Just bsing
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So,
When I was in college, and when I acquired my $200 Willys 2 wd wagon between Noti and Elmira OR),? 1972 or so, I lived in a little house between 23rd and 24th street on Agate Street in Eugene.? There was a really old guy, meaning
maybe 60 who had a green wagon, living almost immediately across the street. Remember it? sounded like a V8 engine.? I don't know what he did for a living, never talked to him, oddly enough.? I remember he towed a utility trailer around with it.
He'd be over 100 now, perhaps he's still living.? I walked by there not long ago.? The wagon is still there, and, most importantly, it is out of the rain.? Hasn't moved in decades.? So, if someone "needs" a wagon, here it is. Hiding under the carport-
Assuming it is a 1957 given the color, originally would have had the 226 six- the Continental, Willys, etc. engine.? I learned that Graymarine's six was a marinized 226 Continental.? And that Kermath's four cylinder marine engine was based on the
flathead 134 Willys, I remember one of these in a really neat double ended lapstrake boat.? My boss at the marina, working on it- "rather work on a busted down gas engine than a diesel anytime" he said.? There was one commercial fishing vessel in Florence
that had an actual Willys 4 cyl in it- it was "marinized" by having a radiator sitting in front of the engine; no salt water in the block that way.? May be the same boat, I remember a boat where you peeled back the sheet metal on the top of the fuel tank to
put gas in it.? Never exploded, open boat.? Wonder if the guy smoked while fueling up.??
I wish I had a picture of the "sanitary facilities" on the docks- there were wood outhouses, with a hole over the water, easier to clean that way.? As boys,? we noticed that the big perch hung out under there- but how do you make that stuff stay
on a hook?
Here in Eugene, it's soggy and cool.? Can't make myself clean up the garage in the cold, cold meaning in the 40's.? It will warm up soon, I'm sure, can get the dust off the wagon and take it for a spin.? I like to drive it to the coast, mostly on
back roads so I'm not a traffic impediment.?? It's a time machine for me.? Maybe tackle some minor issues with the wagon.? Though I have a boat project in queue ahead of it.
Hope other folks get some use out of the old beasts this summer.??
Dan
-- Dan 53 2wd Wagon Eugene, OR |