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My OTHER truck, is a Jeep Commander.  So I moseyed up for the Jeep Cruise-In Friday afternoon/evening.  This was the Third Annual one, but my first.  Butler, PA is where they made the ORGINAL Jeep - Bantam Motor Works - back in 1940.  Ford & Willys had more capacity, so they eventually took over the production, but the Bantam was the FIRST, and it was made here in western PA.

Had a LOTTA fun up there that afternoon... while it lasted... save for the Autistic kid, who kept yeling about "dog monsters," and, "we've got to go - we've GOT to GO!" the whole time...     Next year, #3 son is going - #1 son can stay home and watch Thomas the Tank Engine videos....

At any rate, as I figured (correctly!) that XK's would be few & far between, I figured, I'd better vacuum mine, and hit it with a quick wash before proceeding. I mean, you can't go show OFF a dirty Jeep, can you?!?!




That done, it's time to try and figure out HOW to get around downtown Butler, where I hadn't been in 9 years!!! It's only one county away, and not that big a town (20k? Maybe?), but I wasn't familiar with the route, or the gameplan. Hmmmm... I think I'll follow THIS guy!




So I get there, park, and here we is!




Lo & behold, the second of what would be three Commanders, is about 3 carlengths behind me!




Yeah - the blonde went with the Commander - so did her husband (NOT pictured)...




Across the street from, Our Hero...   




The THIRD Commander, was the star of the SHOW! And he wheeled in from NH!





I'd LOVE for my XK to look like this someday.  Probably AFTER it's paid for, and the warranty has expired! 

There were a few WK's represented - some stock, some mild, and some wild! Including;





Mine wasn't the only stocker!

Great Granddad... with his newest grandson. 




Couple of "late model" Waggies - for sale! Two '89 Models.





Some nice old Chiefs, J10's & Comanches represented, too.






Talk about BRAVE! I don't know HOW this snuck in! I think it won, "ONLY in Class!" 




With four small kids, bigger is BETTER (Commander, Ramcharger) in my book... but that's not to say TJ's, YJ's, JK's etc, aren't interesting - ESPECIALLY the ones that roll into an event like this! Here's a few that caught my eye, for various reasons.




This one even turned #1 son's head!




Ruger Firearms' Jeep!




Guns & Jeeps ARE a good combo!





My picture doesn't do the paintjob on this one justice!




I REALLY love the rack setup on the back of this one!




Of course, it's hard to have a Jeep gathering, WITHOUT noting their military history. Bantamfest was started for that very reason. LOTS of restored military Jeeps, and military-themed Jeeps were out in force!










I think the Boombox was optional on this model... 

MORE military Jeeps!





Not QUITE "G.I.," but nicely-themed!





Our English cousin!    Some sort of "Rover," from the early 50's, I think...




And finally, GREAT-Great-Grandpa - the progenitor of us all. A Bantam Jeep.





EWWWWWWwwww... DIRTY Jeeps! 







LOTS of crowd, even at 4 in the afternoon - I'm sure it only got MORE crowded as the night came on, and the parade began. Passed a LOTTA Jeeps headed north, while we were heading back to Pittsburgh.

Southern end of festivities, looking north (we were parked on the FAR north end)




A little north of the center of town, looking southward.




When we first arrived, looking south.




NO shortage of XJ's and WJ's!





But as my first four wheeling experience, was in a high school buddy's CJ-5, I always have a soft spot for those. This is an '80 model - my buddy's was an '81, but was this exact same color! His had aftermarket rims that were close to this, but it's practically a dead ringer for my first four wheel ride.




A nicely displayed '74.




This might've been the best LOOKING Jeep of the show, though. Clean enough you could eat off of it!





AMC... I remember them... 

And of course, LOTS of classic AMC & Willys iron - especially Jeepsters, trucks, and wagons!











This one was particularly sharp!




It was refit with a lot of modern amenities. I'm not sure on the engine, but it now has A/C!!!   

Some other "interesting odds 'n' ends!  Classic NON-Jeep iron!




SERIOUS mudders!!!





And... I have NO clue what this is... or was... but it was here, so I snapped a pic of it.




And the... WHUH?!?!?  Why?   




And THEN there was the gal with all the toy/stuffed dogs bolted to her TJ. I had the camera aimed, centered... and... couldn't do it. I'm sure even Compass owners would rightly shun such a person...   

That was a real nice festival.  I really like those WWII jeeps.  I always wanted to build one.  I remember seeing ads in Boys Life magazine as a kid with these Jeep kits.  I was heart broken to find out it was all horse-pucky.  You gonna put one of those 50 cals on your War Wagon?? 

Quote from: SixGun on June 18, 2013, 12:26:48 AMYou gonna put one of those 50 cals on your War Wagon?? 

I was THINKING... that if you opened up that area around the rear vent dome, you COULD put a turret gunner back there! 

Wow that had to be a great event!!!!

I need to get better about taking pics like that, not that I have been to an event like that yet.

Glad you had fun.

Man, those are some great photos! Thanks for sharing.  I've owned two full size Jeep Wagoneers.  One was a '66 built by Kaiser Jeep Corp with a 327 Vigilante engine in it that I had in high school, the other was a 1975 AMC Jeep I bought when I was stationed in Oregon.  They were both great trucks and I did a lot of hunting and fishing in both.  I am partial to Jeep because my dad loved them.  But he also loved Dodge trucks and worked at a dealership so now I got me a big 'ol Dodge.

I've had a 46 Willys CJ, a 51 Station Wagon, a 56 pickup, a 49 panel wagon, and part of a 48 pickup.  Also had a 80 Cherokee Chief, a 90 Cherokee and if you count my daughter we had a 79 CJ7 (304), a 88 Cherokee, and a 89 Cherokee.  Then there's the thing I just built.  It may be titled as a 48 Willys replica on a Cherokee frame and drive train.  I used all the frame that the Cherokee had.

I would really love to make it to one of those Jeep/Bantam things.

Ron you'd have those Jeep experts scratching their heads.