Features Research Archives

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Cute little “jeep” Trailer

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

Jack Bowlin posted photos of the cute little jeep trailer he created, one that matches his jeep. I like it.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1641202336209808/permalink/2742473362749361/

short-jeep-trailer1 short-jeep-trailer2

 
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1963 Video of Lifesavers and their Jeep

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

John helped me locate this short video from 1963 showing one of Cornwall’s surf rescue teams. In it, these brave young men demonstrate how they utilize their specially modified jeep to perform rescues. Baywatch it aint!

View the video here: https://www.britishpathe.com/video/jeep-lifesavers-aka-lifesavers

1963-video-clip-british-pathe-life-savers-jeep

 
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1949 Article Introduces the 4WD Wagon

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

This September 17, 1949, article in the Green Bay Press-Gazette states that the four-wheel-drive wagon evolved out of a military special order for four-wheel-drive-wagons. I’ve run across that fact previously, maybe on a brochure?

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2021 Willys Reunion is Scheduled for May 21-22 in Aurora, OH

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

The 2021 Willys Reunion has confirmed it will take place May 21-22 in Aurora, Ohio, this year. My lovely bride and I won’t be able to make it, but hopefully we’ll be more settled in 2022 and can visit at that time. Maybe we can even bring one of our jeeps next time!

2021-willys-reunion-announcement

 
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1945 Photo of Udem, Germany

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

Charles shared this 1945 photo from Udem, Germany, showing a British and Canadian forces, along with a of couple jeeps, one with a permanent looking top. What’s the vehicle in the lower right?

1945-udem-germany-british-canadian-forces-jeeps

 
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Military Jeep Photos From Various Databases

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

Here are some military photos that appear in various library databases.

1. This first one shows a jeep that was dug out from an avalanche in the Grand Tetons:

“lack and white photo showing a Jeep vehicle after being extracted from an avalanche at Glory Bowl in the Teton Range, Wyoming.”

jeep-avalanche-tetos

PHOTO CREDIT: Ted Majors and the University of Utah Digital Library Collections

2. Here’s a solider welding jeep fenders:

3. This 1947 photograph appears to be a Swedish family surrounding the family MB:

4. This 1947 photo from Sweden shows the same jeep as above. It seems like some of the folks from the top photo also appear in this one? 

1947-swedish-family-jeep2

PHOTO CREDIT: https://jlm.kulturhotell.se/items/show/142944

Continue reading

 
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November 1947 Ad for a Jeep Caravan in North Carolina

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

This is a great vintage ad for the Jeep Caravan ‘Free Show’. That’s a nice touch with the fire jeep shooting water up the side of the ad. This appeared in the November 6, 1947, issue of the News and Observer out of Raleigh, North Carolina.

1947-11-06-news-and-observer-raliegh-nc-newbernes-garage-lores

 
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1942 Americar Brochure w/ Willys MA Photos

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

This 1942 Americar Brochure includes a page that shows the Willys MA. I dropped out of the bidding at $30. I’ll keep my eye open for a cheaper version of this brochure.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1942-Willys-AMERICAR-JEEP-PICK-UP-PANEL-DELIVERY-Truck-Dealer-Sales-Brochure/363291618312

Here’s the page with the MAs on it.

1942-americar-brochure-willys-ma

The following images might show the entire brochure in the correct order. Note the page showing the Americar’s “Willys Chassis” … anyone know how similar this was in size to the wagon chassis?

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Continue reading

 
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Jalopnik Author Shares a Bad Dealer Tale

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

The author of this non-jeep Jalopnik post tells the story of how a dealership intimidated his mother into signing paperwork she didn’t want to sign and how she successfully sued the dealership in return. Thankfully, she had read and understood the contract she had signed.

