What Your Story?

[Deleted]

Do it, Felix. And move the tool box thread, too.

[Deleted]

A very touching story, thanks for posting Moose, It sure makes one think of the "Warrens" we each have had in our lives and the ones we still do. My GPW will be a tribute as well, and my M-715 carries the unit numbers of my friend Gary, A decorated "Combat Engineer", 65E-25ID, in honor of his service. I had the pleasure of traveling back to Vietnam with him in 2008, A very special experience

Lee

[Deleted]

Wow, Moose. Wow. Now THAT is what it is all about. Thank you! The story needs to be published and saved for posterity somewhere. If you haven't ever put it over on any of the military jeep websites, please do. What a reminder of why the jeep and its history are important!

[Deleted]

Thanks Lee and Fbill. I may have briefly mentioned Warren on other sites (G503), but I don't think it was anywhere near as in depth as what I shared here. You all must just be that special.

Seriously, though...thanks for reading through all of that. There is definitely a lot of info there. What's fun, too, is that inadvertently, by restoring that first jeep for Warren, the side effect was now what has blossomed into my passion for military vehicles. When he passed away, it was shortly thereafter when I went off the deep end hoping to save all the vehicles.

I think you guys all know what I mean. That's the nice thing about this place...I don't have to explain.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Bo!.

[Deleted]

I was discussing with John Bizal how I had to reach through the grill slats of my '52 M38A1 to test the selenium rectifier and what a pain it was. ( getting the charging system trouble shot) He was snickering on the other end of the phone at me. I said what's so funny, and he said Do you know what you have? I said what. He said------you have Green Disease! I think you have it too! So, have you been looking and dreaming of Half Tracks and how cool they are? You of course would need a WW2 low boy to haul it on and a quad 50 in the back! Then a Sherman , Studebaker Red Ball Express unit, on and on. What a great way to spend your time. Don't forget all models of CJ's, FC's, pickups, and maybe a shop 100 x 200 with air conditioning and heat, and a squad of Hooter's girls to serve you lunch, ah, did I forget anything? Signed Oilleaker1.

[Deleted]

LOL John ;D, so I ask you, If one happened to have a Halftrack at what point do the "HOOTERS GIRLS" show up? , just wonder'in

Lee

[Deleted]

I think it is when the "other half" shows up. ( I don't think it has a track either) John

[Deleted]

Only 100 by 200?

[Deleted]

Nov 29, 2013 21:37:31 GMT -5 @fbill said:

Only 100 by 200?

That's right, your from Texas ;D, Personally I have too much stuff now, no need for more shed space .............Really, did I say that! ;D

Lee

[Haines Garage]

The Mooses story is a Fantastic one. I most admire him. We met at an event honoring WW2 Veterans , Presented by, at the tine Congressman Tim Scott. Bo allowed me to place my Grandfathers "shadow box" on the hood of his GPW. As well as a Burial Flag I keep for my Grandfather. That meant A lot to me. We are connected because of our love for "The Greatest Generation" and for our love of Jeeps.

Bo, (Moose) maybe some pics off the Tim Scott Event, or perhaps even the Warren Axe Story should be in order.

[Haines Garage]

This is one of the coolest threads here. I am bringing it back up, because it got buried. I love the why I do the Jeep thing.
Anyone want to share?

[Deleted]

Sure: a friend knew I was working on a WW2 Jeep in my shop and brought his Father in Law in to see it. They were coming back from the cancer doctor. The Father in law was terminal and wasn't feeling well. He managed to get out of the car and into my shop. When his eyes met my MB Jeep, they lit up, and he had a spurt of energy. Even started smiling. He had a English accent. He told me that he hadn't seen one like mine since the war. He was indeed from England and served during WW2 working in a aircraft plant. This guy asked if I'd ever heard of a Mosquito? I said oh yes, the twin engine British light bomber and ground attack plane made out of plywood. He was impressed that I knew. Their main defense was to simply mash the throttles and fly away from the German fighters. Twin Merlins!!!!!! I felt honored to be standing next to a hero. He then told me a story that I've never read or heard of. I can't find reference to them either. He had also served during the Battle of Britain on " Sea Forks". These were a chain of stands that were off shore in the English Channel and were connected in a series of "Forks" with catwalks. They were 3 story. Top story was a anti-aircraft gun, 2nd was ammunition, 3rd was sleeping quarters. They were part of the first line of defense against the German aircraft and-------------V1's or buzz bombs. That had to be a wild time. I always am in awe of this generation of people. John

[Deleted]

I've never heard of the Sea Forks, either. That definitely doesn't sound like a job for the feint of heart and every bit as dangerous as any other wartime military job. The smile and the memories you gave him are priceless. I would bet everything he continued talking to his son and family about random events and encounters that were long forgotten throughout the next several days. 10 minutes spent looking at that jeep probably did as much, if not more, than anything the doctors could have done for him. THAT right there is THE why, guys.

[Deleted]

Is that a time machine, fbills avatar photo, I would like a ride

Lee

[Deleted]

Mar 29, 2014 9:59:19 GMT -5 @lee said:

Is that a time machine, fbills avatar photo, I would like a ride

Lee

Sorry, it isn't a time machine, it's actually my spaceship. Sorta an intergalactic version of the jeep.

