People driving TJs that you didn't think would be driving TJs

Chris

Chris

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Have you ever seen someone driving a TJ / LJ who you could have never imagined driving a TJ? If so, let's hear about it!

There's this older woman (probably mid 80s) who lives around my area. I see here from time-to-time driving a Patriot Blue LJ that looks very clean, with a chrome grille. Someone has put 32" or 33" tires on it, but it looks like it only has maybe 1" lift at most, so it doesn't look right.

Anyways, I see her driving it from time-to-time, hunched up to the wheel, putting around below the speed limit with her big black glasses on.

It always catches me by surprise, because I don't expect such an old woman to be driving a LJ!
 
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If you don't limit it to LJ's, yes. Not a lot of LJ's around here, so no.

There are quite a number of CJ's, YJ's and TJ's being driven by folks who you would never assume would be driving a Jeep by choice. My wife is one. You would never assume, at a glance, that her preferred vehicle would be a JKU. And never guess in a million years that she wheels it. Until you see her doing it.

All the ones I see fit into a type, too. Uniformly well maintained, have the biggest M&S or AT tires that fit on a stock rig, are well worn and obviously well loved. Reasonably clean. Unmodified.

I'm guessing the majority are "go to town" all weather, all terrain ranch or farm tools.
 
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Chris said:
Have you ever seen someone driving a TJ / LJ who you could have never imagined driving a TJ? If so, let's hear about it!

There's this older woman (probably mid 80s) who lives around my area. I see here from time-to-time driving a Patriot Blue LJ that looks very clean, with a chrome grille. Someone has put 32" or 33" tires on it, but it looks like it only has maybe 1" lift at most, so it doesn't look right.

Anyways, I see here driving it from time-to-time, hunched up to the wheel, putting around below the speed limit with her big black glasses on.

It always catches me by surprise, because I don't expect such an old woman to be driving a LJ!
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It might surprise you, but that woman was probably driving military Jeeps and CJ-5s way before you were even a twinkle in your Daddy's eye. She probably loves Jeeps so much that she swore she would always have one.
As much as you like Jeeps, you'll probably be driving one when you're an "old man". Some young whipper snapper will see you drive by and say " I'm really surprised to see such an old man driving a Jeep ". :)
 
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I see a lot of that out here in Colorado, mostly older jeeps, "Mountain Beat-ups" as I like to call them.

Although not a TJ, the best I have had since I moved here:
I was doing a WWII display for the Veterans Museum, had the hood up on my 44 GPW (Pig Pen), and was talking with a few people about the motor.
A lady in her 80's walked up, listened, and then started giving pointers for a smooth running motor. Wow, do you own one of these ? I asked. She said "No, I used to wrench on these during the war".........

Irish Brophy was her name, and she served in the United States Marine Corps as a Jeep/Truck mechanic during WWII. She continued thru the years driving jeeps until she couldn't drive anymore. Ms. Brophy was a fixture at the museum until she passed a few years ago.

Unexpected jeep history, and you never know when it's going to find you :)
 
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WWII Jeeper said:
I see a lot of that out here in Colorado, mostly older jeeps, "Mountain Beat-ups" as I like to call them.

Although not a TJ, the best I have had since I moved here:
I was doing a WWII display for the Veterans Museum, had the hood up on my 44 GPW (Pig Pen), and was talking with a few people about the motor.
A lady in her 80's walked up, listened, and then started giving pointers for a smooth running motor. Wow, do you own one of these ? I asked. She said "No, I used to wrench on these during the war".........

Irish Brophy was her name, and she served in the United States Marine Corps as a Jeep/Truck mechanic during WWII. She continued thru the years driving jeeps until she couldn't drive anymore. Ms. Brophy was a fixture at the museum until she passed a few years ago.

Unexpected jeep history, and you never know when it's going to find you :)
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Love that story!! People had lives "before" they got old. Some people just don't understand that.
 
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T Crawford said:
If you watch the rv crowd there is a lot of retiree’s that drive them as they tow easy
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My '03 TJ was bought for that purpose. A couple in their mid-60s bought it new and towed it to and from Florida every year up to 2013. They sold it to me when they were in their mid-70s.
 
