Given the early Wagoneer and the (25M63) printed on the back, this may be a Meyer Snow Plow tri-fold brochure from 1963.
This is the center, 3-page foldout:
Given the early Wagoneer and the (25M63) printed on the back, this may be a Meyer Snow Plow tri-fold brochure from 1963.
This is the center, 3-page foldout:
UPDATE III: This green sign is a terribly fake sign with ‘vintage’ rust on eBay to demonstrate that the other signs could easily be fake-aged. Note that the size of this sign 11 3/4″ is the same as the two at bottom. There are other fake Willys-related signs of this size as well (like this pre-war one) (example of an honest seller of this type of sign):
UPDATE II: Maury emailed me about a second red/white/blue service sign that has appeared on eBay (see UPDATE: I). After a closer look at both signs, below are the reasons why I believe these are fake.
First, when Keith indicates these are fake, you best sit up and take notice.
Second, both of these signs have “MADE IN U.S.A. 1951” .. show me another Willys-Overland sign from 1946-1953 that is dated like that or marked “MADE IN U.S.A”.
Third, aside from the existence of that date, the problem with that date is that by 1951 Willys was removing “Jeep” from its literature to shift the over-arching brand to Willys, so I am unsure the company would have produced a sign like this.
Fourth, nearly all the literature I’ve found suggests that during late 1950/1951 WILLYS was printed at an angle in literature (signs could have been different, but it is hard to date signs to a specific year, because they are so often undated).
Fifth, and perhaps the biggest flaw, look at the single quotes. A review of this page http://www.ewillys.com/2019/12/25/logos-badges-between-1941-1963/ demonstrates that through 1953 the single quotes were solid lines of about the same width; this sign has more triangularish single quotes not seen until the mid 1950s.
I’m happy to be proved wrong about the signs, as I’d hate to know that the first buyer was taken. Plus, I’m no exhaustive expert on Willys-Overland physical signage, But, I see no reason to believe these signs are real.
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UPDATE I: The first sign (at bottom) of this sign-type went for $212.50. A second sign of the same type has emerged on eBay from a different seller. It is at $48 with 10 hours to go.
View all the information on eBay
==============================
Originally posted October 27, 2020 — Caveat Emptor: This 11.75″ Willys Sales and Service Sign is one neither Maury and I have seen.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-WILLYS-JEEP-PORCELAIN-DEALERSHIP-SIGN-ARMY-GAS-OIL-IH-WRANGLER-ARMY
“Willys Jeep porcelain dealership sign in great condition. This noteworthy sign is revered by collectors of all types, when it comes to gas, oil, and automotive advertising. This sign measures 11.75” in diameter. This is truly an amazing sign to add to your collection, the sign displays really well, and adds a lot of charm to any environment it’s used in!
I’m parting with my vast collection of signs right now, including “pump plates”, “service station signs”, “lubester signs”, “automotive dealer signs”, and “aviation sign” so check out some of my other auctions for more great deals. ”
Did all the Kool Kids get Jeep For Juniors for Christmas in 1945? Well, more likely Kool Boys as the Kool Girls were offered a tea party set. Hopefully, the aspiring Jeep Girls asked (and received) the jeep, too.
Listed as a 1945 brochure, my guess is that this was produced in the Fall of 1944. See photos of all the pages of this brochure here.
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“ITEM:::: This Listing is for a 1945 Willys Jeep “UNIVERSAL JEEP–FARM TRACTOR-POWER UNIT-TRUCK-CAR” Tractor Truck Car Dealer Showroom Sales Brochure………
DIMENSIONS:::: About 10 1/2 by 8 1/4 inches and there are 24 pages with covers…….
CONDITION:::: The Condition is generally as follows:::: Inside pages are Very Good….. Covers are Good with moderate general evidence of age & handling (Please refer to pictures & e-mail for details)……….”
This 1951 postcard for the Willys Station Wagon (no ‘jeep’ reference) is form number SW1-2CM-451GG. The postcard is large at 11 x 8.25 inches.
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“1951 Willys Station Wagon Sales Brochure Flyer Original : you are bidding on a 1951 Willys Station Wagon Sales Brochure measures 11 x 8 1/4 inches in good condition!!! Rare hard to find”
This unusual poster for a Revell radio jeep and trailer is an unusual find. This 1957 poster is pretty cheap compared to the 1956 version of the model, which is on eBay for $225.
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“Vintage 1957 Revell Radio Jeep & Trailer Two Sided Dealer Store Display Poster – from a Revell Co. Employee Collection. Has some wear & a fold line. From a smoke free home. Be sure to see my other listings for some other items from this collection.
History of this item: I recently purchased a collection of model related items from a local auction house. They would only tell me that the original owner was a former Revell employee, unfortunately the auction company would not disclose any names or information about the consignor of the collection. The majority of this collection is related to the 1950s Revell models, but there are some items from many other companies. I have been advised by several collectors that this person was most likely a Revell Co. Representative and he would have travelled to Toy Fairs & Industry Trade Shows of the time, where he would have promoted Revell Products and also acquired advertisements from other companies. Please do not contact me about purchasing any items from this collection, they will be listed for auction as I have the time.”
