Thursday, January 21, 2010
Cars I've Known - 1973 Jeep Commando (Part 1)
I'll start with the Jeep because I knew it best.
The Vehicle:
1973 AMC Jeep Commando. Forest Green with woodgrain decals on the side. White, removable hard top with luggage rack. 304 V-8.
Modifications:
Previous owner installed a spare tire/jerry can rack on the back, the grill guard to end all grill guards up front, and a second gas tank. At one time it sported a sunshade in the back window depicting a pair of English Setters on point.
Years Owned/Mileage:
1979 - 1993. I sold it with about 325,000, having put 300,000 on it myself.
Collision History:
Two matchups - v. VW Rabbit (ca 1989) and v. Chevy Pick-up (ca 1986). Grill guard worked (for me) in one, spare tire rack never closed right after the other.
After the rear-ender, I took the beast to a body shop to have the minor damage - an indentation in the lowest right rear - repaired. I pulled up to pick it up on a Friday night. The bodyshop owner invited me into his office, offered me a shot of Jack Daniels in a paper cup from out of desk and we BS'd about cars, life, etc. until the sun went down. The Commando rolled out, and I drove it home. Lesson learned: Examination of paintwork best done sober, and in the daylight.
Significant Breakdowns:
Summer 1985 - Murphreesburo, Tennessee. Water pump failure, right outside the tire plant.
I had started out that morning from Paducah, Kentucky towards Austin, Texas. Commando got hot. Found a garage that set me up, but I ended up spending the night in Texarkana.
Summer 1983 - Dan Ryan Expressway, Chicago, Illinois. The ball and socket joint in the clutch linkage failed during rush hour as my brother and I headed from Rockford, across to Hyde Park and then down to Texas. Chicago's Finest pushed me to the side, and I clambered underneath. I surveyed the damage and, with an old bandana and some borrowed wire, made a repair that held all the way to Dallas, where the appropriate replacement part was sourced. Man, I felt good to feel that clutch, and get on the road again.
Summer 1988 - Memorial Drive, Boston, Massachusetts. Blown head gasket. On a date, catastrophic failure due to my own failure headspace wise. Date caught a cab before the tow truck arrived. I remember the tow truck driver's remark and it was hoisted up "Man.... No rust!" Yeah, a Texas car to be sure. Almost salvaged the evening. Almost.
Summer 1985(?) - I recall something about a lot of mud, plenty of cigarettes but no light, and someone being pulled out of wilderness at dawn by a short man in a Lincoln. Don't think it was my Commando, could have been a 64 Land Cruiser or a 71 Blazer, but could have been the Commando. On second thought, don't think it was.
The Vehicle:
1973 AMC Jeep Commando. Forest Green with woodgrain decals on the side. White, removable hard top with luggage rack. 304 V-8.
Modifications:
Previous owner installed a spare tire/jerry can rack on the back, the grill guard to end all grill guards up front, and a second gas tank. At one time it sported a sunshade in the back window depicting a pair of English Setters on point.
Years Owned/Mileage:
1979 - 1993. I sold it with about 325,000, having put 300,000 on it myself.
Collision History:
Two matchups - v. VW Rabbit (ca 1989) and v. Chevy Pick-up (ca 1986). Grill guard worked (for me) in one, spare tire rack never closed right after the other.
After the rear-ender, I took the beast to a body shop to have the minor damage - an indentation in the lowest right rear - repaired. I pulled up to pick it up on a Friday night. The bodyshop owner invited me into his office, offered me a shot of Jack Daniels in a paper cup from out of desk and we BS'd about cars, life, etc. until the sun went down. The Commando rolled out, and I drove it home. Lesson learned: Examination of paintwork best done sober, and in the daylight.
Significant Breakdowns:
Summer 1985 - Murphreesburo, Tennessee. Water pump failure, right outside the tire plant.
I had started out that morning from Paducah, Kentucky towards Austin, Texas. Commando got hot. Found a garage that set me up, but I ended up spending the night in Texarkana.
Summer 1983 - Dan Ryan Expressway, Chicago, Illinois. The ball and socket joint in the clutch linkage failed during rush hour as my brother and I headed from Rockford, across to Hyde Park and then down to Texas. Chicago's Finest pushed me to the side, and I clambered underneath. I surveyed the damage and, with an old bandana and some borrowed wire, made a repair that held all the way to Dallas, where the appropriate replacement part was sourced. Man, I felt good to feel that clutch, and get on the road again.
Summer 1988 - Memorial Drive, Boston, Massachusetts. Blown head gasket. On a date, catastrophic failure due to my own failure headspace wise. Date caught a cab before the tow truck arrived. I remember the tow truck driver's remark and it was hoisted up "Man.... No rust!" Yeah, a Texas car to be sure. Almost salvaged the evening. Almost.
Summer 1985(?) - I recall something about a lot of mud, plenty of cigarettes but no light, and someone being pulled out of wilderness at dawn by a short man in a Lincoln. Don't think it was my Commando, could have been a 64 Land Cruiser or a 71 Blazer, but could have been the Commando. On second thought, don't think it was.
Labels: Car's I've Known, jeep commando
¶ 7:55 PM
