This Jeep has always been out in the open

That would explain why most semi's still have them as well.
Yes, load carrying is pretty easy with leaf springs. Coils offer better flexibility. Longer range of travel. Chevy made the mistake of putting coils on their 1/2 ton in the 1960s giving it the same capability as Corvair. But honestly the YJ was pretty capable with leafs that were longer and wider giving pretty good off road ability. Not a rock crawler.... but a stock TJ is hardly a rock crawler compared to one modified to specifically rock crawl. Where I live, there are no waterfalls to climb. My TJs coils offer zero capability beyond what my YJs leafs offered.

I like the simplicity of leaf springs, the durability of carburetors, the bullet proof strength of cast iron, the longevity of open C shaped steel frames, the ease of trouble shooting a Jeep without any solid state circuits or computer, and the freedom of a Jeep which can sit outside topless during a hurricane.

We have forgotten what a Jeep is but this thread has the correct title...

"This Jeep has always been out in the open"

I miss that.
 
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I mean this in a positive way, if you love the old then just buy one. They are cheaper than TJs these days. I have a 1960 Ford and love it but it's a different animal. If you want leafs go get them!
 
I mean this in a positive way, if you love the old then just buy one. They are cheaper than TJs these days. I have a 1960 Ford and love it but it's a different animal. If you want leafs go get them!
yep, perfect, stock CJ2, 3, 5, 6, 7s are normally about the same price as an average TJR. I've been close to buying one often. I had a 1960 unibody, a 2WD highboy when the world was slamming them, I lifted mine. Should have never sold it. Everyone said I was crazy going 100mph on a gravel road with a straight front axle. Yeah I tend to love winning with an underdog no one else understands. I hate following the flock.
 
I like the simplicity of leaf springs, the durability of carburetors, the bullet proof strength of cast iron, the longevity of open C shaped steel frames, the ease of trouble shooting a Jeep without any solid state circuits or computer, and the freedom of a Jeep which can sit outside topless during a hurricane.
Every time I think I generally disagree with your viewpoint on things, @billiebob, you go and say something that makes me think we have something in common... ;)(y)
 
yep, perfect, stock CJ2, 3, 5, 6, 7s are normally about the same price as an average TJR. I've been close to buying one often. I had a 1960 unibody, a 2WD highboy when the world was slamming them, I lifted mine. Should have never sold it. Everyone said I was crazy going 100mph on a gravel road with a straight front axle. Yeah I tend to love winning with an underdog no one else understands. I hate following the flock.
My Dad told me those old Ford uni-body pick-ups were rather snidely referred to as "the farmer's friend". He said you'd throw a load of hay or feed in the back, and if you made the mistake of leaving the door open while doing so, the body would twist up enough that you couldn't close the damn door. I always found that amusing. And by the way, the first drivable vehicle I ever owned was a '60 Chevy 1/2 ton pickup. And you're right...those coils in the back were a joke. Nice soft ride, however...;)
 
I like the simplicity of leaf springs, the durability of carburetors, the bullet proof strength of cast iron, the longevity of open C shaped steel frames, the ease of trouble shooting a Jeep without any solid state circuits or computer, and the freedom of a Jeep which can sit outside topless during a hurricane.

We have forgotten what a Jeep is but this thread has the correct title...

"This Jeep has always been out in the open"

I miss that.

Being someone whose age was in the single digits when the YJs came out .. I've never driven any vehicle with leaf springs let alone a Jeep. I really want to get a CJ someday and learn to fully work on it, like the guy in the original video.

Overall in life I find myself gravitating to simpler and simpler (and lesser number of) things as I get older. The TJ purchase was a marked decision in that direction when my peers and friends are buying the latest and the greatest SUVs. No modern SUV, no matter the brand or the features, gives the feel of an open Jeep. My friends think I'm dumb for spending that much on my TJ when it has so few features. But that's precisely the reason why I bought it and that they find hard to comprehend .. it has just about enough and nothing more. I think the CJ would be even better in that sense.

The title of that video (and this thread) captures that sense of openness to me. The person in the video said it the best .. I'm paraphrasing, but it was something like "You arrive not exhausted but exhilarated. You are already out and in vacation as you are driving to wherever you are going". The journey matters as much as the destination. I'm finding that's true for my life too.
 
yep, Not one of Fords better ideas. But it sure had great style. I think the box was 9' long too. Make everyone think wow more capacity..... not.
There's a guy running around somewhere in the Portland area with a short box uni-body Ford. He's got a 460 in it. Bet that thing is a blast to drive!
 
