The 2018 Willys Rally at Hueston Woods in College Corner, Ohio, takes place this June 1-2. Learn more here: http://www.mw-willysjeep.com

This weekend is the Midwest Willys Reunion. The weather shouldn’t be too hot, but there may be some scattered thunderstorms. Here’s a schedule of events.

I couldn’t attend this year’s FC Roundup, but Joe-in-Mesa filled in and snapped some pics for us. Thanks Joe!

Joe left and Craig Brockhaus on the right chatting and waiting for the door prizes to be distributed.

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UPDATE: The FC Roundup starts next Friday! I can’t believe we are already approaching late March!

15th ANNUAL JEEP FORWARD CONTROL ROUNDUP
March 23-25, 2018 1600 W. Colter St. Phoenix, Arizona 85015

This is your personal invitation to the “Most Excellent” FC-Only event. We invite all FC Owners and friends of Jeep Forward Controls.

It is our pleasure to invite you, with or without your Vehicle. This is where you will see some of the best authentic and original restored, ongoing projects or modified FC and FleetVans. You can learn a lot in a weekend, see the Military models of FCs, take detailed pictures, talk to other owners. Bring your FC items, toys, memorabilia, photos, artwork, literature, and manuals to display. See new FC related products and parts and special tools. FC Roundup event hats, T-shirts, will also be available. There is no charge for the event.

We are always so very grateful for your donation of any FC related items that are given away during the Saturday afternoon free raffle. Also on Saturday are the large BBQ Hot Dogs and much more, for lunch. Free refreshments daily. One of the best things that happens everyday, is that you are also invited to drive your FC / FleetVan or you might ride in an FC. We have FC-Only groups that cruise to and from breakfast and dinner.

It is important that I mention that our weekend is a very busy time for the Phoenix area, the best weather, Spring Training, and many other events. So book your hotel, before they are sold out. The nearby Grand Canyon University, (GCU Hotel on the internet) is the favorite. The 502 Hotel is now closed down. There are other hotels along the NW light rail route that comes from the Phoenix international Airport. Call me for transportation from the Montebello / 19th Ave. light rail terminal stop and for more information about anything, contact me.

Jesse Ybarra 602 321-3675 m677jeep@cs.com

Will wanted to remind everyone about his event this coming fall.

Seth shared this unusual opportunity. This Spring a group is crossing Greenland. The event is auctioning off a seat. The price starts at a meager $25k. Learn more on eBay

https://www.ebay.com/itm/202211917676

Casey shared this followup reminder about the Willys Rally. They expect a bigger crowd this year due to the recent JP Magazine article.

Dan plans to hold his FC Jamboree again this year. It should be a great time!

The Bantam Festival will be opening its registration on January 10th. New events this year include a Jeep pull (pulling weighted sled), Jeep decorating, an Invasion after party, some games of Jeepardy, and more.

Tired of the cold? Maybe you should head for Arizona and the 27th Arizona Military Vehicle show January 27th – 28th in Tempe. Our own Joe-in-Mesa will be there with his GPW. The event is sponsored by the Arizona Military Vehicle Collectors Club (AMVCC).

Jerry Huber let me know that they got a kick start on the 2018 Jeep Fest today: online registration for Participants and Vendors is now active! In addition, this year’s Toledo Jeep Fest will expand from one day to three days. Big crowds are expected. You can learn more here:

http://www.13abc.com/content/news/Toledo-Jeep-Fest–465280673.html

Will has chosen Oct 6, 2018, for next year’s Southeast Willys Jeep Get Together. In the meantime, enjoy his summary of this year’s event!

The 2017 Southeast Willys Jeep Get Together is over – but not forgotten. It was a pleasant overcast day in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Willys on display included ‘rust buckets to trailer queens’ and all points in-between. A slight drizzle started as we packed up.

I have only one regret … I didn’t have enough time to meet, visit, learn, talk shop and look for parts …

Whether you made it or not, the following is a recap of the day’s events.

Event Team: We were down 2 team members this year but my wife Teresa stepped up to fill the gap .. we aim to please.
Portrait Photo: Everyone gathered up for a perfect photo by professional photographer David Dietrich [ see the website http://www.southeastwillysjeepgettogether.com/2017.html ]
Food: Fried chicken, bar-b-que, baked beans, cole slaw, rolls, sweat tea and cookies – that’s how we do it in the Southeast
Tech Sessions: Rick Pachowski presented a fine tuned “carburetor tech session”
Lunch ’n Learn: Merlin Hanon’s “Alaska or Rust” was a travelogue for any Willys lover

Merlin and Rick sure get around! :-)

Swap Meet: Numerous vendors sold used stuff … from seats to signs
Trophies: Exhibitors voted for winners: Drew Alverson (who just drove up at the last minute); Russel Crump; Joel Hoffman; Allen Henkel – with Tyler Tedford winning the Chairman’s Trophy
Stats: 8 states were represented (GA, FL, MD, MI, NC, SC, TN, VA) … 33 registrants (both civilian and military and commercial)
Sponsors: We had a ton of giveaways for registrants and the public. [See this years Schedule for a list of all our great sponsors.]
Press Coverage: WLOS TV Producer Ken Corn (Jeep & Military Buff) produced a a great video … See the website 2017 archives [ http://www.southeastwillysjeepgettogether.com/2017.html ]

Perhaps most important was that everything was a stunning success. We didn’t hear any negativity and everyone is looking forward to next year.

Thank you once more to everyone who promoted, planned, produced, sponsored, attended, welcomed, administered, taught, cooked and helped with the Southeast Willys Jeep Get Together. Your support is not something we take lightly and is very much appreciated by everyone connected with helping. What an event!

If I left out someone, call me on it and I’ll make it up to you. Sorry if we didn’t get your e-mail.

