What happened to the S#!T-Jay Seven (August and October '04)? Could you tell me what other issues the rest of this article might be in?Lenny LogattoVia e-mail
The S#!T-Jay Seven only surfaced in those two stories. It's currently rotting on the Cappa ranch in the Kentucky woods. Carb and hornet problems are mostly to blame for its abandonment. It also got shot at with a .410 on accident.
I have an '05 Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon, so I am a bit biased about the '07 JK. I would think if you wanted a tank that big, you would just get a Grand Cherokee and have the Hemi to haul it around. I also see no reason to offer a Rubicon model because that thing couldn't drag its long belly over a water-diversion berm on a forest service road with a 5-inch lift and 35s.
There was a time when Jeep led the way, and now it seems that it has tucked its tail between its legs and meekly follows where others have led ... to the asphalt. It is surprising how Dodge can lead in truck design and have some real creative cars that others are copying, but DaimlerChrysler has let Jeep turn into your father's Oldsmobile.Name WithheldVia e-mail
I thought I would bother you for some advice on a possible future purchase. I was on craigslist.com today after reading "Ten Best Junk Jeeps" (June '06), and guess what I found? A $1,000 '82 J-10! Holy geez! It has the 360, automatic, 4X4, and factory A/C. The only thing is it has no title and it's been in storage for a while. I saw some photos, and the body looked straight, had pretty good overall exterior condition, but it looked dirty (nothing like that filthy-ass Steal-J in the very same issue). I'm positive all the fluids need to be changed, so I'm wondering if it would be worth the $1,000 risk to buy it, fix it up, and wheel it? Maybe I could even use it to get the groceries once in a while. Should I pass this smokin' deal up? What would the Jp guys do?Max HerndonVia e-mail
We'd already be driving, bogging, bashing, and jumping the J-Truck because this is actually going to print three months later. Before we picked it up? Less time than it took you to write this letter.
I recently purchased the first season of Rat Patrol on DVD. It was my favorite show as a kid! Can you help my memory and tell me how many seasons it ran, and if possible, when will they be out? It's one show that the equipment (the Jeeps and trucks) outshines the actors! Actually, the only show!SparkyCocoa, Florida
The Rat Patrol (1966) was set in North Africa during World War II. It chronicled the adventures of a four-man team of commandos within the Long Range Desert Group. (In utter defiance of historical accuracy, the team consists of three Americans and one Brit.) They were armed with Jeeps equipped with .50-caliber machine guns. They wage a highly irregular war against Rommel's Afrika Korps. Their most common nemesis is Hauptmann Dietrich, though Dietrich and the Rats join forces from time to time against a common enemy. The show aired only two seasons. The final episode aired September 16, 1968, but syndication made it possible for us younger folk to catch it later in the '70s and '80s. These days it is shown daily on The Encore Action Channel. Currently, only the first season is available on DVD. But the four discs and 807 minutes of off-road and battle action should keep ya happy for a while.
I look forward to receiving each issue of Jp Magazine. I took a copy along when I took my nephew hunting last fall, and as you can tell, he is into Jeeps. I'm happy that I'm able share some of the finer things in life with him. Jp has inspired me to upgrade my '84 CJ-7 in several ways, but the most notable is a fuel-injected 4.3L Chevy V-6 engine and a 700R4 transmission swap, all of which I did myself.MontiMuleshoe, Texas
Great job on the June '06 issue. As you can see by the photo, I am a big M35 fan. I thought you would be interested in seeing a Deuce on a diet. The springs, spring hangers, and bed are from a M105 trailer. I used local shops to lengthen my rear driveshaft and bend up some new U-bolts for me. Other upgrades include a Detroit Locker and surplus 395-85R20 Goodyear tires. If you want to learn more about hot-rodding the Deuce, go to the forums at www.steelsoldiers.com. I also loved your article on the 10 best junk Jeeps. I am in the U.S. Navy stationed in Italy and picked up a '79 Jeep Viasa Commando a few months ago. Viasa built Commandos and CJ-3Bs in Spain until 1982. Mine has the four-cylinder Perkins diesel and four-speed gearbox that, with a whopping 50 hp, is dangerously slow but somehow still fun to drive. I know how you guys feel about restoring Jeeps, but if you started running restoration articles, maybe you could get up to 12 issues a year. Anyway, keep up the good work.Mike BonnerVia e-mail
Twelve issues? That would mean more work for us! Ten is just fine.
So there I was, standing in my driveway admiring the approximately $7,000 of useful upgrades to my '84 CJ-7 (lift kit, onboard air, new wheels/tires, Mopar fuel injection, and so on), when it dawned on me. After installing a bunch of useful stuff, I need to locate and install the most useless, non-performance-enhancing item that all my friends will say "that's cool" but will not help my Jeep's performance at all. After installing the onboard air and tank, I thought some truck air horns would be a nice upgrade from the Jeep's pitiful stock horn. While looking around, I found something above and beyond a tractor-trailer horn. I found the Nathan Airchime P-3 diesel locomotive horn (taken right off the top of a locomotive). I had no idea how big these damn things were or how loud, for that matter. After some fabrication, I stuffed these things in the engine compartment in front of the battery. This is, without a doubt, the loudest noise I have ever heard from a Jeep. Needless to say, my wife is pissed, and numerous unsuspecting victims have been scared to death by the horn. My dogs would not go near the Jeep for a week. It's well worth the aggravation they were to install.Ray PanekVia e-mail
That's just not right. Ummm, do you think the horns could scare a grown man enough to make him pee his pants? Where did ya say ya got 'em?
Apparently we've scared off all of our pen pals. How come no one writes us anymore? We'd really like some friends. Tell us we suck. Tell us Christian Hazel should wear a wig you made from tennis-ball fur. Tell us to do an all-Bree bikini issue. Tell us anything; we're desperate for attention! Write to Jp Magazine, Be John's Pen Pal, 6420 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048 or e-mail john.cappa@primedia.com.