After contemplating for a while we decide to put a new gearbox and engine into AvantiB. Why? The old DAF was still running ok; but it started showing some signs of and old engine. Getting spare parts was becoming more difficult and especially the problems we had since over a year with the Dutch supplier of not being able to deliver a turbo that was not leaking.

While the engine, a DAF 575 DS - Turbo, was running great and clean when under load, it was smoky when running with low revs, which is mostly the case when running at 6 km/h on French canals. You hear the sounds of the DAF on its last day in the background.

So Mattmüller GmbH in Weil am Rhein looked at all the options and recommended a, Iveco non-turbo engine, with a little bit more horse power (150 instead of 120) than the DAF. Measuring all, making sure that the transmission ration was correct for the current propeller and that everything fit (including old engine out and new in without cutting holes into wheelhouse or hull) took its time. When the decision was finally made it just took a while until Iveco could deliver the engine and custom made gearbox.

Here we see Bodo starting to dismantle the engine.