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Around the World in a SEEP called Half Safe

• CATEGORIES: Books, Builds, Features, GPA (SEEP), Unusual • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

half_safe_9FEATURED IN MAY 2009

The next time you are in Perth, Australia, make sure you stop by and see Ben Carlin’s SEEP named Half Safe.  Ben Carlin and his wife navigated their SEEP around the world back in the 1950s.  I found two website’s that chronicle the adventure:  David Brooks shows pictures along with the story and Leisure Wheels has a large article with a single pic.  Below is the beginning of the story and below that are a few pictures.  Ben Carlin also wrote two books about his adventure “Half Safe” and later ““The Other Half of Half-Safe”.

half_safe_8FROM DAVID BROOKS WEBSITE:  “Ben Carlin (1912 – 1981) was born and attended school in Western Australia. While awaiting demobilisation after service in India in World War II, Ben noticed a US amphibious jeep among other war debris, and remarked “You know, Mac, with a bit of titivation you could go around the world in one of these things”. For some never-explained reason, Ben was not certified insane on the spot, and eventually fulfilled his dream ….”

>>CLICK HERE TO READ MORE OF THE STORY<<

Half Safe Pages

SEEP Pages:

 
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Aerial Jeep from Life Magazine

• CATEGORIES: Features, Magazine, Unusual • TAGS: , This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

FEATURED IN MAY 2009

UPDATE:  I found a long discussion, details and the pic below at this website:

From this website, vectorsite.net, I’ll put some of the content just to make sure it isn’t lost.

flying_jeep

“The AirGeep was first flown on 12 October 1958. Apparently it proved grossly underpowered, barely able to fly over a fence, and it was sent back to the shop, where the piston engines were replaced by a single 317 kW (425 HP) Turbomeca Artouste IIB turbine engine. The upgraded AirGeep flew in late June 1959. It weighed 1.1 tonnes (2,500 pounds) and could carry a payload of 550 kilograms (1,200 pounds), including the pilot.

The AirGeep was put through trials for both the Army and the Navy over the next few years. The engine was upgraded again to a Garrett / Airesearch 331-6 engine, which had a higher power-to-weight ratio. For Navy trials, which began in June 1961, the rotorcraft was fitted with floats, and redesignated the “PA-59 SeaGeep”.

* Piasecki wanted to build a bigger and better AirGeep, and the Army Transportation Research Command obliged them by issuing a contract for what Piasecki called the “Model 59K” and what the Army called the “VZ-8P(B) AirGeep II”, which made its first flight in the summer of 1962.

The AirGeep II was similar to the AirGeep, except that the aircraft was “bent” in the middle so that the rotors were tilted fore and aft, it seems to improve forward flight characteristics. The AirGeep II used twin 298 kW (400 SHP) Turbomeca Artouste IIC turboshaft engines, once again linked so that if one failed the other would drive both rotors. One engine could also be coupled to the landing wheels to drive the machine on the ground. The increased power allowed a maximum take-off weight of 2.2 tonnes (4,800 pounds). The pilot and observer had “zero-zero” ejection seats, allowing safe escape if the machine was on the ground and standing still, and there were apparently seats for additional passengers.

As we learned, the rotabuggy was a bit of a failure. However that didn’t stop the military from investigating some type of ‘flying jeep’.  Now, I don’t know if the military really called it the Aerial Jeep or whether it was Life Magazine’s attempt to sell magazines, but the result is a pretty unusual flying machine:

life_magazine_aerialjeep

 
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2012 FC Roundup Report

• CATEGORIES: Event, FC150-FC170-M677, Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

I wanted to extend our thanks to everyone who made our visit at this year’s Roundup memorable and fun.  And a special thanks to Jesse for inviting me to attend, despite the lack of my own FC.  Also, I really appreciated everyone who told me how much they enjoyed reading this website.  Your feedback makes my efforts worthwhile!

On Saturday I was able to win a raffle price, 2 headlight gaskets (courtesy of Roy).  After winning them,  I announced my grand plan to build an FC around the gaskets.  Yes, we’ll build from the front of the FC (fc-150? fc-170? something else) to its rear.  I expect this is going to be a slooowwww project.

