Big Willy made a good impact at Burning Man this year. Barry shard this photo by Susan Clemens of Big Willy at Burning Man dressed in some neon.

Motor Trend published this photo, which also has other photos of mutant vehicles.

Ian published this photo on Facebook.

Someone sent this link to me, but I can’t remember who. Has anyone seen Jamie’s jeep in person? I’d be curious to see pics of those tire adapters. The link provides some details on the build.

http://blog.kaiserwillys.com/cj-3a-customer-photos/jamie-dannels?

Bernd’s trusty CJ-5 and trailer.

Bernd, a reader from the Vandans area of Austria, along the Swiss border, has a long history with jeeps. Thankfully, he’s taken the time to provide us some stories and photos of his family’s life with jeeps. As you’ll learn, they’ve used jeeps for hunting, farming, and other chores.

In fact, just last week, Bernd hauled some computer equipment using his jeep and trailer (the trailer has been around the family for several decades, too.) Here are a couple photos from the recent computer equipment haul:

This brief timetable shares some history of the jeeps his family acquired. Most of these came from Switzerland:
1. In the Mid-1950s an MB
2. In the Mid?-1960s M38
3. 1971? after breakdown of the M38 a CJ5 with metal top
4. 1972 new CJ5 with canvas top,
5. 1982 father got the CJ5 from the former hunting ground tenant
6. 1996 CJ5 Bernd acquired from father,
7. 2010 CJ5 Bernd did a full restoration, still in use (as is a trailer, seen above).

Around 1950 my father began the job as a game warden in the whole municipal district of Vandans. The center of his activity was our home in Vandans and a hunter’s cabin in a side valley of the Montafon, called “Relstal” (Relsvalley). There, he took care of red deer, chamois, fox, hare, marmot, black cock and snow grouse.

Over the years, jeeps and a trailer were in service for:

• chaffeuring hunting parties
• collecting brought down game and distribution of venison
• transporting hay, corn and pomace for wildlife feeding in winter
• moving equipment and supplies

A 6km long gravel road led from the village (700m above sea level) to the cabin (1500m). The road continued to alpine farms (1900m) and ended as an earth road near the Swiss border (2100m).

In winter the road was blocked by masses of snow and avalanches. Father was normally  the last driver to make the trip from the cabin at the start of Winter and the first driver to go back up in the Spring.

I can’t remember exactly when we purchased the MB, but I believe it was the mid-1950s. Like my father, the tennant of the reseve was an officer of the Swiss army. He explained to me how he bought a jeep. Out of a row of jeeps, he was told he could pick one for purchasing. Of course, the more senior the officer, the earlier a person got to pick from the line of jeeps.

After purchasing the jeep, my father measured the jeep, then added 3 feet or more to the jeep’s length and width and a bit to its height for a garage, so it could fit it inside comfortably. He never thought of driving another car in future.

You can see the cabin with jeep and trailer. See the Swiss registration number ZH for Zuerich on bumper. Father stands in front of the jeep, my brother next to him.

Father and his hounds.

Continue reading →

Bernd alerted me to this rebuilt CJ-7 Bierzahl raffle in Frastanz, Austria. The contest is only open through September 16th, 2018.

https://frastanzer.at/neuigkeit/18062018/bierzahl-2018

Here’s the contest overview roughly translated into English:

“The iconic Jeep from the 80s can soon be yours! With the support of Fahrzeugtechnik Lerch a team of members and elograph, this hammer price was disassembled with much passion and rebuilt. In the stylish Bierzahl! Design, with improved technology and appropriate party equipment. Take the JEEP CJ-7 home right after the raffle.

Enjoy s’klenne or citrus cyclists from frastanzer, collect crown cork codes and enter them under bierzahl.vol.at. With a bit of luck, you’ll win one of the countless beer prizes or one of the coveted 200 Golden Tickets for the final draw on September 16 in Frastanz.

The Bierzahl! Prize draw starts on 15 June 2018 and ends at the final draw on 16 September as part of the Bockbierfest
Among the 200 Golden Ticket owners present, the winner will be under notarial supervision. The winner then leads the big parade through Frastanz.”

Maury had a chance to meet with Doc James the other day, a many who started Ironman Restorations in Pickens, South Carolina, (On Facebook) by buying out the world’s most successful jeep dealer. Maury explains:

“I had the pleasure of visiting Ironman’s shop a couple of weeks ago, which is located a little over an an hour from my house. Having talked with David on the phone several times, I’d hoped to get to meet him, but he had to be away that particular day.

David’s dad Doc, who started Ironman around 40 years ago, was there and showed me around a bit. He also told me the story of how they got started. In the 1970’s, Doc customized jeeps for Larry Hinkle, who owned Hinkle’s Jeep Inc. in Pickens, SC, which at that time was the largest jeep dealership in the entire country.

http://archive.independentmail.com/business/when-mega-dealerships-ruled-pickens-man-was-king-ep-414322179-349805391.html/ (Ed Note: the article is an interesting read)

When Hinkle’s went out of business in the early ’80’s, Doc bought Mr. Hinkle’s entire parts yard. This formed the basis of what is today Ironman’s extensive collection of vintage parts jeeps, which over time was further expanded into what it is today.

A few photos are below showing some of the collection, which winds its way far back into the woods around the James’ shop. They and their staff are very friendly people who go out of their way to help their customers find the parts they need.”

Continue reading →