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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8923
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Location: Riverside, CA
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Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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1963 Four Wheeler Magazine - SPECIAL BAJA ISSUE
Reading through my Feb. 2012 issue of Four Wheeler revealed the cover of the February 1963 issue boasting;
Bay of Los Angeles - "Graveyard of Ships" with a Chevy full-size pickup with in-bed camper atop a sand dune near the Sea of Cortez.
I am sure Granville King contributed to the articles contained in this amazing collection of articles. Just wish I could get my hand on a copy.
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David K
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Posts: 64564
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Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Granville had a house just north of Puertecitos, from where he wrote his many articles and book 'Jeep Bible'. When the new pavement arrived in the
1990's, he knew the end was near... He was killed on the new highway near Punta Estrella. He really loved dirt roads and like me, is sad when they are
gone!
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
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I am sorry to hear of such a tragedy
Four Wheeler magazine said that he, "Died" - making it sound like this occurred of, "Old Age". Was it a head-on collision? I know that he left the
U.S. in order to retire and live, "Off of the grid" as they say.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64564
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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As I recall, he was changing a tire... and a (perhaps intoxicated) driver ran him over... I am not positive, so I will check if I can find the for
sure answer.
I have subscribed to Four Wheeler since the 1960's and had that issue... In cleaning out my collection, I gave them to a friend who is in Hawaii now.
I have also subsribed to Off Road, 4 wheel & Off Road, Pickup, Van & 4 Wheel Drive, JP, Dirt Sport, etc. I still have a sub to Four Wheeler to
this day.
More on Granville:
From 1984 until his death in 1989 at age 70, Granville King served as Four Wheeler's Baja Correspondent. A former aerospace engineer and TV
screenwriter, Granville retired in 1981 to a trailer located on a bluff south of San Felipe, from whence he filed the monthly dispatches that became
known to FW readers as "From the Backcountry,'' a diaristic account of a life lived miles away from electricity or paved roads, his only companion a
four-legged mascot (and sometime mentor) named Superdawg.
Read more: http://www.fourwheeler.com/departments/legacy/129_9703_march...
Check out his photo:
http://image.fourwheeler.com/f/34789163+w750+st0/129_1202_01...
The death:
He was killed in a road accident, not far from his home near San Felipe, Baja California, Mexico, in 1989.
Read more: http://www.fourwheeler.com/adventures/129_0206_14_mile_trail...
[Edited on 12-28-2011 by David K]
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Curt63
Super Nomad
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Registered: 3-28-2009
Location: San Diego, Ca.
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Mood: Fish tacos and Tecate
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Great stuff Ken and David!
No worries
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8923
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
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Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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same thing, really!
| Quote: | Originally posted by Ken Cooke
Bay of Los Angeles - "Graveyard of Ships" with a Chevy full-size pickup with in-bed camper atop a sand dune near the Sea of Cortez.
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I meant to say, GMC full-size pickup...
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Neal Johns
Super Nomad
Posts: 1687
Registered: 10-31-2002
Location: Lytle Creek, CA
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Mood: In love!
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The Desert Fox
Using a clue he finally published, my girl friend at the time and I tracked him down on the cliff overlooking the sea (clue 1) near Arroyo Matomi. A
whole bunch of Keep Out signs stopped us at his driveway, so we checked the mileage to the nearest beach entrance, drove down the beach and parked
spot on. Could not see a thing from below, but when we climbed the cliff we saw his trailer under the palapa (clue 2). Clue 3 was his frequent
reference to "The Village" about 28 miles away. A typewriter was banging away inside but he ignored our banging on the door. Turns out he had his
hearing aids off.
He finally opened up and was very friendly.
True Desert Fox Story:
When the first prototype Montero 4WD was brought to Baja for testing by Mitsubishi engineers and American consultants, about 1981, it was the only one
in North America. One evening, the troops, fueled by a little beer, wondered if the rather high, short wheel vehicle would tip over.
