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British Airborne WWII Jeep Conversion Blueprints **SOLD**

• CATEGORIES: Documents, Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: **SOLD (fast)** These were on eBay.

These are copies, but are priced as such. I’m sure they would be interesting to someone. They ship from GB.

“Over the years my interest in British ww2 airborne troops has been high, and amongst my collection I converted my jeep to full glider-borne specifications
The drawings I used were from originals which I copied and give full details on the placing of parts and how to make them, with measurements and good details
They’re on A3 paper and come as 10x sheets. They cover:
Pannier carrier
Spare wheel carrier
Bonnet ammo carrier
Steering wheel quick release
Front bumper
Positioning of parts in the jeep
Jerry can carrier reposition
Radio aerial/battery carrier base
A frame for towing”

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National Archives Early Jeep Testing

• CATEGORIES: Documents, Features, Old Images This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.
1942-05-27-digging-potatoes

Early look at a jeep being tested for farm work in 1942.

For you history geeks out there like me, the national archives operates a blog called the “Text Message” where archivists can share a bit of the massive information troves that make up the National Archives, complete with references. Unfortunately, in this case, the references have not been posted online, but at least researchers can now use the breadcrumbs from the post to help track down the relevant documents if need be.

One particular post, written by archivist Joseph Gillette in 2019, highlights the early tests of the jeep for farm work. One bit of info I found interesting highlights the War Department’s dedication to its troops. When Willys-Overland volunteered to send some new jeeps to the Ag Department for farm tests, the War Department responded it could not spare the new jeeps as soldiers desperately needed them, but it would authorize the use of used ones in running condition.

Read the entire blog post here: https://text-message.blogs.archives.gov/2019/04/23/it-will-do-everything-except-climb-a-tree/#_ftnref2

Here are some additional images from the post:

1942-05-27-hauling-apples 1942-05-27-papers-on-jeep-as-farm-tool

 
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1993 The Total Performance Jeep Engine Book

• CATEGORIES: Documents, Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

I thought I would win this auction, but I didn’t bid quite high enough. It looks like an interesting book. The guy who sold it on eBay said he used it to build a “bullet proof” AMC 360 engine. This book was printed in 1993.

Here are the pics posted on the auction:

1993-total-performance-jeep-engine-book1 1993-total-performance-jeep-engine-book2 1993-total-performance-jeep-engine-book3 1993-total-performance-jeep-engine-book4 1993-total-performance-jeep-engine-book5

 
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Mechanics Manual for the Willys Motors Supercharger on eBay

• CATEGORIES: Books, Documents, Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

This is a 24 page manual.

View all the information on eBay

“1950s Kaiser Willys Jeep Mechanics Supercharger Manual 24 Pages, Good+ Condition wear. Shipping to US only, Free Shipping.”

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June 1946 Surplus Jeep Sales w/ Serial Numbers

• CATEGORIES: Documents, Features, Old News Articles • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: I’ve added high-resolution examples of each of these articles. You can download the zipped file here: jeep-serial-numbers-sale-in-hawaii.zip

This is a cool find. It announces the first sale of jeeps to veterans in Hawaii for personal use (as well as business). There have got to be a few jeeps still around that originated at this surplus sale. This was published in the June 01, 1946, issue of the Hawaii Tribune-Herald (page 4). I’ve divided up the list into multiple images. At the bottom of this post is a link for the entire clipping.

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First of three lists:1946-06-01-hawaii-tribune-herald-surplus-jeep-serial-number1

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1958 German CJ-3B Manual on eBay

• CATEGORIES: Documents, Features, International This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

This is the first German 3B manual that I’ve seen. I’m not sure how many of these re still out there.

View all the information on eBay

“Original Willys 1958 CJ-3B reprint in size A5
Original reprint of the Jeep Willys manual in original size A5: manual for the vehicle owner of the famous Willys Jeep.”

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FC PTO Mechanical Drawings on eBay

• CATEGORIES: Documents, Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

There are three different auctions for FC-170-related PTO mechanical drawings.

  1. 1963 FC-170 PTO Drawings $29.95:
    Excellent Condition
    Mechanical Drawing
    ‘Jeep’ FC-170
    PTO INSTALLATION
    923931
    Measures about 21 ¼ x 11 inches and folds to8 ½ x 11 inchesfc170-pto-mechancial-drawings1 fc170-pto-mechancial-drawings2
  2. 1960 FC-150 PTO Drawings $39.95:Mechanical Drawing
    WILLYS MOTORS
    FC-150 P T O INSTALL
    This original Mechanical drawing measures about 21 ½ x 11 inches
    Dated 9-16-60
    fc150-pto-drawings1 fc150-pto-drawings2
  3. 1960 FC-170 PTO Drawings $39.95:
    “Mechanical Drawing
    WILLYS MOTORS
    FC-170 P T O INSTALL
    This original Mechanical drawing measures about 21 ½ x 11 inches
    Dated 9-16-60”
    1960-fc170-pto-drawings1 1960-fc170-pto-drawings2
 
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July 1945 Press Release Photo #3

• CATEGORIES: Documents, Features, Old Images • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

This photo, marked as photo #3, shows prototype CJ-2 X59 at New Hudson. The caption discuses the Ginsu-like qualities of the jeep on the farm: It can mow, disk, rake, trash and probably slice and dice with the right attachments.

