Monthly Archives: October 2010

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Hein & Family Explore Oz in a Jeep

• CATEGORIES: International, Reader Stories, Trips This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Hein, his wife and their daughter took a 16 day trip in September, 2010, into Australia’s Outback.  Hein provides this report and these images of his great adventure. If you missed it, one of their more memorable encounters was with the Camel Man, which I reported a few days ago.  Thanks for taking the time to share this with us Hein!

Hein writes, We had a Fantastic trip through the Outback, not totally without its “interesting” moments! We broke the trailer chassis completely on day 2,  blew a tyre in the middle of the desert and had to replace that, but the Jeep ran like clockwork trough some extremely harsh terrain.

Some of the roads were so corrugated that even with soft tyres we vibrated clean off the road at 20 to 40 kmh; then there were other sections where we plowed differential-deep trough clay and mud for hundreds of kilometres at a time, but all in the name of FUN!

We covered over 7,000 km (4350 miles) in the 2 weeks, 80% off sealed roads, and camped wherever we got to each day. The average fuel-consumption was just a fraction better than my 7.5 km/L expected, with the average price of fuel about $ 1.75 /L due to transport-costs to these remote locations.  It was certainly a trip to remember!

Day 1) We left Brisbane heading due-west trough some farming-country and camped on the bank of an abandoned road-quarry with looming rain-clouds Everywhere!

Day 2) It rained quite heavy during night.  We had to pack-up in the rain and head out further west into ever more sparsely populated areas, encountering the first of many roads closed or severely-damaged due to flooding.  As a result: the next town was already out of Fuel! The last 100 km of Adventure-Way into Innamincka was barely passable even in 4wd. We passed a few abandoned trucks already stuck axle-deep, pummeled by constant rain.

The light was fading and we had no idea where or if we are going to reach somewhere to sleep. Needless to say, the family was extremely Anxious and Scared! Well after dark we continued travelling, the road now an Absolute Quagmire that the Jeep can barely crawl trough in 2nd/3rd gear.

As we approached about the hundredth floodway (normally dry , now a Raging-River), this one more churned up than most by some previously-stuck truck, I had to really nurse and cajole the jeep to get trough. Slip, slide, bounce, repeat was the process until we barely make it up the opposite bank.

However, there was a casualty, the trailer now sat at a Very Disturbing angle. I launched myself out with the camera and ratchet-strap into the pouring rain and ankle-deep mud, with daughter crying and wife not looking too happy either.  Fortunately, my wife is a farm-girl and trusted that I would make a plan.  A few minutes later I had the trailer strapped together and we limped into town after another half-hour, and one last river-crossing, straight into the Hotel!

Day 3) With the trailer needing repair, I had to unload everything and find Kbong, a local Trucky with the only workshop in town.  After moving the family to a camp in the National Park across the river, I would spend the rest of the day cutting out the remains of the rusted and broken frame.  Then in the afternoon, I built a much-sturdier new, vastly-improved little red-trailer, from the only length of 2 1/2″ Square-tubing in town.  Then, I got to immediately test it by crossing the now flooding river to meet up with the family at the National Park!

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Museums: MB at the Cole Land Transporation Museum

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

This MB is located at the Cole Land Transporation Museum in Bangor, Maine, and has an interesting history.  According to the museum’s website, “his 1945 jeep served with the U.S. Army during World War II in Europe. After the war, it was given to the French government (French nomenclature in still on the dashboard). It was rebuilt by the French, declared surplus, and shipped to Duryea Motors, Brockport, New York in 1982. Galen Cole purchased it for display in the Museum.

Perhaps its greatest claim to fame is that the mold for the Maine World War II Veterans Memorial, located on the Museum’s grounds, was formed around this jeep; therefore, the jeep that is the focus of the Memorial is an exact replica of this jeep. It was chosen as the symbol of WWII because personnel of all branches of the service during that war used jeeps-whether generals, admirals, or privates.”

