1942 in your driveway

[Deleted member 16736]

Jeep is making a WWII edition of the Wrangler. I like the desert tan version.

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/11/18/...s-wheeler-edition-pricing-los-angeles-photos/

 

[p51]

That thing is a Jeep by name only, sorry...
I have owned two 'modern' Jeeps and my 1944 Willys MB has outlived them all.

 

[Talbot]

Does it have 'Go Devil' power?

 

[p51]

Does it have 'Go Devil' power?

I hope not!
For it's time, it was a very reliable engine, but it was very limited on horsepower.
It's funny when people see WW2 Jeeps in any kind of environment other than a parking lot, they can't get over how slow they are and how little weight they can move...

 

[Stearmen]

I hope not!
For it's time, it was a very reliable engine, but it was very limited on horsepower.
It's funny when people see WW2 Jeeps in any kind of environment other than a parking lot, they can't get over how slow they are and how little weight they can move...

Their biggest asset was, four soldiers could pick it up and get it unstuck. Thats why, both the SAS and LRDG loved them! And, they sure could load them up.

 

[David Conwill]

Does it have 'Go Devil' power?

I hope so, I've been searching for two or three Carter WO carburetors from one, and it would be swell just walk into my local Chrysler-Dodge-Willys dealer and pick them up new in the box...

 

[Stearmen]

I hope so, I've been searching for two or three Carter WO carburetors from one, and it would be swell just walk into my local Chrysler-Dodge-Willys dealer and pick them up new in the box...

Up until about a decade ago, we had a NAPA store where you could do that. They had tons of NOS parts. We are still trying to figure out where that inventory went, when they moved that store. Oh, and they had an old guy behind the counter, that knew where every thing was, with out a computer, or looking up a number!

 

[Fading Fast]

Up until about a decade ago, we had a NAPA store where you could do that. They had tons of NOS parts. We are still trying to figure out where that inventory went, when they moved that store. Oh, and they had an old guy behind the counter, that knew where every thing was, with out a computer, or looking up a number!

Somebody like that - "It's in the fourth row, second from the top, behind the boxes with red tape on them, I think it's in a green oblong shaped box - we should have three left [and, of course, there are three left in the green oblong shaped box]" - was both invaluable an awesome in the pre-computer age.

I think about this all the time, but that person can't exist today (except in the one off somewhere) because nothing, almost nothing, stays the same - process, company, colors, styles, etc. When I started in a finance company, in the early 80s, most of the processes, the tickets, the physical environment, the suppliers, the names of things had hardly changed in two decades. The person with the most experience, knew how to do everything the best because they had twenty years of practice.

Now, everything changes, if not every year, then nearly every year. We have a new process for ticketing almost annually (and more frequent software updates), our suppliers change (either by our choice or they go out of business or out of one particular line of business) every few years, branding - colors, styles, names - seem to change every eighteen months and, then, some other major change - we will only take orders over the phone for this amount or the Government requires us to get three, no longer just two, forms of ID signed off by two, not just one anymore, licensed people - occurs regularly as well.

When I started, the older workers were treated with great respect for their store of knowledge, now they are looked on with suspicion as being behind the technology curve. And the truth is, it is more important in some aspects to be current with the newest technology than to have a store of knowledge of processes, names, styles that are all antiquated. Basically, in these types of jobs, the ability to adapt to change and be very current on technology is more important than a history of collected knowledge and experience.

It's not good or bad or right or wrong, it just is. I'm just old enough to have fully seen the change and feel sad that the "It's on the fourth shelve in the back" men and women are going away (again, at a big level, of course, there are pockets of them).

 

[rjb1]

"Oh, and they had an old guy behind the counter, that knew where every thing was, with out a computer, or looking up a number!"

I did a stint as a summer worker in an auto parts company when I was in high school and the manager there knew not only *where* everything was in the store, but also knew *everything that ever was* concerning auto parts. (At least it seemed that way...)
A running routine in the store was that mechanics who came in looking for parts for an old/obscure vehicle would hold something up as they came in the door and Mr. Talbot would look at it from across the room and call out the identification: "That's a Marvel Schebler carb off a 1923 John Deere..."
It was astonishing how much he knew - I never saw him miss one.

The sad part is that modern auto parts people can't even use the new technology efficiently. I was recently in an Auto Zone to get points and condenser for my 1966 Chevy truck and the kid/clerk there had never heard of such. He couldn't find anything like that on the computer, either.
I asked him to turn the computer around and I looked for about 30 seconds and found the "Ignition Kit" for my truck. I told him to go get one of those and he did. At least he was able to use the cash register.

 

[Stearmen]

A few years back, I went to our all brand motorcycle shop and asked the kid for some shoes to fit a Suzuki Water Buffalo 4 leading shoe front brake. He said, what model is that, I said, I don't know, we just call them Water Buffalos! Lucky for me, a guy behind me remembered they were GT750. I thought something seamed odd when he charged me so little for two sets of shoes. Sure enough, I came in a week later, and he had one set of disc brake pads. I went behind the counter and looked at the computer and said two sets of those!

