1 4X4 WHEELED RIGID VEHICLES, LIGHT

Minitrac 4x4 orchard and vineyard tractor was built de la Brispotière street, in Angers, France, from 1955 to 1965. It was later modified and called Mini Bull Angle Dozer to be sold by Richier and still later by Hy, Bergerat, Monnoyeur & Cie, Caterpillar importer in France. 23 hp Peugeot engine. Skid Steering, 20 km/h, mass 1,250 T. Pict upper from 'Tracteurs', N° Spécial Belgique, May-June 2009. Pict lower from 'Tracteurs, Passion et Collections, Rétrospective 2009.

Minitrac Tractor

Desert Rat 3x2 with Terra Tires of Remote Area Transportation Corporation, Santa Anna, California, in the 60.

desert-rat-1963.pdf

Desert-rat-with-terra-tires.pdf

ASP, Amphibious Supply Platform, 4x4, 1962. In fact, hydraulic motors were located into the two drums front and rear. With skid Steering and no suspension, it could carry 226 kg. Picture from book of Fred Crismon ‘US Military Wheeled Vehicles’, Crestline Publishing (Motorbook), 1983.

4x4 off-road seen on Youtube.

Mula Mecanica MM-1A of EINSA, capacity 1200kg, 70 km/h, slope 60%. For Spanish Marines.

Amphicar amphibious 4x2 vehicle designed by Hans Trippel and manufactured by the Quandt Group at Lübeck and Berlin-Borsigwalde at 4000 units between 1961 and 1965, most sold in USA. Pict  Francis Pierre at Pioneer Village Museum, Nebraska in 2009.

Komatsu 4x4 Garden Tractor. Nice ! Pict J M M at La Ferté Allais, 2005 06.

Goliath 4x4 Jagdwagen Typ 34, 1956, built at 100 units in 1959. 95 hm/h, 50 hp, total mass 1800 kg. DKW Munga F91 has been choosen for German Army.

Gurgel X-12, Some thousands produces in the 80s in Brazil. Gurgel was founded in 1969 and closed in 1994.

Willys MB with Firestone Cylindrical Tires was tested during WWII for jungle conditions. It was reported that a winch was more usefull than exotic tires and tracks more suited in this environment. Picture from book of Fred Crismon ‘US Military Wheeled Vehicles’, Crestline Publishing (Motorbook), 1983.

Ford M151 with Terra-Tires of Goodyear, 1962. This project 'Wheeltrack' had been commercialy available. Ground pressure : 0,17 kg/cm². Picture from book of Fred Crismon ‘US Military Wheeled Vehicles’, Crestline Publishing (Motorbook), 1983.

Hochkiss-Lancia-Bussing, 1971

Europa-Jeep, Amphibious,1968, designed by Fiat, MAN, Saviem, 700 built for Germany and Italia untill 1979.

Euro-jeep  MBB, amphibie, 4x4, 1971

DKW F91, 4x4, 1956, from Germany

M-422 Mighty Mite.

Mighty Mite M422,

1960, new concept with independant wheels on a light vehicle by MARCO, Mid-America Research Corporation.

Built at 3922 units from 1959 to 1962 by American Motors created in 1954 at Kenosha, Wisconsin. 1/4 ton. Pict of J M M at Locomotion en Fête, La Ferté Allais, France on 2005 06.

Mighty Mite M-422 of American motors.The unusual independent suspension used swing arms and cantilevered quarter-elliptic springs  front and rear, aluminum differentials and inboard brakes. Mighty Mite are rare today. Pict of J M M at Locomotion en Fête, La Ferté Allais, France on 2005 06.

Mighty Mite of American motors with floats, 1953

LuAZ-967, 4x4, 1969

LuAZ-967MP, 4x4, 1982

LuAZ-967, 4x4, 1983

Luaz 967 home made consersion.  http://luaz-photo.narod.ru/parts.html

Bobcat with Airboss tires at Intermat, Villepinte, 1994. Airboss tires, however well suspended, avoid punctures. Pict. J M M.

Tracteur Labourier Type TL 34-4, manufactured in early 60s by Labourier & Co at Mouchard, Jura, France.

Labourier TL 34 H

First Rolligon Prototypes of William Albee in early 50s.

Rod Millen 4x4 about 2000.

Jeep, early Willys MB,  with Mud Flotation Adaptors designed by Capt. L.S. Rainhart of US Army to improve mobility during WWII. Pict from the book of Bart H. Vanderveen'The Jeep, Warne, about 1970.

Poncin MUT 4x4 at Val d'Isère in August 1990. Pict. J M M.

mutt-4x4-from-poncin-1.pdf

mutt-4x4-from-poncin.pdf

Poncin MUT 4x4 at Val d'Isère in Agust 1990. Pict J M M.

Voiture du Bled Georges Irat, Saumur Museum, Fer 2002. Pict J M M.

DAF YE 500 Porter, amphibious prototype of 1964, 15 hp, equiped with Variomatic transmission and wheels driven by friction. It was fitted with skid steering on land and waterjet in water. This proto is now at DAF Museum in Eindhoven, Netherlands.

Eimco Power Horse, from 1937 to early 60s. Considered as the first skid-steer tractor, many parts came from Allis Chalmers. www.hemmings.com

Desert Dirt, 2010, for rock crawling. Site offroadweb.

 Night Crawler Quad from Youtube :  New & Improved NightCrawler.

Argo 38.5 in Japan. It's a 4x4 unstead a 6x6 Argo. Pict from Youtube 'Argo 38.5 in Japan'. 

Dual Tyres on Quads at SIMA, Villepinte, 2005 03. Pict. J M M.

Dual Wheels on Quads at SIMA, Villepinte, 2005 03. Pict. J M M.

