811 Miles on Dirt Roads in a 1948 Willys-Last Trip!!!

elminero67

Precision Fit
Jun 1, 2011
829
Willys Model
Willys Year:
Evening fellow Willys fans!

Can't believe it has been three years since I completed my first long-distance trip on backroads across eastern Oregon and Nevada in my 1948 Willys-good times!

http://www.oldwillysforum.com/forum/showthread.php?5704-1000-Miles-of-Dirt-roads-in-a-Willys

Since then I've improved the truck a bit, including splurging on a radiator that both holds water and wasn't built when Harold Truman was in office, and a heater that well, heats...something that would turn out to be very appreciated.

(spoiler alert, the trip took place a few weeks ago).

As time permits I'll do short write-ups and download a few pics over the next week or so.
 
Apologies for the delay, I've been having trouble downloading pics and, being the cheap bastard I am I refuse to pay for the premium Photobucket account so my downloads take forever-yet the endless barrage of advertisements and pop-ups on Photobucket seem to stream without buffering....Instead I had to email them to another account and download them onto my computer. I'm sure there is a better way, but I ain't the sharpest knife in the drawer when it comes to technology.

The "plan" was to drive the Willys from Oregon to Las Vegas on dirt roads-or back roads. Check out some scenery, enjoy a little solitude and see a few ghost towns. I gave myself four days time to travel to Las Vegas, but didn't have a specific route chosen as I wanted to play it by ear as the weather during Xmas break can be iffy. I had a one-way flight from Vegas to Oregon ($40), and planned to return a few weeks later to do the second leg of the journey from Las Vegas to Tucson, Arizona, via dirt roads down the Colorado river valley to Yuma, then on the Camino el Diablo trail to Ajo, then onto Tucson. The plan was to get a storage unit for a few weeks between legs.

The only real upgrade I did to the truck was to outfit it with a canvas top over bent aluminum tubes, with sides that dropped down to give me a place to sleep. I'm pretty minimalist as far as camping goes-as long as I have a good sleeping bag and a place to make a cup of coffee and some Dinty Moore, I'm a happy camper!
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As the departure date approached, the weather took a turn for the worse. A series of storms hit the west coast the week before I was to leave, including one that dropped 8' of snow in Medford, which is unusual. The day I left Medford, the storm cleared but the temp dropped to 20-25 degrees (you can see the frost in the first pic). As Medford is on the wet (warm) side of Oregon, this meant that the "dry" side of Oregon would be in the single digits or teens-and another series of storms was on its way. Because of the weather, , I decided to stay on pavement and head south as fast as possible. I would have preferred not driving on highways or even paved roads, but know enough not to mess around in eastern Oregon or northern Nevada in the when storms are a-brewing.

I did stop for a quick snow photograph in the Cascades, but it is strictly a poser shot as the snow was 6-8' deep and I would have got stuck if I drove any further. Besides, I just wanted to get as far south as possible while the weather held out.

Apologies for the upside down pic. I reloaded it, flipped 180 degrees, and it is still caddywompus...

Edit by Admin: All fixed now. Turn off "auto-rotate" in your camera. Might help.


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I made it to the small town of Cedarville, California by early afternoon of the first day. Although there isn't much there, Cedarville is one of my favorite towns in the American west and a good place to stretch the legs and check out the historic architecture. Early emigrants on the wagon trail that passed through what is now Cedarville referred to the area as "Surprise Valley" as it was an unexpected oasis after weeks of crossing the bleak wastelands of Black Rock Desert. It still is an oasis compared to the desert to the east.
Cedarville is also the last stop for gas and supplies before heading out to the Black Rock desert. Although the little diesel gives me almost 700 miles of range, I decided to top off on fuel before heading out into the desert.
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As the departure date approached, the weather took a turn for the worse. A series of storms hit the west coast the week before I was to leave, including one that dropped 8' of snow in Medford, which is unusual. The day I left Medford, the storm cleared but the temp dropped to 20-25 degrees (you can see the frost in the first pic). As Medford is on the wet (warm) side of Oregon, this meant that the "dry" side of Oregon would be in the single digits or teens-and another series of storms was on its way. Because of the weather, , I decided to stay on pavement and head south as fast as possible. I would have preferred not driving on highways or even paved roads, but know enough not to mess around in eastern Oregon or northern Nevada in the when storms are a-brewing.

I did stop for a quick snow photograph in the Cascades, but it is strictly a poser shot as the snow was 6-8' deep and I would have got stuck if I drove any further. Besides, I just wanted to get as far south as possible while the weather held out.

Apologies for the upside down pic. I reloaded it, flipped 180 degrees, and it is still caddywompus...
There ya go..
 
