"Coors Can" 1947 Willy's Jeep 1994-1996
This was the second jeep I built from the ground up, the body was all steel using ½” box tube & 18 ga sheet metal. The only thing Jeep was the windshield frame & grill. The frame, 2x3 w/ 1 ¾ 1.20 tube, 10 bolt front, Dana 60 rear, full width 4 linked & double shackled ¾ elliptic springs, Rancho 9000 shocks, 400ci motor, TH350, Dana 300, 35 gal fuel tank, A/C compressor plumbed into the cage for powering air tools, multiple tool boxes for tools & recovery gear. Everyone called it the service truck. It was a mule. My first trip was Moab 94’. We didn’t know you were supposed to sign up for trails, we were like kids in a candy store going crazy. This thing would climb anything, the 4 link made it freaking bullet proof & was wild looking, something people were not used to seeing in its time. My second trip was Sierra Trek, Randy & I showed up on the trail the night before and began to drink, passing out under our jeeps. Beer cans everywhere, waking up the next morning w/people staring and talking about my jeep being too wide & would plug the trail. We passed them all making obstacles look easy, so easy we got bored and decided to trade jeeps for a bit, I hit a rock at speed and tore a hole in Randys tire that you could put your arm in. I broke his pitman arm, we welded it back, laced his tire w/wire plugs & tire sealant not because we didn’t have a spare we just liked a challenge. It was fun not to mention, we still drink about it. Besides using it for hunting & fishing I also entered Top Truck Challenge in 1996 with Tammy as my co-driver. This would be the first time I ever played in the mud. I hate mud but it was priceless watching Tammy winch me out of the Tank Trap as I sat waist deep in the mud in my seat while she was damn near up to her neck in it. We made it & lucky enough to win. What a great time! Shortly after we got home Tammy realized she was 2 months pregnant w/Bailey so I decided to sell the 47 willys “Coors can” that was now coral so I could afford to build “Whitey” that was almost a clone to Pinky & the new family wagon which was a YJ w/four seats. Dam kids always suck’n the funds outta my fun bank.