Seeing as how the Sson will be visiting next week. And. Seeing as how he plans to
retrieve his Pinzgauer from T Lo, who has had the vehicle in the shop several months for a general tweaking and check-up, it seemed time to pull out those photos shot last summer
when I visited mogsRus with the Sson and his wife.
Located over on Iron Springs Road near Watter's, T Lo specializes in Mercedes Unimogs and Steyr Pinzgauers and Halfingers. Definitely vehicles for the rugged outback. Owner Thilo Kass is a German mechanical engineer with over 26 years experience. And the trucks he deals in are very, very German. Four square and engineered to the nth degree.
The Unimog, with its big box at the back, reminds me of WW2 movies showing the invasion of, say, a French town with mean looking trucks with loudspeakers atop making pronouncements. In reality, the Mog was originally designed as an agricultural workhorse shortly after the war ended.
T Lo's web site explains that
the Unimog is not a "slow truck" but a "fast tractor". Period. Keep that always in mind when considering a Unimog. It is extremely capable of doing things no other vehicle, including the Pinzgauer, can do. It can go over severe rocks and pull incredible loads. It is relatively small and heavy. It's pulling capacity is amazing (how about a 365 ton Boeing 747). But it's not meant for I-17 or any other high speed roadway. And you can guess about gas consumption.
This Mog (above) served as an ambulance at one time. The machine below is an open truck...
...and this modern Unimog comes complete with a working blade. Great for clearing snow in one of our bad winters.
There were also motor bikes on display, though I didn't learn much about them. This visit was definitely all about 4x4s.
Moving inside, here is T Lo's own Pinzgauer, very workmanlike...
...compared to these handsomely (and expensively) outfitted excursion models (above, below). Both were for sale when we visited last June. Wonder if a buyer has shown up for either.
Machine tools -- just a small sample of equiment in the big shop. (I could have spent several hours just photographing tools, tooling and machinery. Great subjects!)
Sson and DIL inspect the undercarriage of the yellow Pinz.
T Lo and my kids spent some long while talking vehicles while I wandered the shop, looking for pictures. A great way to spend an afternoon -- thoroughly different from the more usual Prescott event (though the car and 4x4 culture is indeed alive and well up here in the mountains.) BTW, among other things, this
Wikipedia article explains why almost all Pinzgauers in the USA are 25 years old or older. All 400 to 600 of them.
Linkage: Remember Cmdr. Data on Star Trek--the Next Generation, played by Brent Spiner? Well, I was advised by my daughter that he's using Twitter to write a science fiction story, 140 or less characters at a time; of course, you have to scroll down to start the story and read each post in ascending order. After you've read what he's written thus far, wander in a different direction to see the birth and babyhood of a pair of hummingbirds. Last, great photos from the mesas and canyons of southern Utah by Rich; be sure to take a look.
Seeing as how the Sson will be visiting next week. And. Seeing as how he plans to retrieve his Pinzgauer from T Lo, who has had the vehicle in the shop several months for a general tweaking and check-up, it seemed time to pull out those photos shot last summer when I visited mogsRus with the Sson and his wife.
Located over on Iron Springs Road near Watter's, T Lo specializes in Mercedes Unimogs and Steyr Pinzgauers and Halfingers. Definitely vehicles for the rugged outback. Owner Thilo Kass is a German mechanical engineer with over 26 years experience. And the trucks he deals in are very, very German. Four square and engineered to the nth degree.
The Unimog, with its big box at the back, reminds me of WW2 movies showing the invasion of, say, a French town with mean looking trucks with loudspeakers atop making pronouncements. In reality, the Mog was originally designed as an agricultural workhorse shortly after the war ended.
T Lo's web site explains that the Unimog is not a "slow truck" but a "fast tractor". Period. Keep that always in mind when considering a Unimog. It is extremely capable of doing things no other vehicle, including the Pinzgauer, can do. It can go over severe rocks and pull incredible loads. It is relatively small and heavy. It's pulling capacity is amazing (how about a 365 ton Boeing 747). But it's not meant for I-17 or any other high speed roadway. And you can guess about gas consumption.
This Mog (above) served as an ambulance at one time. The machine below is an open truck...
...and this modern Unimog comes complete with a working blade. Great for clearing snow in one of our bad winters.
There were also motor bikes on display, though I didn't learn much about them. This visit was definitely all about 4x4s.
Moving inside, here is T Lo's own Pinzgauer, very workmanlike...
...compared to these handsomely (and expensively) outfitted excursion models (above, below). Both were for sale when we visited last June. Wonder if a buyer has shown up for either.
Machine tools -- just a small sample of equiment in the big shop. (I could have spent several hours just photographing tools, tooling and machinery. Great subjects!)
Sson and DIL inspect the undercarriage of the yellow Pinz.
T Lo and my kids spent some long while talking vehicles while I wandered the shop, looking for pictures. A great way to spend an afternoon -- thoroughly different from the more usual Prescott event (though the car and 4x4 culture is indeed alive and well up here in the mountains.) BTW, among other things, this Wikipedia article explains why almost all Pinzgauers in the USA are 25 years old or older. All 400 to 600 of them.
Linkage: Remember Cmdr. Data on Star Trek--the Next Generation, played by Brent Spiner? Well, I was advised by my daughter that he's using Twitter to write a science fiction story, 140 or less characters at a time; of course, you have to scroll down to start the story and read each post in ascending order. After you've read what he's written thus far, wander in a different direction to see the birth and babyhood of a pair of hummingbirds. Last, great photos from the mesas and canyons of southern Utah by Rich; be sure to take a look.
Most interesting machinery.
ReplyDeleteIt is evident that your hands are operational; how is the sinster gam?? Fixed I trust.
Hermano
Great post GJ! I thought I know a thing or two about these beasts, but you've vastly increased my knowledge. :)
ReplyDeleteFascinating, GJ, thank you!
ReplyDelete~Anon in AV.
bro -- I found the place fascinating, as you can tell. As for the left leg, there's a story
ReplyDeletetombo -- always glad to point folks to new intel...
anon av -- you should take a peak down there the next time you are in the area.