Features Research Archives

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Craig’s Pic of the Week: Trucks in TV Commercials

• CATEGORIES: Craigs Pic of the Week, Features, Willys Trucks This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Craig found these two pics from a 1964 issue of Jeep News.

Guy provided additional information:
“The top picture with the caption underneath “MOUNTAINS IN COLORADO….” would have been taken on the east side of the Garden Of The Gods in Colorado Springs. The shot is looking west. Appears it could have been made from the present site of the Garden Of The Gods Visitor and Nature Center. See this Google Map link: http://goo.gl/maps/alpDj

The area to the west and north of the Garden Of The Gods is where the devastating Waldo Canyon wildfire swept into Colorado Springs last summer.

The Garden Of The Gods is a spectacular sight. Hiking is allowed, but no jeeping.

Garden Of The Gods images search link

Trucks in commercial

3 Wagoneer Commercial

 
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Redy Cut SEEP/ GPA Wood Model on eBay

• CATEGORIES: Features, GPA (SEEP), Models, toys This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

This is ready to assemble according to the seller.

“THIS IS VINTAGE ESTATE FIND
UNUSED WOODEN MODEL KIT
FOR A US ARMY AMPHIBIAN JEEP
MADE BY REDYCUT”

View all the information on eBay

redycut-seep-gpa-wood-toy1 redycut-seep-gpa-wood-toy2 redycut-seep-gpa-wood-toy3 redycut-seep-gpa-wood-toy4

 
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Russian Modelist Magazine with MB on eBay

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

This is different.

“One of published in USSR “Modelist-Konstruktor” Magazine with schemes for modeling, interesting projects, posters and other

Paperback, Published 1993
32 pages 29×22 cm”

View all the information on eBay

russian-model-magazine-mb-1

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Rare? MB Key Chain on eBay

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

Is this all that rare?

View all the information on eBay

mb-keychain

 
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Lake Jeeping from 2010 in Spooner, WI

• CATEGORIES: Features, GPA (SEEP), Reader Stories This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Louie asked me if I’d be interested in some pictures from the 2010 Redbull Historic Military Club gathering, which included jeeps, seeps and floating trailers. I did not know those Bantam trailers floated so well!

louie-larson-seep-lores

Louie writes, “For a number of years a military collector ( Kevin Kronland of Spooner Wi.) held a 3 day event at his Cranberry farm. He had almost 100 vehicles of his own and our Redbull Historic Military Club would attend with about another 50 to 100 vehicles. Of course we all had a great time showing ,driving,and talking about our vehicles. He had a DUCK, a GPA, and other collectors brought there am fibs to run in his cranberry pond. (A real lake.)

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Schwanke Car, Tractor, and Truck Museum Willmar, MN

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

Located fifty miles west of Minneapolis in Willmar, MN, the Schwanke Car, Tractor, and Truck Museum has been open since 1998.  It features the collection of Virgil Schwanke, who has been  collecting vehicles for fifty-five years. He has assembled over 400 units for display, including tractors, cars, trucks, gas engines, gas pumps, signs and more. He recently added a CJ-2A to the museum.

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Virgil uses this CJ-2A as a springboard to talk about jeeps during World War II.  You can read more in the museum’s blog post.

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http://schwankemuseum.blogspot.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Schwanke-Car-Tractor-and-Truck-Museum/175089919176654

 
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Mini Terror Tire Ad

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

I always thought these were mini-terra tires, but they were advertised as “mini-terror” off road tires.  I found this ad in the February, 1974, issue of Four Wheeler.

1974-02-four-wheeler-mini-terror-ad

 
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Arnold German Clockwork Jeep from the UK

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

I don’t know anything about this. What does the missing key do?

“VERY RARE VINTAGE GERMAN CLOCKWORK JEEP WITH THREE OCCUPANTS
MADE BY ARNOLD’S OF GERMANY ABOUT 1947/8

THIS MODEL AND THE FIGURES HAVE BEEN OVER PAINTED AND IS MISSING THE SPARE WHEEL ,WINDSHIELD AND RADIO ANTENNA.THE FRONT FENDER HAS BEEN BENT UPWARDS.
THE STEERING WHEEL TURNS THE FRONT WHEELS ,THE GEAR STICK SEEMS TO OPERATE BUT CANNOT TELL FOR SURE AS THERE IS NO KEY. GREAT RESTORATION PROJECT.”

View all the information on ebay

arnold-german-clockwork-jeep

 
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The Jeep by Jeudy & Taraine

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

UPDATE: This book is a cancelled library book, but the buy it now price is only $5.50.

