I’d never have guessed that the best thing I’d find at the “big orange” home fixups big box store was in the parking lot.

I recognized immediately what it was, and I knew the AMC owned the brand for a few years.  Wiilys Overland became Kaiser Willys, which lost money and in 1970 was sold to AMC, which branded it as “Jeep Corporation.”

Anyhow, as I said, it was my first trip to this orange brand store since February.  I’d postponed some fixups because it didn’t seem a safe place to go.  I chose to go right after downing my daily cup of coffee . . . figuring I’d beat the crowds.

I took the photos because it seemed to be a good follow-up to the “Star Ster Crazy 5″ posts. This is what I’m doing now, only to realize that other than an AMC Jeep Commando . . . remember AMC at this time had names like Javelin and Gremlin . . . I didn’t know what year it is.  If I’d looked at the registration sticker on the windshield, I’d have known.  I don’t always anticipate what info I’ll need.  So help me . . . given that grille, is it a 1972? 

Jeep became a Chrysler product in 1986.  Jeep has survived, but Chrysler has allied itself with a German company nd then an Italian company since then.  And thanks to my itinerant sister, some snaps she took at

Willys America in Cazadero CA.

Other than the two photos from my sister, all snaps by WVD, who really wishes he had just glanced at the registration, but then I wouldn’t have had such fun figuring it out.

Also, I maybe should have called this “something different” 55. . . .   or just “tugster distracted.”