JEEP NEWS

JEEP NEWS
The e—Newsletter JULY 2015
Volume Number No.163 BEEE
What are you viewing through your windscreen? - John Cooper
Morning Tea! Coops and his neighbour, Cliff,
enjoy a nice Bonnet Morning Tea, out in the
Forests north of Dazza’s at Taree, the other week,
while attending the great XMAS in JULY Bash.
Sue Sweet and Lyn Coleman are in the
background. FULL REPORT within!
PRESIDENT
Cliff Bambridge—[email protected]
EDITOR and MEMBERSHIP
Mitch Holland—[email protected]
SIGNALS
Part Beeee again. Nice to have lots of stuff to use.
Keep it up Champions, as I keep saying - “No use having
a Jeep News, if you don’t share that with us all!”
Plenty of stuff coming up in the later half of the year.
Full report on the recent XMAS in JULY Event.
Plenty of fun was had by the handful of members who
attended. There was a few more, but circumstances prevented them at the last minute, as it does from time to
time. Plenty of others out there though, who would thoroughly enjoy themselves, if they could only just let go of
the remote, get off the lounge, dust off the old girl, head
to the shed, unwrap their Jeep, pack a few bits and pieces
and come along! You will love it! And we will love you.
Mitch
A clearing sale will be held on 8 August 2015, by www.bollerco.com.au of Cooma. One of the highlights will
be the GAZ 67B. A WW2 Soviet 4WD, 3.3L engine. Based on the model A ford, this is one of two Gaz' in
Australia. Also is a Russian Motorcycle and sidecar. Further info from the above web page. Info thanks to Cam
UNOFFICIAL (For anyone not attending the XMAS Bash at Cullen or those South of Sydney - an alternative)
Each year the organisers of the Albatross Show N Shine endeavour to show case a variety of special interest
vehicles to gain greater public interest in the show which in turns provides us with extra funds for our
nominated charity organisations. The show is not for profit and all money raised goes to the Juvenile Diabetes
Research Foundation (JDRF) and the Australian Leukodystrophy Support Group (ALDS). As we are not for
profit, we are unable to assist in any fuel or accommodation costs.
This year we would like to invite owners of ex military vehicles to the show. If there is interest, please let
me know. Date for the event is Sunday 29 November 2015. Cheers,
Stu Walters
Tel: 02 935 94369
Fax: 02 935 93660
For a great story (thanks Graeme), on a recovered Spitfire,
its restoration with great history and pics, go to website link.
http://www.christies.com/spitfire/interactive/index.html
I know a lot over the years have joined this
worldwide Association for their excellent
publications, however those that haven’t
might not be aware of this offer?
OFF THE INTERNET
Or Facebook somewhere!
Jeep News No163B - July 2015 - Page 3
STANDING
ORDERS
THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT BIT OF
YOUR “NEWS” - Read it and act! No use having a
Jeep tucked away in the shed if you don't use it!!
REMEMBER THE SLOGAN!!!
STICK THIS ON YOUR BED HEAD
Shannons Sydney Classic - Sunday 16 August 10am.
1900 vehicles from 150 clubs on display at Sydney
Motorsport Park, Eastern Creek. $20 adults, kids free.
VJ - Day - Sunday 23rd August - FREE BBQ
(well intended for AMVCS Members - however ……
If you book with Kenny, the offer has been generously
extended to WW2 Jeeps NSW members, but you
MUST BOOK WITH HIM. See the flier page 6 & 7
At Kokoda Track Memorial, Concord West in Sydney.
37th. Corowa & Swim - In - 14 to 20 March 2016
Details and forms in a later edition, but ….
If you don’t get their excellent newsletter, then
perhaps you should consider getting in contact and
then try and get down there.
Contact details: KVE Secretary, 9/1 Millett
Road, Mosman, NSW, 2088, Australia
Phone: 0423 943 010
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://corowaswim-in.org
For those planning a trip to the US next year,
then this info might be of use in your planning?
Pleasanton, California, 11-13 August 2016:
41st Annual MVPA National Convention.
