I thought this ad was interesting, as it promoted the chance to win two free trips to Japan, an offer that probably had little appeal, other than in Hawaii.It was published in the March 12, 1959, issue of the Hawaii Tribune-Herald.
I thought this ad was interesting, as it promoted the chance to win two free trips to Japan, an offer that probably had little appeal, other than in Hawaii.It was published in the March 12, 1959, issue of the Hawaii Tribune-Herald.
Blaine found this unusual CJ-5. The seller claims it was special ordered by Henry Kaiser, then given to the Boy Scouts. Hopefully, the seller can substantial the claim. Even without that pedigree, this is an awfully stock jeep in very good shape.
https://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/cto/d/santa-rosa-1960-jeep-cj/7329715935.html
“This is a 1960 CJ five with 35,000 original miles. The jeep is from Hawaii. Henry J Kaiser gave this jeep to the Boy Scouts in Hawaii. The Boy Scouts sold raffle tickets as a fundraiser. When the jeep was about a year old. It wound up in Paso Robles. The man owned it past away. I Purchased a jeep 15 years ago. The stoop is always been under cover in store and in storage. It is in great condition. The color of the jeep, is the same colors as the Royal Hawaiian hotel in Hawaii. Which was also owned by Henry J Kaiser. The main body of the jeep which is painted a darker pink is the same as the hotel The light pink that is used on the grill. He’s also the same color as the trim color on the hotel. The color of the seats are the color of the tile roof that is on the hotel. This is also the same colors of used on Kaiser s Sand and gravel trucks. This jeep has an absolutely fabulous history. and I believe that it is the only CJ five. In these colors as it was a special order by Henry J Kaiser and sell.”
The Miami Herald published a column by writer Robert C. Ruark On July 28, 1948. Apparently, he wasn’t much of a fan of the civilian jeeps, calling them “ladies”.
UPDATE: This post was originally published din 2014. Since then, I learned more about Ted, but had spread it out across various posts. Ted’s trips, and his subsequent movies, have been added to this post.
First Published November 2014: In 1955, Theodore Bumiller set out for an around-the-world adventure in a Willys Wagon. He captured his trip in photos and video. I attempted to learn more about his trip, but I only learned that his daughter is now a noted author (maybe someone else will have more luck). I emailed her to learn more about her father’s adventures, but have yet to receive a reply.
Following the trip, Ted made his first film: a 30 minute movie titled “Around The World By Jeep”. He traveled around exhibiting it. The ad below, published in the January 3rd, 1970, edition of the Toledo Blade shows he was still touring and showing his film fifteen years after he’d made his trip.
Anyone ever seen the movie?
In the late 1950s, Ted created a second movie: “The Four Seasons of Scandinavia”, an exploration of the four seasons in Scandinavian countries. As far as I can tell, it doesn’t have anything to do with jeeps.
This article from the April 15, 1959, issue of The Sun (out of Stark County, Ohio) explains more:
Ted’s daughter Elizabeth wrote a book and included an acknowledgement to Ted and his wife Ruth Ann for teaching her how to travel and for inspiring her to explore the world. In it she mentions a third film by Ted, “Eternal India”.
This photo shows a CJ-2A with a Worman hardtop.
View all the information on ebay
“5” x 3 1/2″ picture from around 1948. The Willys logo on the jeep is blurry in the picture.”
This December 06, 1958, article in the Tulare Advance Register highlights the Tulare County Four-Wheel Drive Club with pics and text. It’s not a club that I recognize, but the club was pivotal to the formation of the California Association of Jeeps Clubs in 1959 (later known as the California Four Wheel Drive Association). I tried to find a club logo or sticker, but couldn’t locate any example.
Here’s the 1958 article (spliced for easier viewing):
Just a couple updates for Friday.
Gary informed me that Lawrence Elliot of North Carolina passed away recently. Lawrence was a long time jeep mechanic, who owned jeeps up until he passed. He also rebuilt bell cranks, installing bearings into them to improve their behavior.
Ann, Maury and I had a chance to spend time with Lawrence and check out his jeeps back in 2018. Below are Lawrence and I posing at the back of his Willys Truck.
According to Bob Western, it looks like Pennsylvania will allow this year’s Great Willys Picnic to be hosted on Sunday, June 13th.
This in-depth article on the use of jeeps and planes includes a variety of photos. It appeared in the April 08, 1951, issue of the Nevada State Journal.
