Sometimes you start out on one trip and end up going on a trip you never suspected you were starting.
Last Saturday I decided to take the ’48 Truck to one of the bigger Car Shows in the area. It is in a place called Roanoke, Indiana that really isn’t even a wide place in the road since the road goes by it – but they have put together a set of sponsors that end up bringing almost 500 cars to the show. They include celebrity cars, movie cars and one of their sponsors sprinkles high end cars all around the show. (I’m talking Ferraris, Porsches and Lamborghinis). Corvettes are as common as elbows.
But, the trip I ended up taking was an altogether trip than just going to the show. If you drive an old Jeep, you have already put yourself into a different mindset. Going from here to there isn’t just jump on the road and go, you have to think about how you want to get there. Unless you want to get passed in the fast lane at twice your own speed, you avoid the easy ways.
In northeast Indiana, the interstates take you from one big city to another. At the next level of highways are the US and Indiana highways that tie smaller towns together. You move from Portland to Decatur to Bluffton to Avilla to Kendallville down Indiana highways. But, if you want to stay out of people’s way, the old township roads are the route of choice. Unless lakes and rivers got in the way, Indiana was laid out like a checkerboard with roughly square townships butting up to each other to make square counties. You move across the counties on roads named for the platted townships, keeping track of how you are progressing as the road name changes.
That is the trip I ended up taking Saturday morning. I avoided I-469, US-24, as much of Indiana 1 as possible and I set off across the townships. Township roads are named Adams Center, Marion Center, Pleasant Center, Lafayette Center and such, since they were laid out to connect the centers of townships. They tend to be nice chip and seal roads with no traffic on Saturday mornings, a perfect road for an old Jeep running 40 MPH.
Once you are convinced that the truck is running well, your mind starts to look at what is going on around you. At 40 MPH, you have time to look. The windows are open – original factory air as I tell the grandkids. You can smell the country. (Well, if you go by the pig farm there is “country air”). We had a very wet spring this year and crops are about three weeks late. As you work your way down Pleasant Center Road, the most noticeable smell is corn. It is a sweet smell – but it’s a smell that should have been here by July 4th, not the end of July. Most of the wheat has been harvested and as you pass a field of wheat stubble or straw, you sniff a dusty aroma. Then, in several places, there are huge fields lying fallow. Some farmer decided not to throw good money after bad and had decided to leave a field unplanted because of the weather. It reinforces that even though I did not have to farm as did my grandfather, many of my neighbors still live by the nuances of weather.
As the trip settles in, the gauge scan in the truck becomes more routine. Oil is steady at 35 PSI, temperature is a hair above 160 where it is supposed to be and the ammeter is just a tad above 0, things are good. (Gas is FULL where it stays all of the time until I get that stinkin’ stuck float fixed).
Since I have time to look around and appreciate things, I see things I miss running 75 or 80 down a boring interstate. Township roads are lined with farmhouses that date back close to a hundred years. It is not uncommon to see a sign saying “Heritage Hoosier Farm – 125 Years”. On their west sides are rows of trees planted years ago for windbreaks, probably the second or third generation of those trees. The barns may be new steel buildings, or sagging and droopy bank barns, but the houses tend to be solid and substantial houses built to shelter generations of families.
Red Tailed Hawks sit on power lines and watch me pass and a couple of vultures are disturbed from their breakfast of some unfortunate critter as I putter past. Every so often I pass a substantial, square or rectangular brick building sitting squarely at an intersection. These are the old township schools. Lafayette Township School #2 has been nicely remodeled into an attractive dwelling. On its face is a limestone plaque listing it as dating to 1898 along with the names of long forgotten Township Trustees, architects and builders. Marion Center School has not fared as well. After being converted to a barn or shed, the roof is long gone, the brick walls have mostly fallen in on themselves and the builders’ plaque has been scavenged for its antique value.
Crossing roads speak to the people who settled the area. Roads crossing the township roads still keep their old names; Swartz Road, Graber Road, Tillmann Road, Hessen Cassel – testifying to the German heritage that settlers brought with them. Then too are their churches, good German names like St. John, Emanuel Soest, Decatur Bingen. But, unexpectedly, come names like Berthaud, St. Croix and Lemont – names unmistakably French – with churches named St. Rose of Lima. Not everyone was a German Lutheran.
It’s been a good trip. I’ve seen only about five or six other vehicles and almost all of them gave me high-fives or a thumbs up. At one intersection a young man in newer Wrangler stopped me just to walk around the truck. But, the sign up ahead says “Road Ends 1 Mile”. Try as I will I have to ease south about a half mile and make a mad dash down the end of I-469, evading the semi’s and 80 MPH drivers, to get where I need to go.
What does this have to do with Jeeps? We sometimes lose ourselves in just getting the dern things to run. As I say, Jeeps are a frame of mind. Let yourself kick back and see what kind of journey your Jeep can take you on – it may well be a totally different trip than you originally set out to take.
Check out Larry’s other Blog “Ham’s 48 Willys Truck”
Willys Jeep Life Story – Larry Beardsley
Did we miss an event? Let us know! If you would like to share your Willys Jeep Story please send us a line. We’d love to meet your Jeep.
Like Us. Facebook
Looking for, Willys Jeep Parts, Willys Jeep replacement parts, Willys Jeep body parts and much more for your 1941-1971 Willys vehicle, you have come to the right place!
Awesome. The Jeep truck looks beautiful, great job on the restoration. Driving a vintage jeep adds many years to your quality of life. It will be great to see gas prices go down, we will be on the road more.
Enjoy, and thanks for sharing.
Joe Blas, Guam
Awesome trip. Great pick up. I have had a 52 Cj3A for almost 40 years. Always wanted to take it on a trip to the Black Hills or Big Horn mountains. It always turns heads whenever I take it out. I currently have to it torn apart to rebuild it. Have the chassis done and working on the body. New paint soon I hope. Your story has renewed my dream to drive it though the mountains, Would like to take it to some old car shows. Backroads from Wisconsin to Wyoming would be an interesting trip. Thanks for sharing your story.
Enjoy your next road trip!
Love the story, beautiful Willys, makes me want to work on my ’51 Jeepster, stored since military service in the late 60s. I have started to do the work, but in my late 70s, a bit slow. When first having the Willys I use to travel on the Taconic Pwy in upstate NY. The F head did quite well, but again only 10 yrs old at the time.
Apreciado Larry, muchas gracias por relatar tu historia, quien te escribe ha tenido el privilegio de poseer varios Jeeps, el primero lo heredé de mi abuelo era una camioneta Station Wagon de 1957 4×4 con motor de 6 cilindros L6 226 la cual disfruté mucho estaba 100% original y la mantuve por 10 años, luego la vendí a un coleccionista para comprar un Jeep Wagoneer de 1981, pero mi auto de la universidad fue un Jeep CJ-5 de 1971 con motor 4 cilindros, el me trasladó del trabajo a la casa y la universidad, por motivos económicos fue necesario venderlo y cuando me recuperé compré un Wrangler de 1991, con ese jeep hice muchos paseos a la montaña y la playa, de nuevo vinieron momentos difíciles y gracias a Dios pude hacer realidad hace un año un sueño de mi niñez al comprar un Jeep militar, ahora soy el feliz propietario de WILLYS M38 A1 de 1961, a pesar que el dueño anterior lo pintó de azul tiene casi todos sus accesorios militares, como las luces y el tablero y los ganchos para subirlo en helicóptero, no tiene puertas y conducirlo por el vecindario es todo un placer, casi siempre me hacen preguntas sobre mi Jeep y debo detenerme a contestarlas, al no tener puertas puedes saludar a las demás personas, ver las estrellas, respirar los olores de la tierra húmeda y responder a las miradas curiosas de los niños los cuales siempre te saludan con una sonrisa, esas son las experiencias de tener un viejo Jeep, es un modo de vida, es rodar despacio y seguro cuando todos los demás tienen prisa, es quitar el techo de lona y dejar que el viento acaricie nuestros cabellos, es respirar la LIBERTAD, que todos los que tenemos Jeeps podamos conservarlos como un legado para nuestros hijos y nietos, de nuevo muchas gracias por compartir su historia, Dios le bendiga Sr. Larry.
I have been restoring a 1954 Jeep Willys Truck. Frame up, this is what I look forward to doing myself. Your story was wonderful, thank you. Taking those great drives around my area is what I’m working towards. I look forward to the smell and sites that I will see from my truck.
Jeeps, once on the road, enhance our life experience. We are repaid for our sacrifice, scraped knuckles and forgiven of some profanity in their restorations. We, in small part, are compensated by thumbs up, high fives, turned heads, “Well Done!” and “WOW’s”. And, the feeling of accomplishment in the restorative work! I think we are well rewarded. Great story!
Chip
Great article! Can’t wait to get my 1959 CJ6 back on the road!
Boy,,,Sounded like a very relaxing day and trip,,,seems like we never have time to kick back and enjoy or old
Willys pickups,,,,hard to believe how old and how good they still run. Maybe we all need to kick back and enjoy the simple pleasure in life more….
Loved the story and the trip,,was nice to ride along with you. Have to post a few pics of my old Boy soon,,
Douglas
A beautiful job restoring your wonderful pickup!!! And your trip is what every Jeep enthusiast lives for.
I take my 1956 CJ-5 on a trip usually each Summer, to Eastern Oregon, I feel it loves the trip as much as I do. I have had it since 1960, and it is loved more than life itself.
Thanks for your story and taking good care of our history.
Great story & well written. It has been awhile since I have driven my stock 1949 Willys Station Wagon 4×4. The little 4-banger is not fast & is under powered but with some care & luck it will get you there but not in a hurry. These old time machine are a lot of fun & do need to be maintained. I have had good service using Kaiser-Willys for everything I need to keep my old Willys happy. Let the good times roll !
Great story that every old Jeep owner can relate to! We’ve put over 3,000 miles on our ’71 CJ5 with the 134 four cylinder and 5:38 gears tooling around on two tracks, dirt roads, and back roads spending time together as family at well under 50 mph. We’ve owned it for over 15 years and created so many great family memories. That’s what the WJL is all about!
In 2012 I drove my unrestored (rusted) 1963 Willys wagon from Minneapolis MN to Cincinnati Ohio to the Midwest Willys Reunion. 836 miles each way. Then that fall drove to Jefferson Mo to the fall reunion. I too took the back roads, it was fun, Jeeps were meant to be driven. (except mine is now dead in the garage.
I know exactly what you mean about planning the route, and enjoying the ride. My wife and I have put 300 miles on our 46 cj2a this last week. The sights and wild life you see is amazing, things you miss on the highway traveling 60+ mph with the windows up and ac on. I have had the Willys for 22 years, 20 of these on the back burner. Retirement came and getting her up and running was a priority. This money was well spent and would do it all over again. Your story really hit home, maybe more people should slow down and enjoy the road. Thank you and happy Jeeping
Great story Larry, very descriptive. You and I are probably close in age–we appreciate similar observations and experiences. I drove tractor trailers, both over-the-road and city for forty years and I have no interest in the Interstate Highway system. It’s great when you need to be somewhere quickly but if time allows, I will be on the “blue highways”.
Love your Willys .
Nice truck!
Wonderful story I really enjoyed reading.I own a CJ2 1947 and I used to drive an uncle´s 1958 pick up,so I know the feeling.Congratulations for you writing and your Jeep.Regards.Eduardo. P.S.My male son,graduated from Purdue,at Lafayete.