Using a nearby playa for a test track, faster and faster and tighter and tighter the car and driver went around ..... Yep, it rolled. The next morning
a very senior engineer explained to his Mitsu jefe in Japan that an unfortunate and unavoidable accident had completely totaled the vehicle and it
would be useless to bring it back to the U.S. or Japan.
Granville talked them into stripping off the body and seats as to make it unrecognizable and leaving it with him so he use it as a desert buggy. It
was later pictured in the magazine (unrecognizable).
This story was told to me by one of the participants.. My lips are sealed.
Here is a picture of my girl friend, one of several SuperDogs, and Granville with my 1977 FJ-40 LandCruiser.
![{Q-E}Granville King1 [800x600].jpg - 40kB](https://forums.bajanomad.com/files.php?pid=681992&aid=29429 "{Q-E}Granville King1 [800x600].jpg - 40kB")
My motto:
Never let a Dragon pass by without pulling its tail!
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captkw
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3850
Registered: 10-19-2010
Location: el charro b.c.s.
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Mood: new dog/missing the old 1
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DAVID K
HOLA< wow what a great read,,,as a mechanic,and a desert rat,,alot of those ,,git her home fix's,,I've done for stranger's and a couple time's,,
meself,,LOL,,funny IM in the process of bringing back,, to top notch,,for towing a 23ft boston whaler,,a 1969 jeep wagoneer with a stock buick
350,from the factory,,called the dauntless motor,,,and then to read those article's,,time travel....many thank's ....Keith & lil tasha
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wessongroup
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 21152
Registered: 8-9-2009
Location: Mission Viejo
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Mood: Suicide Hot line ... please hold
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Great stuff, guys ..... really ,, thanks much ... starts bring back a lot ... 
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captkw
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3850
Registered: 10-19-2010
Location: el charro b.c.s.
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Mood: new dog/missing the old 1
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off road
HOLA' this might be a great,,,thing to share with the younger gen. today,,and maybe ,,IF it dosnt get lost,,IT might ,,ring a bell,,down the
road,,with the next,gen....OK.what ,,next,,gen,,are we really extinct,,soon???POSSiillbly !!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64564
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by captkw
HOLA< wow what a great read,,,as a mechanic,and a desert rat,,alot of those ,,git her home fix's,,I've done for stranger's and a couple time's,,
meself,,LOL,,funny IM in the process of bringing back,, to top notch,,for towing a 23ft boston whaler,,a 1969 jeep wagoneer with a stock buick
350,from the factory,,called the dauntless motor,,,and then to read those article's,,time travel....many thank's ....Keith & lil tasha |
Thanks!
Yup... we started our Baja exploring in a (new) 1965 Kaiser Jeep Wagoneer (with a Rambler V-8)... Although I was just a little kid, I believe that was
a great vehicle and served our family well. In 1970, my dad got a new Wagoneer and it had a Buick V-8 and a little AMC badge as AMC bought Kaiser that
year. Sadly, it was a junk Jeep and my dad soon switched it for a 4WD Chevy Suburban until his Ford wagon in '73. In 1975 I got my first Jeep, a
Cherokee Chief with the AMC 401 V-8... it too was a piece of junk in quality, and I switched to a 4WD Subaru wagon in '77.
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8923
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
| Quote: | Originally posted by captkw
HOLA< wow what a great read,,,as a mechanic,and a desert rat,,alot of those ,,git her home fix's,,I've done for stranger's and a couple time's,,
meself,,LOL,,funny IM in the process of bringing back,, to top notch,,for towing a 23ft boston whaler,,a 1969 jeep wagoneer with a stock buick
350,from the factory,,called the dauntless motor,,,and then to read those article's,,time travel....many thank's ....Keith & lil tasha |
Thanks!
