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How to Identify VEC CJ-2As

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

I wrote up an article last month on how to identify VEC CJ-2As. It’s a general starter guide for people unsure of how to tell the difference between an early 2A and a later one. Or put more accurately, they are the strategies I use.

http://sellajeep.com/articles/vec-cj2a/vec-cj2a-identify.html

Naturally, after completing and sending said essay to Mark Smith, I subsequently learned that the VEC body issue is even more complicated than I understood it to be.  The reason has to do with Willys-Overland’s knack for randomly (probably random anyway) installing some early jeeps with tool-indent bodies, while using non-tool-indent bodies on other jeeps. The assemblers probably just used what bodies they had on hand. That’s why it is also important to track the body’s ACM number. Sean explains to we-who-thought-we-knew-what-we-were-talking-about the issue here: http://www.ewillys.com/2015/04/21/1946-cj-2a-springfield-mo-2950/#comments.

 
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Day 18 – Wed. Apr. 29th: Power Wagons & Pecans

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

<– Day 17 –Tue. Apr. 28th: Dr. Peppers & Texas Rangers  | TRIP OVERVIEW | Day 19 – Thu. Apr. 30th: Texas Justice, Pacific War, & a Comfy Bed –>

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Talking about jeeps and life with Lee (left) and his father Sam (right).

Great day yesterday that started with a question mark … Would Paul Cook respond to my request to see his Power Wagons before we passed Kempner on our way to San Saba. I had contacted him at the last minute, so I wasn’t assured he was available. Since we had nothing else planned, we just went with the flow and hoped Texas would surprise us with something.

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Around 11am we were driving south toward Temple, Texas, when I saw a sign for Buc-ee’s. Then I looked across the freeway and saw a giant beaver head with lots of triangle flags, which I believe is the international symbol for ‘Hey, we’ve just opened so come over and take a look!’. I asked Ann if she knew what a Buc-ee’s was. She didn’t. I didn’t either, but told her we were going to find out! So, we took the exit and drove across the freeway for our first ever Buc-ee’s experience.

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You really have to see a Buc-ee’s to believe it. HUGE!

Our jaws dropped as we pulled into the massive parking lot. This was supposed to be a gas station/convenience store, but it was enormous. It was so big it seemed like it took an hour just to circle all 112 fuel pumps (yes, we counted them). As many of you know, Ann and I have been through many states in the last few years, but this Texas-sized gas stop was the biggest one, by far, that we’d ever seen. We were even more surprised to learn this was the 35th store.

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I’m just one of the many nuts in the store.

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That’s a LOT Of picked eggs. I picked up a jar.

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Fearless Fred and his Wagon

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

According to one website, ‘Fearless Fred’ patrolled the rough and tumble world of Shirley, Long Island, New York, in wagon during the 1950s. I only have the one photo of him and his patrol jeep.

http://spoonercentral.com/SpotlightPhotos/Fred.html

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Day 17 – Tue. Apr. 28th: Dr. Peppers & Texas Rangers

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

<– Day 16 – Mon. Apr. 27th: Frontier Texas | TRIP OVERVIEW | Day 18 – Wed. Apr. 29th: Power Wagons & Pecans –>

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Dr. Pepper Museum in Waco, Tx, and a happy Dr. Pepper fan eagerly waiting to venture inside.

We had big plans for Tuesday morning. Our first stop was going to be the outdoor historic village of Buffalo Gap. So, when I hopped out of bed at 7:30am and saw that it was raining, we quickly changed that plan. Without feeling rushed, we somehow didn’t get out of the room until 10:30am.

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The rain was gently falling as we got onto eastbound Interstate 20. Soon we turned southeast on Highway 6. If there’s one thing I like about these Texas state highways it is the speed limit: 75mph. That’s faster than any of the speeds on Oregon’s Interstates. You can get places in Texas, however the places are so spread apart, that even at 75mph it doesn’t seem fast enough.

