DAVIS MILITARY TRANSPORTATION COMPANY

The DAVIS MILITARY TRANSPORTATION COMPANY (*) was formed to purchase and restore the Davis Motorcar Company vehicle #494X1, located in 2004 in Georgia.

As of January, 2005, the new owners Daniel Boehm, William Miller, Bruce Feuerstein, and Thomas Wilson are making plans to restore the vehicle.

UPDATE NOTE ON OWNERSHIP: In 2006, Tom Wilson bought out the interests of Dan Boehm, and Bruce Feuerstein bought out the interests of Bill Miller, thus The DAVIS MILITARY TRANSPORTAION COMPANY NOW CONSISTS OF BRUCE FEUERSTEIN, OF BELDING, MICHIGAN AND TOM WILSON, OF YPSILANTI TOWNSHIP, MICHIGAN.

We post these pictures here for the enjoyment of the general public and the Davis community. Update as of February 17, 2005: The team has established that the Kaiser-Frazer "Supersonic" Henry J. four-cylinder engine found in the Davis Military 494X is in good operating condition. The engine is fitted with a 12-volt coil and alternator, but otherwise is all six-volt. So it must be started and run with a 12-volt battery (borrowed from our 1967 Ambassador convertible!) The engine has been run now for perhaps 20-30 minutes total, and oil pressure varies from 20 to 40 psi, and the engine does not miss. Dan and Tom have started cutting off the non-original handrail pipes and seating supports in the rear.

Fred LaPerriere, owner of Davis military #494X2, in Colorado had graciously volunteered to provide all necessary photos and technical advice for the retoration of the portions of the vehicle that the Macon, Georgia shriner's group modified.

Dan got busy pulling out old wiring, and the taillights and some guages have been removed, along with the seats. Penetrating gunk has been applied to every fastener on the car that we could see or reach, but some of these fasteners are just going to have to be ground, torched, or sawed off.

Tonight (Feb 17, '05) we will upload some of the detail pictures that we shot for restoration reference. Last Saturday we received a call from Mr. Leanard Conrad, the day-shift test driver at Aberdeen, Maryland proving grounds, where the Davis Military was tested and the movie was made of the tests that is included in the VHS and DVDs that the Dais Registry sells. Conrad, 84, says he is the only living member of the staff from the period when the Davises were tested by the defense department for possible purchase. A later letter this week stated that, contrary to Conrad's earlier recollection, the driver that wrecked the Davis is not still around. We are hoping for a visit soon from Bruce, who has not yet seen the vehicle, and who will be in charge of the restoration of the Davis' special trailer. - - - -

UPDATE, OCTOBER 20, 2006: Work is proceeding on the body. Today the pattern for the left front side panel and the upper left cowl patch repair went to the metal fabricators in Belleville, Michigan. Work continued on pattern making for the windshield base body brackets, as well as removal from the body of ALL bolted and
screw-fastened brackets and other fitting on the body. Trimming of additional lacy-rusty metal sections has begun, in preparation for send work to the media-blasting shop. Other loose parts will be gathered and inventoried for media blasting, prior to chassis-compoment disassembly. tjw. --

For chatroom postings for the DAVIS MILITARY COMPANY, please go to: http://www.theautochannel...ere%21&frame=frameset ).. *Term originated with T. Wilson, and is tentative. ...........DAVIS VIDEOS> > > Views of testing procedures on the Davis Military Vehicle by the United States Defense Department and other collected Davis movie bits* may be seen in the Movie/video TV-4, available in VHS and DVD format from The Davis Registry, DSYCB (Davis Stuff You Can Buy) 6487 Munger Road, Ypsilanti, Michigan 48197-9014 -- * TV4 includes the full Davis factory original 8 mm film, plus other newsreel items regarding Davis, in addition to the defense department test film on the Davis military. (For current pricing, contact: kfnut@umich.edu)
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////// WE ARE GETTING A LOT OF HITS WITH MUCH FEWER "VISITORS" ... BE SURE TO BUTTON ON THE PICTURES TO ENLARGE THEM AND READ THE MORE-DETAILED CAPTION FOR EACH PICTURE. ENJOY!! The Davis Military Company project is now complete, as of Wednesday, July16, 2008. -- Davis Military vehicle 494X has now gone to co-owner Bruce Feuerstein, in Belding, Michigan, on Sunday, July 20, 2008. We hear Bruce may be showing the Davis Mil. at the huge Red Barn Spectacular show at Hickory Corners!! Check the net, for dates!