Too Cold to Tinker
“Old Yeller” lives with Barry on the old family farm outside Columbus, IN; the same farm were Paul D. Lawson (better known as P.D.) had the three other flat fenders (CJ-2As, 3As, and 3Bs) that inspired the Farm Jeep project. Indiana experience its snowiest (and seemingly longest) winter in 100 years and with “Old Yeller” wintering in an unheated detached garage, it should come as no surprise that not a lot has been done with Jeep through the winter months.


A Family that Jeeps Together...
March 21 is not only the first day of spring, but also P.D.’s birthday, this year being the 91st edition. The weather was perfect day family and friends gathered to celebrate P.D.’s 91st with the thermometer soaring into the upper 60°s and not a cloud in the sky. After enjoying the great food and the better company, we fired up “Old Yeller” and honored P.D.’s birthday request for a drive. After P.D.’s turn behind the wheel, our cousin Sally took a turn driving the ’47, which one would assume handles quite a bit differently than her 2000 Jeep Wrangler. Sally came by the Jeep bug naturally, she and her Uncle Paul (it’s still P.D. to everyone else) use to race through the woods in the original flat fenders with imaginary Indians always gaining on them. Sally’s son Frank (pictured in Part 2 removing the non-standard radio) went on every ride offered and can’t wait to drive ’47, proving the Jeep bug is either hereditary, or contagious, or both.

Jeep rides with the top down and the windshield off, not only add 10 years to your life, but are a sure sign spring is upon us.


Barry's notes:
Minor things did happen over the winter (Part 6). A new muffler was installed according to the Newgren lift instructions. The exhaust had to be relocated from underneath the rear deck where the muffler is normally found. It now is located on the drivers side, with the tail pipe exiting on the driver's side rear. The PTO shaft, PTO unit and the old hitch have been removed, making way for the lift.

Evan's notes:
I’ve always had a little trouble getting in and out of “Old Yeller,” at 6’3” I’m perhaps a little taller than the average Willys driver. My grandfather P.D. is 6’ and at 91 (with a bad hip to boot) getting in and out of the Jeep is a little… tricky. Since none of us are getting any younger, maybe I should consider a newer model with a little more room… maybe a ’49 CJ-3A… power steering would be nice too, did that show up on the ’53 CJ-3B or the ’55 CJ-5?