View all the information on ebay

(the pic below shows a new book)

 
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Bob’s Photo of the Valstrey Willys Dealership

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

Bob bought this photo at an antique store a couple days ago. Visible in it are trailers, a wagon, and a couple flatties. The sign appears to read  “145 e. werrick rd, tel. Valley stream 3638”

After some googling, Bob and I determined there was a Valstrey Service Corporation at 145 E. Merrick in Freeport, NY, which is very close the town of Valley Stream, NY. Further research yielded a newspaper ad out of the Brooklyn Eagle (Jan. 22nd 1950, pg 15) showing the Valstrey Service Corp from the address above in a Willys Advertisement (see below).

valstrey-willys-springvalley-ny-lores

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A CJ-3A Barn Find with only 6,000 Miles

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

A reader shared the following story about stumbling on a barn find somewhere in the Southeast. This is just a reminder that there are still some great finds out there . . .

My son and I went for a drive yesterday. Weather was sunny and warm. We stopped to get gas and decided were to go: a nearby town we hadn’t visited in a while. As we went through town, then turned down a side street that took us to the outskirts of town. The road was lined with old shacks and barns. As we passed by an old church, out of the corner of my eye I spotted two headlights and a slotted grill tucked in a old falling down barn. I immediately hit the brakes, turned around, and stopped to look. There was a older man in the yard.
I asked him if that was an old willys.
He said, “ya a 1953. It has 6,000 miles on it.”
“Can we take a look?”
He said, “sure!”
The old man explained to us he had traded a tractor back in 55 for it. He drove it for a year and parked it. It’s been there ever since. It was the most Original willys I have have ever seen. It had about 1 inch of dust on it and fern Boxes in it. After talking with him I asked the ‘Question’.
“Would u like to sell it?”
Real quick he said “No”, then walked away to his house. No goodbye. Nothing. Just walked away and went in his house. Weird. But now I know after all the reading I’ve done what a true barn find looks like. I hope it doesn’t sit there and rot. There was no rust on it. It was stuck in time. All original seats,bows, spare tire, tires, back seat, wipers,foot steps, mirrors, every thing.
So, I decided to stop from time to time and check on it. Maybe he’ll give in, eventually.

 
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Bantam Jeep Trailer gone to the Birds

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

Mark published an article about Pigeon’s Andy’s specially built mobile bird trailer. It’s a good story. Check out Andy, his pigeons, and his cool trailer.

http://warjeeps.com/articles/pigeonAndy/index.html

Andy's Bantam Pigeon Trailer

 
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WO Export Corp Military Vehicle Program Sales Brochure on eBay

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

Unfortunately, this is missing five pages, but the book totals 56 pages. I’ve never encountered one of these.

“”Willys-Overland Export Corporation”
‘Military Vehicle Program’
Undated but circa 1960s.
Fully illustrated sales brochure.
56 pages, sadly pages 9-14 have been removed. Otherwise in very good condition.”

View all the information on ebay

1960-WO-booklet-Export-Vehicle-Sales-Brochure1

 
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1963 J-300 Gladiator Dually (Rare One-off) Georgetown, CA **SOLD**

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

UPDATE: **SOLD** Was on eBay.

Looking for something else, I ran across this 1963 J-300 dually with an unusual tale.

“This is a special ordered truck, the only Jeep J300 truck ever configured this way. I purchased this truck with 43,000 miles on it from the original owner, a timber faller, who worked up until he died at 87 years old. The original owner approached his local Jeep dealership requesting a one ton dually Thriftside and was told Jeep didn’t build one. When he told them if Jeep didn’t build one for him he would buy a Ford instead the dealership obtained one for him that had the rear fenders widened to fit the dual tires and a wider rear bumper was fabricated. This truck has OEM power steering, a four speed tranny, 230 CI Tornado motor, 2 bbl carb and an alternator was added. An 8000 pound Ramsey PTO winch is included  This truck is registered in the Texas Full size Jeep Association Dually registry check it out here http://www.txfsja.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=354    I reserve the right to end auction early as this vehicle is for sale locally.”

j300-gladiator-dually-rare-georgetown-ca2 j300-gladiator-dually-rare-georgetown-ca

 
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Miracle of America Museum, Polson, MT

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

Dan pointed me to the Miracle of America Museum, mentioning there was an old Ford A vehicle mounted to tracks.  The museum is still run by Gil Mangels, who co-founded the museum in 1981 with his wife, who passed away in 2012.  The museum is located 70 miles due north of Missoula. Looks like a fun place to visit.

After looking through the eclectic collection of items, I figured they might have a jeep or two. I found a M-38A1, a possible MB/GPW, and M-151.

Miracle-of-America-Museum-Polson-Mt-jeep1 Miracle-of-America-Museum-Polson-Mt-jeep2 Miracle-of-America-Museum-Polson-Mt-m151

 
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Justin and His CJ-2A at Kaiser Willys

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

Justin wrote a good story about his CJ-2A project and wanted to share it with readers.  Having completed his first CJ-2A, now he wants another.  I can’t blame him.

Read all about it on the Kaiser Willys blog

justin-cj2a

 
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1948 Custom CJ-2A Alpena, MI **SOLD**

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

UPDATE: **SOLD** Was Make Offer

This is different.