Being someone whose age was in the single digits when the YJs came out .. I've never driven any vehicle with leaf springs let alone a Jeep. I really want to get a CJ someday and learn to fully work on it, like the guy in the original video.

Overall in life I find myself gravitating to simpler and simpler (and lesser number of) things as I get older. The TJ purchase was a marked decision in that direction when my peers and friends are buying the latest and the greatest SUVs. No modern SUV, no matter the brand or the features, gives the feel of an open Jeep. My friends think I'm dumb for spending that much on my TJ when it has so few features. But that's precisely the reason why I bought it and that they find hard to comprehend .. it has just about enough and nothing more. I think the CJ would be even better in that sense.

The title of that video (and this thread) captures that sense of openness to me. The person in the video said it the best .. I'm paraphrasing, but it was something like "You arrive not exhausted but exhilarated. You are already out and in vacation as you are driving to wherever you are going". The journey matters as much as the destination. I'm finding that's true for my life too.
To me, the TJ is a little more complicated than I like. Honestly, though, it's because I don't understand things like computers and whatnot. But where I can forgive the TJ is that they have a proven reliability record. That goes a long way toward acceptance, for me. Same thing with my Lincoln Town Car. Not uncommon to find 300,000 mile TCs for sale, and even into the 400,000 mile range. Reliability. It's a winner!
 
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The journey matters as much as the destination.
Exactly. If I had the choice of driving a Ford GT or a '67 Mustang on the Pacific Coast Highway, I'd pick a stock perfect '67 Mustang every time. And I'd pick one with only one option.... a 390. Not even a radio.

Heck I should be honest, I'd drive any stock Ford with a 390. pickup included.
 
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Exactly. If I had the choice of driving a Ford GT or a '67 Mustang on the Pacific Coast Highway, I'd pick a stock perfect '67 Mustang every time. And I'd pick one with only one option.... a 390. Not even a radio.
GT or GTA? My kid brother had a '67 GT for a couple of years. Fun car!
 
To me, the TJ is a little more complicated than I like. Honestly, though, it's because I don't understand things like computers and whatnot. But where I can forgive the TJ is that they have a proven reliability record. That goes a long way toward acceptance, for me. Same thing with my Lincoln Town Car. Not uncommon to find 300,000 mile TCs for sale, and even into the 400,000 mile range. Reliability. It's a winner!

Agree on the "complicated" part. Reading all the forum reports on the different PCM related issues on 05-06 models and the difficulty in finding a replacement computer makes me pretty damned wary. I understand computers and electronics reasonably well but for closed source systems like vehicle PCMs you are really left at the mercy of someone else and used parts. So I do get why people say they'd take carbureted over EFI any day.
 
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That’s probably the best story I’ve seen to date of the attention to a vehicle and it’s nuances and mechanical behaviors. Lots of good reminders for us to learn from as we keep the TJ/LJ history into the 2050s+ like that gentleman did with his from over 50 years ago, even if it’s through our heirs.

Thank you for sharing!
 
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GT or GTA? My kid brother had a '67 GT for a couple of years. Fun car!
GT...modern.
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GTA
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I'd still pick a mass produced Mustang.
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I'm a fan of the base car. I'd take a Fairlane over a GTA everyday.
 
I meant would you take the GT or GTA Mustang (it was a '67 only designation). I know the Fairlane could also be had as a GT or GTA. So I guess what I'm asking is would you want the GT (4-speed) Mustang, or the GTA (automatic) Mustang? My kid brother had the '67 GT Mustang, and a kid here at work had a GTA Mustang back in the mid-80s. I'd take either one!
 
Agree on the "complicated" part. Reading all the forum reports on the different PCM related issues on 05-06 models and the difficulty in finding a replacement computer makes me pretty damned wary. I understand computers and electronics reasonably well but for closed source systems like vehicle PCMs you are really left at the mercy of someone else and used parts. So I do get why people say they'd take carbureted over EFI any day.
The PCM issues are enough of a concern for me that when I peruse Craigslist for TJs or LJs, I use 2004 as the cutoff year. I just don't want to take the risk of having to deal with PCM (potential) problems.
 
The PCM issues are enough of a concern for me that when I peruse Craigslist for TJs or LJs, I use 2004 as the cutoff year. I just don't want to take the risk of having to deal with PCM (potential) problems.

I would've done the same had I known better 😕
 
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