Features Research Archives

To Top

More Tech for More Cars, More Problems for Us .. ARGGG!

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

This might be a bit of a rant …

ww

During the 2000s my kids were into World of WarCraft, but I could never get into the game myself. Partly, this was due to my own impatience. Generally, I’m pretty patient, but I’m less so when it comes to games. An example: one time I needed to hand my sword to another player, but to do so I had to execute a bunch of commands, spells, and other machinations that I can no longer remember. Ugh … I quickly lost interest.

Why do I bring this up? Because last night Washington State (and apparently other areas nationwide) suffered through a Verizon outage.  Ann and I were in bed when we learned of it, so we tried texting one another. I texted something gloriously romantic like the word, “test”.

Being it is so close to Valentine’s Day, I probably should have texted, “Won’t you be my Valentine”? But, I didn’t …. Dumb, dumb, dumb … You should learn from my mistake … go ahead … please learn from my mistake: text your significant other right now. Ask, “Won’t you be my Valentine”?

I’ll wait. You can thank me later.

Anyway, it took about ten minutes for the texts to reach our respective phones due to the outage and despite the fact we were sitting right next to each other. It felt like World of WarCraft all over again.

iphone-car

I beat this notion to death only to bring up the fact that Apple (accidentally?) released code a few days ago that demonstrates the company’s efforts to bring a new “CarKey” feature to their phone. It would, theoretically, allow iPhone users to seamlessly move from one car to another, even to rental cars, without ever having to have a key. How could this possibly go wrong? Let me count the ways …

Continue reading

 
To Top

1954 Photo of a 106mm gun on M-38 on eBay

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

I thought these were only used on the M-38A1s. I’m surprised they were testing this on an M-38 as late as 1954. But, perhaps that was just the photo’s release date and not the date of the photo.

View all the information on eBay

“1954 Press Photo US soldiers fire rifle on a jeep at Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD. This is an original press photo. Guns – Artillery. Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland. The Army’s new battalion (BAT) 106 MM. recoilless rifle is mounted on a jeep and fired during a demonstration at the Army’s Aberdeen Proving Grounds. The rifle has greater range and destructive power than any other weapon now available on the battalion level.Photo measures 10 x 8.25inches. Photo is dated 10-12-1954.”

1954-10-12-aberdeen-proving-grounds-2

1954-10-12-aberdeen-proving-grounds-1

1954-10-12-aberdeen-proving-grounds-3

 
To Top

1950 Photo of Jeeps at Kumho River in Korea on eBay

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

By the covers on the jeeps and the rain gear, it looks kind of wet!

View all the information on eBay

“1950 Press Photo US military jeeps lined up to ferry across river in Korea. This is an original press photo. Korea – War – General – A long line of jeeps waiting to be ferried across the Kumjo-gang River cause a traffic jam on the way to the front in Korea Photo measures 8 x 10.5 inches. Photo is dated 09-16-1950.”

1950-09-16-kumho-river-korea1

1950-09-16-kumho-river-korea2

 
To Top

Part II: 1948 Willys Overland Press Release

• CATEGORIES: Advertising & Brochures, Documents, Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.
1948-04-28-press-release-document-lores48

This is the last page of the Press Release. One thing that caught my eye is that every jeep shown here, based on what I can see, came equipped with dual windshield wipers. I tried to discover when wipers were required on all vehicles, but did not locate that info.

This is part II, the Jeep Line of Vehicles, of the Willys-Overland April 22, 1948, forty-seven page Press Release. Part I, the History of Willys-Overland, can be viewed here.

1948-04-28-press-release-document-lores17 1948-04-28-press-release-document-lores18 1948-04-28-press-release-document-lores19 1948-04-28-press-release-document-lores20

Continue reading

 
To Top

Pedal Jeep Marietta, GA $450

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

Roger Martin spotted this unusual pedal jeep. It’s got very distinctive fenders. I don’t recognize it and don’t see it on Derek’s CJ-3B pedal jeep pages.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/185960546095961/

“Early 50s steel jeep pedal car ready for your restoration. Body is straight”

year-pedal-jeep-marietta-ga1 year-pedal-jeep-marietta-ga2 year-pedal-jeep-marietta-ga3 year-pedal-jeep-marietta-ga4

 
To Top

Santa Claus Christmas Card on eBay

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

This is a Christmas card, signed by Joyce & Glen (whoever that is).