This story hit home with Ann and I as she bought herself a Red 2017 GMC truck the other day and we both left feeling like those folks had no interest in having us actually read what she was signing, though we did quickly skim the contract to the annoyance of the paperwork guy.

https://jalopnik.com/my-mom-has-her-own-terrible-detained-at-the-dealership-1846348696

 
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A Date With Judy, Issue #22

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

Between 1947 and 1960, Judy (do we ever learn her last name?) dated A LOT. Every couple of months, Judy was on another date, hence the title “A Date with Judy”. During date #22, she hooked up with a feller who owned a jeep (who may have been her main squeeze named Oogie?), at least the jeep appears on the cover (I don’t know if the jeep plays a role in one of the stories inside the comic book).

As you may have guessed by now, I really don’t have any idea what I’m talking about regarding this comic book series! Anyway, here’s the cover.

1951-03-04-date-with-judy-number22

Prior to the Comic book, there was a radio series by the same name.

 
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Winter Park Villager: A DJ-3A Surrey Pulling a Matching Trailer

• CATEGORIES: Advertising & Brochures, DJ-3A, Features, Old News Articles, Postcards • TAGS: , This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE:  The two post cards at the bottom of this post were on eBay several years ago. I recently came across some newspaper clippings that give background about the Winter Park Villager tram’s purpose. The service began November 28, 1966, but I could not find an end-date.

This first article discusses the jeep tram’s beginnings:

1966-11-13-the-orlando-sentinel-winter-park-villager-lores

Article dated November 13, 1966, from the Orlando Sentinel

This next article notes that Monday, November 28th, as the launch date for the jeep tram service.

1966-12-01-orlando-evening-star-winter-park-villager-lores

Article dated December 1, 1966, from the Orlando Evening Star

This short article from March of 1967 describes some of the tram’s stops:

1967-03-03-orlando-evening-star-lores

March 03, 1967, in the Orlando Evening Star

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This Winter Park Villager shows a DJ-3A Surrey pulling a matching trailer in Winter Park, Florida. One of these postcards is currently on eBay.

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Here’s another view of the same combo. One of these postcards is currently on eBay

winter-park-the-villager-post-card

 

 
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Year? M-38 Willys-Overland Export Company Brochure

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

This sold yesterday on eBay for $51 +shipping. I gave up bidding on it, because I couldn’t tell how many pages there were. I was concerned there were only four and didn’t want to get into a bidding war over it (I got another cool brochure instead).

m38-sales-booklet-1 m38-sales-booklet-2 m38-sales-booklet-3

 
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1954? Siebert Willys Ambulance Utility Cars Brochure

• CATEGORIES: Advertising & Brochures, Features, Industrial-Welder-Generator, Willys Wagons • TAGS: , This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

This undated Siebert Willys Ambulance brochure was probably produced in 1954-or 1955, based on the grille design on page 4. There is no form number on it. Within the brochure the company describes three different ambulance options.

  1. One was called an Ambulance Utility Wagon and is featured on the backpage. It appears to be a basic sedan delivery with added first-aid/ambulance equipment.
  2. The company also produced a Willys Custom Ambulance, which included side windows and a “deluxe interior”.
  3. The third was called the Willys Ambulance Bus (originally called the Willys Ambulance in a 1951 brochure). It was a lengthened 4-door (with the rear doors set up as suicide doors), along with other mods.

1954-siebert-willys-ambulance-bus-brochure1-lores 1954-siebert-willys-ambulance-bus-brochure2-lores 1954-siebert-willys-ambulance-bus-brochure3-lores 1954-siebert-willys-ambulance-bus-brochure4-lores

Derek provides more information on the Siebert Ambulances and has additional pics on the CJ-3B page.

 
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1960 Article on the Los Angeles Arborteum Jeep Train

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

This June 25, 1960, article the Los Angeles Times shares the news that the jeep train would be expanded to two trams, rather than just one. Based on other articles, it appears the one-tram jeep train was started sometime around 1955.

1960-06-25-losangeles-times-jeep-train-lores

 
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JEEP — Joint Effort Extra Pay Slogan

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

Maury forwarded this “JEEP” pin that’s available on eBay. Does anyone have any history on the slogan “Joint Effort Extra Pay”? It would be easy to jump to the conclusion that this was some kind of Willys-Overland or Willys-Motors factory worker incentive program, but I’d want more evidence before concluding that.

