There is a story to this one. They all have stories, don't they?
This story starts in Oahu, around 2005 when I was stationed there.
I was known as the car guy, and when people would leave the island they’d give or sell me their island cars for free or very cheap. It’s usually not worth bringing home a vehicle that has been passed around for a few turns. At one point I had I think 5 or 6 cars. I’d sell them or trade them to other incoming personnel that needed a cheap car.
One day I get a call from a guy going to Iraq that wanted to sell his jeep. To this point in my life, I had never owned a jeep. I was curious, and when meeting in person I was presented with a very stock, near perfect 1991 YJ.
I bought it, and immediately removed the ugly worn vinyl roof and doors. Jeeps should be driven with no doors and no roof was what I kept telling myself.
I’m sure at this point, the reader, you, are thinking what does a 1991 jeep have to do with a 64 scout?
Well, eventually I met up with a group of guys in a ‘wheelin club called the Oahu Jeepers. Good group of native Hawaiians and military folk from all the branches. There was a navy guy with an old scout. It was on big 38 inch tires, big lift, and was just a cool looking ride.
Fast forward 6 years or so, and my jeep, which I sent home from Hawaii, was stolen from my driveway. It was lifted, big tires, painted, bed liner floor, all the cool stuff you could do to a jeep that wasn’t afraid of being put on its side a few times in the name of fun.
Well, after the tears and dust settled, my insurance company handed me a nice big check that put a smile on my face. Not as much as I wanted, but, enough to have a good nest egg for another jeep build.
….but 90% of that check went into the new house I had bought.