The Military Vehicle Preservation Association
will hold its 41st annual convention in
Pleasanton, California. Make sure and preregister and visit one of our “sister” groups, the
Northern Recon Group members.
Thirlemere Train Weekend - Sunday 13 September
Full details also from Ken on the VJ Flier.
Linnwood House Day Sunday 13 September
This day has been a follow on since our great 70 Year
Bash back in 2011, however due to falling numbers,
particularly from our slack arse Sydney membership,
has been combined with other clubs just to bolster the
numbers, but lets see if we can return ourselves to the
top of the drawcard! Combined with “The Trevor
Thomas Big Likes (Bike) Day”
Flick us an email you Sydneysiders and get your Jeeps
out here, or I might just give you the flick!
NATIONAL JEEP JAMBOREE 2015
Thursday 1 October to Monday 5 October at Rydal in
NSW - See the flier opposite and get jiggy!
EARLY BIRD Registrations close soon
BACK to HARTLEY - Sunday 25th OCTOBER
Day run to help raise money for a worth cause.
Full Details in a later Edition of the Jeep News
WARBIRDS 2015 - You have had plenty of opportunity, so if your not Jiggy already, you may
not be able to Jig!
XMAS BASH 2015 - Yes the famous Xmas Bash
will be on again at the Shed in Cullen Bullen.
Full details later, BUT, put the date in your diary!
Friday 27 to Sunday 29 November THIS YEAR
What’s ON at …
MARATHON?
Actually, I do know …. Cams Jeep and Trailer are
in for some professional help to ensure its in tip
top condition
Jeep News No.163B - July 2015 - Page 5
Jeep News No.163B - July 2015 - Page 8
More—”What can we find
on THE INTERNET?”
from CAM FINLAY
WW2 Jeeps NSW bonafide members
would note a lot of stuff gets
forwarded on pronto, but these pages
are a continuation of all things Jeep
and Military or just plain quirky as
found on the net by Cam in his
endless research. Some you may have
seen before.
One of my favourite Book stores is
having a Sale. Opposite is one page of
a 12 page cattledog and you can get a
copy or request a “hard to find” book
from Judy on the opposite contact
numbers
Thanks Mate, we say!
USAAF Flexible Gunnery School Army Air Forces Training
Command Aircraft mounted on a jeep fired on by Army Air Forces
gunnery trainee. Combat training can be hazardous, though, and
residents learned to mix their pride in the school with their grief for
victims of training accidents. In just eight days in March 1942, four
airmen were killed in three separate accidents.
I wonder if the Jeep had a driver when they had the “accidents” ?
Canadian Film Unit - Cam reckons that they
are assembled for a group photo, prior to getting out there and gathering some Jeep News
for us all!!!???
Crated Jeep, hardly used 1962 Willys
Hotchkiss. Ring for info or email and more
pictures, part exchange considered. £11,000.
“hardly used”…..thats cos its in
a bloody crate….. CHECK IT OUT
http://www.milweb.net/classifieds/
large_image.php?ad=77569&cat=13
OUT & ABOUT
@ DAZZA & LYN’S
Pics by Rach, Gary Williams,
Jackooo and Mitch
Well we pushed it and pushed it, got a number of
interested members, but not in the same league as
the great event at his old Moto property, (near
Landsdowne). The 2003 XMAS BASH. (attended
by 17 Jeeps and 44 bods. See JN No.76 Dec of 03)
Me and Rach set off on a chilly Thursday morning,
met Terry at Agnes Banks, then Brian and Sue at
Wisemans Ferry to eventually have a cuppa and a
lamington with Ted at Murrays Run Culvert, 9k’s
outside of Wollombi. We then adjourned for lunch
and cleansing ale at the famous Tavern before
continuing north to Broke for petrol on our way to
Parkville to stay at Billycan and Annette’s place.