View all the information on eBay

“Vintage, JEEP FACTORY PIN (Joint-Effort-Extra-Pay) 1-1/2 x 3/4 Inches”

jeep-joint-effort-extra-pay-pin1 jeep-joint-effort-extra-pay-pin2

A web search yielded a second item with the same logo, except this time on an ashtray with the an accompanying “A W” logo.

https://avaluer.org/explore/27456590-alan_wood_steel_co___stainless_ashtray_jeep_joint_effort_extra_pay_enamel_emblem

jeep-joint-effort-extra-pay-ashtray1 jeep-joint-effort-extra-pay-ashtray2 jeep-joint-effort-extra-pay-ashtray3

 
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1960? Jeep Family Brochure in French

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

As discussed on this page, which shares the English version of this brochure, given the “hockey stick” style of the 2WD wagon and the one-piece wagon and truck windshields sometimes shown, this could have been a 1960 brochure. And, it may have been European focused given the French and Enlightenment versions.

Here is the French version fo the brochure:

1960-french-jeep-family-brochure01-lores 1960-french-jeep-family-brochure02-lores 1960-french-jeep-family-brochure03-lores 1960-french-jeep-family-brochure04-lores

Continue reading

 
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David Tracy to Turn FC-170 into Electric Off-Roader

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

Over at Jalopnik, David Tracy reported on his plans to turn a derelict FC-170 from Camano Island into an electric off-road vehicle. He provides plenty of pics of the neglected FC, one that will require a full rebuild. It will be interesting to follow this project.

https://jalopnik.com/im-converting-this-1958-jeep-fc-170-into-an-electric-of-1846322974

fc170-david-tracy

 
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Modified MB w/ Marshall Jones and Roy Joe Baxter

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

This jeep has some of the stranger fenders I’ve seen on WWII jeeps. They seem like they are slowly absorbing the jeep

https://digital.lib.utk.edu/collections/islandora/object/volvoices%3A3434

Marshall “Grandpa” Jones and Roy Joe Baxter pose with Roy Joe’s stream-lined Jeep in Munich, Germany, 1945. The Jeep was named “the Hunk.” After the war Jones attained fame as a musician on the Grand Ole Opry. At the age of 32 he was already called “Grandpa”– he got his nickname ten years prior due to his grouchy moods on his morning radio show. The Jeep was most likely a government contracted passenger model made by Ford or Willys. There were over 500,000 of these cars produced during the War.”

1945-munich-modified-fenders-jeep-baxter-jones-lores

PHOTO CREDIT: Universi ty of Tennessee, Knoxville https://digital.lib.utk.edu/collections/islandora/object/volvoices%3A3434

 
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WANTED: Anyone Seen this Wagon?

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

Hunter is hoping to find a wagon that his father sold about five or six years ago. He sold it to a woman named Heather Berry, who finished the build, then resold it to someone in the southern US. He thinks it was a “1958, 350 SBC with turbo 350 trans, ford 9 inch in the rear and I believe a dana 44 up front. Split window, possibly missing the trim but it could have been replaced.”

If anyone recognizes it, comment below or email me at d @ dealers.com. Here’s a pic of it:

wagon

 
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October 1952 Motor Trend Cover and Article

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

As I was packing, I pulled this issue of Motor Trend aside. When I leafed through it, I realized there was a jeep-related article I missed. So, here the “Unique Cars for Sportsmen” by Jim Earp. All the vehicles herein are interesting. The first page has a pic at the bottom of Vic Hickey’s famous jeep.

1952-10-motor-trend-m38a1-cover-camping-article1-lores

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1952-10-motor-trend-m38a1-cover-camping-article3-lores

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1942 Jeep Day in Mansfield, Ohio, Raises Big Bucks

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

The June 13, 1942, issue of the News-Journal out of Mansfield, Ohio, happily reported on the unexpected amount of bond sales at the city’s previous day’s “Jeep Day”. The committee had hoped to sell $10,000 worth of bonds, but topped $25,000 instead. I’m sure it was all due to the jeeps!

