Jalopnik’s David Tracy Pulls off Safari Trip in ’48 Willys

Jeep fanatic details unforgettable 1,300-mile adventure to Moab for Easter Jeep Safari.

Remember that seemingly impossible trip from Detroit to Moab that Jalopnik’s David Tracy set out to accomplish in a 1948 Willys?

Well, it looks like he managed to pull it off, after all.

Yep, that makes yet another successful mission for the fellow Jeep fan, who has made a name for himself taking on Jeep projects that most wouldn’t dare touch. At one point, we weren’t even sure that David himself expected to get this Willys to Moab for Easter Jeep Safari.

“A month ago, my 1948 Willys’ crankshaft was sitting on my dryer, the body still wasn’t attached to the frame, the transmission wasn’t shifting into second gear, the rear differential ring gear was bent, and I’d just narrowly escaped a junkyard fight over some used tires. The project was hopeless,” he said.

In fact, some folks around here thought the Jalopnik contributor might have just been milking the idea for a publicity stunt, knowing good and well that he’d never be able to make it to Moab. Heck, David only managed to make it 10 miles on his first attempt at the drive, after his fuel pump failed.

CHECK OUT: What Forum Members Are Saying About This Incredible Journey

But clearly, many of us underestimated David’s determination to make the 1,300-mile drive to Utah. David, however, said he can’t take all the credit for pulling off the iconic adventure.

“…my friends and I trudged on, quickly rebuilding the engine, rebuilding the transmission, shimming the differential, and bolting the frame to the body via some hockey pucks and some enormous bolts,” he said.

David promises to post more details about his actual trail adventures in Moab in his Willys Jeep soon. We’ll be on the lookout, but for now, check out the teaser footage above showing the Willys in action.