Features Research Archives

To Top

Just a Couple Updates Tonight

April 28, 2016 • CATEGORIES: Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.
0

I got back late from Seattle late last night, so just a couple updates. Several readers asked if I got anything done on Biscuit while there, but (as Mitch can attest, because he dropped by) I took an hour to stare at the jeep, but between minor book fixes, caring for dad, and sonny-do projects, I didn’t have  much extra time.

On my way home I stopped by to visit Roy Williams and his friend, Todd Francis. Todd is the 2nd or 3rd largest manufacturer of two-piece high performance VW blocks in the world. He ships them all around the planet. It was a real treat to watch the blocks being milled, drilled, and cleaned. His racing buggy was pretty cool, too. I didn’t have my camera with me, so no pics.

You can learn more about them on Facebook or at his website (which will be receiving a makeover sometime soon).

tf1-vs-aluninum-case-todd-francis

[fb_button]
 
To Top

Hundreds of M-606s

April 28, 2016 • CATEGORIES: Features, M-606 (military CJ-3B), Old Images This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.
2

Blaine spotted this great photo showing hundreds of what appear to be M-606s about ready to be shipped to Iran in 1962. It’s part of an article in the Toledo Blade about the 75th anniversary of the Willys-Overland-produced jeep.

http://www4.toledoblade.com/Automotive/2016/04/25/Toledo-to-mark-Jeep-s-75th-in-August-fest.html

m606s-ready-for-iran

[fb_button]
 
To Top

The Australian Combat 6 & Sportster CJ-5s

April 27, 2016 • CATEGORIES: Advertising & Brochures, CJ5, Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.
3

Maury ran across this rare CJ-5 and figured few people knew about it (I’ve never written anything about it). Kaiser Jeep of Australia built what they called Jeep Combat 6, a CJ-5 derivative. They had Ford 170ci straight 6 motors, the same engine used in the early Mustangs. It was the Australian answer to the Dauntless V6 being installed Stateside.

About 460 Jeep Combat 6 vehicles were made. Of the 460, it is unknown how many were CJ5’s or CJ6’s, as all documented records were either lost or destroyed. The chassis and the tubs were imported from Kaiser’s US plant and assembled with the Ford engines in Brisbane. Here’s photos of 1968 Combat 6 that was for sale about a year ago in Australia:

Combat-6-cj5-australia-4

Combat-6-cj5-australia-3

Combat-6-cj5-australia-2

Combat-6-cj5-australia-1

You can learn more about them at the CJ-3B page (scroll down to the page’s bottom). Here’s an example of a Combat 6 brochure.

According to the 3B page, the Combat 6 marketing didn’t last for long. The Australian arm of Kaiser Jeep dropped the Combat 6 brand, possibly replacing it with the Sportster. As you can see in this ad that was for sale on Australia’s eBay, the Sportster CJ-5 had the inline 6. If anyone has more info, please let me know. I couldn’t find much on these.

sportster-6-cj5-australia-brochure2 sportster-6-cj5-australia-brochure3

[fb_button]
 
To Top

More on APUs

April 26, 2016 • CATEGORIES: Features • TAGS: . This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.
6

Nick and tom have been continuing to research the APUs. They have some additional photos and documents to share, along with a story from Dennis Flynn, a former driver of an APU. Below is his tale, along with a photo of him now and of his former self in an APU.

Dennis-from-apu-combined

Dennis Flynn photographed in an APU jeep and one of him now.

Dennis wrote,

I was 18 I made 3rd class Petty Officer and was put in charge of a 12 man start/tow crew working the flight deck on the USS Hancock CVA-19, Essex class attack carrier built in 1944 scrapped in 1976.

Early version of the jeeps used in the 40’s and early 50’s, the yellow ones were mid 50’s through mid 60’s. and cut down quite a bit. The rear axle was moved to the front and steering was done using two small wheels mounted in the center rear, the hood bulge was done to clear the carburetor since the body was lowered. ( it was like driving a tricycle backwards ) and they were pretty squirrelly to drive. A governor was placed on them to keep the top end at about 14mph.

