Ham's '48 - The Fourth Generation Steps Up

[LarrBeard]

This year’s theme for the Kaiser-Willys Catalog is “Handing Down the Jewels - Willys Redefines the Family Heirloom.” The cover shows a couple of youngsters having a great time in a CJ-3B with markings honouring their Great-grandfather – a fourth generation heirloom.

I learned to drive in Ham’s ’48 (my father’s truck) when I was about 12 or 13. My daughters did not get to drive it when they were teenagers because it was too far gone for them to safely handle. Now, jump forward to the next generation.

Last summer my grandson, still not old enough to get his learner’s permit asks “Grandpa, can I drive your truck”. The answer was “Of Course!”

Since his mother would not let me take him out on the road (kids!), we spent the afternoon learning how to start it (accelerator, choke, starter), getting it into gear and working the clutch (the what?) and learning that with this particular transmission you have to go almost into reverse then come back down and shoot up into second or it gets mad and sulks.

After an hour or so, he could get into second, stop, back up and repeat! This summer – out on the road.

I did the math on my fingers, and this is a fourth generation truck. Oh, by the way – my daughter who won’t admit she’s turning 45 this year likes to take it out on the road. It’s never too late to get started.