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Summer 2007 Cruise-In

• Warn Products
• Bestop Products
• KC HiLITES
• Interco Super Swampers
• Dayton Timerline MTs
• MotoMetal Wheels


Camp Jeep 2007

Pictures below taken at Camp Jeep 2007. On and off the trails, a VERY good time was had. Virgina had a lot to offer! Camp Jeep for 2008 was cancelled. A big let down for Jeep owners.



Relay For Life 2008

2nd Annual Jeep Rally to Benefit the Cancer Society



The view from across the hood of my Jeep as I arrived at this year's Relay for Life, Second Annual Jeep Rally.

Plans are already "in the works" to make next year's Rally even better! In 2007 there were 40 Jeeps in attendance. This year: 140 registered! Next year, the goal is to see 200+ Jeeps in attendance.

Jeepers... Helping the fight against cancer!

I work for the second largest computer manufacturer, in the world. I'm not really a computer geek, as I'm in sales, not tech support. You might say I know enough to be dangerous. We (the company I work for) have locations all over the United States and even over-seas. My location is in the middle of a corn field! Seriously. Because of it's location, you will notice a LOT of 4x4s in the parking lot. When winter rolls around, they become very important in getting one to and from work!

Experienced a big change this past year... The farm that I grew-up on, we had to sell. My Father passed away a little over four years ago. My Mother had to move this spring to an assisted-living home. Let me tell you, the expense for one of those places is staggering. She recently passed on and went to be with my Dad on May 20th. I will always have my memories, but will no longer be able to play in the fields that kept the interest of a young boy's imagination at full force. Nor will I be able to look to my parents for guidance. Funny how when we are young, we think of our parents as being invincible. At least, I did...

Taken last fall at my "Parent's farm" prior to the auction. In one of the pasture fields where we kept horses. You can see the farm buildings in the back ground.

Looking to the future...I have been looking (hoping) to purchase a place in the country myself. But I want something more rural with a little rustic cabin on it along with some acreage! Yep, a place to play with the Jeeps, but more important... The Grandchildren!

Speaking of change, let me introduce you to my newest member of the family. I noted previously my love for old Willys trucks and wagons... I decided it was time to actually own one. My plans are to go back to the original hubcaps as there are original red wheels hiding under those caps! A few details here and there and she will be ready for that Sunday afternoon ride, just after some country fried chicken and home made apple pie!

A 1950 (1st series) Willy's Jeepster. VJ 6cly. with overdrive. (Options: Center grill trim, White wall tires, Heater and defroster, Turn signals, Rear step plates, Front bumper guard, and Cigar lighter.)

What Jeep'n Means to Me!

Part of something I wrote on our Muddybuddys site: Jeeping... What Jeeping means to me. It's the 4 year old boy that walked up to me at the bank and held out his hand to show me his toy Wrangler and was proud to tell me, "Look, I have a Jeep just like yours!" It's the teenager that rode his bike past me while I was sitting at the traffic light and told me he really liked my Jeep. It's the hostess at Applebee's that ran out to see my Jeep before I got out of it and told me she wanted a Jeep also! It's seeing all the Jeep owners at my first Camp Jeep this year (written: 2006) and being impressed how everyone was one big family.

I experienced all of this in the YJ... the older, stock Jeep! Not the newer one with all the "toys". But as much fun as it was to hear all the kind words about my Jeep from all the individuals noted previously... It was the silent compliment that touched me the most. While sitting in a restaurant, I noticed a Jeep Cherokee pull up and park beside my little green YJ. A gentleman I'd guess in his 80s walked to the front of my Wrangler and silently patted the brush guard with the up most respect, as if greeting a former comrade.

That is what Jeeping means to me.

My "current" everyday transportation is a 2001 white Jeep Wrangler Sahara.

For day to day transportation, it's my 3rd Jeep. I've owned two additional Jeeps that I purchased as toys, only. A CJ-5 and a 1984 CJ-7 Renagade.

My First Jeep:

My Jeep adventure started with a "back of the lot" purchase of a 1989 Jeep Wrangler (YJ) Sahara. 6cly. / automatic / tilt / cruise / brush guard and hardtop. (Sage green with spice top. Factory paint on a rust free Texas body!) It quickly became my everyday transportation! Kicked to the curb by someone else, it never failed me once! I upgraded the tires and purchased a new soft top on E-Bay.

My best bud hated it. He said it drove like a go-cart. The first week that I owned it, he even wrecked it. (sorta) He made a run to the gas station... Called me and told me he'd been in an accident with my Jeep! Needless to say, I was less than happy. I calmed down when I saw it had taken out two other cars and the Jeep remained without one scratch OR dent on it! He had a lower opinion of the Jeep after the accident. The interesting part of the story is: When I decided to sell the YJ, he's the one who purchased it and has been a hard-core Jeep lover since!

Jeep Number 2: A TJ Upgrade?

I thought I'd up-grade to a newer unit. My second Jeep was a 1999 (TJ) Wrangler. 4cly. / 5 speed / arrest me red with black soft top.

As my passion for Jeeps grew... or is it an obcession? Anyways, I started improving my TJ. I added 7" flares. Did away with the "boxing glove" bumper ends, replaced the rear bumper completely with a rock crawler bumper with shackles. Added a M8000 Warn winch, Hella Driving lights, and built into the bumper fog lights. Upgraded the tires to Dayton Timberline 31X15 MTs. I had a real good start on it when the Jeep and I got hit by lighting! (Yes, I was in the Jeep when it happen.)