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July 1945 Press Release F

• CATEGORIES: Advertising & Brochures, Documents, Features • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

This is the final press release from the July 1945 press release kit. Customers could rest assured, according to the release, that the new peace jeep would “embody many comfort facilities” compared to the war-time jeep.

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July 1945 Press Release E

• CATEGORIES: Advertising & Brochures, Documents, Features • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

This brochure highlights the jeep’s ease of operation.

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July 1945 Press Release D

• CATEGORIES: Advertising & Brochures, Documents, Features • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

This one-page press release focuses on the CJ-2A’s engine.

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July 1945 Press Release C

• CATEGORIES: Advertising & Brochures, Documents, Features • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

After the large size of press releases A & B, press release C is a modest 2 pages.

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Jeep Tankers Developed by the Forest Service

• CATEGORIES: Documents, Features, Fire/Police/Industry Vehicles This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

A niche journal focuses on forest fire fighting called Fire Control Notes published at article in the January 1947 issue concerning quarter-ton-tanker jeeps made from WWII vehicles. You can see the full journal here: https://archive.org/details/firecontrolnotes08unit/page/n5/mode/2up?q=jeep

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July 1945 Press Release B

• CATEGORIES: Documents, Features • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

At five pages, this Press Release B from July 1945 is less than half the size of Press Release A.

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July 19, 1945, Press Release A

• CATEGORIES: Documents, Features • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

This press release was part of a package of press releases and photos from eBay. It’s appears to be a press kit of some kind. There are four press releases total, each varying in size. This 14-page version A is the largest.

What is “pulling stone boat”? Apparently, the post-war jeep could do that better than the war-jeep (page A-6).

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1949 Newgren Parts Price List

• CATEGORIES: Advertising & Brochures, Documents, Features • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

You never know when something obscure as this price list from February of 1949 will come in handy for someone. It’s a detailed look at the parts at the dealer pricing.

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1949 Jeepster Sales Tool Brochure for the Sales Force

• CATEGORIES: Advertising & Brochures, Documents, Features, Jeepster This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

This unique 36-page Jeepster sales tool aimed at the Willys-Overland sales force likely underscores a general lack of understanding about the Jeepster. It was a different enough vehicle from the utilitarian wagons, trucks and universal jeeps that the sales force may have had a challenge selling it to their standard clientele. That’s the only reason I can think that W-O created this document. I have not seen similar documents for other models.

Note that at one point the document argues that the Jeepster is NOT a convertible and NOT a sedan, but a SPORTS PHAETON. Bill pointed out to me that, like him, I always pronounced Phaeton  “Fay-ton”, with an accent on the first syllable. However, he saw a newsreel the other day and the voice-over pronounced it more like ‘Fay-et-on’ or ‘Fay-uh-ton; distinctly three syllables.

Moreover, the dictionary suggests that a Phaeton is pretty much a convertible or a touring open air car, rooted in a word for an open air four-wheeled wagon. Perhaps some more knowledgeable can distinguish between a Phaeton and a convertible??

Some of these pages worked better when shown together, so I’ve sewn together a few of them …

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DJ-3A Front Seat Installation Instructions from 1956

• CATEGORIES: DJ-3A, Documents, Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Somehow, I never posted these Instructions for installing DJ-3A seats that Terry sent me. So, here they are in a post of there own. These are the official instructions dated June 15, 1956, for the front passenger seat installation on a DJ-3A using Field Kit Attaching Parts No. 696529:

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1962? Gladiator Brochure/Pamphlet

• CATEGORIES: Advertising & Brochures, Documents, Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: After reading this more carefully, I agree with Don that this is likely something that was aimed as dealers. It is an odd piece for sure.

1962-gladiator-brochure-1-lores 1962-gladiator-brochure-2-lores 1962-gladiator-brochure-3-lores Continue reading

 
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1961 International Harvester Scout Vs. Jeep Booklet

• CATEGORIES: Advertising & Brochures, Documents, Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

In March of 1961 it appears that Willys Motors released a 4-page brochure that compared the jeeps vs. the International Harvester Scout. The IH Scout made it’s debut in late 1960, so Willys didn’t waste much time in producing the document in response to the Scout’s release.

