Episode 712 – A White Whale of a Jeep Story

This Week In Jeep

Probably Won’t Do That Again

A 21-year-old man from Moore Idaho is facing multiple charges after allegedly speeding away from a traffic stop earlier in November. According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by the Idaho Falls Police Department, an officer saw a white 1996 Jeep Cherokee fail to stop leaving an alley near Pine Street in Idaho Falls. The officer later identified the driver as Gage Anthony Larson and tried to stop him. Larson however had other plans and ignored the lights and siren, and just kept going. The speeds kept increasing, and there was at least one stoplight that was blown through. The driver of the Jeep continued north on Yellowstone Highway and reached speeds of over 50 mph in a 25 mph zone. Police said the Jeep cut off another vehicle and kept driving, sometimes dashing down and through alleyways. At J Street, Larson decided he’d have better odds eluding the police if he was on foot, so he got out of his Jeep while still driving down an alley. The reports don’t mention any sudden braking maneuver, or even if the Jeep was ever even put into park. But the pursuing officer chased Larson on foot nonetheless, giving him commands to stop, which he of course Larson failed to obey. At this point, I’m wondering if this guy is deaf and legally blind? The officer eventually caught up with Larson and took him to the ground and into custody. That’s a polite way of saying he tackled the tweaker to the ground from a running dive and beat the shit out of him to get the cuffs on. When the officer searched Larson, he found a vape pen that smelled like marijuana. Shocking. Although I would have been less surprised to hear that it was a crack pipe. It later tested positive for THC. Idaho has some of the harshest restrictions on marijuana out of all the Northwest states, so yeah, he was definitely going to Jail.. Dispatch ran a warrant check on Larson and found he had a misdemeanor warrant out of Butte County, which appeared to have been for unlawful entry. There was also a felony warrant out of Jefferson County for fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer. Seems like this guy just can’t learn his lesson. Larson was charged with felony fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, misdemeanor resisting arrest, and misdemeanor drug paraphernalia possession. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Nov. 22 at 1 p.m. at the Bonneville County Courthouse. What happened to the Jeep you may ask? According to the police reports, it crashed and landed INSIDE a dumpster. 2 points! 

A White Whale of a Jeep Story

There are those of you out there who may know a little of the history behind one of the world’s most incredible motorsports, off-road rally racing. If you ever want to watch a hell of a documentary, pick one that focuses on the early years of the infamous “Group B” rally races. It’s an incredible story and the specs of the vehicles involved will utterly blow your mind. That said, the governing body of these races, an internationally recognized association founded in 1904 named FIA, or The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, is mostly known today for its work with Formula One. However, this highly powerful and influential association was forced to ban 4-wheel drive drivetrains in all off-road rally races, and I bet you’re already starting to figure out why. It wasn’t an early dominant season by one of the big European teams with experimental technology, it wasn’t an arbitrary line thrown into the rulebook when the International Championship for Manufacturers was founded, but instead, it was a white whale of a truck that blew everyone away in the first FIA rally to ever be held in the United States. And the success of this big ugly white truck sealed the fate of the drivetrain restrictions on an international level for almost a decade to come. This is the story of how 50 years ago today, a man named Gene Henderson and an American Automaker, Jeep teamed up to put a four-wheel-drive at the top of the podium for the first time ever in a professional rally.

Now the whole story is too long for this segment but is well worth a read, and I’ll have the link to the whole thing in the show notes for this episode at Jeeptalkshow.com. 

https://dirtfish.com/rally/how-a-jeep-led-to-fias-infamous-4wd-ban/

For now, however, here is a 3000-foot flyover of how this all came to be. 

The FIA International Championship for Manufacturers (later renamed the World Rally Championship) had put its stamp of approval on Michigan’s “Press on Regardless” Rally. A three-night, 330+ stage mile event spanning both peninsulas that were known as 

“the longest, oldest, meanest, toughest rally in the USA.” Gene Henderson had to be there, but there was one problem, he had no car to race with. One of the early calls was Ford, and Ford was coming out with the new Lincoln Continental Mark-IV. A new full-sized, land yacht of a Lincoln. They called Gene and said, “could you win with this?” His reply was something along the lines of “absolutely not, it’s too big, too heavy, and it would take too much work to get it slimmed down enough for a race.” But he said he could place it in the top ten. Lincoln didn’t like that answer, but luckily for Henderson, AMC, The American Motor Corporation called not long after, with a smaller, lighter, yet just as strange vehicle for Henderson to rally: the Jeep Wagoneer. Head of AMC at the time was Roy Chapin, and he had just come off of a winning Trans-Am season, and wanted a new motorsport project with the newly acquired Kaiser-Jeep brand, marketing the revolutionary new Quadra-Trac full-time four-wheel-drive system.

That motorsport project was this Jeep Wagoneer, and it became one of the most recognized and hated vehicles in these early years of off-road racing. The modifications that they did to this Jeep, (mind you this was 1972) were of a level that would still be impressive today, and that’s without the support of any aftermarket anything. The suspension mods alone will leave you scratching your head. Nonetheless, Jeep’s history in off-road racing goes back almost as far as Jeep itself, and with a story as old as Moby Dick… which just so happened to be the name of this big ol’ white Wagoneer.

