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Thumbs Up for a Champaign Storm

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

We’ve stopped in Champaign for the night. Just as we entered the city, a storm arrived. By the time we found the statute of movie critic Roger Ebert, which sits outside the Virginia theater in Champaign, Illinois (now showing John Wayne in Red River), sheets of rain could be seen and gnarly clouds were everywhere. We saw lightening and heard the thunder that followed. Thankfully, there was no rain falling on us. All three of us thought it made for a great storm, worthy of three thumbs up!!

2019-07-14-champaign-roger-ebert2-lores

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Bernd’s CJ-5 Is Still Working Hard

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

Bernd’s been busy with his CJ-5. Last we saw it, he was using it to set up a local train for a public event in Austria. Recently, he needed to transport a diesel engine to a repair shop. These ordinary, utilitarian-type tasks is exactly how we often used Dad’s jeep.

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1965 CJ-5 Tux Park IV “Surrey” Lake Murray, SC $38,500

• CATEGORIES: CJ5, Features • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Ted shared this unusual blend of a Surrey and a Tux Park. It sure looks nice. The seller doesn’t mention that the Surrey upgrades are incorrect for this model, but the seller is correct that if you want something unique to bring to a jeep event, this qualifies.

https://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/jeep/cj5a/2288471.html?refer=news

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“1965 Jeep CJ-5A Tuxedo Park Mark IV – An “upscale” Jeep was named after the upscale Tuxedo Park in New York, which was the birthplace of the tuxedo. Elvis drove a similar Jeep in the 1965 movie “Tickle Me” which also starred Julie Adams. Tuxedo Park Jeeps were also driven in President Lyndon Johnson’s inaugural parade in January, 1965.

This special edition Jeep came standard with chrome bumpers, wheel covers, column shift, fold-down rear license plate, fold-down windshield, and a little more highway-friendly rear gear. Standard running gear is a 4-cylinder engine and 3-Speed manual transmission. Optional equipment on this one includes the surrey interior & top, 4-Wheel-drive, and “full” passenger seat. It has been retrofitted with seat belts for safety. Just like Elvis’ Tuxedo Park, this one is finished in Marlin Blue. Continue reading

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No Updates Sunday

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

Another long day on Saturday (fortunately, we spent lots of it talking and very little of it driving), so no updates on Sunday. Rusty has a new home. After a short visit with Merlin Hansen to see his new place, we are heading home. We should make it to Champaign, IL, by Sunday evening, where we plan to take a photo with Roger Ebert.

This April 22, 2013 photo provided by Thompson-McClellan shows a bronze statue of Pulitzer Prize winning film critic Roger Ebert giving his famous 'thumbs up" sign in Champaign, Ill. The statue will be unveiled Thursday, April 24, 2014, outside the Virginia Theatre in Champaign where Ebert held his annual film festival. Ebert died in April 2013.  (AP Photo/Courtesy of Thomspon.McClellan)

This April 22, 2013 photo provided by Thompson-McClellan shows a bronze statue of Pulitzer Prize winning film critic Roger Ebert giving his famous ‘thumbs up” sign in Champaign, Ill. The statue will be unveiled Thursday, April 24, 2014, outside the Virginia Theatre in Champaign where Ebert held his annual film festival. Ebert died in April 2013. (AP Photo/Courtesy of Thomspon.McClellan)

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Cletrac M2 in 1943

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

Update: this looked like a modified MB to me at first, but smarter folks than I straightened me out!

Kees Heids spotted this ‘tracked jeep’ in a Frontline segment on WWII. It looks different from the O’Laughlin.

You can see the jeep between timestamps 11:55 – 11:58. It appears only for a brief couple of seconds.

Here’s the pic:

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Here’s the video:

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Man Killed When Vintage Jeep Falls off Block

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

Patrick spotted this story.

The Ridgecrest, California, earthquake resulted in a one death. The man who died was working on a flat fender when (they presume) the quake knocked the jeep off of the jack and blocks and onto him. I couldn’t say if he was an eWillys reader, but none-the-less my deepest sympathies go out to his family.

There’s more information here: https://people.com/human-interest/nevada-man-killed-earthquake-working-on-jeep/

Be careful out there!

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Beautiful Weather For a Drive

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

No updates today. They’ll resume Thursday morning.

We spent all day yesterday driving. Thankfully, the skies were beautiful and the temps moderate. A perfect day for towing.

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