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Sharksbaja
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[*] posted on 2-13-2007 at 03:30 PM
Surviving Baja


It could be a matter of life or death if you ran out of gas or broke down in the 60s somewhere in Baja. I can remember hunting down ranchos en route pre-Hwy 1. We had to filter the pale green fuel and put booster stuff in it to help our trucks run. I don't know where they got that stuff but I swear they had a 55 gal agave still somewhere.
We would carry plenty of gas but never wanted to be completely out anywhere between San Quintin and GN.
The stakes could be high if caught off-guard on a hot spring day. I remember seeing the carcasses of not so lucky travelers' cars and trucks. It was amazing to see passenger cars down there miles from nowhere. Some you can still see out there along the old road. What happened to them? Scary!
Although I made Mallirimo alone in 1971 I was pretty naive. The fact that I almost buried my large truck at the beach and blew two tires on the way out was just par for the course. "Ol' PW", my old Dodge had already logged many off road excursions including the dreaded Manache Meadows road on the Kern Plateau 4 times.
Of course this truck, 4" stock lift, a 1968 W200 was before it's time. My brother bought it new and after many trips to the White Mountains and Sierras it was time for upgrades. It still wears the homemade 14X17.5 rims mounted with 38" ten ply forklift tires. These were the only "big shoes" available in 1969. THe first set of tires were very heavy military non-directional lug tires. They were ten ply regrooveable jobs that howled down the road. They wore out fast. Upgraded to Firestones the next year when I got the truck. These are still what I use(d) and are available but pricey.
Another upgrade was the installation of a PTO winch. A customised crane hoist mounted in the back where the spare used to be. Equipped with 5/8''" cable and 100 ft this baby can pull 6 trucks up a mountain. THat is provided the engine is running. Used it many times. The truck weighs in at 6800 lbs empty. That's a lot of weight for a little 318 ci engine.
I love that truck. It had its' share of problems but it always was repairable and made it home on it's own accord.. It had good Karma. It's how I survived Baja and other jaunts.
. Not too many of those babies were made. The Forest Service loved them as did some other agencies. THey liked the crew cab. Me too but I also liked the ease of repair. Everything is basic with lots of space. A blessing when you think about todays complicated systems.
I have confidence when I take my truck off-road but I'll have to tell ya, there is much WE can't fix on the newer vehicles. I have already made a couple repairs that could have left me in a predicament.
So it's a learning experience really. I have to learn my vehicles weaknesses by beating the hell out of it. Come to think of it, that's what we always did!:biggrin:




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Barry A.
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[*] posted on 2-13-2007 at 04:03 PM


Remember when we all breathed a sigh of relief when ARMSTRONG TRU-TRACS, and then ARMSTRONG NORSEMEN tires came along? I think that it was in the early '70's. Great tires. Before that we used straight gruved (sp?) aircraft tires, and they worked pretty good, at least in the sand.

Alas, ARMSTRONG no longer exists----swollowed up by Perrelli, I think.
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[*] posted on 2-13-2007 at 05:25 PM


Quote:
Originally posted by Barry A.
Remember when we all breathed a sigh of relief when ARMSTRONG TRU-TRACS, and then ARMSTRONG NORSEMEN tires came along? I think that it was in the early '70's. Great tires. Before that we used straight gruved (sp?) aircraft tires, and they worked pretty good, at least in the sand.

Alas, ARMSTRONG no longer exists----swollowed up by Perrelli, I think.


Boy doesn't that bring back some memories!

Before that we used straight gruved (sp?) aircraft tires, and they worked pretty good, at least in the sand.

Even cutting some cross grooves in them with a grooving iron!
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[*] posted on 2-13-2007 at 06:00 PM


Ok....... you guys are really digging out the past....Hey Sharks.....I bought a 1966 W200 Power Wagon at a forest service auction in Jackson,Wyo in 1971 with 15k on it for $1500. Best truck I ever owned or worked on.I think in those days the Dodge truck factory was run by a bunch of Sweedes.The frame was built out of old railroad ties and 1/2" box channel irion.It had a 318 that wouldnt ever quit. Came from the factory with a 4" lift and a set of Budd 20" wheels and a huge Braden PTO winch with 3/8 cable. Armstrong tires, and I had an old 8' Alaskan pop up camper, nothing fancy.Took three trips into Baja in those years and lots of trips into South Western Utah,Canyonlands Park area they call it now.It was a stepside bed so there was room for handymans and shovels. That truck at times was the only one that would start when it was 30 below in winter.A true work horse. I would tow huge logs out of the forest with it.The doors finaly started to fall off it. It was all real steel. The real thing!!! :coolup:
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[*] posted on 2-14-2007 at 11:42 AM


Ah, ARMSTRONG TRU-TRACS! What fond memories, see below for my first Tru-Tracks.