Jeep News No.163B - July 2015 - Page 10
Next day with Bill and brother Stan as co pilot, three Jeeps and one Cruiser, headed east over the Barringtons
to Gloucester, extricating a stricken Elders Real Estate Agent from a bog on a property within cooee of our
2006 XMAS BASH location at Cobark, along the way. Turns out they were looking at cattle belonging to
Hollydene Estate supremo, Gary Williams and missed a soft patch in the long dry grass, hopelessly bogging
their Prado a short distance from the road. Not many passer-by’s weekdays, however a fortunate stop by
Terry, while awaiting a few to descend the “hill” allowed them plenty of time to grab his attention to their
predicament. With them back on solid ground and a promise of a box of their finest red for the XMAS Bash,
we chortled off. Gary writes “Thanks again for the assistance last Friday. It was going to be a long Friday
night had your group not ventured past and helped. I was up at our property “Twin Rivers”, with Peter
Sawyer (on the winch rope), of Elders Scone and Denis McGrath (in the tie) of Elders Dubbo, who buy and
sell our cattle. Upon driving around the paddock in a Prado Peter had borrowed, it soon became apparent
upon bogging to the axles that the vehicle had slick tyres, no winch and became no match for the waterlogged black Cobark soil. Earlier in the day I had commented to Peter and Denis when I had met them at
Moonan Flat on the way over the tops that “I had seen three old WW2 Willys Jeeps between Gundy and
Moonan heading to the tops and may be good luck for them we were going over and back as they might need
a hand as it’s a long haul over the mountain for these old Jeeps”. Irony would have it 3 hours later the “old
Jeep” became our saviour of the Prado more than 70 years their junior?? Thanks again, Gary”.
Top - Crews on the Tops, bloody cold up
there, but imagine what it would have been
like a week or so later!!!
Elders Real Estate and the Team after the “Rescue”
Check out Hollydene Estate at www.hollydeneestate.com
RESCUE 7 - (queue the music) ….
Missing and in the vehicles, Sue and Rach
Very hard to spot the bog in the long dry
looking grass!!
After a short stop in Gloucester, much later than anticipated, we headed over to Wingham and onto Daryl’s in
time to set up camp in his large yard. Saturday dawned fine and along with Coops and Daryl in their Jeeps and
another local member Warren in his souped up Nissan, we set off on “Daryl’s Magical Mystery Tour” circuit
that he promised will take all day. Didn’t take long before Billycan got his levers mixed up requiring a short
snatch to terra firma and then a few hundred metres further, Daryl got himself hopelessly stuck in his boggy
route that required a winch backwards from the Nissan. Not before the ladies abandoned ship since it was
leaning against the embankment at a most uncomfortable angle!
Following that Warren thought he could prove a point with his V8 powered, diff locked and well elevated
monster that growled and roared as it chopped at the embankment and when all seemed lost, managed to surge
sideways along the deep muddy rut at breakneck revs to emerge in a cloud of smoke and steam from a broken
water pump shaft, that spun off the fan and propelled it into the rear of the radiator, ending his potential day of
rescuing Jeeps. After all that excitement and then getting him back out onto the access road for later retrieval by
Richard, we decided on morning tea with probably just a mere 5 kilometres done.
(It’s gunna be a looooong day!)
Top: Bill and Coop and
Daryl leading the way?
Whoops! On both counts Daryl & Warren.
Warren - “Hey, that don’t
look right? And ..
“Reckon this’ll fix it!?”
And finally …. “Ohhh OUCH”
Jeep News No.163B - July 2015 - Page 12
No matter how hard he tried, Dazza
was always going to end up in that
ditch!
“Ready? - Take ‘er away mate”!
One hole proved a few Jeeps their
undoing, mostly for taking it too hot!
More fun on the ups and downs, with the odd bog in-between, tested the little Jeeps to the max and apart from a
few overzealous entries into what looked like Jeep swallowing quagmires, all survived to a late lunch in a nice
sunny quarry. After that, it was up hill again on a track that tested the 4WD Action Magazine crew recently to
eventually turn our heads for home, but not before one recently bulldozed track that resembled something you
see in the WW2 history books in New Guinea! With all making it look easy, slipping and sliding from side to
side. (I wonder how the Prado would handle that Gary, Peter and Denis????)
Happy as Pigs in Shit! Errr Mud.
