Features Research Archives

To Top

CJ-5-looking Boat

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

Jerry shared this CJ-5 Boat combo. It has what appears to be a Florida registration, though Jerry notes it should on the hull.  Anyone know more about it?

jeep-boat-lores

 
To Top

1949 Willys 4WD Wagon Brochures

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

UPDATE: I spotted rarely-seen 4WD Wagon brochure on eBay that has some of the same elements from the brochure at the bottom’s center section.  Note the “Universal Jeep” shown has a Worman hardtop.  There is no date or form number on the brochure:

1949-willys-overland-4wd-wagon-black-white-brochure1-lores 1949-willys-overland-4wd-wagon-black-white-brochure2-lores 1949-willys-overland-4wd-wagon-black-white-brochure3-lores

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

Originally published Feb 2, 2021: This August 1949 Willys Wagon brochure was an early brochure dedicated to the newly introduced 4WD wagon. The brochure has a Form No. 4x4SW-C1-2CM-8-49.

Photos Photos Photos Photos

Continue reading

 
To Top

Huntington Pier Jeep Beach Tram

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

This 1955 photo of the Huntington Beach Pier / Seal Beach Jeep Tram was posted on Facebook and posted to this forum. I searched for more info and pics about the tram, without success. It looks to be a CJ-2A.

1955-huntington-beach-pier-tram

 
To Top

December 1949 Jeep Truck Brochure

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

UPDATE: I snagged this on eBay a few days ago and have updated the previous images I had posted. The brochure is Form No. 4WDT-CM1–215M–12-49.

Here is the first page of the brochure:

1949-12-form-no-4WDT-CM1-215M-12-49-truck-brochure1-lores It unfolds vertically to reveal this page:

1949-12-form-no-4WDT-CM1-215M-12-49-truck-brochure2-lores

 

This shows the entire center area:

1949-12-form-no-4WDT-CM1-215M-12-49-truck-brochure3-lores

Here is the back of the brochure:

1949-12-form-no-4WDT-CM1-215M-12-49-truck-brochure4-lores

Continue reading

 
To Top

Tom Cruze Update

• CATEGORIES: Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.
2022-07-21-lizzie-tomcruze-bettypage

Here is a rare moment of harmony. Left to Right: Lizzie, Tom Cruze, Betty Page

John asked how Tom Cruze was doing, so here’s an update.

Once Tom got rehydrated and got some food in him he was most definitely energized! He’s been climbing and exploring the house. The vet said it best, “He’s a feisty one!”

He doesn’t seem to mind that the dogs out weigh him about 10lbs to 1lb; he gives as much as he gets. Lizzy in particular loves to wrestle with him. She is as gentle as she can be (she’s sort of a lunkhead, so she isn’t all that gentle). Still, the two of them seem to enjoy playing.

The dogs are not fans when Tom tries to nurse. That’s about the only time they will growl at him.

They don’t mind napping together (why do we have such monochromatic animals?):
2022-07-25-girls-tom3-lores

The girls hovering over Tom is the usual state of affairs:

2022-07-25-girls-tom2-lores

Wrestling is another favorite, though mostly it is Tom and Lizzie wrestling (Betty Page mostly just wants to lick him):

2022-07-25-girls-tom1-lores

 
To Top

1960? Kaiser – Willys Motor Sale Service Mailer

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

I missed out on this sales and service mailer which sold on eBay for $31.77. Rare, yes, but $31.77? It was too much for small mailer.

Given it touts the Maverick show (though the plug is relegated to the back of the brochure), I suspect this is probably from 1960. There is no form identifier.

1960-ish-sales-service-kaiser-mailer1 1960-ish-sales-service-kaiser-mailer2 1960-ish-sales-service-kaiser-mailer3

 
To Top

1956 Light Duty Rescue Truck Brochure on eBay

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

This Light Duty Rescue Truck brochure is currently listed on eBay for $9.99 (plus $12 shipping). It looks a little used, but still a rare brochure. You can view more pages here.