We were in a restaurant and trying to figure out who there may own the TJ in the lot. Came up empty. No one matched my mental image. It looked like mine. 33’s, at least a 4” lift and a body lift.
Out come two little old ladies with walkers. They go right to that Jeep. She puts her walker in the back, takes a little stool out. She then puts her good leg up on the front tire and hoists herself in. Then she uses a rope tied to the stool and lifts it into the Jeep and tosses it in back.
Needless to say, I was impressed. When I’m that age, I want to have that gumption. I’m guessing someone told her she can’t drive that anymore and she said “the hell I can’t”.
I say good for anyone that continues to live the way they want despite adversities.


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TJScott said:
We were in a restaurant and trying to figure out who there may own the TJ in the lot. Came up empty. No one matched my mental image. It looked like mine. 33’s, at least a 4” lift and a body lift.
Out come two little old ladies with walkers. They go right to that Jeep. She puts her walker in the back, takes a little stool out. She then puts her good leg up on the front tire and hoists herself in. Then she uses a rope tied to the stool and lifts it into the Jeep and tosses it in back.
Needless to say, I was impressed. When I’m that age, I want to have that gumption. I’m guessing someone told her she can’t drive that anymore and she said “the hell I can’t”.
I say good for anyone that continues to live the way they want despite adversities.


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That sounds like my mum when she visits..she's 74 years old and 4ft 8in tall..she always asks just to go for a ride...doors and roof off of course...and yes we have to carry a step ladder for her to get in because of her arthritis and her lack of height.
She says its a lil bit painful getting in but worth it for the experience. If Dad would drive one she'd be keen to own one.
Oh and yes she spots Jeeps to wave and if none around she just waves and everybody haha..gotta love my mum.:D
 
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My neighbor isn't your typical TJ owner, but loves his. Building it as a purpose built mall crawler, just to attract the "chicks" in his own words. He was doing really good till he strapped an Angry Birds grill on it. It does amaze me that he DD's it into the city every day when he could have a more comfortable vehicle to commute. He is also almost always top down.
 
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I hope this is taken in the spirit in which it’s intended- I am always surprised to see a black guy driving a YJ/TJ/LJ. Growing up, I could probably count the number of black guys driving them on the fingers and toes of a quadruple amputee, but not any more.
Say what you want about JK’s, but I think they opened up the world of open-body Jeeps to a whole new demographic and the community is better for it.
 
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TJScott said:
We were in a restaurant and trying to figure out who there may own the TJ in the lot. Came up empty. No one matched my mental image. It looked like mine. 33’s, at least a 4” lift and a body lift.
Out come two little old ladies with walkers. They go right to that Jeep. She puts her walker in the back, takes a little stool out. She then puts her good leg up on the front tire and hoists herself in. Then she uses a rope tied to the stool and lifts it into the Jeep and tosses it in back.
Needless to say, I was impressed. When I’m that age, I want to have that gumption. I’m guessing someone told her she can’t drive that anymore and she said “the hell I can’t”.
I say good for anyone that continues to live the way they want despite adversities.


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I hate to say it, but I may be using that technique for the next 6 months or so. My TJ only has a 3" lift. I just bought my stool & walker. Next week they take out my 5 year old stainless hip and replace it with a temporary one for 3 months and then they replace that one with a new permanent hip if the bacterial infection is gone.
 
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For some reason I am that person for people that I’ve worked with. To most of them I come off as a square with no mechanical sense or interests. This is probably because I dress/groom myself with some sense of purpose and I’m polite and sociable. I think their idea of a Jeep owner is some slob that swears non-stop.

They get really blown away when they find out that I had a motorcycle or several other things that don’t line up with their impression of me.

That being said I am unfortunately guilty of making assumptions of other people.


My LJ had been owned by an old couple. How old, I can’t say, as I bought it from a guy selling it on consignment, but old enough that it appears the top was never removed and they had some kind of high posts on the front milk jugs so they could see the corners. Oh, and they have a PA system that also makes animal noises.
 
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Ron Hockett said:
I hate to say it, but I may be using that technique for the next 6 months or so. My TJ only has a 3" lift. I just bought my stool & walker. Next week they take out my 5 year old stainless hip and replace it with a temporary one for 3 months and then they replace that one with a new permanent hip if the bacterial infection is gone.
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Ow. That whole scenario sounds painful. Hope you heal quickly. She had a hole in the middle of the stool for the rope.


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TJScott said:
Ow. That whole scenario sounds painful. Hope you heal quickly. She had a hole in the middle of the stool for the rope.


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Thanks! My stool is a collapsible one, with rope attached. It also works on my Ram 2500 4X4.
 
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