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Racer Progress Pedaling Along

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

More progress made on the racer this weekend. The floors are installed and mostly bolted. The pedals are all in place. The steering was in place, but I was unhappy with the final angle of the front support bearing, so I plan to redo that support so that it angles differently. Hopefully, I will get that done and installed today.

Here’s how the rear top crossmember that holds the rear fire extinguisher looks. The two holes on either side are the shoulder strap attachments.

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Here are the three pedals (with the steering drive shaft disconnected from the quick-turn unit).

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One thing I still need are a brake and clutch pedal pad. Any recommendations on what I can use that has a similar mount point and size? (these were from the yellow racer .. I didn’t like the other racer’s pedals). These look to be rubber casings over metal pedals, but both pedal bolts are in bad shape. this is the good one …

pedal2 pedal1

The master cylinders are attached (the brakes are ready to go). I have to get an adapter to connected the clutch line to the clutch master cylinder. Everything is fitting well. I have to say the fire wall turned out better than I thought. Remember, I flattened the old firewall from the yellow racer and re-bent it into the shape I wanted.

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Here side view of the gas pedal setup. One thing I learned from my first race jeep was that having a firm, stable gas pedal was greatly beneficial when racing, due to the bouncing. I could plant the bottom of my foot firmly, while using the top of my foot to feather the gas. This setup is based on what I built for Biscuit, but heavier duty.

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Mahindra’s Thar.e EV

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

Bill shared this article about Mahindra’s EV Prototype called “Thar.e”. Some folks seems to like the design, but I can’t say I’m a big fan. To angular for my tastes. I expect it will have 4 wheel drive or All wheel drive, but those details haven’t been released (or so indicates the article below).

https://carbuzz.com/news/meet-the-mahindra-vision-thar-e-the-willys-jeeps-wild-electric-descendant

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Hagerty Jeep-Related Article

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

Bill shared this Hagerty article about the jeep history: https://www.hagerty.com/media/car-profiles/the-appeal-of-the-willys-jeep-knows-no-borders-no-barriers/

As a general history it isn’t too bad, though the author mistakes patents for trademarks in several cases. One photo caught my eye that I don’t remember seeing was taken in 1944 in Paris France. In the photo, a jeep is parked in front of Restaurant L’Ambassade.

After some sleuthing, I figured out the address is 18 rue Norvins, 75018 Paris France The restaurant changed names at some point to Restaurant Le Consulat. It’s located in the heart of France in the Montmartre area, not far from Moulin Rouge and the Arc de Triomphe. Google Earth wouldn’t let me get positioned where I wanted, but I got fairly close to the original camera angle.

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You don’t get the sense from this photo, but the location is at a juncture of several roads. Here’s an overhead screen shot.

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The Jeep GPV Volkswagen From Sandman

• CATEGORIES: Advertising & Brochures, Artists/Drawings, Features, VEEP (VW Jeep), Scamp, Others This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE IV: “J” was able to locate and purchase one of these rare sandman GPVs.

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Originally posted Aug 19, 2023, UPDATE III: Jay shared some more pics!

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UPDATE II: After 10 plus years, we finally have a photo of an actual GPV Volkswagen-jeep! Thanks to Jay for sending this photo. I hope we can get some more!

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UPDATE Jan 18, 2013:  I found a second brochure that identifies this as a Sandman GPV

Has anyone ever heard of this Volkswagen/jeep model?  It doesn’t seem to be a VEEP.  Other searches yielded nothing about this unusual rig.

View all the information on eBay

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BROCHURE #2

“original non color folder 8.5 x 5.5 folded , 17 x 5.5 unfolded . This Jeep replica used a Volkswagen chassis . Produced by General Purpose Vehicles , Sandman Sales , Fortworth Texas.

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Wiring 99% Complete

• CATEGORIES: Features • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.
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Helpers helping …

Despite the sauna-like temps, and with ice-water-bottles in front of my sho- fan blasting at full speed, I nearly completed the wiring (a couple things left to do). The principal goal was to secure it to the firewall to limit movement while racing, which should keep connections intact and stop cables from rubbing to bare wire. (On the yellow race jeep I could see where the battery cable had rubbed through the protective outer layer at some point, then it had been patched).

