Worth the effort

[Phil P]

Last Sunday (8th April) I along with my wife, she being dressed like a resident of Alaska took the Dodge out for its first classic vehicle show. It ran superbly well that was after I had stripped the fuel pump that suddenly decided to leak at 10pm on the Saturday night. It still suffers from the 'tour de carraigeways' inspite of adjusting the steering joints. I will have another check of the track. All that apart it looked the biz. I took it into the parade ring and did a bit of posing. However driving ocross the the field from the ring there was the most horrendous bang and then vibration from under the bonnet. Investigation showed that I had picked up a stone that had gone round the bottom pulley on the engine and buckled it. This had caused a failure of the fan flange. Several expletives were emitted. I limped it home. But all was not lost. I had a very nice gentleman come up to me and donated an engine, gearbox, axles, dynamo, regulator from a 1/2 ton Dodge which I will pass on to a friend who has a WC7. Not only did I receive these goodies but the Dodge won best military vehicle in show. There were 20 other MV's on display. Was it worth over 1600 hours? My wife said she really enjoyed being out in the Dodge!, so the answer has to be yes. The damage has been repaired and the 'grey un' is back on the road.

[Ugg]

Phil:

Only 1600 hours? Oh, ya just started, I see now. Last year we had a show to go to. The Beast was all apart and in need of major body work/paint. The goal was to have had it done by showtime. we all know how flexible goals are though. As some of ya know, we got the Beast as a father/son project, which became a father ONLY project.

As show time was getting closer and no work getting done (actually, very little), I was a bit frustrated and upset. I annouced to all in the family (Hmmm, sounds like a good title for a TV show) that we weren't going to the show. My wife had already taken off work for those days though, and for some strange reason, got all upset with me.

That's when she totally freaked me out, and asked to help with the sanding and anything else she could do to help get the job done. This is from a woman that HATES to even get dirt on her from a garden. Oh yeah, I must also mention, she FORCED me to buy the Beast in the 1st place. So Phil, I can really relate to that question of was it worth it.

Later

PS: She also had a good time at the show and is looking forward to this years show.

[Tony B]

Well Phil you have to say driving out in a Dodge is a lot more stimulating and exciting than a modern point and squirt. I find other drivers are a lot more helpful when they see the Dodge coming, or maybe the various German and Japanese cars have a built in fear of American military vehicles You got to admit it does the ego good when people stop look and go WOW

[Ugg]

You got to admit it does the ego good when people stop look and go WOW

Tony:

You forgot to add "CRINGE". I had some moron slam on the brakes of his little Hondu Civic right in front of the Beast one rainy night. I really had to battle with myself on weather to hit my brakes or not.

Later

[Tony B]

Ahh !! you might have damaged the Dodge!! I love it when people play chicken when I'm driving the bus 7 3/4 ton and I don't pay any bills on it

[Gordon_M]

With the sunny weather yesterday I really regretted selling the Command Car.

I drive round Aberdeen on business a lot of the week and a winch front bumper and rear bumperettes would come in really handy, but I'd have to admit I found participating in shows a lot less fun than running down to the shops for a can of beans.

Schedules, officials, must be parked here, must do this, must do that.

bah

[brian]

I feel your pain,
I have real mixed feelings about going out in public,
its a lot of work, just to get one vehicle out, and the politics is just killer,
I think I like parked events better than parades, you get more interaction.
and trying to get people to volenteer on a crew served vehicle is darn near impossible.
everybody wants to ride, but nobody wants to scrub the barrell,

the one thing that really pushes my button- when some reenactor says
why should I help change the oil on the tank, its not my vehicle,
and i dont get any money when its sold off.
I guess thats what seperates the posers from the tru belevers.
BB

[Ugg]

Tony:

To tell the truth, I don't know if I'd even have felt it. Maybe a little bump? It's like when I used a D9 Cat to take down a 10 year temporary barracks built in 1942 (this was in the 70's). Just drove right thru the damn building, not feeling a thing, and the Cat didn't even sputter.

Gordon:

Ain't it the truth. True I've only been involved in this hobby for only 6 or so years, but I sure didn't get into it to be miserable. I did it for fun. Now I can understand the need for historical accuracy, but the crazyness over the "Factory Fresh" look is gotten out of control. That's why we have made the choice to represent a vehicle in use as opposed to how it looked as it rolled off the line.

The Beast is only our 1st in what I hope will be many restos. It is in NO WAY historically accurate nor do I intend to make it so, nor do I represent it as so. It's strictly for fun and to cruise around in. Some of the flack we've gotten from some people (because of our choice) is almost enough to completely turn us off of this though. That's why I really enjoy coming to this site, generally a great bunch of like minded folk, that do this for the FUN of it.

Later

[Mike in VA, USA]

I too have marvelled at the "as new" crowd. A lot of these trucks were shipped crated and reassembled "in theatre". The touch up paint jobs done at reassembly yards were rudimentry at best. Then once in the hands of the troops many unofficial modifications and additions took place.
I'd prefer a wartime truck to ressemble something an old vet might recognize, not be just a trailer queen.

[Ken J]

Ya know, I don't think I've ever seen a pic of Da Beast. Is it posted?

[Ugg]

Ken:

Yeah, it's all over the place. I think it's even posted here somewhere, but I can't post it here myself yet. Oh yeah, Sylvia asked for a picturte of it again so she could post it here. I forgot.

Later