Eventually we reached Dublin, Texas. I spotted a cool Dr. Pepper sign and asked Ann if she’d like a photo of it. She agreed, so I did a loop around the block, We weren’t halfway around when we ran into several more Dr. Pepper signs. Then we spotted a Dr. Pepper museum reference. That’s when the light clicked for both us. We both remembered reading that besides the Dr. Pepper Museum in Waco, there was a second one in a small Texas town. This was it.

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This is the billboard I spotted while driving through Dublin.

Feeling lucky, we jumped out of the jeep to see what this was all about. We learned that Dublin was home to the first Dr. Pepper bottling plant. The Dublin plant used cane sugar in all their soda pop products, including Dr. Pepper, even when the rest of Dr. Pepper world switched to high fructose corn syrup. This fact angered the Dr. Pepper company, so the company revoked Dublin’s right to bottle and sell it. Now, the Dublin Bottling Works bottles and sells a variety of custom flavors and sells them all over the country.

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Jeep Clubs of America Pin on eBay

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

Seth spotted this odd eBay auction. I can’t imagine a context that would have produced such a pin. Is it truly vintage? Jeep Clubs and Victory? Or is that V for 5?

“Rare WWII Jeep Clubs of America Victory Pin Whitehead & Hoag Red White & Blue”

View all the information on eBay

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1944 Photo with Smith, King and Nimitz on eBay

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

Is the USMC serial number on the side normal? I don’t remember seeing that in other photos.

“Original WWII press photo of US Marine Lt. General Holland Smith, Commanding Amphibious Assault Troops in Pacific (standing) showing US Fleet C-in-C Admiral Ernest King and Admiral C. W. Nimitz (seated in jeep) aroung on Saipan, 7-24-1944.”

View all the information on eBay

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Jeep Memorabilia Collection East Haddam, CT

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

Brian is selling his collection of jeep memorabilia, documents, signs and more. He’s sharing some of the pics at sellajeep.com. You’ll need to email him for prices and for a full list of what he has available.

“After 30 years in the Jeep business I am selling off my massive collection. I am long time master Jeep restorer and collector Brian Hainer. There are hundreds of vintage and modern toys, thousands of manuals and pieces of Jeep literature, dealer signs, dealer items etc.

The collection includes items from WW2 to about 1986, last of the CJ’s. Lots of NOS toys new in the box. The MB toy is #92 of 250 made by Fine Art Models, very rare to see one for sale. The sign photo is of a very large dealer sign. One panel says jeep and the other service. Over 18 feet long. I have a lot of factory photos and a huge pile of original blueprints of the Willys factory and of parts. Some are half scale and over 12 feet long.

I am also restoring a CJ5 snowblower Jeep right now, next will be a CJ5 trencher, after that is a CJ5 diesel Jeep with a large compressor that was used for drilling rock in New Hampshire to make ski slopes, and finally a CJ3B welder Jeep. All of these were factory equipped as described, and all are getting a careful restoration that I am known for. If anyone is interested now you can have the Jeep built as you like, such as color, tires, etc.

I am hoping to find good homes for all my vehicles and memorabilia so don’t miss out on this rare opportunity to own the item you have been looking for!

Pictured are just a few of the thousands of items I have so please email for more details.”

http://www.sellajeep.com/mjs/sale/adm034/adm034.html

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Day 16 – Mon. Apr. 27th: Frontier Texas

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

<– Day 15 – Sun. Apr. 26th: Parks and Wind | TRIP OVERVIEW | Day 17 – Tue. Apr. 28th: Dr. Peppers & Texas Rangers –>

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That’s us sitting on a giant metal skull at the Frontier Texas Museum. Above us are Buffalo that pivot like weather vanes.

On Monday morning we awoke planning to reach Waco, but we got side tracked by an errant attempt to locate a Best Buy so Ann could buy a lens cap. I won’t go into the machinations of locating one, even when trying to use both of our ‘smart’ phones, or how we eventually (and accidentally) stumbled upon one and how we were so surprised that my wife did an all-too-quick u-turn in the street, dumping a rather sizable container of ice-cold water into my lap. No, you don’t want to hear all that!

