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.

I am sorry to hear of such a tragedy

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]

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.

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.

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

Great stuff, guys ..... really ,, thanks much ... starts bring back a lot ...

off road

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

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.

jeeeps

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.

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!

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

Reliable? Really?

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

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.

PROPAGANDA

Quote: Originally posted by David K

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]

Can't find old issues of Four Wheeler online. I just made an Ebay saved search... It'll pop up soon.




[Edited on 9-6-2024 by geoffff]

Quote: Originally posted by geoffff

Can't find old issues of Four Wheeler online. I just made an Ebay saved search... It'll pop up soon. [Edited on 9-6-2024 by geoffff]

OK, here is the February 1963 Special Baja Issue of Four Wheeler! Open this PDF file for the Baja section:

19630200--Four-Wheeler--Baja.pdf

Highlights:
• The "Sidewinder", a 3-wheeled ATV by GP Enterprises. Many pages are devoted to this wheelbarrow-like contraption!
• A beach north of Cabo Colonet which was supposed to have shipwrecks.
• Bahia de los Angeles
• Valle de Trinidad
• Adventures of a Model A in Baja
• Book review of Lower California Guidebook by Gerhard and Gulick




[Edited on 10-2-2024 by geoffff]

It turns out that cover image with the seagull was not actually taken in Baja...! It's a beach near Ocean Shores, WA.



Here is the full February 1963 issue of Four Wheeler:

19630200--Four-Wheeler.pdf

[Edited on 10-2-2024 by geoffff]

Quote: Originally posted by geoffff

It turns out that cover image with the seagull was not actually taken in Baja...! It's a beach near Ocean Shores, WA. Here is the full February 1963 issue of Four Wheeler: 19630200--Four-Wheeler.pdf [Edited on 10-2-2024 by geoffff]

Quote: Originally posted by geoffff

OK, here is the February 1963 Special Baja Issue of Four Wheeler! Open this PDF file for the Baja section: 19630200--Four-Wheeler--Baja.pdf Highlights: • The "Sidewinder", a 3-wheeled ATV by GP Enterprises. Many pages are devoted to this wheelbarrow-like contraption! • A beach north of Cabo Colonet which was supposed to have shipwrecks. • Bahia de los Angeles • Valle de Trinidad • Adventures of a Model A in Baja • Book review of Lower California Guidebook by Gerhard and Gulick [Edited on 10-2-2024 by geoffff]