My Previous Jeeps
My first Jeep was a 1942 Ford GPW. In case you don't know the history of the GPW, it is basically the same machine as the Willys MB. In the 1940's, the US Army solicited prototypes for a General Purposed vehicle (GP = Jeep) for the looming World War II conflict. The finalists in this competition were Bantom Motors, Willys-Overland and Ford motor Company. In the end, Willys won the contract, but to ensure adequate supply during WWII, the Army engaged both Willys and Ford to build the vehicles, using the final Willys MB design. Around 280,000 of the GPW's were manufactured for the government during WWII.

Trivia Factoid

You can thank Ford for the Jeep's trademark slotted grill! The original Willys MB design had a welded steel rod grill (like a BBQ grill), while Ford used a stamped steel grill that was cheaper and faster to produce. In early 1942, Willys adopted Ford's grill, and the rest is history.

In 1979 when I was 15 years old, I found this GPW quietly rusting in old farmer's pasture. Talk about love at first sight! I sold my horse (my previous obsession) and used the proceeds to buy the Jeep. The following pictures show the GPW when I bought it (the BEFORE pictures).  Note the grill - a previous owner had installed a CJ-2A grill (sacrilege). 
My plan was to strip the body and repaint. Thinking I'd take the easy way out, we sandblasted the body to bare steel, only to find out that there was more Bondo body filler than steel! Since at 15 years old I could not afford a new body tub, we cut and welded 1/8" steel plating around the tub, filled the fenders, replaced the grille and painted it.

Modifications over the next three years included:
* Full roll cage (by Dad's edict)
* 20 gallon gas tank (in lieu of a back seat) covered with a plywood platform
* Black Astroturf carpeting, front and back
* Seats from a Datsun B210
* Completely replaced the 6 volt electrical system using 12 volt components from a 1969 Olds
* Daytona Super Stag tires and white wagon wheels
* Custom steering wheel
* Rebuilt steering box and replaced tie rod ends, drag link and pitman arm
* Rebuilt transmission and transfer case
Although this beast would practically climb a tree, the 5.38 gears limited the top speed to 45 MPH. It saw much more mud than pavement, and was never stuck. A friend (with a 1976 Bronco) and I would back our rigs into a pond and see who could get out; if both got out, we would back in further until one of us got stuck ... guess who always won??

My dream was to replace the flat-head 'Go-Devil' 4 banger with a V6 or V8, but I soon learned that the Warner T-84 tranny and Spicer 18 transfer case were not durable enough for that much torque, so I began looking for a new toy.  I ended up selling the GPW in 1986.
My next Jeep was a 1976 CJ-5, which I bought used in 1981. The CJ-5 had the 258 inline six and T-150 3-speed tranny with 4.10 gears. This combo had so much torque I could outrace anything in town to 30 MPH (even Corvettes and Mustangs) and I was often enlisted to pull Fords and Chevy's out of the mud.
Modifications over the next three years included:
* Daytona Super Stag tires and white wagon wheels (look familiar?)
* Rancho 3" lift kit (added after the above pictures, shown below)
* Acme hard top (for the winter months)
* Chrome front bumper
* Alpine stereo
* Uniden CB
* Fire extinguisher

I drove this Jeep for three years and then traded it in on a Toyota 4WD pickup. I drove trucks for the next 17 years, then after driving a Cherokee for a few weeks, felt the urge to be back in a 'real' Jeep, hence the new TJ Wrangler!
In 2000, I (once again) caught the jeep bug and bought a 2000 TJ Wrangler.  This TJ came from the factory with a 4.0L inline six, 5-speed tranny, Dana 44-3 (3.73) rear end, and 30"x9.50"x15R Goodyear GS-A tires. 
 


Before (New)
 
Current (as of 12/31/2001)
I got the TJ with the dual top option and full hard doors.  When the weather warms up, I pop the top off for the summer and run with no top, a bikini top or the soft top.  If you ever need a hoist for your hardtop, I HIGHLY recommend the TOP/CAP EZ Lift - I can pop the top (solo) in about 5 minutes, and can leave it hanging all summer.

Modifications I did to it included:
* Smittybilt tubular front & rear bumpers
* Smittybilt tubular nerf bars
* 2" Trailmaster suspension lift
* 1" Performance Accessories body lift
* 33"x12.5x15R" Goodyear MT/R tires on 15"x8.5" Z-Racing rims
* Front & rear tow hooks
* K&N Generation II intake system
* Bestop Header Bikini top
* Used steel half doors
* Trail kit

After taking this Jeep on a few trail runs, I found I was too paranoid on the trails - I was afraid of breaking my daily driver.  Although I loved driving this Jeep day to day, I was facing several concerns when trying to also use it as a trail Jeep:
  1. It had to get me to to and from work as well as to the trails and back home
  2. It desperately needed lower gears for the trail which necessitated new carriers, which leads to ...
  3. It really needed lockers to run the decent trails, but ARB's and Ox's cost too much and I didn't want to drive on wet or icy streets with Detroit's
  4. It really needed more lift, but I didn't want to mess with changed driveline or steering characteristics

The last time I took it on the trails, I dinged a fender, got several paint scratches, gouged a rim, and took a chunk out of my skid plate.  When describing it to my wife, she asked (like the perfect straight man), "Why don't you just buy an old clunker for the trails that you don't mind beating up?"  This led to our next addition to the family, a 1984 CJ-7.

Send comments or questions to Joe Church (jchurch@lex-con.com)