Purchased from a family friend, this CJ-3B became part of the Patton family in September 1961. It had 900 miles on the odometer and now has a little over 49,000 miles. The Jeep was my Mom’s pride and joy. She would take it out on fishing trips to her sisters gravel pit pond as well as daily grocery purchases at Mettlin’s store. The Jeep was the cornerstone of many fishing/hunting trips with family and friends. There were countless trips to the Trinity River bottom, Greens Bayou, Fitz’s lake, and the Big Thicket woods during the 1960’s and 1970’s.
The Jeep provided my brother and I transportation to Hardin High School from 1965 through 1971, Many family members learned how to drive in this little Jeep. One of my favorite memories is taking the Jeep out and fishing on the sand bars of the Trinity River close to Moss Hill, Texas. The Jeep was light and in 4-wheel drive had no trouble navigating the sand. Passer by’s would see us there and drive their pickups on the sand. Over the years I must have pulled dozens of folks off that sand bar when they couldn’t manage the sand.
The black and white photo is of me and the Jeep in December 1961. Painted back it’s original color of Island Green Metallic the Jeep is once again ready for 64 more years of good times. I’d like to thank to Kaiser Willys for helping me return this CJ3B to a better condition than it has been in a very long time.