And, I’m really sure that after you read this sad tale, and after you learn what it took to get the lens cap, and when you understand just how wet my underwear and shorts were, you’ll acknowledge the personal sacrifice I made in the cause of the lens cap, and only then can you appreciate that three hours after we bought the lens cap I accidentally dropped it onto the ground — it broke, into several pieces … uggghh!!!

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Instead of that long, sad tale, I will give my impressions of Monday morning in Odessa. There were many men around our motel dressed in heavy one-piece work outfits. They all worked for energy companies with bland, forgettable names. All drove white trucks packed with tools in the back and with catchers on the front that could move an entire herd of cows. On Sunday evening, they had all looked tired from a long day; most were gone by Monday morning, but not before eating up all the available breakfast that our motel served that morning. They did manage to save me a piece of sausage.

We were out of the motel room by 9am. As we drove through Odessa, my view was filled with industrial buildings, piping equipment and oil rigs. The equipment suggested people here worked hard. My other impression was that land is cheap, or at least was cheap. All the endless industrial companies we passed on Monday morning on our way to nearby Midland seemed unconcerned with how they organized their stuff. Stacking didn’t seem to be a concern, as everything was horizontal. Space was cheap, stacking wasn’t necessary. Those were the thoughts that bounced around my head as we drove to the Petroleum Museum.

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Near the entrance to the Petroleum Museum.

We arrived at the Permian Basin Petroleum Museum just after it opened. When we entered the building we were told that the entire history portion of the museum was undergoing an $18 million dollar remodel. Obviously that wouldn’t do us any good, but they did have a few exhibits — gems, paintings, and race cars — that we could view. Since we were there, we wandered around and looked at those for a short time. However, I really wished we could have see the main oil history exhibit.

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Me pretending to drive one of the race cars. I didn’t fit very well, especially not on the driver’s side! I hope they didn’t mind me removing the steering wheel . . . .

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The mineral exhibit was interesting, but shamefully I know very little about them (where are my ancestors when I need them??).

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1946 Photo of Doctor Using VEC for House Calls on eBay

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

This must be a 1945 VEC CJ-2A (note the rear hubs. This doctor traded in his horse for a jeep to make house calls.

“1946 Press Photo Dr John Kinchelos Veteran Traded Horse for Jeep”

View all the information on eBay

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Day 15 – Sun. Apr. 26th: Parks and Wind

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

<– Day 14 –  Sat. Apr. 25th: Saddleblankets to Prada | TRIP OVERVIEW | Day 16 – Mon. Apr. 27th: Frontier Texas –>

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An overlook at Big Bend National Park (looking west)

Today we drove and drove.

2015-04-26-alpine-odessaThe first part of the trip took us south toward the Mexico border at Presidio, Texas. Along the way, we encountered ‘Elephant Rock’, which we felt lived up to its name.

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Called Elephant Rock for an obvious reason.

Eventually we reached Presidio, a dusty dry border town. I am not entirely sure what the appeal is for living in that area; it looks like plenty of shops and stores were out of business.

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Ruins of an old house in Presidio

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Ruins of old building in Presidio

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Ruins of old truck in Presidio

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Fort Miles Motorpool Re-enactment in Delaware

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

Joe Sicenavage was kind enough to share these photos. He writes, Here’s a look at the Fort Miles, DE motorpool during a re-enactment event Saturday.  This garrison was home to the 261st Coast Artillery Corps beginning in WWII and is located within the Cape Henlopen State Park in Lewes, Delaware.

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CJ-5 Jeep Belt on eBay

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

Seth found this oddball item. It’s a series of CJ-5s on a belt.

View all the information on eBay

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Day 14 – Sat. Apr. 25th: Saddleblankets to Prada

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

<– Day 13 –  Fri. Apr. 24th: We Made it to Texas | TRIP OVERVIEW | Day 15 – Sun. Apr. 26th: Parks and Wind –>

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Oh yeah, I can work it!

