Good survivalist / prepper vehicle

[The Heretic]

Except for game days at OSU, where 99W turns into a parking lot

Do they block the intersection?

 

[CamoDeafie]

Do they block the intersection?

The lighted intersection, not really but all other crossing intersections, yes.

 

[CamoDeafie]

Found on FB marketplace, I believe I will pick this up this weekend; Montague Paratrooper folding mountain bike. I believe the frame is the same as that used in actual military testing, but the major components (fork, brakes chainrings, brakes, saddle, stem and handlebars) all have been replaced in its lifetime



Why do I think it's military? The wording on it above, "2ND DIVISION BICYCLE UNIT". Not found on photos of commercially available Paratroopers, but may be seen in this 90s-2000s picture


Other military test pictures
Early 2000s, looks like Iraq, with the MiGs in background?

The above with the flag, from mid 2000s (UCP era) you can see an X on the frame upper tube and different components

 

[Mark W.]

I have added a 12V t 12V charger and 200Ah of Lithium batteries to my 48 Willys jeep. Allowing me to run two 12V fridges I run the smaller one at 10°F as a freezer the other at 35-40°F as a fridge. We can easily pack a weeks worth of food into the two (adding drinks as consumed) Running the jeep for a couple hours even at trail speeds. Granted the jeep is not the best stand alone generator. I run a 105 Amp Alternator and a huge Series 31 950CCA main battery. I also carry two small Lithium jump batteries just in case. The jeep gets 17 mpg at 55-60mph unless doing a lot of climbing or towing my little camping support trailer then it will drop to about 15.5mpg. With the trailer which carries 10.5 gallons then a 5.2gal can on the jeep and the 10.5 main tank I have an estimated 390mile range.




The Kitchen set up 10lb LP tank on the front of the trailer.


Sink set up The trailer carries 6.5 gallons of water the jeep normally have 3.25 gallons of water



Trailer interior showing the Kitchen platform in place as well as the Rifle/fishing pole tray


The load out on the trailer
8x8 Tent
10x10 pop up canopy and wind screen
Folding camp table
2) folding chairs
Kitchen Box w/ two burner LP stove (sink)
10lb LP tank (external) and 1 lb LP tanks
2) 3.2 gallon water jugs
5 gallon camp toilet (and disposables)
2) 20 Liter Gas cans
5lbs of briquets (in large coffee plastic can)
Small BBq Grill
Fire extinguisher
Firewood crate

4) rifles and an ammo and support bag in tray


The std load out on the jeep

Lithium Ion Battery pack

Large 12V Fridge
Small 12V Fridge
3.2 gallon water jug 1/2 full
Recovery gear
Vehicle support items including oil and coolant etc.

2) air mattresses
2) Sleeping bags
2) Pillows
2) Wool Blankets
Tackle Box *
Travel Bar *
2) Day paks with clothes (Day pak for dirty clothes)
Shovel **
Axe **
Bow saw **
2) Water buckets **
Come A long **
3) fishing poles
Photography day pack


Complete spares kit/ Tool kit in Tool box
LARGE FIRST AID KIT *
3) fire extinguishers 2) On Roll bar 1) in trailer
Map books Fish and Game regs over head
Binoculars over head
Lg paper shopping bag of groceries
spare shoes

* Wheelhouse
** Pioneer Rack

 

[Camelfilter]

I have added a 12V t 12V charger and 200Ah of Lithium batteries to my 48 Willys jeep. Allowing me to run two 12V fridges I run the smaller one at 10°F as a freezer the other at 35-40°F as a fridge. We can easily pack a weeks worth of food into the two (adding drinks as consumed) Running the jeep for a couple hours even at trail speeds. Granted the jeep is not the best stand alone generator. I run a 105 Amp Alternator and a huge Series 31 950CCA main battery. I also carry two small Lithium jump batteries just in case. The jeep gets 17 mpg at 55-60mph unless doing a lot of climbing or towing my little camping support trailer then it will drop to about 15.5mpg. With the trailer which carries 10.5 gallons then a 5.2gal can on the jeep and the 10.5 main tank I have an estimated 390mile range.

View attachment 2315336

View attachment 2315337
The Kitchen set up 10lb LP tank on the front of the trailer.

View attachment 2315338
Sink set up The trailer carries 6.5 gallons of water the jeep normally have 3.25 gallons of water

View attachment 2315339

Trailer interior showing the Kitchen platform in place as well as the Rifle/fishing pole tray


The load out on the trailer
8x8 Tent
10x10 pop up canopy and wind screen
Folding camp table
2) folding chairs
Kitchen Box w/ two burner LP stove (sink)
10lb LP tank (external) and 1 lb LP tanks
2) 3.2 gallon water jugs
5 gallon camp toilet (and disposables)
2) 20 Liter Gas cans
5lbs of briquets (in large coffee plastic can)
Small BBq Grill
Fire extinguisher
Firewood crate

4) rifles and an ammo and support bag in tray


The std load out on the jeep

Lithium Ion Battery pack

Large 12V Fridge
Small 12V Fridge
3.2 gallon water jug 1/2 full
Recovery gear
Vehicle support items including oil and coolant etc.

