Home Forums Discussions General Discussion Let's Do Coffee, We'll Talk

OK, my turn again. My idea of a great vacation is to get on a horse and pack as far into the wilderness as I can get. My favorite ride was 7 days in the coastal mountains of British Columbia, north of Vancouver. The views were inspiring.



Once at camp, we stake the horses out over night in the meadow.


Then we head to the fire for a gourmet meal. Bert, have you ever had lobster over an open fire?


But, unfortunately, I can't be in the wilderness every weekend so we set up "tent city" on my farm and have "ho downs", good food, good spirits, and great times. My office staff (as pictured) and their husbands join us many weekends.



Leslie

You two are awesome. Bert are you reading all of this? This man knows his Jeeps and trucks. A 170 indeed, a thing of beauty. Now you are challenging me as I know the bigger newer Jeeps better than the older classic military ones. Were those 170's used in Korea right, ala 1950's right? Those are the two-three stretcher ones as you said as in MASH. Just about the same time as the CJ-5's and the later M models? And I'm sure you know this already but those are some great looking boys, now young men you've got there you luck man.

And Leslie I have only done a decent horseback ride once and actually not too long ago no less. But as an off-roader I really apperciated how well and easily these great animals get up and over and thru almost anything. They don't really need a trail, barely a footpath. It was cold, as in December in Syracuse, but I loved it. I can certainly apperciate your love of all that. I would love to do a real backwoods ride like that myself. But with the dust flying or the blackflies biting, I just love my roll up the windows and turn on the recirculated air. Heck Adam and I slept in the front of the ZJ until midnight to ride out a really bad set of thunderstorms this weekend. But Right there out in the open, no car or truck on the back of one of those great animals must be great. Matter of fact I think we've got to find a way and the time to take the kids down there this spring or summer.

You better watch it, before you know it, you are going to have a dozen extra tents on your property as we hold the 2nd annual AC users get together at your ho down spot. Certainly would be a whole lot cheaper and probably just as much fun. All we'll need is a decent generator for a few hours of computer time and AV gear. Then it time for "Ho Down" (Who's line is it Anyway?)

Have a great night y'all....

A generator is not a thing of beauty in that setting. (LOL) Out in the desert we argue over propane stove (my good friend) vs. old fashioned gas pump stove and lantern.

Leslie I gotta wonder is that bear country? I made the mistake of reading a book about bear attacks last year. Never realized just how really stupid I have been on so many occasions.

Speaking of Syracuse, this place, Destiny Motorsports are really good people and fixed us up with fresh tires and oil changes on both bikes before we arrived at Lake George last summer.



This is a nice little shop on the North side, near the fairgrounds,



Paul, yes the M170 was Korean war era, and up into Vietnam, just before the "Colonel Killer" (the air cooled motor with Independant suspension, VERY prone to roll over,hence the name). So the M170 was equal to, I think it was, CJ8. They are just 14 inches longer, with the spare mounted beside and a little behind the passenger. That leaves two bench seats, (really the rear fender wells) with room for two (remember the spare) on the passenger side, facing 3 sitting behind the driver, both sides facing the middle. 55 mph is just about all it will do, but the motor had so few miles on it when I got it that I couldn't bear the thought of messing it up. This one in the pictures, (now my brothers) was a 1963 vintage, and spent its entire military life at the Marine Depot at 29 Palms here locally. The corps overhauled the engine when it had only 24,000 miles, (probably primarily for training) but the rebuild was done without the 'Pawl nuts' which are lock nuts on the connecting rods. The inevitable happened, a rod came unbolted, busted a rod, and the military sold it at surplus. I don't remember what I had to give, but it was what I thought was an awful lot, (but I was not successful bidder on a couple before this) and I paid something like $1,000. This was in 1975 or 1976. My brother supplied another rod, seat frames, a windshield, spare and spare rack, and I paid to have the crank turned. I ran a light hone thru the bores and didn't even replace the rings. My biggest problem was always distributor caps, which are bizarre things that fit inside the waterproof housing as it is all sealed for fording. The caps are prone to cracking and are a frequent source of misfires. It has the shielded, (you screw it all together) ignition wires and plugs like you see on aircraft, again for fording, and a royal PITA to work with.