Our goal for Saturday was to visit multiple odd-ball places in El Paso, then head to the Guadalupe Mountains, before dropping to the town of Alpine. The key to this plan was an early start and an aggressive stop-and-see plan at the oddball locations. However, Texas had other plans for us.

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It started 30 seconds from our West El Paso motel. On our way to see Pancho Villa’s finger — yes, downtown at Dave’s Pawnshop is something that resembles Villa’s trigger finger that is for sale, only $9500 — we hit traffic. Since we only had four miles to go, I figured it couldn’t take us too long, right? Wrong. Without any other route options, we were forced to endure stop and go traffic as four lanes dropped to three, three lanes dropped to two, and two lanes dropped to one. One hour later(!!!), we finally made passed the blockage — workers were hanging signs on an overpass. Who knew? We didn’t, at least not in time.

By the time we reached the finger (Ann’s idea) I might have been a little surly. But, it was fun to visit the shop on El Paso Street, a mini-Tijuana that looked like it might be fun to stroll up and down when we didn’t have camera and computer equipment locked in our jeep. So, we passed on exploring the area further, but Ann did get her chance to photograph Pancho’s finger:

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After getting the finger, we left for another old relic, a 1919 refurbished gas station with non-functioning pumps. Local resident Rod Davenport restored the gas station. Other local residents were so pleased with the result they turned the surrounding area into a small park. It was a neat little place.

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Hemet Jeep Club Porcelain Sign

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

Seth spotted this one. There is no price listed for the sign. I don’t know if it is an original club placard or a knockoff sign.

http://www.porcelainsigns.com/image-galleries/other-signs-f-m/hemet-jeep-club-porcelain-sign/

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Vintage Wolverine 4-Wheelers Jacket **SOLD**

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

UPDATE: **SOLD** Was on eBay.

A reader forwarded this ebay ad for a Wolverine 4-Wheelers jacket. They are the oldest four wheel club in Michigan (according to their website). It is a medium size.

“Amazing condition for its age
No holes
4 amazing patches on this red windbreaker jacket
Patches have minor discoloration but overall in great shape
Size is a medium
Perfect for a collection or everyday wear
Sold as is”

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Day 13 – Fri. Apr. 24th: We Made it to Texas

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

<– Day 11 & 12 – Wed. & Thurs Apr. 22rd & 23th:  Road to Recovery  | TRIP OVERVIEW | Day 14 – Sat. Apr. 25th: Saddleblankets to Prada –>

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When you are in Tularosa, it is easy to go nuts for pistachios.

Finally, we made it to Texas. Now our trip can start, right? It wasn’t a long day, but if felt good to be back on the road again. Here was our rather short drive:

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Before we left Tularosa, we made sure to stop by and ham it up in front of the world’s largest pistachio (see pic at top of the post).

From there, we drove south on highway 54 until we saw the magic sign:

2015-04-24-texas-borderOur first and only real stop of the day was at the National Border Patrol Museum. Surprisingly, it is entirely donor based. No federal funding is used to support the museum.

2015-04-24-national-border-patrol-museumInside, the museum is divided into small sections. One area was devoted to Border Patrol vehicles. Another honored those agents that had died. One section explained the history of the Patrol, how it originated, and its evolution over time. It’s a nice little museum that doesn’t take long to explore.

Of course, I was there to see the jeeps. In fact, their 1947 CJ-2A is one of the center-pieces of the vehicle exhibit. The jeep was assembled by volunteers. The front frame rails have more patches than a leftovers quilt. And, the floors aren’t particularly pretty. But, it’s doing the job!

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Custom FC RC Jeep on eBay

• CATEGORIES: FC150-FC170-M677, Features, Models This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Craig spotted this cool RC FC jeep. You can see how he created the cab at RCCrawler.com.

View all the information on eBay

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“Too many toy trucks, have another one on the drawing board, this one has to find a new home before it starts seeing rock rash!

