The Pacific Northwest 4WD Association’s Summer Convention starts today.  I had hoped to go as it is the Carter’s (long time family friends and jeep cohorts) 40th anniversary of their first summer convention back in 1969.  I think I was there too, which would make it my 40th anniversary as well, because I think it was a Wandering Willys Club Event if I remember what my father told me correctly, however I was only four, so don’t remember a thing.

There will racing all weekend, including barrels, drags, team relay, obstacle course, cross country course, and something called a side by side (?), but I haven’t figured out what the heck that is.  So, if someone could explain that to me, I’d appreciate it.  Thanks!

It runs from the today through Sunday at the Straddleline ORV park near Olympia, Washington.

Today I ran across an Harbor Freight Ad for a tubing roller for only $139.  That got me wondering if I could use that for bending too.  So, I went did some searches on the HF tubing roller and read some pretty postive reviews for it in a variety of forums.  That said, the bending radius is too big for rollcage angles and corners in most cases.

So, I did some additional looking around at low priced benders and notchers.  As I went, I recorded some sites that I felt others might be interested in looking at.

One of the more interesting tidbits I found was a Tubing Coping Calculator that creates a 2 dimensional cutout for tracing around a tubing (in place of a notcher).

Building your own — Free plans:

• Classic broncos
• Bender plan from pro tools
• Got Trikes Plans
• Blind Chicken Racing

Tubing benders:

• http://www.lowbucktools.com/hydbender.html
• Various Models from JDSquared
• JD2 Model 3 with home made stand and harbor freight hydraulic
• Pro Tools
• Trick tools
• Baileigh Industrial Video
• TJ Diesel Benders
• Go Fast Parts

Tube Notcher:

• Tube notcher TN-100
• Harbor Freight
• Notch Master
• Baileigh Notchers
• TJ Diesel — scheduled for release in 2009 (click this link and go to bottom of page)
• TD Industrial 0-60 degree from tool planet.com
• Here’s a Link at Pirate 4×4 on how to use a grinder to make the cut
• Tubing Coping Calculator

Here’s a seller who will trade his Gremlin for a Willys Jeep.  Somehow, I just don’t see that happening, but you never know!

“I have for sale a 1972 AMC Gremlin, restoration started, mechanically good condition, has auto transmission and PS, some rust, has patch panels in floor, solid, ill take $2500 cash (firm) or trade for 60s or early 70s jeep (Willys or Kaiser Ph: 615 888 2385, before 10 pm ”

http://nashville.craigslist.org/cto/1270860417.html

This FC looks in good condition.

“1959 jeep willys fc-150 pick up rebuilt engine but body has 7900 miles on it. sandblased frame alot of work is done but needs some minor thngs plus a new paint job to make it amazing”

http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/cto/1276816421.html

I think the title pretty much says it all.

– Dave

UPDATE:  The guys over at the earlyCJ5.com website have been working diligently to get the website back online.  They’ve updated the software, using wordpress as the new foundation (the same used here).  They have plenty of work left, but I think the results will be worth it!

(from May 8th) I’m sure some of you know that a virus/worm got into the earlyCJ5.com website and chewed up the content (that’s about the best metaphor I could come up with). In the meantime you can access earlyCJ5 regulars at http://www.universal5.com/ or follow the twitter feed at http://www.twitter.com/earlycj5. I wish them the best of luck in getting that great resource back online!

To hopefully keep this from happening to eWillys, I have a daily database backup emailed to me.

UPDATE: This is the MPVA Carvan. Read more about it below.

A caravan of 50 or so old flatties (mostly military) with license plates from a variety of states was spotted heading down the new Legacy Highway (the new north/south alternative to I-15) in Utah yesterday.

A reader named George pointed me to the MPVA website to answer the questions of who, what, where and why.

From the MPVA Website, “As part of its mission to honor our country’s military vehicle history, the MVPA has decided to recreate the famous 1919 Convoy in 2009 as a 90th Anniversary celebration of the achievement and in conjunction with the nation’s President Lincoln Bicentennial celebration.

This is a Convoy of historic military vehicles – of all eras, from WWI through to current-issue military vehicles. The vehicle roster currently includes WWI “FWD” cargo trucks, through to Harley Davidson WLA motorcycles, staff cars and jeeps to later model M813 5-ton cargo trucks. ”

Learn more about this ongoing convey from the MPVA website.  The Convoy should be arriving in San Francisco on July 8th.

My kids and I were visiting my Aunt in Seattle yesterday where she owns a houseboat (in this case, defined as literally a house built on floating logs or concrete blocks with trapped air) on Lake Union in Seattle.  My son wanted to go rowing, so we climbed into a row boat and checked out some of the local scenery. We hadn’t gone more than two docks of boats when I spotted this boat named JEEP tied up to a local houseboat.  How could I resist taking a picture of it?

For those movie fans who liked Sleepless in Seattle, it is a couple houseboats to the left of this picture (it is not pictured).

The Michigan Schools and Government Credit Union is sponsoring a 2009 Woodward Dream Cruise Calender Contest, along with the Oakland Press, The Macomb Daily and Daily Tribune.  As a part of this contest, the group has developed a website where readers can vote for the cars they want to see on the new Calendar.

A reader pointed to this contest out to me via a craigslist ad.  The Ad shows a Willys Jeep and asks people to vote for the jeep.  So far, so good.  I’m into it.

I’m ready to launch a grassroots campaign.  I’ll encourage, prod and poke people to cast their votes for the jeep.  We can do it.  We can get it on the calendar.

My hopes high, I go to the actual contest.  I view the approved list of 72 vehicles.  Cool, lots of nice vehicles.

But then, I spot the jeep.  It’s listed as a 1948 M-38A1.  It’s such a classic, that it was never produced!  How can this be?  Oh the horror!  I mean, this isn’t just some kind of incorrect listing of a jeep for sale; instead, it is supposed to be a list of classic cars.

Well, I just can’t support that.  So, until the correct model gets listed, I can’t vote for it.

As a part of Jim’s effort to meet the parts needs for early jeep owners, I’m planning on building a section that highlights various smaller vendors who create useful products for jeeps.

Examples of these include:

• Jim’s Seat Covers (along with his expanding product selection as it grows)
• Rod Shaver’s MV Dataplates (http://www.mvdataplates.com/)
• Jeep Books (http://www.jeepbooksales.com/jeepbooks.html)
• Stainless Steel Parts (Brian & Troy)
• Fiberglass bodys

If anyone has any other suggestions, send them my way.

Thanks,

– Dave

UPDATE: **SOLD** Was $800

“Willy’s 1952 jeep, low Hood Flat Fender Jeep.  Buick small block V8 300 cub, power steering and full roll cage”