Frankspinz
Adventurer
FranksPinz finally has his Pinzgauer.
I purchased the truck from Roverchef, here is the thread: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/111238-1973-Steyr-Pinzgauer
I had the pleasure of driving the Pinzgauer from Florida to Montreal, Canada in August.
From Jacksonville, Fl where the transaction took place, I drove to Amelia Island to try out the Pinz on the beach. The 4x4, lockers and transfercase were put through their paces in the sand. This truck performed flawlessly. Looking for a spot to spend the night, we ended up at Little Talbot Island State Park, where we camped right by the creek. The cool night breeze kept the biting insects at bay and we slept soundly in the Pinz (doors and windows open!).
Day 2 (on the road) We the drove North about 400 miles (640km) to North Carolina, where we spent the night at Lumber River State Park. Since it is tent camping only (I did not know), we spent the night in the Pinz in the parking lot with the blessing of two very understanding rangers ... We had to park near the restrooms as this was the only level parking area ... It didn't matter as we were the only occupants of the park that night. Well, us and about a billion frogs singing in the river !
I was using the App: "Oh Ranger" on my Samsung tablet - I highly recommend it for traveling in the US if you plan on spending time in the great State Parks...
Day 3 We drove 340 miles the next day to Westmoreland State Park, Va. The campsites were more crowded, but it's a pleasant Park near the ocean. We took time to walk around after so many hours in the military seats with the noise from the truck still ringing in our ears it was an enjoyable way to unwind... and necessary before spending a great night in the Pinz.
Day 4 (80 miles) We visited George Washington's birthplace (near Westmoreland) before heading out towards Washington DC. We were hoping to visit some museums in the city but traffic was unbelievable. (I learned it was the Washington Redskins training camp) we stopped at the US marines Museum in Quantico Va. The museum is a dignified and fitting tribute to the courageous Americans that serve (and served) in the Marine Corps . We then drove to Bull Run Regional Park where we spent the night after visiting the nearby Vineyard...
Day 5 (100 miles) I wanted to photograph the Pinz on the Skyline drive, so we headed West to Front Royal. At the tourist information office, we had great help from an enthusiastic guide. We proceeded to Skyline Caverns and had a great time exploring underground... Then on to the Skyline drive where lookouts beckon every few kms... We spent the night at the largest and busiest campground: Big Meadows. Pay showers with lukewarm water were the downside. Otherwise, we had a quiet night with many deer roaming the campsites... (I do suggest anyone planing to spend a night in the Park to check out the other campsites...)
Day 6 & 7 (730 miles) We set out early to catch the early morning on Hawksbill Mountain, the highest peak in the Park at 4050 feet . The weather was cool and windy but clear skies offered us great visibility...
Today, my boss called and terminated my vacation for urgent business. I still had 2 days to drive before arriving, so we steered North and headed to the border. A shifter problem developed and I decided to drive as long as I could stay awake and alert (no stopping meant no shifting). When I could no longer drive comfortably (safely) I pulled into a truck stop along the highway where we settled in for a nap... 6 hours later, well rested, I was able to diagnose the problem and figure a temporary fix. No small feat as I am not mechanically inclined !
I had to drive to Burlington Vt. to collect the car we had left at the airport when we flew to Florida. Si I drove from Strasburg Va, Hagerstown Md, Harrisburg Pa, Scranton Pa, Newburgh NY, Albany NY, then Burlington Vt and To the border crossing in Champlain. I had done my homework so crossing the border went smoothly on both sides.
After a week of sometimes leisurely sometimes hectic driving, my ears ringing from the drone of the drive train, I arrived home with my (new) toy ! After a mechanical inspection (and paying more taxes) I was permitted to license the Pinz.
The truck was a hit wherever we drove and stopped. Many, many people were curious and asked us questions and took pictures. unfortunately none were women. It is not a babe magnet ! I regularly get thumbs up as I drive along and young (and not so young) boys really get a kick out of it...
Pictures to come, my host site Photobucket is down tonight...