 
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Tips & Tricks: Sealing Body Seams

• CATEGORIES: Tips & Tricks This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Frank suggested the following, “a suggestion, which I have done myself, is anyone who may be building a Jeep with a new metal body try sealing all the seams where the floor or rear fenders contact the body with urethane sealer (in the caulking tube). It’s about $10 or $15 a tube as I recall. Just make sure that all the surfaces you apply it to are clean and dry.

Since the main reason Jeeps rust (I believe) are all the seams and crevices that hold water, sealing out the water should help. Urethane is also sandable and paintable. It is used for installing windshields on late model cars and trucks which makes the glass an integral and structual part of the body in an accident.”

 
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Champs Sold!

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

Well, I wont’ be sending my kids to college with all my earnings from the sale of the 3 Champs, but I made a little money on the deal and did a good deed for the Champ community.

I have to say that getting a chance to poke around them, seeing how they were built, etc, was an interesting experience.  And, with more time and money, I think they would have been a fun rebuild; however, I am quite pleased to be rid of them!

 
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1947 CJ-2A Concord, Ca **STATUS?**

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

UPDATE:  Price dropped to $2500.  Status unknown.

(08/30/2010) This includes an overdrive.

“Classic Willys rebuilt 4 cly drives well has overdrive. brakes have been upgraded as well as the sterring. I bought this for my Son but since then he bought a classic truck.  What I know starts up every time runs well brakes work well. Very good body the windshield frame and the original seats both available on ebay need tlc. have pink slip and all DMV paper work. Drive it home. Located in Concord. ”

 
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1958 M-38A1 Lindon, Ut **SOLD**

• CATEGORIES: M-38A1 This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: **SOLD** Was $2650.

“Just in time for the HUNT! Small V-8 (305) 235/75R15 Tires (nearly new). Camo paint. (Upholstery is shot.) $2650”

 
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1951 CJ-3A Richmond, Ut $1850

• CATEGORIES: CJ-3A This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE:  Brett learned more about this jeep.  Check in the comments for more info.

Brett forwarded this CJ-3A.  It looks solid, though it will need a few updates to be road legal.

“This is a 1951 Willis Jeep Antique. Has roll bar and canvas top. Good running condition with good tires.”

ksl.com/index.php?sid=0&nid=443&tab=list/view&ad=3204214

 
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1950 CJ-3A Lillington, NC **SOLD**

• CATEGORIES: CJ-3A • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: **SOLD** Was $950.

It appears complete, but probably has rust issues.

“this is a willy’s overland jeep (1950)-needs restored-engine turns over-bought new ignition parts last year but never finished getting it running-has some rust holes(not to bad)-i have original manuals(service and owners)-have fla title (owner signed) but not transferred-was last running in 2001.”

 
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1952 M-38 El Monte, CA **SOLD**

• CATEGORIES: M-38 • TAGS: , This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: **SOLD** Was $5500.

This might not be a bad price depending on the severity of the rust.

“UP FOR SALE IS A 1952 WILLY’S JEEP IN GREAT CONDITION. RUNS GREAT, ALL MAINTENACE RECORDS KEPT. HAS SOME MINOR RUST, BUT IN GREAT CONDITION. INTERIOR IS IN GREAT CONDITION. PINK SLIP. MUST SEE. PLEASE CALL ME WITH ANY QUESTIONS OR ADDITIONAL PHOTOS”

 
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1951 CJ-3A Odem, Tx In-Person Auction

• CATEGORIES: CJ-3A This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Here’s a rough CJ-3A that will be auctioned by www.elcoauctions.com Saturday, Oct 16, at 10AM.

“Saturday, October 16th @ 10am
700 Voss, Odem TX 78370 ( on Hwy 77 at the railroad tracks in the middle of Odem )
Preview Friday,October 15th from 9am till 5pm

1951 Jeep Willys, originally from the Louisiana National Guard, partially restored. It does have the original engine and drivetrain. The engine is not locked up and was running before the owner stored it. Use it for parts or continue the restoration. High bidder gets it!”

http://corpuschristi.craigslist.org/cto/2000862555.html