In the ‘sometimes it’s better to be lucky’ department, eBay blessed me with a huge win the other day: 10 Willys News issues from 1960 and 1961 for only $20 (and free shipping)! Here’s the first one. It includes a lot of DJ-3A Surrey articles, a note about future President Lyndon Johnson checking out a Willys truck for his ranch, and more. The 1/4 ton jeeps (CJ-5s and CJ-3Bs) take a back seat to the FCs, Wagons, and DJs in this issue. There’s also articles demonstrating how dealers felt TV shows were helping to drive sales, which is likely why Willys Motors moved forward with other TV show and movie tie-ins.
Advertising & Brochures Research Archives
March 1962 Tornado Engine Brochure
This March of 1962 brochure (form 62-03) includes a chart that highlights the performance claims of the engine vs. other engines of the day. It was part of a series of brochures from Willys Motors during 1962 that had ‘wing’ pages that opened horizontally. It’s hard to capture that sense using a scanner, but using a phone Madi those wings more apparent (see the second pic).
1961 Willys Wagon Ad
This May 17, 1961, ad that appeared in the Boston Glove for the Jeep Wagon has art that feels more like a late 1940s ad than a 1960s ad. On the same page as this ad was the photo at the bottom.
1958? Koenig Power Take-Offs by Jeep Model
This Koenig Power Take-Off brochure/chart highlights which PTOs work with which jeep model. It seems like a handy guide.
1973 Johnson Enterprises Catalog
I hadn’t heard of a parts reseller named Johnson Enterprises, a company out of Orangevale, California, until receiving this catalog. The side and corner panel skid plates are something I’ve seen on some jeeps, but never knew who made them.
The catalog is pretty small, so the company didn’t offer too many products. All the pages of the 1973 catalog are shown below:
August 1960 Surrey Contest Ads
UPDATE: View the Miss Gotham winner here. Advertisements for the summer of 1960 Miss Gotham contest also appeared in newspapers. I also have learned who won the Surrey, but I need to scan the info still.
=========================
Originally posted May 13, 2020: A contest ad featuring a DJ-3A Surrey appeared in an August 1960 issue of Seventeen Magazine.
“Seventeen 8/1960.
Original magazine page.
NOTE: You are buying a magazine page, a piece of paper. Sheet size given is approximate. [10 1/2 x 13 1/2″]. 2-page ads noted. Occasional small edge splits not affecting image or type may be present.”
1960 “Go in Snow” Ad for Jeeps
The Ithaca Journal printed this ad on November 10, 1960. Long’s Motor Sales out of Ithaca, New York, paid for the ad. It features an FC-150 and a CJ-5, while also promoting the tv-series Maverick.
Newgren Brochure Goes For $124.50 on eBay
January 1958 Willys News
The January 1958 issue of Willys News includes a rare article on the Willys Economy Delivery Truck, which was new for 1958.
Manley Wrecker Brochures
UPDATE: This brochure appeared on Facebook a while back.
===========================
Originally published October 2016: The American Chain & Cable Company’s Manley Division produced these Jeep Wrecking Cranes in the late 1940s. I can’t imagine there are too many of these around. This brochure is from a 1948 Industrial Equipment book.
May 1957 Willys News
This issue of Willys News includes a variety of FC-related articles, but also takes a full-page look at the Truth-or-Consquences, New Mexico, 2nd Annual ‘Jeep’ Derby.
Bleick “J” Logo Mechanical Pencil
I bought this off of eBay. I imagine this pencil is from the late 1940s based on the “J” logo. The lead remains nice and snug in the pencil, so it’s still very usable. Thanks to Marty for spotting it!
1968 & 1969 DJ-5 Gala Ads
During the late 1960s, a couple different Jeep dealers in Hawaii offered DJ-5 Jeep Galas for sale. There were at least two different styles of ads published. The Gala was a Surrey that was sold by the export arm of the company.
In 1967, a Kaiser-Jeep dealership owned by Von Hamm-Young Mercantile, flew the 1968 model of the DJ-5 Gala Jeep to Hawaii. From the story below, it would seem that this may have been the first example of a DJ-5 Gala Jeep arriving in Hawaii. Note that the photo’s caption only describes this jeep as a Gala.
Over the next two years, the dealer published ads hoping to spur sales. We’ll likely never know how successful sales were, but I’d suspect not too many were sold.
1) The first ad appeared between April and September of 1968. The example shown below was published in the May 30, 1968, issue of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin. There are a variety of things that struck me with this ad. First, it’s the first ad I’ve seen for a DJ-5 Surrey/Gala. Second, it is advertised as a “Surrey Gala”, rather than one or the other. Third, it came in six different color schemes. Fourth, later in the year (specifically September 24th in the Hawaii Tribune Herald), Big Island Rambler was the dealer name at the bottom of the ad, with no specific link made to Von Hamm-Young.
Apart from all those points, it’s generally just an odd ad for a vehicle!
2) This ad appeared multiple times, but only during April of 1969 (I could find no other ads for any other month in 1969), isn’t quite as odd as the 1968 campaign. The ad also doesn’t mention the multiple package options. This particular example was published in the April 4th, 1969, issue of the Honolulu Advertiser.
