Across Antarctica in Ernest Shackleton's tyre tracks

Ernest Shackleton was the Antarctic’s first motorist, taking a 12/15 Arrol-Johnston on his unsuccessful Nimrod Expedition to the South Pole in 1907. Open-topped, albeit with modifications including non-freeze oil, a silencer designed to act as a footwarmer and skis for the front wheels, the car was more publicity stunt than a practical form of polar transport, writes Jeremy Hart.

The Hyundai makeover included fitting giant, heavy-duty, low-pressure tyres to help it traverse the icy, rugged surface – spreading its weight until it could run over someone’s hand without them feeling it.

The car’s body had to be raised, with new subframes and suspension, and gears were fitted inside the wheel hubs to cope with the different forces and the need to turn more slowly to run at the same speed.

Jónsson adds: “Other than that it was a pretty standard Santa Fe. The engine, the management system, the transmission, front differential and driveshaft were all completely standard, although we increased the fuel tank capacity to 230 litres, ran on Jet A-1 fuel and installed an engine pre-heater to help in the extreme cold.”

“No comparison, we had modern appurtenances, comparative luxury and an amazing vehicle. But it’s still quite something to be the first to do this in a wheeled passenger vehicle.”

Shackleton, simply the best!
A great leader and truly a man of ‘Endurance’.
Many amazing feats.

And fun bits.
Stowaway on Endurance (from wiki):

...saying to Blackborow, “Do you know that on these expeditions we often get very hungry, and if there is a stowaway available he is the first to be eaten?” To which Blackborow replied, “They’d get a lot more meat off you, sir.” Shackleton hid a grin and after chatting with one of the crew members said “Introduce him to the cook first.”
Blackborow proved an asset to the ship as a steward and was eventually signed on, though under the promise that he would be the first eaten should they run out of food or should the men starve.
Following Endurance’s entrapment and crushing, the crew relocated to Elephant Island. On arrival, Shackleton thought to give Blackborow, the youngest of the crew, the honor of being the first to step on the island, forgetting that his feet had been frostbitten. Helped over the gunwale, he fell in the shallows and was quickly carried ashore.
...On 15 June, with Shackleton and the James Caird crew now away for a month, Macklin, assisted by McIlroy, carried out the necessary amputations. Greenstreet described the operation. “Blackborow had … all the toes of his left foot taken off ¼ inch stumps being left … The poor beggar behaved splendidly and it went without a hitch … Time from start to finish 55 minutes. When Blackborow came to he was cheerful as anything and started joking directly.”

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.