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Just taking a cue from the gunwriters forum.


I'll start with one, my 1979 Volkswagen Rabbit.

My friend and I had gone shooting out in the Florida boonies after several days of heavy rains. As we were driving out of the area we had to cross a huge puddle covering the entire dirt road, probably 50 feet wide. There was thick underbrush on either side so we couldn't just go around it. No big deal, how deep could it be - maybe one or two feet at most, right?

We hadn't gotten 10 feet into it when the entire front end went under water and a huge bow wave washed completely over the roof. I kept it gunned and we went the rest of the way with the water right up to the windows, came out the other side and it was still running. My license plate for that vehicle was VUU-235 (V double U which was a kick anyway) so from then on the car was known as the U-235.

A minute after that a big Ford 4WD pickup came by, raised suspension and all. He went across slowly and got stuck halfway, all four big studded tires just spinning uselessly. We offered to help but he called someone on his CB so we drove home without further event.


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As long as the vehicle is physically capable of the challenge, the driver's skill makes a huge difference.

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Originally Posted by bcp
As long as the vehicle is physically capable of the challenge, the driver's skill makes a huge difference.

Bruce


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Kubelwagen

[Linked Image from upload.wikimedia.org]



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A buddy had an old bug that was Baja’d out.

As gay as VW bugs are, that was actually a fun azz car.


“Life is life and fun is fun, but it's all so quiet when the goldfish die.”
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Kubelwagen Far better than our Jeep ---- but what German car is not ?

One of mine.

[Linked Image from i.imgur.com]


Last edited by OnTheBeach; 05/28/21.
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I've had several 4x4s, the last 40+ years. '78 CJ-5 with the 304, '54 CJ-3B, '86 Dodge D100, '91 Dodge diesel, and a '06 Dodge diesel. All of which had their advantages and disadvantages. A couple of years ago, I was looking for something to keep the miles off the '06 Dodge, to run around town and as a local hunting rig.

I ended up buying a cherry '96 Geo Tracker 4 door, 4x4......1.6l 4 cylinder with a manual 5 speed. Same thing as a Suzuki sidekick (ladder truck frame underneath), but with chevy badging. With mud n snows on it, I can't believe how easy it takes the back country. Mud, snow, rocks, steep 2 tracks....doesn't matter. Just plays with everything I've thrown at it. January chukar hunting can be pretty dicey out here. Days that I would normally stay home (with the Dodge diesel) are no problem with the Geo. In comparison, it floats on top, instead of trying to find the bottom. I can also run wash board roads at 35 mph, with the coil springs at all 4 corners. I honestly can say, it will do anything my CJs did, and most things better.

It has an old man emu 2.5" lift, aftermarket off road bumpers, with a tow bar. Off road light bar, and roof rack with extra fuel cans/shovel/ax/high lift jack and a dead arm for game/varmint gambrels for skinning. Sliders on both sides and full skid plates underneath.....and yes, they all have been used for what they were made for. I even put rod holders on the front brush guard, for sturgeon/catfishing.

As a bonus, it gets 22-24 mpg with mud n snows in the winter....in the summer, with street tires, it gets 25-27 mpg. Runs the interstate at 75-80 mph, as long as there's no head wind or hills!

I can "sneak" into coyote country, when I'm calling, and close dogs have no idea I'm in the area. Coyotes showing up at the 1 to 3 minute mark is a lot more common than when I ran the diesel.

I may end up buying another truck someday......but I'll keep the Geo till my last day. It's like an UTV, that is street legal....plus, it has a windshield and heater! License plate reads "BURRO", and it has earned it!

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Originally Posted by OnTheBeach
Kubelwagen Far better than our Jeep ---- but what German car is not ?



I've never driven one. So, I don't have personal experience. But I read some German soldiers' comments that, when they would capture a U.S. Jeep, they would vacate the KW and drive the Jeep, which they preferred--partly for reliability.

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1972 Ford lwb van w/ the 302 motor and Big O at tires. That thing took us all over the mountain west for 12 years.


mike r


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Originally Posted by Whiptail

Kubelwagen

[Linked Image from upload.wikimedia.org]

Great picture! I wonder what that thing in the center of the spare tire is? Looks like a wash bowl. Odd.


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Originally Posted by bcp
As long as the vehicle is physically capable of the challenge, the driver's skill makes a huge difference.

Bruce

Or in my case, just dumb and lucky... wink


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Best ORV in the world? A rental!

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Originally Posted by Brazos
Best ORV in the world? A rental!


Oh yea, manual shift it after its been on the rev limiter through every gear. 🤣🤣🤣

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Toyota FJ40 land cruiser..

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Perhaps, a Sherman tank?


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My GF says her 2002 Kia was unstoppable, it went wher other vehicles couldn’t.

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Toyota FJ 40 Landcruiser

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Lada Niva. I bought one from a guy for 200 bucks. Had to rebuild the engine but that thing would go where most had no hope Full time four wheel drive with hi-lo and a lock-up. I had a 1970 Bronco at the same time. One day I had driven the Bronco down into a draw, in about 14" of snow. I was trying to get back out when my son drove the Niva down into the draw, circled the Bronco once, then drove back out. We ended up wiching the Bronco out with an old Dodge power Wagon (62) which was another pretty capable machine when there was no road.
The Lada engine was a little weak but it was a very tough little car. Skinny 16 inch wheels cut through the snow and the stupid thing was nearly unstoppable.
One time, we had bogged the Power Wagon down in some mud; in a place where there there was nothing to hook the winch on to. The Niva was the only thing around so my son wanted to try and pull on the Wagon with it. He hooked up a 30 ft nylon strap and said he would get a bit of a run and maybe the inertia would do it. I was skeptical and said so. Quoting Sledge Hammer, he said, "Trust me. I know what I'm doing."
He backed up almost to the front of the PW then took off. I don't know how much speed he built up before he hit the end of that strap; maybe ten mph but.... do you remember those paddles with the ball that was attached with a rubber band? That was what the Niva looked like. It hit the end of the strap and snapped back fifteen feet! The Power Wagon didn't even twitch. Son got out, looking a little dazed, and said he figured we should try something else. "Live and learn", I said. GD

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laugh


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For sand I would submit the mini moke, and for anything regarding irrigation or serious mud I would most definitely go with the three cylinder Suzuki...prick of a vehicle but really came into it's own in mud due to it's light weight.

Cruisers are excellent as a work vehicle or hauling weight but they don't come close to the old square cab chassis diesel Nissan Patrol when it came to mud, the Nissan had lousy seating and not so great build quality but the drive train was absolutely second to none.

A Nissan going full strap across a flood plain full of water is a joy to behold, particularly if it coming to drag you out of a bog.


These are my opinions, feel free to disagree.
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