“This willys jeep has an all alumium body which will never rust or corrod and since it is made out of alumium it is a lite ride. The body is on an s-10 sand blasted frame with a 96′ wheelbase. It is 2 wheel drive with a 305ci v-8 in it, it has a 30 over Big cam with a 700 R4 trany behind it. It has 13,500 miles on the engine and tranny, was never used for drag racing. It gets around 20 miles per gallon on the highway.”

 

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Home Craft’s “Town & Country” Conversion

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

Robin just posted pictures from the June 1950 Issue of Home Craft’s “Town & Country” Jeep Conversion.  This was a two issue project.

He posted high resolution versions of this transformation on FLICKR.

Here are some of the images:

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“Phantom Automobiles” Fort Devens, MA, Postcard

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

These looks mostly like Ford GPs, but the base of the windshield looks a little low.

View all the information on eBay

ford-gps-postcard-fort-devans-ma-lores

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Great Shot of Agri Jeep with PTO Saw on eBay

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

This seller has a variety of similar old photos for sale.

“This is an “ORIGINAL PERIOD GLOSSY PHOTO” of a POST WAR AGRI-JEEP CJ-2A PROVIDES POWER FROM PTO FOR BUZZING WOOD, photo date -1945. The condition is very good and measures 8″ x 10″.”

View all the information on eBay

agri-jeep-photo-pto-saw-lores

 
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Pepsi Scrambler Jeep Go Kart on eBay

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

This is a repainted Pepsi Scrambler Jeep Go Kart. Several of these are shown at the CJ-8 page, including one with the original design.  The Kart should have a windshield.

“For sale is an early 80’s Pepsi Promotional Jeep Go kart. Rare, Runs and drives great. This would be a great project to restore for parades or car shows. The fiberglass has some breaks and cracks in it as you can see in the pictures. It has a 3hp Briggs and Straton motor. The last picture is of one I found on the internet to show what they looked like when new. This is not a picture of mine. My go kart did not come with a windshield or have any indication of ever having one.”

View all the information on ebay

1980s-pepsi-go-kart-scrambler-jeep2

 
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1948 Photo of Jeep Display in Florida

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

UPDATE: Mark pointed out that the wagon at the far right of the photo looks like a shorty. After several agreements, I did some research and found the ad below.  The ‘wagon’ on the right is actually a ‘Station Sedan’ model while the one on the left is the ‘Station Wagon’ model.  The Station Sedan had the added benefit of being “more maneuverable and easier to park”.  The ad doesn’t make it look short, but the picture below sure does.  I have confirmed the wheelbases were the same (see comments).

The  State Archives of Florida at Florida Memory, http://floridamemory.com/items/show/53295 has this great photo created by Spottswood Studio of the Family of Jeeps.

1948-showroom-jeepfamily-floridamemories

Here’s a 1949 brochure that discusses the differences between a Station Sedan and a Station Wagon.  Note how the styling on the right matches the styling on the ‘Sedan’ in the top of the ad. I found this for sale at the Jumping Frog site.

1948-jeep-station-sedan-brochure

 
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1943 Photo of Half Track Jeep towing Skiers **SOLD**

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

UPDATE: **SOLD** Was on eBay.

How cool is this photo!

“For sale is a photo of a prototype tracked snow Jeep taken near Prado, Colorado in April, 1943. It was undergoing testing at the time but apparently never made it into the field. It has skis on the front for steering with the steering wheel. (This method is an early version of the rope tow.) The photo is an 8 x 10 in size and is an enlargement of the original 4 x 5 factory photo made about 25 years ago. Seller will call the photo original since it was made from the original negative although it was made later on. Good luck with your bidding”

1943-halftrack-mb-skiers-photo

 
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1970s Jeepcycle Brochure

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

Ever heard of these? I’ve seen jeeps on two wheels, but not with only two wheels.

View all the information on ebay

1970s-jeepcycle-brochure

 
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Willys MB Belt Buckle From the VMVC in Australia

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

Justin spotted this belt buckle for sale by the Victorian Military Vehicle Corps out of Australia.  Here’s what he had to say.

I knew as soon as I received my Jeep Belt buckle, I had to share my experience with the readers of Ewillys. After a quick google search, I found an awesome way to carry my crazy Jeep addiction with me everyday. An MB grill belt buckle!

After digging a little deeper I found an email from the link. I emailed the gentleman and shortly got a response. He (Mitch) said he only has a small quantity left (35) and he was located in Australia. Mitch promptly shipped the buckle and sent an invoice on PayPal. I paid $40 for it shipped to my door and only took a week.

It turns out I did more than just buy a buckle. I am signed up with a great group or “association” of WWII Jeep enthusiasts called WW2 Jeeps NSW. These folks are die hard Jeep fans like us who post a great e-newsletter monthly. The information in the letter is priceless and they have other memorabilia for sale as well. And like I said, Mitch treated the customer service very well!

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