I decided to add a second jumper connection which solely handles the lights. I’ve now got most of the wiring in place in case I want to later add headlights and turn signals. I still need to add a switch to power the gauge lights and rear driving lights (in case I need them for some reason). I also didn’t think about adding a fuse for the rear lights until just now .. oops.

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Ann helped me put the body into place to make sure the wire dropped under the lip of the cowl from the rollbar:

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Heat Spike

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

Yesterday, we had our only heat spike of the season, with temps hitting, but thankfully nothing like 2021 and temps of 116! Today will be 107, followed by around 104 tomorrow. Saturday, the highs will drop to a comfy high 80s. So, without air conditioning in the shop, not much progress will be made.

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I’m currently working through this rats nest and how I want the new wiring junction atop the firewall to be strung. The firewall top sits up to 1.5″ under the cowl in places, so no wires have to go through the wall. There’s also not much rewiring to be done, as I didn’t have to make many changes.

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The remaining floors are about ready to be reinstalled, but I want to make sure everything else is in place before I add them.

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Oops. I was 2″ short on my fuel line. I replaced a rubber hose at the fuel pump side, which gave me enough room to attached this valve.

 
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Oglesby Jeep Silver Grove, KY $50

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

May be a fair price.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/6501986253253351

“Missing 1 hub cap”

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August 1964 Jeep Family Brochure

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

This August 1964 brochure is part of the first reprint series, but I don’t know what corrections were made from the first run of this brochure. Absent from this family of jeeps are the DJ-3As (and siblings), CJ-3Bs, FCs and any FJs Kaiser jeep may have been producing.

This is the first page. It isn’t a surprise that Kaiser was promotion the new Cherokees and Wagoneers:

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This is the back page of the brochure:

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The brochure opens up horizontally to reveal this page:1964-08-jeep-brochure-2

It then opens up wider to reveal this tri fold page:

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Finally, it opens vertically to reveal the family of jeeps. Note that it includes a top section in the lower right corner, highlighting Meyer-style cabs, though in 1964 it appears the cabs may have been marketed as “jeep” cabs or Orrville cabs, since Meyer didn’t purchase Orrville until 1965.
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UPDATE: February 1960 Jeep News

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

UPDATE II: wilpenney brought up an important point. Page 2 of the Feb 1960 issue of Jeep News (shown at bottom) distinguishes between the “Ashtray”, with the semi-circle whirly part that includes cigarette holders, and the “Hostess Tray”, which lacks the semi-circle part. (Perhaps I am the only person who didn’t realize the difference — I was calling them both ashtrays?)

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UPDATE: These two February 1960 documents reference the “Corner the Market” contest also referenced by the February 1960 issue of Jeep News, as well as the January 1960 issue and the April 1960 issue (I don’t have the March issue).

1960-02-15-corner-the-market-bulletin 1960-02-28-corner-the-market-bulletin

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Originally Published June 03, 2020:

This issue of Willys News shows that Jeep dealers were experience continued growth. This issue also suggests that the ashtrays and cuff-tie-links were introduced in 1960. Anyone have the full page 1959 Nieman Marcus catalog ad of the newly introduced DJ-3A Surrey mentioned on the last page?

Photos Photos Photos

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Jeep Transformers

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

At the bottom of this post is the Bumblebee jeep that became a transformer in one of the transformer movies. A couple days ago, Frank sent me another example (only an image) of a transformer jeep, which led men to a few more as well. I don’t know who created this wagon–>transformer image, but here is a link to where I found a copy: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/290904457152965781/

transformer-wagon

And then there is this one. It seems to be a Mitsubishi-jeep–>transformer:

 

 

And, we have this one with a newer jeep:

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And, if you got to this link, you can see even more of them. I had no idea!

