How do you keep them so long?

Well, in my case I had Ol' Red in storage for 20 some-odd years. I've owned her for 54 years this April but only became serious about restorative work about 7 years ago.

I find it harder to work on her the older I get. It is hard for me to get under the frame to make repairs and harder to lean over the fender to reach the odds and ends in the engine compartment. I have worked as a mechanic for most of my adult life and don't particularly enjoy that kind of work, but it kept food on the table and me out of trouble elsewhere.

I enjoy the driving of Ol' Red more than I do the turning of a wrench and that is why I've kept her for all these years.

If you drive a particular Jeep a lot; I mean a LOT as in “daily driver“ you can become very attached to them. 

Edited by oldtime - 13 Mar. 2023 at 9:22am

I'm sort of like Ken.  I can not envision life without my 3B or CJ5.  Those will both be going to friends when I depart this planet.  I've owned the CJ5 for 54 years (bought new) and the 3B for 51.  Bored is definitely not a problem with the 3B.  The CJ5 has spent the last 15 years sitting in the shop but is next on the queue for a rehab.  It shouldn't need too much as the rig only has 42k on it, zero rust, and pretty much stock (OD/rear tank and tire carrier/4bbl/headers).  Even the T86AA remains functional.  knocks on wood--------

mikec4193 wrote: Hi CJ2A fans ...I get them to a point and get bored with them... Any insight would be a wonderful thing... MikeC

I've had my crawler Jeep for 29 years. It was once my daily driver. It slowly evolved into the Jeep it is today. It's carried me all over the counrty from Tellico to KOH. I once fell on hard times (divorce/custodial parent) and was going to sell it. My then 8 year old son emptied his piggy bank and asked "will this help? How the hell could i sell it? I only use it a couple times a year. I still think about letting it go to someone who would appreciate it and use it for what it was built for. But universally the family will never let me do it. It's a family member at this point. 

You just do it!

Edited by 3-48s - 13 Mar. 2023 at 10:51pm

Interest in and affection for old jeeps. My 2A was purchased new in 1947 ($1050) by my dad. He put 80,000 miles on it and gave it to me in the early 1980s.

I relate to being more interested in working on them than driving them. I had a '71 Nova SS for many years and loved slowly fixing it up, but once it was done I drove it a few years, then got bored with it and sold it. Still don't regret it either. 

Edited by drm101 - 13 Mar. 2023 at 5:54pm

You have ADD. Nothing to be ashamed of. You lack the ability to stay focused on long term projects and see them through to the end. You may find doing shorter projects interspersed with the longer ones....works for me.