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1951 Fire Truck Blitz Wagon **SOLD**

• CATEGORIES: Features, Fire/Police/Industry Vehicles, Willys Trucks • TAGS: , This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: This Fire Jeep Blitz Wagon sold for $14,805 on eBay.

These trucks were made in old forge ny by two gentleman there. Army Armstrong who is since deceased and Al Brussels who still resides in Old Forge, NY. They were made on multiple chassis but the earliest on the jeep chassis. The brand was “blitz buggy” fire apparatus . Not sure why or where that blitz wagon decal on the one listed came from. Many variants can be seen in the old forge fd 100th anniversary book as they were commonly demonstrated at old forge drill school which still exists. A similar picture and some history of the sister truck is on the cj3b page as bill Meyer tells the story of how he obtained his.” (read more about these trucks at the bottom of this post)

This same truck was auctioned back in Sept 2013 on eBay, but didn’t sell:

“3/4 ton class fire truck. Truck was used in the Alcoa Aluminum plant in Badin NC. Truck has siren, red lights and water pumper. No collision damage. No rust through. Body is in very good condition.

6,048 miles. The vehicle does run. It was last driven in Christmas parades several years back and has been in dry storage since. It will need some tune up attention to drive. Fluids are still in the engine. The carburetor may need to be cleaned and the fuel tank may need to be cleaned. We believe the tires are original.

It is original 6 volt.
Estimate 300 gallon water tank.
2 manual hose reels with hose hannay.
2½” fill line with hose
2½” discharge parts
Water pump is PTO (operated under water tank)?”

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1951-fire-jeep-blitz-wagon-truck4

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Topless Tatas for Charity

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

Bill Reiss (from Lime Street Carriage) reports that for the last five years his friend Chantelle Kern, from Maryland, has run the Topless for Tatas charity event.

Bill noted, “She gets 500+ jeeps at Rausch Creek every year for a Breast Cancer Research Fund charity event. This year, for the 1st time, they are having a “Willys only” trail led by my friend Mike Gardner. We have a ’45 (Mike), a ’46 (me in Norm), and a ’47 (Jim Fowler from Missouri) signed up so far ….. there are 7 spots remaining. Last year’s donation to the BCRF was over $25k from a 3-day event!  We’d like to get the Willys trail filled up!

http://www.toplessfortatas.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Official-Topless-for-TATAs-Charity-Wheeling-Event/109270785819148?fref=ts

Here are some of their ‘test’ runs of Rausch Creek:

bill-test-run-rausch-creek1 bill-test-run-rausch-creek2 bill-test-run-rausch-creek3 bill-test-run-rausch-creek4

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Video of the Swedish FC-150AM in Action

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

As Craig put it when he forwarded me the link, this is FC Gold. Below is a video of an original Swedish Scania Vabis FC-150AM. Learn more about the existing FC-150 AM at http://www.thefcconnection.com/fc’s_from_norway.htm. Also, look for glimpses of the FC Minibus as well.

As you watch the video, you’ll be able to view the point at which this photo was taken, though the scene of the photo being taken is cut. The photo comes from the book the “Jeepen i Sverige”:  http://cj3b.info/Finds/FindsSweden.html (looks like a very interesting book!)

According to Even Erlien, both the FC-150Am and the Volvo c202 were built with specification given by the Swedish Army. The Jeep-Scania got round fenders and the Volvo got square. Here’s a comparison of the two:

Swedish Scania Vibas FC-150AM

Swedish Scania Vibas FC-150AM

volvo-c202-4x4

Volvo C202 4×4

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Extended M-38A1s – the Hamilton Mod?

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

Yesterday I re-posted the extended M-38A1 in Hamilton, MT, for sale. A reader named J commented that he had a similar one: same year with the same rear extension using rounded rivets. A third reader, back in 2012, mentioned he had one also (I’ve emailed him for more info). So, the call goes out . . . has anyone seen other, similar M-38A1s with a similar extension? Here’s a review of vehicles with mid section extensions (http://www.ewillys.com/tag/stretched/) and rear extensions (http://www.ewillys.com/tag/extended/)

J has examined his M-38A1 (named Porkchop) closely. He notes no place where the frame appears to have been joined. To him it looks more ‘production’ than ‘motor pool’.  He also hasn’t yet found a VIN attached to it. However, like the M-38A1 from Hamilton, it has a hinged grille, suggesting it’s a pretty early model. One difference between the two is that Porkchop has a mid-section extension as well, similar looking to a CJ-6.

Why are we calling it the ‘Hamilton Mod’? J and I had a little confusion between us when we exchanged emails. But, I kind of like the name. So, until we know more, that’s the new name.

Here’s J’s Porkchop (see more pics and info here at J’s website):

1953-m38a1-extended-hamilton-modFor comparison, here’s the jeep for sale in Hamilton, MT. Identical, no. But, still worth exploring. I’ve emailed the seller to learn some more history.

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Frederick Hartt – A Monuments Man

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

Goose discovered this wonderful photograph of Frederick Hartt, a professor of history and former officer in the Monuments, Fine Arts, and Archives Division of the US Army. He was known as one of the Monuments Men, a group that will have a much higher profile once the new movie comes out February 7 (I already have date night arranged with Ann).

This photograph was published on at Huffington Post, along with a short article about the Monuments Men. Let’s see, hunting lost art with a jeep. I think that might just be my dream job . . .

frederick-hartl-jeep-statue-headIf you plan on seeing the movie, at least one of the scenes shown in the previews is in a cavern. It looks like there are endless bags of gold/currency/valuables on the floor. A similar real scene was photographed on April 7, 1945.

1945-04-07-patton-3rd-army-captures-gold

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