Martin,
Yes, it is bear country. In fact, it is grizzly country. We have never seen a grizzly on the trail although we have encountered black bears. On one trail we simply could not get the horses to move on down the trail. At first we thought they were just being stubborn and wanting to head back to camp. After a few minutes we realized the reason...momma bear and 3 cubs crossed about 25 yards in front of us.
It was of some comfort knowing our guide had a rifle with him but little did we know he kept it in the scabbord on his saddle 50 feet away at night while we were all tucked in our 1/16th inch cloth pup tents.

Leslie

Lots of bears in Arkansas. You can drive fifteen minutes from my office and you are in the *country*. Just saw a bear crossing the road recently. We have black bears, and bear attacks are rare.

Bears used to be extremely prolific here, were nearly wiped out, and now are making a comeback (along with the Bald Eagles, which fly over my house).

Here's an article about the bear comeback:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/58490/arkansas_the_bear_state_once_again.html

Brian,

We actually saw a pair of bald eagles here at the farm last summer...what a delight. Hven't seen them this year however.

Leslie

Over the past week, I have seen horses, cows, donkeys, deer, skunks, armadillos, raccoons, opossums, rabbits, hawks, goats, chickens, herons, egrets, geese and wood ducks on the way from my house to my office.

I saw most of those critters before I left my driveway!

Ok, I'll say "howdy" with morning cup of coffee in hand, here on a rainy and wonderfully cool morning in New Orleans.

I'm Jim, a Family Doc in New Orleans, fixing to end my 9-year tenure on faculty at Tulane Univ. in the family medicine department and join my beautiful and talented wife, Patty, in the practice she has built solo (with some "back office" help from yours truly) over the last 6 years. I'll be plugging in AC to our new office network in the next couple of weeks and will be back here with lots of questions, I'm sure.

We love New Orleans. Y'all come on down and spend some money on your next vacation and we'd love to show you around. Better hurry... hurricane season starts in less than 30 days!

I'm noticing a lot of Jeep (?) banter going on around here. What is that? Now I can appreciate a love of a particular make/model of automobile, but a jeep? C'mon guys.

Behold Gertrude, a true classic: (and you have to say her name with a German accent like Sgt. Schultz on Hogan's Heroes: "Ger-TROOoood-eh")

http://wsm.ezsitedesigner.com/share/scrapbook/28/283106/Jims_Bug.JPG

http://wsm.ezsitedesigner.com/share/scrapbook/28/283106/DSC_0320.JPG

http://wsm.ezsitedesigner.com/share/scrapbook/28/283106/DSC_0319.JPG


Gertrude was born the same year as me: 1967

And for more information on this, without question the world's most popular (and hip) automobile model in history, visit the Air Coolers VW Gang clubhouse:

http://www.aircoolers.org/

Cheers and Happy Saturday,

Jim

Jim,
Welcome aboard. Ya see I'm a real Mopar Man, a Dodge Boy since 1965 (I was 4 then) but before my dad bought the '65 Dart, he owned a older bug whose year I never knew. But as a little boy I loved both my daddy's Bug and his Dart.

Now ya gotta understand, that my love of Jeeps originates in my love and apperciation of the great engineering (much like your little German Beauty) of the men of Mopar. Just remember who invented the Slant-6, the HEMI and the little 4X4 that won a world war.

Now I find it hard to believe that a boy from the New Orleans, hasn't had some fun getting stuck up to his eyeballs in southern gumbo that wasn't made in his mamma's kitchen, if you catch my drift, no less doing such in a good old faithful Jeep.

But hey I'll check out your Bugs and you can check out my Mopars. I think its all good.

http://www.cnymopar.com/

I love all sorts of cars. As a matter of fact I may be starting an internet car business (don't worry no sales, utmost respect for car and her owner) and your sweetie would be quite welcome. I want as many from as different breeds and from various parts of the country as possible. Perhaps later this week I'll PM ya.