Thanks for reading !
I purchased the truck from Roverchef, here is the thread: http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/111238-1973-Steyr-Pinzgauer
I had the pleasure of driving the Pinzgauer from Florida to Montreal, Canada in August.
From Jacksonville, Fl where the transaction took place, I drove to Amelia Island to try out the Pinz on the beach. The 4x4, lockers and transfercase were put through their paces in the sand. This truck performed flawlessly. Looking for a spot to spend the night, we ended up at Little Talbot Island State Park, where we camped right by the creek. The cool night breeze kept the biting insects at bay and we slept soundly in the Pinz (doors and windows open!).
Day 2 (on the road) We the drove North about 400 miles (640km) to North Carolina, where we spent the night at Lumber River State Park. Since it is tent camping only (I did not know), we spent the night in the Pinz in the parking lot with the blessing of two very understanding rangers ... We had to park near the restrooms as this was the only level parking area ... It didn't matter as we were the only occupants of the park that night. Well, us and about a billion frogs singing in the river !
I was using the App: "Oh Ranger" on my Samsung tablet - I highly recommend it for traveling in the US if you plan on spending time in the great State Parks...
Day 3 We drove 340 miles the next day to Westmoreland State Park, Va. The campsites were more crowded, but it's a pleasant Park near the ocean. We took time to walk around after so many hours in the military seats with the noise from the truck still ringing in our ears it was an enjoyable way to unwind... and necessary before spending a great night in the Pinz.
Day 4 (80 miles) We visited George Washington's birthplace (near Westmoreland) before heading out towards Washington DC. We were hoping to visit some museums in the city but traffic was unbelievable. (I learned it was the Washington Redskins training camp) we stopped at the US marines Museum in Quantico Va. The museum is a dignified and fitting tribute to the courageous Americans that serve (and served) in the Marine Corps . We then drove to Bull Run Regional Park where we spent the night after visiting the nearby Vineyard...
Day 5 (100 miles) I wanted to photograph the Pinz on the Skyline drive, so we headed West to Front Royal. At the tourist information office, we had great help from an enthusiastic guide. We proceeded to Skyline Caverns and had a great time exploring underground... Then on to the Skyline drive where lookouts beckon every few kms... We spent the night at the largest and busiest campground: Big Meadows. Pay showers with lukewarm water were the downside. Otherwise, we had a quiet night with many deer roaming the campsites... (I do suggest anyone planing to spend a night in the Park to check out the other campsites...)
Day 6 & 7 (730 miles) We set out early to catch the early morning on Hawksbill Mountain, the highest peak in the Park at 4050 feet . The weather was cool and windy but clear skies offered us great visibility...
Today, my boss called and terminated my vacation for urgent business. I still had 2 days to drive before arriving, so we steered North and headed to the border. A shifter problem developed and I decided to drive as long as I could stay awake and alert (no stopping meant no shifting). When I could no longer drive comfortably (safely) I pulled into a truck stop along the highway where we settled in for a nap... 6 hours later, well rested, I was able to diagnose the problem and figure a temporary fix. No small feat as I am not mechanically inclined !
I had to drive to Burlington Vt. to collect the car we had left at the airport when we flew to Florida. Si I drove from Strasburg Va, Hagerstown Md, Harrisburg Pa, Scranton Pa, Newburgh NY, Albany NY, then Burlington Vt and To the border crossing in Champlain. I had done my homework so crossing the border went smoothly on both sides.
After a week of sometimes leisurely sometimes hectic driving, my ears ringing from the drone of the drive train, I arrived home with my (new) toy ! After a mechanical inspection (and paying more taxes) I was permitted to license the Pinz.
The truck was a hit wherever we drove and stopped. Many, many people were curious and asked us questions and took pictures. unfortunately none were women. It is not a babe magnet ! I regularly get thumbs up as I drive along and young (and not so young) boys really get a kick out of it...
Pictures to come, my host site Photobucket is down tonight...
Thanks for reading !
