I didn't find a lot of flatfender Jeeps on my 1997 visit to Venezuela. The development of the domestic oil industry was relatively recent, so there weren't a lot of really old vehicles around. In addition, the fact that Chrysler serviced the market, rather than licencing out the Jeep name, meant there weren't recent models with old body styles, of the sort produced in Asia or Colombia. The most unique thing about the Venezuelan Jeep population was the large number of long-wheelbase CJ-6s, CJ-8 Scramblers, and even LWB YJ Wranglers.
Click any of my photos for a larger version (90K JPEG).
 Me, pretending to be the owner of a long Wrangler. |  A CJ-6 equipped for fun, on the beachfront strip in Puerto La Cruz. |
The popularity of the long-wheelbase Jeeps makes you wonder why Chrysler never introduced a "Scrangler" version of the YJ in North America, or went ahead with the Dakar 4-door version of the TJ. As of 2002, Daimler-Chrysler is apparently ready to build the TJL long Wrangler in Europe and perhaps in North America.
 A shiny state police YJ on the narrow streets of colonial Barcelona. |  The hard-working Scrangler as commercial vehicle. |
Unlike the North American CJ-8 Scrambler (1981-86), or other recent Jeep models here, many of the long-wheelbase Jeeps in Venezuela have steel hardtops, sometimes in panel-truck style with no side windows. The rear doors are usually swinging doors rather than tailgates, and they often have side-bench seats in the back.
The economic recession in Venezuela (resulting from falling oil prices) resulted in a lot of big construction projects sitting unfinished. It probably also accounts for Jeep dealers with no Jeeps in stock, and no sign of the TJ as of 1999. However, four-wheel-drive vehicles of every make are popular there, and there are plenty of CJ-5s, CJ-7s and YJ's on the road, and quite a few Grand Cherokees. Also very noticeable is the large number of 70's-80's vintage full-size Wagoneers (25K JPEG) and J-series trucks.
 Sunday finds a YJ at the beach in Lecheria. |  And a well-used Scrangler at church in Barcelona (it has the Wrangler logo on the hood). |
Some of the CJ's and YJ's have lifts installed, but the most common modification, in the cities at least, is longer axles for the low, wide look.
So, what about in the countryside? I had read that for 70 cents U.S., you could get a 45-minute Jeep ride from the bus terminal in Puerto LaCruz, up into the coffee-producing mountains of Los Altos. The price turned out to be accurate, but not the capital "J" -- the vehicles were all Land Cruisers (carrying up to 12 passengers). We did take the dizzying trip, and we did a lot of walking up there (including right up the burro trails well beyond the reach of any vehicle, probably including a CJ). But we didn't have any better luck as far as finding flatfenders. We did run across an old Willys wagon, the only one I saw in Venezuela. -- Derek Redmond
Luis Miguel sent some good CJ-3B photos from the Venezuela Offroad Festival 2002, so apparently you have to know where to look!
Alejandro Uribe of Caracas says yes, you have to know where to look to find the older Jeeps, and he says, "Here, what you call CJ-8 or Scrambler, was called a CJ-7 long, and always came with a steel hard top (maybe the army asked for some soft tops). The same applies to the Wranglers -- there were short or long ones, and the name YJ is not very well known. In 1990 they introduced "La Bestia", that was a normal Wrangler with a fiberglass top and the 4.0L motor. The steel hard top became only available on the long Wrangler. In the last three years, the production of Jeeps (YJ's) has been greatly reduced, and since '95 it came to a halt, only selling previously assembled vehicles." Alejandro sent some photos of More Jeeps in Venezuela.
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