Full Size Jeep Network

Now is as good a time as any for this. I woke up this AM and saw Stuka had posted to this thread. Above is the quick reply I made from my phone. Now I have a cup of coffee in front of me at my computer.

On or around the 24th of January, 2015, my truck was stolen from a fenced and gated backyard, in Christmas Valley, OR, where I was keeping it while I finished the shop on my property I moved to.

To be honest, I don't even want to talk about it because for the last 6 weeks I've floated between absolutely sick to my stomach and rage when I dwell on it. I scanned every craiglist for eastern Oregon for the first month hoping parts would show up there. I finally quit doing that so much because it was giving me an ulcer. My older sister, bless her, posted an ad in just about every craigslist in the western U.S.. One of those is what Stuka found and posted above.

As I mentioned, I really don't want to talk about it, so please understand if I don't get into any long dialogs about it.

Resbum

We should look around the regional cummins forums, they may be parting it out.

I totally understand where you are coming from. Sorry if I put salt in the wound. But I figured the more people that see it the better.

Gumby wrote:We should look around the regional cummins forums, they may be parting it out.

Hi Gumby. Believe me, I've been keeping a close eye on many places where info might pop up. Everyone, please feel free to keep an eye out for info in places away from FSJ forums. You never know where info might show up.

Stuka wrote:I totally understand where you are coming from. Sorry if I put salt in the wound. But I figured the more people that see it the better.

Thanks, but absolutely no reason to apologize, Stuka. The day was coming when I had to come post this info. You just helped me get it done. Yes, the more people who know the better. I had a couple not so obvious reasons why it wasn't posted here immediately, but the timing was now right.

Resbum

i just found and read this thread this week, I hope you find it

Stuka, I don't know if you brought me good karma by posting this morning, or if the universe has a sick sense of humor and waited til I posted that the truck was stolen.

After six weeks, today, at 2:30, I got a call from a county deputy to come get my truck. It was found 40 miles east of town a mile out in the desert. It seems to be mostly all there, but some small things are missing. I won't know what all is gone until I can go through the bed. But all the major stuff is still there. They didn't even take the turbo off the engine or wheels and rims. The batteries are gone and the bed doesn't look as full as when I packed.

All things considered I consider myself extremely lucky.

Resbum

Congrats on getting your truck back

HOLY MOLY! Congrats to you! Nice to hear a happy ending on this story.

Thank you

Man I guess the pressure was on whoever took it in the first place and they just dumped it. I would ask for the cops to dust it for prints. Congratulations on the good fortune.

Gumby wrote:Man I guess the pressure was on whoever took it in the first place and they just dumped it. I would ask for the cops to dust it for prints. Congratulations on the good fortune.

Thanks Gumby. I'm guessing the same thing. There was a huge amount of heat on the truck. Not just in the local area, but everywhere out to the three major cities within 100 miles of here. The person who reported it said they'd only seen it there for the last week, or so. It probably sat in some building the first month until the thief realized the heat wasn't going to go away, and they got rid of the hot potato.

Resbum

Holy $&!/, that is awesome!! I startled my wife when I saw your post even heh.

Even if some small things are missing, the majority of it is there. Really great news!



Sent from my iPhone 6 using Tapatalk

Getting reunited with GLADI8R yesterday. My bro-in-law on the right with the deputy and tow truck driver.


There was NO WAY I was going to let that thing out of my sight again. It immediately got hooked up to my Pathfinder and got towed to my property. When I got the call my bro-in-law and I were 35 miles out of town. We had just found a cave we'd heard about. About half the mud on the Pathfinder is from that. The other half of the mud is from the road for the last 1/2 mile into my property. That's why I originally didn't take the Jeep there when I moved. I wanted to get the shop built and also wait for dryer road conditions to tow the Jeep in.

Wow, just got caught up on this thread.... just wow. I am glad you have minimal losses through all of this! Probably a few years off of your life, but its back!

Thanks RJ

rwjohnstone wrote:... Probably a few years off of your life, ...