The CJ-5 Camper, with its own axle, always seems a pretty odd and unique build. But, Blaine found some other camper designs, with their own axle, that make the CJ-5 look practical.
https://www.coastresorts.com/boards/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/29713156/print/true.cfm
Here’s one example:
This article in the October 22, 1944, issue of the Miami Herald explains how, during a hurricane-related power outage, an Army jeep was used to power a printing press, saving the news day.
This photo and caption shares Carol McDonald’s demonstration of how to hang off a jeep as a counterbalance during the middle of a jeep race.
Mike spotted this just-release Barn Find Hunter video that shows a 1945 VEC CJ-2A that’s been rebuilt and a 1946 CJ-2A with rear PTO with 17,XXX original miles that has not been rebuilt.
The segment begins at around 11:55 and continues to 15:02.
This Blue Tank model jeep is a kit that includes two electric motors. I guess it runs in a straight line, as I don’t see a remote? It’s currently priced at $23.80 (buy-it-now).
View all the information on eBay
“BLUE TANK model kit. This kit is a U.S. WILLYS JEEP. Box has been opened, parts are sealed in original factory plastic. Kit can be MOTORIZED with MOTORS included.”
This CJ-5 has an M-38a1 “arctic” top with the wood doors. It seems in reasonably good shape. The side of the body threw me a bit as it appears to lack the “JEEP” stamps on the cowl sides. However, the passenger side looks like it may have had some bondo work, so that may explain why this lacks the stamp (likely either cut and repaired OR bondoed over OR both).
The seller included pics of a text message where some anonymous expert labeled the jeep a “ch3a”[assuming they meant CJ-3A), based on the “one-piece windshield”. The texter continued, writing, “In military lingo I believe it is a m38 … My best guess it is a 47/48 is is definitely military because of the gas cap.”
Hmmm …
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/470642740657768
“1958 Willys Jeep cj5 hard top project in assembly phase. Parts cleaned painted surfaced for gaskets. On most parts. Block still needs to go to machine chop. Transmission ready for assembly T case is intact. PO did axles and hubs. Before purchase so it rolls. PO also gave a manual and a kizer willys mag for parts most the stuff is outlined With some notes from PO.
Lots of work has been done to this already & lots of leg work already done lots of new parts already new brake lines new brakes new U joints diffs serviced hubs are packed I would really like to see this go to a good home to run someday. Sooner than later I just don’t have the time My loss is your gain. In the kizer willys mag I found the tub of this Jeep $4700 Let alone all the new parts. Already purchased countless man hours already done dismantling cleaning resurfacing. Somethings already reassembly I’d say it’s a steal”
UPDATE: **SOLD** Was $6500.
(03/07/2020) It’s a project. Has curved rather than flat fenders.
“For sale rare 1973 stainless steal jeep style body . Needs to be fully re-stored (was bought for that purpose) Has title to the jeep Asking 6,500.00 or 6,000 Cash Only”
Updates will return on Monday morning.
I’ve added another club patch to my collection, courtesy of my sister who spotted it at a garage sale. Our club members knew the Go-4-All club members well and we joined together on various trips during the early 80s (and likely later). The Go-4-Alls were generally from the South and East Puget Sound (Washington) area, as was our club.
This was one of those trips, probably in 1982, on the Manashtash Ridge Trail in the Cascade Mountains, I think. This is a mix of Wandering Willys and Go-4-All jeeps.
Has anyone else noticed this behavior by FB Marketplace?
Disappearing ADs:
Yesterday, Ann told me about her recent experiences with FB Marketplace. While I have only posted one item to FB Marketplace (a car that sold in a day), she has posted multiple items (furniture from the old house). She said that her listing will appear for a day or two, then seems to disappear to the point that it’s hard to find using FB’s search mechanism. A week or two later, she receives a notice informing her that for $3, she can make her ad more visible.
So, basically, you can list for free, but then you need to pay money to make it easier for potential buyers to spot your ad. (other folks have reported their ads can be difficult to locate, such as here and here and here).
This better explains issues I’ve had with FB Marketplace. While doing searches, I occasionally find jeeps that I see for the first time, but have actually been available on FB for weeks. Knowing that I’d already searched in the region previously, sometimes multiple times, it has puzzled me as to why I haven’t seen some ads on a more timely basis.
Example: I regularly (at least semi-weekly) search FB ads in California, yet sometimes jeeps pop up that have been listed for a couple weeks that I have yet to see.
