40 Years.......Today

[Robrt-Stephens]

Today, it is my 40th anniversary with Jeeps and Jeepin......

26 of them. They all have been wonderful.

It started here, when I was 8 years old. I feasted on this photo of my dearest daddy in his war scrapbook, in his Willys MB at age of 22 on the Island of Saipan in the South Pacific during WW2. I wanted to be like him and I wanted one of those Jeeps so bad I could taste it. I saved for 4 years. I finally had $204.60 when I was 12 almost 13. I put it all down and financed the Jeep below for 24 months for $11.34 per month through Wells Fargo Bank, my folks co-signing for me. I bought it for $450.00

From this, in April, on the 15th, 1965...............

....to this, April 15th, 2005...........

...and it seems like only yesterday. The gulf of years blur as they pass astern with wonder and reflection this day. The voyage is half over for me now, at 52 turning 53, May 9th.

And forward, at the final end of this long odyssey, the memories will be very great.

Behold.

1965-2005

 

[Saurian]

That is AWESOME!!! Great post, congrats on 40 years, and best wishes for another 40 years of Jeeping just as grand as the last have been!

 

[laneiac]

Wow, must say, that is very impressive, so without a doubt, you have the right to talk about ARB's like you do :lol:

 

[PhattyX]

That is truly a cool story. A whole scrapbook of all your Jeeps would be like a history lesson.

Pardon my ignorance, but were you legally allowed to drive at 13?

-X

 

[berettajeep]

It is official. I am adopting you as my father.

and my first question is.....

"Dad, I need to borrow the CJ this weekend. Thanks! "



Seriously. Congrats.

 

[LadyJeepFreak]

Robert, that is way too awesome. I love the old photo of your dad and that jeep. Thanks for sharing your story with the younger generation here.

Lady

 

[Robrt-Stephens]

That is truly a cool story. A whole scrapbook of all your Jeeps would be like a history lesson.

Pardon my ignorance, but were you legally allowed to drive at 13?

-X

The whole collection starts here:

http://behold-the-rage.com/jeep_page_1.html

Then, as now, growing up in a very rural place and state, yes, you can get an 'Agricultural Lics.' to allow you to move heavy equipment from one field to another, via roads. Same as now. One just has to take the test as all opthers do regardless of age, with the proper invoking on the lic. as anybody else. I stretched it since I was big for my age, and responisble, and went to school in that Jeep. I was so cool.................There were no shortage of babes...........

Memories.

Thank you everyone for your most kind and praising words. It means a lot to me, as you might imagine.

 

[Sparky-Watts]

That is great, Robert. I love looking at pics of the GI's in their Jeeps, and wondering what it was like then. I must admit, it looks as though your dear father has not a stitch of clothes on his body!

Thanks for sharing with us. I enjoy reading your posts, and have spent some time (not nearly enough) on your website also, and have enjoyed that. I'm only a decade younger in years, but an infant in knowledge of Jeeps in comparison.

Side note: here in the Alley of Tornadoes, kids can drive legally at pretty much any age they are able to see over the steering wheel, so long as they are driving on farm business (to the grain elevator, the feed store, somewhere for parts or supplies related to farming), whether it's big wheat trucks, pickups, cars, tractors, combines, etc. I had friends that were driving at 8 and 9 years of age.

 

[Robrt-Stephens]

That is great, Robert. I love looking at pics of the GI's in their Jeeps, and wondering what it was like then. I must admit, it looks as though your dear father has not a stitch of clothes on his body!

Thanks for sharing with us. I enjoy reading your posts, and have spent some time (not nearly enough) on your website also, and have enjoyed that. I'm only a decade younger in years, but an infant in knowledge of Jeeps in comparison.

Side note: here in the Alley of Tornadoes, kids can drive legally at pretty much any age they are able to see over the steering wheel, so long as they are driving on farm business (to the grain elevator, the feed store, somewhere for parts or supplies related to farming), whether it's big wheat trucks, pickups, cars, tractors, combines, etc. I had friends that were driving at 8 and 9 years of age.

Hi Sparky,

I failed to mentioned that I grew up on a ranch, and your description about doing things that are 'ranch-farm related' is the issue and you are right. I still here living in the same house I was borned in nearly 53 years ago.

Yes, you are right about your country too; see, you know this, in the hinter lands of our nation the people are still individuals. So, peole can get away with thngs and no one cares. One of te advantages of rural living. Are you in Kansas or thereabouts.......?

Ya know, I am used to seeing dad with his cut off short dungarees in his photos that I never noticed that pict until now and rechecking ity at the top, yes, he looks as if he is naked.

I laughed so hard.

If he were still with me, I'd hit him up on this as he was as insane as me, and ask, "hey daddy, is this photo of you naked in the MB how you picked up mom?....nice goin', dad......."

Too funny,

Thank you again Sparky for your genereous words and kindness to me. So welcome!!

 

[Robrt-Stephens]

Robert, that is way too awesome. I love the old photo of your dad and that jeep. Thanks for sharing your story with the younger generation here.

Lady

Thank you for you most kind words. Tried to open your scrapbook to see your rig, but it would not open and gave th 404 error code.

Thank you again.

 

[mingez]

RE: Re: RE: Re: RE: Check out this Wrangler on Ebay

Very cool, Robrt, you already know what I think.

Again, nice site.

 

[Sparky-Watts]

Re: um... yeah.... this is a mockery to the jeep name

Are you in Kansas or thereabouts.......?

Yes, about a day northwest of Wichita....on horseback, that is. About 25 minutes by Jeep!

 

[Sully]

RE: It

Congrats! That's a long time jeeping!

 

[Robrt-Stephens]

Thank you Sully and everyone for the most kind words. Wonderful to read such!!!