BajaNomad

1975 Jeep

David K - 8-30-2013 at 06:58 PM

Since we have been talking about Jeeps... specially in Ken Cooke's posts... I thought I would share a photo of my Jeep, which I came across during my recent move.

Photo taken in mid 1975, before my Junior year in high school was over... a big surprise indeed. My dune buggy is in the carport in the background. This was an early graduation gift from my dad, plus they really wanted me to have a 'better' vehicle for my trips to Baja.



The first introduction of the Cherokee Chief as a 1975 1/2 model, which differed because it had the J-10 truck axles that were wider than the standard Cherokee and Wagoneer. The engine was the AMC 401 CID and GM Turbo Hydramatic 400 transmission plus Quadra Trac Full Time 4WD. Levi Denim Seats, too.

It was a real shame how poorly this was made... it was in the shop for numerous problems and before I sold it (2 years later) the transmission failed, the radiator failed, the water pump failed, the rear window motor failed, window handles broke... I think it only went to Baja about 3 times, and fortunately never broke on a trip.

It was replaced by a new Subaru 4WD wagon... and that car got over 135,000 trouble free miles put on it in less than three years, much of that in Baja!

The only issue with the Subaru was 13" tires, no low range, and not a lot of power...

Here it is during a 1978 flash flood in Matomi Canyon, a couple miles from the oasis/ ranch house. Probably the first Subaru in Matomi Canyon!



I was stuck here with rising water... until I let more air out of the tires!

bacquito - 8-30-2013 at 07:04 PM

My how time flies!!

David K - 8-30-2013 at 09:42 PM

Indeed... I am teaching my kids that time moves faster as you age because time really is relative. My own son turns 25 this year! Tomorrow I am going to Arizona and visit with my daughter and 3 y/o granddaughter. Time is flying! :wow:

Bob H - 8-30-2013 at 11:45 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K
Indeed... I am teaching my kids that time moves faster as you age because time really is relative. My own son turns 25 this year! Tomorrow I am going to Arizona and visit with my daughter and 3 y/o granddaughter. Time is flying! :wow:


Time DOES move fast David. It was about five years ago when we were in Ensenada having a few margies !!!

Bob H - 8-30-2013 at 11:59 PM

Or maybe it was MORE than 5 years ago.... had a BLAST







Margaritas ARE kicking IN....


Great Margaritas... maybe, I get lucky... lol

ncampion - 8-31-2013 at 07:29 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by bacquito
My how time flies!!


Agree. I like the saying that "Time is like a roll of toilet paper, the closer you get to the end, the faster it goes".

1957 forward control Jeep

durrelllrobert - 8-31-2013 at 08:50 AM

couldn't find picture of one I owned in the 60s but it looked like this:



I used it for deer hunting in the eastern Sierras. Great visibility of what's ahead of you. Mine was modified with a 287 cid Chevy v8 and overdrive on the tranny for highway cruising.

David K - 8-31-2013 at 08:52 AM

Excellent!
Bob, I think it was 8 years ago :o

chippy - 8-31-2013 at 01:19 PM

I think I had the other worst Jeep ever (Davids is #1) My first 4x4 a 1965 Jeep Gladiator P/U. It was Kaiser Jeep then. When it ran it was the best offroad vehicle I,ve ever owned but that POS OHC inline 6 with a mile long timing chain would always jump a cog and lose timing. Never owned a Jeep since.

JEEP

J.P. - 8-31-2013 at 02:37 PM

After the war Jeer changed hands so many times an none of the owners did much to contribute to the reliability of the vehicle. the picture of the one D K posted was probably one of the best of that time. The only reason CHYSLER bought JEEP they wanted the rights to the name JEEP it was trademarked.
I just read a review on the 2014 RUBICON, it appears they succeeded in creating the ultimate off road machine but it's downright dangerous to drive on the HIGHWAY. goes to show there is no one size fits all vehicle. AND the price tag on their new creation is 40,000dls. :o:o:O:O

rts551 - 8-31-2013 at 03:14 PM

Had a couple. Neither was POS.

war time vintage


and post war

J.P. - 8-31-2013 at 03:20 PM

Those were real Jeeps. I have a 91 wrangler 4.0 that I really like. It's like any other vehicle it has it's limitations and as long as you know and respect them it will give you many years of service.

chippy - 8-31-2013 at 03:22 PM

Reread. The motor was a POS.

