Features Research Archives

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Jeep as Engine Hoist

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

Mark forwarded me this great picture, but I don’t have any additional information about it.  The jeep behind the men is being used as a hoist, with the man marked as ‘3’ doing the pulling.

 
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1950 Wagon 4×4-73 Original Owner’s Manual on eBay

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

Here’s an original owner’s manual for a wagon, but it isn’t cheap.

“In good condition. The copyright is 1950. FREE shipping anywhere in the USA. All other countries, flat $8.95 shipping/handling.”

View all the information on eBay

 
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IPMS Quarterly Cover from 1969 on eBay

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

The seller isn’t asking much.  LRDG folks might like this unusual cover.

“This vintage issue of the IPMS Quarterly includes articles on Robin Olds F-4 Phantom, P-51 Mustang, Major George Preddy, and WWII Jeeps, among others. There is the remains of a crease down the middle of the magazine where it had feen folded in half at some point. I has been kept flat for many years since, and the crease is barely noticable now. This item is from my father’s collection. I have no other information about it.”

View all the information on eBay

 
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1954 Christmas Ad that includes NellyBell Pedal Car

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

UPDATE: **SOLD** Was on eBay.

“Great looking ORIGINALS, NOT COPIES, NOT REPRINTS, ads from a 1954 Christmas publication. These ads are over 58 years old and are excellent for framing.”

 
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FC-170 Wind-up Toy on eBay

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

Here’s a cool FC toy.

“This listing is for a used vintage Bandai Japan 1950’s – 1960’s Jeep FC-170 tin Friction toy stake truck in very good condition. Jeep produced the FC-170 from 1957 to 1964 / 1965 and I would expect this toy was also produced somewhere in that time period. It has 2 small dents in the cab roof which are visible in certain lighting conditions but not very noticeable otherwise. It is about 7 1/2 inches long by about 3 1/4 inches high at the top of the cab. It has a front wheel drive working friction motor. The paint finish is very good. I don’t see anything broken or missing and no rust. I don’t see any cracks in the plastic windshield. Looks like a bit of dust in the interior section. It has an opening rear gate and is overall a very nice example of a hard to find Jeep toy. I do not have the original box.

This came from an estate sale which featured 1950’s / 1960’s toys. I don’t know it’s entire history ( smoking, pets, etc.) and it is offered as is being a 50 year old used toy.”

View all the information on eBay

 
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Kodachrome Slide of Little Girl in Front of CJ-3A on eBay

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

Here’s a great old Kodachrome slide of a little girl with a jeep behind her.

“Original 1949 Kodak Red 35mm Kodachrome slide.”

View all the information on eBay

 
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From Jeep Driver to General by Jesse Allen on eBay

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

This is a brand new book I spotted on eBay. I’m sure it is available through other books sellers, too.  I haven’t read it, so I can’t say how many jeep stories there are in it.

“Retired General Jesse Allen saw it all in his military career. An army jeep driver in the U.S. Army Air Corps serving General Patton’s Third Army in World War II, an air force fighter pilot in Korea, and a fighter squadron commander in Vietnam, Allen held every rank from private to two-star general.A cultural history as well as a memoir, From Jeep Driver to General reveals an insider’s perspective of the U.S. military during some of its most significant triumphs and failures.”

View all the information on eBay

 
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Ann’s Jeep-Rock Design Challenge

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

Ann spotted this photograph on Facebook and wondered if someone could do the same think in the shape of a jeep.  I told her I’d post it in case someone one wanted to give it a try . . .

 
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Wallpaper from 1945 Includes a Jeep

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

Vic surprised me with an unusual story today.

He writes, “We have an historic home (1827) where there was a fire in 1945. Following that event the home underwent some serious refurbishing. Fast forward to 2011 and my wife decided to strip the wallpaper from our bedroom – four layers as it turned out. The final layer was a blue-gray with a patriotic theme – the Statue of Liberty with a B-24 flying past and a battleship. The best part is the Jeep with a field piece.”

Due to his wife’s heroic efforts, several pieces of wallpaper showing the jeep were saved, a couple of which Vic said he will send my direction (thanks!). He included this image of jeep and artillery.