I even found the perfect FC project in Tucson as we drove out of town on Sunday morning; well, drove is a stretch.  More like, plodded along due to an overturned semi in Black Canyon whose delivery of vegetables will likely be delayed (though the local rabbits should have some good forage for a while).  Unfortunately, Tucson was in the opposite direction from where we were going and I suspect this incredible deal will be gone by the time I could ever make it back down there.

1961 FC-170 $450: (SOLD quickly after I posted it; it was in Tucson).  Check out the early hubs on this, too.

So, until our FC is complete, I will just have to enjoy looking at and riding in other people’s FCs. Here’s some random pictures from the event.  Thanks again to everyone and I look forward to the FC Get Together in Washington.  If you don’t have an FC, find one and join the fun next year!

 
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Wood Chipper on CJ-2A From FAO Report

• CATEGORIES: CJ-2A, Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

From a Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations  comes a 1950 report that includes this unusual wood chipper possibly developed by the Fitchburg Engineering Corporation (?).

 
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Smithsonian Institute Jeep in Panama

• CATEGORIES: Features, Old Images This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

In this article by Lesley Panilla, Alexander Wetmore Stands Next to a Jeep at Rio Las Tablas, Panama, 1948.  “After a number of visits, correspondence in the collection indicates that Wetmore was using the same Jeep during successive visits. Eventually they painted SM-INS in the front bumper marking it for Smithsonian Institution use (see SIA2008-3201).”

 
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About Those Posts ‘Later’ Tonight

• CATEGORIES: Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: Well, it seems I’ve used up all of ‘tonight’ and am already working on tomorrow, so I will wait til the morning for additional posts.  Ann and I made it to Kanab, Ut, tonight and celebrated with a local dinner.  Now we are spending a romantic evening in bed — she on her iPad and me on my computer — well, it works for us 🙂 … Ann thanks everyone for the birthday wishes!

I just couldn’t resist posting this one pic tonight.  I’m not sure why Steve drove all the way from California just to read a book, but I can’t fault his choice in them!

(From Earlier) Nope, no April fools .. more posts later tonight.  We will be hitting no-service areas soon as we leave Flagstaff . . . well that and it’s officially Ann’s birthday today.  I’d better pay attention to her so that she’ll keep accompanying me on these trips!

 
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Happy April Fools Day!

• CATEGORIES: Features • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

I’m not sure if this is an April Fool’s picture or just some fool posing with a purse.  I’d like to claim alcohol was involved, but, sadly, nope, that’s just me with Ann’s purse trying to make her laugh.  I should have checked to make sure her camera was still in the bag.  Behind me is Bernie’s Custom FC with some beautiful custom work, which I will share later.  We are just about packed to start our journey northward.

 
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The FCs Hit Interstate-17

• CATEGORIES: FC150-FC170-M677, Features • TAGS: , This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Just one update tonight as we are tired from a fun filled day at the FC Roundup.   As we were heading back to Jesse’s from dinner we took to the highway for a few miles.  Now, I never thought in my wildest dreams that I’d be heading down the Interstate in Phoenix at night in a FC Tour Jeep full of people, let alone traveling at over 60mph and passing other vehicles!  For Ann and I it was a perfect ending to a great weekend!  More pics and info tomorrow.

Here’s what it looks like at 56MPH in a Tour Jeep with Craig driving (we hit 63MPH at one point), his wife recording the speed and my better half taking a photo.  I don’t remember all those lights, but then I was looking out the side as we passed other vehicles.  Maybe we hit warp speed and I just wasn’t paying attention?  Jason reached 67MPH in his FC Tour Jeep, perhaps setting a new land speed record for Tour Jeeps!?!

 

 
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Friday at the 2012 FC Roundup

• CATEGORIES: FC150-FC170-M677, Features • TAGS: , This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Ann and I had a wonderful time at day 1 of the FC Roundup.  It was great to match faces with names of people I have corresponded with for years.   We spent the start of our visit with Glenn and Colin discussing some of the unusual history of Willys Overland they uncovered recently.