View all the information on eBay

1956-light-duty-rescue-truck-brochure

 
To Top

Unusual Front Hubs

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

Aaron Holdaway discovered this unusual set of hubs. He posted pictures of them to Facebook. He plans to disassemble them and take photos. I’ll share those photos if/when he does.

unusual-hubs-aaron-1 unusual-hubs-aaron-2 unusual-hubs-aaron-3

 
To Top

The Ripple Effect …

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

The month of July was going to be work-on-jeep month. Instead, after Ann launched her painting of the guest house, it became work-on-the guest-house-exterior month. Oh well, such is life.

One project on the house, led to another, rippling farther and farther …. First, I jumped into painting the exterior so that could get finished (Ann had to halt painting, as she began to have migraines and auras). But, that led to pulling up the deck to replace the plywood decking, which led to the realization that the whole deck needed rebuilding, which led to the opportunity to regrade around the east and north side of the place, which led to adding a French drain for the deck’s gutter.

Though redoing all this had been the plan, I hadn’t planned on doing this right now. My hope is to finish up the deck today, as we have 110 degree+ temps arriving in a couple days for a few days.

This pic shows the deck frame on temporary supports as I get everything squared up.

2022-07-24-deck-guest-house-lores

 
To Top

3D-Printable Willys MB Model $4.79

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

If you have access to a 3D printer, you might try printing this 3D model jeep. The download costs $4.79. I’ve included a video so you can see how this thing is assembled.

https://cults3d.com/en/3d-model/art/foldable-willys-mb-jeep

 
To Top

Custom Model Mini-Jeep Seven Springs, PA $5000

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

UPDATE: You can contact Larry directly at 717 880 4432. Leave a message and he will return your call.

Ross’ friend Larry has this cool, Crosley powered mini-jeep for sale.

“4 cylinder gas engine
Electric winch
3speed transmission with reverse
Fully functional transfer case
Overall length 4’”

IMG_0928 IMG_0929 IMG_0930 IMG_0931 IMG_0932 IMG_0933 IMG_0935

 
To Top

May 1957 Forward Control Brochure

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

I’ve only seen this brochure promoting the FC-150 and FC-170 once before, so I bought it off of eBay just now. It is Form No. M-5-57 I.S.B. This is the earliest FC-170 related mailer-brochure that I’ve documented.  I’ll update this with scanned pics once I receive the brochure.

1957-m-5-57-i-s-b-fc170-fc150-brochure1 1957-m-5-57-i-s-b-fc170-fc150-brochure2 1957-m-5-57-i-s-b-fc170-fc150-brochure3 1957-m-5-57-i-s-b-fc170-fc150-brochure4

 

 
To Top

Welcome Tom Cruze

• CATEGORIES: Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.
2022-07-18-tom-cruze1

Emerged from the engine bay.

Yesterday, Ann’s quick trip to Walmart to pick up some baking supplies went awry.

As she walked by some cars on her way into Walmart, she began hearing the cries of what sounded like a small kitten. Perplexed. she followed the sound to a Chevy Cruz. She looked inside the car, but then realized the sound was coming from under the hood. A woman with five kids wandered by about that time and also heard the cat.

Ann and the woman with the kids did their best to coax the cat from the engine bay, but it seemed the kitten was stuck. Though the car was unlocked, they were unsure how to proceed, so Ann went inside of Walmart to have the car’s owner paged. The owner didn’t hear the page.

Then, Ann called the local police’s non-emergency number; in turn they requested the animal control people assist. Unfortunately, the one animal control person on duty was in another town. Then, Ann contacted the local animal shelter, only to find out that they and other shelters are over-capacity. If the shelter got the cat, it would likely be euthanized.

That left Ann with a choice. Given the cat seemed to be stuck in the engine, leave the kitten to die OR try to rescue the kitten. Of course, you already know the decision she made ….

