A wartime Jeep is the very model of simplicity. There were no extraneous systems or features, just what was needed for the most basic mode of transportation possible. Examining it with its flat-steel body removed, nothing here seems all that complicated. It makes me want to get a Jeep for my next project—although the downside is that, in the end, you end up with a vehicle devoid of extraneous systems or features, most of which are very nice to have.
Last Call indicates the end of Hooniverse’s broadcast day. It’s meant to be an open forum for anyone and anything. Thread jacking is not only accepted, it’s encouraged.
By Peter Tanshanomi
Tanshanomi is Japanese [単車のみ] for "motorcycle(s) only." Though primarily tasked with creating two-wheel oriented content for Hooniverse, Pete is a lover of all sorts of motorized vehicles.
Jeff Glucker
So, what you are saying Peter, is that the WWII Jeep is basically a post-war British roadster with better brakes and more cargo room.
And it’s easier to patch the body when it rusts through.
Timber doesn’t rust!
It does rot though, and Britain is perma-damp.
i’d imagine better electrical system too
He’s not wrong – plus 4WD to boot.
They should have called it the Jeep Quatro.
Scaled up and lifted (American) Austin Seven?
Actually not that far off. The original Jeep design and prototypes were made by American Bantam which started out license building Austin 7s.
There’s something to be said for the purity of the drive. Keeping it simple sometimes provides very complex rewards.
Nope. No thanks. 1940 is a nice place to visit (automotively) but I wouldnt want to live there.
Batshitbox and his Right Side Mirrors, an Odyssey
(N.B. An Epic is a journey that starts and ends in the same place, whereas an Odyssey is more of a one way trip. Don’t point that out at parties.)
The Econoline had a slightly larger but spurious right side mirror when I got it. What I found intolerable was that it was a flat mirror. The van was a maneater; look 5 feet across the cab into a 9″ x 7″ mirror and try to find the bicyclist with no side windows.
Ford never made a convex mirror for that era of Econoline. Flat is stock on both sides. Frankly, I’m surprised there are any bicyclists left in the world knowing that.
I “fixed” my problem by buying an even larger convex mirror and, I shit you not, packaging-tapeing it to the mirror body, along with some double-stick tape, and an offerring to my sweet lord Satan, Lord of the Flies and Tormentor of the Wiicked. And a second lens for later.
The Suzuki was attacked by someone who must have been self-loathing, because they only damaged my mirrors. Remember the story about the unstable derelict who attacked the rear turn signals of my Yamaha? One of those guys. I came out of the bar to find my left mirror pushed over (along with my clutch lever) and my right mirror smashed. The rest of the bike was untouched, so it wasn’t an attack on my bike, just an attack on what was reflected in the mirrors? Who damages just the mirrors?
Suzuki wants $112 for a right side mirror assembly. I have a broken lens, and am a cheap bastard, and am a custom fabricator (Mythbusters, The Exploratorium, Seven Cycles) as should be evident from the above Ford mirror story. Aftermarket mirrors are not an option, the stalk and backing are still there and match the left side.
So I find my Batshitself about to fire up maybe a 60 watt laser cutter, or a glass saw, or a hydrogen flame polisher, or more likely a band saw and a hand file to chop and channel some bit of convex glass or mirror-plex ($12 ’round-the-corner mirror, amirite?) because FOR FUCK’S SAKE a hundred and twelve dollars is a lot to charge a motherfucker to preserve a life.
What for an epic odyssey! But 100+ is a lot to ask for something your dentist would give you for free as a regular customer.
Years ago one of those self-loathing individuals smashed mirrors off every car in my street, I remember a guy with a new Subaru (when turn signals in mirrors was a new thing) was up for more than $400, or at least the insurance company was. I got a mirror from the wreckers for $10 or so. God bless plain black plastic.
But… you can go to a glass shop and they will cut a mirror to the correct shape for you for not much money. In fact, probably less than you’ll spend in bandaids alone.
Chicks dig scars.
You’re not wrong…
I’m loathe to ride one here in the swamplands, what with the lack of fun to be had on overcrowded straight roads while being lodged under an Instagramming driver’s Escalade, but I have contemplated getting some old motorcycle, just to take apart and rebuild while taking up less money and space than the Trans Am.
It’s not completely archaic, with that Bluetooth driveshaft.
Sort of related: UAZ is celebrating its 75th birthday and for the occasion, the Buhanka is getting a two tone paint job. If you were sitting on the fence, now is the time to get it. Passenger in ad photo is still checking is mobile though, so they’re not getting to retro about it either:
https://api.uaz.ru/directus/thumbnail/1920/1270/contain/best/00000000251.jpg
https://www.uaz.ru/company/news/uaz-buhanka-anniversary
That vehicle looks like it *wants* to tip over.
It would still look happy rolling over, but you’d definitely don’t want to crash in it. They are more known to be super robust and capable on melted permafrost roads:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MCE2jx-zZO4
A couple of years ago, these were about 8000$ new. Unfortunately, all sorts of import duties and punitive taxes would add up to ten times that…
drool
That is a handsome van, I must say. I like the wheels. I can’t seem to find any specs on this thing. Is it solid axles, same type of 4 wheel drive as the first gen Jeep? Wkipedia is a little light on details.
They keep changing their website…I swear I had an English data sheet somewhere, but can’t find it now. This one comes straight off my phone’s download folder, and seems pretty complete. Russian though: https://docdro.id/efbFcUP
They are offered in RWD (“for fuel efficiency”), permanent 50:50 4WD and a third, more advanced 4WD system.
Two tone? seems a bit unnecesarily capitalist.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/3b443a7ab76f558ed388ab3431ae72efc23e0b231e12f21f62daaa32501802ba.jpg
You can do this with a 78 Jeep (with Mustang engine) too.