From Left to right is Colin, me and Glenn

As Glenn had to take off, we soon found ourselves on a quick tour of Phoenix in Jason’s FC Tour Jeep.  Our quick tour turned into a rollicking ride through Phoenix as its citizens tried to figure out what kind of vehicle was ferrying this crazy group of people.  Without hills or dales to wander, we stuck to city streets, waving at all the people who were waving back at us.   Canadian Dave was at the helm, navigating the roads of Phoenix like any true Canadian would do … very politely.  He didn’t cause a single person to flip us off.

Pretty soon we got thirsty, so we tried to hunt down a Sonic Burger.  Unsuccessful on our own, Jason had an opportunity to ask “Big Willy”, a guy next to us wearing a “Big Willy” shirt, if he knew where the closest Sonic Burger place was.  Big Willy responded with a point of his finger to our right.  Unsure if Big Willy was being accurate or just trying to get rid of us so he could continue driving in traffic, we followed his directions and found the cold drinks we sought.

After our cold drinks, instead of going back to Jesse’s house and the roundup, we soon found ourselves traveling to the airport to pick up Vance.  I jumped in to ride shotgun so I could provided directions to the airport; however, my phone’s GPS failed me in our hour of need.  Fortunately, Jason’s navigation came through and we found the airport.  Now, if you’ve never ridden an FC Tour Jeep through a set of airport terminals, I can highly suggest it.   People were smiling and waving … I’ve never seen so many happy people at the airport!!

Eventually, we made our way back to Jesse’s (after a bathroom stop at Valero).  After hanging out there for a little while, we all piled into FCs for a trip to dinner.  Ann and I jumped back into Jason’s FC.  This time, instead of Canadian Dave driving, Jason took the wheel and drove us over to a motel to pick up one more rider before heading to dinner.  As we innocently pulled up to the door of the motel, Jason honked the FC’s horn.  It just so happened at that moment a woman was walking forty feet or so in front of the FC.  The honk startled the woman.

Hearing that honk, the woman’s dog leapt forward, causing the woman to jerk forward too.  The woman thought the honk was for her, so she turned around and gave us the look of death.  Then, she gave us the one-fingered salute.  Yes, it took Jason only a few minutes of driving to have someone flip us off.  She might not have been very happy with us (she would flip us off a second time, too), but she made us laugh all the way to dinner.

More form the Round up tomorrow ….

 

 
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Creation of a Nuffield Gutty Airborne Jeep in Australia

• CATEGORIES: Airborne Lightweight Jeeps, Features, Unusual • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

I ran across a story on G503 about the creation of a Nuffield Airborne Jeep in Australia.  The details of the build are great!

Link to g503 story: http://www.g503.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=188540

You can view another Nuffield Gutty on my post about lightweight jeeps.

 
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Welcome R&P 4WD

• CATEGORIES: Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

R&P4WD has now joined as a sponsor, so many thanks to them!

They’ve been in the Jeep business since 1989,  the core of what they do consists of 11″ drum brake parts and  conversion kits, Front and rear bolt on disc brake conversions, and custom built jeep axles front and rear (wide track, narrow track, WIllys truck/wagon Dana 44’s and 60’s in high or low pinion) Full floating axle conversions, (Warn spent alot of time in their shop working the bugs out of Warn’s full float kits), high steer components  (knuckles, arms ect), HD DOM tie rods and drag links,  t18 conversions (to GM, buick, and AMC).

You can locate them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/#!/RP4WD or visit their website at http://www.r-p4wd.com.

 
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Anyone Recognize This Vehicle?

• CATEGORIES: Features, Unusual This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

I found this picture of Henry J Kaiser sitting in this jeep, but I can’t tell what kind of jeep it is.  It looks like a cross between a flatfender (front) and M151 (rear).  I am wondering if it was a prototype of some sort.  Anyone recognize it? Note the four bolt rims.

 
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FC Roundup March 30-31, April 1 2012 Phoenix, Az

• CATEGORIES: Event, FC150-FC170-M677, Features • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE:  We are all ready for tomorrow.  Can’t wait to meet everyone!

