Features Research Archives

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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.

1943-03-09-petoskey-news-sea-jeeps-ford-plant

 
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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:

1962-station-wagon-brochure1-lores

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:
Continue reading

 
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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?

1957-07-fc150-truck-french-canadian-ad-lores

 
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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?

1945-02-11-pittsburgh-press-Ireland-jeep-trademark-denial

 
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Fiberglass Drag Jeep Bodies Monticello, IL **Status Unknown**

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

UPDATE: **Status Unknown. Was $1800. As of June of 2023 the link no longer works.

(11/26/2020) There’s a company out of Illinois selling drag ‘jeep’ fiberglass bodies called Dunn & Gone Racing, Inc. (some of the ads on the racing junk site are old, so, this may or may not be available).

https://www.racingjunk.com/Sand-Drag-Racing-Cars/184108659/RAMROD-JEEP-BODIES.html?category_id=&search=jeep&quickSearch=1&np_offset=32&from=search#6

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“The newset addition to our high quality fiberglass family
—RAMROD—
Each body is hand laid with the best resins and glass available
Specs
overall length 143 inches
cage opening width 30 ½ inches
rear width 63 inches
front width 52 inches
Basic wheel base from rear center to front center 96 inches
untrimed rear wheel well opening 34 inches, trimmed 39 inches
no body work required, just wetsand and paint!!!!
1800.00 in stock and available NOW
Thanks
JD
Dunn and Gone Racing Inc.
Located in Monticello Illinois”

 
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March 1950 Dealer’s Day Booklet

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

As best as I can tell, this booklet was part of a Willys-Overland Motors Dealer Day presentation on March 30, 1950. This particular booklet came out of Canada, so I am not positive whether this was a Canadian event or a Brand-wide (US, Canada, and other?) celebration.

At 5″ x 7″ the booklet is smaller than I thought it would be.
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Continue reading

 
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1949 Trip Down Africa in a Jeep

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

On December 06, 1949, New York Artist and former Gallery owner Elenore Lust drove her WWII jeep  into Capetown, completing a 13,000 mile trek from France to South Africa. Their trek took them across ten countries. During one long stretch in the Sahara Desert she and her husband Paul Koston, who didn’t know how to drive, had to spread wire mesh on the sand, drive atop it, then roll it up, move it to the front of the jeep, then drive forward again, a process they repeated many times.

Unfortunately, I could not locate a photo of her and her jeep, but I was able to find a photo and an obit, which shared that after teaching art in South Africa, she returned to the US and began teaching art in Pennsylvania up until her death.

This article from the December 07, 1949, issue of New York’s Daily News provides some details about the trip.

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Here’s the only photo of Elenore I could find. It was printed in the June 08, 1988, issue of the Philadelphia Inquirer:

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Her obituary was published in the April 24, 1997, issue of the Philadelphia Inquirer:

1997-04-24-philadelphia-inquirer-elenore-lust-obiturary

 
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IH Scout Toy on eBay

• CATEGORIES: Features, Other 4x4s This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Brian shared this post from the AACA site that shared information about an IH Scout toy, a dealer promo that was given away or sold. I’ve never seen that toy, but I was also never around Scouts much either.

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There’s one of these on eBay, with the box. It’s pricey, but cheaper than a similar quality Al-Toy would be.

View all the information on eBay

“TRUE VINTAGE WITH MINOR AGED CHARACTERISTICS PLEASE SEE PICS FOR HIGH DETAILS
DISPLAYS WONDERFUL AGED PATINA WITH BOX!! STORED WELL AND SHOWS GREAT
BOX IS IN FAIR CONDITION CONSIDERING AGE, DOES HAVE SOME MINOR TEARS AND IS MISSING A FLAP”

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1955 French-Canadian Ad From Kaiser-Willys of Canada

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

This ad appeared in a 1955 magazine, but I can’t say for sure which one. This mostly shows the CJ-5 busily at work, though a 3B and the truck make an appearance.

1955-french-candian-jeep-ad-lores

 
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Winter 2020 Issue of the Dispatcher is Available

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

The new issue of the Dispatcher Magazine has been released. Jim Allen’s article on the Jeep Creep and other prototypes in the late 1950s was very interesting (something I’ve never documented), as were the restoration articles on the Tonka Surreys and the Jeepster Convertible. As always, there’s lots of good stuff in this issue!

2020-winter-dispatcher-magazine

 

 
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Mark Felton’s WW2 Bazooka & Rocket Jeeps Video

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

Craig shared this video from Mark Felton that focuses on the WW2 Bazooka and Rocket Jeeps.

 
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January 1951 Brochure for the CJ-3A

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

This is a CJ-3A brochure I’d never documented before finding on eBay the other day. It is form no. CJ3A-M2-50M-151-GG.

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This is the back of the brochure when folded:

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This is the first page seen when unfolded part way:
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This is the brochure completely unfolded:1951-01-form-no-cj3a-m2-50m-151-gg-3-lores

This is the back when completely unfolded:

Photos

 
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1953 Photo of Working Model Jeepster

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

The Tribune newspaper out of Coshocton, Ohio, shared this photo and caption on the May 24, 1953. It shows three-year-old Terry Schley driving a model Jeepster his father built for him. It includes a feature that auto braked when the foot is lifted from the accelerator.

1953-05-24-the-tribune-coshocton-oh

 
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Photos of early DJ-3A Hardtops with Side Glass

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

UPDATE: 2 more photos of DJ-3A Hardtops with side glass (note also the use of the modified hardtop with glass on the Jeep Creep jeep above). The first is a different 1956 DJ-3A with the same type of hardtop (side windows and small rear window) was posted to Facebook.

So, does this mean Willys Motors had planned on selling DJ-3As with side windows, but for some reason changed its strategy? Or, did they only intend these tops for commercial/governmental use?

