UPDATE: 2 more photos of DJ-3A Hardtops with side glass (note also the use of the modified hardtop with glass on the Jeep Creep jeep above). The first is a different 1956 DJ-3A with the same type of hardtop (side windows and small rear window) was posted to Facebook.
So, does this mean Willys Motors had planned on selling DJ-3As with side windows, but for some reason changed its strategy? Or, did they only intend these tops for commercial/governmental use?
Caption: August 27, 1956. New Police Equipment: This new jeep, recently acquired by the City of Ann Arbor – Police Department, is being used to service parking meters throughout the city. The small vehicle has proven ideal for swinging into small spaces while meters are emptied. Patrolman John Biederman drives the jeep and is assisted in the meter collection by George Kaercher.
This second is undated, but shows a DJ-3A with a windowed hardtop for the Triangle Drive-in. It was posted to Facebook by Michael Canup.
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The photos of this RHD drive DJ-3A were posted by Andy to Facebook. They show a RHD DJ-3A at work for the Los Angeles School Police Department (that’s the department’s insignia on the door).
This is a 1956 RHD DJ-3A. It has the small rear window top that was halted sometime around late 1956 or early 1957 (http://www.ewillys.com/2020/03/17/different-version-of-the-koenig-manufactured-hardtop/), but also has the Hall tail lights which I am surprised to see on a 1956 (https://cj3b.info/Dating/Taillights.html). Oddly, it also has the rear side windows on the hardtop, which wasn’t common for the DJ-3As, but the side windows were standard for this model of the CJ-5 hardtop. So, this must have been a special order?
Photo taken June 06, 1956: http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/ref/collection/p15799coll44/id/61924
Photo taken June 06, 1956: http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/ref/collection/p15799coll44/id/61924
There was another photo taken with what appears to be the same jeep (same number on the door), but having a different driver (at least a different cap) named Officer Verne Schlotzhauer, while Captain Maurice W. Calfee watches the officer. The car to the right is different, also. This appeared in the July 24, 1956, issue of the Valley News, Van Nuys, California:
The top pic was also syndicated to newspapers. The image below appeared in the June 22, 1956, issue of the Des Moines Register:
aero-car hubcaps — sliding door –> would be handy off road ?
I’ve never been a fan of the sliding doors, albeit a very practical application for deliveries and or narrow spaces, like today’s compact size parking spaces. The solid sides was way too much blind spot for me, so the glass offers a remedy to that. Too bad they didn’t make them pop out for ventilation too. No spare tire was another draw back in rural usage, but a great little service vehicle with only 2WD to maintain.
PIZZA JEEPS, & POLIZIA JEEPS, almost the same thing, but not quite. Having said that, lets move on to the aforementioned subject. Most of you guys are experts in everything, as for myself, my expertise is limited, only supplanted by my vast knowledge of littles known facts, that become interesting once they hit the internet. I’ve seen both window, and windowless Dispatchers in my life time, going back to the 1950’s. In my opinion, ( I know it’s not worth much with all you experts) this was just a case how you want it, kinda of like “Waa topping youa wan ona u pizza”? Also a case of what parts Kaiser Willys had on hand at any given time. Bruno’s House of Pizza had one with side windows and 2 without, back in the 50’s. Steve’s Pizza always had no windows till one day in the early 60’s, a window one showed up among the windowless fleet. So these facts give my opinion credence
Sliding doors were always preferred by pizza jeep owners, why you may ask? because it gave them a way to grease the sliding door tracks and get rid of the pizza grease at the same time.
As for Bruno, I think he’s out of the big house by now, Steve retired and bought a big house with all that PIZZA MONEY.
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The small “W” hubcaps on the DJ3As were standard for the Jeeps with 15 inch wheels, and they were no doubt used from the Willys Aero sedan line, just as the full hubcaps on the Surreys were from the 1954 Willys Deluxe Aero sedans. Willys was never one to let good parts go to waste! The side windows sure eliminated large blind spots and the larger rear window did the same. Maybe some of the models that didn’t have the side glass used the space for advertising as it could be seen with the doors closed or with them open.
Thank you! The Officer listed was my great grandfather Verne M. Schlotzhauer.
Hi Rachel,
That’s wonderful. I’m glad you found him here!
– Dave