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Patina-rich 1953 Jeep M38A1 for sale on Hemmings.com. From the seller's description:
Original Army green with partial white paint/patina, which has covered up some of the original Army decals/stars and numbers but some can still be seen. Runs beautifully.Updates to the vehicle include a new alternator, distributor and a rebuilt carburetor, new shifting knobs, battery and gauges replaced with replica gauges, new head lights, parking lights and tail lights. Replacement windshield and gaskets All from Kaiser Willys.
The Jeep was converted from the U.S. Army standard 24 volt to 12 volt. We still have the original parts to convert the vehicle back to a 24 volt, at the request of the new owner.
Seat slip covers with an embroidered star were added on original Seats to give the vehicle a classic touch. Antique metal first aid kit/box, metal World War II gas can, army shovel and all exact U.S. Army replica decals/Stencils New in Box (from Kaiser Willys come with the purchase of this vintage Jeep.)
5 New original style heavy duty tires on their orig. Army Rims (Balanced and Aligned). Texas Title, Street Legal - Inspection and current Texas licence plates and tags.
1953 Jeep M38A1
See more Jeeps for sale on Hemmings.com.
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Photo: Tommy Lee Byrd
Tourist towns are no stranger to big crowds and swells of activity, and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee is the perfect example, with a population of approximately 6,000 people. Any given weekend doubles its population, but Rod Run weekend is a whole different animal. It’s been this way for more than 40 years.
The show’s location in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains is reason enough for the hype, but a three-mile strip of Highway US-441, known as the Parkway, serves as the perfect cruising strip. Pigeon Forge was formed in 1961, due to the rapidly expanding tourist town of Gatlinburg, Tennessee. The town is situated between Interstate 40 and Gatlinburg, a mountain town that was known for its wild atmosphere during the rod run events of the 1970s. The nightlife of the Gatlinburg rod runs eventually led to it being run out of town. After years of conflict, Pigeon Forge was a natural fit, due in part to the sprawling space, as well as the perfect cruising strip.
The Rod Run now lives on, more than 40 years after making the move to Pigeon Forge. Event organizers host two Rod Run events per year, one in the spring and one in the fall. Thousands of cars and trucks lines the streets of US-441, which is still the ultimate cruising area. The actual car show is held at the LeConte Center, where a huge turnout of cars and vendors packs the giant convention center and spills into the adjacent parking lot. The show features high-end show cars, restored muscle cars, classics and customs of all varieties. The event runs from Thursday to Saturday, offering three full days of action, while the Parkway starts filling in several days prior, as folks jockey for premium parking spots.
Let’s take a look at some of the wildest creations and restored classics that make the Pigeon Forge Rod Run one of the most diverse car shows in the world. It totally consumes the town and provides memory-making experiences for car enthusiasts young and old.
2024 Pigeon Forge Spring Rod Run - Highlights
Photo: Tommy Lee Byrd
<p>The Pigeon Forge Rod Run happens in April and September and consumes the tourist town of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The actual event is great, and the street-side action along the Parkway has kept folks coming back for 40-plus years.</p>
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News
Squatted Trucks Banned in Some States, Drivers Faced with Maximum $300 fine and License Suspension
YouTube / Donut Media
Whether you call them squatted trucks, tooted trucks, or “Carolina Squat,” drivers of these custom trucks may be subject to fines and license suspensions if caught cruising in certain states.
South Carolina is one state where the squatted truck culture is prominent. Back on November 12, 2023, the state issued a ban on vehicles that are modified to lift the front end higher than the rear. Owners of Carolina Squat vehicles were given six months to remove the modifications, with police only issuing warnings to drivers who were pulled over. That grace period ends this month on May 10th.
After May 10, South Carolina Squat truck owners will be subject to fines and potential loss of license if caught driving on public roads. First time offenders will receive a $100 fine, but if caught a second time, the fine increases to $200. A third offense will be rewarded with a $300 fine and a year-long license suspension.
What is a squatted truck?
Similar to cars sporting the California lean, the squatted truck modification refers to an aesthetic change involving installing a sizable front lift kit while the rear is lowered or left stock, which results in a reverse rake. However, the South Carolina law also includes the reverse, when a vehicle is lower in the front and lifted in the rear.
"'Squatted' vehicles include those with a front or rear fender raised four or more inches higher than the other," said the South Carolina Department of Public Safety (DOPS).
Why are squatted trucks illegal?
The main reason why squatted trucks are banned is for safety concerns, for both the owner and other drivers on the road. Lifting a vehicle in the front and aiming it toward the sky compromises the driver’s view, making it difficult to see over the dash. It can be difficult to see squatted trucks on the road at night because the headlights are aimed upward, which also impacts how much the driver can see. Since the truck is lifted in the front, it changes the contact point of the bumper in the event of a collision.
The extreme suspension modifications also cause a host of issues with the vehicle, like unstable steering geometry and additional stress on the suspension system, which can cause a much firmer ride. Unfortunately, life-threatening accidents involving squatted trucks have occurred and are most common than you may think. Actual data is difficult to find, but one example takes us to Raleigh, North Carolina, where a driver lost control of his truck during a Christmas parade and killed a young girl. Another example occurred two years ago in Virginia, when a 27-year-old man was killed in a head-on crash with the driver of a Carolina Squat truck while on his way to work in the early-morning.
South Carolina isn't the only state to ban squatted trucks. Between 2021 and 2023, two states, North Carolina and Virginia, have banned the “Carolina Squat” from highways. Tennessee also recently jumped on the bandwagon, and the state of Alabama is in the middle of introducing a new bill– House Bill 55 (HB55), also known as the Alabama Squat Truck Law– that would ban cars or trucks with the front fender raised four or more inches above the rear fender. Fines vary depending on the state.
The below video posted by Donut Media on YouTube provides an overview of squatted truck history and how the bans came along. Do you think squatted trucks should be banned from public road use? Why or why not? Sound off in the comments!
Why North Carolina Wants to Ban This Truck Modyoutu.be
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