and here it is being acknowledged. Feels great.

Saqib Mirza > Baber K. Khan 02/19/2014 at 23:43

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Babe. i was part of this build. Engine is a 2JZ-GTE from a Toyota Aristo mated to its own automatic transmission. Transfer case is from Land Cruiser Prado which was almost bolt on fit. Differentials and front suspension are from 80 series Land Cruiser. And this picture is not photoshopped but digitally treated. Great capture though.

Abdus Samad Nazir Vaid > Baber K. Khan 02/20/2014 at 01:10

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Awesome coverage, but the specification of the vehicle is not correct.

The power plant is a 2JZ-GTE with Its automatic 4 speed Transmission. BJ60 Transfer Case, LC80 Front and Rear Tubes, Front Suspension is a coil Spring from a LC80, Front shocks are Bilstein 7100 and rear are dual Konis Gas Shocks with Leaf Springs. These are the Basic Specs, there is a lot more inside :). We call is JJ68.

Abdus Samad Nazir Vaid > Jonny Edge (@thejonnyedge) 02/20/2014 at 01:11

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its the rear wheel well that seems like a fan standing

Abdus Samad Nazir Vaid > Yousaf.R 02/20/2014 at 01:12

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you can find more here at our TORC Page

https://www.facebook.com/torc.telenorof…

Saf1 > OldManMcKenna 02/20/2014 at 04:07

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This is a really pleasant surprise! That means there are atleast 50 RX8s in Pakistan!! A Corolla <10yrs old over there would be pretty impressive for most! Clifton though is something else, when I visited The Point there, there was a Viper on display!!!!! Blue with white stripes, utterly gorgeous and so so curvy! I had never seen one then apart from my GT3 game; when I was visiting family in Pakistan I'd get them to take me to The Point every weekend so I could check out the cars :D It's funny because then I was living in Oman which has a much larger share of affluent people but I still only saw 1 Viper there in a decade! Did see TWO Diablos in Oman tho :)

Saf1 > OldManMcKenna 02/20/2014 at 04:08

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Were you there for a holiday or visiting people or....?

Sir Halffast > Baber K. Khan 02/20/2014 at 11:10

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I haven't been on much lately, but saw the first photo and said "That looks like one of Baber's." I'm glad I was right.

fcukyoukinja > Baber K. Khan 02/20/2014 at 11:48

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Amazing fortress! I wish I could visit Pakistan again and do some site seeing.

Baber K. Khan > Sir Halffast 02/20/2014 at 12:04

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Hah! Thank you. Been a while since I last saw you. Hope you're doing good.

OldManMcKenna > Saf1 02/20/2014 at 12:04

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I uh... was in the northwestern part of the country on business sporadically between 2002 and 2010. My business trips were totally unrelated to the Karachi RX8 club folks helping me out via the Internet (rx8club.com) on a few PCM pinout questions I had.

I learned about the Clifton meet up through their facebook page, I didn't actually go there.

Sir Halffast > Baber K. Khan 02/20/2014 at 13:05

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Yeah, same to you! I took a break a while back because work and life were too busy, and oppo was getting a bit political/sexist for my tastes. I never intended to be away for so long, it just happened. I'm still here, just mostly lurking these days.

Baber K. Khan > Sir Halffast 02/20/2014 at 14:50

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Ahan. I missed to notice that but maybe because I just mind my own business. Glad you're doing great. Keep in touch. Cheers!

ZShortage > Baber K. Khan 02/20/2014 at 22:05

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There's something so beautiful about being in the middle of the desert going flat out, spurred on by nothing but the wail of an engine ahead, and a thick dust cloud behind.

Excellent coverage Babar. Get Fahad to put up the rest of the damn hi res pictures. Don't deprive Jalops!