Jammin’ Jamboree: Six Fantastic Classic Jeeps Class Up Las Vegas [2012 SEMA Show]

In the middle of the pile of crazytude that is SEMA, we found these six privately owned classic Jeeps, which stood out for their near total lack of insanity. Of course, we had to investigate, because Jeeps both old and new are inherently cool. The collection was assembled in the Off-Road Success center, a booth sponsored by Jeep parts suppliers OMIX-ADA and Rugged Ridge, and includes Jeeps ranging from a Ford-built war wagon from World War II to an adventure-prepped 1970s CJ-7.1943 Ford GPW During WWII, Jeeps were built by several manufacturers using Willys' design. This GPW is one of the Ford-built examples. The lightweight off-roader was powered by a 60-hp, 134-cubic-inch, Go-Devil four-cylinder engine bolted to a three-speed manual transmission. A two-speed transfer case combined with a short wheelbase meant it could crawl over uneven terrain and slog out of messy situations. 1944 Willys SAS Jeep This Willys Jeep is outfitted for SAS (as in British Special Air Service) duty; the SAS used vehicles like this to run missions behind enemy lines, which explains why this particular model is equipped with a machine gun—it came in handy when things got hot in unfriendly territory. Besides adding the gun, the SAS also stripped the Jeep of all unnecessary weight to maximize its people and cargo-carrying capabilities. 1947 Jeep CJ-2A Fire Truck After the war, Jeeps were pressed into service as farm vehicles and civil machines; this CJ-2A is outfitted for fighting fires. The little firefighter has a built-in water pump mounted ahead of the engine, a roof-mounted 20-foot wooden ladder, and an axe and a spade. This kind of makes us want to transform a modern Wrangler into a bad-ass micro fire engine. 1947 Willys Overland Woody Wagon Really, what's there to say about this Willys Overland Wagon? It's a wagon, and it has the woody treatment. As awesome as this woody wagon looks, we're betting it's not terribly quick. It shares its Go-Devil four-cylinder with the earlier Willys Jeeps, meaning it has the same meager 60 hp. And that weak output has to move more Willys in this application. 1948 Willys CJ-2A Just as Willys introduced Jeep service vehicles in the post–World War II era, it also began churning out civilian models like this CJ-2A. A few key differences between the CJ and the MB military Jeeps include a seven-slot grille instead of a nine-slot piece, and flush-mounted headlights. The seven-slot grille has survived to this day, and adorns every modern Jeep model, including the Wrangler and the Grand Cherokee. We are completely ga-ga over this particular CJ-2A's gray-painted body and red wheels, and the elegant simplicity of its stripped-down functionality. 1949 Jeep CJ-3A Rod Now, here's something you won't see every day: A Jeep hot rod. This CJ-3A project incorporates a 1970s CJ-5 frame and numerous OMIX-ADA body parts, including the grille, Willys tailgate, stretched fenders, and front and rear bumpers. The main portion of the body is a custom-constructed aluminum tub. The hot rod rides on a custom suspension, and disc brakes were fitted to all four corners. As if this creation couldn't get any more interesting, the builder installed a 5.7-liter Hemi V-8 and five-speed automatic from a 2008 Dodge Ram. Comparison Test: 2012 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited vs. 2012 Mercedes-Benz G550 Instrumented Test: 2012 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon Long-Term Test: 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee V6 Laredo 4×4 1978 Expedicion de las Americas Jeep CJ-7 Besides being orange and boasting a winch, brush guards, running lights, and a mean-looking roof rack, this 1978 Jeep CJ-7 essentially is stock. It does, however, have quite an interesting provenance. In 1978, a one Mark Smith—yes, that Mark Smith, the guy who started Jeep Jamboree in 1982—undertook a grueling 21,000-mile trek from the southernmost tip of South America to the top of Alaska; the CJ-7 you see here is one of five that made a journey dubbed the Expedicion de las Americas. Mark and his compatriots completed the epic trip in four months, during which trails literally were blazed. A bad-ass Jeep that has seen some stuff? Extra bad-ass. Read full story » from Car and Driver Blog http://blog.caranddriver.com

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