(I found it in some northwestern tourist town. Which one, I forget, but it had an antique shop I will never forget being tossed out of. Dude who ran it was insane. He wanted $500 for a nonfunctioning no cabinet included distributor machine and was highly offended it wasn't in my budget.)

I'll tell you my story once I finish constructing something believable. It might be a while.;

[Haines Garage]

Sir John,
That is a good one..I love hearing ones like that.

FBill...can't wait to here this one.

[Haines Garage]

Anyone have a why story they should like to tell?

[Haines Garage]

Anyone want to share your Why?
Why you do the Flat Fender Jeep Thing that is..

[Haines Garage]

This is an Awesome thread.
Anyone care to step up to the podium?

Start with...
Hello My name is____________ And I have a Jeep Willys Addiction. Here is why!

[Deleted]

Okie dokie.....I reckon I'll take a turn here.......

Hello my names Gary.... Here's my Willis story....

A few years before I was even thought of, Dad bought a 46 2A from my maternal Grandmother and her husband, after he bought a newer 3B, we called him E.D. ( never did learn what E.D. stood for.) He was just a simple country man, lived off the land, didn't hardly read or write, and repaired small engines for a living. They lived in a old, I mean OLD, single wide deep in the East Texas piney woods, with old lawn mowers shoved underneath and anywhere else they would fit. I hated visiting in the summer, damn swamp cooler doesn't do much in 100% humidity, when it worked.... Which wasn't very often....,,

When Dad bought her, she ran on two cylinders, no floor boards to speak of and there was a pine stump stuck in the passenger side. None of this bothered E.D. though, seeing how you don't drive from the passenger side and he just used low range.

Anyways, Dad brought her home and did some repairs. He took it hunting, a few trips into the national Forrest and such . When I was 2, we moved from Dallas up north to a couple acres in a small town. As I was growing up, the jeep was our stump puller, log skidder, dirt and junk hauler, and during hunting season it went to the panhandle with us to help us chase little bobwhite quail. It became part of our lives. It taught me how to fix things, how to double clutch out of low range because a trailer with cord and a half of green oak stacked on it won't untrack......


So I reckon it just became a natural decision when I was 19, a chance passing glance at the Sunday classifieds I saw :

HUNTERS SPECIAL
51 Jeep $1000.

[jeffwho]

I can't compete with Moosey, hell his reason is part of the reason I have one - You should see him talk about Warren in person, it'll slap you up and down. I remember the first time he met the guys in the reenactors group I was in, at Patriots Point and he got to talking about Warren. It took five minutes for that whole group to figure out this guy's the real deal. Round these parts, he's referred to simply as "The Jeep Whisperer".

BUT, before I get ahead of myself and start on the why's, the when's the what's and the who's, in a rare moment of clarity I came to realize that I don't have a Willys addiction. As has been painstakingly indicated by HG gracing us with his vacation missive, my lil ol vehicle happens to be a - well, non-Willys. However, I look forward to more submissions - this is good stuff, gents.

-D

[Deleted]

I remember that day! I was especially giddy because the following day I trailered the jeep to JAX so Sgt. Manegan and I could roll in the Veterans Day parade. I can't remember if that was on the eve of our first or last parade, though.

[Haines Garage]

That's a great story Gary. Thanks for telling it.

Jeff (Detard) that's a great story as well.

Thanks for telling them!

[jeffwho]

Apr 15, 2015 12:01:34 GMT -5 @themoose74 said:

I remember that day! I was especially giddy because the following day I trailered the jeep to JAX so Sgt. Manegan and I could roll in the Veterans Day parade. I can't remember if that was on the eve of our first or last parade, though.

Bo, you met everyone at Patriots Point in November 2011, and it's likely that is why you made such an impression on everyone because you spoke so highly and emotionally about Warren.  It was an incredible tribute.

[zooke581]

I had been out of the Army about two years ( I had been into somewhat restoring Oldsmobiles from 1954 to 59 since I was 16) and saw my first flat fender in a town 10 miles from mine. It was orange and white. Orange with white blocking all over the body and with a double white roll bar with white Chrysler Imperial wheels. They went to our church and I knew them. I had to have it. I think it was about $800 at the time in 1982.

I had just driven a friend of the familys flat fender so I was hooked.

The deal was made and I saved up some dough and finally it was mine.

When I got it home I had to make some changes. They put an F-head in it and moved the radiator and grille forward and put a stupid looking extension on it. I took that off and moved everything back to it's proper place. Next was the hole in the hood. I got a lower air cleaner and put an aluminum runner over the hole along with two full hood length oak runners to cover up the seam.

I drove (Maynard) named after the Malto Meal commercial "That's good stuff, Maynard" for three years before trading it in on a 72 Ford pickup. Never had a top on it all those years.

One time in Nebraska during the winter I was driving home from a Hog Farm I worked at and an on coming car hit a pile of slush and it filled my Jeep and covered me all over. I think I may have at that time used the longest cuss word in the world. One Dad used on occasion. German of course.

After getting into the 101st Airborne Division Association and working closely with WWII vets I had to get another to represent and it started all over. This time with many more friends and fun from the first time. And Short Round is carrying on where Maynard left off in a much different and special way.