Visit with JohnFal in Viet Nam

[csmith]

Well I was able to carve out two days for RR while in Asia and spent time with John F in Viet Nam, again what a great guy! Picked me up at the hotel and took me out to his home in the Saigon countryside, talked shop, looked over his jeep fleet, got a lesson in carb rebuilding, had a wonderful lunch, then got to drive a bit in the country, back to town where we walked the surplus market, then a nice dinner, a full and exciting day Next day we met up with the Viet Nam Jeep Club but that's another post.

John's latest find, a real war gal that's seen better days but will be looking like new again one day I am sure


The original rebuild tag


She's an A1!




Time for lunch, Many thanks to John's lovely wife Chung (hope I spelled it correct)


John's fleet (1 Willys, 5.5 151's and growing!)


Two More


The Willys


John and his 68 A1 which was recently completed


I got to drive a few KM's in the country, what a blast!

[Mark]

Good pictures!! I been looking forward to seeing some photos of your trip. Hope it met your expectations.
mark

[rickf]

So now you know what an A1 feels like. I remember you asking if it was a better ride, I think it is.

Rick

[johnfal]

Hi Clell,

Thanks for the kind words, it was a pleasure to spend time with you. Just a couple of points for clarity, the A1 is a 69 according to the Budd No so Ken advised me and the wife's name is Trang but I promise I won't tell her what you called her

You never mentioned the UAZ Russian Jeep or the A2 that is currently being built for offroading. This A2 will only have minor mods to improve access and storage and it will be fitted with a anti roll bar and a winch for self recovery. The UAZ is sitting in a garage waiting to be put back on the road, it will also be used for the more severe offroading due to its live axles and greater ground clearance.

In the photo above of the three jeeps in the garage, the one on the right is the A1 with the A2 body I mentioned before, according to its Budd No it is a 66 this will be rebuilt as an A1.

On Saturday I am going to look at another Willy's which is supposed to be original which in Vietnam could mean it is made of genuine Willy's parts but from various models.

Looking forward to having Clell back he has my sense of humour, weeeeell!! nearly, he responded well to a couple of my jibes Hell of a nice guy though.

[Jay Mallari]

Looking forward to having Clell back he has my sense of humour, weeeeell!! nearly, he responded well to a couple of my jibes Hell of a nice guy though.

John are you familiar with a Scottish sitcom called Still Game? Love it to bits!

[csmith]

Just a couple of points for clarity, the A1 is a 69 according to the Budd No so Ken advised me and the wife's name is Trang but I promise I won't tell her what you called her John, take Trang and put that Scottish accent to it and sounds like Chang (I should have asked) but I got it now!!!

You never mentioned the UAZ Russian Jeep or the A2 that is currently being built for offroading. This A2 will only have minor mods to improve access and storage and it will be fitted with a anti roll bar and a winch for self recovery. The UAZ is sitting in a garage waiting to be put back on the road, it will also be used for the more severe offroading due to its live axles and greater ground clearance. Out of sight out of mind! How much am I supposed to remember , I mean you got more mutts and jeeps that anyone I know, and with all the Tiger Biers you keep throwing at me (thanks for that by the way) I am surprised I remembered any of it

I think the A2 off road mod is a good idea if your going to hang with those local boys on those class 9 off road adventures , make sure you double reinforce the front bumper (he pulled it off the last trip) and buy yourself a hammock (insiders joke) and I am going to take you and the club up on the offer to get muddy my next visit Better make that two hammocks


On Saturday I am going to look at another Willy's which is supposed to be original which in Vietnam could mean it is made of genuine Willy's parts but from various models.

After seeing how that guy prefabbed the metal to rebuild your A1 I think original in Viet Nam means just one part was original and they had a good photo to look at From there anything is possible

All kidding aside thanks for a great time and I look forward to the next visit

[199th mp]

john, how did your "missing paperwork" problem end up? did you ever get that handled so you could once again use that vehicle without police difficulties? i really like the way your redcatcher arty jeep looks. did your drive to xuan loc result in any comments from those who might have remembered the brigade? wish i had the space for jeeps that you have, and the collection. they look great.

[toptiger]

Clell, many thanks for sharing those photos
my last trip to VN was in August 1997, but I didn't have OD disease yet, so missed all the action.
Must think about another trip sometime, my wife goes often on business.
Jon, thats a great collection of jeeps and growing!

[johnfal]

Thanks for the compliments guy's if any of you ever decide to come back here for what ever reason you are welcome to come and see us and maybe stay a while and talk jeeps. If I aint working I can take you around by jeep or my driver will. Clell was in his element when he took the A1 down a country road because it had all things he only heard you guys talking about, pot holes, red sticky mud, swamp and jungle. Next time we may try and get him bit of offroading and camping, I mean real camping not living in a luxurious mobile home like some recent photos posted here under the term "roughing it"

[johnfal]

Ron I need to close this out formally as Juanle so rightly said. It turned out that the guy who we assumed to be the guilty party was innocent, the culprits were the police. However for now I can confirm that the jeep is back on the road with new registration papers and number. The guy we thought was guikty is building my off road A2 and doing a rust removal job and repaint of Juanle's jeep and he is very happy because he loves working on jeeps. And I have plenty for him.

[rickf]

Ron I need to close this out formally as Juanle so rightly said. It turned out that the guy who we assumed to be the guilty party was innocent, the culprits were the police. However for now I can confirm that the jeep is back on the road with new registration papers and number. The guy we thought was guikty is building my off road A2 and doing a rust removal job and repaint of Juanle's jeep and he is very happy because he loves working on jeeps. And I have plenty for him.

No surprise there, Glad it all worked out and you get to keep an excellent craftsman.

Rick

[MUTT Vet]

This A2 will only have minor mods to improve access and storage and it will be fitted with a anti roll bar and a winch for self recovery.

As stated, reinforce the front bumper when you put the winch on. Also I would suggest reinforcing the "frame". I had dual winches on my last MUTT and I ended up tweaking the body winching myself out of a mess. It took a lot of effort straightening it back out. I ended up welding C-channel over the frame rails and X-braces inbetween. I never tweaked the frame again.
It adds a little weight but if you're going to be doing some serious off roading then it's not going to hurt.
Just my opinion.

[rickf]

That was why they did not put winches on them in the military.

Rick

[MUTT Vet]

That was why they did not put winches on them in the military.

Rick

I had heard that before but I always thought that as tough as the MUTT is it could handle it...i was wrong.

If i remember correctly that was one of the first instances off you giving me some advice back in '09 that i didn't take...big mistake. I've been listening to you ever since (mostly ).

[rickf]

Mostly sometimes maybe sure I did!