======================
Here’s an image of the toy itself from eBay:
The Ventura County Star-Free Press published an article on the new FC-150 Jeep in the December 04, 1956, issue of the paper.
This July 11, 1947, ad was published in the Weekly Times-Advocate by Willys-Overland dealer Collins and Sharp out of Escondido, California.
These three Meyer Product brochures come from Canada.
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“FOR SALE – LOT OF 3 JEEP ( WILLYS ) AND MEYER SNOW PLOW BROCHURES, CONDITION IS IN PHOTOS AND ITEM DETAILS.”
I just purchased this binder of Meyer Products. I’ll scan it when I get a chance.
“Vintage 1963 Meyer Snow Plows Jeep Dealer Book Binder – Advertising & Meyer IPC. Condition is “Used”. Shipped with USPS Priority Mail.
This binder/book contains sales and technical information to help Jeep dealerships sell Meyer snow plow products. Included in the book are sections on:
1) Selling Data
2) Product Literature
3) Optional Equipment
4) Prices and Specifications
5) Parts/Service Information
6) Plows
7) Lifts/Controls
8) Mounting
There are some nice 1960’s color advertisements for Jeep and Meyer, parts lists, and illustrated parts catalogs.
The book is used but in very good condition. If you operate a Meyer Snow Plow or if you are interested in collecting Jeep related materials this could be a nice addition for your collection.”
This brochures shows that Meyer was well established in the plow industry before the arrival of the jeep.
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“1940’s Meyer Snow Plows Advertising Foldout Brochure
Description: Up for sale is a 1940’s Meyer Snow Plows Advertising Foldout Brochure.
Approx Measurement: 11″ x 8.5″.
Condition: VG-. Age and handling wear throughout. Nearly split along the fold. Still a nice rare item.”
Maury shared this unusual booklet. I can’t imagine many of these survived.
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“Complete booklet, with no missing pages. A guy I know cleaned out a dealership years ago, and I got this from him. It is pocket sized and measures 2.5 inches by 6 inches. Box 11.”
This trencher brochure from Auburn Machine Works was on eBay before I snatched it. Given it features a CJ-3B, I figure this is a 1953 or 54 brochure. There’s no form number.
UPDATE II: Here are two more Willys Make Sense ad that were featured in Sunday newspapers (seller indicates both were from 1951):
This one is currently on eBay for $20:
This one is currently on eBay for $20:
===========================
Originally posted May 29, 2019: Here’s another Willys Makes Sense ad from the February 13, 1951, issue of the Evening Star newspaper that differed from the others.
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Original Post: May 21, 2019:
In 1950, Willys-Overland launched a Willys Makes Sense advertising campaign. Unlike past campaigns, such as the 1948 City and City ads, which were about encouraging the sales of wagons and positioning the wagon as a luxury vehicle, the Willys Makes Sense appears to have been organized to re-imagine how the public should view the brand.
Before I get too deeply into this, I’d like to note that the way I’d prefer to write this article is to document specific reasons behind Willys-Overland’s decision to make such a big change. Unfortunately, I don’t have access to enough financial material as I’d like (especially annual reports). So, conjecture and theory will have to do for now.
BACKGROUND: After WWII, pent up demand meant lots of sales for automakers. That could explain, in part, why post-war sales were pretty good for Willys-Overland. For example, sales increased from almost 79,000 jeeps in 1946 to 159,000 jeeps in 1948. But, in 1949, sales plunged to almost half, coming in at 86,000. I don’t have details into why sales dropped so much, but likely parts or material shortages or labor disputes could have had an impact. Certainly, the recession of late 1948 – late 1949 didn’t help sales at all!
Future sales might not have looked too good for 1950 and beyond either. As of 1950 the US produced 76% of automobiles, but given the post-war rebuilding/resurging of industry world-wide, I expect automakers must have realized that international competition would return soon (by 1955 US market share would drop to 67%). This may have stimulated management to clean up their branding as soon as possible to protect against increasing competition (remember that Willys-Overland had expected to sell 25% of their autos internationally, based on the 1946 Fortunate Magazine article).
Another issue Willys-Overland was facing was that going into 1950 the company still didn’t have a registered trademark for the term JEEP (wouldn’t get it until June of 1950). Added to that, the company was not only producing 4WD 1/4 ton jeeps, trucks, and wagons, but also 2WD trucks, wagons, Jeepsters, and an upcoming automobile. Such a portfolio of non-4WD vehicles must have concerned management that it wasn’t just a “jeep” company; so the challenge of how the company should represent itself to dealers and consumers had to have become an issue.
Finally, in a similar vein, up until 1950, the company had been positioning itself as the ‘Jeep’ company, with ads that emphasized the Universal ‘Jeep’, the ‘Jeep’ Truck and the ‘Jeep’ Wagon. Perhaps with the introduction of the Jeepster (note that the company did not call it the ‘Jeep’ Jeepster nor was there any ‘Jeep’ branding on the introductory brochure), the branding issue must have really came to a head. Because of the entrenched nature of Willys-Overland’s efforts to become ‘Jeep’, management may have felt that a company-wide retooling of the company’s branding was in order.