This is an original Ted Jensen (Friends of the Mojave Road artist) he gave me for my 29th??? birthday:

FJ40 5.jpg - 49kB




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[*] posted on 2-14-2007 at 11:57 AM


My god, is that a drawing of the only broken down Toyota in Baja?

:lol::lol::lol:
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[*] posted on 2-14-2007 at 01:05 PM


Yep, the only one I have seen in 30 years. Trust me! :lol::lol::lol:



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[*] posted on 2-14-2007 at 03:41 PM


I made a bunch of trips to san quintin and el rosario when stationed i san diego in the early 60 had a military surplus international pickup straight 6 flathead, those old trucks were uncomfortable to drive with no air or other ameniaties but were indestructable
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[*] posted on 2-14-2007 at 07:55 PM


Quote:
Originally posted by Neal Johns
Yep, the only one I have seen in 30 years. Trust me! :lol::lol::lol:


I'm not sure about that...I've seen drawings of another NJ Toyota broken down overnight in a wash with some busted balljoints---Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh---only to be saved the following day by stateside Amigos!!!!

Is it the memory that goes first? Apparently with all those WIW it must be the memory! LOL




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Neal Johns
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[*] posted on 2-14-2007 at 10:01 PM


DB, I don't want to talk about what goes first! :biggrin::D:bounce:

A clue: It isn't the memory or ball joint!




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David K
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[*] posted on 2-15-2007 at 10:49 AM


Should I post the photo???? :spingrin::yes::?::light:



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[*] posted on 2-15-2007 at 04:11 PM


DK, it is your life, throw it away if you like. I know Tony S. :mad:



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[*] posted on 2-15-2007 at 04:50 PM
W 200


Ah yes the w200,bought mine brand new off the showroom floor for 3250$ in 1965,had all the goodies:lol: increased cooling,bigger fan,318,4speed also with heater,no radio........Radio,heater,318,4/4,4 speed was optional equipment........80$ for the 4 speed:lol:

Loved that truck but it did have some problems,but I,m getting ahead of myself,in 64 we made your first trip to Gonzaga Bay and was lucky to get out alive but loved the place.........64 VW bus 3 adults and 2 kids,it was a hoot but getting home was iffy at best!

First trip in 65 with the 200,nearly to Puertecitos and I hear this noise,stop in town and open the hood and there is my battery up-side down,bracket welds broke a guy in town gives me a hand and we are on our way again,just past the three sisters I hear this roaring sound,stop the truck, and there on the ground is my muffler,tail pipe and brackets,needless to say we were a little loud coming into camp.

In 50,000 miles we went thru 3 alternators,2 brake jobs,replaced the clutch,heater leaked, one more neat thing about that truck was the gas tank all 12 gallons of it,always had 2 jeep cans with us.

But I still loved that old truck:lol:
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Sharksbaja
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[*] posted on 2-15-2007 at 06:05 PM
Crusoe


Quote:
Originally posted by Crusoe
Ok....... you guys are really digging out the past....Hey Sharks.....I bought a 1966 W200 Power Wagon at a forest service auction in Jackson,Wyo in 1971 with 15k on it for $1500. Best truck I ever owned or worked on.I think in those days the Dodge truck factory was run by a bunch of Sweedes.The frame was built out of old railroad ties and 1/2" box channel irion.It had a 318 that wouldnt ever quit. Came from the factory with a 4" lift and a set of Budd 20" wheels and a huge Braden PTO winch with 3/8 cable. Armstrong tires, and I had an old 8' Alaskan pop up camper, nothing fancy.Took three trips into Baja in those years and lots of trips into South Western Utah,Canyonlands Park area they call it now.It was a stepside bed so there was room for handymans and shovels. That truck at times was the only one that would start when it was 30 below in winter.A true work horse. I would tow huge logs out of the forest with it.The doors finaly started to fall off it. It was all real steel. The real thing!!! :coolup:


THat is very interesting. The 67' and earlier W200 was on a different chassis but they had the same drivetrain. A Spicer/New Process setup. A very common trans/tranfer case but they changed out the companion flanges and should have upgraded to larger u-joints. I replaced quite a few and they weren't so easy to find.
I rebuilt the trans 20 yrs ago and it was quite easy. The trandfer case has yet to be rebuilt and has thousands of hard miles on it. I'm sure the chain is probably stretched and I know the output bearings are pretty noisy. I rebuilt the rear end in 1975 when I dropped the clutch in compound low on a hard surface and broke an axle. DUH!
I also rebuilt the ft axel assembly after a trip to Homer AK. Driving the beach with my fully loaded rig with an Alaskan Camper and ohsomuch stuff I blew the spider gears on one side. Thank god for 3-wheel drive.:lol:
Oh, and I put a new cab and doors on it. It will be one of my retirement restoration projects. It was running when I parked it last. :biggrin:

Thanks for sharing Crusoe. You too Baitcast!( mine has a 22 gal tank but I had a removeable 55 gal drum mounted in the back for Baja)

Hey Neal, you sure it ain't the ball-joint that gives first?:no::lol:





[Edited on 2-16-2007 by Sharksbaja]




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[*] posted on 2-15-2007 at 06:32 PM
con tu permeso


I'll probably never get another response to any U2U's but here goes. The true story behind the breakdown:

The Truth
By John Page

It was really Marian on the CB that led us to the scene of the broken Toyota.

When we got there we found Neal lying huddled on the sand in the wash in the fetal position. He was twitching and jerking and sobbing hysterically. We could hear him babbling to himself “Save me, save me, please somebody, save me.” There was sand stuck to his face where the tears, the spittle drooling from the corners of his mouth, and the stuff coming out of his nose had all smeared together into a gooey, slimy mess. His eyes were red, and his pants were stained. He smelled of vomit.

Marian stepped calmly out of cab of the truck and looked at her miserable husband with disdain. “There, there, Neal,” she said, “I told you everything would work out OK.”

Bob found a roll of blue paper shop towels and wet it; the three of us, with some help from Marilyn, cleaned Neal up as best we could. He, of course, resisted being touched by water, but we overpowered him. It was quite a while before we had him wiped off, and he settled down and regressed to his normal obnoxious self.
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[*] posted on 2-15-2007 at 07:29 PM


made my day!!!:lol::lol::lol::lol:



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[*] posted on 2-15-2007 at 08:42 PM


Baitcast- Thanks so much for the report on old Dodges.Life was much more simple for all of us Baja travelers in those days.We owned our own time and things were always constantly challenging us. Mostly simple things. Baja was undeveloped and people were always happy to see other people.The Sky, The Sea, The Rock, The Dirt, The Cactus,has not changed. We are lucky in our lives to been invited.
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[*] posted on 2-17-2007 at 10:26 AM


A couple more things about my 200,she went by the name "Mary Ann",so named by my 2 little girls,they would talk to her when things got a little hairy particularly on the last climb out of the 3 sisters headed south,never wishing to meet someone coming down I would start blowing the horn from the bottom to the top and the girls would being the chant"come on Mary Ann you can do it"all the way to the top,once at the top we would get out and cheer,act silly and leave all our loose change at the little shrine,then with smiles on our faces head south.

The truck had another quirk that nearly did us in,on the way down the same hill it would pop out of gear,the first time was pretty scary,they never could fix that problem so that was my wifes job from then on,pull back on the lever on the trip down.

Great truck but took some getting used to:lol:

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[*] posted on 2-17-2007 at 02:46 PM
"PW"


was my beasts' name. Scariest thing was after exiting the Rockies thru Ouray . When we hit the straight away at Junction City{?) at the bottom of the mountain my steering box broke big-time. Steering wheel just went round and round!:o Coasted to a halt on the side of the road under a tree.
Fortunately I found one in a junk yard not far away.

[Edited on 2-17-2007 by Sharksbaja]




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puzzled.gif posted on 2-18-2007 at 06:42 AM
????


Sharks just what is a PW?
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