In turn, IH didn’t waste time in publishing it’s own comparison with a technical booklet over 40 pages long. I’m not entirely sure for whom this document was intended, engineers? Sales force? Management? For Marketing so it could distill the information for the sales force?

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1991 ‘The First 50 Years’ Jeep Press Packet

• CATEGORIES: Bantam-FordGP-WillysMA-EarlyJPs, Documents, Features, Old Images • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Thanks to Maury, I was able to get this 1991 press packet off ebay and shipped for under $10. That’s a good day. It wasn’t clear to me all that was inside, but it turned out to be a heck of a deal. The three-page tri-fold stores photos, old press releases, histories, and a few miscellaneous items.

Here’s the front of the packet:

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These are the materials that are stored inside. There are four press releases, fourteen reproduction 8×10 photos, a 40-page AMC/Chrysler history, a jeep history that’s attached to the binder (see upper right corner), one March 1963 Jeep News front-page reproduction and a late 1940s wagon ad reproduction. Just the reproduction of the Willys Quad photo was worth the cost of this package (I’d never gotten around to getting one).jeep-pr-packet-05

I haven’t read this history just yet, but wasn’t in a hurry as I’ve already read this book on AMC’s history:

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Here’s how the binder looks when opened. The jeep history starts at the page in the middle.

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Under the last page of the jeep history is a holder for all the photos and other documents:

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Here are two 1990s press releases (I only took photos of the front pages):

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These are two 1980s press releases:

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The press release on the left is from early 1942 and covers the changing situation with America’s entry into WWII, while the one on the right is from 1965:

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The Jeep News reproduction page from March 1963 is shown on the left. It includes a report on the name change from Willys Motors to Kaiser Jeep and the Willys-Overland Export Corp. to Kaiser Jeep International Corp. The reproduction wagon ad on the right is from 1948 and includes details on which magazine and dates it appeared (I wish I had that database of information!).

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VEEPSTER Builder’s Guide and Assembly Manual

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This 48 page VEEPSTER Builders Guide & Assembly Manual was listed on eBay the other day. It’s a detailed document on how to build a VEEPSTER with the kit supplied by Sun Valley Autotech. There’s no date on it. Learn more about VEEPS, Scamps, VEEPSTERs and eVEEPSTERs here.

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2 – 1954 Willys Commercial Data Fact Books on eBay

• CATEGORIES: Documents, Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Two different 100+page Willys Commercial Data Fact Books on eBay. One is listed at $95.99 and the other at $159.99. I’ve never seen one of these, so I’m not sure all of what is inside them.

  1. This appears to have more cover wear than the 2nd one and priced at $95.99.
    1954-willys-commercial-fact-book03
  2. This one is the more expensive one at $159.99.
    1954-willys-commercial-fact-book04

The interior pics appear the same for both:
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1963 & 1965 Service and Parts News on eBay

• CATEGORIES: Documents, Features • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

I’m not very familiar with these Jeep Service and Parts news brochures and booklets and don’t know if they are worth the asking prices. Here’s some that I found on eBay.

  1. 1963 Original Jeep Service and Parts News
    1963-jeep-service-and-parts-news
  2. 4 1964 JEEP SERVICE AND PARTS NEWS BULLETINS
    1964-jeep-service-and-parts-news
  3. 1963 1964 ORIGINAL JEEP SERVICE AND PARTS NEWS 63 64 ALBUM MANUAL 15 BULLETINS
    1964-jeep-service-and-parts-news-booklet
  4. Vintage 1964 Jeep Service and Parts News
    1964-jeep-service-and-parts-news-booklet2
  5. 1965 Original Jeep Service and Parts News, (service bulletin set). There are a total of 7 bulletins ranging from December 1964 through June 1965 and one issue dated April-May 1966
    1965-jeep-service-and-parts-news-booklet
 
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October 1943 School at War Bulletin

• CATEGORIES: Documents, Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

This interesting School at War Bulletin from October of 1943 was preserved by the University of Toledo. Pages five and six of the bulletin include a story about the success of the schools-buying-jeeps program. The war department had set a goal of 10,000 jeeps for US Schools for the year 1942. Each state was given a quota, which almost every state exceeded, resulting in the ‘purchase’ of 39,535 jeeps by schools.

You’ll find posted on eWillys various newspaper articles and photos describing the visits of jeeps and military personnel to schools. What I didn’t know was that not only did the jeeps visit the schools, jeeps also were driven “up steps, down steps, into gymnasiums, onto auditorium stages, and around school corridors. Once school in St. Paul, which “bought” 48 jeeps, reports that one of the versatile cars spent a whole day driving through the halls for inspection by the various classes.” 

Here’s a break down of the jeeps purchased by schools during 1942:

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Here is the full seven page bulletin:

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