EXPLORE: JEEP HERITAGE MUSEUM, USA
WITH A NEW WRANGLER ON ITS WAY WE TAKE A LESSON IN JEEP HISTORY, AS WE VISIT THE MOST COMPLETE SEVEN-SLOT GRILLE COLLECTION ON THE PLANET.
WITH a legacy dating back three-quarters of a century, the Jeep is one of the world’s most iconic vehicle platforms. From the US government’s initial call for a four-wheel drive light personnel carrier in 1940 to pioneering the Rubicon Trail in the 1950s and setting the standard of 21st century off-road capability, the seven-slot grille has a place, not only in the hearts of Americans, but with backcountry enthusiasts the world over. During the recent recession when the brand was struggling financially, it closed its museum and, unfortunately, liquidated its inventory. It was an economic necessity at the time, but gone was one of the most comprehensive Jeep collections on the planet. All is not lost: a few years ago the guys at OMIX-ADA (Rugged Ridge/ Alloy USA) began acquiring rare models with a plan to create a museum of their own.
During the past decade they scoured the World Wide Web in search of well-preserved models ranging from prototype Ford GPS and Willys MAS, to CJ-7S and Jeepsters. Prior to the passing of Jeeping legend Mark A. Smith, they purchased much of his collection with the promise that the fleet would stay together, have a permanent home, and be shared with the public. If restoration was required, they approached each undertaking with an end in mind: to bring it back to near-assembly-line condition. Fortunately, the OMIX-ADA warehouse is stacked to its 50-foot ceiling with thousands of new and old stock parts. Need an OE 1946 Willys 2A hood or XJ body panel? No worries, it’s probably in stock. We took a tour of their 250,000-square-foot facility and were beside ourselves with the number of vintage OE parts they carry.
As with all articles of antiquity, classic Jeeps should be shared with future generations. Upholding their promise to Mark, and feeding their passion for the seven-slot grille, the collection was assembled and given a dedicated portion of their building. I recently joined Dave Logan, Omix-ada’s sales training manager and Jeep aficionado, in Suwanee, Georgia, for a comprehensive tour of the museum. Here are some of my favourites.