UPDATE: II: Thie Buick shown below was featured in the Jan 1950 issue of Popular Science (pg 99)
http://books.google.com/books?id=vSwDAAAAMBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false
UPDATE: Javier provided the following information. I guess there was some competition among the ranches? Below are two photos of other hunting vehicles.
He wrote, This is very similiar to one of the hunting cars used on the King Ranch. The Kenndy Ranch mentioned in the arcticle is adajcent to the King Ranch. Below is a picture of the car made for the King Ranch. (From this link to the University of Texas)
Here’s the hunting wagon from Texas featured on eWillys a couple years ago (seems I’ve deleted the original post related to it:
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David Silberman forwarded this unusual photo from a rare April 1951 issue of Willys Salesbuilder. This one looks like it might have been build on a Jeepster platform.
From this same issue are these two parade float photos:
This is very similiar to one of the hunting cars used on the King Ranch. The Kenndy Ranch mentioned in the arcticle is adajcent to the King Ranch. Below is a link to a picture of the car made for the King Ranch.
http://www.cah.utexas.edu/db/dmr/image_lg.php?variable=e_jd_0339
Javier,
Great photo! That’s a fascinating bit of history. I’ll include the info in the post.
– Dave
While reading this article, I’m hearing a Johnny Cash song about a Cadillac.
Google Popular Science archives and search “King Ranch” for some more examples.
That Willys hunting wagon is real sweet. A Tour Jeep that you don’t have to climb out of!
I believe these cars were based on a Buick Hunting car built in the 50s. The King Ranch had one and is in thier museum. They were equiped with Radio telephone, winch, Rifle scabbards built into the fenders, and most important a wet bar. Pretty fancy rig to drive around the brush country of South Texas. Below is a link to a diagram.
http://www.buickclub.org.au/Content_Photo.php?Photo=2c3da70540286dc0fe61ed332a0a629e.jpg
Ann and I have discussed driving through Texas during our Spring trip. I think I need to add that museum to our list of places to visit. I found a link to the museum: http://www.king-ranch.com/visit/the-museum/
Here’s a direct link into the January 1950 Popular Science Article with lots of photos and info about the Buick Ranch Car. Cool Car!
http://books.google.com/books?id=vSwDAAAAMBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=1950+january+popular+science&hl=en&sa=X&ei=JKKeUtG7KoTtigLFpoDgBg&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=buick&f=false
Check this out—
It’s the one shown in the link in the above posting.
Hope the link works.
http://www.popsci.com/archive-viewer?id=vSwDAAAAMBAJ&pg=100&query=%20king%20ranch
I grew up down there. If you’re close the museum is worth the trip. You really need to take the Ranch tour. It’s pretty amazing to think the ranch is 825,000 acres. The spring is a good time to visit Texas. If you come this way let me know and I will let you know where the best BBQ spots are.
Javier
Thanks Javier. I’ll do that. I do have one BBQ place already in mind:
http://www.ewillys.com/2010/01/11/dinner-time-at-the-rusty-jeep-hickory-pit/
I mean, how could we pass that up?
The top photo appears to show a 1949-50 DeSoto front end, rather than a Buick or are we talking about two separate hunting rigs here? The early Willys wagons in both two wheel drive and 4 wheel drive as well as the Jeepster all used a 104 inch wheelbase, som many of the parts could be interchanged. The Kennedy car appears to be on the 4×4 463 chassis with the rear fenders being Jeepster. The Jeepster actually used the rear fenders from the pickup trucks with the small skirt added to the top portion of the fenders. Neat history for sure!
cool
I visited the LBJ ranch once and saw his cars. My favorite was a modified Model A Ford called the hunting car.