Coming home from deployment!

[chp-sk8]

Hey guys,
I am coming home from a year in A-stan. I bought my pinz in oct and had it shipped to my place in Seattle. It has not been started since OCT, and it is on a solar charger to keep the batterys up(I hope) I have read everything on this forum from stem to stern trying to gain some G2 prior to my return. I bought a 710k, that is in pretty good shape, minimal to no rust, excel, pertronic,winch, bumpers,ect...alot of maint records. I am asking for anyone in the seattle area to meet up with me when I return...to b/s go for a shake down trip. I am also asking what you guys do to start these after a long sit (6 months)...I dont want to flood the cylinders. Is there a illustration if the full interior and what every light and knob does. The guy I bought the rig from sent all of the maint pubs with it, but it does me no good here. My last issue is that I am slated to move in the fall to El Paso (hope to link up some of yall down there). Do I drive it , pull it, or trailer it. Do the portals heat up if driving long distance...or pulling it for that matter. I know it will be a slow go if I drive it but I will make an adventure out of it.

Sorry for the long post. I think this is a great forum and all of you do a kicka$$ job helping each other out.

Eli

[McCall Pinz]

Welcome back! Thanks for your service. I'm sure the Pinz will be fine.

[captxmas]

If you need help from the SF Bay Area let me know. Ya'll Always have a place to stay when you make your trip south if you pass through the Bay Area.

she'll start right up for you. Just don't forget the choke.

[krick3tt]

No worries about portals. I've driven from SanDiego to Seattle to Denver several times. No real issues with the pinz except the seats are a bit brutal for looooonnnnngggg drives.
Check the oil occasionally so you know if it is using the stuff. I usually do it at fill ups.
Stop and get out and walk around at the rest stops that you find. Enjoy the looks you get, especially from long haul truckers. Make it an adventure and have fun.

Thanks for your service...from one vet to another. Welcome back.

If you go through Denver stop in and say Hi.

Morris,
710M

[chp-sk8]

You guys are the best! I will be rolling through the bay area after I get back in rt to yosemite. My wife wants me to sell the pinz as I have too many toys :^) I am going to be liquidating some of it after I get back to free up space as I am getting close to retirement.
Is the choke next to your rt knee by the seat bottom? Has anyone spent a good amount of time driving around the desert? How much hotter is it than say.....my 53 willys pick up in the same desert? Do you feel the heat from the engine being so close to it?

[krick3tt]

I don't think the desert is really a problem for the pinz. When I was wheeling it was 113F near my camp and the pinz did fine. Better than I did. Heat from the engine is not an issue like in my Mog.

Going to sell it before you even drive it, too bad. Lots of toys can be an issue.

Down low by the right knee are choke and throttle. Choke left and throttle right as you sit in the seat.

I used to wheel with a jeep group and they were always asking if the pinz would make it...I just smile and tell them that I'll try to keep up.

[Pinzgauer Pete]

Nice to see all the comraderie out there amongst our group...and thank you for your service...getting into the pinz for the first time can be a little apprehensive but there really isnt too much you can do to hurt the beast while you are getting comfortable with all the levers and such..when I got mine there was no info available at all but within 2 minutes I had most of what I needed figured out to move it around my yard. One note of caution if you live in a hilly area..the emergency brake the thing looks like a umbrella handle on the dash can easily release if you knock into it the right way I found that out when removing the engine cover. Have a blast..take tons of pictures and share them here. If you ever come to NY I have a cold one waiting for you.

[stiffler4444]

The only stumble I had when mine was first delivered was that the guy who loaded it had it in 2 LO, so I couldn't figure out why it reved to high ! Just something to check, I realized it after I pulled onto the road!

[totaljoint]

Hi Eli:
Thanks for your service!
I live in Snohomish, WA. and have a 712. I'm certainly no pinz mechanic, but will be happy to share what I know.
I do know of some mechanics who have worked on Pinzgauer around the Snohomish county area should you need someone.
By all means, get in touch through these forums when you get back and we'll have a treffen (which in Seattle means "beer", while we're waiting for the rain to stop so we don't rust our machines)!
Ed

[krick3tt]

Ell,

Operating a pinz is easy. When I got mine from EI, Scott gave me a 5 min lesson in the gears and some other things and I drove it from San Francisco to San Diego down the coast route. Great adventure.