 
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Two Special Women in Hawaii with Special Skills

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

From the Hawaii War Records Depository, the two women shown below in this Ford GPW were the only women authorized in Hawaii to drive jeeps as of November 1942.  According to the caption that accompanies the photograph, “Meet the jeep girls–Lorraine O’Brien and Nina Smith! These women drivers are the only two who have been authorized by the army automotive office to operate jeeps and armored half tracks and to convoy any type of army vehicle in Hawaii. Lorraine, an island girl, and “Smitty,” from Houston, Tex. . . . By Betty MacDonald.”  The photo was taken November 3, 1942.

Click here to view the high resolution image:  http://libweb.hawaii.edu/digicoll/hwrd/hwrd_gifs/494f.gif

You can view more information about this photo by going to the Hawaii War Records Depository and scrolling down until you see the picture above.

 
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More Border Patrol Jeep Images in a Mechanix Magazine Article

• CATEGORIES: Features, Fire/Police/Industry Vehicles, Magazine • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

These photographs of Border Jeeps come from a Septmeber 1949 article in Mechanix Magazine.  You can read the entire article here.

In this picture you can clearly see this is a CJ-2A.  It didn’t take  them long to customize the bumper.

The first image below appears to show a MB.    I’m a little surprised it doesn’t have a top for shade like the other border jeeps I’ve seen.  The second picture is likely a CJ-2A based on the bas tank inlet.

 
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Ford GP in Mechanix Magazine

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

Here’s a photograph from a December 1941 issue of Mechanix Magazine that shows a Ford GP participating in war games at the dawn of the US’s official entry into WWII.

http://blog.modernmechanix.com/news-of-war-and-defense/

 
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Tim’s Hill Climb at the Monroe Adventure Park

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

Steve forwarded this video of Tim’s jeep Priority running the  Hill Climb at the Adventure Park in Monroe, Washington.  I don’t know anything about the Park, but here’s a link to the website.  Here’s an article about the “Prison Break” event.   Here’s the Facebook page.

Priority is powered by an aluminum V-8 followed by a Ford Top-loader four speed that used to be in my father’s jeep.  It’s got a Parkette fiberglass body with a Bobcat hood.  He runs an independent suspension that has been updated since I last saw the jeep, so I’m looking forward to my next climb underneath it.

 
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1955 Meyer Offset Angledozer Brochure on eBay

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

This covers the Meyer Offset Angledozer equipment.

View all the information on eBay

 
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Good Food, X-Rays, Jeeps and a Camel

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

We were hunting jeeps, as we do anytime we are traveling in the car, when I heard Ann shout, “That’s a camel . . . NO, that’ s horse . . . No, that’s a Camel.”

Those weren’t words I expected to hear as we drove into the small town of Waitsburg, Washington, just a short drive north from Walla Walla.  But, sure enough, there amongst two cows was a Camel eating some feed.  It’s just strange the things you can find when you start looking.

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Modern Mechanix Tests the Jeepster and Station Wagon

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

In the January 1950 Issue, Modern Mechanix took the Jeepster and Station Wagon for test drives.  Below is page 1.  You can see all the pages at the Modern Mechanix Blog.  In summary, the review isn’t all that flattering.

http://blog.modernmechanix.com/mi-tests-the-willys-jeepster-and-station-wagon/

 
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Jeep Junkyard in Djibouti

• CATEGORIES: Features, GPW (Ford MB), MB • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

It sure looks like there are some parts worth saving.  This was taken in The Republic of Djibouti, Africa, and posted on Flickr.  After some searching, I discovered these are probably Hotchkiss (see m201 website).

http://www.flickr.com/photos/48545521@N06/4561455084

 
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Part II of the Don Prine Story

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

Part II of the Don Prine ‘Old Man’ Story can be read in the September issue of JP Magazine. It has also been published online at this address:  http://www.jpmagazine.com/featuredvehicles/154_1209_the_old_man_and_the_jeep_part_2/

Here’s a picture Marty took during the interview.  Don Prine is on the left, Christain Hazel in the middle, and Herm Tilford (Herm the Overdrive Guy) on the right.

View more pictures of the meeting here:  http://www.pnw4wda.org/forums/showthread.php?t=2630

You can view Part 1 of the Don Prine Story at JP Magazine

 

 
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What’s a Jeep between brothers?

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

From the Vale Valley Website comes this story of one brother buying CJ-2A #No. 23995 for another.  It’s written by Raymond Bleesz.  You can see pictures of his jeep on the CJ-2A Page.

