Features Research Archives

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1942 Alaska Highway Report (and more) by Sigrid Arne

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

As I mentioned yesterday, Sigrid Arne (1894-1973) enjoyed a second big jeep adventure. This time it was a trip to Alaska, then a trip down part of the Alaska Highway while it was still under construction. As you’ll see below, there were a variety of photos that were included in newspapers related to her story about the highway.

Below the Alaska Highway articles are more information about Sigrid and other articles by her. Unfortunately, I can still not locate an obituary nor a biography related to her. So, I’m attaching these articles to this thread so that later I can draft a good wikipedia biography about her.

THE ALASKA HIGHWAY ARTICLE AND PHOTOS:

This first photo was published in the June 15, 1942, issue of the Decatur Journal. It shows Sigrid interviewing Pvt. Levi Schrock and and Prv. Albert Tomaino.

1942-06-15-decatur-herald-sigrid-arne-alaska-highway-lores

A day earlier, in June 14, 1942, the Knoxville Journal published Sigrid’s experience watching the military build a road through thickly wooded and boggy areas.

1942-06-14-knoxville-journal-sigrid-arne-alaska-highway-lores

The June 15, 1942, issue of the Spokesman Review featured this series of photos on its back page. It’s hard to believe that Melba Bergeron Mince was working with the military in that outfit (how did the mosquitos not attack all the exposed skin?

1942-06-15-spokesman-review-sigrid-arne-alaskay-highway-loresOTHER SIGRID ARNE STORIES:

A month prior to the above articles, Sigrid wrote about a woman who lived by herself in Alaska and remained unafraid of the Japanese Military:

Continue reading

 
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Roplas Bodies and Hardtops for Mahindra Jeeps

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

The brochures below show brochures from Roplas, a manufacturer out of India that produced Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic  (FRP) aftermarket bodies for 91″, 101″, and 104.5″ Mahindra jeeps. These brochures were assembled by Mr. Rahul Ram Amin and shared via the Flat Fender Jeepers Association — FFJA group on Facebook. I’m surprise that none of these bodies made it to the US, at least I’ve never seen them, especially in the Pacific Northwest where fiberglass bodies were readily used.

This fascinating brochure shows a range of special-purpose jeep bodies produced by Roplas, including service vans, police bodies, and ambulance models:

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This shows a Roplas body on an MM 540/440 Jeep:

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This brochure shows a “Ranger” body on a Mahindra NC 640 DP:

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This brochure shows a variety of Jeep body styles built by Roplas for Mahindra models CJ-500D (2Dr & 4Dr) and the NC 665 DP 4Dr Van and Truck. The body products include the Roplas Universal, the Chieftan, the Highlander, the HiRider, and the Cabin. hardtop-mahindra-facebook-8 hardtop-mahindra-facebook-9

This brochure shows a Mahindra NC 665:

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1954 Press Photo of Caged Jeep on eBay

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

UPDATE: Here’s a second example of these press photos that includes a different caption. I could not locate an example published in a newspaper.

View all the information on ebay

“1954 Press Photo Sgt Curt Anderson of Sweden Army Does Stunts in Special Jeep. This is an original press photo. Sgt Curt Anderson shows students at a mechanics school how a specially-equipped jeep can be made to turn somersaults and still come out alright. Photo measures 7.25 x 9.25 inches. Photo is dated 07-07-1954.”

1954-07-07-curt-anderson-sweden-stunt-jeep-rollcage1 1954-07-07-curt-anderson-sweden-stunt-jeep-rollcage2

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Originally Published Aug. 5, 2015: “You are bidding on an original press photo of Swedish Army Sergeant Demonstrates Rolling Caged Jeep. Newspaper markings on photo. If listing shows thin red and/or green lines, they are the result of a bad scan & they are NOT on the actual photo. Photo measures 7 x 9 inches and is dated 7/9/1954.”

View all the information on eBay

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1941 Reporter Article on the Blitz Buggy

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

Associated Press Reporter Sigrid Arne was 47 years old when she rode in a Bantam BRC-60. By that time she was an experienced journalist, a fearless investigative reporter with the smarts to decode and explain New Deal programs to the point that the authors of the programs asked her to join their efforts. She traveled all over the United States, even buying a baby for $50 in Oklahoma at one point to expose how babies were being sold like groceries.

Her report on her first jeep ride sounds like she was thrilled/awed by her experience, but I’m unsure how she concluded that the Bantam had 9 speeds. Sigrid’s article landed in the Montana Standard on May 05, 1941, as well as other newspapers.

This ride wasn’t her last in a jeep, as we will see tomorrow morning.

1941-05-05-montana-standard-sigrid-arne-blitz-buggy-review-lores

 

 
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1962-1973 NOS Parts Catalog on eBay

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

This contains a variety of parts information, including “models 67/71 Jeepster, 62/71 Universal, 72 & 73 Commando CJ DJ 5 6 (various open body, fire engine, gas, diesel, convertible, roadster, station wagon, full cab, pickup, half cab, etc.” So, it might have some interesting info.