Jeep News No.163B - July 2015 - Page 14
Sir Ron and Lady Leona, (earned after many
years service to the Wingham Community),
serving up a great Camp Oven cooked Xmas
feast for us.
Daryl’s grass non destroying fireplaces were
a hit well into the evening.
WW2 Jeepers, enjoying the feed.
Warren and his prize!
Waiting back at Daryl’s was Jeepless Cliff and Deb, along with several other family members, intently
watching our Camp oven Chefs, Ron and Leona, doing their stuff for what was an excellent XMAS in July
Dinner with all the usual trimmings. Donations received for the feast where collected and subsequently
donated to Legacy. A trivia quiz hastily arranged by quizmaster Cliff, kept the mood high and it was won with
a score of 17 out of 20 by Warren. The prize donated by Daryl, of a Jeep shovel and special toilet roll holder
seemed all to appropriate given his actions earlier that day!
A long - long jovial night ensured by the fires with plenty of tales, tall and true.
For the southerners, a late pack up and departure saw the 3 Jeeps back to Gloucester via a scenic route passing
Bundook, then back over the tops to “Linga Longa” at Gundy. (Traditional refreshment stop of many a trek to
Tamworth for ANZAC Day), eventually arriving back for dinner and warm beds at Bill and Annette’s. Final
day saw the two Jeeps head further west and south to Rylstone and then over the mountains home.
750 miles added, plenty of laughs and memories for those that attended. For those that didn’t – well you
missed out again! Might be time to move on and release custodianship of your Jeep to someone who cares?
d
my She
What’s been happening in
“)
Ken (“Sir Fish ‘n Chips
Hurling
Hi Everyone, I received Mitch's News Letter last month and in the following email conversation I asked him
why doesn't he have a "What's happening in my shed" article in the news letter, so as it was my suggestion, I
figure I should start. (We have tried it before and you have to go back to Jeep News No.98 August 07 - Ed)
Well, I don't have a shed only a small garage in Brisbane. My present project is, lets say it's a
"Willisjeepestslattis" and it is being built with more than one Jeep model from 1941 through to 1952 with late
model brakes, power plant and it must be an auto, as my knees are shot.
I can just see the blood pressure rising from the purist and F bolt polishers, "He’s done what with a
slat grill and a 3B?"!
Firstly I have restored a Ford GPW and I found the process, while interesting at times, mostly mundane
and boring, you have a book to guide you and plenty of advice from the inter web, but you don't get to think
design and change, make it better, if that is possible? I must add if you see a rebuilt Jeep on ANZAC day,
there is nothing more patriotic. However, showing cars or dogs is not my thing. Dogs should be judged on
their brains and the work they do and so should cars - reliability, design and usability, not the amount of
money you put in.
I was at a friends place and next to his chicken house was a 3B Willys in all the rubbish, rat shit,
chicken feathers and other future projects also there was a cal of the very early Willys, lets say as far as I can
find out, at home I also had a early bonnet with rubber bonnet stops plus guards and a lot of other Jeep parts I
dug out of the ground in western Queensland.
The 3B must be the ugliest Jeep ever built by Willys, looking at the 3B it said to me "Ken please give
me a new face and a bigger heart ",anyway it was one of those great Queensland days and standing in the sun
in front of this pile of junk, silly moments happen and a project came to life.
Well, what if I cut the 3B in half and fitted the early Willys front then cut the whole car in half again
and made a Ute and then see what I've got?
The photo is where I am at the moment, all the body work completed, running gear is still being sorted,
systems to be installed, brakes, electrics etc, plenty of work, but I love it. I won't be painting, just natural, I
think it is harder to make something look old than new. If you are interested I will from time to time give an
update. I have a challenge: If you see the Jeep around, I have used one F bolt, see if you can find it.!
Thanks Mitch for your great news letter, I like everyone else enjoy reading, seeing all the adventures
Jeep people go on, It's a big country and there is nothing better than traveling in an old Willys or Ford Jeep no
matter what you have done to it, just keep them on the road and drive them.
Old Jeeps mean different things to different people always respect them. Thanks Everyone, Ken.
