Pictures from the day I became a Jeeper. Post Yours.

[Jeepeto]

They are almost old enough to drink ?

I was 14 years old, and went on an epic adventure with my uncle to North Carolina with a bunch of guys from an “Internet forum” (what the hell even is that?)

They were set up! Some guys had onboard air and welders. I remember one dude broke an axle and within 2 hours they had it back up and running like new. No money was exchanged, just a handshake and a pat on the back, maybe a beer back at camp. It was an awesome group of men. I knew they were my people.

Group shot, I would love to see a group of CJ-8 scramblers out on the trail today.

That’s me, hanging out the back

Do you remember how you got into Jeeps?

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[JasonInDLH]

Nice! Always great to look back to the good ole days.

My parents bought my sister a YJ when she turned 16, then passed it on to me a few years later when I turned 16. I was hooked ever since!

 

[Jeepeto]

Nice! Always great to look back to the good ole days.

My parents bought my sister a YJ when she turned 16, then passed it on to me a few years later when I turned 16. I was hooked ever since!

My first was a 92 YJ, I loved that thing!

The three generations of Jeepeto

My old man’s YJ

Jeepeto III and the old man’s YJ

I still love driving that YJ, she’s really a wonderful ride with the top off.

 

[aldo98229]

I must have been about 4 years old, in the late 1960s, when we went to a beach town on the Pacific coast of Peru.

After dinner our hosts took us for a drive to the shore in a Jeep SJ. We cruised by the surf with the tailgate down; I was facing back with my feet dangling off the gate. I never knew a vehicle could be that cool.

 

[Jeepeto]

I must have been about 4 years old, in the late 1960s, when we went to a beach town on the Pacific coast of Peru.

After dinner our hosts took us for a drive to the shore in a Jeep SJ. We cruised by the surf with the tailgate down; I was facing back with my feet dangling off the gate. I never knew a vehicle could be that cool.

Those always make me think of Harris and the Hendersons ?

Edit: Harris? Siri got me on that one “Harry”

 

[aldo98229]

I love them SJs to this day

 

[Jeepeto]

I love them SJs to this day

That wheel/tire combo is mint on both ?

 

[kermitjewel]

They are almost old enough to drink ?

I was 14 years old, and went on an epic adventure with my uncle to North Carolina with a bunch of guys from an “Internet forum” (what the hell even is that?)

They were set up! Some guys had onboard air and welders. I remember I one dude broke an axle and within 2 hours they had it back up and running like new. No money was exchanged, just a handshake and a pat on the back, maybe a beer back at camp. It was an awesome group of men. I knew they were my people.

Group shot, I would love to see a group of CJ-8 scramblers out on the trail today.

That’s me, hanging out the back

Do you remember how you got into Jeeps?

my first offroad memory was a big bear four wheel run with my uncles firefighter 4x club, probably 1975; mixture of jeeps, broncos and scouts (internationals)

 

[Jeepeto]

my first offroad memory was a big bear four wheel run with my uncles firefighter 4x club, probably 1975; mixture of jeeps, broncos

How cool is that! That has to be a great group of guys to wheel with, and those rigs would be awesome

 

[Whaler27]

They are almost old enough to drink ?

I was 14 years old, and went on an epic adventure with my uncle to North Carolina with a bunch of guys from an “Internet forum” (what the hell even is that?)

Do you remember how you got into Jeeps?

My dad returned from the second world war respecting Jeeps, but we didn’t get our first family Jeep until 1967. It was a Wagoneer, and it was a great family truckster for our hunting, fishing, and other outdoor activities.

I didn’t get my first new Jeep until 1977 — a yellow 1977 CJ-7. It was my first new vehicle and I loved and abused it. Back then Jeeps we’re uncommon. They held zero status, and people didn’t buy them as country club grocery-getters. As I’ve said on many prior threads, in the 60s, 70s, and early 80s, Jeeps were like dive watches, rodeo saddles, and bowling shoes — they generally weren’t sold to people who weren’t involved in the activities for which they were designed: these days, although the diver population is about 5000 times what it was when I started diving, something like 99.5% of dive watches are now sold to people who don’t dive. Similarly, I’m betting most Jeeps are sold to people who use their Jeeps just as they used their Camrys. It’s a different world now, and it‘s a confusing one for lots of us old guys.

