White_Comanche Posted May 12 Posted May 12 Talked to a guy about some dirt this past weekend. My 2.5 was right in its element going home... always surprised how well it performs, while doing "truck stuff".
watchamakalit Posted May 12 Posted May 12 Thats what best in its class performance is like, even if it is close to 40yrs old. Its part of the reason I was drawn to mj's. They are stout for their size and very capable, trust me I have pushed the boundaries of my trucks payload and trailering abilities and was impressed to say the least.
pizzaman09 Posted May 13 Posted May 13 16 hours ago, watchamakalit said: Thats what best in its class performance is like, even if it is close to 40yrs old. Its part of the reason I was drawn to mj's. They are stout for their size and very capable, trust me I have pushed the boundaries of my trucks payload and trailering abilities and was impressed to say the least. Fully agree. I've towed some trailers that are well past the towing rating of these trucks. It amazes me how smoothly they handle load. Compared to anything else of the age, Comanches really drive well and don't often feel stressed. The one exception is they don't accelerate like modern vehicles, but if you accept that fact they do the job well.
watchamakalit Posted May 13 Posted May 13 8 hours ago, pizzaman09 said: Fully agree. I've towed some trailers that are well past the towing rating of these trucks. It amazes me how smoothly they handle load. Compared to anything else of the age, Comanches really drive well and don't often feel stressed. The one exception is they don't accelerate like modern vehicles, but if you accept that fact they do the job well. There is never a clydesdale in the kentucky derby ......
Salvagedcircuit Posted May 14 Posted May 14 On 4/19/2026 at 5:05 PM, neohic said: Fridge hauler 5000 today. Hell yeah. Rollbar support!
Porquer Posted July 4 Posted July 4 Hauling shelve pieces from home to another project. Its so nice to have a pickup!
Pete M Posted July 11 Posted July 11 loading up for a scrap run. turns out they were closed all week for the 4th so it sits until monday.
camjeep3 Posted Wednesday at 12:29 PM Posted Wednesday at 12:29 PM On 7/4/2026 at 10:03 AM, Porquer said: Hauling shelve pieces from home to another project. Its so nice to have a pickup! We need details on that project! I'm disappointed in myself I can't put my finger on what plane that is.... My best guess is a champ?
Porquer Posted Wednesday at 02:22 PM Posted Wednesday at 02:22 PM 1 hour ago, camjeep3 said: We need details on that project! I'm disappointed in myself I can't put my finger on what plane that is.... My best guess is a champ? Very good! It’s a 1945 7AC champ. My dad bought it with some friends back around 2005. It’s the first plane he ever owned, and the first plane I ever flew. He sold it in 2022, and shortly after that it was totaled in a ground loop. He bought it from the insurance company, and now we are doing a much needed full rebuild. If there’s interest, and if I have time, I may start a thread!
neohic Posted Wednesday at 02:31 PM Posted Wednesday at 02:31 PM 5 minutes ago, Porquer said: Very good! It’s a 1945 7AC champ. My dad bought it with some friends back around 2005. It’s the first plane he ever owned, and the first plane I ever flew. He sold it in 2022, and shortly after that it was totaled in a ground loop. He bought it from the insurance company, and now we are doing a much needed full rebuild. If there’s interest, and if I have time, I may start a thread! Please do! Small crafts are rad! Before moving to Colorado I worked for what was left of Belanca out of Alexandria, MN shortly before the business was purchased and moved also. I never got off the ground in one, but I spent a bunch of time working on them. Please share what you can with it!
camjeep3 Posted Wednesday at 03:30 PM Posted Wednesday at 03:30 PM 1 hour ago, Porquer said: Very good! It’s a 1945 7AC champ. My dad bought it with some friends back around 2005. It’s the first plane he ever owned, and the first plane I ever flew. He sold it in 2022, and shortly after that it was totaled in a ground loop. He bought it from the insurance company, and now we are doing a much needed full rebuild. If there’s interest, and if I have time, I may start a thread! We look forward to the thread you WILL be starting! I grew up flying with my dad and grandfather. I am almost finished with my ppl. I have been in the back of a champ on a short hop once. I see the champ and chief as an airplane I might be able to actually own one-day!
Porquer Posted yesterday at 03:55 PM Posted yesterday at 03:55 PM On 7/15/2026 at 10:31 AM, neohic said: Please do! Small crafts are rad! Before moving to Colorado I worked for what was left of Belanca out of Alexandria, MN shortly before the business was purchased and moved also. I never got off the ground in one, but I spent a bunch of time working on them. Please share what you can with it! Very cool! Why did you do at Belanca? I grew up near the Twin Cities
Porquer Posted yesterday at 03:59 PM Posted yesterday at 03:59 PM On 7/15/2026 at 11:30 AM, camjeep3 said: We look forward to the thread you WILL be starting! I grew up flying with my dad and grandfather. I am almost finished with my ppl. I have been in the back of a champ on a short hop once. I see the champ and chief as an airplane I might be able to actually own one-day! Nice! Hope the rest of your training goes well. It’s a lot of work! I’ve never flown a Cheif. Champs are nice to fly and still relatively attainable as far as airplanes go.
neohic Posted 23 hours ago Posted 23 hours ago 57 minutes ago, Porquer said: Very cool! Why did you do at Belanca? I grew up near the Twin Cities I grew up around St. Cloud but moved to Alexandria for the last five years or so I was in MN. Primarily what I did for Belanca was make parts. At the time, all of the original hand drawn prints and fixture jigs still existed so when a customer would order a part I was the one who would make them from landing gears to fuel tanks. Every once in a while I'd have to update a frame by adding tube, help out in the wood shop (Belancas were the last US produced small crafts that still had wood wing structures!), or even with interior bits and upholstery. It was a very interesting shop to be in!
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