What's up with the WRANGLER?

[Suz]

What's up with the Wrangler?
Here's my take:
The jeeps from Willis to CJ were all made for off-road. They were short wheelbase and relatively high. They were great off road but not so good on the highway. In the '80s there were a lot of roll-overs. The YJ, the first Wrangler, was designed to improve the highway stability issues. It was lower and wider. The suspension was improved for street use. It had track bars to prevent side to side flex.
These changes did improve the Jeeps stability on the highway but they also made this first Wrangler worse off the road. This is why hard core off-roaders didn't like the YJ Wrangler. They also changed to rectangular head lights only because they were cool in the '80s and most cars had them. Those headlights were another reason jeepers didn't like the YJ.
With all the criticism the Wrangler was later improved for off-road use. The TJ had coil springs and was better on road and off. Then the JK came out and was even better yet. (yes, I'm ignoring axle tubes and a couple other areas)
In the mean time the YJ has been getting old. People realized that with a few mods "old square eyes" can be a damn good off-roader. Actually they can be bought very cheaply and can be easily turned into a hard core off-roader. For that reason I think the hatred of the Wranglers has been subsiding. It was strongest in the late '80s.

Very well put. I agree and a big "Amen" about those headlights...

Sent from my GT-I9152 using Tapatalk

 

[Suz]

WARNING, most of the following will be over the top, even ridiculous in places, there might be a joke or two in there somewhere.......

Since real Jeeps have a hump in the door you are right the CJ6 had a longer wheel base than the CJ5 . There are some vehicles that are similar to Jeeps, but have wider wheel bases and taller body tubs and car like square doors, those would be the CJ7 and CJ8 while looking very much like a true Jeep but were more civilized than the very similar Jeep. These were really just a way to soften up the public to accept the fact that it was no longer acceptable to drive truly off road, then the true jeep died, almost over night many roads were closed and the media flooded us with propaganda related to how awful it was for humans to enjoy the great out doors. The trend has grown to the point where only select trails are acceptable to drive on. Now the trend is to push us to believe that we shouldn't drive our few remaining CJ's on the road and accept that the proper place for them is on closely regulated off road parks and play grounds. I expect in just a few short years even those places will disappear leaving us with soft, bucket seats, carpets, radios and an electric motor in our once great off road heritages. By then nobody will remember what we've lost as a people.........

Funny. Sounds like the apocalypse is coming...

Sent from my GT-I9152 using Tapatalk

 

[Suz]

Unfortunately, any product that gets popular over time becomes morphed for the masses (wannabees and havtoos). You can easily see that in the 240Z, Mustang, Chevelle, and all the other, originally purpose built cars.

BTW, did you know WHY? the Corvette Coupe got the in-roof doors in '63 - '64? Remember the Beehive Hairdoos? A GM exec's wife complained (reliable legend has it)that the Coupe would mess up her hair...and a redesign was born

You can see it in online gaming (WarCraft comes to mind). So it's no surprise that out of the 3 different Jeep vehicles produced for Uncle Sam during the war, much like the H1 Hummer, it has morphed into a higly saleable status product.

Not the point Not everyone can go buy a Willys or a CJ...Not everyone has the mad skills that farmers, hillbillys, and rednecks take for granted. I don't care if your Jeep was refitted by 4WD, Quadratec, Billy Bob, or in your own garage. Truth be told, lemme see one of you say you DON'T have something from 4WD or Quadratec or Bestop on your rig (yea maybe there's one or two of you crazy SOB's like that, but you had it on there at some point before you 'improved' it).

It's an attitude and respect kind of thing I think. Know your place in the line-up, know your limitations, and show respect for those who have well earned it by experience and effort.

My God, man. What balls! Well said...

Sent from my GT-I9152 using Tapatalk

 

[Hedgehog]

Suz - Yep I started that post intending to write some implausible fiction, just a little fun. By the time it was done, I wasn't not quite so sure ......

 

[IOPort51]

Unfortunately, any product that gets popular over time becomes morphed for the masses (wannabees and havtoos). You can easily see that in the 240Z, Mustang, Chevelle, and all the other, originally purpose built cars.

BTW, did you know WHY? the Corvette Coupe got the in-roof doors in '63 - '64? Remember the Beehive Hairdoos? A GM exec's wife complained (reliable legend has it)that the Coupe would mess up her hair...and a redesign was born

You can see it in online gaming (WarCraft comes to mind). So it's no surprise that out of the 3 different Jeep vehicles produced for Uncle Sam during the war, much like the H1 Hummer, it has morphed into a higly saleable status product.

Not the point Not everyone can go buy a Willys or a CJ...Not everyone has the mad skills that farmers, hillbillys, and rednecks take for granted. I don't care if your Jeep was refitted by 4WD, Quadratec, Billy Bob, or in your own garage. Truth be told, lemme see one of you say you DON'T have something from 4WD or Quadratec or Bestop on your rig (yea maybe there's one or two of you crazy SOB's like that, but you had it on there at some point before you 'improved' it).

It's an attitude and respect kind of thing I think. Know your place in the line-up, know your limitations, and show respect for those who have well earned it by experience and effort.

did you just call me a crazy SOB??

 

[gutthans]

did you just call me a crazy SOB??