Welcome to AC. It's about time this thread started to get these types of responses....
Paul

Welcome EZJim, that little bug brings back some memories for sure. Was 67 the first year without the little emblem on the hood. I remember when everyone was stealing those. I had a friend who ran a used "Formula Vee" motor from the local dealer, (really last years race engine). Basically a balanced, blueprinted and ported engine. It was so smooth, and seemed to rev forever. Good times. I had a notch back 1300S for a year, (my brothers) and remember driving into a 'love-in' at a park in Orange County, Calif. where there must have been a mile of bugs all with the wipers folded out from the windshield and running. (yes it looked more stupid than it even sounds, ) but there was something about arriving somewhere and meeting a few thousand like minded individuals and seeing something as stupid as the wiper blades but taking it as an instant sign of recognition, and belonging. As the war continued to rage, it was a comforting thing. (And I type this with the X-M sixties channel blaring "mellow yellow" by Donovan)

Paul, so who invented "the little 4X4 that won a world war"? The Bantam Corp. won the competition with their design, but Roosevelt didn't believe they could build them fast enough, so they assigned production of the vehicle to FoMoCo and let Bantam build the trailers! The right move for the USA and the war, but a shame for the engineers at Bantam who didn't get the success they deserved. Nit picking, well yes, but Paul already said he didn't know much about the old jeeps, he said this thread was intended for those who insist on being a bore... no, he said it was so we could get to know each other. (And I am rapidly catching up to his number of posts on this thread, Uh oh..)

Leslie, your outstanding pictures have really got me daydreaming. I am contemplating checking with my neighbors to see who rents horses, just so I can poke around the local foothills with one horsepower, and no gasoline!

Doc M,
Actually when I said I didn't know that much about older Jeeps, I meant that I didn't have many of the models and years committed to memory, like the most of the older military ones. But I've heard and read quite a lot about the beginings of what is now Jeep. You are quite correct about the little Bantam car company winning the design and contract and then because of the rules of the game lossing most of what they actually created. But as much as Ford got to make a good number of those early 1/4 tons, you leave out the other most important player in this tale, the Willys Corporation who made just about as many Jeeps as Ford did. And Willys had the best engine for this set-up the GO Devil. See I'm not that old Jeep stupid. I know most of my history. I have a couple of good history books on the company.

So post war Willys made and and won a grab for the rights to the basic model and just as importantly the name, because with that name everyone knew what you were selling. Jeep, it's an American Legend. And so came the CJ-2's to be sold mostly as multi-purpose agro as well as daily driver type vehicle, with PTO's for all sort of extra chores. And then the rest was history. Flat fenders lead to the CJ-5's thru 8's. There were the "forward Control" flat nosed trucks with stake and dump beds, the Full Size SJ Cherokees and Wagoneers, and even the 10's and 20's pick-up trucks like we used to own, a '83 258, Selec-trac Cherokee, our first Jeep that got us thru snowy Syracuse in Medical School.

Later would come the first unibody Jeeps in the form of the XJ's Cherokee's and Wagoneers, as well as the MJ Pick-ups. These would lead the way for my personal favorites, the ZJ and WJ Grand Cherokees. Those early XJ's really paved the way for the full frame TJ Wrangers as both the TJ's and the ZJ's can find the original design of their suspensions first worked out in the frontends of those little XJ's.

Anyway, I'm pooped, so I'm out of here. Have a great night...
Paul

Jim,
Welcome aboard!! Yes Gertrude brings back some memories for me also. My dad had a 1970 bright yellow bug. He was hospitalized and I flew home from college, took a taxi to the house, scrounged out the keys to the bug and taught myself to drive a stick so I could get to the hospital to see him. Thank goodness there was an empty school parking lot just down the street! After about 30 minutes, I felt confident enough to head to the hospital. Once there Dad asked me how I got there. When I told him I drove his bug he about jumped out of the bed. I think it stimulated his recovery and desire to get home!! I really miss that car.

