Hailing from South Africa, Jo is a lady who enjoys challenging stereotypes. Her beautiful Jeep Wrangler JL, which has been christened Bella, is her trusty sidekick on adventures around the country. Today, we dig deeper to find out what kick-started Jo’s passion for all things automotive and learn more about her unique Wrangler.
What car do you currently drive?
I currently drive a Jeep Wrangler JL 2019 and I absolutely love it!
Have you owned any interesting cars in the past?
I guess you could say I like my off-roaders. In the past, I’ve owned a Jeep Wrangler Sahara Manual SWB and a Mitsubishi Pajero SWB.
What got you into cars?
A number of things really, when I was very young, my parents would try to keep me entertained on road trips by making me name the brands of cars we drove past. Over time, it wasn’t just the brands that I could recognize and name, but also the models and what engines were available back then. I guess you could say I was one of those girls who wanted toy cars and car mats instead of dolls growing up.
My first off-road trip was a ladies trip in Oman, in 2017, organized by Guide Oman and led by a female Marshal. My friend, also a “Jeepher” took me with her for the weekend. I had no idea what it would entail. We were 34 cars and 64 women, and I was hooked! The only thing I ever wanted to do since I could remember was drive. So when the off-roading obsession started after that weekend, my parents were not surprised at all.
What is unique about your car? Have you customized it in any way?
I have not done too many modifications to my car, as an experienced driver told me early on, it is more important to focus on improving driving skills in the desert before modifying.
With that said, I do have an Old Man Emu (OME) 2.5-inch lift kit, a kill switch for the traction control and ABS systems, a reinforced front axle, 17inch wheels, some basic off-road lights, and an ARB built-in air compressor. I have also put my car’s name (Bella) on the fenders and installed some pink rock crawling lights.
Do you have any upgrades or modifications in the pipeline?
At this point I am happy with my car the way it is, I’m focusing on driving and learning new things at this point. In the future, I might change my suspension and tires, but first I will get good use out of the current setup I have.
Tell me one car you would swap your current car for?
Oooooo...this is a difficult one since there are so many nice cars! If I did have to choose though, I think it might be a SWB Nissan Patrol Safari. However, I do love my Bella and would probably stick with Jeep for a few years to come.