 

Forty-five minutes after initially first hearing the kitten, and with the kitten’s meow getting weaker and weaker, an elderly man approached and asked what the Hell are they were doing laying on the hot asphalt wedged under his car.

They explained a kitten was trapped in his engine compartment. A grumpy old man, he stated he didn’t have no ‘damn’ cats and neither did his neighbors.

According to Ann, he was a gem, lol.

Ann and the woman finally got him to open the hood. It was only then they they were able to free the poor little guy. By then, his mews were very very faint and far apart and he was just limp. Now, what to do with the kitten?

Ann’s co-rescuer refused the pleas of her 5 children to take the kitten home, so, despite her cat allergies (she is allergic to most, but not all cats), she decided to bring the cat home.

A quick call to the local vet, resulted in a quick triage to make sure it didn’t need immediate care. After checking the kitten, the vet put “it” as a “he” who is roughly six weeks old and just under a pound. While under-nourished, he isn’t starved and didn’t appear to be in any immediate danger. So, the vet set us up with some food and recommended her lot of water.

Given the kitten is a he (aka Tom cat) and given it was stuck in the engine bay of a Chevy Cruz, what else could we call this tiny kitten other than Tom Cruze??

2022-07-18-tom-cruze2

Finally eating some food…

Our girls are beside themselves with curiosity an way overwhelming love for the kitten. Mr. Tom Cruz has endured more saliva and licks than any kitten should have to endure. Once the kitten-as-curiosity subsides, everyone *should* get along just fine.

 
To Top

Koenig Bed Extender Frederick, MD $500

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

Any shared this unusual Koenig bed extender with a soft top setup. I’ve never seen a bed extender setup quite like this one.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/280479277585754/

“Koenig bed extender in near perfect condition, canopy cover is complete but dry rotted”

bed-extension-frederick-md01

bed-extension-frederick-md0 bed-extension-frederick-md1 bed-extension-frederick-md2

 
To Top

Sturdee Hardtop Brochure

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

UPDATE: Roger Martin bought this rare color Sturdee brochure and shared some pics with us. This is a cool item!
sturdee-wood-products-brochure2

sturdee-wood-products-brochure1

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

Originally published March 26, 2018:  This is the only information I could find on this rare hardtop.

1940s-sturdee-hardtop-brochure1 1940s-sturdee-hardtop-brochure2

 
To Top

1943 MB Totnes, England £13,000

• CATEGORIES: Features, MB, Sedan-jeep • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

This modified jeep has benign storage for about four decades. It’s supposedly a Metamet prototype, so, if true, this should be of interest to Metamet fans.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/859266711715886

1943-mb-england4 1943-mb-england5 1943-mb-england6 1943-mb-england7

“Its a ww2 jeep converted to a saloon , please study the pictures carefully, note the wings, the bonnet the grill the interior, floor pan, engine bay etc etc is a willys mb jeep chassis and running gear , the jeep was originally built in 1943 first registered for road use in 1958, when the conversion was done is aprox 1966 this is the only one in the world , converted by Metamet as a prototype just one of this style built and never went into production despite showing on the brochure as the metaplan, its the swb version so the chassis has not been lengthened. Continue reading

 
To Top

September 1954 Jeep Jaunts Article Out of Virginia

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

Chris shared this article from September 09, 1954, about jeeping in Virginia. The article’s page was rolled a bit when scanned, so the title isn’t completely clear, but I believe the headline should be “Jeep Jaunts Over Rugged Mountain Trails is Now Popular Sport in Gap”.  Thankfully, better pics from this article were posted to Facebook.