FC and FleetVan Owners,
Once again I am reminding everyone that this is your invitation, to an event dedicated to the rescue and recreation of Jeep Forward Control and FleetVan vehicles and their owners. Your attendance, as Owners, is the most important part of our event. We have added the invitation to FJ3 – FJ6, Jeep Fleet Vans, these are Forward driven as well. There is no charge to this event and we have a raffle of donated FC related parts and products. Please Donate what you can to the free raffle, if you have something that you think someone might want for there FC or FleetVan, then we need it here. All donated FC-Related items are appreciated for the Saturday raffle.
2012 event T-shirts, the embroidered logo, pocket shirts and hats are again coming back and are always available.
Hot dogs, chips, beans on Saturday and anytime refreshments will be free anytime. Also on display that are available will be some new FC products. Your FC-vehicles, in what ever stage of completion they are in: authentic show total restoration, original unrestored, farm, snow plow, tractor, dune buggy, street rod, restored daily driver, repowered, not running, chassis, rusted, wrecked, good, bad or ugly, all FCs, literature, photos, parts of FCs, will be welcome. This is a large gathering of only FC and FleetVan Jeeps, these vehicles are on display, but without judging or awards.

Nearby Hotels are filling fast see the websites
http://www.comfortinn.com/hotel-phoenix-arizona-AZ824
http://www.daysinn.com/DaysInn/control/Booking/property_info?propertyId=06311&as_srp=SP2&cid=carat_search-Days_Inn&variant=

Here are a few last minute details:
We will be driving as a group in FCs to breakfast every morning and also to Dinner some of the nights.
Parking on my property is for FCs / FleetVans only, no exceptions.
Absolutely no smoking near the vehicles, the vehicles on display have vented gas caps.
A smoking area will be provided away from Vehicles.
I love all Children and Dogs, but this event is about FCs, at my house, I will (I have had to) ask people to leave, if you come here with any animal that is not on a leash at your side, Small Children must also be near there parents at all times.
All vehicles on display have owners, please have respect of other peoples property, do not open any doors or sit in anyone’s vehicle, without the owner being present.
It is unfortunate that the fuel prices continue to increase and causing some grief to all of us. I am very grateful to all of you, that are bringing vehicles from far away. I am also grateful to know about all the continued efforts, that some of you have done, that will be bringing new vehicles this year.

Thank You

http://www.thefcconnection.com/2012_fc_roundup_information.htm

 
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2012 Bantam Festival Update

• CATEGORIES: Event, Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

 
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Burn Notice (TV Show) Wants a Pink Surrey for an upcoming episode

• CATEGORIES: Event, Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Colin alerted to this:  Production Assistant for Burn Notice Brandy Maruschak is hoping to locate a pink Willys Surrey in South Florida for sometime between April 4 and April 12, 2012.  They only need the vehicle for two days.  The script specifically calls for a pink one. If you have a pink Willys Surrey, email me and I will forward Brandy’s information.

 
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Trip Update 2

• CATEGORIES: Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Ann and I arrived in Mesa, Arizona, yesterday after a night of camping at Natural Bridges National Monument and a long day of driving through the desert.  After a couple of margaritas and the ‘chuletas con chile rojo’ from Nandos last night, I was done for the day.  So, rather than updates last night, look for some  some updates in a few hours after I catch up on email.  In the mean time, enjoy a few of the pics we took on our way through Utah.

On Tuesday one our first stops of the day was at Goblin Valley State Park.  If you’ve ever seen the movie Galaxy Quest, then you’ve seen some footage of this unique park.

As Ann and I walked around the park, we spotted an opportunity for our own unique photo op.

After spending the night at Natural Bridges National Monument, we spent two hours touring the park.  We didn’t see another car or hiker the entire time.  I joked that I had rented the park for Ann for the entire morning.  At Natural Bridges we hiked down to the oldest of the three bridges, Owachomo, and shot this photo.

 

Here is an iconic shot at Monument Valley.  I always thought this was in Northern Arizona.  It turns out it is just south of Mexican Hat, Utah, and just north of the Arizona Border.

 
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“Private Breger” Postcards

• CATEGORIES: Artists/Drawings, Features, Postcards This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Here’s are three postcards with jeeps by Sgt Dave Breger at postcard collectors.

On the left the caption reads, “I would hafta deliver a message to the Colonel when his orderly is sick”.  On the right it reads, “‘Should bars! Get your lieutenant’s shoulder bars here.'”