Leslie

If you are going to talk about jeeps and bugs, you'd better include VW Things! We still have our 1974 VW Thing, purchased brand new and in the family ever since. It was my brother's first car, then mine, and if it doesn't rust away before, it will be my sons first car! What is funny is how many people just walk up to this car and stare and then go on to tell you about their Thing or their friend's Thing or what have you. A real conversation piece...and still a lot of fun to drive. And no, this car won't float(I get asked that a lot)....too many rust holes in the bottom!

Ya know although probably not as often as you, my Dart gets the same kind of response. You have no idea (actually I guess you do) how many people come up and check out my Dart, admire it and start telling me about how they used to have a Dart, and how you couldn't kill them (the old Slant-6, yeah), and how they wish they never got rid of it, and yes how up here in the rustbelt how it rotted away around a never dying drivetrain. Now one of my two A-Bodies, my '72 4-door Dart, Wanda, is in fairly restored condition and is now a good weather Sunday driver, while my my '72 Scamp looks like hell, needs a gas tank and a brakeline is actually a lot better than she looks or seems right now.

But man, a VW thing, that is a great, truely UNIQUE set of wheels there. Promise us all you will restore it and that you will pass it on to your kid (although I might give him some average, cheap, somewhat safe car as his first one to learn on). I'm hoping to hold onto the Scamp and make that into a Father-Son type car... You just can't beat putting the carrot infront of the horse to lead it.... I think those are the type of things that can help keep a kid focused on the big picture, something to look forward to if they tow the line and keep their nose clean. And they learn about self reliance by seeing how they can fix and take care of it.

My 7 year old son is just itching to start digging into that car. Perhaps we can pull it out of the weeds, a take a look at her to make a list of all the things it needs and start keeping our eyes open at the car shows and swap meets.

Paul

I also enjoy the conversations with people, I have a 1970 Triumph Bonneville (Worlds absolute motorcycle speed record holder from 1955 to 1970) and it draws people out everywhere you stop. Bob Dylan, Arlo Guthrie and every male child born in the USA from 1945 to 1960 either owned one or had a friend that let them ride it. Good Times. (My License Frame says, "Good Vibrations")

DocM,
Have you seen that really cool movie with Anthony Hopkins, "The world's fast Indian"? About that guy who like cast his own pistons in some messy garage/home of his and took himself and his bike from Australia all the way to the salt flats to set a new land speed record. Great movie, real story...

Guys, for all you with great and unique cars, like "the thing", I'm going to be starting a new business and it's all about great and crazy cars, your bike, my Dart, Chevy Shoeboxes, anything and everything. But the first thing I need to get started is a great "stable" of cars to show to people. How'd you like to have your car earn it's keep, go out and work for a living now and again, with reputable people who know how to care for it, are insured up the wazoo, and will pay for you (or your stand in like a family member or trusted friend) and your car for the day(s) that you are there for them to use? Heck I hope someone picks my Dart now and again and I can afford to pay for her to get a few more nice things. Heck sometimes these people may even pay for a few minor but needed extras. Like if you have modern BFG's on an old car but period correct is like whitewalls or red stripes.

So I've got to get a few things in place but I would really like folks to start sending me a few good pics of their cars. Like front, back, side shot and perhaps one or two interior shots. Then I'll be the middleman, talent agent for the cars. I used to be an old stagehand in my former life and so I sort of have my feet in both sides of this thing. I think it would be the perfect man for the job, I love cars and trucks, and I know a lot about the theater, TV, and advertising, some old connections to warm up.

So you never know who needs what when or where. These things happen all over the place, in every state. So start sending me those cars and trucks, people. Ya never know who needs what when. "calling all cars, calling all cars" "See your ride up in Headlights".....

I've got to do something since obviously primary care is never going to pay a decent living again... What a waste of time and money that was. "She should have gone to Cornell...."

Paul

Here is my '70 Bonnie, "Good Vibrations"



And here is Jays Jet Bike pulling into Vern's famous "Rock Store". The bike is powered by a Rolls Royce Turbofan helicopter motor. It makes about 600 foot pounds of torque. The turbine motor would make this bike "No Vibrations"


Jay is very generous with his fans, answering questions about the bikes and hanging around like one of the guys, ... for about 5 minutes, then he is gone, in this case, like a jet.

