Department > Old Iron
What Do You Want?
Send us your requests for future Old Iron stories.
by Jim Allen
Requests for imports are well within the rules. This is a ’60s era Land Rover 109 Dormobile Camper conversion.
We’ve covered a lot of four-wheel drive history in the past five years and if you think I’ve come close to exhausting my supply of Old Iron material, think again. I have several file cabinets full of info on 4x4s from 1824 and up. Sometimes photos are harder to find than I’d like, but I’ve gotten good at finding them anyway and still have a bunch you haven’t seen.
Because there are so many cool and historic Jeeps, there are many different models to cover. While the young lady may have an interesting history, she’s out of bounds.
Lately, I’ve come to wonder what things you might like to see that I haven’t presented. To that end, we’re putting out the call. Send us your requests for future Old Iron stories. The ground rules are simple. The vehicle must be from prior to 1990, it must be four-wheel drive and of 1.5-ton capacity or less (priority given to light trucks, one-ton or less). Exceptions to that date rule might be made for low or limited production rigs, exotics or special editions. I may also accept all-wheel drive rigs, defined as such by not having a low range or even a transfer case.
That said, I may run your requests through a few filters. The first might be, “Does anyone still really care?” If the vehicle in question is so obscure, forgotten and unloved by everyone but you, it may not make the cut. Perhaps I’ve been guilty of presenting a few “Yawn-o-Ramas” over the years, but since I’m a legend in my own mind on these topics, it wasn’t apparent to me at the time. Your request may be more so. Still, if the vehicle you request has even a glimmer of cool, it’ll be OK.
Requests for info on recent stuff is welcome, especially if it’s very popular or very cool. This is an ’86, close to the ’90 date cutoff.
Bear in mind the stories resulting from your requests will not be War and Peace equivalents, but an overview of that vehicle and its history. We’ll also try to spread the glory among the many brands and models out there, but we will respond appropriately if we get many requests for certain brands.
Try to narrow the focus of your request. Rather than requesting a complete history of Toyota 4x4s, focus your request on a single model like FJ-40, or even on one particular year. If you can help with details on a vehicle you own or know a lot about, and I don’t, I’d be especially grateful. There are spiffs for especially helpful people.
Historic military vehicles, like this ’53 M-43 Dodge ambulance, are fair game.
So, Old Iron enthusiasts, here is a challenge. Can you come up with a 4x4 that I know nothing about? I’m happy to be stumped. The person who stumps me first gets a signed copy of one of my six published books. You have my word of honor that if I am well and truly stumped, I will admit it, but if I have even a glimmer of knowledge on the rig you present, I win. Boy, now I feel like a target!
To participate, submit your info via the contact information below. I will respond to e-mails bearing “Old Iron” in the header and to snail mail if a SASE is enclosed.
- Off-Road Adventures magazine
- Old Iron Request
- 610 W. Walnut St.
- Compton, CA 90220