Yup... we started our Baja exploring in a (new) 1965 Kaiser Jeep Wagoneer (with a Rambler V-8)... Although I was just a little kid, I believe that was
a great vehicle and served our family well. In 1970, my dad got a new Wagoneer and it had a Buick V-8 and a little AMC badge as AMC bought Kaiser that
year. Sadly, it was a junk Jeep and my dad soon switched it for a 4WD Chevy Suburban until his Ford wagon in '73. In 1975 I got my first Jeep, a
Cherokee Chief with the AMC 401 V-8... it too was a piece of junk in quality, and I switched to a 4WD Subaru wagon in '77. |
Why didn't you just stick with the 1965? I got rid of the '94 Ranger, and I'm still with my '03 Rubicon as it has been reliable and also capable.
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captkw
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3850
Registered: 10-19-2010
Location: el charro b.c.s.
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Mood: new dog/missing the old 1
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jeeeps
hola,david,,from what im learning the kaiser's were really tough unit's this 69 im working on is a TANK,,would not want even hit it with my 89 volva
240.. LOL and the buick 350 will tear up a small block chevy,,old dog learnig new stuff !!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64564
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Ken Cooke
| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
| Quote: | Originally posted by captkw
HOLA< wow what a great read,,,as a mechanic,and a desert rat,,alot of those ,,git her home fix's,,I've done for stranger's and a couple time's,,
meself,,LOL,,funny IM in the process of bringing back,, to top notch,,for towing a 23ft boston whaler,,a 1969 jeep wagoneer with a stock buick
350,from the factory,,called the dauntless motor,,,and then to read those article's,,time travel....many thank's ....Keith & lil tasha |
Thanks!
Yup... we started our Baja exploring in a (new) 1965 Kaiser Jeep Wagoneer (with a Rambler V-8)... Although I was just a little kid, I believe that was
a great vehicle and served our family well. In 1970, my dad got a new Wagoneer and it had a Buick V-8 and a little AMC badge as AMC bought Kaiser that
year. Sadly, it was a junk Jeep and my dad soon switched it for a 4WD Chevy Suburban until his Ford wagon in '73. In 1975 I got my first Jeep, a
Cherokee Chief with the AMC 401 V-8... it too was a piece of junk in quality, and I switched to a 4WD Subaru wagon in '77. |
Why didn't you just stick with the 1965? I got rid of the '94 Ranger, and I'm still with my '03 Rubicon as it has been reliable and also capable.
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Ken, I am not sure, I was 12-13 (in 1970) when my dad changed Wagoneers. I just remember the '65 rarely needing anything... and I liked going to the
Jeep dealer because I loved sitting in CJ-5s and always wanted one!
When I was old enough for my first Jeep (and after working so much to keep my VW dune buggy running), my dad convinced me the CJ-5 was too small to
carry gear, nor be able to sleep in... so he steered me to the new Cherokee (which was the same body as the Wagoneer, but with 2 doors to 'look'
sportier). The new 'Chief' package gave it wider Jeep J-10 truck axles, bigger tires and wheel openings over the base Cherokee.
It was great, when it ran... and the full time 4WD was awesome (Quadra Trac, with center diff. lock). Just a ton of stupid things failing from the
very start... including radiator, starter, auto. tranny, etc.
Got the Subaru... and just drove the heck out of it... no problems and 25 mpg on any gas! I ended up owning 3 Subarus... and later a Mitsubishi truck,
Mazda Van, Plymouth Van, and now on my 3rd Toyota Tacoma. Of all those cars/ trucks... ONLY the American brand (Plymouth) was a POS junk pile in
quality... Just like the Jeep... No more, enough is enough!
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64564
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by captkw
hola,david,,from what im learning the kaiser's were really tough unit's this 69 im working on is a TANK,,would not want even hit it with my 89 volva
240.. LOL and the buick 350 will tear up a small block chevy,,old dog learnig new stuff !! |
Yah, what was cool about Kaiser-Jeep, was they could buy the best form other companies to build the Jeep. The steering was from a Cadilac, I believe
my dad said.