P.S. Hope See you next year – October 6, 2018.
P.S.S. If you want to help or be involved, let me know.

Pete forwarded Traci Clark’s article, which includes videos, on the Annual Willys Moab Rally, which enters its ninth year in 2018 (May 18-20). I’ve been wanted to attend for some time, but conflicts have prevented it. And, I’ll miss it again this year as I’ll be at the Midwest Willys Reunion in May.

http://www.fourwheeler.com/events/1711-the-8th-annual-willys-rally-hits-moab/

PHOTO CREDIT: Traci Clark and Four Wheeler Network

CeePee and the Willys Am Tegernsee group enjoyed a beautiful Fall drive through Bavaria. You can see all the photos here: http://www.willys-am-tegernsee.de/?p=2041

CeePee writes, “With some of the most beautiful kind of Bavarian weather we had a great day of jeeping in fall.

Together with some of the finest jeeping people we had everything to make it such an extraordinary day!

Jörg, the photographer, who made those great pictures on our summer convention – despite all the rain – joined us for the whole trip this time. Thanks to his great skills, I‘m able to share these fantastic impressions with you.

After 1300 kilometers round trip to join us on our tour Gero impressed me, when he said: Every single kilometer was worth it coming! Thank you, Gero!

The trip took us along the Tegernsee, over the Achenpass, then to a stop on the Sylventeinstaumauer, Wallgau, with a sensational view of the Zugspitze Massif. We went took a sensational drive to the Walchensee filled with the most beautiful autumn color, then onward with a journey through the Jachenau. The last few miles were driven to Tölz under the direction of the local guide Martin. The premium parking lots in front of the Jailhouse were already reserved by Peter, where we enjoyed a meal of spare ribs and hamburgers. Thankfully there was no rain, so we had lots of opportunity for jeep talk.

A great day, which put that special smile on everone‘s face! We‘ll keep‘em rolling!”

– CeePee

I feel like I have seen these two jeeps somewhere recently ….

Thanks to Gray and Dave for sharing photos form the 2017 Mason-Dixon Willys Jeep Gathering on Sunday. The weather was perfect and both reported they had a good time.

Dave noted, “Great show on a beautiful day, though a bit warm for the end of October in these parts. I didn’t do any counting but, I’m estimating around 10-12 used parts vendors with everything imaginable related to cjs, trucks, and wagons, and around 40-50 jeep vehicles including civilian cjs, the trucks, wagons, FC, Jeepster guys and, the military vehicle group that included a military wrecker, a WWII deuce and several jeeps. All in all, this is a great show that gets better each year. Thanks to the Union Mills Homestead site for having us and to Mike for organizing it.”

Gray added, “Such a great show . Lots of parts for sale and everybody was so nice!”

Below are a mix of Dave and Gray’s photos. The first one shows this year’s award winners:

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Joe-in-Mesa joined the MVPA last weekend (You can track the convoy’s progress here) while they were camped in Williams, Arizona.  He filed this report with photos!:

“I trailered my ’42 GPW up Friday to join in the festivities thru Sunday morning. She ran pretty well, despite not liking cold morning air and me forgetting to tighten the points adjustment securing screw (oops). I understand 47 MVPA vehicles rode into Williams, and our Phoenix area clubs brought up another half dozen-ish. Our AMVCC club treated them to breakfast Saturday morning at the vehicle parking encampment. It was truly a perfect weekend: the vehicles, venue, weather, and so many great people!”

I’ve attached about 14 of the many pics I took, focusing on the jeeps. My GPW shows up at least 5 times since I wanted to include the Rt 66 and Grand Canyon RR images that were the backdrop to the whole event.

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Buz shared some photos from yesterday’s 2017 Southeast Willys Jeep Get Together. He estimated there were thirty jeeps in attendance. http://www.southeastwillysjeepgettogether.com

This first pic is actually from Merlin Hansen. It shows Rick Palchoski (Old Jeep Carbs) holding a clinic at the event.

Here are Buz’s photos:

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This year’s 2017 Tegernsee Convention in Bavaria was, once again, met with some heavy rain. Still, they participants soldiered on with their fun. A professional photographer named Jörg Friedrich took a variety of photos at the event, four of which are shown below. I think we can all relate to that first photo! You can see the rest here:

http://www.willys-am-tegernsee.de/?p=1990

Joe and several others had a chance to show their vehicles at the August 2017 Dover AFB Air Show. He’s shared some pics below (thanks!):

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I spent most of Tuesday on my sister’s roof, then we had a bday party for her in the evening. So, no updates this morning. They’ll resume Thursday morning.

Okay, so I said no updates, but you might enjoy this story by Brian Gabrial on Four Wheeler’s site about a 50th anniversary Jeepster Commando get-together this past Spring in Moab, Utah. Looks like it was a fun event!

http://www.fourwheeler.com/events/1708-jeepster-invasion/

PHOTO CREDIT: Four Wheeler Network

Peter wanted to let you all know that he is holding a Vintage jeep Gathering on September, 17th, in Wyndham, Vermont.

The Vintage Jeep Gathering at Pete’s Camp is a very casual event. We start out with a pancake breakfast at 830am. Most of the morning is spent looking at the old Jeeps and talking with the owners. There are onsite trails, and a group ride leaving around 11am that explores the local back roads and trails. This is a free event,. Breakfast and lunch is available on site on a “donation” basis.

Annual Vintage Jeep Gathering. Sept. 17th, 2017
Pete’s Camp
564 Harrington Road
Windham, VT

contact:. petescampvt@gmail.com

We are enjoying a relaxing weekend at Overbored Racing’s Labor Day Weekend Race in Ethel, Washington.  You can learn more about it here.

Here are some pics from yesterday:

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