I mention the above because the first fifteen years of my jeeping was before I recall seeing any organized Jeep clubs or events. We used my Jeep to get to fishing, hunting, camping, shooting, and diving spots. It was super cool to see another Jeep out on the trail, but it was extremely uncommon. The only place I remember seeing lots of other Jeeps was on the sand/beach, but almost all of those areas are now closed to vehicle traffic.

In the early 80s my mom moved and stored several boxes of old family photos in a basement and the boxes flooded and molded, ruining most of the pictures from my youth. I haven’t been able to find any pictures of my first few Jeeps, but the shot below is of my fourth CJ, circa 1983/84 with buddies up on a rural Oregon logging road. We had a big salmon cooler installed in place of the rear seat. The guy with the beard flew out of the back of the Jeep on that trip, because he was sitting on the cooler when I drove over a small tree that had fallen across the road. He cleared the spare and landed flat on his back, thank God. He was sore, but uninjured. He’s got his own 2-door JK now.

 

[Mikeoso]

My first jeep and my first child, about 1973. The jeep is a '49, bone stock and unrestored.

 

[baskiboat]

My first Jeep was a CJ-7. It had a spring over lift and I ran 34" Geolanders most of the time I owned it. My father-in-law, in the picture, got great pleasure out of tempting me to try stuff. Most of our adventures involved old logging roads closed to less able vehicles usually by way of a ditch or rocks or logs. I remember going through one mud hole so deep that water drained out of my floorboards for about 10 minutes. We had a real good laugh until my clutch gave up halfway back home!

 

[Beach Bum 89]

I think I was 15 & my brother was getting married. He needed socks. Threw me the keys to his CJ & told me to go get ‘em. At the time, it was the coolest thing ever. Got my 1st Jeep in ‘95…’93 YJ. No picks of the TJ, but now driving #3…’22 JL. Loved Jeeps now for over 40 years.

 

[NULL POINTER]

I started out wheeling in my factory ordered 1977 Ford F150 4X4. I traded that truck in on a 1979 Jeep CJ-7 Renegade. I loved it, I took it through creek beds and power line trails in the mountains. It was a beast in the snow. I don't know exactly when I started Jeeping, I think it was spring of 1979.

I factory ordered this vehicle. The local Plymouth/Jeep dealer did not have any Jeeps on his lot, just a lot of Plymouths. I bought a factory ordered Duster 340 from this same dealer in 1972. That car is still on the road as a car show automobile. Anyway, I think the only options on the jeep were floor mats, and raised white letter tires. It was a four speed manual transmission. You had to get out to manually lock the front hubs. Crank windows for A/C. I think I stuffed a cassette player in it for tunes. Such a fun vehicle, I wonder why I ever got rid of it. I know, I wanted something bigger and got one of those OJ Simpson style Broncos of the late 80's. Blasphemy, I know. Regretted that move soon after the new wore off the Bronco. At least it was still a 4X4, but I couldn't take it places I took the CJ-7. Live and learn.

Anyway, here are some pics of one of the most fun vehicles I ever owned. Please forgive the picture quality, taking pictures of 40 plus year old pictures doesn't give the best results.

That's a towel hanging off the front bumper. Figured I'd show a B&W photo of it since this is a retro thread.

Side view above.
You can see leaf springs on the front axle below.

 

[Hogdreamer]

When I got back the day before Thanksgiving from basic and training for the Air Force Reserve I found out that my brother in law had purchased a CJ5. On Thanksgiving he took me out 4 wheeling in his Jeep and I found out that was FUN. But I couldn't do that in my 280Z so I went CJ shopping and picked up a used 2 year old CJ5 on New Year's Eve, 1980.

I had a great time with that CJ and even though I live in Minnesota that winter was mild so the soft top was doable. A few months later I got a full time job with the Air National Guard so I ended up moving away from the small town I grew up in with its abundant 4 wheeling opportunities.

The next winter was nasty cold and the heater in that CJ was unable to bring the inside to a temperature I could live with. So, that Jeep was traded in on a more practical car. My wife took over that car until, without her knowledge, I traded it for a Corvette for me. She's still mad about that after almost 40 years. She did like driving my CJ5 though.

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