It was a sunny late afternoon. I was on my way home from work. Sitting at a traffic light, just as it turned green, the storm hit. What I found out later, was called a 135mph straight wind. I could not see 3 inches foward. I decided to seek shelter in the KFC parking lot to my left. The Colonel's building was blocking some of the wind AND heavy rain. Just as I started to make a dash for the lot... the lighting hit. Funny, the motor kept running. But every gauge in the Jeep went nuts! Just as I made it to the parking lot... The HAIL hit! I thought to myself: I'm in a freak'n tent on wheels! Lucky for me it was over as quickly as it started.

As I noted, the Jeep stayed running. I drove it home, picked up my buddy as we were going for Chinese. I stopped at Auto Zone as the Check Engine light was on. When they hooked up their computer, he told me he was getting codes he'd never seen before. I told my buddy I had just been in a tornado. He laughed at me and said, "Yeah, right." That he'd been watching the news and they had not said ANYTHING about such a storm. The Chinese resturant just happens to be right next to the KFC. Also, a Wendys is located in this row of food chains. The Wendys sign had been completely blown out! Several other business signs had also been ventalated. I was told the wind had picked up shopping carts at Home Depot (across the street) and they had flown though the air with the greatest of ease. My buddy asked the Chinese Resturant owner, what she had thought about "the tornado". She replied, "You mean the monsoon we just had?" That finally shut my bud up! Ha!

Not all stories have happy endings. "Sparky" was never right afterwards. The check engine light would come on all the time. It would run at times with high rpms. Other times rough. I dropped two grand on it in a month and didn't even touch the tip of the iceberg. It would take spells when it would act completely normal. But that would only last a day, if I was luckly. It was during one of those such moments, the little red Jeep and I parted friendship. It may sound silly. You might even laugh. But I can't begin to tell you how hard it was to part with that Jeep. I could be having a hard day at work, but every night on the way home, that Jeep would put a smile back on my face. I ended up trading it to a Dealer having a push, pull or drag sale. (After all, in clear conscience I could not sell it to anyone.) I did get to keep my winch and several other minor "add-ons" from the red Jeep. But it was time to move on. I traded for... My current Jeep! The 2001 Jeep Sahara I had mentioned previously!

It's A Jeep Thing!

Sizzl'n Sahara

My 3rd, AND CURRENT JEEP: My first Jeep was a Sahara. (The '89 YJ) Funny my current Jeep is also a Sahara. Mostly stock. But, I'm working hard to change that. I'll admit, I'm a little OCD, so hard-core rock-crawling will never be in my future. (I might have to buy another YJ or CJ7 for that.) I work too hard and too many hours just to take it out and bang it up. Yet, I'm hooked on going to Camp Jeep each year, this year being no exception! Getting my Jeep all muddy, I have no problems with!

I upgraded the stock factory driving lights to KC Slimlights. I also purchased a black hardtop. Changed out my winch line on my Warm M8000 and went with the new synthetic line and aluminum Fairlead.

Installed quick disconnects. Also had TrXus Super Swampers mounted on a set of Moto Metal black alloy wheels. Right now, I'm leaning towards a 3" Black Diamond lift. But, as noted in "My Wish List" maybe a Rubicon Express 3 1/2" Superflex.

Another item came off my wish list recently! I added the Cobra 75WXST "all-in-mic" CB to my rig. Our Jeep club has been talking about making some sort of CB a requirement on club trail rides.

The Moto Metal rims were purchased last February but the Super Swampers were on back-order until the end of March. Recently, I noticed the chrome trim on the Moto Metal rims were flaking off. I have great respect for American Racing of which Moto Metal is a division of! Two months out of warranty, they replaced ALL 5 wheels with new ones! How's that for customer service?

BUT... (Why is there always a "but"?) The jury is still out on the TrXus MTs. I can't seem to get them balanced. It started out as a problem at high speeds. (40-45mph and 50 to 67mph.) The tire company that did the exchange process for Moto Metal, ended up improving the balance and ride at highway speeds, but now anything under 10mph is like crossing a railroad track! I've owned Dayton Brand MTs. I just talked a buddy into Mickey Thompson MTZs... Neither of which were a problem to "balance.".

Another recent update was, I replaced the factory rear bumper with a custom one, with a receiver to mount a hitch! Needed something to pull my teardrop camper.

My wish list includes: KC HiLites w/windshield light mount brackets * Rubicon Express Superflex 3 1/2" lift kit * Olympic Rock Nerf Bars * On Board Air Compressor * New mirrors for my doors * a Cabin! My list is getting smaller all the time...

Update... the High-Lift jack can come off the "items wanted" list! Stumbled across a great deal at TCS (Tractor Suppy).

Okay, so I went a totally differant direction in reguards to a "trailer". Remember, I'm the guy who also loves antique cars also. I liked the nostalgic look of these little tear drop campers! Lightweight, at only 800lbs. It's going to look good behind "either" Jeep, wouldn't you agree? Best of all, I will NOT be sleeping on the ground any more! Call me "old" if you want, but sleeping on the ground is just not high on my "want" list these days.

My teardrop came with the optional screen tent that attaches to the side of the trailer! Add a beer tap and I'm all set!

Teardrop camper trailers evolved after World War II, and were originally constructed with materials obtained from surplus markets. The chases were made of steel U channel or from round steel tubing, and the wheels came from Jeeps that were salvaged from sunken ships. The exterior skins were usually made from the wings of World War II bombers.