Jeeps are a cult unto themselves–but the cult really distills down to the flat-fendered Jeeps.
The flat-fendered civilian Jeeps were the direct descendants of the World War Two Jeeps, so they’re the ones at the top of the Jeep family tree.
Jerry Sutherland
Kyle Smith owns a 1947 Jeep CJ2A because of a comment from a friend. She told Kyle—who owned a new 2009 Jeep at the time, “That’s not you, you’re an old Jeep guy”.
Kyle took that remark seriously, so he bought the ‘47 Jeep in 2009 as a university graduation gift to himself. This was definitely a project because the Jeep had been through many versions of itself by 2009.
Kyle said the Jeep, “Was originally the burgundy Jeep color” –something he discovered when he dug deeper into the old workhorse when he started a frame-off restoration. He found out the block was cracked, so he found a 50s-era replacement engine that also converted the Jeep to a 12-volt system. Kyle said the extra-voltage came in handy when he jump-started a Porsche—the guy asked him, “Do you think it (the Jeep) can do it?”
He wasn’t sure what he wanted to do with the paint on the Jeep, so Kyle consulted his mom and settled on what he called a “Mom Tan shade”. ‘Mom Tan’ really works on this old Jeep because it has a semi-military look that fits the post-war era.
This is not a stay-at-home Jeep because Kyle has taken it to the week-long International Jeep meet in Colorado. He was the only international guest at the event, so he was treated like a rock star.
Kyle is a year-round Jeep driver because he knows they were built for every type of weather and terrain, so he fears no snowdrifts. His Jeep buddies have a New Year’s Day tradition where they take their vehicles out and shock other drivers with their prowess in the snow.
Jeeps were built for work, so Kyle has no problem with hauling things like propane tanks all year round. He said he likes the puzzled looks from bystanders when they see he’s using the old Jeep for everyday chores.
Kyle said he does “a little dirt-tracking in the Jeep” because these little trucks were built for the rough stuff and went through serious product testing during the war. He does admit it has a winch just in case he pushes it past its limits.
He runs the Jeep at 40-45 miles per hour and had had it up to 60 mph and Kyle said “It can do 71 mph.” ––but he’s comfortable at a more sedate speed. He said the Jeep “has a little bit of play, but that could be the pizza-cutter tires”.
Kyle’s only real concern is the heater in winter. He said, “It’s more like a panting dog than a real heater and it’s only on the driver’s side because the passenger side heater was an option”.
That’s a minor issue with Kyle because the ‘you’re an old Jeep guy’ really fits as his label. This is how much he’s committed to the old CJ.
It’s going to be my casket—I just hope it fits.
Kyle Smith
By: Jerry Sutherland
Jerry Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer with a primary focus on the collector car hobby. His work has been published in many outlets and publications, including the National Post, Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal, Ottawa Citizen, Montreal Gazette, Saskatoon StarPhoenix, Regina Leader-Post, Vancouver Sun and The Truth About Cars. He is also a regular contributor to Auto Roundup Publications.
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