2) air mattresses
2) Sleeping bags
2) Pillows
2) Wool Blankets
Tackle Box *
Travel Bar *
2) Day paks with clothes (Day pak for dirty clothes)
Shovel **
Axe **
Bow saw **
2) Water buckets **
Come A long **
3) fishing poles
Photography day pack


Complete spares kit/ Tool kit in Tool box
LARGE FIRST AID KIT *
3) fire extinguishers 2) On Roll bar 1) in trailer
Map books Fish and Game regs over head
Binoculars over head
Lg paper shopping bag of groceries
spare shoes

* Wheelhouse
** Pioneer Rack

 

[CamoDeafie]

One thing I am going to say about my latest purchase ...I hate bicycle grip/twist shifters.
Early 2000s Montague Paratrooper, supposedly Taiwan distributed version (2nd Division bicycle unit markings); Patents Pending sticker. 26" with front suspension fork that has a reputation for being crap.... Seems it may have been a frame-only purchase and the previous owners added the silver stuff and Alexrims on it. 3x8 speed drivetrain. OE spec called for 44-32-22 front triple chainrings. Didn't say what the rear tooth count should be. V-brakes are a thing from the very early Paratrooper models, which transitioned to front disc brakes and rear V brakes and now both front and rear disc brakes. Read that removing the front wheel to fold the assembly usually resulted in front disc and calipers not playing nice

Most of the OE stuff should be black, or mostly black with minimal silver.
So this is going to be a summer project bike. Unless I can source everything at once used at the local bike shops. I do want a rigid front fork, just to have less headaches


I know I want to change out the silver stuff for black stuff, maybe a higher rise handlebars, definitely a proper rear rack with pannier support frames, probably should see how I like the saddle it has, and change out if needed. If I want beefier rims, I should be looking at 36 spokes+ and double walled CNC machined rim brake 26" wheels so I don't taco/pringle the Alexrims. If I can, I'd swap for black spokes and rims just so it's lower profile. Definitely getting rid of the grip/twist shifters and derailleur set for something in black with trigger or indexed thumb shifters. Already know what triple chainrings in the OE spec sizes exists in black, so that should be a relatively simple matter. What isnt, is the front fork as the one on there is a threadless unit which means I may have to do the swap at a bike shop with a professional mechanic who has the tools

 

[gearhead]

One thing I am going to say about my latest purchase ...I hate bicycle grip/twist shifters.
Early 2000s Montague Paratrooper, supposedly Taiwan distributed version (2nd Division bicycle unit markings); Patents Pending sticker. 26" with front suspension fork that has a reputation for being crap.... Seems it may have been a frame-only purchase and the previous owners added the silver stuff and Alexrims on it. 3x8 speed drivetrain. OE spec called for 44-32-22 front triple chainrings. Didn't say what the rear tooth count should be. V-brakes are a thing from the very early Paratrooper models, which transitioned to front disc brakes and rear V brakes and now both front and rear disc brakes. Read that removing the front wheel to fold the assembly usually resulted in front disc and calipers not playing nice

Most of the OE stuff should be black, or mostly black with minimal silver.
So this is going to be a summer project bike. Unless I can source everything at once used at the local bike shops. I do want a rigid front fork, just to have less headaches
View attachment 2317323View attachment 2317324View attachment 2317325View attachment 2317326View attachment 2317328View attachment 2317329View attachment 2317330View attachment 2317331View attachment 2317332View attachment 2317333

I know I want to change out the silver stuff for black stuff, maybe a higher rise handlebars, definitely a proper rear rack with pannier support frames, probably should see how I like the saddle it has, and change out if needed. If I want beefier rims, I should be looking at 36 spokes+ and double walled CNC machined rim brake 26" wheels so I don't taco/pringle the Alexrims. If I can, I'd swap for black spokes and rims just so it's lower profile. Definitely getting rid of the grip/twist shifters and derailleur set for something in black with trigger or indexed thumb shifters. Already know what triple chainrings in the OE spec sizes exists in black, so that should be a relatively simple matter. What isnt, is the front fork as the one on there is a threadless unit which means I may have to do the swap at a bike shop with a professional mechanic who has the tools

So much material here for "that thread", but I just finished cleaning three limits of clams and I'm exhausted. You get a pass this time. Nice score with the paratrooper!

 

[CamoDeafie]

So much material here for "that thread", but I just finished cleaning three limits of clams and I'm exhausted. You get a pass this time. Nice score with the paratrooper!

I paid $180 cash and it came with two carrying bags and a very well worn Axiom pannier bag thingy. On eBay's sold/completed listing, there is a bare frame that sold for $128something with $25something shipping, a complete Paratrooper bike with mostly original equipment that sold for $650+250 and another that seemed to have sold for over $500 with $150 shipping. I know I have read stories of people finding them for $50 at yard sales...but the market being the market....the most current production Paratrooper lines are roughly $900-1,350