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Sun. May 12th: Tuckered Out? Then Visit a Firehouse

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

<– Day 8 – Sat. May 11th: Fire Engines, 16,000 Toys and A Destroyer  | Trip Overview | Day 10 & 11 – Mon. May 13th Rest & Tue. May 14th: Crust, Raisins, and Smoked Pork –>

On Sunday we spent the day sightseeing.

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Sunday’s drive was a short one down to Ypsilanti and back.

On Sunday Ann and I drove down to Ypsilanti, MI, which is about an hour south of where we are staying in Fenton, MI. Our goal was the Ypsilanti Automotive Heritage Museum (aka Miller Motors), which has a real Tucker and a fiberglass fake Tucker (or so I’m told) made for the Tucker movie.

Ever since I learned Ypsilanti was home to Preston Tucker, I’ve wanted to visit this museum. So, I triple checked the website to make sure it was open on Sunday. The site confirmed this was true. Confident the museum would be open, we arrived at noon Sunday, only to find the museum closed. I was bummed.

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So sad . . . I looked in all the windows.

Brian had mentioned the Michigan Firehouse Museum in Ypsi was worth a look. So, we decided to check that out. It consists of an old renovated fire station with a building extension that housed different types of fire trucks, fire fighting equipment, and information. It is a fine exhibit, but after Saturday’s experience with Jim Dobson, our fire-museum quality bar was set pretty high.

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Climbing at the Cultus Hole

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

Ron shared this classic jeeping picture. Thanks for sharing!

“Here’s an old picture from one of my jeeping trips, back in the day. This was in September of  1969. Pictured here is a friend of mine at a place called Cultus Hole, which is west of Yakima, Washington in the Cascade Mountains. He is now a rancher in the Columbia Basin and the last I heard he still has the Jeep sitting out by one of his barns, and he still fires it up occasionally and drives it around the ranch. It is a CJ3B of course, and I think it is a 1953 model, but I’m not positive on the year. The modifications on it were pretty standard for that era; a small block Chevrolet engine (283 cubic inches), an overdrive unit, a roll bar, and oversized tires and wheels are some of the things I remember, although I’m sure he had made many more modifications. The trips he and I made in our Jeeps were always memorable, to say the least.”

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1962 CJ-3B Fruit Fly Sprayer Photo **SOLD**

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

UPDATE: **SOLD** Was on eBay

How about this unusual photo.

“You are bidding on an original press photo from 1962 featuring Fruit Fly Spraying Dick Burke getting things set on jeep sprayer before going out to the home where fruit flys were found . Photo is 10” x 8” in size.”

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Cragstan Tin Jeep, Boat, and Trailer on eBay

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

This looks like a nice set.

“This 1960s CRAGSTAN (Japan) JEEP CJ3 WITH “QUEEN” BOAT AND TRAILER are in Near Mint original condition, in their original box. The 15.5-inch long tin toy has a few minor paint abrasions and box rub. The 7.25-inch long Jeep has a working friction motor. The interior is nicely detailed and lithographed, and the top is nicely fringed. The rubber tires are like new, and the tin hubcaps are lightly age tarnished. The 8.25-inch long boat and motor are lightly scuffed and scratched. The crank up motor works well. The 7.25-inch long boat trailer is like new. The colorful original box is complete, but has minor edge tears, scuffs and a few light stains.”

View all the information on ebay

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Sat. May 11th: Fire Engines, 16,000 Toys and A Destoyer

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

<– Day 7 – Fri. May 10th: From Iron Mountain to Mackinaw City | Trip Overview | Day 9 – Sun. May 12th: Tuckered Out? Then Visit a Firehouse  –>

On Saturday morning May 11, we hoped to escape the cold of Northern MIchigan’s Mackinaw City by driving south. Our goal was Brian’s house in Fenton, MI, where he planned to take us out to dinner at the French Laundry (more on that tomorrow). He’s outdone himself with his generosity and hospitality, so many thanks to him!

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On Saturday we drove from Mackinaw City to Bay City, then southward to Fenton.

Saturday’s first stop was the Antique Toy and Firehouse Museum in Bay City, MI. I can’t remember how I learned about this museum, but it was a wonderful treat.

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When we arrived, there was only two other vehicles in the parking lot. We took a few pictures of the outside and headed into pay. When we stepped inside the door, the foyer was empty; there was no one was around to take our money. I yelled, but didn’t get an answer. I checked the door to make sure the open-sign said ‘open’; it did. I checked the prices and discovered it cost $7 per adult, but they were running a mother’s day weekend special, so Ann didn’t have to pay. Therefore, I laid $7 on the museum’s till and we began our tour.

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Wow. Wow. Wow! There were toy automobiles neatly arranged everywhere. We’d later learn that more than 12,000 toy vehicles were displayed. Another 4,000 were awaiting display. As Ann and I looked around a man in a scooter and a young boy appeared, said hi, then went to the front. We told them we’d paid, and the man didn’t say much, he just continued to the front.

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As we made additional progress through the different rooms a man in a wheel chair appeared. He was very friendly and began to explain the history of the different items. After a while, it became apparent that this wasn’t just a museum, it was one man’s collection: Jim Dobson.  The man who was helping us (I missed his name) pointed out one wall where Jim had placed signs related to some of the companies he’d founded or been involved with. It was a long list.

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6 1950 Flatfender Camper Negatives on eBay

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

Anyone know the history behind this wild rig? This auction ends soon.

“This auction is for SIX original,vintage c.1950 B/W film photo negatives showing trailer Jeep.The negative was converted to positive to see the image.Enlarged at a scan for better viewing.As shown at a scans.Please see DETAILED scans for condition”

View all the information on ebay

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Marx Jeep & Trailer with Box **SOLD**

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

UPDATE: **SOLD** Was on eBay.

This appears in great shape.

“This auction is for a terrific LOUIS MARX & CO. Willys Jeep with trailer and LIGHTS!!. This thing is new in the original box and is untouched by any kids. The battery area is pristine and has never seen a battery. The trailer hitch on the bottom of the jeep has never been swung out to accept the trailer. The original instructions are included and they are in the box(they are very yellow and very brittle). The pictures show some of the condition of the instructions. The outside box had water damage at one time but it’s not bad as the pictures show. The colors are terrific and there are very few chips and scratches. This truly is a choice piece that I found.”

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