1942-06-13-news-journal-mansfield-oh-jeep-day1-lores

Continue reading

 
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1953 Exploration of Manuelito Canyon, New Mexico

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

Gallup’s local Willys dealer organized a trip to Manuelito Canyon, according to an article int he October 14, 1953, issues of the Albuquerque Journal. Some local Gallup area residents had hoped at the time that the canyon would become a national park. Instead, in 1964, it was named a National Historic District. There is (was?) a visitor’s center, but it is temporarily closed (and was so as of January of 2020, which predated the pandemic).

I like this photo with the line up of wagons. I’d love to find the original or reprint of this. 
1953-10-14-albuquerque-journal-manuelito-canyon-picnic-lores

1953-10-14-albuquerque-journal-manuelito-canyon-picnic2-lores

 
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Al-Toy Jeepster Butler, PA $999

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

Here’s a rare Jeepster Al-Toy for sale.

https://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/tag/d/butler-1949-promo-car-willys-jeepster/7256548112.html

“1949 Promo Car Willys Jeepster Cast Toledo Bronze Co Al-toys RARE 15″ Unrestored told they only made about 350 of these! guess costs were too high to produce & sell, were never sold retail, were made for dealer promo’s pretty rare piece!! a must for the serious collector! have only seen a couple of them for sale at 3000-3500 heres a nice unrestored example!

have some other high end toys listed!”

altoy-jeepster-pittsburgh-pa1

altoy-jeepster-pittsburgh-pa2

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1950-1952 Truck Brochure Scans

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

Thanks to Andy for taking photos of his oversize truck brochures. These are framed and behind glass, so he had an understandably difficult time getting good photos. The first two are domestic brochures. The third is a French version of this Willys truck brochure.

1950-willys-truck-brochure-green 1950-willys-truck-brochure-blue 1950-willys-truck-brochure-french-red

 
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Comparison of Five Wagon/Truck Brochures

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

UPDATE: Here’s an updated version of the post that separates the 1950-1952 oversize truck brochure from the sedan delivery wagon brochures with similar designs.

Originally Published Feb 26, 2021: I was inspired to purchase and learn more about the brochures below after realizing that a poster I saw during a visit at Dave Antram’s place in 2013. Here’s a photo of it:

2013-06-willys-jeep-poster

 

While I originally thought these brochures were all printed in early 1950, I’m now less certain, as Colin pointed out that #1 (4WD Willys Truck) mentions “Key Starting”, which appeared in 1952. In addition, one of the truck brochures has “1951” printed on the subheading. I suspect we’ll never get firm evidence on the publish dates of these:

You can view the original scans using the following links:

  1. The upper right New Willys Sedan Delivery with — Hurricane 4 Cylinder Engine (Copper?)
  2. The upper left New Willys Sedan Delivery with — Hurricane 4 Cylinder Engine (blue) 
  3. The lower left Sedan Delivery Export brochure with the “New” Hurricane (red)
  4. The lower right Sedan Delivery with “Famous” Hurricane is here (blue): 

4-1950-brochures-wagon-brochures-interior

And now the trucks from the same period. I don’ have full scans of the bottom two trucks:

  1. The upper left NEW 4WD WILLYS Truck brochure
  2. The upper right NEW 1/2 Ton WILLYS Truck brochure
  3. The lower left is of a French 4WD Willys Truck brochure:
  4. The lower right brochure is a 1951 Willys 4WD Truck Brochure

4-1950-brochures-truck-brochures-interior

Then there is this oddball Willys Delivery Sedan brochure that has the same front as the brochure above, but unfolds differently, is black and white, and has content arranged differently on the interior pages:

1950-Form-SD-M3-73--50M-sedan-delivery1-lores

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