Cars and Characters Part II: The Kramers and their two Jeeps

In the previous article you met Fallbrook residents Don and Donna Kramer, who led our Fallbrook Vintage Car Club in 1998 and 1999 to increased membership and activities that continue today. We recently started the new year with our Kick-off Breakfast, a tradition started by the Kramers.

Don’s grandfather, Clarence Kramer, was in the design engineering section of Ford’s River Rouge plant in Michigan when the government’s urgent call for bids went out for the design and production of a rugged, ¼-ton, general purpose (GP)(“Jeep”), four-wheel drive vehicle for the military. Bantam had the low bid but could not meet the numbers needed; Willys had the next higher bid and 283,000 units would roll off their production line. The third highest bidder, Ford, was to produce nearly as many, and as fast as possible. That number would eventually total 278,000.

Enter Don’s grandfather, Clarence Kramer. His specific Jeep design credits would include firsts such as flip-up headlights, the fold-down windshield, a rear seat that can fold and tumble forward, and the grill with the vertical bars. This grill still appears on Jeep SUVs, now with a slight curve toward the hood near the top — Chrysler bought the plans some years ago and I now see the bars on ‘Hummer’ grills.

Clarence headed the design shop crew and, pressed for time, they often worked at night in his basement. They would spread the design sheets out on the ping pong table. At one point they needed a curved line and, typical of the inventive Kramer, he used the radius of a ping pong paddle. Take a careful look at an early Jeep and you’ll note the rear corner, the outer edge of the front cowling, and the hood all have that curve. These were part of the original Jeep that became one of the world’s most recognizable vehicles. Willys shared their engine design with Ford and the specs it had from Bantam, an unusual cooperation of rival companies that was typical during World War II.

Don needed more than a ping pong paddle for his restoration of a 1942 Ford Jeep like the one Grandpa worked on. He started in 1996 with an incredible hulk that ‘had never been wrecked.’ After a half ton of sand was used to remove the 54-year-old paint and rust, he knew he was in for the project of his life. Except for some engine work, he was to do it all himself. The MIG welder became extensions of his hands as he repaired or replaced parts and panels, rusted-out floorboards, bumpers, and lights. Everything was bad, with every piece needing work or replacement: the ‘frozen’ engine, the cracked crank, the broken Warner T84-J transmission, and the cylinder walls pitted from being in water. The 134-cubic-inch flathead four-cylinder engine now has 54 horsepower at 4,000 rpm and develops 95 pounds of torque, just as it did in ’42. Both front and rear Spicer axles are full-floating with 4.88:1 gear ratios and, of course, were dismantled, repaired, and reassembled. The ‘GP’ has new 16x6-inch tires with military mud and snow tread. The steel wheels are 16x4.5. To complete the Jeep, Don wanted a Browning 50-caliber replica machine gun for the mount between the seats. He thought he’d found one in Europe but finally built one himself from parts from a friend and his own materials. He also found an original Bantam utility trailer that was a standard item for many Jeeps in the ’40s. According to Don, “compared to the work on the Jeep, it didn’t need much, just sandblasting, painting and rewiring.” The ensemble gets rave notices and prizes everywhere he drives and shows it and it is a special favorite in the Fallbrook Christmas Parade.

These days, people who own beautifully restored vehicles frequently have their show entries trailered to events. It is a special treat to see one driven by the owner who restored and maintains it. Don’s ’42 is a gem of a Jeep that would please Grandpa Kramer.