DAZZA’S Joke Page - (Well this one can’t be credited to him, but seeing that he has given me several
sheets, it might be in amongst the several normal sources of good humorous material that we like to use!
A first-grade teacher, Ms Brooks, was having trouble with one of her more precocious students.
The teacher asked, 'Harry, what exactly is your problem?'
Harry answered, 'I'm too smart for the 1st grade. My sister is in the 3rd grade and I'm smarter than she is!
I think I should be in the 3rd grade too!'
Ms.Brooks finally had enough. She took Harry to the principal's office.
While Harry waited in the outer office, the teacher explained the situation to the principal. The principal told
Ms Brooks he would give the boy a test. If he failed to answer any of his questions he was to go back to the
1st grade and behave. She agreed.
Harry was brought in and the conditions were explained to him and he happily agreed to take the test.
Principal: 'What is 3 x 3?'
Harry: '9..'
Principal: 'What is 6 x 6?'
Harry: '36.'
And so it went with every question the principal thought a bright 3rd grader should know.
The principal looks at Ms. Brooks and tells her, 'Y’ know I reckon Harry can go to the 3rd grade'.
But Ms. Brooks is still skeptical of the little bugger and says to the principal, 'Not so fast, let me ask him a few
questions..'
The principal and Harry both agree.
Ms Brooks asks, 'What does a cow have four of that I have only two of?'
Harry, after a moment: 'Legs..'
Ms Brooks: 'What is in your pants that you have but I do not have?'
The principal wondered why would she ask such a question!
Harry replied: 'Pockets..’ to the Principal’s great relief.
Ms. Brooks: 'What does a dog do that a man steps into?'
Harry: 'Pants.'
By now, the principal is sitting forward with his mouth hanging open.
Ms Brooks: 'What goes in hard and pink then comes out soft and sticky?'
Now the principal's eyes open really wide and before he could intervene, Harry replied, 'Bubble gum.'
Ms Brooks: 'What does a man do standing up, a woman does sitting down and a dog does on three legs?'
Harry: 'Shake hands.'
The principal is now trembling with apprehension as Ms. Brooks asks the last question.
Ms. Brooks: 'What word starts with an 'F' and ends in 'K' and indicates a great deal of heat and excitement?'
Harry: 'Firetruck.'
The principal breaths a huge sigh of relief and tells the teacher, 'Put the little bugger in 5th Grade, I got the
last seven questions wrong myself.'
Thought for the Day - No matter how well you Nurse a Grudge, it will never get any better!
The Doctor finds he has a blocked toilet, so he rings up a Plumber, who says he will be around
shortly.
He asks the Doctor - “Do you know what time it is?”
The Doctor tells him it’s 6:30 pm.
The Plumber arrives half an hour later, looks into the loo, then throws in two aspirin in the bowl.
Tells the Doctor “If it’s no better, then better give us a call in the morning!”
Jeep News No.163B - July 2015 - Page 17
“HANG ON
BROTHER”
A learner driver miraculously emerged unscathed after
colliding with a British tank in Germany. The driver of the
tank, a 24-year-old British national, was unable to stop the
vehicle hitting the car and it overran the front of it. The dramatic picture, released by police in Lippe, shows the left side
of the car and front wheel crunched under the weight of the
62-tonne tank.
The damage to the car was estimated at about £8,500. The
Challenger 2 was designed and built by the British company
Vickers Defence Systems, now known as BAE Systems.
Jeep News No.163B - July 2015 - Page 18
A few random photos taken in the endless travels of an old mate of
the Ed’s, who likes to share stuff. Right, a Jeep in the “Vintage Wings
of Canada” hangar at Gatineau airfield, just out of Ottawa, Canada.
Below: Recently seen on Norfolk Island in a small private museum,
was this Jeep, trailer and Ford Truck, as well as the Search light, that
was being used as a garden bed before being restored. It’s called the
“Norfolk Island Museum of Transport and Technology”, right next to
the airport boundary.
I had to ask …. Its out west of Brisbane somewhere! Details on the above website - www.wattsbridge.com.au