Lake Tarpon, Florida is a favourite destination for the angler who loves to fish for bass. There's nothing quite like the beautiful lakeside scenery and the prospect of catching the elusive bass to get a fisherman's adrenaline flowing. And few scenes in nature surpass the spectacle of a bass rising from the water, twisting and turning to try to escape the fisherman's hook.

For decades, fisherman have left the hustle and bustle of everyday life and taken to the great outdoors on a fishing expedition, making their way through the woods in a trustworthy Jeep 4X4. Perhaps the most famous and recognized of all 4X4 vehicles, the Jeep 4X4 entered civilian life in 1945, just as World War II ended. The Jeep 4X4 was pure function - from its engine to its seats to its wheels. Yet the Jeep 4X4 found its niche on American farms, ranches and wherever a vehicle was needed that could perform well on the road and off. It was powered by a in-line, four-cylinder engine that provided 60 horsepower @ 4000 rpm and displaced 134.2 cubic inches. The three-speed manual transmission was a Warner Gear model T090A, a much larger transmission than the military version. Available in grey, tan, blue and brown (it didn't completely discard its military past), the Civilian Jeep 4X4 could seat two to five passengers.

Now, the 1947 Jeep CJ2A is decorated with the graphics of "Bass Haven" of Lake Tarpon, Florida and crafted with fishing poles atop the roll bar, a cooler, cutting board and a bucket of bait. This exceptional precision-engineered die-cast model is produced by - and available only from - Matchbox Collectibles.

(1999)

Scale: 1:43