At the bottom of this card it reads “He wants to ride in front.  He’s getting carsick back here.”

 
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Retro Toy Magnet at ETSY for $6

• CATEGORIES: Features, toys • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Someone created this magnet from a vintage Tonka Toy ad.  It can be purchased at ETSY.

 
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Heading South to the FC Round Up

• CATEGORIES: Bantam-FordGP-WillysMA-EarlyJPs, Features • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Ann and I are packing our bags and preparing for our trip down to the FC Round Up tomorrow (Monday morning).  We will be leaving Pasco around 6am and stopping in Boise to drop off some books (hopefully sell some at the coffee shop where I wrote a good portion of the book), grab some fries at the Boise Fry Company and some sourdough at the Boise COOP, and then head further south for Salt Lake where we will spend Monday night.  Tuesday we will be heading through Utah and stopping somewhere near the Grand Canyon.  We’ll be in Mesa Wednesday evening.

If you are along our path through I-84/I-15 let me know and we’ll see if we can swing by for a quick visit.

We just completed a few new t-shirts.  It’s the Bantam design I’ve been playing with for a year.  We bought some random shirts and tried the design with different colors.  The picture below is pretty crappy, so use your imagination.

 
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New FC Concept Vehicle to be Unveiled at Moab

• CATEGORIES: Artists/Drawings, Event, Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Mark from jeeptruck.com forwarded this press release.

“Jeep® and Mopar have teamed up once again to produce a selection of concept Jeep vehicles for the 46th annual Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah. The Jeep Mighty FC concept, Jeep J-12 concept and the Jeep Wrangler Apache are three of six new vehicles that will be shown to enthusiasts in Moab, March 31 – April 8. Look for more on all of these new vehicles later this month.”

Here are pics of the FC & J-12

 
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Duncan & Kim Rolls and their ‘Kids’

• CATEGORIES: Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

I ran across this great photo taken by Thad Allton of the Rolls’ and their Bantam BRC and Bantam BRC-60.  They were featured in the Topeka Capital-Journal article while attending the MPVA’s 2010 Annual Convention.  The article includes a funny story about how Duncan warned Kim about his obsession with jeeps, only to find out she herself had a restored M-38A1.  Clearly, it was love!

http://cjonline.com/news/local/2010-07-07/rare_world_war_ii_jeep_replicated

 
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Roberto Illustrations & Roberto Himself

• CATEGORIES: Artists/Drawings, Features • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

We often get to see Roberto’s Illustrations, but rarely Roberto himself. It seems he likes to paint himself as much as he does his canvases :-).  Visit Roberto Flores at his website to see more.

This is a pic of me posing with another canvas in process!

The “dibujo-m38-uruguay-END.jpg” is another commissioned order drawn for an Uruguayan customer, and is a present for another fellow jeeper.

Here are two others just for fun:

 
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Kissing in a Jeep

• CATEGORIES: Features, Old Images This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

I ran across a couple of kisses in/on a jeep.  So, here they are:

This image isn’t in great shape, but captures the awkwardness of kissing in a jeep.   I think this photo is from 1949?  But could be 1944.

This picture comes from a post by Ransom Rings at Mentalfloss.com.

From the G503 site comes this image:

 
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Swamp Jeeps

• CATEGORIES: Features, Racing • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Tim Dolan from Willysjeep.com forwarded these great videos of Swamp Racing in Florida.

Continue reading

 
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Some Ford GP videos at Criticalpast.com

• CATEGORIES: Bantam-FordGP-WillysMA-EarlyJPs, Features, videos This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Mark’s brother spotted some jeep videos at Criticalpast.com.

I’ve never seen this rollover:  http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675030113_army-jeep_test-driving_Ford-model-jeep_jeep-flips-over

Here is another video.  I’ve seen just a small clip of this much longer version.

http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675059288_jeep_Australian-soldier_upturned-jeep_rough-terrain_scout-car

Here’s  a good video of a Ford GP going up and down a hill:

http://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675030018_Ford-Jeep_rough-terrain_Edsel-Ford_army-officer_modified-jeep-tires