View all the information on ebay

“Vintage Christmas, it has been used but it is in very nice condition.”

santa-jeep-christmas-card1 santa-jeep-christmas-card2 santa-jeep-christmas-card3

 
To Top

Part I: 1948 Willys Overland Press Release

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

This is part I, the History of Willys-Overland, from the Willys-Overland April 22, 1948, forty-seven page Press Release. Part II, the Jeep Line of Vehicles, will be published on Tuesday.

Thanks again to those who’ve made donations making it possible to purchase unique items like this so that we I can obtain and publish them for all our benefit. This particular item was poorly marketed on eBay. Only one page was shown and no description of the number of pages was included. I took a chance and it turned out to be a great piece for only $13!!

1948-04-28-press-release-document-lores01 1948-04-28-press-release-document-lores02 1948-04-28-press-release-document-lores03 1948-04-28-press-release-document-lores04 1948-04-28-press-release-document-lores05

Continue reading

 
To Top

1945 Article on Mobile Welding Jeep

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

This article from the March 28, 1945, issue of the Farmers’ Weekly Review highlights the mobile welding capabilities of the wartime jeep. The article also notes that the Army tested the jeep on a 500-mile obstacle course before approving it.

1945-03-23-farmers-weekly-review-welding-on-wheels

Welding Shop on Wheels Is Big Help
Emergency Repairs Made on Field of Battle .

NEW YORK . — A highly mobile welding shop on wheels that can traverse ground which proved impassable to most previous maintenance vehicles has been developed by General Electric, in cooperation with army engineers, to enable emergency repairs of damaged war equipment to be made right on the field of battle, the company disclosed . Consisting of a standard army jeep bearing a specially perfected G-E arc welder, this mobile repair shop, according tc army reports , has proved invaluable in helping to keep front line equipment in fighting condition. In weight the G-E welder jeep is equivalent to a one-quarter ton truck, whereas the equipment it replaced consisted of a five-ton truck towing a one and one-half ton welding trailer. This weight reduction, plus the jeep s great maneuverability, enables the vehicle to readily negotiate rugged or muddy ground where larger and heavier trucks broke down. When desired for use in air borne operations it can also be loaded aboard a transport plane

Power to operate the welding unit is obtained by means of a V-belt which is connected to the engine of the jeep. As soon as the vehicle is brought to a stop the unit can be put in use. Proper engine speed is maintained by a governor, quickly disengaged to permit normal operation of the jeep. The welding unit is installed in place of the right front seat of the jeep, allowing the vehicle to carry a crew of three -men comfortably. Before accepting the welder jeep for service the army subjected it to rigid tests on a 500-mile obstacle course, the same course on which combat tanks are tested, and it came through with flying colors .”

 
To Top

Early 1950s Switzerland Wagon Ad on eBay

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

Maury spotted this rare ad for wagons that was published in Switzerland.

View all the information on eBay

“Willys Jeep station wagen : an old German advertising, Switzerland, 50’s. cs.
size: 31 cm x 13 cm ( 12.4″ x 5″ )
Condition: in a good condition, cut out from a magazine.”

1950-1951-wagon-advertisement-switzerland

 
To Top

Who? is Going Where? For What Purpose? When?

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

UPDATE II: It is two years later, May 2022 … Well, so much for grand plans! A combination of 1) a pandemic and 2) my mother-in-law getting cancer wiped out this opportunity.  

UPDATE: Congrats to Joe in Mesa (who I had already planned to see next month in Mesa) for correctly guessing that I am tentatively scheduled to fly to the African country of Namibia in early July 2020 for a 2-3 week drive/camping in a CJ-2A with 2 or 4 other jeeps for a trip around that beautiful country. I then plan to spend several days in Capetown before flying back home. There will be more info forthcoming as the trip gets put together.

======================

Sometimes life just happens in unexpected ways.

So, the first person who can decipher these semi-cryptic clues as to what will be happening, then comment below with the correct answer as to ‘Who? is Going Where? For What Purpose? In What Month?’ will be awarded one of two brochures. The winner can choose between this original 1955 Willys 4-wheel-drive-brochure or this original 1955 Public Service brochure.

Once the correct answer is determined (and I might not be awake when the first answers appear in the comment section, as most posts appear before 4am my time), I will explain more detail.

who-what-when-where-2020