I did have a Mog at the time so i was not exactly a stranger to old OD vehicles...but the two are different in many ways.

Morris

[Jimm391730]

Hi Eli,

Bought my 712 in Atlanta; drove home to Indy, took a trip to Vermont and moved to SoCal, all in the space of a year or two with really only changing the fluids.

For long trips, comfy seats and noise cancelling headphones will make it actually very enjoyable.

You may find that the Pinz is so fun that the other toys get dumped first!

Jim M.
712W and 710M

[totaljoint]

Seattle to Texas is a really long drive in a Pinz.
1. The pinz can do it, but do you want to put yourself through it.
2. Is that kind of milage on 35 year old mechanics worth it?
I personally would prefer to save the wear and tear for the off road trips, rather than put it on the transmission/portals/engine etc.. for what any old car can do.

There are folks on these very forums who can transport Pinzgauers in and around Texas, and might be able to help you when the time comes.

[undysworld]

Eli,

Glad you're headed back safe, and thanks for your service.

what you guys do to start these after a long sit (6 months)...I dont want to flood the cylinders

Assuming it ran normally when parked, you're more likely to find the carb bowls low and may need to turn it over for a while and pump the gas to get gas flowing.

In most respects, it drives like many older manual-shift vans. But that leaves a lot unsaid. The primary differences will be easy to look up in the operators manual, if you don't connect with a local owner like Ed to demonstrate it. (Things like location of the transfer case shifter, breakers vs. fuses, defrost/heat switches.) The hydraulic lockers are the most unusual controls, and they're pretty self-explanatory from the dash plate, or read about them in the manual. Like any 4x4, don't lock it up on dry solid surfaces. But best bet, meet with Ed and get familiarized.

As Morris wrote, check all 8 gearboxes to be sure it's properly lubricated. And contrary to what he wrote, I find the front seats to be great for my bad back. Go figure...

You should have no trouble driving a Pinz long-distances, but unless you really just enjoy the ride, I'd suggest a trailer. Besides being loud and slow, they're old vehicles, and things occasionally (and eventually) break down. Save the wear and tear on it if you have access to a trailer, unless, as I said, you just want to drive it. (I've always just driven mine.)

I'd caution against selling the Pinz at least until you've driven it a little. They are total eye-candy on-road, if you like that sort of thing, but more excellent yet for off-road. They tend to be pretty addicting. Good luck with the wife on that.

Paul

[chp-sk8]

I am so excited about getting back to my new toy! I already decided that I am going to sell 1 of my 2 jeep instead of the pinz. The guy I bought this from said he use to work at EI for a short time. He also said the pinz was rebodied and could be told by certain identification of body seams and such. It did have a float that was sticking and it flooded a cylinder....he replaced both the carbs and the compression is within 3 accross the board. he did tell me that the shift linkage was a bit worn and will need some of the bits replace, as it is hard to get into reverse with out some massaging :^) I bought new linkage from the shifter back....so that will be the 1st project after I return. I have been in the Army for 19 years and have operated everything from a mop to a $55 million dollar jet, but it is a bit different when your pocket book feels the pinch at thend of the day. I enjoy driving my 53 Willys as it is all original...flat head Super Hurrican 6, 5.29 gears...loud, rough but extreamly simple. I carry a bag of tools with me everywere when I drive it, and that was the lure of the pinz....a raw purpose built rig.
My plans are to put a Roof top tent in the bed and use it for desert exploring once I get to El Paso.....and of course to mee up with as many of yall as I can. Ed I will drop you a line when I get back in town in March for a brew...:^)
I have pics but cant post them ....I can email them if some one can post them 4 me.

I want to send out my my deepest gratitude for the vets that are on this forum.

Eli

[spandit]

Eli,

If you do drive it all that way, take plenty of time - it's not an interstate cruiser!

Also, be a bit cautious about all the levers - especially on a hard surface. I had a short off-road lesson with the guy who sold me mine which was invaluable.

I'd also be inclined to take the brake drums off to make sure the shoe grooves are clean