It is said that the Willys Jeep won the hearts and minds of all those who served in World War II, and that the jeep won the war.

My 1946 CJ2A jeep, No. 23995, was in the assembly line of production when the war ended.

This jeep with its “Go Devil” four- banger engine, a body from the Willys Ford Overland Co. in Toledo, Ohio, was one of thousands produced during the war years and later into preproduction civilian jeeps at the end of the war.

In 1990, this jeep was given to me as a birthday gift by my brother, who had purchased it from a good old boy in Frederick, Md., towed it across country and presented it to me upon his arrival here in Edwards.  . . . . . .Read more below

http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20120812/EDITS/120819972/1021&ParentProfile=1065

 
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1954 Scheneker Snow Plow Brochure on eBay

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

UPDATE: **SOLD** Was on eBay.

Neat old ad.

 
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Research is Such Tough Work . . .

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

Last Tuesday Ann and I hit the road to do research for the next book.  Having written much of the book already, I still have many details to add.  Nothing can replace following the pathes of your characters to see, smell, and hear what they would see, smell hear (hence the reason I need to write a book with Europe as the backdrop 🙂 ).  In this case, we had the follow the characters as they ferried from Seattle to Bainbridge Island, drove up to thePort Townsend area and then ferried over to Whidbey Island and finally ferried from Whidbey to Mukilteo to drive back to Renton. While we had to take three Washington State Ferries and cross one floating bridge, the characters travel in different ways to different places, so I’m giving away little with this information.

Here are a few pictures from our trip.  In this picture, we are on the Ferry from Seattle to Bainbridge Island.  You’ll note the new addition to the Seattle Waterfront on the right of the photo, the giant ferris wheel, which doesn’t look so giant against the buildings in the background:

Here I am at Port Gamble, enjoying the sites and sounds of the quaint little former company town (ok actually I am checking email):

Ann found a big gun at Fort Flagler.  She does enjoy her weapons.  She provided a running tutorial on what was missing:

As the suns sets at Mutiny Bay, we snap our picture at the exact location I include in the book:

 
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Pauls Frame is Finished Baking

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

Paul’s been eagerly awaiting the completion of his frame’s powder coating.  I told him that it was too pretty to put under the jeep.  Instead, he ought to hand it in the house.  No response to that idea so far . . .

Paul writes, “Early this morning (to retired folks it seemed real early) I traded a fist full of cash to a local businessman and in return I received a beautiful black powdercoated Willys frame fresh from the curing oven complete with that new frame smell. Quickly hauling it home I positioned the frame inside the connex slightly ahead of the body while leaving enough room to safely install the springs and axles. I needed to somehow support the frame high enough to allow the axles to fit underneath while not damaging the new coating and still allow the frame to be easily raised and lowered. Did I mention this proposed support structure had to be cheap?

While the connex is incredibly strong the metal roof is way weaker than the weight of the snow we receive during a normal winter so years ago (to prevent the roof from collapsing) I reinforced the roof structure with full length headers bolted to the connex sides and 2X4 doublers positioned right below the original roof bows. With all this structure just waiting for me to use I attached the ends of four ratchet straps to the headers and hooked the opposite ends to the Willys frame. By adjusting the tension of the straps I was able to position the frame level and at the height necessary for clearance of the wheel and axle combination. I normally carry four ratchet straps in the truck (you never know when you’ll run across something that’s just too good to pass up so I’m ready to load it up, cinch it down and head for home at a high rate of speed before anyone changes their mind) they were quickly removed and became the Poor Folk Deluxe Adjustable Lift. This worked GREAT! Total cost…nothing!”

 
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Racing at the 2012 PNW4WDA Summer Convention in Oregon

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

Here’s a great video of a run at the 2012 Summer Convention held this year in Camas Valley, Oregon.  There are a few more videos posted as well.

 
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1957 Jeep Jamboree from Texas

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

I purchased this small article about a Jeep Jamboree in 1957.  The event was held on South Padre Island in the Gulf of Mexico off Texas. This two page spread has pictures and a bit of info on the action.  As soon as I get my scanner working again, I’ll larger versions of this.

 
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1955 Meyer Snow Plows and Angle Dozers

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

I haven’t seen many snow plows on 1/4 ton jeeps.

View all the information on eBay

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