How did your addiction begin? Updated PICS

[Rod2]

I relate to all of you who have lost Dads or other loved ones who influenced your choice of rides. I lost my dad in '83 when he was approaching 80, but I still "channel" him when I have a sticky problem with vehicles or handyman solutions.
He is mostly responsible for my addiction because we lived on about 100 acres we called a farm when I was young, and one of my brothers-in-law brought a WW11 CJ2 to the farm to help with chores. It didn't take me long to master driving it although I was way too young to be legal. One of my favorite memories is of finishing my chores on summer days and driving that CJ across the hills and fields to the creek on the far boundary for a refreshing dip.
Then (you know I'm from the coal fields of WV) as a young adult, I had a job driving a coal truck and some of my loads came from a small operation that my Dad ran. On rainy days, even in the dead of summer, we had to use a later CJ with chains on all four corners to help tandem dumps get up to the loading bin. We had to stop doing that after a short while for fear of breaking lights and glass out of the dump with the rocks that the CJ was throwing as it dug up the hill. Talk about off-roading; that was making a living.
A couple decades later, when I decided to use fire wood to supplement my heat pump, nothing would do except going where the wood was and that demanded a 4X4. I never liked Fords--they changed the front diff from pass to driver's side--why? There were other no-Ford reasons as well; Dodges were too flimsy, I thought; Chevys were too finicky. So, I figured the only real truck was the J.
My first one was a '68 with the 327 and a 3-speed that wouldn't move a load on level ground without low range. It wasn't the engine; the tranny had a first gear some where in the mid 2.00:1. Even with 4:10 gears, it was clutch burning city. So I sourced GM parts: engine, 4-speed, and x-fer case for the upgrade. While studying the underside to prepare for the change, I found the rear over-axle cross member tube was rusted completely through on one side. Upgrade dismissed.
In '88, I found the current '73 J4000 on a used car lot, talked the dealer into trading it dead even for a '66 Malibu that my high school sons had got the best of; and I've been coddling, repairing, upgrading, wheeling, bragging about, teaching mechanics about, glowing over, and in general, enjoying the snot out of it ever since.
Sons and grandchildren are on a long list of people that want it once I ever get through with it. They wish.

[Randyzzz]

Sorry to hear about your dad. Mine's been gone a little over 7 years, not a day goes by that I don't miss him.

My Jeep obsession started in 1980, when I got so many tickets in my Mustang that I almost lost my license. Figured I'd better get off the road if I still wanted to have any fun. My first FSJ was in 1995, and we've had about 6 between then and now. My wife has always been a "Jeep Chick", her first FSJ was a 90 Waggy that she loved so much that we repurchased it several months after trading it in. Now she has her "Dream Waggy" in the '88.

[Strode182]

First car/truck I ever bought new was my 1980 J-10. It was a 258 6, 4sp, 208. I loved how that thing drove. I've wanted another one ever since I sold that. I've had a thing for WT Cherokees since then too.

[Coryd55]

Prayers are with you.

Well...two Christmases ago (2009) my family and I were brainstorming ideas for my high school senior project. My dad (half-heartedly) mentioned restoring a car. So it began...

After some time, I finally convinced my parents to let me do a restoration. I cruised craigslist almost nightly. I saw a 93 Wrangler that was in great shape for not to bad of a price. I called the guy and it was sold. So from then on, I started looking specifically for a Jeep. Well I found a 1976 Jeep Cherokee and fell in love. The guy who was helping me with part of the project called and asked some questions because I had no clue what I was doing at that point. It turned out ok and he drove up and towed it back that weekend.

It was a little rougher than the pictures indicated. But here she is in all her former glory:





As she sits today:

[rocklaurence]

Where do you guys come up with all these Cool pictures? For me, the best I can do is a Cave Drawing

[Heimeken]

I sold my 66 bronco to pay for college tuition. A few years later (after graduating) ran into an old friend. He tells me he has an old bronco for sale without an engine for $300. He is broke and desperate, so I go see. It was a '79 widetrack (obviously not a bronco). Looked like a good project so I bought it . I have bought 4 other FSJs since

[bufurd]

Abner, it looked a little different when I got it in 78 or 79 http://i903.photobucket.com/albums/a...g?t=1322439437