The ol' build a Jeep in 4 minutes caper

[Keith Webb]

Have seen this in varying versions. http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v...layer_embedded

I wonder what the level of preparation is to make something like this possible, and how it would go driving more than a few feet.

Who'll try it with a CMP? I can just see the hernias and bulged discs happening.

[colin jones]

Now there's a few things I noticed but the main thing was there was no radiator hoses fitted which meant no water so they would'nt have got very far. Still a good job though.
Colin.

[jason meade]

The rad hoses are quick connectors, they hold the jiffy jeep team here on base, if i remember there may even be two of them here!
Jason

[rob love]

Originally Posted by colin jones

Now there's a few things I noticed but the main thing was there was no radiator hoses fitted which meant no water so they would'nt have got very far. Still a good job though.
Colin.

Not true: let me tell you a story about Herb and the air cooled Jeep.

I was working at Minto Armouries in Winnipeg in the early 80s, and during a semi annual vehicle inspection, found a Jeep that had a separated front cross-member at the Bellcrank, which was somewhat common. My Seargent had me remove the grill and radiator, and we had the Jeep towed to second line Base Maintenance so the welder could do his thing.

A few days later, with the work completed and the workorder closed, the WO at second line told Craftsmen Herb (last name withheld) to go out and take Jeep 08123 back to Minto armoury. Herb walked the lineup of vehicles out back, but many of the Jeeps were missing their front license plates, so he walked the back of them and sure enough found the Jeep. He hopped into it and started it, thinking nothing of the pile of stuff in the back of it.

As he got to the two mile mark, (the route 90 bridge) he was starting to smell a bit of smoke and figured the clutch might have been going......as he passed the auto dealership at Polo Park, the salesmen out in the lot were pointing in wonderment.

It was best described by my French Master Cpl: "I was leeving, for a road test, when dis Jeep comes around da corner, smoking, and you could see smoke, da engine, and da fan turneeng, and Herb X is driveeng"

Herb had just driven the Jeep 7.0 kms (according to google maps) through the city of Winnipeg without the radiator or grill. They were, of course, in the back seat just behind Herb. The hood latches had held the fenders at the front, and from that vantage point everything would have looked just fine until the smoke started coming out.

I pulled the head later and the engine had survived just fine. The old Willys engines were prone to cracking the block in a T shape between the center cylinders when consistently overheated, but that had not happened here.

(Note: The CFR I listed in this story isn't correct.....after all these years the memory is starting to go a bit, but it was one of the two Jeeps from the Kenora Field unit. The CFR is actually in the back of my head somewhere, but it isn't coming out right now.)

As to Herb, I think he lasted another year or two in the Vehicle trade before he got out of the service. He wasn't really cut out to be a mechanic.

[Keith Webb]

Great story Rob!

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Keith

There are some other versions of the same or similar demonstrations, think it was even done as a competition between teams at the Edinburgh Tattoo in the past.

Great bit of showmanship, thanks for sharing.

But you are definitely right doing this with any CMP would require more guys, and they better really be in shape. Wasn't there a design standard building CMPs that all parts had to weigh at least 100 Lbs.?

Cheers Phil

[lynx42]

About 30 years ago the foremost vintage car club in Melbourne, The Vintage Drivers Club did a 4 minute build of a Model T Ford. The crew of 5 were well versed in the build and displayed it at quite a few venues over a 2 to 3 year period. It was very entertaining to watch.

I would like to see some different groups do a Jeep rebuild at the Corowa Swim-In the next time we have the 'Year of the Jeep' theme in a few years time.

So there is a challenge, Men. Maybe a Victoria versus South Australia versus New South Wales versus Queensland Challenge.

Regards Rick.

[cletrac (RIP)]

In the late 1950s or early 1960s I watched the PNE parade in Vancouver, BC. A military crew would stop their Jeep and take it apart and carry the pieces a few blocks and reassemble it. Then they'd drive it a few blocks and do it all over again. That parade route was a few miles long so I have no idea how many times this was repeated. It sure was interesting!

[Frank v R]

Hi Rob , goes to show why you always do a first parade, he should have known better , cool story , there are 2 jiffys and I know that they would like to build 1 or 2 more,
regards Frank