Bob’s Sales & Service of Clare, Michigan, ran several different jeep ads between 1946 and 1948.
Advertising & Brochures Research Archives
1945 West-Craft 1″ Scale Model Jeep Ad
This ad was for a 1″-scale model jeep that measured 11″ when built. West-Craft also offered 1/2″-scale model jeeps for sale, too. I’ve got a few unbuilt 1940s models, but no West-Craft ones.
1957? Kohler Generator Ad on eBay
This ad for a Kohler power plants includes a Sedwick County, Wichita, Kansas, Fire Department Rescue Wagon with matching boat and trailer.
1947 & 1948 Ads for Jeep as Farm Vehicle
These two ads were published in the same newspaper a year apart. The 1947 ad highlights the versatility of the farm vehicle and, as an added bonus, its versatility cuts costs. The 1948 ad emphasizes the cost savings, because the jeep is versatile. It’s basically the same message, but with different emphases.
This April 4, 1947, ad from A.B. Clothier & Son in the Oxford Leader highlighted the farm versatility of the Universal Jeep.
1956 Ad for the Station Wagon as a Practical Builder on eBay
This ad appeared in the January 1956 issue of Practical Builder, page 282. It’s a pretty niche specific ad.
1948 Jeep Ad Rainy Weather is Duck Soup
This ad appeared in the Oxford Ledger on March 10, 1948, published by A. B. Clothier & Son out of Oxford, Michigan. It later appeared in the Leelanau County times on March 25, 1948, published by Harry’s Service Center, Traverse City, Michigan.
A.B. Clothier Ad:
1947 Ad Jeeps Speed-up Golf Course Work on eBay
1951 Short Case History of Willys-Overland Advertising
The following analysis of Willys-Overland advertising was included as part of the 1951 book “Case Histories of Advertising When Oversold“. One example shows how Sunkist growers used advertising in WWII to switch users from canned fruit to fresh fruit and from occasional customers to steady customers. Not much detail in any of these, but kind of interesting (to me anyway).
1956 AD for 4-Wheel-Drive ‘Jeep’ Vehicles on eBay
This ad emphasized that “only 4-Wheel-Drive ‘Jeep’ vehicles do so many jobs so well!”. It appeared in the May 1956 issue of The American City magazine, page 177.
1947 Ad for Citizen’s Garage
This August 07, 1947, ad in the Sullivan Daily Times out of Sullivan, Indiana, highlights the services Citizen’s Garage provides. The Hudson and Willys-Overland dealer highlights its full range of services in the ad, which also features a photo with several jeeps.
1949 Ad for the Jeep and the GE Welder on ebay
This ad is for sale on eBay and appeared in the January 31, 1949, issue of Time Magazine, page 56.
September 1964 Article on Testing the ‘Jeep’ Wagoneer from Trailer Life
UPDATE: According to the author in the 1964 Jeep News Vol. 10 No. 7, this article was published in the September 1964 issue of Trailer Life (I previously guess it was in 1963).
I bought a wagoner literature combo off ebay that included the “Test the ‘Jeep’ Wagoneer” excerpt from an unknown issue of Trailer Life Magazine that also included the early Wagoneer brochure on the post below this one. There are still two sets of these available for purchased the last time I checked.
The writer, Bruce Grantland, concluded that the Wagoneer was a new type of vehicle for towing, better suited to towing long distances in remote areas better than any other vehicle of the time.
December 1963 Jeep Wagoneer Brochure
This was purchased on eBay along with the Trailer Life excerpt showcased in the above post. To me, the art and color choices seem particularly good.
1949 Ad For Coatesville Implement’s Happy Family
This Jeep ad claims everyone is happy with a new Jeep Station Wagon! The ad appeared in Greencastle, Indiana’s, The Daily Banner on April 05, 1949.
1947 and 1948 Comparison of Ads for the Jeep
Both of these ads from the Sullivan Daily Times, out of Sullivan, Indiana, cover the features of the jeep, but do so in slightly different ways. The March 18, 1947, ad focuses on the job-task utility aspects of the jeep, how consumers can use the jeep. The July 13, 1948, ad is less about what the jeep can do task-wise and more about what it can bring consumers beyond specific tasks, such as great mileage, physical comfort, and convenience. I have not studied other ads to see if this was a general trend in Jeep advertising (in other words, I do not know if this shift directed by Willys-Overland or something Citizen’s Garage did on their own).
1947 Ad For the Jeep as a Service Station Vehicle
This June 3, 1947, ad published in the Sullivan Daily Times, out of Sullivan, Indiana, highlights the ability of the jeep to be an efficient, low-cost option as a road-service vehicle.
CJ-2A ‘Jeep’ Fire Truck Brochure on eBay
This is one I’ve bid on a few times, but never seem to get. At some point I will.