 

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August 24, 2019: Tim discovered that this is back up for sale. The auction is set for August 31, 2019. Starting price is $20,000.

https://www.auctionzip.com/auction-lot/Bumblebee-2018-Screen-Used-Hero-Willys-Jeep-W-L_A3540B7B53

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Previous post from August 2018 with updates:

On August 25th, the jeep (GPW frame with MB body?) used in the upcoming Transformers was up for auction. It’s unclear whether it sold or not (I suspect not). The starting bid at that time was $19,000.

As you can see in the pics, this MB isn’t all stock. It appears to have a GPW front crossmember. Another pic, from the top rear, suggests it has MB toolboxes.

In the movie, the Bumblebee character starts off as a jeep, but soon becomes a VW, remaining a VW for the remainder of the movie.

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Ponca City, OK, Sedan Delivery at Willy’s Car Wash

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

Tim shared these photos from Willy’s Car Wash (). The sedan delivery wagon appears to be an advertising element. Apparently, the business also had a dog wash station? After looking at Google Earth (see bottom pics), this place seems worth a visit if I’m ever nearby!

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I found this imagine online.

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Here are two images from Google Earth:

 

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Racer Updates

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

I’ve made some assembly progress. The tank is installed and hooked up (which took me a short while to remember exactly how I fit it into that tight space, lol), the battery is setup, the upper wiring is in place, the rear sway bar is installed, the rear lights are installed and wired and the gauges are in place.

Currently, I am focused on setting up the wiring. I saved the previous wiring, since little will electrically, so it shouldn’t take too long to alter some wire distances. 
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Summer 2023 Dispatcher Magazine

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

The Summer 2023 issue of Dispatcher Magazine arrived in my mailbox yesterday. That cover photo is beautiful (much better than my lousy scan would suggest). The issue includes an unknown-to-me story of how the Olympics helped sell the Jeep Comanche. 
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Daniel Strohl’s Last Article with Hemmings

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

Bill shared Daniel Strohl’s last article for Hemmings, which is less an article and more of a wish list of articles he had hoped to write, but, for various reasons, couldn’t. One of those article was the FC-150 Commuter Van, but he never uncovered it. You can read his “Untold Auto Stories” below:

https://www.hemmings.com/stories/untold-auto-stories/

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Video: Salvage Workshop Saves Five Jeeps and Parts

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

Barry shared this cool video showing a Salvage Workshops great find: five jeeps and parts.

 
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Feel Good: A Group of Students Rebuild Jeep

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

Bill shared this nice story about a group of students who rebuilt a family’s jeep after the owner died.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2023/08/06/jeep-mechanic-coronoa-students-porter/

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Roberto Flores’ Newest Sketches

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

Roberto shared these recent sketches of a brake assembly.

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“Phantom Automobiles” Postcard

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

Chris was wondering if anyone knows more about why this postcard describes these vehicles as “Phantoms”, especially when the look more like Ford GPs than Bantam prototypes?

postcard-bantam-phantom1 postcard-bantam-phantom2

 
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CJ-5 Dealer Letter

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

Toby purchased a 1966 CJ-5 from an original owner and found this letter inside the owners manual. Note the last paragraph (no coverage for squeak and rattles, lol).

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10 Unreliable Post 2000 Jeeps

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

Bill shared this article about some modern-day jeeps you might not want to purchase. I really can’t say how accurate most of this article is, as I’ve never owned or driven any of these.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/autos-suvs/10-unreliable-jeeps-we-wouldn-t-waste-our-money-on/ar-AA18e8tM?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=f47c4800ea484a36b6e4bbc8b304d09e&ei=21

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This is wrongly captioned as a 2015 Wrangler in the article.

 
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2023 Toledo JeepFest

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

Roger Martin attended this year’s Toledo Jeep Fest this weekend. He brought along his 1947 CJ-2A, an M-677, and his FC Fire Truck. He also took photos of the jeeps at the show, along with some merchandise for sale and a few of the parade.