My friend of mine and myself had one torn down for a valve job and had the ships machine shop mill the head, port the intake and exhaust and we made up a split exhaust manifold and removed the governor. While at sea and when we were not flying we tried out our work. Jim took off at the front of the ship (The flight deck was 888 feet long) By the time he got to the Island he was going 65mph. Then trying to stop (this had brakes on the front axle only and they were not all that great to begin with). He was doing pretty good with getting it stopped when he started running over the 1” arresting cables on the rear causing the Jeep to bounce and really get sideways. Jim did manage to stop it about 8 feet from going over the aft end of the deck. We were going about 20 knots at the time and the flight deck to the water is 68 feet down. We both got a super royal ass chewing from the ships executive Officer but neither of us got busted. (I didn’t lose my Petty Officer stripes that I had just made, but I was also the Ships Captain’s driver so that might have saved me)

I made up a “Bragging Card” for us stating that we set a world’s record for a gas driven vehicle on a flight deck while at sea. Jim is still alive and is one week older than I am and I turned 74 last October. When you are young you think you are invincible, It was a great memory and thankfully no one was killed.”

Speed Record Card

Dennis’ “Bragging Card” for setting a speed record in an APU.

Tom unearthed this government quote for 75 Valentine APUs, one of which would have been Nick’s. Given this info, Nick’s Valentine modified APU (#19) might be the only one left in existence.

25 May 1951 NA-4 Valentine2

Here are some APU related photos:

7585836978_b212b01f6a_o

Continue reading →

[fb_button]
 
To Top

Rebuilding the Ross Steering Box

April 25, 2016 • CATEGORIES: Features, How To This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.
3

ross-steering-gearMaury published a forum-thread on rebuilding his Ross Steering Box. He (and I) thought you all might find it interesting, too. He also wanted to ackowledge Moses Ludel for all his help (read their exchange here).

This is the link to their subsequent installation & alignment thread: http://forums.4wdmechanix.com/topic/747-ross-tl-steering-gear-installation-and-wheel-alignment/

Here’s a note about Maury’s experience:

I suspect everyone knows who Moses Ludel is, as he has been involved with jeeps at a professional level for several decades. As you may be aware, he has written several excellent books on jeep rebuilding and maintenance, including the Jeep CJ Rebuilders Manuals and the Jeep Owner’s Bible. He is the administrator of the 4WD Mechanix website as well.

The original Ross TL steering gear in my 1967 V6 CJ5 badly needed rebuilding, and I really wanted to accomplish this with NOS parts to the greatest extent possible. Late last year, in researching possibilities for having the rebuild work done professionally, I came across a video on Moses’ website about rebuilding the Ross boxes in which he rebuilt one for a client. I contacted him to ask if he was still doing that kind of work on the side. He responded that he is not, but in short order, he got me interested in doing the rebuild myself. Moses offered to assist me through the process by helping me create a pictorial thread on his website, through which he could advise me as I worked through it one step at a time.

The resulting process of finding the parts and fully rebuilding and installing two Ross TL boxes (mine and my brother in law’s) is thoroughly documented in the two threads linked to above. The first thread is on the rebuilding process itself, and the second covers the installation and alignment of the gear. I found the DIY approach to be very rewarding, including the fact that I “had” to acquire several tools I didn’t own or know how to use before.

Moses’ help and advice were invaluable in successfully completing this project. He is a true guru of all things jeep, and I am grateful that he very generously spent so much time guiding me through this process. I hope these threads will be equally helpful to others who decide to try rebuilding their Ross gearboxes themselves.

[fb_button]
 
To Top

Slat Grill Swing Video

April 25, 2016 • CATEGORIES: Features, videos This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.
0

John shared this a while ago. I’m just getting to posting it now. It’s a fun little video, partly because of the music, but also because of the wide variety of camera angles.

[fb_button]
 
To Top

1944 Photo of Windshield Sniper Hole

April 22, 2016 • CATEGORIES: Features, Old Images This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.
2

UPDATE: **SOLD** Was on eBay.

Yes, cigarettes can save lives, too!

“1944- Sgt. Thomas Hill driving down a street in Granville, France, behind a bullet hole in the windshield of his command car. Hole was made by a German sniper’s bullet while Hill was behind the wheel. Hill would have been killed had he not just bent over to light a cigarette.”

1944-09-08-sniper-bullet-window1 1944-09-08-sniper-bullet-window2

 

[fb_button]