March ’15 RC Driver Show Off of the Month Winner!
Build thread – is at RCCrawler.com, sorry eBay will not let post the link. Just Google, scale 1958 Jeep FC170 RC Crawler – I must be crazy! That’s the link.
Custom styrene cab, interior and dash with diamond plate rear bed.
LockedUp RC hardware
HandBros CMS mount
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1940s Military Photo Pack Including Peeps on eBay

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

Steve forwarded this ebay item. The photo pack includes two images that reference the jeep as a ‘peep’.

“YOU ARE LOOKING AT A 20 PC. SET OF VINTAGE WWII PHOTOGRAPHS IN THEIR OWN ORIGINAL HOLDER. PHOTOS DEPICT INFANTRYMEN, TANKS, JEEPS, CANNONS AND MISCELLANEOUS MILITARY VEHICLES. PHOTOS MEASURE APPROX. 3″ X 2″. ALL ARE IN WXCELLENT CONDITION.”

View all the information on eBay

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Day 11 & 12 – Wed. & Thurs Apr. 22nd & 23rd: Road to Recovery

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

<– Day 10 – Tue. Apr. 21st:  Another One Bites the Dust | TRIP OVERVIEW | Day 13 – Fri. Apr. 24th: We Made it to Texas –>

On Wednesday I had a slight relapse, mostly from lack of sleep, but Wednesday night I finally got some good sleep (10 hours worth) with the help of Tylenol PM. That’s exactly what I needed. All Thursday I felt like myself. Ann felt good all day too (even got herself a pedicure).

Feeling confident, we will hit the road again today (Friday) and we will FINALLY be in Texas by Friday evening! It’s only taken a week and a half to get there. Our first stop in El Paso is to see a museum about some jeeps.

And so we bid adeiu to Fred and Cindy, the Stong Hospital and Recovery Compound, and the panoramic backyard view we enjoyed through sickness and in health. Not much happens in their backyard, but it was enough to entertain us for a week whether day or night.

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<– Day 10 – Tue. Apr. 21st:  Another One Bites the Dust | TRIP OVERVIEW | Day 13 – Fri. Apr. 24th: We Made it to Texas –>

 
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Roberto’s Latest Doodle

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

Roberto Flores forwarded his latest doodle. My doodles NEVER look that good 🙂

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Wash Windshields to Earn Jeep Business

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

Craig forwarded this November 1959 ‘Jeep Service and Parts News’ business tip for recruiting new clients for your jeep business.

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2015 MVCC Swap Meet April 23-25 Lodi, CA

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

Don’t forget the MVCC swap meet this weekend in Lodi!

http://www.mvccnews.net/event_pages/tower_park/tower_park_spring.htm

Lots of parts & and lots of vehicles. Parts for WWII Willys MB’s, Ford GWP”S, M151, Dodge WC trucks, tanks, half track’s etc.

Held at:
The Stockton Delta KOA Campground (Tower Park)
14900 W. Hwy 12 ( 5 miles west of Hwy 5 )
Lodi, Ca 95242″

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Massiv Build Chalange @ Parjo 2015

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

Straight from our Jakarta bureau comes this video about a ‘Jiffy jeep’ team that could use a little more practice. However, what they lack in speed, they make up for in enthusiasm. The event was part of the Parjo 2015. If you are up on your Indonesian language skills, then you can read the story in full.

If you’ve never seen a Jiffy Jeep quickly disassembled and reassembled, then you’ll enjoy this link: http://www.ewillys.com/tag/quick-disassemble/

 
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Lima’s “Jeep Day”

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

This article appeared in The Lima News, out of Lima, Ohio.  Buy a bond and get a ride in a Jeep.  That sounds like it was worth the price!  I don’t see a year listed on the article.

 
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Barnum-Perry Buys 4 Jeeps

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

This 1943 photo from the Denver Public Library’s digital collection shows that these elementary school children were busy. They helped purchase 4 jeeps! There are several other photos from the same event.

http://digital.denverlibrary.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15330coll23/id/9467/rec/6

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