Carriage House Chronicles: PrepFord Wife’s Jeep Grand Wagoneer

Carriage House Chronicles: An Introduction

Hi there! We are so excited to introduce a new series to the blog, Carriage House Chronicles- from some of our friends and yours about one of our favorite subjects, old classic cars. We love an old school car almost as much as we love an old school house. There is something really special about a charming car that has lived many lives with stories to tell, sometimes one that are reflected on the body of it. And sure that charm and those stories come with…issues. Strange smells, rust, and leaks are not outside the realm of possibility. But it doesn’t stop us from buying them all over again.

Whenever we speak to other old car owners, there seems to be this bond that forms from the crazy stories. Laughter as we empathize with the struggles, share tips and encourage each other to keep going when the car is in the shop… yet again.

That’s where the idea for this series came from. We want to share the conversations we’ve had with other “classic” car owners because it’s a ton of fun and best of all we’re amateurs so it’s not out of the realm of what you too could do. Maybe it will inspire you to pull the trigger on that Wagoneer that reminds you of your childhood or say “No way, not for me!” But I hope you enjoy our stories as we interview each other and our friends about their experiences.

And I’m our first interview on the docket. Hang with us while my husband Marcus kicks us off by asking me old car questions.

Carriage House Chronicles: PrepFord Wife Interview

1. What kind of car do you have? 

A 1989 Jeep Grand Wagoneer named Honey

2. What made you get this classic ride and why this particular model? 

Honestly, I loved the idea of it. The Grand Wagoneer is such a staple of classic Americana. It’s an absolute centerpiece in the image I have of an idyllic quiet life strolling in our small town on simple weekends with our two dogs. And while our life isn’t always that, I couldn’t help myself when given the chance to own one and have a piece of that hallmark cookie cutter life.

3. Tell us the story of how you acquired the car. 

Oh boy. To say that I acquired it is strong. You [Marcus] acquired it. Honey is actually Honey 2.0; she’s my second Jeep Grand Wagoneer. We originally found Honey 1.0 from a local seller in North Carolina. But she needed more love than we could give her and we actually ended up trading her in a handshake deal to a gentleman who is also local. This gentleman had over 19 Grand Wagoneers in this magical field behind a bend of trees in Durham, NC. I know that sounds ridiculous but that is literally what happened.

4. Any funny stories from your first few drives? 

Ugh, funny to who? One of our first real drives with Honey was actually to shoot a fall L.L. Bean campaign that we needed to complete before the end of August. The shoot included warm wool cardigans, waterproof jackets, and toasty corduroy during a North Carolina summer. Any Wagoneer owner knows where I’m going with this. She broke down. At the top of a hill. With no warning. We had to turn her around 180 degrees in order to drive her back down the hill, while boiling in the hottest of hots. (It’s the first image in this post.)

5. Has it been easy maintaining the car? 

Ya know, I complain about how much work she is but yes. Honey is no more trouble than any other old car that we’ve owned. It’s taken a bit to figure out the kinks to keep her road ready but over all, it hasn’t been the most high maintenance car we’ve ever owned.

6. Now that you have it, what is your favorite part of having a vintage car? 

The absolute good will that it brings. Old car lovers are some of the best people I’ve ever met. They are generous with their knowledge, open with their networks and kind with their words. Even non old car lovers have just been incredible from stopping on the side of the road to help us push her on a break down day to staying with me while waiting for Marcus to arrive. I’ve really and truly seen the good in people while driving this car.

7. How do you use your vintage car? (Weekends,Daily?)

She is definitely a drive around town-er. I don’t like strangers and I don’t like strange cars. It take a while to earn my trust and we are just turning the corner on me being about to trust this car fully. So I haven’t really taken her much further than bebopping around my town on a Saturday drive.

8. Do you have any other vintage cars you want?

Yep, I am holding out for a 1967 Fiat Jolly in Cherry Red with wicker seats.

9. Any advice for future vintage car owners?

Set realistic expectations for your car process. You get out of this what you put in. So if you are cranking out work every single weekend on it, then you are probably going to be -and stay- road ready much faster. If you hire an awesome mechanic and drop $19k into the car, you are probably going to be road ready much faster. But if you are an amateur with a busy life and responsibilities, it may go slow. And that’s okay. Vintage car owning is a bit of a marathon and not a sprint.

So there we have it, our very first in a series of interviews about retro cars. Come hang out with us next Monday as chat with Marcus about his classic car. And if you have one you want to chat with us about, please do! We would love to tell your story of you and your cars adventures.

XO Victoria