Kaiser bought Willys-Overland in 1953, and changed the name to Willys Motors... then changed the name again in 1963 to Kaiser-Jeep Corp.
I really love the Jeep and its history... I just wished they were made by a quality company like Toyota! LOL 
Even the U.S. government lies about Toyota to help their GM sales didn't stop the people from wanting the best!
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8923
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
It was great, when it ran... and the full time 4WD was awesome (Quadra Trac, with center diff. lock). Just a ton of stupid things failing from the
very start... including radiator, starter, auto. tranny, etc.
Got the Subaru... and just drove the heck out of it... no problems and 25 mpg on any gas! I ended up owning 3 Subarus... and later a Mitsubishi truck,
Mazda Van, Plymouth Van, and now on my 3rd Toyota Tacoma. Of all those cars/ trucks... ONLY the American brand (Plymouth) was a POS junk pile in
quality... Just like the Jeep... No more, enough is enough! |
The improved gas mileage speaks volumes. The Honda Pilot I drive daily gets about double the fuel economy as my Rubicon. Guess which one stays
garaged??
Dumb question #2 - Why did you get rid of the Subarus?
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captkw
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3850
Registered: 10-19-2010
Location: el charro b.c.s.
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Mood: new dog/missing the old 1
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jeeps
HOLA, the vin plate on this kaiser is so,,cool.. I will take some pic's and post,,but since ,I'm taking my baby step's on this lap top,,,dont wait !!
IT's gonna take me awile ..LOL Keith& lil tasha
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8923
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
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Mood: Its Pole Line Road time
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Reliable? Really?
I often see Toyotas on the side of the freeway while driving to work every morning. This could be due to poor maintenance or poorly rebuilt parts,
but I still see broken down Toyotas and I laugh out loud everytime.
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: optimistic
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My son just rolled up 300K mileage on his Subaru "Baja" and since Subaru is not making the "Baja" anymore, he just spent $4,600 on it at the dealer
and hopes to get another 150K + before he hangs it up. It's a 2005------the "Baja" is one-half OUTBACK and one-half MINI-PICKUP (on an OUTBACK frame)
and is a 4-door similar to, but much smaller than, the Chevy Avalanche. He has had no problems with it other than normal wear and tear-------strut
replacement, tires, new timing belts, etc.. and small stuff occasionally. It's 4 wheel drive, and he is a hard-driving man, for sure. He loves it
(obviously--I never spent that much on a used vehicle in my life!).
Barry
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64564
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Ken Cooke
| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
It was great, when it ran... and the full time 4WD was awesome (Quadra Trac, with center diff. lock). Just a ton of stupid things failing from the
very start... including radiator, starter, auto. tranny, etc.
Got the Subaru... and just drove the heck out of it... no problems and 25 mpg on any gas! I ended up owning 3 Subarus... and later a Mitsubishi truck,
Mazda Van, Plymouth Van, and now on my 3rd Toyota Tacoma. Of all those cars/ trucks... ONLY the American brand (Plymouth) was a POS junk pile in
quality... Just like the Jeep... No more, enough is enough! |
The improved gas mileage speaks volumes. The Honda Pilot I drive daily gets about double the fuel economy as my Rubicon. Guess which one stays
garaged??
Dumb question #2 - Why did you get rid of the Subarus? |
Changed for newer model, more features, less wear... My first two both had well over 100,000 trouble free miles when I traded them on a newer ('77 for
'80 and the '80 for an '86). Wife #1 kept the third Subaru until it wore out from her lack of care, I think... It had close to 200,000 miles on it, I
think.
I took the 13" tire Subarus into places others would never dream... Rancho Matomi in '78 for one... then to Gonzaga over the original road from
Puertecitos in '79 (lost the exhaust on rocks).
You see that many broken Tacomas (or just any Toyota, since that is the world's most popular car)? Oh well, that's okay... I know how mine is... and
it is awesome.
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