Jeep CJ-7

[SHANEA]

Success of Current Wrangler Unlimited
Comes 30 Years After Original 'Big' Jeep

[Doc Savage]

Well as a Jeep fan, The article is slightly misleading, but decent. The real first "big" jeep came before the CJ-7, The CJ-5 was widened during it's production to make it "safer". Besides, the success of the 4 door unlimited can be atributed more to Chrysler killing off the Cherokee in favor of the Liberty more than anything else. When the Libby replaced the Cherokee, the serious offroader with a family was left out in the cold until the 4 door Wrangler came along. I also find it interesting that at the time, the main reason given for the Libby and killing off of the Cherokee was it's "dated boxy design", but look at the redesign of the Libby this year. Lots of the curves disappeared and it got more "boxy".

Robert

[Buck]

Right on, Doc.  Until you've spent some time researching the in-depth history Jeep and actually taking a few apart and putting them back together (instead of staying up late to meet deadline on your article for the WSJ like Mr. Carney did), you miss some of the finer points.  For instance, he says, "...black-and-white brochures touted the vehicle's utility to farmers, lumberjacks and other professionals who would use the Jeep as a tractor, says Peter Hollinshead, manager for Jeep events. The notion of using a Jeep for fun -- or even more absurdly, as a lifestyle statement -- hadn't occurred to either Jeep marketers or the farmers who were buying the CJ-5."

Early ads (I own quite a few) testify differently.  Here are a couple from a little further back than the CJ-5.