1954-09-09-the-post-nc-jeep-jaunt3

1954-09-09-the-post-nc-jeep-jaunt2

1954-09-09-the-post-jeep-jaunt-lores1 1954-09-09-the-post-jeep-jaunt-lores2

 
To Top

Jeepney Phase-Out Plan Illustration

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

Artist Roni Santiago created this illustration as a comment to the Philippine phase-out of the Jeepneys (posted by Mario to FB). It seems to be a riff off the Bill Mauldin illustration of the solider with a gun pointed at a tired old jeep.

jeepney-phase-out-image

Bill Mauldin’s famous illustration (as reprinted on the cover of the Nov 1992 Smithsonian):

mauldin-smithsonian-1992-nov-jeep

And as seen in a sculpture at the Shidoni Gallery near Sante Fe:

shidoni-mauldin-jeep

 
To Top

Virginia Chicken Coop Car Find Includes CJ-2A

• CATEGORIES: CJ-2A, Features, videos This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Bill shared this article about a Virginia chicken coop that housed a variety of vehicles, including a CJ-2A. Apparently, most of the vehicles (included the 2A?) are for sale.

https://www.hotcars.com/check-out-this-virginia-barn-find-with-ferraris-pontiac-gto-javelin-and-other-rare-cars/

cj2a-chicken-coop

 
To Top

1963 Masonite Contest Jeep Wagoneer Prize

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

This 1963 ad by Masonite planned to award a 1963 Jeep Wagoneer as the grand prize as part of a drawing. To enter, contestants had to go to fill out an entry form describing five ways to use Masonite hardboard products. Unfortunately, I could not determine who won the jeep.

View all the information on ebay
1963-masonite-contest-ad-win-jeep-wagoneer-ad

This ad for the contest appeared in the July 04, 1963, issue of the Brockway Record out of Pennsylvania:

1963-07-brockaway-record-masonite-contest-ad-win-jeep-wagoneer-ad

 
To Top

Mike’s Work Fleetvan

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

Mike shared a newspaper ad related to his job as a newspaper carrier. He purchased and drove a Jeep Fleetvan to deliver the newspapers.

He writes, “I drove this Jeep Fleetvan for many years, working for Suburban Newsdealers, Clifton NJ. Back then, (late 70’s early 80’s) there was “loose talk” about newspapers being delivered to your home by computer, nobody believed it.

This was a company I worked for in the late 60’s, in NJ common practice to have motor routes home delivering close to 1000 copies a day. The guy I worked for had 2 fleetvans, one for parts. Both eventually ended up in the junk yard up the street from where I worked. I wanted to drag it home but no place to store it, besides, my dad would of had a S__T fit.”

clifton-news-mike

 
To Top

2020 Fall Colors Tour Day 4

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

This video highlights the Day 4 adventures from the Fall colors tour in Colorado.

 
To Top

March 1962 Ad for Crescent Contest — Jeep Tow Truck Prize

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

Here’s an unusual contest prize: a new jeep truck with a tow package that included a Canfield wrecker setup along with a Canfield push plate on the front. This grand prize was awarded to the person would created the best cartoon featuring “Wiry Joe”. The Crescent company was the maker of Wiry Joe automotive wire and cable products. It tried to find out more, but all I could unearth was that someone in Rhode Island won one of the cameras.

The ad is priced at $19.97, while the whole magazine can be purchased for $10.99 (or less).

View all the information on ebay

1962-motor-magazine-jeep-truck-tow-ad

 
To Top

1955 & 1956 Willys Motors Ads Aimed at Dealers on eBay

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

UPDATE: Here’s another dealer-oriented ad, this time from 1953:

View all the info on eBay

willys-overland-dealer-profit-ad

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

Originally published May 27, 2022:  I’ve never seen these ads. They appear to be focused on dealers. It’s unclear where these were published. The seller has a variety of other more standard, consumer-oriented ads.

  1. View all the information on eBay

1955-print-ad-ebay

2 View all the information on eBay

1956-ad-for-dealers-profit-ebay

 
To Top

1958 Cutlas Power-Lock Brochure

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

This brochure is from 1958, which might make it one of the earliest brochures. It was posted to Facebook by Richard Harper, which came from Sam Higginbotham.

1958-power-lock-hubs-brochure