Tech Talk with Jeep Talk

TOPIC/QUESTION: How To Get Rid Of The Smoke Smell In Jeeps

The smell of smoke can be very difficult to remove from your Jeep, especially if you or the previous owner is or was a smoker. Luckily, there are a few easy steps that we’ll go over to help get the smoke smell out of your Jeep. No matter how often you air out your Jeep, or how long you run without the top, the smell of smoke can still linger. And that goes for all types of smoke including campfires, cigarettes, pipes, and cigars. Before attempting to tackle this common problem, there are a few things to keep in mind. Simply opening the windows and doors, or taking the top off for a few days isn’t going to be enough to get rid of the smoke smell. There are several products on the market that can (to a certain degree) help reduce smoke smells from cars. From leather cleaners to APCs (all-purpose cleaners), they can all be found at your local auto parts stores, big box stores, or online.

Ok, so where do you start? Well, it’s not with a bottle of Febreeze, so put it back!

Like GI Joe used to say, knowing is half the battle. Knowing the source of any problem is the key to resolving it. In the case of smoke smells in vehicles, the source is usually one of three places: the upholstery, the ventilation system, or the environment. The first place you should look is the upholstery since this is where most of the smell will most likely be coming from. Smoke settles and binds to the fibers in the fabric, and it’s tough to get out. If you can’t seem to find the source, then it might be time to check the ventilation system. Outside air is usually the least likely place for the smoke smell to be coming from but it’s still worth checking, especially if there have been wildfires in your area or you just went through your second set of rear tires in a month from all those burnouts in your new 392. Once you know where the smoke smell is coming from, you can start taking the proper steps to neutralize it. So let’s say you sniffed the seats and, yup, that’s the source. Any Jeep’s interior is made up of a variety of materials including fabric, leather, and plastic. These materials can all hold onto the smell of smoke for years. Yes, plastic too. I had a 2002 Honda Accord once, and I swear to god, no matter what I did, I could not get rid of the most horrific perfume smell. We’re not talking a yummy stripper body spray, this was like aunt Gertrude’s cleavage on a humid August day after three and a half hours of weeding the petunia garden. The first thing you need to do is to identify what type of material your Jeep’s upholstery is made of. If your upholstery is made out of fabric, then you’ll need to use a dedicated fabric cleaner. Remember, you need the right tool for the right job. This isn’t something we’re going to try to do out on the trail, so there’s no need to cut corners here. While a general-purpose cleaner might be able to remove some of the smell, it’s not going to be as effective as an actual fabric cleaner. Using a dedicated automotive fabric cleaner that is engineered to remove unwanted odors is going to be much more effective and is going to give you the best results.

Be sure to follow the instructions on the cleaner and don’t overdo it. Too much cleaner can make the problem worse by creating unwanted moisture leading to mildew or mold, or possible permanent staining. 

Now, if your Jeep’s upholstery is made of leather, then you’ll need to use an appropriate leather cleaner. Again, it’s important to get the right product for the job. A general-purpose cleaner is not going to get into the pores of the leather and remove the smoke smell. You might be tempted to use a household cleaner like vinegar or soap, but this is not a good idea to use on leather. Using a leather cleaner, be sure to test it in an inconspicuous area first. This will allow you to see how the cleaner reacts with the leather. Some cleaners can be harsh and cause the leather to fade or discolor, especially on older models. Once you’ve found a cleaner that is safe to use, follow the instructions on the bottle. Remember, less is more when it comes to cleaning leather. You don’t want to oversaturate the leather and cause irreversible damage. After you’ve cleaned the leather, you should apply a conditioner. This will help to restore the natural oils that have been stripped away by the cleaner. A conditioner will also help to protect the leather from future damage and will add years of longevity. Now there’s one last place you’ll want to address, and this may not apply to all Jeepers. Much like changing the oil, cleaning or replacing the cabin air filter on your Jeep is a maintenance step that is often overlooked. Over time, the air filters can become clogged with dust, dirt, and other debris that can trap that unwanted smoke smell. An old air filter can cause the smoke smell to be recirculated through the ventilation system and make it seem like the problem is worse than it actually is. 

Checking and changing the cabin air filter is a relatively easy process that only takes a few minutes. The first thing you’ll need to do is consult the owner’s manual or youtube for some basic instructions on how to get access to and replace the cabin air filter in your own Jeep, but more often than not, they’re right behind the glove box. Once you’ve found the filter, remove it and visually inspect it. If you can’t see any light coming through, then it’s time to replace it. Even if the air filter doesn’t seem that dirty, it’s a good idea to replace it with a new one. This will help to ensure that all the smoke smell is removed from the ventilation system, and give you some peace of mind that you’re breathing clean air inside your Jeep. If all of this sounds too daunting of a task, then I’d recommend finding a well-rated and insured professional automotive detailing service. These guys have access to more powerful and efficient products that may be better tailored to your Jeep than the one-size-fits-all stuff off the shelf. They also have access to devices like ionizers and ozone generators providing a technological aspect to removing the smoke smell from the inside of your Jeep. Whether you’ve just quit smoking, decided to sell your Jeep, or it’s a new-to-you Jeep, or if you just want to get rid of the lingering smell of that bachelor party from two months ago… removing the smell of smoke from your Jeep is a pretty simple process that anyone can do with a little elbow grease and some dedication. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Links Mentioned in this Episode

NEXEN Tires USA https://www.nexentireusa.com/

Trails 411- POWERING Your Adventure https://www.youtube.com/user/backcountrydriver

The 4×4 Radio Network http://4x4radionetwork.com/

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