Jolly Jeeper

You may be thinking of another magazine here or you may not - Key actually launched Classic Land Rover magazine and I have edited since it started. Maybe I'm not a 'real enthusiast', after all I only have eight Land Rovers; seven of those have leaf springs and I have had one of them since 1989, the same year as I got my first full time magazine job on a 4x4 mag...

Thank you for the further positive comments Sean, Brooky, Jack and co. At Key Publishing's Stamford offices we have just had a handover meeting so it's all go from now on. JC

Thank you for the kind words Keith. Windscreen undoubtedly benefitted from your generous contributions of archive pictures. You are most welcome to contribute to CMV should you come across anything that you think may be suitable. John C

My first issue will be the February one - on sale Jan 19th. Cheers, JC

There's little here for me to disagree with although I feel you may be doing some of the past and present contributors to CMV (and MMI) a disservice. I have looked at my collection of Wheels and Tracks again thoroughly, ahead of editing CMV and a few things have occurred to me; 1. No one can doubt the authority of W&T. 2. Repro and print technology have changed since it was last published so we won't be going back to a magazine wholly B&W apart from its colour covers. 3. It was last published 16 years ago so, much about the MV scene has also changed - there are far fewer WWII lorries to be found behind country garages for example. Wheels and Tracks was mentioned quite a few times in the CMV reader survey carried out at War and Peace last year and this will influence future issues but we have to look forwards. Don't fall into the trap of thinking that because CMV or MMI were done one way in the past that they will be done that way in future. John Carroll

Phil. I am sorry to read this, I have recent experience of what you are going through in losing a father. My thoughts are with you. JC

Gents. Thanks for the votes of confidence, they are appreciated. I can't pretend that I know everything about military vehicles but I have been interested in them ever since I had a bedroom window sill full of Airfix AEC Matadors 45 years ago. Most of the MVs I have owned have been Jeeps and Lightweight Land Rovers but also include a Harley-Davidson WLC and a Scammell Explorer. I have an H licence and a soft spot for amphibs but I won't go on, I just wanted to acknowledge the positive comments here and say to Snowtracdave that I'd be flattered if you reconsider. Cheers and thanks again, John C

From the same wanted ad, I also got this - allegedly from Salzburg; engelengel34@outlook.com Hello My name is Christian Wolfgang Engel from Salzburg - Austria, i saw your advert on http://www.mvt.org.uk/wanted.html about your wanted advert to buy, i have for sale, Please contact me if still interested and i will send you photos and my asking price, also i will need your complete home address to calculate the shipping cost to your doorstep ,thanks and your urgent response will be appreciated Greetings Both scammers, when asked, sent pics of M38A1s that were far too good to be being broken for spares...

Following an ad on the MVT's website for some M38A1 parts - steering box and column, radiator and other misc parts- I got a couple of these; Pete Bailey <pete.sparepartsupliers@gmail.com> (who purports to be in Texas) Hello John, Thanks for writing, We are currently dismantling a 1955 NEKAF (Dutch-assembled) M38A1 Jeep and we have your requested parts for sale in excellent condition and decent shape. Parts includes (steering box and column, radiator and other misc parts). I am asking a $600 shipped, Asking price includes shipping via FedEx or ups which ever you prefer. I'll accept payment via moneygram. What's your complete shipping address? Thanks, Pete How he knew what the 'other misc parts' were made me snigger...

I'm not sure that I agree 100% about the last sentence tbh...

That was quite a tough bit of editing Windscreen; people almost always jumped to conclusions that an omission was the result of orders from the CoM or some other conspiracy theory rather than the simple fact that something hadn't been sent in... Three I remember were omitting a show in Essex, missing something about military Land Rovers and having a anti-post-war bias to the '16 calendar. Nothing was sent in - pure and simple. Sad but true and people got quite 'tetchy'.

Maybe it was - I haven't seen CMV so can't agree or disagree. One thing I would say though is this; around 20 pages (out of 100) of the latest Windscreen have Ian Young's byline on them. I am not criticising in any way, I had to write copy for the mag on occasion and think imaginatively in order to fill it on others. However 20 of 100 pages may well be an indication of how little he was sent by the MVT membership... Ian's trying hard and deserves support. JC

Like many on here I have a set of Wheels and Tracks magazine and like then very much but the world has changed since they were published; magazine buying habits have changed, magazine retailing has changed, the business models have changed, technology has changed (remember W&T was all almost entirely B&W) and so on. This probably means that we'll never see the likes of W&T again. There is a fundamental difference between commercial and club magazines; commercial magazines pay for their features so their editors can commission stuff to suit the magazine. Club magazines don't have such a budget so their editors are entirely reliant on contributions from club members which can explain their 'patchy' coverage of any given subject. This difference also accounts for why club magazines contain 'area reports' and other inward-looking stuff and why club mag editors are always looking for contributions to fill pages. It also explains why 'conspiracy theories' about things/specific periods/events not being included gain credence - the sad truth is generally that no one sends the material in so no conspiracy at all. Just a few of my observations, JC

http://www.itv.com/news/central/2015-06-25/nobody-expected-at-funeral-of-dead-soldier/

The bolt spacing is not identical on Jeep and British NATO hitches. The way I have seen 50mm balls on Jeeps is to use a steel drop plate drilled for the US pattern crossmember holes at the top and, just below the crossmember, drilled for the two bolts of the 50mm towball. In fact one of my Mahindras (which is the same as Willys Jeep spacing) has just such a droplate while others have M38A1 jaws (because LR ones didn't line up). JC

