The L200 Pickup Truck for the 33rd Brigade Is Ready — We're Set to Go!
In response to a request from a unit of the 33rd Brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine for an off-road pickup to transport a mortar, we secured a vehicle and then carried out the necessary modifications and preparations.
The vehicle initially had mud tires, which would have been ruined on the 2,500 km journey. Luckily, we managed to acquire a set of complete wheel assemblies for the L200, perfectly suited for long-distance travel and moderate off-road use. These were donated by Mr. Josef Tomsa, who had originally listed them for sale but decided to give them to us free of charge after learning about the vehicle's mission.
We had to fix a fuel system issue — diesel fuel would drain when the car was idle too long, and the engine had to be manually primed. The RADAC company performed this repair free of charge, diagnosing a fault in the fuel pump. Given the cost, we opted not to replace it. Other fixes included repairing the windshield washer system and returning the engine preheating function from a manual button back to its original ignition key setting. RADAC also mounted the donated wheels onto the truck.
During pre-departure testing, we discovered weak headlights. Pavel Hanuš treated and restored the headlights for us — again, free of charge.
The truck bed is 180 cm long, which is enough to carry a mortar and ammunition. Because the weapon must remain concealed during transport, we needed a hardtop cover. This was built from steel tubing by Václav and Petr Lukeš, who did an incredible job. Despite not having the vehicle on-site and working only from documentation and a template, the structure fit perfectly.
Next came washing, painting the hardtop, bumper, and shiny vehicle parts to minimize light reflection, creating a stencil for the hardtop, and repairing the seats — upholstery work done by David, Tereza, and Anna Riedl.
We named the truck "Pavel" in honor of a dear friend and exceptional person who sadly passed away in 2021 due to Covid-19.
Heartfelt Thanks to Everyone Involved:
-
Mr. Josef Tomsa for donating the wheels
-
RADAC for all the repair and service work
-
Pavel Hanuš for restoring the headlights
-
Václav and Petr Lukeš for the beautifully made hardtop
-
Anna, Tereza, and David Riedl for their work on the truck
Thank you to all donors who made the purchase and modification of this vehicle possible!
Together to victory!
We will endure because we must, because we want a better world for our children.
СЛАВА УКРАЇНІ! ГЕРОЯМ СЛАВА!
Glory to Ukraine! Glory to the heroes!
