Topic: Not a Jeep

[Jeffy]

1959 Austin Gipsy, very rare, 4x4,4 wheel independant suspension, British vehicle, runs and drives ,needs restoration,some rust,

http://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/car/586572965.html

[oldjeep]

Very cool, if it were in MN I would buy it in a second

[95yjman]

Looks like a cross between a land rover and CJ heh

[flyingbrick]

Looks like a cross between a land rover and CJ heh

Wasn't the Land Rover just a Brit. ripoff of the CJ at first?
If i remember my auto history correct.

[95yjman]

Wasn't the Land Rover just a Brit. ripoff of the CJ at first?
If i remember my auto history correct.

I think so, I don't know though

[Jeffy]

Wasn't the Land Rover just a Brit. ripoff of the CJ at first?
If i remember my auto history correct.

Yes and no.  The first Land Rover was built on top of a MB's running gear.

As for the Austin Gipsy, it's small, really small.  Think Sami and then think smaller.

[chardrc]

i wouldn't buy it... then again we do have 3 flat fender cjs in our family so we have the old jeep thing pretty well covered.

[Jeffy]

i wouldn't buy it... then again we do have 3 flat fender cjs in our family so we have the old jeep thing pretty well covered.

It's not a Jeep.

[neale_rs]

Cool to look at but it must be really hard to maintain these days.

[oldjeep]

Cool to look at but it must be really hard to maintain these days.

I suspect that the drivetrain is mostly austin car stuff.  The british car companies used the same motors and trannies in everything.  I've had a couple midgets and 2 spitfires, and the parts are suprisingly easy to find.

Makes me wonder what they used for a transfercase though.

[neale_rs]

It is amazing how easy it is to keep an MB/GPW going even now after more than 60 years.  Maybe it wouldn't be too bad with this Austin...

[Duff5484]

Kudos to Jeff for knowing your Jeep history   , Land Rover did use an entire Jeep chasis for its first prototype.  One thing I do wish Jeeps came with was Aluminum tub's, if they did they would outlive humans   haha.

[chardrc]

or if they at least hadn't have used wood for braces in the body of the old jeeps . all the worst body rust spots on the early cjs are where they had some wood which holds the moisture and rots them out.

[neale_rs]

Yes, and the same goes for the MB and GPW. Even in Arizona, they rot out right along the wood filled "hat channels".

[Loke Groundrunner]

years ago my grandfather (who lived in the Appalachian Mountains) purchased a Land Rover that had previously been used for Safari excursions in Africa. i'm pretty sure this is the model:



i was infatuated with that thing when i was a kid. he took us on a few hair-raising mountain rides in it....and i mean FRIGHTENING vertical climbs (many of which where tilted/off axis). that thing never failed. i think one of my cousins has it now and no doubt it is a financial beast to maintain. that old Rover is probably the root of my love for Jeeps. cheers.