Features Research Archives

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1944 January Drive in a Ford GP

• CATEGORIES: Bantam-FordGP-WillysMA-EarlyJPs, Features, Old Images, Old News Articles This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.
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A side photo of Smiley, John Henkels ‘new’ Ford GP.

The January 30, 1944, Sunday issue of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune made John Henkels and his son front page news for the purchase of their 1941 Ford GP from Wilensky’s auto parts. What a cold drive back to Fulda, Minnesota, that must have been!

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1945-1946 Ads for Army Surplus Jeeps in Minneapolis

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

This ad appeared within the classified ad section of the October 04, 1946, issue of the Minneapolis Star. It was posted by American Motor Sales, which was located at 1220 West Broadway. Whether the company actually had Ford GPs for sale isn’t clear; most likely, it was just standard MBs or GPWs.

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A few days later, the Downtown Chevrolet Company advertised in the October 09, 1946, issue of the Minneapolis Star that they had 100 surplus jeeps available for customers:

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Subsequently, an ad was placed by Twin City Motors, which also claimed to have jeeps (either GPWs or FORD GPs or both):

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So, how did these companies obtain the jeeps? As we saw yesterday, there were some bidding opportunities that allowed Hyman Berg and others the opportunity to purchase multiple prototype jeeps. So, perhaps these Minneapolis-based companies also scored some prototypes that way?

What we do know is that the government was selling jeeps to veterans (previous stories highlight sale in Hawaii and California). And, those jeeps sold pretty quickly.

For example, in late 1945, the government’s War Asset group put 10,000 jeeps up for purchase by veterans. Those 10,000 jeeps were promptly sold (November 30, 1945, the Star Tribune):

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A month later, an article  from the Dec 08, 1945, issue of the Minneapolis Star, announced that another batch of 10,000 jeeps had been made available as of December 1945:
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January 1956 Koenig Hardtop & Misc Brochure

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

This is Koenig bulletin #156, one that I finally purchased and scanned. This brochure marked a change in model numbers from Koenig’s 1955 brochure; the “-5″s were eliminated in favor of individual hardtop numbers (which I imagine was easier for consumers to understand). See a Koenig hardtop brochure history here.

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ACE Model Willys-Ma Torrance, CA $15

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

Unfortunately, the seller won’t ship model, which is very Willys-MA-like. Otherwise, I would have snagged this. Great price.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/2600242193600795

“No holds No shipping Cash only Xposted”

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9 Jeep Safari Belt Buckles Westminster, CO $85

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

Here’s an unusual collection of belt buckles from past Jeep Safaris.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/406060797361623

“Selling the lot for $85 or best offer! Shipping is available!”

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1944/45(?) Berg’s ‘King of Jeeps’ Brochure

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

This Berg’s brochure is interesting in that it contains no references to the CJ-2A or a civilian jeep, suggesting that it came out between 1944-1945 (to me it looks a little earlier than this Berg mailer). Within the flier, Berg claims Berg Truck & Parts Co. was begun in December of 1942 to sell JEEPS. He also notes that the company had appeared in news reels, magazines, and Life Magazine.

Here’s the front page of the brochure:

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This is the back page. 1945ish-bergs-king-of-jeeps-brochure-2-lores

When opened, you’ll find this third small page. Since Berg is offering standard jeep parts for sale, it can be assumed that this flier is at least from 1944. Note the trailer chassis ad, too.1945ish-bergs-king-of-jeeps-brochure-3-lores

When flipped over, the brochure offers an array of Ford, Willys, and Bantam jeep parts.

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When fully opened, there are even more military-related parts, but no word of civilian parts:

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This is how the back looks when fully opened.

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Interestingly, while Berg’s Truck Parts may have opened in 1942, Berg didn’t receive any jeeps until November of 1943 and it was only 16 jeeps (likely aall were prototypes). Here’s a report of those first jeeps from the November 27,1943, issue of the Chicago Tribune:

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A month later, in December of 1943, this press photo showed the ‘King of Jeeps’ himself Hyman Berg loading up one of those jeeps, a Bantam BRC-40:

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Wilensky Auto Parts’ Ford GPs

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

UPDATE: The press photo at bottom appeared in the January 24,  1944, issue of the Minneapolis Morning Tribune (seen below). It seems that Harvey Wilensky must have also won a bid for jeeps about the same time as Hyman Berg did.

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Originally Posted November 16, 2013: This photo shows a lineup of surplus Ford GPs for sale. The selling price: $750 at Wilensky Auto Parts in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

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Koenig Hardtop Bulletin 149

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

The one-page brochure is Bulletin 149 from Koenig Iron Works and showcases the full hardtop (more on Koenig hardtops here).

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January 1957 French Canadian Ad for the FC-150

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

This January 1957 ad appeared in an unknown publication on behalf of Willys of Canada.It featured an introduction to the new FC-150.

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Only This Update Monday

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

Updates will resume Tuesday morning.

In the meantime, Bill shared this video by Nick. In it, he obtains a ran-when-parked jeep, only to discover that a ‘2-hour’ repair job took a little longer than he planned. This is always the danger of a ran-when-parked jeep. Note that this has a rare Worman half-cab.

 
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1951 Brochure: Power! … Where It Counts!

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

This 1950 or 1951 brochure focuses on the main 4WD vehicles offered by Willys-Overland, including the 4WD Sedan Delivery, he 4WD Truck, the 4WD Station Wagon, and the CJ-3A Universal Jeep. There is no form number on it. I’m dating this as 1951 because 1) it doesn’t mention the f-head being ‘new’ and 2) the 1950 truck and wagon brochures are more colorful and larger, whereas the 1951 brochures feel a little more subdued in their use of color.