I think more than that

OFF TOPIC

Hey anyone in eastern Oregon or the Pacific Northwest. Every year my bro in law hosts this event. He posts the invite in the Expedition Portal and Pacific Northwest Backroad Adventures forums. All are welcome. See my additional comments below, after his invite. Resbum

http://www.pnwadventures.com/forum/show ... Trail-Ride

Here's his invite

June 27 &28 The 7th Annual Christmas Valley 4x4 Off Road Campout and Trail Ride
Yes it is that time again to look toward Christmas Valley for the 7th Annual
CV campout and trail ride. I'm sorry I'm getting it posted 2 months late but It's been a busy winter. And have had lots of stuff cluttering up the old Gray Matter. So once again as always it is the last Full Weekend in June.
. This years trail ride will once again take us South of Christmas Valley to see if we can locate some Wild horse herds and explore some of the canyons they hang out in. Once again it will be a long day so be prepared with food and drink and a full tank of gas. Camp will be in the same area as always. CB channel 4 make sure you have a Flag for the dunes and an ORVsticker. Fire fighting equip. first aid kits, recovery gear, all the stuff you should have in your rig anytime you go off road. Remember No alcohol during trail rides or you will be asked to leave. Please bring an arm load of fire wood.
And Darrel and Jesi well Jesi anyways don't forget my annual bribe "Cookies"

If you have any questions feel free to email me. title it " 7th Annual CV"
My email is (typed in code of course) rupe430 at gmail dot com pretty sneaky huh?

Hope to see you here!
Rupe and Mrs. Rupe
The Dusty Boot Ranch
in the Heart of Oregons
High Desert!

My additional comments:

There isn't really any crazy four wheelin'. They mostly stay to the backroads. Going out on the dunes is fun, but you need an Oregon ATV Permit and flag. Both can be picked up in the little town of Christmas Valley on the way out. It's 20 miles away. The permits can be bought at Santa's Hardware. They're something like $15. If Santa's doesn't have any flags you can buy those at the Chevron station. You'll need to stop there anyways to top off you tank.

The "Camp will be in the same area as always" my bro in law refers to is the the BLM Christmas Valley Dunes Recreational Riding Area campgrounds. They are located about two miles away from where I live. Here's the BLM link.
http://www.blm.gov/or/resources/recreat ... ?siteid=85

On one side of the dunes riding area is The Lost Forest. BLM link:
http://www.blm.gov/or/resources/recreat ... ?siteid=86

On the other side of the dunes riding area is Fossil Lake. BLM link:
http://www.blm.gov/or/resources/heritage/paleo.php

Nearby, there is also, Crack in the Ground, Hole in the Ground, Benjamin Cave, and more.

So, as you can see, there is a whole lot more to do and see than just the trail rides.

I'd like to see some Full Size Jeep'ers make a presence at my bro in laws trail ride. It would also give me a chance to show off my truck to any of you. If only a couple FSJ's come I could even put you up on my property, instead of the campground. I have an area cleared for camping that I used before I got my 5th wheel in place.

Let me know and also please drop my bro in law an email listed at the end of his invite above.

Hope to see some of you. Resbum

Bribe the cops with doughnuts to dust for prints. Find out where the thief/thieves live, post a time where we can all gather up and lay a butt whooping on the dirt bags.

I am glad the truck made it's way back home.

That's one option. If they do catch them I plan on prosecuting to the fullest.

One thing I never planned on when I decided to document this build was having over 2200 pictures of every nit noid piece and part. The cops have a description and picture of everything I found missing out of the bed.

Batteries, electric fans and shroud off the radiator, driveshafts, media blasted doors (why?????), rolls of rubber/foil sound deadening material and neoprene, one of the two air bags (???), rolls of black and red 0 gauge battery cable, etc. If any of that stuff ever shows up somewhere I have time stamped proof that it was mine prior to the truck getting stolen.

Resbum

Resbum, this is my first post on this forum, I have been following your project for the 2 years I have been building my 12V 63 Gladiator. Your story prompted me to make contact, I was sick when I heard your project was stolen. Get that shop finished and get back to work. Thank you for all the work posting photos, they helped me in the beginning with some references. I am about a month away from a completed final assembly rolling chassis, next is engine upgrades ( I have a 96 12V P pump with 10K original miles to start with ). I thought it would take 2 years, but it looks like it's going to take 3, it's been a lot of blood, sweat, and burns to get this far. I look forward to seeing your progress, and completion.

Very cool. Thanks for your post. I look forward to seeing your truck finished, also. Make sure you share some pics with all of us.

Resbum