This is a walk around and some of the details on my dad's custom built 1965 Dodge town wagon power wagon with a 12 valve Cummins, 47RH automatic transmission, 4x4. It gets used as a daily driver, road tripper, tows around his horses, and mainly puts smiles on faces! It's been a really fun project to wrap up, and fun to share with you guys! I hope you enjoy it! 

For anyone interested here is the story behind the elephant hide, it's a very interesting story!

My Father has had a connection to Africa for a long time. He has spent quit a bit if time in Zimbabwe and surrounding countries, at times going months without any connection to the outside world. Zimbabwe (as well as other similar countries) has massive inflation, and fees to hunt any animals. This applies to the local villagers as well. Due to this, many locals resort to growing gardens inside their own huts, as well as staying inside the huts at night to keep predators from harming them or getting their food supply. Some of the more remote villages my dad travelled through had never been visited by an American, as there were no roads of any kind. But they all had the same issue with predators. Firearms were not legally allowed in country unless you were a certified hunting guide or a visiting hunter. Thus one local man had successfully killed a leopard with a club he made himself that unfortunately was killing his companion. They are a braver people than I will ever be. My dad was unfortunate enough to witness a woman that had been trampled to death by a bull elephant when she went to get water (the bulls are very territorial). As well as multiple homes destroyed by elephants in order to get to the crops grown inside. Leaving the families with no shelter or food for the season. My father ended up going after one of these very bulls after deciding to pay the government their un-holy fees. Now, when an elephant is killed there, it is a big deal for the locals. If it is killed in a certain village's territory, not only will it create more security for the time being, but they get any meat and recourses from the animal. At the time a loaf of bread had inflated to almost $20k Zimbabwe, which was more than some locals made in a week.Hence, every village was desiring the hunt to be in their territory. The big bull was shot while charging my father and his guides, forcing a less than ideal shot with his double barreled muzzle-loader (yes, I'm not pulling your leg). The big mammal fell, and the group went to work skinning, and preparing the bull. Before the skinning was done (which took a dozen men) the entire village had shown up: men, woman, and children. When the guides announced they were done, it took less than an hour for the villagers to clean up what was left of the bull. The men would use knives and homemade hatchets to harvest and give to their families who would bundle it up to carry home. When finished there was less left of the elephant carcass than what is typically left from harvesting a cow in most countries. It was a VERY eye opening and humbling experience. All hunting should be done with respect to the animals. Leaving it to waste is not OK. But never had he seen a people that were so grateful for a hunt, than those villagers.

свернуть