Throwback Thursday: 1953 Willys Jeep CJ-3B With a 1947 Ken-Skill Kustom Kamper Becomes Family

This 1953 Willys Jeep CJ-3B with a trailer is much more than an old Jeep. It is vessel for a lifetime of family memories.

These are the types of throwback stories we love. What we have here is a 1953 Willys Jeep CJ-3B and a 1947 Ken-Skill Kustom Kamper Model 10. That alone would make for a good throwback story. The old Jeep towing the old trailer. It is classic Jeep fun and adventure. But this story is extra special. It is the human element that takes this story from good to great. We have said here many times that the Jeep life is about family. We have seen many examples of Jeeps staying with the same family for generations. They bring families together and help them through tough times. It is the Jeep experience that makes them such special vehicles.

This week’s “Throwback Thursday” is all about this 1953 Willys Jeep CJ-3B with a 1947 Ken-Skill Kustom Kamper Model 10. It is also about the owner Larry Shank, and his mother and father. The Jeep came into the family when Shank was just a toddler. He and his parents would travel the country with it. He worked on it as a young boy and eventually became the owner. His parents are no longer around but the Jeep and trailer still are. They serve as constant reminders of the good times the family had together. Shank has no family of his own to pass this down to so he will be riding off into the sunset with it. The video was posted on the Petrolicious YouTube channel over six years ago. But the message of a Jeep connecting with family is just as relevant today.

Exploring

“The adventure began when we left the driveway,” says Shank. “And that’s what was neat about the Jeep and the teardrop; you became part of the country from day one.” That sentence certainly applies to Shank and his Jeep and trailer. But it can also apply to countless other Jeep enthusiasts. A Jeep is an adventure vehicle. It is a memory maker. A Jeep is about the journey, not so much the destination. Although a Jeep can take you to some pretty incredible destinations. “You arrive not exhausted but exhilarated; because you’re already there, you’re already on vacation…” says Shank.

Family

This Jeep and trailer went on every single family vacation. There is a touching piece at the end of this video that shows a home movie clip of Shank as a little boy running and playing around this very Jeep. How many of you have a Jeep story like this? Are you driving your little ones to the beach on the weekends in your Jeep? If so, there is a good chance that your kids will never forget those trips. It is these memories and experiences that make life worth living. And a Jeep helps to make it all happen.

Escape

Larry Shank’s father had a demanding job at Lockheed as an engineer. He was always working on complex and advanced equipment. The Jeep was the opposite of that. It needed work for sure, there was always something to do on it. But it was much simpler and more relaxing to work on. It served as the perfect escape from a high stress job. Again, many of us can say the same thing. The Jeep is the escape. It is the reward at the end of the week. It is that cherry sitting on top of the sundae.

Video

You need to watch the below. Not because it is the most extreme build or has the highest lift or climbs the biggest rock. But because it shows you what being a Jeep owner is boiled down to its essence. In this fast-paced world sometimes we forget what is really important. Family is important. And having a Jeep can bring your family closer together than almost anything else.

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