1954 Willys 4-Wheel Drive Brochure on eBay
1958 Ad for L&M Cigarettes w/ CJ-2A on eBay
This 1958 L&M cigarette ad included a CJ-2A.
View all the information on eBay
“1958 L&M Filter Cigarettes Smoking Miracle Tip Dam Jeep Vtg Magazine Print Ad”
2 Different Pepsi Sweepstakes with Surrey as a 1st Prize
In May of 1960 there was a Pepsi contest that offered a Pepsi-styled DJ-3A Surrey as the first prize. Subsequently, in July of 1960, there was a second contest, Pepsi’s Sociable Sweepstakes, where another Pepsi-styled DJ-3A Surrey was given away. Learn more about the Pepsi Surreys at the CJ-3B Page.
Contest 1: This ad appeared in the May 05, 1960, issue of the Miami Daily News-Record, Oklahoma. To enter the contest, folks had to fill out and mail in this entry blank, “Pepsi Cola, The ___________ Refreshment”. This was a nearly-full-page ad (this version of the ad shown below is slightly different from the one on the CJ-3B page; it can also be found in this Miami, Oklahoma, newspaper).
This next image demonstrates just how large the ad was:
Contest 2: Two months later, Pepsi announced its Sociable Sweepstakes in July of 1960. The contest was part of Pepsi’s Sociable advertising campaign and it, too, offered a Pepsi-styled DJ-3A Surrey as the first prize. The ad below was published in the July 18, 1960, issue of the Greenville News, Greenville, South Carolina. The ad was another large one, taking up most of the page.
This next image demonstrates just how large the ad was:
1951 ‘Jeep’ Moldboard Plows Brochure
1964 Ad for the CJ-5 with an Outdoor Recreation Theme
I find this ad from the June 22, 1964, issue of the Staunton Leader out of Staunton, Virginia, a good early example of a begining move from the jeep as a utility vehicle to it as a vehicle for outdoor recreation. Though the ad still focuses on the jeep as a way to get to these fun endeavors, it wasn’t too much longer before an inflection point where the jeep-journey itself was advertised as fun.
Remember that by 1964, Four Wheeler Magazine had been out for two years, a publication that helped spread the message and the hobby of four wheeling pursuits (clubs, jeeping, modifications, and racing).
1951 ‘Jeep’ Earth Moving Equipment Brochure
Did the Newgren Terracing Blade become this blade, then become the Stockland Terracing blade? See the Newgren and Stockland brochures in the next post. This is form FS-514103.
Newgren and Stockland Brochures for the Terracing Blade
To me, it looks like the Newgren terracing blade became the ‘Jeep’ terracing blade (with a minor modification .. angled piece added to the top for strength), which then became the Stockland terracing blade. Thoughts?
Page from the 1951 ‘Jeep’ brochure with the terracing blade:
1955 Stockland terracing blade brochure:
1960 Ad For Jeep Surreys, Perfect for Business or Pleasure
Jeep Dealer Frank Woods appeared to have high hopes for sales with this advertisement in the March 22, 1960, issue of the Charlotte Observer.
1947 Ad for Marine L-134 Engines
This ad for Marine versions of the L-134 engine appeared in the October 06, 1947, issue of The Key West Citizen newspaper. As the ad notes, these are the “J1” models, which I take to mean that the serial numbers might start with “J1”?
Roy Rogers, Post Cereals, & the Win-A-Jeep Family Contest
Roy Rogers and Post Cereals had a licensing agreement for an unknown period of time, but it at least covered the period between 1952-1955 (I’m sure the Roy Rogers & Dale Evans archives can better answer the time period question). Together, the entertainer and cereal manufacturer produced a series of TV spots, print ads, and merchandise.
Here’s an example of a Post Cereal Commercial with Roy Rogers, Pat Brady and a hint of Nelly Belle (see many more commercials here):
In 1952 and 1953, Roy Rogers teamed up with Post Cereals to produce a series of 36 pop-out cards about Roy’s epic adventures. View references to the names for the entire list of cards here.
Post Cereals also released a series of 3D cards with Roy Rogers, a few that included jeeps, that required the use of 3D glasses. Here are two examples that include jeeps (there are some of these 3D items for sale on eBay).
And one more off of eBay:
In 1953 Post Cereals joined Roy for a series of pins, one of which included NellyBelle on it.
1951 ‘Jeep’ Farm Mower Brochure
This mower in this brochure looks like a Newton design. It’s form FS-514100.
Newton brochure from the late 1940s (See five early mowers here):
1951 Tool Bar Implements Brochure
Marked form FS-F514105, this brochure highlights some of the tool bar implements available for jeeps, including the Rotary Lister Planter, the Conventional Moldboard Middle Buster, The Roatry Bottom Middle Buster, the Field Cultivator and the Row Fertilizer Attachment.
Barry Thomas suggests that some or all of these may be ex-newgren items that, following Newgren’s struggles, Willys-Overland began to market and sell under ‘Jeep’. I’m not as versed as some folks on the individual implements, so maybe someone can confirm this?
One thing is clear to me; Willys-Overland did not devote much marketing resources to this sales effort. These brochures are pretty simplistic compared to many other marketing documents of the time. Maybe there was a small team with a tight budget assigned to try to make something happen with this niche of farming and implements?