As I’ve mentioned in the past, I’m not a fan of FB Marketplace (the search function sucks and I don’t like that you have to sign up with FB to view ads), but there are so many jeeps (and jeep groups) on FB that it’s hard to run eWillys and not follow FB. If my wife’s experience is accurate, then FB is manipulating (no surprise) ads far more than I realized.
Users Using Free & $1 ads to get priority:
Additionally, this user claims that ads listed for $1 (but with a price listed within the description) actually get higher billing than a similar ad with the price correctly listed in the price field. I couldn’t find much discussion about this on the internet. It’s worth examining closer.
This 1946 CJ-2A has sold, but I thought the video was worth seeing. The jeep looks in good company surrounded by those classic cars. While it has a few extras (modern soft top and a gas can holder off the PTO bar), it’s still a beautiful looking example of an early 2A.
Here’s the original ad: https://www.schmitt.com/inventory/1946-willys-jeep-cj-2a/
This Hawaiian rental DJ-3A Gala looks great shape.
View all the information on eBay
“You are looking at an original Kodachrome slide featuring a young woman posing for a picture with a pink Willys Jeep tour vehicle while on a trip to Hawaii in 1963.”
This understated 1953 post-Kaiser-purchase ad was published in the November issue of The American City Magazine.
View all the information on ebay
“953 WILLYS MOTORS UTILITY VEHICLES SALES ART AD
AUTHENTIC MAGAZINE ADVERTISING.
OVERALL PRINT AREA IS 7 X 10 INCHES.
IN GOOD CONDITION.”
The March 1963 issue of Four Wheeler Magazine included an article by Brian L. Pinn about the Anglo-African Trans-World Safari, the pics and text of which can be found at The FC Connection.
It turns out there’s a bit more information out there, though not as much as I’d hoped to find, especially given that the group of travelers that made up the trip had access to cameras and film and also given that in January 1963 American Television script-writer John Hicken was supposed to join the group to film the around-the-world adventure.
Without that storehouse of info, or a book, or a movie, we only have the following scraps to better understand the adventure.
South African Derek Linton came up with the idea to travel the world in 1958. At some point, in order to gather equipment, Derek travelled to the United States in 1959. He was photographed at a Ham Radio station in Burlington, Kentucky, a visit later reported in the January issue of Short Wave Magazine:
This map shows the proposed route:
On September 19, 1961, a photo of Derek Linton and Gerald Cubitt (unsure who he is) was taken by Henry Bush. It’s part of the Henry Bush collection at Shutter Stock:
In the July 27, 1962, issue of the Warren County Observer, a syndicated article appeared by John P. Callahan that shared the news of how the idea for the trip originated and the progress the travelers had made:
Finally, on January 05, 1963, the Evening Standard (London, England) reported that John Hicken was going to join the crew:
In March 1963, the Four Wheeler article appeared.
There is also a mention in a 1963 issue of Business Week about the travelers, but I’ve been unable to determine which issue.
After that, I have been unable to learn more about the journey.
Ann and I have been taking about transforming the two rooms in the shop (one which would have been my office and the other the wood shop) into a large single room that would contain all my jeep stuff, plus an area for a pool table. Essentially, it would be more of an entertaining space where I could host visitors who might drop by for a visit.
With that in mind, I was looking around at some potential jeep-related signage, a couple things that would be focal pieces. I know prices are hefty on signage, but I wasn’t prepared for the price I found on this 94 1/2″ by 46 1/2″ late 1950s sign. It sold in February of 2020 for $20,000 (before shipping and buyers fees)!!
https://www.icollector.com/RARE-JEEP-4-WHEEL-DRIVE-VEHICLES-DEALER-SIGN_i35651345
I guess it’s posters and banners for me! lol.
David M. Barlow posted this photo of a jeep top his father made while serving in the Pacific on the island of Peleliu during WWII. Now we know where George Barris got the idea for the Model “T” Buggy top, lol.
George Barris’ Model “T” Buggy:
This could be a good find.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/146699050787096
“1948 Willys pickup with an f-head 4 cylinder engine. Not a Jeep, but Willys is not an option. I have too many vehicles and need to clear some things out. I bought the truck last winter and have only driven it around the yard. It’s cooling truck in pretty good shape for its year. It was originally a flatbed model. I have the factory flatbed but it needs new wood and some metal work. The current bed is pretty good though. The truck is not mint/concourse condition. I bought some new mud tires, wiring harness, and all new glass for it but they are not installed. I also have an alternator, 12v coil, and 6v converter so it can be run on 12v if you want.”