Classic Safari vehicles!

[davestlouis]

When I look at NelsAnderson's dashboard, with the painted steel and protruding knobs, all I think of is "that would hurt if you banged your knee on it". No crash padding there!

 

[JPH]

Well, since no one else has mentioned...

Joseph
And who could forget the Toyota FJs appearing out of the dust storm in the beginning minutes of "Close Encounters of the Third Kind?"

 

[NelsAnderson]

When I look at NelsAnderson's dashboard, with the painted steel and protruding knobs, all I think of is "that would hurt if you banged your knee on it". No crash padding there!

Not a problem, you'd impale yourself on the steering wheel first

Safety had not yet been invented back in the 60's.

 

[savoy6]

best truck...ever....

 

[LocktownDog]

best truck...ever....
[IMG]http://www.surfacezero.com/g503/data/836/medium/06-new-wm300.jpg

Gotta agree. That's a beauty. :eusa_clap

 

[1961MJS]

Hi, what truck is that? Looks slightly military. O.K. I cheated used Google. It's a Dodge Power Wagon.

Later

 

[Stearmen]

Green, Black And Rust

best truck...ever....

My dream Power Wagon would be three tone, green black and rust!

 

[andy richards]

Great pics! Love the Power Wagon. Thanks for posting!
Andy

 

[Story]

Rommel's Horch Feldmarschall Cabriolet (Kfz 21) did a turn as a safari vehicle.

"I couldn't believe I had stumbled upon Rommel's staff car after having initially been hesitant about buying it. Horch only made 36 of these Glaser bodied off road luxury cars so the search was narrowed down fairly quickly.
After months of matching photographs, registration plates, chassis numbers, where possible, to the relevant units they were dispatched to we traced the background to this particular vehicle. One remarkable piece of the puzzle was how a British Army officer had driven the cabriolet down from Libya to Kenya in 1945 where it served as a hunting vehicle on a farm. The car eventually found its way home to Germany, to the UK and back to Germany where the restoration work progressed for over 4 years."

http://www.warandpeaceshow.co.uk/Archive/2006-Show/News.html

http://files.homepagemodules.de/b70724/f12t219p9932004n5.jpg

http://ww2armor.jexiste.fr/Files/Ax.../10-LightVehicles/Kfz.15/Photo-07.Pzcolor.jpg

 

[andy richards]

Awesome story, Story! Very restauration project.
Andy

 

[N2S3]

Pickup

Not exactly a safari truck but my new toy. Kaiser Jeep M715 from 1967. Hoping to get her street legal in the next few weeks

 

[Mike1973]

Ex - Swiss Army bus, Egypt 1992.

http://www.germanaircooled.com/swiss_army_bus.htm

 

[plain old dave]

best truck...ever....

That... is a Flat Fender Power Wagon.

 

[Stearmen]

Baja Bug

Ex - Swiss Army bus, Egypt 1992.

Oh great, you maid my eyes well up! I had a 71 Super Beetle that broke the crank back in 1999, still made it home! Unfortunately in fit of madness I sold it! Regretted it every since. The two times I got stuck in the snow, I pushed my self out, try that with an Escalade. Now, thanks to your photos, I want a Baja Bug again.

 

[NelsAnderson]

The VW's look great, those things were everywhere back in the '60s. I spent a lot of time in the back seat of one of the VW buses back when I was a kid...

 

[davestlouis]

I had a 69 Type 1...I beat that thing mercilessly, tried to kill it and it wouldn't die. I'd love to have one now. Wouldn't mind the 69 Squareback wagon my dad had when I was little, either.

I seem to recall that VW marketed the Type 181 (Thing) as an offroad vehicle when they first started selling them in the US, but got involved in some sort of legal action because of it.

That red Type 1 is clearly raised...was it built like that or is that an aftermarket modification?

 

[Stearmen]

Bug Stories

I had a 69 Type 1...I beat that thing mercilessly, tried to kill it and it wouldn't die. I'd love to have one now. Wouldn't mind the 69 Squareback wagon my dad had when I was little, either.

I seem to recall that VW marketed the Type 181 (Thing) as an offroad vehicle when they first started selling them in the US, but got involved in some sort of legal action because of it.
That red Type 1 is clearly raised...was it built like that or is that an aftermarket modification?

Thats the great thing about old Bugs, if you are over 35 or so, you probably have a story of owning one or driving one or even just an adventure of being a passenger! My 71 was owned by a retired Lieutenant Colonel who fought the Germans in Italy, he then sold it to my dad, who fought the Germans in France.

 

[DesertDan]

My parents owned a 181 "Thing" back in the '70s (?) when they first came out, I loved that vehicle! We went everywhere in it. I'd love to have one.

 

[scottyrocks]

Thats the great thing about old Bugs, if you are over 35 or so, you probably have a story of owning one or driving one or even just an adventure of being a passenger! My 71 was owned by a retired Lieutenant Colonel who fought the Germans in Italy, he then sold it to my dad, who fought the Germans in France.

Yep, I learned to drive a stick in my Dad's '71 Beetle. Nothing else Ive ever owned had the clutch and brake pedals hinged at the bottom. I dont care what anyone says, those pedals need to hinged at the top, just like every other car.

I believe the Thing was released here in 1974, but Im just going from recollections.

 

[Stearmen]

VW Thing

My parents owned a 181 "Thing" back in the '70s (?) when they first came out, I loved that vehicle! We went everywhere in it. I'd love to have one.

For those of you that don't know, this is a Thing! You either love them or hate them. I think they were about 20 years ahead of their time, in the mid 90s they would have sold well. And one thing [pun intended] I know for sure, if you get stuck, two people can push it out of just about any spot, try that with your Escalade!