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1944 Article on the Burma Jeep Trains

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

The article shares information on why the GI’s had to use jeeps on the tracks and the dangers they faced. The photo is from a later newspaper.

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January 31, 1945, in the Evening Sun, Baltimore, Maryland.

From the Tucson Daily Citizen, October 23, 1944:

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1944 Photo Angelo Tempesta Sleeping on Jeep on eBay

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

This photo shows jeep driver Angelo Temesta sleeping on the hood of his jeep.

View all the information on ebay

“For sale is an Original WW2 US Army Press Photograph of a named Solider Sleeping on Jeep Willys in St. Lo France, dated July, 1944. Measures 5″ x 7″. There is wear and a creases in the middle. Other edge wear and minor creases. Please see all photos.”

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1952 Willys Signage Brochure

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

This rare 1952 brochure highlights the signage available for dealers and includes an order brochure. What you’ll notice is that there’s no reference to ‘jeep’ anywhere (unlike the 1946 brochure) and demonstrates Willys-Overland’s efforts to reduce the ‘jeep’ branding within the company.

You’ll also note the somewhat awkward use of “Common Sense” within the title. This may have been a nod to the “Willys Makes Sense” ad campaign during 1951.

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September 1949 CJ-3A “How to Cut Costs” Brochure

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

UPDATE: One of these brochures is available on Bay for $9.95 +shipping.

View all the information on eBay

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Originally posted September 25, 2020: 

This brochure has a form number of CJ3A-M1-250M-9-49, which seems to indicate it was published in September of 1949. Some of the art for this brochure was completed a year and a half earlier for a newspaper ad (see bottom of post).

Photos

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Photos Photos

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1957 French-Canadian FC-150 Ad From Kaiser-Willys of Canada

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

This ad appeared in a 1957 magazine, but don’t which one. It shows the truck, FC-150, Sedan Delivery (4wd?) and CJ-5. I guess the 3B isn’t profitable? Given the lack of an FC-170, I’d say this was likely printed early in 1957.

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1947 Photos of the Indianapolis Speedway Fire Jeep

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

These two 1947 photos can be found as part of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway digital archives.

 
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March 1943, Ford Announces it Will Begin Ford GPA (SEEP) Production

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

A variety of newspapers announced on March 09, 1943, that Ford would being producing Ford GPA (SEEPS) at its production plant in Detroit.

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Auto Mix FC-170 Tow Truck and VW Beetle Vinyl Toys on eBay

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

Andy spotted this rare combo of vehicles still in their blister package. It’s currently priced at $149.99. The pics aren’t the best.

View all the information on eBay

“Product Name: “JEEP TOW TRUCK WRECKER (WITH ORIGINAL HOOK!!) + VW BEETLE” ULTRA RARE!
IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND IN ORIGINAL BLISTERCARDED CONDITION!
Colour: Red + Blue.
Note: No deformation. New!. Original from the late `60ties to early `70ties.
Produced by: NP, Norddeutsche Plastik, Germany.”

automix-fc170-tow-truck-toy

 
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1950s Hinde & Dauch Paper Jeep Trailer on eBay

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

Apparently, this Hinde and Dauch cardboard trailer was part of a package that included a jeep? Anyone know more about it?

View all the information on eBay

“DESCRIPTION OF ITEM: A very rare toy, This was made by Hinde & Dauch Paper Company in the early 1950s, Sandusky Ohio You can google the information, The body is made of paper cardboard and measures 10 1/2” long, 5 1/2” wide, 3” tall. The wheels are wood, It’s in very good condition with some scuf marks. Please see picture and judge for yourself on the condition.”

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1962 Station Wagon Brochure

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

The most interesting this to me about this brochure is that the front of it shows the wagon in front of 1962 Seattle World’s Fair icons. In terms of brochures, based on what I’ve seen, Willys-Overland and Willys-Motors didn’t usually include that kind of iconography.

This is the front:

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The back (when unfolded) is blank:

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Unfolding the brochure vertically yields these images:

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Opening either wing reveals the unfolded imagery:

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This shows the unfolded back:
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1952 Video of Yakima Ridge Runners in Italian

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

This 1952 video is slightly different than another video (Jeepers Creepers) containing some of the same clips.

vs. this version (which most of us have seen):

 
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June 1949 Southern Utah – Glen Canyon Trip

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

These two photos from the Denver Museum of Nature and Science Digital Archives includes these two photos from a June 1949 trip though Southeastern Utah, specifically the Glen Canyon area. It’s unclear who these folks were or whether this was an official survey party or just an jeep adventure.

 
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1957 French-Canadian FC-150 Ad From Kaiser-Willys of Canada

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

This ad appeared in a July 1957 magazine, but don’t which one. As Vernon noted about this ad, the ad below also shows a truck with a stake bed extension. Any ever seen that option?

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February 1945 Ireland Denies Jeep Trademark

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

On February 11, 1945, the Pittsburgh Press shared the news that Ireland had ruled that the word Jeep could not be trademarked there. There were two reasons for that decision: 1) the word had not been stamped on the vehicle(s) and 2) the term ‘Jeep’ had fallen into public domain as a result of usage.

Both concerns seem valid. Even today, there’s confusion around the brand in terms of Willys vs. Jeep. However, one could argue that both issues were the result of Willys-Overland’s effort to win a war, thus the company sacrificed normal naming (in terms of vehicle models), advertising, and trademarking issues. So, why should they be penalized?

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