J-Wheelz on a Quad add flotation in mud or water and preserve good steering. Bolt on device is not new, it was marked for 4x4 (Land rover) 25 years ago. Shell is made of copopolymer with foam inside. www.depanneurquebecois.com

Quad with suspension kit to allow long travel suspension and high ground clearance.

High lifter ATV Kits and large dia tires increases ground clearance of  13 cm and are designed for independant front suspension.

Quadractor

Quadractor, original little tractor of Traction, Inc., North Troy, Vermont, invented by William G. Spence. Ravens Co. bought the rights in 81-82 and built 50 copies in a plant in Marietta, Ohio. Tools or timber were hinged under the floor by an electric winch and this greatly improved traction. 8 hp Briggs & Statton engine moved the vehicle through belts, pinion bevel gear and final reduction in the 4 steering wheels. Total reduction was 1/72 and steering was achived by cables. http://www.quadractor.com/photos.htm

Trakkar is an all-terrain 4x4 platform of 250 kg payload. Intented to follow soldiers with their equipment (40 kg each). Electrically powered and hybrid power unit gives it 70 hours endurance. Note the suspension system, below. Two Trakkar can be joined together to create an articulated 8x8 UGV. Built by Marshall Land Systems, Cambridge. Pict. J M M.

Terrajet, 1980, sold on ebay in 2006.

 Terrajet 1979 on ebay in 2006.

The Terra-Jet was originally manufactured in Drummondville, Quebec, Canada, in1969. This was an 4x4 ATV without suspensions and differentiels with very good off-rod cabilities. Terra-Jet USA, Innis, Lousiana, bought all the rights and tools and continued to manufacture 4x4 and 6x6 from 1997. http://terrajet.tripod.com/id1.html

Terra-Jet

Terra-Jet M73 for military use about the 70. Pictures by J M M are from Saumur Museum in 2006.

Terra-Jet

Terra-Jet VA-5 pictured in the 80. Pict Collection J M M.

 Terra-Jet

Terra-Jet VA-6 with dual tyres. This model dates from the 80. It is named 'King of the Louisiana Bayou'

Terra-Jet

Amphibious ATV 4x4. 16 or 23 hp engine, KT-35 skid-steer transmission. From AV4ATV, Monroe, La. in mid 2000.

AV4 Lil Critter 4x4 Amphibious from mid 2000 at Monroe, La. Speed 25 km/h, in water 6,5 km/h, It seems it is no more manufactured.

Fresia 4x4 F18, 550kg payload mountain power truck, it was delivered to Italian Mountain Units Army in 1978. Hydrostatic drive, powered assisted sterring and independant suspension on each wheel. The operator can walk behind. Pict Internet.

Fresia 4x4 F18 Mountain Power Truck. Pict S and D, March 1984.

Austin Champ manufactured by Austin Motor Company since 1951 in 13.000 copies and since 1953 to 1956 at Glasgow in Scootland. Roll Royce engine of 80 hp, independant suspension on all wheels and sold on civilian market. Nevertheless,Land Rover were half price.

Austin Champs

Crofton Bug of 35 hp in 1961 seen in Mécanique Populaire of May 1961.

Haflinger 700 AP Steyr Puch manufactured bethween 1959 and 1971 in Graz , Austria. Independant suspensions, 24 hp, good ground clearance thanks to portal axles, tranfert box, locable differentials front and rear; 16.700 copies have ben built.

Haflinger Steyr Puch H

 Haflinger 700 AP Steyr Puch

Diana of MV Motorcycle in Italy in the mid 60's was issued fron the German Kraka. Rear engine, 6 seats. Tyres were Straussler Lysoîd. The Ferves looks like the Diana and was built in Turin from 1968 to 1971. Picture from book of Nick Baldwin 'The Illustrated History of Off-Road Vehicles' Haynes Publishing, 1987.

Castor 4x4 of built by Société Sinpar from 1965 to the 70's. Petrol engineof 68 hp or diesel of 75 ch. Total weight 3480 kg for 1480 kg payload. This Company, part of Renault from 1980, manufactured many conversions 4x4 for this brand, Saviem and Peugeot.

Off-road Show

Amphibious and their history

Mitsubishi PX33 full time 4x4 manufactured in Japan from 1934 to 1937. First direct injection diesel engine 6,7 l, 69 hp. From site 'velocityjournal'

Bronto CTB 1922. Depuis 1993, JSC PSA Bronto, from Surgut, produced 6500 units. Issued from VAZ-2121 with Trecol tyres.

NITRA LTD TTM-2903 'Nitro', amphibious moving by its wheels, on low ground pressure tyres. 2,5 m wide is not out code.  Issued from UAZ.

Trecol 39041, 4x4 using serie vehicles componants GAZ and UAZ. Trecol is leader of low pressure tires vehicles with many models 4x4 and 6x6. Trecol Company built 5000 vehicles since 1996.

Lada 4x4 with Green Frog like arms suspensions seen in the Internet in 2010. www.sadtler.de/GEKNIPST/GEKNIPST_1/GEKNIPST_2/Ladoga_Trophy_2006/hauptteil_ladoga_trophy_2006.html

4x4 Frog of Ladoga Trophy driven by Jez is portal lateral arms suspended and wheels are chain driven . He won the international Ladoga Trophy in 2006. The rig was built at St Petersbourg, Audi engine, front axel fully hydro-steered, High speed winch. The bottom is flat and not constrained by axles.

Frog 4x4 at Ladoga

Green Grog 4x4 of Ladoga Trophy

Suspensions of 4x4 Frog of Ladoga Trophy. Arms are suspended by coil spring and air cushion. Wheels are chain drive.

4x4 Frog of Ladoga Trophy