How I got the BUG.

[RHeinz]

Flashback to Tucson, Arizona, 1967.

A guy at school took me for a ride in his completely stock Willys CJ3A in the school parking lot. The “Jeep” was forest service green and had allegedly come from Organ Pipe National Monument. The engine noise, gearing, ride, and “cool factor” got me bad.

But that wasn’t my first “Jeep” ride…. My father was stationed in Taiwan, Republic of China, USMC military assistance group, in 1956 and 1957, family status. I do remember riding in olive drab MB’s …CJ2A’s? With my brother. It was always a treat to ride on the rear fender-wells….before seatbelts and roll bars and among the Chinese motor cycles, rickshaws and ox carts….

Back to Tucson 1967. I immediately bought a 1950 CJ3A in 1967 and drove it all over Arizona and southern Utah in the next 10 years. Holy shit, that was fun! This was before all the FWD craze really caught on. I still have the CJ3A 55 years later. My daughters learned to drive in it (stick shift) and I’m hoping my Granddaughters will learn to drive a stick shift in it also.

Went to work in 1974, had a family and had to tone down the Off-Roading. I have lived in Houston for 38 years now. Unless your a beach person, the mountains, forest service roads and BLM lands are at least a full days drive away. I did own a CJ5 and a Jeep Cherokee FWD, but didn’t have much chance to “use” them.

Just got my Badlands, SAS three weeks ago. I’m very impressed and ready to go camping as soon as the weather breaks. New Mexico, Big Bend Ranch, southern Utah and Arizona. Can’t wait!

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[AlienHunter]

The simplicity and ruggedness of those vehicles were amazing. Purpose built to get the job done. The U.S. had probably several hundred thousands of them, along with the Ford versions built during the war. Only a fraction of them still exist today , unless you find one that escaped the chopping block and was stored in an old barn or garage somewhere. The government made the remainder of them to be cut in half and scraped for safety reasons within federal service. Probably to make way for the HMMWV?
I had a Ford model to run errands in on base and the cool factor was “Arctic”.

 

[Bschurr]

Great story @RHeinz and glad you are enjoying g your new Bronco but, we need a pic of the CJ3A!

 

[Muskrat14]

My parents had a tenant house on our property growing up. The couple owned a washed out red, bone stock early bronco.
I loved the simplicity and ruggedness of the Bronco. Almost 35 years later I bought my first Bronco, a 1976. Since then I’m on my second, a 74 and the 23.
always loved them. Even liked the Bronco II when it came out.

 

[mdainsd]

I still have three early flat fender Jeeps. A 42 Ford GPW, a 43 willys MB and a 51 Willys M38. There are times that nothing beats taking one of them for a drive. So primative, so cool.

 

[CalvinT]

So primative, so cool.

So capable.

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