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Who needs four-wheel drive? Offroading in the Golden Era.

Two Types

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,456
Location
London, UK
This thread reminded me of a conversation I had recently with an old fellow who lived in India as a child. He remembers going out with a large hunting party in the mid 1920s, whilst staying in a maharajas palace. The entire hunting party rode in open topped Rolls Royce cars (apparently the Maharaja owned over twenty Rolls Royces)!
He told me it made a distinct impression on him, since at home he only got to hunt from the back of his pet elephant!
 

Oldsarge

One Too Many
Messages
1,440
Location
On the banks of the Wilamette
I'm surprised no one has come up with this pioneer before. It's the g'granddaddy of the unmatched Dodge Carryall, 4x4 of 4x4's.

oo1923-Dodge-Cantrell-ad-01.jpg
 

Silver Bird

New in Town
Messages
12
Location
gone
The only thing that would make that Volvo TP21 better would be suicide doors. Nice rig! John in Covina: Bullseye! Skill's the key.
David: That Fords a Beauty!
 
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1930artdeco

Practically Family
Messages
672
Location
oakland
Somewhere, I saw a picture of the Russians using Model A's like jeeps on sand dunes. They fitted balloon tires and you could go anywhere in those cars. I went down a beater road (unintentionally) in august in my 'A' with dad following in the 4 runner and trailer. I bounced around and had a blast, dad-not so much.

Mike
 
Messages
10,883
Location
Portage, Wis.
Those cars, and Model T's were built to handle roughing it. Overall road quality then was much different than now. Those cars may not ride like today's Cadillacs, but they will go through a lot. Those pizza cutter tires and the clearance they had really does the trick.

Somewhere, I saw a picture of the Russians using Model A's like jeeps on sand dunes. They fitted balloon tires and you could go anywhere in those cars. I went down a beater road (unintentionally) in august in my 'A' with dad following in the 4 runner and trailer. I bounced around and had a blast, dad-not so much.

Mike
 

scottyrocks

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,178
Location
Isle of Langerhan, NY
Those cars, and Model T's were built to handle roughing it. Overall road quality then was much different than now. Those cars may not ride like today's Cadillacs, but they will go through a lot. Those pizza cutter tires and the clearance they had really does the trick.

Still, life expectancy for cars back then was not what it is now for today's vehicles. True, they were built for what passed for thoroughfares on those pre-interstate days, but they only had the technology they had.
 
Messages
10,883
Location
Portage, Wis.
Very true. Even in the 50's, if your car had 100,000 miles, that car was done. Now, it's not uncommon to see a few hundred thousand miles on a car and it's still going strong. I know a few people with 500,000 miles on their vehicles.

Still, life expectancy for cars back then was not what it is now for today's vehicles. True, they were built for what passed for thoroughfares on those pre-interstate days, but they only had the technology they had.
 

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