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UPDATE: This was first published October 14, 2019. The videos were dated as 1948, but Bill noted that the actual date of release was 1945.
Brendan, who used to run This-old-jeep, posted this 3-part video back in 2010. The video was produced by Willys-Overland to help sell the new CJ-2A. I don’t think I’ve ever seen them.
Part I:
Part II:
Part III:
After just watching the first film, very enjoyable, a very different way of promoting a product back then. The announcer speaks slowly, clearly and distinctly, in so doing, connects the past with a bright future that includes the Willys Jeep. This is a very well done promotional advertising film with a touch of, (as we say in NJ”) “SCHMALTZ”. Two big, brawny GI’s sitting in a Jeep, and one asks the other, “who are you writing to now Joe”? Joe answers, I’m writing to Willys Jeep. OH COME ON, He’s not writing to his wife, not to that cute, young, girlfriend, Linda in Newark, NJ, but to Willys Jeep, equating the Jeep with love. Now that’s SCHMALTZ, but also very clever.
I think the jeep can do lots of this farming stuff but a tractor is much better. if your fields are already plowed the jeep can turn over dirt with another plow. but if turning a previously unturned pasture over the jeep can not nearly keep up with a 50 – 75 hp tractor.
hole digger yes. trencher maybe yes (never saw one in operation), other things, probably yes. but plowing fields no.
I got to watch the working Jeep demonstrations at the Willys Jeep Rally at Hueston Woods in Ohio. Very impressive display of versatility that included many Jeep-powered implements, including trenchers and plows. All of the Jeeps seemed up to the task, at least for short term use. I also talked to a gentleman that worked for a farmer in Scott County Kentucky, who told me that blue smoke would roll out of the exhaust pipe of the Jeep he got to use for farming after it got heated up. I’m with Bob in NC on using the tractor for the hours long, heavy work.
I don’t think I have seen this either. Neat to see all the “XJeeps” or CJ2’s in action. Sure would like to break it down frame by frame and analyze.
This film was premiered on July 17, 1945 at the Commodore Perry Hotel in Toledo. It was part of the ‘Jeep Day’ launch when CJ2As officially went on sale. It was shown to all the participants over dinner after the factory tours.
That was fun, Thanks Dave!
I had seen this film several years ago and thought it was well done for the time when it was produced. I think a lot of the actual farm footage was done at Willys VP Charlie Sorenson’s farm in southern Michigan where they did media presentations in July 1945 for the new CJ.
My dad returned from WWII in early 1946, and couldn’t buy a new car, but the local Willys dealer in Galesburg, Ill, Clyde Martin, sold Dad a new CJ2A. Dad paid for that Jeep with money he earned plowing fields for the local farmers, who either didn’t have tractors or just couldn’t afford one. Dad found that equipped with field weights, the Jeep was fairly capable, but turning radius at the end of rows was limiting. Dad had sold tractor tires for Montgomery Ward before enlisting and had grown up on a farm, so he was familiar with the limitations on the Jeep vs. a tractor. My sister was born in 1947 and she was brought home from the Galesburg hospital in that Jeep. I was born in England during the war and Dad was a Military Police Lt when I was born so I came home from the hospital in a Military Police Jeep.
Dad pretty much wore that CJ2A Jeep out, and once my grandfather was able to buy a new car, my dad got his 41 Hudson back from his dad. Dad bought a new 51 2wd Willys wagon from Clyde Martin Motors and we moved to Tucson, AZ in that Jeep, pulling a small trailer holding all our personal stuff. Some form of Jeeps have been in our family since WWII.
The introduction of the Love 3-point hitch in September 1946 made the Jeep a useable light tractor. The lift overcame the very real turning problems that the large turning radius caused, especially in small fields As Bill stated this film dates from 1945 and not 1948.
To see the difference that those 3 years made, check out
http://www.ewillys.com/2021/09/09/revolution-in-pleasantville-video/