Time marches on whether we're there or not
It is rare for me to visit the Jeep forum, even though I've owned 7 or them.
1. '49 Willys Ute Wagon
2. 1982 Scrambler-CJ8 still have it.
3. 1990 XJ (rolled it off a cliff in Telluride)
4. 1989 XJ Limited (replacement for '90)
5. 1973 J4700 Glad for parts (D-60-2 rr axle, T.case, T98 trans)
6. 1999 XJ with stuff as Jeanie's snow car. still have it.
7. 2011 G.C. Limited with every electronic gee-gaw Jeanie's town car
Sprinkled around and between the Jeeps was a 1966 FJ-40, a 1970 Toyolet (chevy V-8) FJ-55, a 1980 International Harvester Scout Traveler w/ factory Nissan 3.3L turbo diesel, and my final rig (as listed below).
I thought you'd like to see my personal genesis 4WD: In 1965 I bought a '49 Willys Jeep Ute Wagon with a 265 Chevy V-8, Studebaker 33% Overdrive, 5.38 gears, D-25 frnt axle; D-41, 6 spline rr axle, 7:00x16 tires, single hinged tail light, and later my first SOA (1966) I projected slides onto a screen and took pix with my digital camera. June of 1965 is the earliest photo of the Ute Wag. in Red Rock Cyn:
On the same trip: on the east flank of the Sierra Nevada near Lone Pine: Note the flat grill and actual chrome bumper. Oh, and the 4 bolt roof rack.
Camping on the beach at Point Sal, CA in 1966: The woman in the lower center was my first wife, Judy who died of Hodgkin's Disease in 1967.
After my first SOA in 1967: I don't miss this rig as I cut my teeth on every broken drivetrain part imaginable.
Down the road I'll post some pix of my last remaining hardcore Jeep; my '82 Jeep CJ-8. A teaser:
regards, as always, jefe