WHEN you come head-tohead with a behemoth M43 on a one-lane suspension bridge in the middle of nowhere, one must reflect on the proverb ‘might is right’. This was the case when we ran into Lucky Hilmanofski and this ultra-cool, Korean War era overland ambulance in the Northern Sierra Nevada. He hit the gas and we hit reverse. Fortunately, I’ve known Lucky for years (yes, that’s really his name) and he was just messing with us, as a dedicated jarhead will do.
Introduced in 1951, the M43 was the ambulance variant of the M37 Power Wagon, which in turn was a redesign of the battle-proven World War II era Dodge WC Series. Gearing up to take on communists on the Korean Peninsula, six prototypes were produced in mid1950 for testing and the first of these snub-nosed workhorses rolled off the assembly line in December. With live front and rear axles, a 230ci in-line six-cylinder engine, New Process four-speed transmission, and a PTO winch, they were tough as a pitbull and mean as a hungry hyena. In short, the M43 Power Wagon was a purpose-built war machine. This fine specimen is one of 11,000 that went into service in 1951.
BACK STORY
WHEN Lucky, a former US Marine paratrooper and motor-pool mechanic, and his wife Cindy decided to retire, sell the farm and move to Baja, Mexico, they knew they would need a rugged and reliable vehicle to explore the region’s backcountry. Having purchased his first Dodge at age 21, a 1975 W100 four-wheel drive, Lucky became a lifelong Ram guy and knew their ‘overlander’ would need to be a Power Wagon of some type. When he came across this bone-stock ’51 ambulance, save the Air Force Blue paint job, it was a match made in the trenches.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der January 2022-Ausgabe von 4x4 Magazine Australia.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der January 2022-Ausgabe von 4x4 Magazine Australia.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
OUTBACK WATERING HOLES
SINCE OFF TRACK WINES WAS LAUNCHED, OWNERS ANNA AND BRETT FISHER HAVE DRIVEN MORE THAN 20,000KM UP, DOWN AND ACROSS AUSTRALIA SPRUIKING THEIR WINES-IN-A-CAN MADE FOR CAMPING. THEY DROPPED INTO PLENTY OF OUTBACK PUBS ALONG THE WAY AND THESE ARE THEIR SOUTH AUSTRALIAN FAVOURITES
BIG COUNTRY
THE PILBARA IS THE VERY DEFINITION OF BIG COUNTRY, AND THERE IS PLENTY TO SEE, DO AND ENJOY IN THIS ANCIENT LANDSCAPE IN WA'S RUGGED NORTHWEST
ISLAND PARADISE
NEAR THE TOP OF THE BUCKET LIST FOR EVERY AUSSIE FOUR-WHEEL DRIVER, K'GARI IS PACKED WITH STUNNING HIGHLIGHTS AND BOASTS SOME OF THE BEST BEACH DRIVING IN THE COUNTRY
WEIGHTLIFTING
INCREASING THE GVM OF YOUR 4X4 SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN LIGHTLY, BUT BY THE SAME TOKEN SHOULD NOT BE AVOIDED IF YOU NEED IT. WE GO THROUGH THE PROCESS ON OUR FORD RANGER TO EXPLAIN HOW TO GET IT RIGHT
NOW HEAR THIS
THE CEL-FI GO MOBILE BOOSTER WILL KEEP EMAILS, MESSAGES AND CALLS COMING THROUGH TO YOUR DEVICES WHEN EVERYBODY ELSE IS HEARING CRICKETS
LOOKING BACK
A PAIR OF MSA 4X4 TOWING MIRRORS ENSURE WE ALWAYS KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON BEHIND US WHEN WE HAVE A TRAILER HITCHED TO OUR MITSUBISHI TRITON
TRUCKIN' LIFE
CAN FORD AUSTRALIA'S NEW F-150 BE AN ACCOMPLISHED OFF-ROAD TOURING 4X4?
WHAT LURKS BENEATH
IT MAY LOOK LIKE A FAIRLY STANDARD (IF CLEAN) 80 SERIES, BUT DIVE A LITTLE DEEPER AND YOU'LL FIND A MONSTER BELOW THE SURFACE
EYE OF THE HURRICANE
RAM HAS DUMPED ITS HEMI V8FOR A SIX-CYLINDER, AND IT'S COMING TO AUSTRALIA
GETTING TANKED
GWM EXPANDS IT TANK 4X4 RANGE WITH THE LUXURIOUS TANK 500 WAGON