I like your little jeeps! I wish that would have been my first.

Barry A. - 8-31-2013 at 03:31 PM

My govt.-provided "ride" for many years was a 1972 Jeep Wagoneer that had the "everything off-road" option and it was a dream, tho it was a gas-hog @ 12 mpg.... From what I understand I was VERY lucky. I drove that vehicle everywhere on and off-road, and it had well over 100K on it when GSA finally forced me to give it up and bring it back into them. I considered buying the veh. from GSA, but I had a "conflict of interest" issue and they would not let me. Nothing EVER went wrong with that vehicle in all those years as I recall, but it was maintained religiously.

You just never know.

After that I went to Japanese vehicles for personal use (Isuzu Toyota, Nissan) and have never looked back & all were/are great. Interestingly, none of my Govt. 4x4 vehicles ever gave me any trouble except a Dodge, and at least a 3rd of my driving miles were in the dirt, often in 4-wheel drive, but I never abused any of them. (Chev and International pickups, and one Dodge SUV, and the one Jeep wagoneer). I was the exclusive driver of all my Govt. vehicles, and that helps. The '76 (?) Dodge was a nightmare most of the time, and litterally fell apart even tho (maybe cecause of) it had an aggressive after-market suspension package (Rough-Country). (it was a Blazer-like veh----can't remember the name---"travel-all"????).

I never buy a used vehicle unless the seller has a maint. file on it that I can inspect..

Barry

Mulegena - 8-31-2013 at 03:32 PM

Those are some nice photos of some very pretty Baja-worthy rides.

There's an '88 Jeep Cherokee here in Mulege for sale right now, btw'if anybody's interested.
Looks pretty nice.

I luuvvv little jeeps.... one day there will be one in my driveway
ready to crawl all over these mountains. Til' then, I'll baby my little Toyota Taco. :yes:

durrelllrobert - 8-31-2013 at 04:39 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Barry A.
My govt.-provided "ride" for many years was a 1972 Jeep Wagoneer that had the "everything off-road" option and it was a dream, tho it was a gas-hog @ 12 mpg.... From what I understand I was VERY lucky. I drove that vehicle everywhere on and off-road, and it had well over 100K on it when GSA finally forced me to give it up and bring it back into them. I considered buying the veh. from GSA, but I had a "conflict of interest" issue and they would not let me. Nothing EVER went wrong with that vehicle in all those years as I recall, but it was maintained religiously.

You just never know.

After that I went to Japanese vehicles for personal use (Isuzu Toyota, Nissan) and have never looked back & all were/are great. Interestingly, none of my Govt. 4x4 vehicles ever gave me any trouble except a Dodge, and at least a 3rd of my driving miles were in the dirt, often in 4-wheel drive, but I never abused any of them. (Chev and International pickups, and one Dodge SUV, and the one Jeep wagoneer). I was the exclusive driver of all my Govt. vehicles, and that helps. The '76 (?) Dodge was a nightmare most of the time, and litterally fell apart even tho (maybe cecause of) it had an aggressive after-market suspension package (Rough-Country). (it was a Blazer-like veh----can't remember the name---"travel-all"????).

I never buy a used vehicle unless the seller has a maint. file on it that I can inspect..

Barry
Travelall name was used by International for their SUVs that stopped production in 1975 (but they weren't called SUVs back then) and Dodge SUVs were called Scouts.
________________________________________________


Edit:Just found out that my post was incorrect.