Perhaps one, two, or all of these issues resulted in the 1950 rebrand of the company as a WILLYS manufacturer with a wide range of 2WD and 4WD vehicles for sale. (For a look back at 1952, see Derek’s post “When the CJ-3B Was New“).
NON-JEEP BRANDED ADS:
Willys-Overland began 1950 with an ad that felt similar to past ads, but excluded the ‘Jeep’ brand. For example, in January of 1950 Willys published this ad in the Saturday Evening Post. Note the reference to ‘Jeep’ has been replaced with a small ‘Jeep’ badge.
As did Colliers Magazine on January 21, 1950:
This June 27, 1946, ad by the Little Motor Company in Alabama’s The Baldwin Times Bay newspaper is one of the better full-page adds that I’ve seen.
I like the full-layout image of the country and jeeps on this brochure. It’s form number is DM 62-07.
These eight ads featuring wagons have a good starting price of $14.95. You can use the links below to date the ads.
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“EIGHT original 10×13″ magazine ads in very good condition.”
I”m guessing this ad is from 1956 given it’s sharing the news of the new CJ-6. The seller has incorrectly dated this to the 1930s.
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“Kaiser-Willys Jeep AD. Condition is “Used”. Shipped with USPS First Class.CJ-6 4wd 1930s”
Lots of text on this Willys Jeep Truck ad.
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IN ENGLISH: Jeep Trucks: Work with Less Cost
The ‘Jeep’ Trucks have been designed to lower transportation costs and to give safe performance under the toughest working conditions. They consume less oil and less gasoline, the longer they last longer, and their functional design makes them easier to preserve and repair.
Four-wheel drive models, with a capacity for 1 ton of payload, are built “on purpose” for heavy duty off the road. Conventional rear wheel drive models can handle 3/4 to 1 ton of payload and their economical performance on the road is unmatched.
In both types we offer a wide selection of standard body styles, all with fully enclosed cab, suitable for any climate, and in the four-wheel drive models, the motive power take-off is optional.
Below you’ll find Press Release Photos #11 & #13. The seller did not have #12, so at this point I’m left to guess what #12 was. My best guess is that given #11 shows a half top and #13 shows no top, that #12 may have been an image that included some version of the full top.
Photo #11 shows the half or front top:
Possible Photo #12: These images were published in an article on the introduction of the jeep. The top photo is press photo #13, which adds weight to the bottom photo being #12:
The original photo caption for the bottom photo would likely have been identical to #11 and #13’s captions, except that the last sentence probably read, “Here it is shown with both tops up“.
Photo #13 shows the jeep without a top:
Press Photo #14? Finally, there’s this photo which shows the windshield down. It could easily have been Photo #14 as it was taken in the same location, but I have no evidence such a photo was included in the press kit.
If this was actually included in the press kit at photo #14, the caption for the photo would likely have been identical to #11 and #13’s captions, except that the last sentence probably read, “Here it is shown with the windshield down“.
Barney sent me a Warn Locking Hub brochure which turns out to be a match for a similar Warn Lockomatic Hub brochure I already had. These are rather small (about 4″ in diameter), so I’m surprised either one survived as well as they have.
One thing that’s evident from these brochures is that the Lockmatic hubs lacked the rings (or perhaps indents or groves are better terms) on the lower portion of the hub that the Locking Hubs had.
This photo shows the fronts:
Here are the opened brochures:
And these are the backs:
Barney from Barney’s Jeep Parts sent November 1961 edition of the Jeep News our direction. The FJ-3A makes a big splash with a variety of images on page 4. Several Jeep Clubs, including California’s Auburn Jeep Club, Denver’s Mile-High Jeep Club, and Washington’s Trailer Breakers Jeep Club get mentioned. One article highlight’s Buddy’s win of a Surrey and Sailboat from the Del Monte Contest and includes an image.
There’s also a mention of photos and writeup about the Jeep Jamboree in the December 1961 issue of Argosy Magazine, but I cannot seem to find the issue on eBay.
This was labeled press photo #10. Like the other press photos, this memorable family picnic photo with the jeep and camper appeared in multiple publications. The marking on the bumper is X32.
UPDATE: I thought the one had sold, but it’s back on eBay, with a price drop down to $33.49 (Was $49.99).
(02/29/2020) Chris spotted this odd Willys Calendar. It’s got an imprint of a horse head on it, but we didn’t understand why that might be. It appears these were produced for the Ohio Willys Sales Company, of Cleveland, Ohio.
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“6 5/8″ TALL X 3 3/4″ WIDE
ALL PAGES ARE THERE
CONDITION AS PICTURED – PLEASE ZOOM IN AND LOOK AT ALL PICTURES.”
Photo #8 from the July 1945 Willys-Overland press kit has appeared widely.
Jeep in back has no “X”. I think it is 39, otherwise could be 59.