GOING DOWN A STORM

Passion for Jeeps has gone down a Storm

Family business attracts enthusiasts from far and wide

Father and son team Mike and Andy Bonner have created a business out of their passion for the Jeep brand and they are now creating truly unique custom vehicles for clients around the world. Jeepey (Jeep East Yorkshire) was founded in 1997 after the pair had created a Wrangler enthusiasts’ club which attracted 500 members. Engineer Andy was becoming inundated with requests for custom-built vehicles and this spurred the pair to launch this small family business that has been enhancing its reputation for nearly 25 years.

After growing the core parts and aftermarket side of the business, Jeepey launched its own Storm Jeeps custom-build business in 2017 and has amassed a great deal of experience working on the latest Wrangler JL model since its 2018 launch.

Storm Jeeps works on around 50 customisation jobs a year, with work taking around a week on average with budgets ranging from a few hundred pounds to some customers spending an additional £10,000 on extras to take things beyond the already eye-catching Sahara, Night Eagle, Overland and Rubicon model variants.

Customers come from far and wide. Apart from Jeepey’s home market of the UK, it also has clients from Spain, Italy, the UAE and, most recently, Jamaica.

“You can still get back to that classic (Willys MB) image of the Wrangler, but with all the comforts a modern vehicle provides”

Mike Bonner, Jeepey

Mike says: “We are a small family business, but, due to the experience we have built up over the years, we’re now recognised around the world.”

Jeepey’s business is split into three streams, with the core focus on providing parts, a rapidly growing Storm Jeeps custom-build business and then restoration and customisation work.

This can include new suspension and lift-kits, new wheels, tyres or bespoke interiors and exterior paint jobs. Jeepey is happy to offer up to three years’ warranty on its Jeep custom work.

Mike explains that his love for the Jeep brand, which is shared by his customers, is prompted by the versatility and the ruggedness of the vehicles.

He says: “Even going back to the Wrangler TJ of the 90s, they offer unrivalled capability on sand, mud and snow. They have solid engines and the flexibility of a soft-top.”

Mike says the key benefits of the latest 2018 model includes a step up in the level of equipment on offer, a refined interior and even more efficient engines with an improved eight-speed automatic transmission, as well as the latest advanced safety technology.

He adds: “A lot of that passion for the brand also comes from the fact that even the latest Wrangler still carries that heritage from the 1940s’ Willys MB models. You can still get back to that classic image of the Wrangler, but with all the comforts a modern vehicle provides.”