RE: [ihc] RE: Ed's Jimmy and a little IH content.

["Ed Sohm" <idaemes@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Nope, no flopping sides.  Just push out windows (hinged at the top) with
metal "shutters" that slide up to cover the windows for light
discipline.  

Short version of the story:
My mother was CD director during my formative years.  My dad was a
volunteer training officer/ham/truck driver for her. The Jimmy belonged
to her office along with a big generator on a trailer that towed behind
it.  The truck and trailer were housed at our house out of sight of
office types who saw it as a waste of space and more importantly so it
was in the same place as the driver/mechanic.  I remember Dad taking the
set up to the local nursing home when an ice storm took out the power.
I also remember it powering our house when we got snowed in for 4 days.
We lived in the country and some of the neighbors came to our house to
keep warm.  Not quite the intended use, but we couldn't get it to
anywhere else.  Call it an emergency shelter. I remember firing the
"Deuce" up and waiting for Dad to come out of the house.  He would check
his expired-for-15-years military license to make sure it still said he
could operate that truck.  We would then go for a ride up and down the
gravel roads.  Exercise.  I remember the local CB club volunteering
their time to paint the truck.  

When CD changed to Emergency Management and the focus changed from
nuclear war to natural disasters (and the hours got cut), my mom
resigned.  The new coordinator saw no need for the truck and it was
parked and never exercised.  Pretty soon it was stuck.  The county put
it on sealed bid auction in '96 and my little brother and I bought it
for $101.  We drug it the home place and soaked it with Diesel for a
couple years. I got it running but it had a HUGE vacuum leak.  Today it
still sits at my parents' place.  Mom commandeered the enclosure as a
garden shed when I was living 600 miles away.  I bought my brother out a
couple years ago and need to get the enclosure back on it and to my
place.   Fun truck to own, I'll bet it would be more fun if I could
drive it again. I blame the stagnation of that project on IHs.  

Dad bought the generator on the same auction for $50. 

I am now the Emergency Management Coordinator and am busy setting up an
'82 IH S1600 Shop Van (Air Force surplus) as a mobile command center.
The local sanitation company (owned by 2 firemen and an EMT) has
volunteered to paint it.  White!!  Funny how things go in life.  

I don't have any pics because I am ashamed of the moss growing on the
body.  My brother did start and move it 2 years ago, but the Airpak is
goofy and likes to lock some of the brakes up so I am scared to try to
drive it home.  

If you are willing to wait 10 or 15 years Jim, you may get to see pics
of it. My kids don't know it is mine yet.  I'll bet if I tell them then
it may get moved up in the priority list.  It makes a heck of a
playhouse, I know first hand.  I'll have to see if I can find any
surplus gas masks for them to put on and chase each other around with.


Ed Sohm
Battle Creek, IA 

'71 800 B
'74 200 4X4 Travelette Camper Special
'53 M220 Jimmy
+ a bunch more
  


 

 


  

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-ihc@domain.elided [mailto:owner-ihc@domain.elided] On Behalf Of
Jim Grammer
Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 2004 2:12 PM
To: ihc@domain.elided
Subject: [ihc] RE: Ed's Jimmy


>Date: Wed, 28 Jul 2004 13:52:56 -0500
>From: "Ed Sohm" <idaemes@domain.elided>
>Subject: RE: [ihc] Re: H-542 on ebay

>I own an M211 (Actually an M220) that is painted about the same shade
of
>orange.

A deuce-and-a-half shop van? No foolin'? :)

Do the sides flop open?

The IH 2 truck mobile machine/repair shop combo shown in Crismon just
makes
me drool...

Jim