With all due respect, sir... "If the shoe fits..."...

 

[hologenicman]

Well, we have a mixed marriage at our house. My wife has an '87 JK Unlimited, I have an '83 CJ7 , and my son has a '70 CJ5 .

Truly, I believe that the "true" jeeps ended with the CJ5 that were still basically the same vehicle that were used in war by our troops. The CJ7 that I enjoy is changed from its roots to better fit people like me.

However, when it comes to the jeep "spirit", I am in full belief that the Jeep Spirit is inclusive of all jeep models through the JK and beyond so long as the owners and riders have that essential can-do rugged outdoor attitude.

So, I say that a jeep is more about the owner than the vehicle. The vehicle is just a rallying point for like minded people.

That being said, I like CJ's better than the newer models...

 

[Suz]

However, when it comes to the jeep "spirit", I am in full belief that the Jeep Spirit is inclusive of all jeep models through the JK and beyond so long as the owners and riders have that essential can-do rugged outdoor attitude.

So, I say that a jeep is more about the owner than the vehicle. The vehicle is just a rallying point for like minded people.

That being said, I like CJ's better than the newer models...

Well said. I like the way you phrased that and I agree on all points...


Sent from my GT-I9152 using Tapatalk

 

[jdulmer]

Cjs and wranglers are very different but if they didn't build them with the extra luxuries then the "jeep life" very well may have died out. And as far as the "real jeep" thing go's sorry but a cj isn't anymore of a jeep than a yj or a tj. Cjs didn't fight in any wars so what makes it a "real jeep". Cause it doesn't have the comforts the wranglers have. So if you buy a newer 4x4 truck does that not make it a real truck because it has more luxuries. Also they did Cary the culture of the older jeeps with them. They all have the 7 grill slots. As long as they wave there good in my opinion

My Savage shotgun looks a lot like a Winchester 1300, but that doesn't mean it IS a Winchester...

I still wave at Wranglers, the more the merrier..



"Libertatem Aut Mortem"

 

[jdulmer]

(yea maybe there's one or two of you crazy SOB's like that, but you had it on there at some point before you 'improved' it).
.

This is so true.




"Libertatem Aut Mortem"

 

[Suz]

Suz I owe you a good beating for this thread!

She muttered something about " the best sex she ever had"

Really, Pete? Doesn't sound like it's so bad for you...

Seriously, Sorry though. I post at all crazy hours of the night. Hope I'm not waking anyone...


Sent from my GT-I9152 using Tapatalk

 

[jdcaples]

Really, Pete? Doesn't sound like it's so bad for you...

Seriously, Sorry though. I post at all crazy hours of the night. Hope I'm not waking anyone...


Sent from my GT-I9152 using Tapatalk

Hunh? What? Where? Who? Oh.... *Yawn* *Stretch*

I had weird dream.

I was surrounded by CJ2s, CJ3s, a lone CJ4 and CJ5s. The drivers told me that my CJ7 is dandified, that I should just pay someone to square headlamps on it, pay someone move the exterior mirrors to the doors and drive it like it owns me.

I gotta get to work.


-Jon

 

[ken98k]

I've got 3 CJ5 's and a yj. I love that little square headlight jeep as much as the cj's.

 

[ThisGuyUKnow]

Hunh? What? Where? Who? Oh.... *Yawn* *Stretch*

I had weird dream.

I was surrounded by CJ2s, CJ3s, a lone CJ4 and CJ5s. The drivers told me that my CJ7 is dandified, that I should just pay someone to square headlamps on it, pay someone move the exterior mirrors to the doors and drive it like it owns me.

I gotta get to work.


-Jon

CJ7 limiteds had mirrors on the door

 

[jzak]

I know this conversation will never end, but it seems to boil down to one thing.

When did Jeep start changing the vehicle so it would appeal to a larger demographic?

I maybe wrong here, but it seems like the CJ7 with it's longer wheelbase was that first step towards "Selling Out."

Just a thought!

 

[ThisGuyUKnow]

I know this conversation will never end, but it seems to boil down to one thing.

When did Jeep start changing the vehicle so it would appeal to a larger demographic?

I maybe wrong here, but it seems like the CJ7 with it's longer wheelbase was that first step towards "Selling Out."

Just a thought!

That's a slippery slope if argue that the cj tag period was the first step to appealing to a larger market considering they were expanding beyond military use only

 

[Suz]

I know this conversation will never end, but it seems to boil down to one thing.

When did Jeep start changing the vehicle so it would appeal to a larger demographic?

Well, having first posed the question, I intended it to be more philosophical than technical. What I want to know is this:

Is it really "Us" and "Them", or are YOU- at the heart of it -just giving them a hard time, as guys are wont to do?

 

[Fastatv]

I guess this is the "drama" thread.........

 

[PaRenegade]

Instead of injecting personal opinions and arbitrary points in the Jeeps lifespan, why not simply look at the basic facts. "The Jeep" started production in 1941 and it ended in early 1986. There were changes all along the way, as with any model vehicle that lasts for years. But none of those changes changed it's name or model series, let alone 95% of it's parts.

 

[Neuner]

I maybe wrong here, but it seems like the CJ7 with it's longer wheelbase was that first step towards "Selling Out."

No, that happened when they installed a roll bar.