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Panda Raid, to the desert

Between March 7 and 16, the VI edition of the Panda Raid was held in Morocco.

Panda Raid is a journey through the geography of the Maghreb country that is divided into seven stages based on a route marked by the organization and secret until the delivery of the roadbook, for Seat Panda, Seat Marbella and Fiat Panda vehicles prior to 2003.

For the preparation of the car, the organization obliges to have a series of mandatory elements, such as sump guard, 2-kilo fire extinguisher, towing ring, a minimum 5-meter sling; shackles, basic tools, two spare wheels and jerrycan of 20 liters. It is advisable to also bring some basic spare parts.

Likewise, for the safety of the participating teams it is mandatory to have the following elements: compass, map of Morocco, specifically Michelin 742; five liters of water per person, cigarette lighter socket in the car, basic first-aid kit, SPOT locator, sleeping bag per person and tent.

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To enter the slopes of Morocco you have to be well equipped with support elements

Despite there being different engines for the Panda, choosing the same car model allows teams to feel more supported when it comes to finding a spare part or completing their mechanical knowledge to solve those unforeseen events that may arise in cars over 20 years old. .

Machine

In our case, after studying the possibilities of the cars that were offered in the second-hand market, we acquired a Fiat Panda Trekking 4 × 4 from 92 with 1100 engine and 5-speed gearbox. The Panda is a type of car that is all the rage in rural areas and, despite its apparent workload, it is in the countryside where you can see units circulating in better condition. More specifically, the Panda 4 × 4 is usually found in mountainous areas where winters are harsher.

To prepare the Panda, which was already in very good condition when we acquired it, all we needed was cleaning the engine, changing the spark plugs, cables, a broken timing belt cover -important so that no dust enters-, new delco, some connection cable and little else. We had to put two cigarette lighter sockets and a manual switch for the electric fan. We also changed the bumpers, which had broken brackets and did not hold well for new ones - very cheap, by the way - and some broken molding.

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Leaving the mountain to go into the desert ...

Spare parts are easy to find, there are numerous pages to choose from, and Fiat still has a few.

For the skid plate, which became essential during the trip, we started with a certain advantage. The 4 × 4 models come from the factory with an H-shaped skid plate that only needs to be lined. For this we took it to the workshop that was in charge of installing it, and we also took the opportunity to weld two towing rings.

Also in our trustworthy workshop they fixed some rust spots on the doors and placed a couple of seats that we provided, which were much more comfortable and enveloping than those that the model brings from the factory. The latter is highly recommended, since you spend many hours sitting behind the wheel.

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Skid plate and somewhat more comfortable seats are two things that should not be overlooked

Inside, apart from the front seats, the rear and the tray were also removed, leaving the belts that served us to hold part of the luggage. Our intention was - and is - to leave the Panda of origin again when the trip was over.

Regarding the lights, we changed the original R2 bulbs for halogen ones with a European H5 socket. As the installation already has the corresponding relays that allow the change, there was no problem. We also found a specific auxiliary light kit for the Fiat Panda, Lester brand that was integrated into the grill. You can see it in the photos and I find that it is very aesthetic.

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El viaje

Our team left from Mallorca and we had the possibility of doing the verifications in Madrid or Algeciras. Due to the combinations of the ferry routes we decided to go directly to Algeciras and thus we saved a few kilometers. The ship left us in Valencia at 20:00 p.m. on Friday, March 7, and without incident we arrived in Totana, in Murcia, where we spent the night in a very comfortable hotel.

The next morning we set out on the road to the town of Cádiz and the car behaved very well, only on the climbs it was a bit difficult for it to rebuild itself and sometimes it felt overwhelmed by some trucks that circulate today on our roads. We also met the odd Panda who was carrying our same destiny.

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1- Arrival in Algeciras
2- To the ferry, the adventure begins

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We arrived in Algeciras without incident and after the rigorous visit to the recommended tapas bar and the consequent nod and tribute to Paco de Lucía, we headed to the verifications. There we met with fellow travelers and the organization's staff and proceeded to carry out the mandatory procedures. Then, a full tank and the hotel to rest.

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Written by Miguel Angel Menendez

Miguel Ángel Menéndez, a fan of adventure, tells us how he did in this year's Panda Raid.

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