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msvance
02-15-2005, 10:16 AM
Just thought I would post a few pics from this last weekend. The local 4x4 club put on its annual ice races on Lake Winnebego here in Appleton, WI. Lake Winnebego is the largest fresh water lake in the country (excluding the great lakes). The thinnest ice out there was ~15" :shock: It's freakin' incredible if you've never seen a frozen lake or driven on one. I'm from the South and you just don't see anything like this! They litterally have roads plowed and certain areas look like communes with all their little shantys. Some of them even have stallites!

Anyhow, I placed 3rd last year in the race, but didn't do so hot this year. Placed middle of the pack somewhere. Lockers front and rear definitely made it near impossible to make the turns. After the races we found some ice cracks on the lake to play on. Maybe Ice Crawlin' is the next big thing...... Ok, probably not, but it was pretty cool anyhow!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v170/jeepcjzj/PICT0617.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v170/jeepcjzj/PICT0618.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v170/jeepcjzj/PICT0619.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v170/jeepcjzj/PICT0620.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v170/jeepcjzj/PICT0623.jpg

JeepinHank
02-15-2005, 01:08 PM
Looks cold...

You're right though - Never see 15" of ice on a frozen lake or pond down here in the South.

So did you put any kind of spikes in your tires or anything for the race?

msvance
02-15-2005, 02:39 PM
no spikes for me. They have several different divisions: short/medium/long wheelbase, powder puff for the girls, frontwd, fwd w/ spikes and whatever you want w/ spikes. The guys w/ spikes are freakin' insane! basically, you get a bald set of tires and put a bunch of 3/8" bolts through them, goup it up with that green slime, run the nut down tight and put a tube inside! then at the end of the races the guys w/ spikes have a doughnut competition which gets pretty wild as well. they get a little ways away though, so no bolts go flying and kill anyone :shock:

It's fun, but I can't wait to get back south and away from this frozen tundra. Just a couple more months and I should be back South and near Tellico again :D

later.

JeepinHank
02-15-2005, 06:57 PM
It's fun, but I can't wait to get back south and away from this frozen tundra. Just a couple more months and I should be back South and near Tellico again :D

later.

That's cool - I'm hoping to be Tellico bound around July or August. You gonna try to make GSSE?

nate
02-16-2005, 01:33 AM
15" is on the thin side even. I've been ice fishing and had to go down 3-3.5 feet before I got to the water. I've seen fully loaded log trucks, close to 40 tons, cross lakes.

Cool pics. Those tires fit real nice without any hack trimming... good job!

msvance
02-16-2005, 09:57 AM
JH - not sure when GSSE is, but if I am back south by then, then I will definitely try to make it.

nate - 15" isn't too shabby - that was at the shallowest point and we had a week in the 40's leading up to the weekend which didn't help. there's a lot of the crazies that start driving out with like 6". the local tow trucks make a killing pulling those idiots out! i couldn't imagine drilling through 3ft. actually, i can't think of any auger that would drill that deep?? hell, half the lakes around here are only 4 ft deep or so across the majority of it. it's normally, drill down 2 ft. and have 2ft under that to fish. I've ice fished a few times since I've lived here and haven't caught anything yet but a buzz :D also, yeah, the 37's stuff perfectly but i did trim quite a bit, although I managed to keep it clean.

thanks for the compliments.

later.

nate
02-16-2005, 10:13 AM
Yeah when the ice gets real thick, I have to add an extension piece to the auger to make it longer. Something my Dad fabbed up. The lake I fish at (Long Lake) is like 90-100ft deep, possibly more. It's a muddy bottom and the depth finders don't read the true depth.

Last year an old man and his truck went threw and they had to dive close to 100ft to get to it... and that wasn't in the middle of the lake :shock:

I'm sure you did a good deal of trimming, though I like that it looks almost stock. Way better than just grabbing the sawzall after a few beers and going to town... I'm sure I can dig up some pics of a few ZJs like that. :D

MaineZJ
02-16-2005, 10:15 AM
Lake Sebago right near my house (in Maine) is close to 500' deep :flipoff:

nate
02-16-2005, 10:17 AM
I have been there a couple times in the summer fishing. It's a big lake for sure. I'm actually going back to Maine next week to do some fishing and ride snowmobile. I'll take some pics.

JeepinHank
02-16-2005, 10:55 AM
JH - not sure when GSSE is, but if I am back south by then, then I will definitely try to make it.


Tim & Pearce put it together in `03. I think turnout was a little low last year, so I'm not even sure if they plan on trying to do it again. Pearce sold his ZJ, and I'm not sure if Tim's still counts as one or not. :twisted:

Its usually in August. Either way I'm trying to make it up at least once this season. Hopefully twice. I'll probably post up whenever the time is getting a little closer, maybe we can join up if you're around.

JH

ATL ZJ
02-16-2005, 01:39 PM
JH - not sure when GSSE is, but if I am back south by then, then I will definitely try to make it.


Tim & Pearce put it together in `03. I think turnout was a little low last year, so I'm not even sure if they plan on trying to do it again. Pearce sold his ZJ, and I'm not sure if Tim's still counts as one or not. :twisted:

Its usually in August. Either way I'm trying to make it up at least once this season. Hopefully twice. I'll probably post up whenever the time is getting a little closer, maybe we can join up if you're around.

JH

I'll be at Tellico on numerous occasions during the spring and summer.

GSSE is still on for this year. Tim is planning on organizing again I believe, and if not, I'm sure someone is willing to take over. There's a thread about GSSE 05 on NAGCA right now. Most of the discussion may stay over there, or a forum might be opened on here for GSSE, depending on what Tim wants to do. Pearce will probably come up and just hang out. Let me know when yall are gonna be at Tellico if you end up going before GSSE.

zjnick
02-16-2005, 02:18 PM
What did you race last year?? What speeds were you racing at?

msvance
02-18-2005, 06:36 PM
i raced the ZJ last year as well, but that was before the axle swap, added lift, new front suspension, etc. 4.5", 33's and lmited slip front and rear worked much better on the ice. speeds were not high at all. it is a very tight technical track. it's also a timed race, you're not racing with others on the track. also, it's merely for fun - just a bunch of Wisconsinites and imported rednecks from the south (like myself) out having some fun. it cost like $5 to enter and the only payout is bragging rights and a TROPHY FOR 1ST THRU 3RD. iT'S A GOOD TIME THOUGH......... damn - i hit the caps button again.....

nate
03-29-2005, 06:00 AM
Remember when I said the ice gets thick? Well I went back home to Maine and did some ice fishing....

http://www.98jeepzj.com/MVC-058F.JPG

nate
03-29-2005, 06:02 AM
http://www.98jeepzj.com/MVC-099F.JPG

No tricks or anything. The auger is actually like 36" I think, and it wasn't long enough. Had to bolt on the extension my Dad had made a while back, which gave the 48" total length. Even still it took just about the whole thing. There's about 8" of snow there... so figure about 40" of ice.

OverkillZJ
03-29-2005, 10:50 AM
That's some thick ice...

nate
03-29-2005, 02:40 PM
Yeah, the first day I was home it was -22* with 40mph winds... and me and my brother, we went ice fishing.. My Dad said I musta been on :weedman: or something hahaha.