If you’re at home, and you have some time on your hands, check out this 1986 documentary about the Paris-Dakar Rally. You may remember that that was the year Porsche got their rally program dialed and pulled off a 1-2 finish with their newly-developed 959. There’s some great footage of the 959s in action across Africa.
This video, touting the suitability of the venerable Unimog 421 for military use, captures some great off-road footage. There’s the standard test-track stuff but also some great shots of it out in the wild climbing waterfalls and the like (presumably before “tread lightly” was a thing). The Unimog 421 was manufactured between 1966 and 1989. Judging by the video’s soundtrack, this footage is from the early side of that production run. The video is in German but YouTube offers an auto-translated captions if you click the gear wheel in the lower-right corner of the frame.
In 1939 a 55-foot-long, 37-ton snow vehicle with a planned 8,000-mile range was deployed on Antarctica to explore the continent. It was called The Snow Cruiser. How did it fare? Not so well. If you saw my post from a couple of weeks ago, you know how it’s done today.
Through my illustration shop, Nik Schulz Illustration, I illustrated and designed this vintage Ford Bronco t-shirt. I draw them in original, factory colors, and am really happy with the way they’re turning out. This one is a 1973 in Carmel Bronze.
If you’d like to have a look, check them out here. More colors after the jump.
Here’s an interesting find: a right-hand drive, short wheel base, 70-series, diesel Land Cruiser. Specifically, this is a 1988 BJ74 LX with a 3.4-liter, 13B-T (T for turbo) diesel engine and an automatic transmission. The 13B-T is good for 120 hp and 159 lb-ft of torque. Other highlights include a removable fiberglass top, a factory PTO winch, and a hand throttle (handy for operating the PTO).
This truck also sports a Safari Snorkel and a K&N filter. If you’re interested, double check that pairing. As far as I know, it’s one that Safari doesn’t recommend. The suspension is said to be an Old Man Emu system with a bit of lift. The BJ series was never sold new in North America, making this a relatively rare find, especially with the factory PTO setup.
While this Land Cruiser doesn’t look pristine — and the chrome bull bar is bit much for my taste — it does look presentable and clean underneath. The truck is located in Seattle, Washington, and is said to have 178k miles on the clock. $13,750 is the asking price. See the links for the original ad and some research reading.
Special thanks to our friend Josh in Portland for spotting this one.
More photos after the jump.
Links:
1988 Land Cruiser BJ74 Craigslist Ad
Toyota Vehicle Hertiage site: Land Cruiser 70-Series
More 70-Series Land Cruiser research
Wikipedia: Toyota 70-Series
Wikipedia: The Toyota B engine
Expedition Portal published a tribute to the Ford Bronco the other day with tons of old ads and images. Natalie and I both love the early Broncos. It was shaped like a brick but it was a great looking truck.
This 1971 International Harvester Scout 800 is described on ebay as a newly built, running, drivable project vehicle. It’s powered by a Ford 302 V-8 that runs through a 4-speed, manual transmission. From there the power is fed into Dana 44 axles. A new Holley carburetor can be found atop the 302. Up front there’s a working Ramsey PTO winch.
The truck wears new paint and a custom rollcage and hood. A top is available. The seller states that there isn’t much in the way of an exhaust so it’s loud. With an unmuffled V-8 that might be an understatement.
This truck is located in Chewelah, Washington. There are about 5 days left on the clock and bidding currently stands at $5,005 with an unmet reserve.
More photos after the jump.
This film from the 1960s shows the then popular sport of motorcycle scrambling, which eventually would turn into enduro. It’s a fun little film.
I came across this neat book recently. It contains over 50 plans for small cabins and also goes into the logistics of getting one built. Consider it a general survey on the subject rather than an in-depth treatise. There’s sample spread after the jump.
Link:
Compact Cabins: Simple Living in 1000 Square Feet or Less, by Gerald Rowan
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