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Roof Palomino Facebook Group

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

Roger Martin shared the news that a Roof Palomino group exists on Facebook. Given their rarity, I wouldn’t have guess that.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1733489436893878/

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Andy’s Argentine to Alaska Hiccup near Portland

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

UPDATE: Andy Reached Alaska!

The intrepid explorer overcame his obstacles and made it to the Alaska border the other day. Congrats on the continuing journey!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/136590813628973/permalink/1330828404205202/

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Originally posted May 30, 2023: 

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Andy, from Argentina, standing in his engine compartment at Washougal Classic Jeep while Richard and Jake work on his engine.

Recently, through Facebook, I was made aware of Andy, who is driving his Willys wagon from Argentina to Alaska. I lack many of the details, but I know that by early May Andy had made it all the way to Oregon when his engine finally gave out. Unable to go any farther, he and friends reached out through Facebook to find someone would could help him fix his engine (a couple posts on this FB page).

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Richard Darr of Washougal Classic Jeep, near Vancouver, Washington, volunteered to help. While Andy stayed with a friend in Tigard, Oregon, Richard towed the vehicle to his place, diagnosed the problems:

“The engine has some serious issues for sure and the cracks have us spooked as well but we are going to try and breathe life back into this engine to hopefully finish the journey to Alaska. We really don’t know if the cracks happened recently or been there for quite some time. We are going to put a new timing set in and reseal the valves, clean out all the blockages in the cooling ports and new head gasket and top it off with a tune up and see what happens. Drive it around locally a bit to see how it takes. If it seems healthy enough to send Andy on his way then off he goes.. if not.. then we will have to switch gears and come up with a replacement engine or something. Jake and I are happy to do what we can to get Andy to the finish line of his more than 8 year Trek.”

After a couple weeks, Richard and Jake were able to repair the engine enough that Andy decided not to invest in another block. They test drove the wagon recently and are satisfied it is ready. Andy test drove it as well and says it is more powerful than it has been since Bolivia (I can only guess something happened to the engine there?). So, Andy is prepared to take off towards Alaska again.

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Jake and Richard testing the wagon’s rebuilt engine, with Jake driving.

During the process, did require Richard to spend $400 of his own money (plus all the time). I’m going to send Richard $200 to cover half his expenses. If anyone wants to donate as well, you can send money directly to me through PayPal (Payment@ewillys.com) and I will send Richard an additional check based on any donations (he doesn’t have PayPal). If you have any questions, just email me: d@deilers.com.

 

 
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Sidebars and Netting Done; Frame Washed

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

UPDATE: The weather was perfect, cloudy, not so hot, and windless, for painting the chassis outside. 

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It’s been a busy few days. I completed the sidebars and netting, then washed the frame. It’s drying awaiting a new coat of paint. While I’d prefer to disassemble and properly clean and paint everything, that’s just not possible at this point.

There’s nothing much fancy about the side bars. A bolt secures the back of the bar and acts as the pivot point. A 3/8’s pin holds the front in place and is pulled to release the bar so a person can enter/exit the jeep. The netting is held in place at the front by a seat belt buckle. Undo that, then pull the bottom bar forward slightly, and the bottom of the net comes loose, then a person can swing the netting onto the top. (note, this phone was taken before I welded a short horizontal tube which will hold the back of the top netting bar in place .. the orange clamp was just to figure out where the tube should go).

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With the bars and netting done, the mods are pretty much complete. Now, to clean, paint, and assembly. Hopefully, everything goes back to gather as it did before …

Here’s the chassis a little cleaner. My goal is simply to cover the green and paint the bare metal.

The front tires will go on some aluminum rims, while there will be desert dogs in the back. The back rims remain undecided. I’d rather not use the hurricane finned rims for the rear, but don’t want to crack them. I have some other aluminum rims for the back, but they are six lug, while the rear axle is now a five lug drum.

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Electronic Model Jeep Video

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

Frank shared this video showing the creation of a small jeep that can drive and park under its own power.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CvBJ_dVAElK/?igshid=MTc4MmM1YmI2Ng%3D%3D

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