International also built a smaller Jeep like vehicle called the Scout II (1971–1980): The later standard production model came with a removable soft or hardtop.

The Dodge Ramcharger was a large sport utility vehicle built by Dodge from 1974 to 1993 (and from at least 1986 till 2001 in Mexico) based on the shortened wheelbase of the Dodge D Series/Ram pickup truck chassis. A Plymouth version, named the Trailduster was offered from 1974 to 1981, the brand's only SUV.

[Edited on 9-1-2013 by durrelllrobert]

chuckie - 8-31-2013 at 04:52 PM

NO! International Scouts were called scouts....

chuckie - 8-31-2013 at 05:07 PM

Put out the bait...nobody bit..The Dodge was a Ramcharger, the Plymouth version was a Trailduster...I had one that must have been made on a Friday afternoon..had Dodge logos on one side and Plymouth on the other...Good truck, but it rolled over cuz my brother was drinking too much...in Baja...Can you imagine?

I *LOVE* my Jeep - It's a "Jeep Thing"

Ken Cooke - 8-31-2013 at 06:33 PM

With a bad water pump at Coco's Corner



Rock crawling in Jacume



Sand Dune'ing near Puerto Nuevo



10 Years ago this weekend I brought home my Jeep!:bounce:



Bumping into, "The Author" in El Rosario - Nov. 2005 (Jeep in the background)



Dec. 2004 - Cohabuzo Junction with Neal Johns' DESERT EXPLORERS along the Pole Line Road - John Marnell is in the background.



Meeting Jose Ruiz (Baja Cat) for the 1st time.



Tecate, California!





'NEW' Wife :yes:



'EX' Wife :rolleyes:

Barry A. - 8-31-2013 at 06:46 PM

Lots sa Jeeps, Ken!!!! Lookin good!!!!

By the way, not "EX" wife, it's spelled "X" wife. :lol:

Barry

David K - 8-31-2013 at 09:58 PM

Ralph, I think that is a CJ-2A and very nice.

Willys-Overland built the Jeep to 1953 then it was Kaiser owned Willys Motors to about 1963 when the brand became Kaiser Jeep Corp. until 1970 when AMC bought it. Chrysler bought AMC around 1986 I think.

June 2013 Bradshaw Trail Jeep Run

Curt63 - 8-31-2013 at 10:06 PM

From Mecca to Blythe (Salton Sea to Colorado River) 5 1/2 hours 105 degrees. Swimmin in the Colorado river sure felt nice. Good times

Slideshow

[Edited on 9-1-2013 by Curt63]

David K - 9-1-2013 at 06:49 AM

A different kind of 'shell' collecting!

Curt63 - 9-1-2013 at 07:45 AM

As you can see, we stayed well hydrated :lol:

rts551 - 9-1-2013 at 07:53 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K
Ralph, I think that is a CJ-2A and very nice.

Willys-Overland built the Jeep to 1953 then it was Kaiser owned Willys Motors to about 1963 when the brand became Kaiser Jeep Corp. until 1970 when AMC bought it. Chrysler bought AMC around 1986 I think.


First one is a 1943 GPW (notice wide grill slats and hidden lights). Second is a 1952 CJ-3a (no split windshield)

David K - 9-1-2013 at 08:23 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by rts551
Quote:
Originally posted by David K
Ralph, I think that is a CJ-2A and very nice.

Willys-Overland built the Jeep to 1953 then it was Kaiser owned Willys Motors to about 1963 when the brand became Kaiser Jeep Corp. until 1970 when AMC bought it. Chrysler bought AMC around 1986 I think.


First one is a 1943 GPW (notice wide grill slats and hidden lights). Second is a 1952 CJ-3a (no split windshield)


Thank you!
I am on my phone so I saw the Willys name on the hood and the split windshield not realizing they were two different Jeeps, so I morphed them!
Nice collection... looking closer I see the blackout lights. Also no brand name. Both indicate military.
Love Jeeps for their history!