View all the information on eBay
“Vintage Willys Jeep Firetruck Brochure CJ2 CJ3 as pictured. Condition is Used. Shipped with USPS First Class Package. Thanks for looking. Let us know if you have any questions”
Late 1950s Jeep Sign Meriden, CT eBay
Reproduction sign? With over 1 hour to go the auction is only at $162 (plus $33.80 shipping).
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“Used Previously displayed Jeep Willys lighted sign Sign. Silk screen lens with metal ribbed frame. Measures 37x3x10.5 inches. Recently purchased with other Mopar related items. Has wood backing and the light source is a tubular bulb. Tested in working condition. Has newer cord. Ships priority insured ”
1960? Family of 4-Wheel Drive Vehicles
UPDATE: There is a French version of this brochure as well.
I bought this brochure years ago. I’m glad I did, because I think I’ve only seen one other appear on eBay. The is high on my list of favorites. It’s a high quality print job on textured paper. The downside of the textured paper is that I had to manipulate the images to turn them into decent scans, but doing so made the yellows brighter than they ought to be.
Curiously, the brochure also includes the new ‘Hockey Stick’ style 2-Wheel Drive Wagon, along with solid windshields, but doesn’t mention that the design is new or anything about ‘Maverick’. But, it does indicate the FCs are “new”. Given the photo of the Paris factory on the back, and the nod to the Willys Export Company, this may have been a European focused brochure (the English version … there is a French version, too).
1954 CJ-3B Brochures
I believe these two CJ-3B brochures were put out in 1954. The red one was published initially, followed by the yellow one, which was printed without the KW logo and other minor changes.
This revised version of the CJ-3B brochure was also printed in 1954.
5 Folded Brochures of Different Models on eBay
UPDATE: There are more of these five-brochure sets on eBay. View all the info on eBay. These are five out of the 20 issued (Form 600-01 through 600-20) during 1960. Slightly different, but similar brochures were published in 1959 (Form 59-01 through 59-20). The form number can be found at the bottom of the brochures. I’m working on assembling an entire list for each year.
(02/09/2017) I bought and received a set of these. By the time you factor in the exchange rate, this is a good price.
“These are five small format (22 x 9 cms) six page two colour sales brochure folders for the 1960 Jeep range for the US market.
Produced by Willys Motors Inc in Toledo Ohio, in English and undated, but they are around 1960
All open out to about A4 size with good pics and specifications.
Covers the following models:
1960 Jeep Universal CJ-6
1960 Jeep Utility Wagon
1960 Jeep Pick-up Truck
1960 Jeep FC-150 Forward Control Truck
1960 Jeep FC-170 Forward Control Truck”
1959 or 1960 Mailer Brochure?
Anyone have this brochure?
I don’t have it; but do have these old pics from a 2013 post. The problem is I can’t quite tell what the date (aka form number) is from 1959 or 1960. If you have this brochure, the date would be great. Scans would even be better, but I know that’s not simple for everyone.
I’m also interested in other 1958-1962 brochures. These all have date related-form numbers. I have a bunch, but not all of them. At some point this month I will create a list of what I have and what I need to more fully document the brochures from this era.
Willys Wagon Comparison Chart on eBay
This is listed at $14.00. It’s a two-sided comparison chart.
View all the information on ebay
“1960s? Jeep station wagon salesmans features slid card, size 4 by 9 inches, condition is good with light handling, any questions please send an e-mail, USA shipping will be $5.00”
1959 Anytime, Anywhere, Any Job Brochure on eBay
Seller has it priced at $10, but is accepting offers.
View all the information on ebay
“Description – This auction is for a vintage sales mailer covering the Jeep FC-150, FC-170, Universal, Pickup truck & 4WD Utility Wagon. Not sure what year it was published.
Condition – The covers have dirt and wear as shown but the book is otherwise OK.”
(pics from my collection):
Two Nearly Identical Jeep Family Brochures
These two nearly identical jeep brochures were published in different colors a year apart. The red version was published in late 1959. The blue (or green-blue?) brochure was published in late 1960.
Differences:
Page 1: The truck at the mid-far-left of the page on the 1960 version has the ‘hockey stick’ styling, where the 1959 version has the older styling. Curiously, the wagons are identical.
Page 2: The ‘hockey’ stick 4WD utility wagon moves from the right to the left hand side on the 1960 brochure, while the older-design 2WD wagon is dropped in favor of the Harlequin-design wagon. The plain version of the truck is swapped for the ‘hockey’ stick truck. There are a variety of small text edits as well.
Page 3: Some very minor edits. The red version of the brochure is marked Form NO. 59-19, while the blue version is marked Form No. 600-19. Both brochures were part of a 20 series set of brochures both years. Once I get both sets of brochures complete, I will do a post for each year of brochures.
1960: