Ian's Flatfender

[Paul-JK]

It's a brave man that drives an open sided (open topped) truck in the UK but you've got to be especially keen to do it in Cumbria. It's a beautiful part of the country but it's not well known for it's weather, or at least not good weather. We used to go to Grasmere every August bank holiday when I was a kid and invariably you couldn't see the tops of the fells for cloud and were walking in ankle deep mud, and that's when the rain wasn't coming in horizontally. It is a fantastic area though, in any weather. I can remember watching storms blow in across Windermere and hiking up Great Gable and Scafell Pike in driving rain.

Great photos.

[Flatfender]

I bought this 1st Jeep from Metamet (www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/jeep-metamet.htm) for 55.00 pounds and on the way home had to get petrol. It took me about 3 trips around the Jeep looking for the filler cap before I realised it was under the horse hair seat cushion I had been sitting on. I filled up and set off again but was imediately pulled up by a police car. They wanted to check the steering because the front wheels were "shimmying" when I accelerated. I didn't know at the time that it was in 4 wheel drive and the split track rod with a bell crank lever in the middle can allow an awful lot of play which isn't felt at the steering wheel. That was OK but they then checked the handbrake which of course did not work. That was when I realised what owning a Jeep was all about and what I had let myself in for, although I had no idea I would be still punishing myself 50 odd years later!
Cheers
IanW.

[AV8]

You enjoy the punishment obviously, you sick sick man, Ian.

Then again, don't we all.

Luv ur Jeep. Reminds me of my first Jeep, got it some 30 odd years ago.

A Tamiya "Wild Willy"

[Flatfender]

In 1964 I wrote off my Triumph TR3A sports car but managed to salvage the engine and had a good idea where it might fit - in my Jeep of course.
In the photo of the chassis you can see the top hat shaped bell housing I made to connect the engine to the Jeep transmission. Some shots of some of the other Jeeps we also had in England in the 1960's and 70's.


[IMG][/IMG][IMG][/IMG][IMG][/IMG][IMG][/IMG]

[Flatfender]

This Jeep is one that I rebuilt from the ground up in 1965. Amazing what you can do in a little old timber lean-to garage. The last 2 shots were taken in 1969.

[IMG][/IMG][IMG][IMG][/IMG][/IMG]

[Flatfender]

Here's some more of my same yellow jeep in 1972. Looks like I was trying to break it!

[IMG][/IMG][IMG][/IMG]

[Flatfender]

No doors, no windows, no roof, no heater - obviously no sense! Who cares its a Jeep


[IMG][/IMG]


Cheers
Ian W.

[Paul-JK]

No doors, no windows, no roof, no heater - obviously no sense! Who cares its a Jeep

You must be nuts. After riding motorbikes all through the winter in the UK for years I know just how damn cold it is, especially when you add the wind chill factor. At least you didn't have to worry about the windscreen misting up!

[5teve]

great pictures ian. look like you had a lot of fun back then driving and flying your jeep. how come you didn't get a landrover?

[Flatfender]

great pictures ian. look like you had a lot of fun back then driving and flying your jeep. how come you didn't get a landrover?

As it happens I did actually have an early Land Rover at the same time. It was much more uncomfortable than the Jeep cruising over the fells at a decent speed. The suspension was much stiffer.
[IMG][/IMG]


Cheers
Ian W.