quote:

Originally posted by Idaho Sharpshooter:
One of my Uncles had an Willys Overland(?) SUV-thingy. I remember going fishing with him and my Father and being amazed that he could take the key out of the ignition driving down the road to use his "church key" to open bottles of pop for all of us without the engine dying.

Rich

Lots of older domestic cars will do that too.

I think the waggoners were one of the most undependable cars made.
Butch

quote:

Originally posted by butchlambert:
I think the waggoners were one of the most undependable cars made.
Butch

That seems to be a fairly general opinion but mine has been fantastic and certainly more reliable and easier to fix than any of my last few 4x4s which were mostly Land Rover Discos and Range Rovers. - Frankly, after my last Disco, I'd never buy another LR product.

Admittedly, mine has OME shocks, a few go faster parts and electronic ignition etc but I've had it about 7 years or so, use it weekly but not usually daily and take it to Botswana and/or KZN/Limpopo etc fairly regularly and the only breakdown I've ever had has been a broken bolt on the alternator...... So maybe I've just been lucky.

Mine also comes out tops for power and comfort etc when compared to (recent) previous 4x4s.

My only complaints are fuel consumption but I guess you accept that when you buy a big V8 and spares availability here in RSA. - In fact, I've got so pissed off with that, that I ordered my most recent spares from the USA.

The best thing about it for me is that I don't need to put it in the hands of some bloody idiot at the garage because of a bunch of electronics and management systems under the bonnet.

The car is simplicity itself and most servicing jobs etc can be done with a spanner or two, a star drive kit and a big hammer.

I struggle to do some of the jobs on it myself now as I has arthritis in my hands, but what I can't do myself, I can have my Roger-o-matic do for me whilst I stand there and watch him do it.

is roger -o-matic still wearing diapers after the ass chewing you gave him for braking your mirror?

quote:

Originally posted by ddrhook:
is roger -o-matic still wearing diapers after the ass chewing you gave him for braking your mirror?

I never did get to the bottom of that. He says it was the gardeners and they say it wasn't...... but that's not really surprising.

In the end, I fixed the mirror myself and muttered to myself all the while I was doing it!

One thing's for sure, both Roger and the gardeners are a bloody sight more careful around my truck now than they were before...... because I bollocked every bugger.

Steve

Glad to see someone else appreciates the Waggoneer. My '79 is making a great hunting car, smaller turning radious and better angles than a CJ AND real doors and roll-up windows for those frosty or rainy days. Will try to borrow a camera for a pic or two. heard anything from UG ?

SSR

Hey buddy,

Yup, I love my Waggy dearly... Mine is 1980, so about the same age.

Hope to hear from Ug in the new year:

Here's my baby.

One thing has always interested me about Jeeps.

Early in WWII I remember reading an article professing that the true "Jeep" was actually a larger vehicle than the original item which we call a jeep, and which was more properly called a "peep" at its initaal introduction into the armed services.

The author(s) said the "Jeep" name was properly applied to a larger version which was actually a "GP command car" but the name was later given to the smaller vehicle through common usage by those who didn't know the difference.

Anyone else ever heard/read that?

I heard a story "jeep" came from the character on popeye, jeep

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugene_the_Jeep





.



.

There certainly seems to be a lot of variations on where the name came from and I'd guess it'd be pretty much impossible to get a truly definitive answer to that question.

FWIW, one of the most popular stories is that it came from GP as in 'General Purpose' and then got bastardised from there.

I wouldn't like to put money on that though!

Jeep is actually an acronym....

Just
Empty
Every
Pocket