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Caption: August 27, 1956. New Police Equipment: This new jeep, recently acquired by the City of Ann Arbor – Police Department, is being used to service parking meters throughout the city. The small vehicle has proven ideal for swinging into small spaces while meters are emptied. Patrolman John Biederman drives the jeep and is assisted in the meter collection by George Kaercher.

This second is undated, but shows a DJ-3A with a windowed hardtop for the Triangle Drive-in. It was posted to Facebook by Michael Canup.

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The photos of this RHD drive DJ-3A were posted by Andy to Facebook. They show a RHD DJ-3A at work for the Los Angeles School Police Department (that’s the department’s insignia on the door).

This is a 1956 RHD DJ-3A. It has the small rear window top that was halted sometime around late 1956 or early 1957 (http://www.ewillys.com/2020/03/17/different-version-of-the-koenig-manufactured-hardtop/), but also has the Hall tail lights which I am surprised to see on a 1956 (https://cj3b.info/Dating/Taillights.html). Oddly, it also has the rear side windows on the hardtop, which wasn’t common for the DJ-3As, but the side windows were standard for this model of the CJ-5 hardtop. So, this must have been a special order?

There was another photo taken with what appears to be the same jeep (same number on the door), but having a different driver (at least a different cap) named Officer Verne Schlotzhauer, while Captain Maurice W. Calfee watches the officer. The car to the right is different, also. This appeared in the July 24, 1956, issue of the Valley News, Van Nuys, California:

1956-07-24-valley-news-vannuys-ca-traffic-jeep-lores

The top pic was also syndicated to newspapers. The image below appeared in the June 22, 1956, issue of the Des Moines Register:

1956-06-22-desmoines-register-police-jeep-la-dj3a

 
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Kent Frost Jeep Photos from 1955 and 1957

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

The Huntington Digital Library has some more Kent Frost photos from his trips through Canyonlands and other southern Utah places. The photos represent two different trips. Most pics are from an October of 1955 jeep excursion, while one photo is from May of 1957.

This first photo from October of 1955 is a great photo that shows Kent and Fern Frost standing in front of a CJ-2A with a Porter & Reed hardtop. I’m not sure if this was one of their jeeps or not.

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CREDIT: None …. Caption: Fern and Kent Frost next to a CJ-2A. DATE: Oct. 1955.

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CREDIT: J. Ballard Atherton …. Caption: Frost Jeep Party. DATE: Oct. 1955.

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CREDIT: Dudziak, Joseph Lawrence …. Caption: Camp of Kent Frost jeep party near Lizard Rock.. DATE: 1957-05-01

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CREDIT: J. Ballard Atherton …. Caption: Frost Jeep Party. DATE: Oct. 1955.

Continue reading

 
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1957 Movie Black Scorpion w/ CJ-3A

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

Blaine spotted a CJ-3A with a trailer in the 1957 Movie “Black Scorpion“. The flick captures the emotional turmoil of scorpions who, once trapped inside a volcano, are released by volcanic activity. Ready to party like velociraptors on Adderall, the scorpions reek havoc on the rural communities surrounding Mexico City. Here’s more on the story from trailersfromhell.com and imcd.com.

The main character drives the CJ-3A, so apparently the jeep appears often in the film.
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Here’s the trailer for the movie, though there’s no jeep featured in it.

 
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Jim’s Auction Roofless FC

• CATEGORIES: FC150-FC170-M677, Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Anyone know more about Jim’s Auction’s Roofless FC? Jim’s Auction operates out of Montrose, Colorado. I’ve been unable to find another pic of the FC. https://www.jimsauction.com

jims-auction-service-fc-jeep-roofless

 
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International Flat Fender Club’s New Website

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

UPDATE: Lew let me know that the IFFC updated it’s website: https://internationalflatfenderclub.org/index.php?threads/welcome-to-the-iffc.2/. IFFC is also on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1641202336209808

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Originally posted 02/11/2013:  International Flat Fender Club (IFFC) is an umbrella organization founded by Lew Ladwig that encourages and supports localized, online clubs, called Patrols.

According to the website, “The IFFC is subdivided on regional patrols (If possible, seek out your local patrol). That is where the fun starts! No patrol in your area, start one!

The Founding Patrol is the Colorado Flat Fender Club. We formed roughly 15 years ago. Many thanks to Mike, Bruce, Fred, Darin, Wally and Audrey and my amazing wife Frankie!

The rules are there are no rules. You are responsible for your own safety and good times. Any person who takes a leadership or organizational role has absolutely no responsibility to you. Attend all events at your own risk! You participation is considered an agreement to the above terms.”

carolinas-flat-fender-club-logo

 
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June 1961 Willys of Canada Jeep Truck Ad

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

This 1961 French Canadian Jeep Truck ad was published by Willys of Canada, Limited, in the Le Bulletin des Agriculteurs. This trucks in this ad don’t have the ‘hockey stick’ trim nor the one-piece windshield.

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Unusual Auxiliary Transmission … Can Anyone Identify It?

• CATEGORIES: Features, OD Other, OD Borg Warner/Rancho, OD Saturn/Warn This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: While still unidentified, we have learned thanks to the Dutch_Jeeper on the CJ-3A page that the auxiliary transmission is an “under-drive” rather than an overdrive. He pulled this out of his CJ-3A, then disassembled it.

You can learn more and see more pics here: https://cj3apage.com/Forum/index.php?topic=2318.msg19546#msg19546

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Originally Posted February 5, 2021: An owner of a CJ-2A posted onto Facebook these photos of an unusual auxiliary transmission. I only am aware of two that work between the T-90 and Dana 18 (the Warn and the Husky). Anyone recognize this?

IMG_1879 Continue reading