And the Fastest Indian:
Outside:


And in:


But the bike pictured here is a replica made to be used in the movie starring Anthony Hopkins. Audio tapes had been made of Burt Monroe being interviewed by Rollie Free, (another Bonneville Salt Flat legend). Rollie gave copies of those tapes to Hopkins who studied them to capture the voice and even the personality of Monroe. Those who knew Monroe claim the movie captured him perfectly. It is an extraordinary work, typical of Hopkins, and just a very upbeat and pleasant little film, even if you don't care about motorcycles. The motor in this movie prop is a modern Aprillia sport bike V-twin.

I have seen Burt Monroe's original bike. It was shown here in Los Angeles at the Peterson Museum. I didn't get any decent pictures of it, but I was there and it is a great story of perseverance and success.

(Bump, Bump, bumpbumpbump)

So I have the full responsibility for the death of this thread? Did I miss an earlier memo against Jay Leno?
It feels a bit like an ill wind in church (if you get my drift). Somebody post a reason for killing this thread that lets me off the hook here, Thanks.

Careful with the bumps Martin. I got a serious hand slap for that.

Bump is a great concept. We are cat lovers and I'm sure most of you know how cats say hello and are affectionate to one another, they "bump" eachother with bumps of the sides of their faces. So we are quite good with bumb....

Great pics there Martin. I'd love to see that bike or Jay's garage. He even has some really old steamers and electrics too. He must have just about one of everything worth honorable mention. Lucky stiff.

Here's a link to my owner local Mopar club, the Central NY Mopar Association....

http://www.cnymopar.com/

Enjoy

er...bump

[BTW, I read, in the book titled "Um..." that "er" is spelled E, R, because it represents British spelling of our "uh" and so is actually pronounced "uh".--true story. Should I get a life? ]

Why do you think you should get a life??? Doesn't everybody spend their Sundays at the AC board????

Yes he should. I never hang out on the user boards on Sunday. lol

Only the cool people check out the boards on a Sunday!

You're so right, David.

So where's Leslie?

My hobby depends upon what day you ask.

I recently turned a wood bowl, and was happy with it. Today I was working on a small wooden goblet, but realized I need to get a smaller gouge, so it's on hold for the moment.

I think Bert's hobby is the AC board..

Leslie spent her Sunday in the er, read that emergency room, with her husband who has clinically had a stroke. Has expressive aphasia as the only finding. The MRI showed nothing acute although perhaps some older strokes. He is having a TEE and MRA as I write. I had to check the boards...that's how addicted I am!

Leslie

Damn.

Leslie, Very sorry to hear that. My prayers will go out to you. Keep us posted and I am sure I speak for everyone on AC, if we can do anything....

Sorry, Leslie.

I am praying too, Leslie.

Bert speaks for me also.

Sorry about your husband. any updates? Are you able to get some time off? Praying for you both.

Tom

Our prayers are with you

Leslie, my prayers are with you and your husband in these trying times. I sincerely hope he recovers and that his pathway be swift and free of impedence. Hang in there and keep us posted please.
God bless.

feklempt? Isn't the term Verklempt?

Where did that come from? What post are you referring to?

Ya, like what the heck?

Thank goodness for printing to PDF and searching. Feklempt was in the first post (she seems to like correcting the first post -- maybe that is as far as she can get before getting tired of reading the dictionary) of the thread by Paul.

Actually, if one knows his or her (like that - I didn't use the incorrect pronoun, their) the word "Feklempt" was more likely a misspelling of the word Faklempt.

From the Online Encyclopedia and Dictionary:

Faklempt

1. suffering from neurotic symptoms of fear about imaginary threats
2. nervous or sweaty
3. concerned and anxious
* When little Billy got sick, his mom became faklempt.
* The first day on the job made Bill faklempt.

Has anyone seen a user on the user board who is using red for his signature. I have been told about this, but I have not been able to locate him or her yet.