Robert Stapleton
My ol’ girl is still fresh. 35k miles fresh, although she does not shine on the outside, she glows with character. The original 4cyl/3spd drivetrain is still intact minus the Saturn OD it came with. The only mechanical upgrade to 11″ brakes was made some thirty-plus years ago. The stock seats went long ago in favor of something a bit more cushioned and the hard top, added after I purchased the CJ-6, is also not original. It’s a Koenig, that, according to the serial number, was manufactured in 1957. So it’s period correct. What makes this CJ-6 special to me is the meticulous loving care with which the previous owner engaged in for the 38 years he’d owned it. That is not to say it wasn’t used. This little truck has been VERY well traveled. A retired engineer, the previous owner had a young son going to the same school as my own young daughter. He’d noticed that I frequently drove one Jeep or another to school (CJ7, Wrangler YJ, and an absurdly over-built Wrangler TJ), ferrying my daughter to school. We’d briefly acknowledged each other but never really talked. One day, he passed in front of my Jeep looking anxious and dejected and and harried by something. He u-turned, shuffled up to my door rather abruptly and asked if I knew anyone who might be interested in his Jeep, described it as an old CJ type that he’d had a long time, and was thinking it was time to move on. I said I might (most certainly not me, my wife would kill me if I brought home another Jeep orphan). Over the ensuing weeks, we’d had several conversations about Jeepin’, various aspects of Jeeps, build philosophies, etc, all the while he’s (turns out he’s a “Bob” too) hem n’ ha’n about whether or not he really, truly wanted to part with his truck. It became quite clear, there was a LOT of history there between Bob and this little truck. I’d still not inquired much about it, so I still knew only that it was a CJ. CJ-what I never pressed. I told him of my other Willys, a 46′ CJ-2A with 32k on the odo and acquired from the original owner’s grandson, still pulling well duty on the ranch it had been acquired for. I guess Bob finally came to the conclusion that I was not a hatchet man. I had stock Jeeps and crazy Jeeps and we both had a parallel notion of what not to butcher because it was just cool, as-is. Bob came to me one day in the school parking lot and asked if I would come over and take a look at his little truck and help him value it and maybe find an appropriate home. Sure, no problem. At Bob’s house, HOLY FREAKIN COW. It’s a CJ-6. The only beast my lovely wife couldn’t – WOULDN’T – stop me from dragging home. It’s her favorite model. Yes, Bob. I’ve found a buyer. Bob seemed to be relieved that I was interested in his little truck and that it might well go to a loving home. -Of course, Bob, why didn’t you tell me months ago it was a CJ-6? He could’ve saved himself the grief of fretting over whether or not to sell it and I could’ve begun the pride of ownership much earlier. Bob and I still meet on Friday mornings at a little coffee shop to chat about all manner of things from geology, to guns and politics, to (of course) old Jeeps and classic motorcycles. Jeeps are more than just a way to get off the beaten path. I think they are a way to connect with just about anyone on a visceral level. Thank you, Bob. I love your truck. Well… my truck now 🙂
Bob,
That is a great jeep and your family enjoying it…We’re in the same way with our two
willy’s. We have allot’s a fun at our farm stead….retired from a copper mine and smelter [M.E. engineer] When i was a young kid, my Dad had a 1946 CJ-2A used for
logging and the the later year’s, purchased an other 1947 willy’s and built a hard top for it. Now we have two willy’s a 1947 CJ-2A and a 1956 DJ-3A [ two wheel drive]. Still having lott’s of fun. I am a jeep freakin love crazie for willy’s.
Bob,
That is a great jeep and your family enjoying it…We’re in the same way with our two
willy’s. We have allot’s a fun at our farm stead….retired from a copper mine and smelter [M.E. engineer] When i was a young kid, my Dad had a 1946 CJ-2A used for
logging and the the later year’s, purchased an other 1947 willy’s and built a hard top for it. Now we have two willy’s a 1947 CJ-2A and a 1956 DJ-3A [ two wheel drive]. Still having lott’s of fun. I am a jeep freakin love crazie for willy’s.
Great story Bob, I have two CJ-6’s as rare as they are and will most likely be willed to my two daughters when I’m gone. One is a ’56 with the f-head and a Warn overdrive and the other is a 1967 with a hard top and the Dauntless V-6. Both are pictured in the W/K photo album, I can’t imagine getting rid of them. I also have a ’48 2-A, a 52 M-38 (completely restored), an ’81 CJ-5 (my first Jeep, a monster mud bogging Jeep) and I bought my oldest daugher a 1984 CJ-7 that we are in the midst of restoring.
Anyhow, back to your CJ-6, I want to get a luggage rack like the one you have. Did you build it or did it come with the hard top you have for it?
Let me know anything you can about it if you can. I like the safari look it gives these old trucks!
Thanks Bob,
Eric
Great story Bob, I have two CJ-6’s as rare as they are and will most likely be willed to my two daughters when I’m gone. One is a ’56 with the f-head and a Warn overdrive and the other is a 1967 with a hard top and the Dauntless V-6. Both are pictured in the W/K photo album, I can’t imagine getting rid of them. I also have a ’48 2-A, a 52 M-38 (completely restored), an ’81 CJ-5 (my first Jeep, a monster mud bogging Jeep) and I bought my oldest daugher a 1984 CJ-7 that we are in the midst of restoring.
Anyhow, back to your CJ-6, I want to get a luggage rack like the one you have. Did you build it or did it come with the hard top you have for it?
Let me know anything you can about it if you can. I like the safari look it gives these old trucks!
Thanks Bob,
Eric
Hello Bob:
Beautiful your Jeep CJ 6, I am restoring a same in Argentina and I would like to know if that yellow color is the original?
Greetings and thank you very much.- Ariel.-
Hello Bob:
Beautiful your Jeep CJ 6, I am restoring a same in Argentina and I would like to know if that yellow color is the original?
Greetings and thank you very much.- Ariel.-
Sorry for the looong delay on answering a few questions….
Ariel: the color is tan and it’s everywhere, inside and out, so I do believe it’s the original color. I do not know if the black windshield frame is the original, though.
Eric: I built the safari rack for my old Dodge M43. But it was so freakin far up there that it was absurd trying to put things in it and take em out. But it worked out great on my CJ and the Koenig top seems to be sturdy enough to support it AND a bunch of gear.
Sorry for the looong delay on answering a few questions….
Ariel: the color is tan and it’s everywhere, inside and out, so I do believe it’s the original color. I do not know if the black windshield frame is the original, though.
Eric: I built the safari rack for my old Dodge M43. But it was so freakin far up there that it was absurd trying to put things in it and take em out. But it worked out great on my CJ and the Koenig top seems to be sturdy enough to support it AND a bunch of gear.