In the late 1950s and early 1960s I explored a major part of northern Baja in a 4X4 1942 1/2 ton WW11 surplus Dodge ambulance which had been modified
for travel off road and remote camping.
On on one trip to Punta Baja, below present day El Rosario, I met an individual from San Diego who was traveling north from the Bay in a highy
modified 1940 Ford convertable.
His machine impressed me and mine impressed him. Since there was absolutely no traffic we parked right in the middle of the trail and examined each
other's vehicles.
His was a convertable; he had raised the body off the frame via a his own desgn and manufactured lift kit, (the first I had ever seen,) had enlarged
the wheel wells for clearance, had several additional running lights (6 volt) and had two jerry cans for water and gasoline in the quarter panels on
each side which had been modified to accept them . There were a number of other modifications which I am relatively certain that I have forgotten
therefore have been omitted.
I took some pictures which have long since been lost or discarded, and we exchanged names and addresses for posible future trips together, which we
never took together and of course the slip of paper has also been long lost and his name forgotten.
However the memory of this chance meeting and his 1940 Ford has not.
Does any of the older senior members who bounced around Baja in the 1950s and 1960s, know of or recall this individual or his automobile?--- or have a
picture of it? and can post a picture of it? I would appreciate it and I some how feel certain the current batch of off road members would enjoy
seeing a 1950s type off road vechicle that explored the then unexplored and blazed the trails for them to follow a half of a century later.
21Bruce R Leech - 6-29-2006 at 07:21 AM
I would enjoy seeing any photos of these trucks or any similar cars and trucks .
Dean do you remember what size tires and wheels you were running on your truck or his?surfer jim - 6-29-2006 at 07:23 AM
I was still in MIAMI at that time and had no idea of BAJA.....but your description of the vehicle made me think of my early baja bug and we used to go
to DICK CEPEK and buy the gerry can holders that were bolted on to the sides of the VW bug behind the front doors.....
Also back in the mid 70's the mini-trucks started to appear and replace the "baja bug" as the vehicle of choice...down in San Diego the "first" lift
kits were designed to raise the body up so you could put NORSEMAN tires on these trucks....Neal Johns - 6-29-2006 at 07:48 AM
Hi Dean,
Can't help you on the Ford, but if you want to relive the old Dodge ambulance days, Anderson's Garage in Phelan (Howard) has his for sale with Hummer
1 wheels on it. And it is Baja Tested! RIP Dick Cepek.Ken Cooke - 6-29-2006 at 03:08 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by Neal Johns
RIP Dick Cepek.
I regularly shopped at their Riverside, CA location before shuttering their doors forever...dean miller - 6-30-2006 at 08:02 AM
Originally posted by Bruce R Leech:
"I would enjoy seeing any photos of these trucks or any similar cars and trucks .
Dean do you remember what size tires and wheels you were running on your truck or his?"
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
I have some B&W photographs but they are packed away and haven't been seen in years.
My ambulance was the 1/2 ton model, my friend Joe McCabe had the 1943 3/4 ton model. The difference was the size and width of the tires and the cab
area. The 1/2 ton was tall and narrow the 3/4 ton was short, squat and square.
Both trucks had a modified bed frame welded to the top as a top rack. There were provisions for Jerry Cans on the front fenders (great place to put
them)
Gasoline was always a consideration when traveling in Baja; Stations were infrequent, when gasoline supply was located it was often dispensed from a
55 gallon drum. On one occasion I was running low, I emptied all the white gas normally used for Coleman products in to the truck--it ran great and
got us to the next "gas station!"
In 1961 Leo Burns installed a large Rix compressor behind the seat of Joe's truck that ran off the PTO. Two large D size HP bottles were secured to
the floor of the truck. This allowed the filling of SCUBA tanks (At that time were called Lungs) in remote locations.
The seats in my truck was replaced with bench seats from a modern (?) automobile. The floor was covered with several layers green hi lo carpeting.
There was no interior lighting, no radio, no GPS, No CD player and a 2-40 AC for summer driving comfort.
The only "guide book" was one written in early 1950s by Ralph Handc-ck, a story by Jack Waite which appeared in a 1954 issue of Skin Diver Magazine,
both which were useless for overland travel in northern Baja. We found our way by traveling well traveled bumpy, rocky, rutty dusty desert roads
which lead us from Rancho to rancho and a using a hand held compass.
What I recall most about these trips was the many times we hit out heads on the ceiling of the truck while bouncing along, as a result of traveling
too fast on unimproved roads. Every night at camp some one would complain about head or neck pain. In later years after completion of my
professional training and viewing my X rays it was apparent that I had done considerable damage to the orthopedic structure of the cervical area in
the form of numerous untreatable compression fractures. (The fun of youth creates the pain of latter years)
The tires, rims etc were standard military units.
I do not know or recall about the 1940 Ford. That is why I made the post --for information the 1940 Ford and it's owner.
DMBruce R Leech - 6-30-2006 at 10:54 AM
thanks for the good description dean miller I wish I could find one of those now.
