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Norm Needham has come a long way since age 12, when learning to drive in a Land Rover in the bush. |
| He has competed at both club and national level, where he has won the Nissan Trials, Borneo Safari WillowglenChallenge and the All-Terrain Challenge. He is also a familiar face at the Outback Challenge and the Ateco Warn Winch Challenge. | |
| While planning to defend last year’s Nissan Trials win, Norm is more active on the organisational level now withboth club and national competitions. |
Norm says the four-wheel drive competition circuit has introduced him to a lot of good friends who are very supportive of his passion. It has also allowed him to keep up-to-date with the latest technology developments for four-wheel drives.
The downsides of competing, he says, are the lack of consistency in event rules and a lack of common class rules for different events, something he hopes will be changed soon.
When not competing or organising competitions, Norm thinks about his dream car: a four-wheel drive model Lamborghini Diablo, which he says performs like a fast motorcycle. The possibilities?
Norm’s Truck
A tough competitor can’t do it alone, they need a tough truck to be able to pull of the list of competition acheivements such as those listed below.
Norm’s truck certainly stands out from the crowd, being dubbed ‘Yellow Peril’, the faithful Yellow 75 Series Landcruiser ute is a highly Modified and capable machine
Competition Results
1st: Nissan TrialsWillowglen Challenge Borneo Safari All Terrain Challenge All Wheel Drive Club Trophy
Wins and places: Various club and inter-club events
2nd: National class 7 offroad
| Name | Norm Needham |
| Name of Car | Yellow Peril |
| State you Live | NSW |
| Favorite Track | All of them |
| Primary Use | Competitions |
| Make | Toyota |
| Model | 1988 HJ75 |
| Engine | 407 cid small block Chev |
| Capacity | 5750 cc |
| Type | V8 |
| Engine Modifications | Fuel injected; roller rockers; 10;1 comp; plenty of good bits; approx 400 hp |
| Suspension | Modified OME |
| Body Lift | 2″ chassis lift |
| Diff Locks | ARB Air Lockers |
| Driveline Mods | TH400 Hydramatic; vacuum actuated 60 series transfer; 4.11 diffs |
| Chassis Mods | cut off behind rear springs; 2″ lift under spring hangers |
| Wheels | 15×10 steel |
| Tyres | 36×12.5 swampers |
| 2nd Set Tyres (if Applicable) | 33×12.5 BFG MT on armorlite alloy |
| Front Bar | Modified ARB |
| Rear Bar | Custom |
| Side Rails | Custom |
| Winch | 24 volt Hi Mount Warn |
| Snorkel | Safari |
| Body Mods | Custom GRP and alloy step side ute; widened front guards |
| Dual Batteries | redundent 24 volt system for winch |
| Lighting | cibie inserts; IPF 900 spots |
| Radios | GME TX400 UHF |
| Seating | Recaro |
| Towbar | Custom pintle hook |
| Long Range Fuel Tank | Custom 130 litre |
| Other Mods | Heaps of little things |
| Futher Mods Planned | None |
| Other Comments | Built in 1989; only change since then is 24 volt system, 3″ bigger tyres, back to 4.11 diffs from 3.7. oldie but a goodie.In winning team at inaugural Nissan Trials (1989). In winning team Nissan Trials 2001.In winning team at inaugural Willowglen Challenge (2001). In winning team at inaugural All Terrain Club Challenge (Milbrodale 1998). Competed at club level and at national level in Outback Challenge etc. |