 

[Treetopflyer]

I hope not!
For it's time, it was a very reliable engine, but it was very limited on horsepower.
It's funny when people see WW2 Jeeps in any kind of environment other than a parking lot, they can't get over how slow they are and how little weight they can move...

I felt the same way when I first drove a High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV), commonly known as the Humvee. They are slow!

 

[1mach1]

Sadly, Jeep is now owned by Fiat. :eusa_doh: 'Nuff said.

 

[jamespowers]

Sadly, Jeep is now owned by Fiat. :eusa_doh: 'Nuff said.

They'll be even slower then and break down every few hours.

 

[Story]

I felt the same way when I first drove a High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV), commonly known as the Humvee. They are slow!

Or how an M151 towing a trailer drives sidesways on I-81. Thanks, crosswinds!

 

[fishmeok]

Years and years ago in Montana I tried to tow a '65 Wagoneer with a '47 CJ2A in the middle of winter. Worked fine until I hit a spot of ice and ended up going sideways in the Willys with the Wagoneer pushing me....

From the linked article:

For more of a classic Jeep look, this model adds a gloss black grille, "Willys" hood stickers and rock rails to protect the side sills. Jeep is also tossing in a D-ring, tow strap and gloves that are all kept in a special carrying bag.

Good thing it comes with stickers!

 

[p51]

I felt the same way when I first drove a High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV), commonly known as the Humvee. They are slow!

Amen. I ran a Ordnance Company in the Army and we worked on them all the time. I was the Battalion master Driver officer so I was rated to drive everything a heavy mech brigade had (I have to admit I thought driving M1A1s was pretty col but never wanted to do that all the time). I was never impressed with Humvees, their engines give out about every 7K from normal 'soldier' wear. For how much we paid for the things, the Army didn't get that great a return for durability. In that regard they are the heir to the Jeep, as they look tougher than they really are.
Story, I feel for ya on the 151. I've driven one once and a pal of mine has an uncut 151 and he tells me horror stories about how it handles all the time. The MUTTs killed more GIs than the WW2 Jeeps did from accidents, which is why they're so hard to find today...

 

[Gregg Axley]

That thing is a Jeep by name only, sorry...
I have owned two 'modern' Jeeps and my 1944 Willys MB has outlived them all.

Sadly, I have to agree with you here.
I drive a 2000 Cherokee 4wd at work, and while it's darn near bullet proof, there are some quality issues you probably wouldn't see on years gone by.
Right now I'm dealing with a broken driver's seat, it's come un-welded from the frame.
So when I hit the brakes or take off, I have a rocking chair. :eeek:
But mechanical wise, this model will still pull a house down.

 

[Stearmen]

Sadly, I have to agree with you here.
I drive a 2000 Cherokee 4wd at work, and while it's darn near bullet proof, there are some quality issues you probably wouldn't see on years gone by.
Right now I'm dealing with a broken driver's seat, it's come un-welded from the frame.
So when I hit the brakes or take off, I have a rocking chair. :eeek:
But mechanical wise, this model will still pull a house down.

Nothing wrong with a rocking chair in a truck. Makes for nice long distance driving! [video=youtube;MVR20DqHnuE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVR20DqHnuE[/video]

 

[Mickey85]

Sadly, I have to agree with you here.
I drive a 2000 Cherokee 4wd at work, and while it's darn near bullet proof, there are some quality issues you probably wouldn't see on years gone by.
Right now I'm dealing with a broken driver's seat, it's come un-welded from the frame.
So when I hit the brakes or take off, I have a rocking chair. :eeek:
But mechanical wise, this model will still pull a house down.

To comment on the quote above, I had a 99 Cherokee with the 4.0l motor. The one based on the 1963 AMC design? Still running like a horse at 198k when I found myself going backward on black ice... I'd drive one of those in a heartbeat over the '83 CJ-7 my dad and I are restoring. Granted, it's not an OLD jeep, but it certainly isn't a Chrysler model. That thing is a tin can. It doesn't have the stones to drive in the 5th gear it offers, the frame is weak and will crack at the steering box when stressed with larger than 35" tires, and it's brakes are...lacking.

Speaking of my dad, he owns an auto parts store, and he's kinda spoiled me...he's a walking computer, and is where I've learned most of my auto knowledge (bought an Oldsmobile at 14 and was racing at 16). Whenever I'm forced to go into another parts store, I find I must come to terms with the great wave of idiocy and poor customer service that is common nowadays.

With the jeep in question, it's nice looking...I guess...I'm glad they went with the two door, as it's just my humble opinion that no wrangler should have four doors, as nothing in the model history ever had four doors. Other than that, it appears to be more of a visual package than a performance one. Would have been better as a package for the rubicon. Either way it would have been powered by a minivan motor. Blech.

 

[David Conwill]

The four-door Wranglers look to me like they're begging to be painted up like a '46-'62 Willys station wagon.