Re: How to bring a Jeep back from Colorado?

From: Jason Bleazard (dml@bleazard.net)
Date: Mon May 15 2006 - 17:53:41 EDT


On Mon, May 15, 2006 5:14 pm, jon@dakota-truck.net said:
>
> Ah, yes - the elusive "free" vehicle! :-)

Heh, indeed. Only this one I wouldn't be trying to license, insure or even
bring in to Ontario. I think that would definitely not be worth the hassle.
I might want to look in to that collector insurance you have, and I guess I'd
need an ATV sticker or something for it. I already know what my insurance
company would tell me if I tried to put it on the road up here.

I suppose I should have asked you first if you'd mind me parking it at your
place to use as a trail vehicle while we're down there. Since you made a
similar offer at one point regarding my '95 Dakota, I kind of assumed it would
be okay.

> Another option
> would be if you plan to drive back home anytime in the near future, take
> the '01 and rent a u-haul trailer for the ride back - even that would cost
> you $620 though for a one way rental.

Wow, that's more than I had expected. Guess I should have checked myself.
That was the only other idea I could think of, but we're not planning on going
out there for Christmas this year. Can't afford it with the Colorado meet in
the same year. That would have to wait until '07.

> How heavy is that Jeep anyway?

2453 lbs. according to http://www.off-road.com/jeep/early/l_head.html That
plus the RV would definitely put us WAY over the Dakota's limit.

> Are you tempted at all to
> weld a hitch to the back of your trailer and hook a drawbar to the
> front of the Jeep? :-)

Not in the slightest. There actually is a tow bar on the front of the Jeep,
but no tow brakes. I highly doubt the RV would survive the experience. I'd
be more inclined to put the Jeep behind the truck and hook the RV to the Jeep,
but I don't think that's a good idea either. Particularly not with a Dakota
doing the pulling, and no weight distributing hitch on the Jeep (it'd look
kinda funny standing up on its rear tires). If only I had a 3500 dually...
:-)

We used to tow Jeeps behind my grandpa's Ram ('70s style Power Wagon with a
440) with a camper in the bed. Up mountains. That would be a pretty sweet
setup. I think my grandma sold the camper and my cousin is driving the Ram,
though. Taking that whole outfit would be just a bit much to ask, and I'm not
sure I'd quite be willing to trade our 2001 Quad Cab for an early 70s Ram,
even with a 440.

> As long as we are on the subject of crazy ideas, what are the dimensions
> of that Jeep? Any chance a bunch of crazy DMLers with hand tools
> could remove enough parts and sheet metal to make it fit in the bed
> of the Dak? :-)

You mean our Quad Cab? The one with the hard shell tonneau and short-short
bed? LOL Less hand tools, more metal compactor. I wonder how difficult it
would be to un-mash once we got it back.

> (Ok, NOW I'm scraping the bottom of the barrel for ideas...) ;-)

Maybe if we build a REALLY big catapult, we can aim for something soft, like
the mud pit. Think NORAD would notice?

-- 
Jason Bleazard  http://drazaelb.blogspot.com  Burlington, Ontario
his:  '95 Dakota Sport 4x4, 3.9 V6, 5spd, Reg. Cab, white
hers: '01 Dakota Sport 4x4, 4.7 V8, Auto, Quad Cab, black

. . .------------------------------------------------------------------. | Make your plans NOW to attend the National DML Meet in Colorado! | | Date: July 15-23, 2006 - More info: http://meet.dakota-truck.net | `------------------------------------------------------------------'



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