I clicked on your photo and saved it to my pictures in my computer... It self populated the name as "image089" or something like that.
Then I opened my pictures, in my computer. Then I scrolled down until I found image089 and clicked on it and clicked on the part of the
menu that said "edit"... When edit screen appeared, I clicked on the "rotate 180*.. I then closed the window and it auto saved the image
in the new right side up version... Then I replied to your post and added the modified photo to the reply.. Hell, if I can do this,
anyone can.. This website was changed a year or so ago to allow posting images from your computer.. You no longer have to use Photo bucket.

I hope this helps.. I'm also not a computer guy...All computer stuff hates me.. Why, because the folks that design
computer stuff are from a different planet than mine... They are urban, I am rural..
 
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I was more curious about why your copy of my photograph appears as a fullsize pic, while mine is a wee postage stamp thumbnail....
 

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20161222_133621.jpgWhen you add a photo, before you click post.....double click on the photo.. A menu will appear giving you options on size........
 
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Completely frustrated by the new photo downloading...Half the time it posts my photos upside down. I pull them out, flip them, then repost them, and they are still upside down. And I don't see an option to resize them before posting. So, the photos are what they are.

Long story short, I lost the Willys on this trip. I made it to the Saline Valley hotsprings near Death Valley, and stayed a couple of days when another storm hit, blocking the passes out of Saline Valley with snow. I waited an extra day hoping it would warm up and clear the passes a bit, but it stayed cold. So, decided to go for it-and I would have made it had it not been for the 50 miles of brutal washboard before the pass. It was unlike any washboard I have driven on. I tried driving 5 mph, and I tried driving 50 mph, either way, the truck with its one-ton springs and no weight in it, rattled itself to death, and I ended up stranded for a couple of days with temps getting down to 10-15 degrees. First the bearing assembly on the drivers wheel failed, with the retainer clip shearing and the spindle bolts working their way loose. Along with it, the bolts holding the brake caliper were lost. I walked back several miles and found some of the hardware, but not the brake caliper bolts.

So now I had to get over a 7000' pass with no brakes (I was still 70 miles from pavement, and 150 to the next town).

I almost made it through the snow and ice of the pass-but got stuck as the front hub I had apart was not engaging. Rocking the vehicle to try and get unstuck, I broke a transmission mount, and could still drive, but could not get into reverse. I drove back down the pass to get out of the snow and see if I could make repairs and attempt the pass again. and spend another 10-15 degree night outside.

They next day I had the hub assembled correctly and again had 4-wheel drive, so made another attempt. But, since the transmission had shifted, the front driveshaft snow-coned as soon as I put in in 4x4.

By now I have no brakes, no reverse and no 4x4, and have to get over the steep, narrow pass with almost a foot of snow. About that time the first truck I had seen in two days passed...so I asked them if I could follow them over the pass and possible get some help if I got stuck. They were helpful, and even though they had trouble getting over the pass in their stock Ford 4x4, the little Willys was able to make it.

I drove the last 150-200 miles to Las Vegas with no brakes. In the meantime I had missed my flight, and missed Xmas with the family. Since their was no cell phone coverage, I was not able to call the wife-and so I was clearly in damage control mode. so I put the truck on Craigslist and flew home.

Hence, the 'last ride' with an old friend.
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Man, what a tear jerker. I hope things are all good at home now. Hopefully, you found some comfort at the Brothel. Best of luck, Mike. :cheers:
 
Great Story........But, better you than me... In the past I have:

Broken throttle cable....Jerry rigged the choke cable and drove home using my home made hand throttle.

My hastely installed horns feel off and jammed up the clutch linkage... Road repair.

My aftermarket gas tank fell off the truck and I dragged it about 300' before I discovered what was making the dragging sound (midnight on the freeway).
Man handled the nearly full tank into the bed and moved my fuel hose to work... All the time waiting for AAA to arrive... After an hour I had it running and drove off.

My clutch disc cracked and it jammed up... No way to release it... I drove home this way 400 miles from Dixon CA... Put it in gear and start the engine.

The last one was the water in the oil/big oil leak/ very low coolant... I rented a van and a trailer...Cost me $1,000 when all was said and done.

So, I really can relate.. And I go off road mainly with my XT500 Yamaha... Not my little pumpkin.
 
I only went to the brothel for the wifi. Thats my story and I'm sticking to it.

Back home now, all is well.
 
WOw, glad you made it home safe. You must have a good sleeping bag to survive those nights. Sorry about you're truck. I hope at least another forum member gets it.
 
Thanks Frank-I travel pretty well equipped-two sleeping bags and weeks worth of food and water. I also check in with the wife every day (when there is coverage) and tell her exactly what route I am taking in a text message so she doesn't have to remember obscure road names or whatnot.
 
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I still have the 1947 truck that I tried to sell-but didnt. So now that will get more attention.

As for wagons, I kept my eyes open for a long time and have come to the conclusion that good wagons are harder to find, and bring a little more money than the trucks.
 
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