The Jeep Mystique and What's With those Ducks??

Bob Gehman
Nov 11
5 min read

Anyone who knows me knows I'm a Jeep guy. My first Jeep was a 1968 Jeep Commando. Since then, we've had two doors, four doors, Wrangler Sports, Wrangler Sahara's, Stick shifts and automatics. We also have a Jeep Cherokee.

Jeeps started out in 1940 because the U.S. Army wanted something they could use in a combat zone that could handle multiple terrains, was nimble and could outperform motorcycles and mules. When the Army put out its request, three different companies answered the call: Bantam, Willys-Overland, and Ford. Willys-Overland won the government contract by producing the Willys MB. It was a boxy, flat fendered vehicle with a 4x4 drivetrain and was called "America's greatest contribution to modern warfare" by General George C. Marshall.

The debate over where the name Jeep came from varies. Some say it came from Eugene the Jeep, who was the magical character from the Popeye comics, while other feel it's an abbreviation of "GP" for General Purpose. Over 600,000 were produced and used during WWII.

Since the war, Jeep was introduced to the civilian production market as a CJ (Civilian Jeep). Despite its popularity, Jeep parent companies struggled financially but not because of the Jeep, but because of their other cars within the company. This became knows as the Jeep Curse:

1953: Willys-Overland was acquired by Kaiser Motors for $62.3 million. The company was renamed Kaiser-Jeep.
1970: American Motors Corporation (AMC) took over, integrating Jeep into a broader portfolio.
1979: Due to financial challenges, French automaker Renault bought a 25% stake in AMC.
1987: Chrysler Corporation acquired AMC for $1.5 billion, eyeing Jeep as the crown jewel. This deal birthed the Jeep Wrangler—arguably the most iconic Jeep of all time.
1998: German automaker Daimler-Benz merged with Chrysler, forming DaimlerChrysler in what was dubbed a “merger of equals.” But cultural and operational clashes made it a turbulent union.
2007: Daimler sold off most of its Chrysler holdings to private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management. The new entity was rebranded as Chrysler LLC.
2009: The global financial meltdown forced Chrysler into bankruptcy. That’s when Fiat, the Italian car manufacturer, entered the picture.
2014: Fiat had merged fully with Chrysler to form Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA).

In January 2021, Fiat merged with French PSA group (parent company of Peugeot) to form Stellantis.

Jeeps are manufactured in several locations - Toledo, OH, Detroit MI, Belvidere, IL, Mexico, Brazil, Italy, India and China.

There are several Jeep models in existence today:

Wrangler: The icon. Still a top choice for serious off-roaders, available in multiple trims, including the plug-in hybrid Wrangler 4xe.
Gladiator: A Wrangler-style pickup that brings utility and adventure together, complete with removable doors and roof.
Cherokee & Grand Cherokee: Midsize SUVs offering comfort with trail-ready features.
Grand Cherokee L: Adds third-row seating to the beloved Grand Cherokee platform.
Compass: A compact SUV with respectable off-road capability.
Renegade: Jeep’s smallest SUV but still trail-ready.
Wagoneer & Grand Wagoneer: Premium, three-row SUVs designed for luxury road trips and family expeditions, offering V6, V8, and hybrid options.

People that own jeeps are a breed of their own - they call themselves Jeep Nation and as enthusiasts, they hold rallies and events and shows and hill climbs. They have a jeep wave when they encounter another jeep coming in the opposite direction - depending on the circumstances the wave varies from a simple classic wave through the windshield to something more complex like:

There is a hierarchy of who waves first. New Jeeps wave first to older Jeeps out of respect. Two jeeps of the same vintage will dictate that a muddy jeep outclasses a clean one and so the clean one waves first. It’s frustrating not to get a wave back; we get a return wave of almost 60% sometimes, Jeepers will wave at us, but being a Jeep guy for the whole of my life, I naturally wave first. The 40% of the people who don’t wave back are mostly women and jeepers with new Jeeps – When riding with our children, they all love the “Jeep Wave” and say it’s cool; they also get upset when other Jeepers don’t wave at us or wave back!

What's with the Ducks???

Sometime around the summer of 2020, a woman by the name of Allison Piltch was driving her Jeep in Canada when she spied a small rubber duck placed on the windshield of another Jeep and thought it was both amusing and intriguing, so she decided to adopt this practice and bought a bunch of cheap little ducks and started leaving them on the door handles or windshields of parked Jeeps she would see in parking lots. She created a Facebook group called "Jeep Ducking" and the movement spread like wildfire among Jeep enthusiasts. Jeep owners feel that they're more than just owners - they're part of a bond, a lifestyle of sorts. Ducking another Jeep is a way of saying hello to a fellow Jeep owner. All the ducks you see in the picture at the start of this post were left on our windshield or door handle at one time or another.

The rules of Ducking a Jeep are as follows:

How to Duck a Jeep: A Simple Guide

The beauty of the Jeep ducking tradition lies in its simplicity. How to duck a Jeep is straightforward and requires only a few things:

Acquire Rubber Ducks: You can find rubber ducks at most toy stores, dollar stores, or online retailers. They come in various colors, sizes, and even themes.
Personalize (Optional): Some people like to write their Jeep’s name, their social media handle, or a short, encouraging message on the duck. This is entirely optional but adds a personal touch.
Find a Jeep: Look for Jeeps parked in parking lots, at trailheads, or on the road. Any Jeep is a potential candidate for ducking.
Leave the Duck: Gently place the rubber duck on a visible part of the Jeep, such as the windshield, dashboard, or a mirror. Avoid placing it in a way that could obstruct the driver’s view or cause damage.
Share Your Experience (Optional): Many people like to share photos of the ducks they’ve left on social media, often using hashtags like #JeepDucking, #DuckDuckJeep, or #JeepLife. This is a great way to connect with others and see the impact of your ducking.

What to Do When You Find a Duck

If you find a duck on your Jeep, congratulations! You’ve been “ducked.” Here’s what you can do:

Take a Picture: Capture the moment and share it with the Jeep community online.
Keep the Duck: It’s a token of appreciation and a reminder of the positive gesture.
Pay It Forward: The most important step is to get your own ducks and start ducking other Jeeps. This is how the ducking culture Jeep thrives and continues to spread joy.