Evening all. I'm always flattered when someone posts unsolicited kind words about Windscreen because I edit it so thanks Arcot. Winchman - I can confirm that there are a couple local areas of the MVT in Merseyside and the NW. Personally I wouldn't worry about having an RL - they're interesting trucks that aren't as common as they were - I'm a Merseysider too (although I don't live there full time these days) and happily drive about in my Mahindra CJs. I've had more sought after Jeeps over the years but have had one of the Mahindras for 25 years and love it. Only once has someone been rude about it... and I go to MV events in it. Regards, John C

I was sent this for Windscreen/Green Sheet but there is not enough time to get it published before the event and help the chap out so I am posting it here verbatim. If you wish to help please contact Leroy Bowtell direct. Thank you, JC "We are running a church fun day on Saturday 13th September 2014 in Burnley 11am to 3pm. Last year we had a fire engine and a rally car done up like Disney's lightening McQueen. This year we would like to have a military vehicle as an attraction for families and children. If anyone thinks they can help please get in touch. Some money to cover costs would be available. wytha@talk21.com Thanks Leroy Bowtell Minister Rosehill Baptist Church 07737708795"

I am genuinely sorry to read about this theft. My Land Rover Defender 110 Hi-Cap, a ground up rebuild, was stolen a few years ago, I was really attached to it and am still angry about it. Defender theft has been a bit of an epidemic in recent years but it appears that classic cars generally are increasingly becoming a popular target for car thieves; they have limited security devices and there's a demand for parts and increasingly valuable parts at that. Practical Classics regularly report thefts on its FB page. I wrote a story for LRO magazine in Defender theft but, in talking to various Police Forces to do so, I discovered that diggers, Harleys, quads, tractors and more are all regularly targeted. Locking your stuff up is the only answer - several Police forces recommend disc-locks for Land Rovers as they cover the whole steering wheel - they are not foolproof but are a big help. Halfords stock them. I hope this Jeep is found and returned to its owner. John C

Thanks Ivor. JC

Seeing Windscreen 142 is in the post on its way to members of the MVT, I thought that, before any more of these tiresome conspiracy theories start circulating, I'd mention that there's no mention of the Military and Flying Machines Show at Damyns Hall in this issue either. Unsurprisingly, the poster who started this thread about Windscreen 141, hasn't sent a show report and nor has anybody else, Just to be 100% clear: had I been sent something I would have included it. Thanks all. John C

June 7th Jeep Gathering Normandy 2014 10:00 until 14:00. Normandy Tank Museum - A10 Airfield PA. La Fourchette Avenue du Cotentin 50500 CATZ +33 (0)2 33 44 39 45 +33 (0)6 80 16 38 79 Contact@normandy-tank-museum.fr Meet those guys you know from g503.com or Facebook.

This was taken in August 1980 - no wonder it's taken me so long to find the box of slides, I've moved around a lot since those Polytechnic days!

What is really positive about this thread is the overwhelming support for the MVT and the magazine as well as the understanding of the problems faced by anyone putting a magazine such as Windscreen together. It is noticeable that among posters here are current and past contributors and someone whose seat I now occupy. I feel like a novice member compared to many, having joined in the late eighties (Mem 3803), but appreciate the support and enthusiasm for our organisation - it is something I will continue to respect with future editions. Some may have heard that Windscreen recently won 'Most Improved Club Magazine at the 2013' Classic and Sports Car magazine awards at the NEC Classic Car show. I was flattered by the win but see it as a win for the MVT especially the contributors who provide the material to turn into a magazine and those who brought Windscreen to where it could be built on further - without all those people and their efforts there would be no Windscreen, let alone trophies for it. Gentlemen, the positive comments here and the aforementioned contributions make one ill-informed, negative poster's comments pale into insignificance and leave my enthusiasm undimmed. Another person reading this has PM'd me offering a restoration feature - I'm about to reply to him saying 'yes please'. I doubt I'll say anything more on this thread but thanks again for the positive remarks. John C

My, my - we do love a conspiracy theory don't we? To answer your points; Bias; I use what is sent in. If I don't get something I can't use it. Some areas and event organisers re very proactive, some aren't. No Mention of Damyns Hall; Nothing whatsoever has been sent in. Unexpectedly August was quiet; It could have said Unexpectedly [for me, my diary for] August was quiet while much of the population was on holiday [so I went camping with my girlfriend for the weekend]… family event blah blah... Hasn't heard; Yes, I've heard about it, that's why I published adverts for it in Windscreen and The Green Sheet. What does the silence say; Err, that no one sent a report or pictures like they did last year when it was covered. Wicksteed; Yes, it received coverage because someone sent a report and pictures. Wartime in the Vale received more coverage because, with the correspondent's permission, I bolstered the report with some of my own pictures. I went to Wartime In The Vale but not Damyns Hall or Croft or Wicksteed or... I have no intention of getting into any politics on here other than to say that I will use as much as possible of everything that is sent to me. Anyone who thinks there's a conspiracy of any sort doesn't know me. The beginning of the page that you quote from gives an indication of how busy I am with Windscreen - I didn't go to the Northern Expo which is about 20 miles from where I live in order to finish the latest issue. The deadline for the next issue of Windscreen is published on page 3, as 13.01.14 so there's plenty of time for you, whoever you are, to write something and send the pictures. I will look forward to receiving them. John Carroll

I wish I could claim the credit. It's from The Green Fields of France by Eric Bogle, a moving folk song.