Dexter wrote me recently about how a 2003 experience made him want to purchase an old military jeep. The jeep shown below was one Dexter happened across in the Phillipines and is an interesting mix of different jeep parts.
“My name is Dexter Abellera, and I’m emailing your from Lodi, CA, about 30 minutes south of Sacramento. I came across your eWillys site, and I must say, I’ve been on it everyday for the past week!
I’m 33 years old. I was born in the Philippines, and migrated to Cali when I was 9. My dad was a Captain in the Philippine military back in the 70s and 80s, and I remember him driving us around in a Government-Issued Toyota Mini Landcruiser. Sure it wasn’t a real Jeep, but I just fell in loved with the open-top, go-anywhere driving.
When I was 18, I bought a new 1995 Jeep Wrangler. Loved it. Unfortunately, I was forced to sell it back in 2005 because my wife and I needed down payment to buy a home. I miss that damn thing a lot!
In 2003, I went on vacation in the Philippines–first time in years. My grandpa passed away four months later, and my dad finally told me some war stories of how my grandpa was one of the soldiers that walked the infamous Bataan Death March back in WWII. He also served time during the Korean War.
During my vacation, I came across this vintage WWII Willys [pics below] along the side of the road in Manila. I’m sure you better than anyone can tell what is original and what isn’t. Anyway, seeing the Jeep lit a fire within me to buy an old MB, GPW or M-38A1 . . . I guess in way to remember my grandpa as well my country’s involvement in the war. Who knows, he probably rode in one of these! 🙂
That’s me on the driver’s seat. 🙂 The owner is the old man with the green top.”
