On May 12, 2023, my dad and I had been looking to buy a CJ-7 as a father–son project. We came across one on Marketplace and went to check it out. We really weren’t 100% sure about it—it was kind of rough—so we walked away.
Shortly after, we went to dinner, and I got a text from the seller agreeing to the price I had offered. So, we went back and got it. I was tickled to death—Dad finally got one! It was really dirty and needed some buffing, but it still had its original Cocoa Metallic Brown paint. It wasn’t the prettiest, but it had patina on the hood, which I thought looked cool.
Dad and I got everything mechanically fixed and road-ready. We really enjoyed taking it to dinner and going to local cruise-ins. I even drove it to my job interview at Kaiser Willys—lol, that’s how I ended up here! I would take the Jeep on joyrides on the weekends, listening to old-school music, just cruising around without a care in the world.
Dad and I did some upgrades and cleaned up the interior. It was such a fun weekend driver, and I never thought I’d get rid of it—until one day, on June 11, 2025. Dad got a phone call and a message from a guy asking about the Jeep. He claimed that his dad used to own it and wanted to buy it back if we were interested.
We honestly didn’t believe it at first—how could he know it was his dad’s old Jeep? I texted him and said we weren’t interested in selling it. He said he understood, but a few weeks later he messaged again. Then it became an every-other-week thing, and Dad and I realized he must really want this Jeep.
So, I called him, and he explained that his grandfather had given his dad the Jeep in high school. His dad drove it to prom and took it everywhere but sold it in 1987 when money got tight. The guy was born that same year, so he never got to experience the Jeep himself. Sadly, seven years later, his dad passed away, and he never really had anything left of him. Now, with three kids of his own, he wanted something of his dad’s to share with them.
After months of him reaching out, we finally agreed on a price, and he came up to pick it up. It’s now home again—with one of its original owner’s family. I sure miss that Jeep, and Dad and I are still looking for another one. The hunt continues!
- Tanner Black
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