willysdave wrote:I really have to ask but, please do not take offence, I love your wagon. I believe your 1963 wagon is not made by Willys. The company was sold to AMC and the new type of wagon, (like your body style)was sold in the same dealer lots as the old style willys wagon and trucks. I have read this over and over throughout the years. Also I would wonder about the 62 J200 truck as I have had a 62 Willys and it was the old body style. The wagon I have now is a 61. If I am wrong, can you please clear this up ? Again, not trying to offend, I just love the history of these vehicles, they have so many twists and turns ! Thank you !
No offense taken. I think technically it's probably a Kaiser, I don't know the exact date Willy's sold itself to Kaiser, but Kaiser kept the Willy's stamping on the firewall tags until 65- which is the year (I believe) they also dropped the classically cool flat fender truck and wagon lines. Then again, re-tooling the plants to run the new wagoneer and j truck rigs had to of happened many years before Kaiser bought, then took over, so who knows?
I do agree with Carnuck, though. I believe it's a moot point. I just like it because it's a jeep, it's a wagoneer, and it's a panel delivery. A trifecta of cool combinations.
Ford, Willy's, Kaiser, AMC, Chrysler, DaimlerChrysler, and currently Fiat, have all held the jeep mantle in one way, or another, and each definitely added some value to the product line that has cultivated some real iconic lines, and obvious emotional attachments. As far as "branding" goes, JEEP is one of the top brands that most represent an American Ideal.
We, as consumers, can nit-pic, and wax nostalgia, but above all, a Wagoneer body style with a life span of roughly 29 years in the modern world doesn't need further definition than that. It's the second longest life span in the automotive industry (Harley-Davidson has 1st place for that). In addition, the resurgence in appreciation and value of the iconic Grand Wagoneer only reinforces the sheer genius of Brook Steven's design. Willy's? Kaiser? AMC? Chrysler? It's all good.