View all the information on eBay

“Item Description: Original Jeep Dealer Parts Catalog, 1962 – 1973, with original reddish heavy 3 metal post binder “American Motors / Jeep Parts Catalog”. Covers: models 67/71 Jeepster, 62/71 Universal, 72 & 73 Commando CJ DJ 5 6 (various open body, fire engine, gas, diesel, convertible, roadster, station wagon, full cab, pickup, half cab, etc.). Illustration and Text, parts only, no price list. About 4″ thick. September 1974 print date. Good for looking up NOS part numbers. Good condition, light wear, metal and edge darkening, scuff, small plastic tab on binding edge 1″ top gone. Item has reddish covers, pages are whitish color (camera error kept trying to correct color to reddish background). Inside printing all good condition.”

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British Airborne WWII Jeep Conversion Blueprints **SOLD**

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

UPDATE: **SOLD (fast)** These were on eBay.

These are copies, but are priced as such. I’m sure they would be interesting to someone. They ship from GB.

“Over the years my interest in British ww2 airborne troops has been high, and amongst my collection I converted my jeep to full glider-borne specifications
The drawings I used were from originals which I copied and give full details on the placing of parts and how to make them, with measurements and good details
They’re on A3 paper and come as 10x sheets. They cover:
Pannier carrier
Spare wheel carrier
Bonnet ammo carrier
Steering wheel quick release
Front bumper
Positioning of parts in the jeep
Jerry can carrier reposition
Radio aerial/battery carrier base
A frame for towing”

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1941 Photos Related to the Ford GP

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

1. Ford GPs on assembly line: This March 28, 1941, image shows Ford GPs on the assembly line. It is posted on a Henry Ford’s history page.
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2. Ford gets Priority over Bantam for axles: This January 22, 1941, article in the Indiana Gazette notes a claim by the President of the United Automobile Workers–CIO that Ford was given priority over Bantam on orders for axles, forcing Bantam to miss its deadline for filling their order for the BRC-60s.

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3. Duke of Kent: This photo shows the Duke of Kent riding in a Ford GP at Holabird, Maryland. The photo appeared in the Salem News (Ohio) on August 29, 1941:

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1941 Photo of “Blitz Buggy” During Testing

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

A March 25, 1941, set of photos in the Kansas City Star shows a Bantam BRC-60 flying high at one point, but then being dragged across a river by a horse at another point.

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Jeepster Pulls “Train” of Kids

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

Sam shared this photo which he spotted on a Facebook Porsche page. It looks like this early Jeepster is pulling about 12(?) carts full of kids.

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Meyer Snow Plow & ElectroLift Brochure

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

The Meyer Snow Plow brochure includes a large section about the ElectroLift. Labeled form no. 3-163, the brochure is a standard paper side with a half-paper-sized section that folds out horizontally to reveal more details about the Electrolift. There is not date on this brochure, but I’d guess early 1960s.

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meyer-sp-form-3-163-2-loresNote that the left side of the back of this brochure is the same as the image above. It’s the right side that folds out. 
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2 Meyer Snow Plow Brochures

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

These two two-page brochures from Meyer once again highlight the company’s snow plows.

This first brochure showcases the Meyer Angle Dozer and is dated July of 1962 and is form no. 3-114 (though on the backside it shows 3-114 R2, suggesting the backside may have been a 1st or 2nd revision):

meyer-sp-form-3-114-1-lores meyer-sp-form-3-114-2-lores

This second one is an undated form no. 3-283, but given it includes a Jeepster Commando, it is likely from the late 1960s.:

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March 1941 Photos of the Ford GP Tests

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

UPDATE: The Herald-News of Passaic, NJ, published an image of a Ford GP going through its paces. Given the chained tires and other similarities, it appears this photo was likely taken at the same time as one published at the bottom of this post.

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Originally posted May 30, 2020, as part of this post: Here’s an article and a photo showing a couple Ford GPs being run hard, originally printed in the March 09, 1941, issue of the Battle Creek Enquirer:

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Clipping from Battle Creek Enquirer - Newspapers.com

 
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2 Meyer Snow Plow Optional Equipment Brochures

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

These two brochures offer optional equipment for Meyer snow plows. I’ve been unable to make sense of the Meyer brochure numbers.

Form No. 3-208 is a four page brochure that highlights optional equipment for Meyer snow plows.

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This center section utilizes two pages:meyer-form-3-208-2-lores

This is the back page:meyer-snowplow-form-208-3-lores

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Form No. 3-217 is a one page brochure that highlights marker kits installed atop Meyer Snow plows to make them easier to see.

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1945 Canadian Spark Plug Ad w/ Ford GP on eBay

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

This ad is slightly larger than a postcard.

View all the information on ebay

1945 CANADIAN CANADA AD WWII PATRIOTIC WILLYS JEEP COMMANDOS MACHINE GUNS
100% ORIGINAL NOT A COPY OR REPRINT.
MEASURES ABOUT 5.5 X 6.5 INCHES
THIS ORIGINAL ITEM WOULD BE NICE TO FRAME
GOOD CONDITION.”

champion-spark-plugs-ford-gp-canada-ad

 
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More Willys Motors Pencils sold on

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

UPDATE: This auction has a buy it now price of $9. The last batch of pencils sold for $8 on eBay.

View all the information on ebay

“You are bidding on a group of 8 Willy’s Motors  pencils  Most are the same ..There is “Willy’s on the Move” .Also a couple ‘H’ pencils  $4 Shipping”

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(October 29th auction of Willys-Overland pencils: Continue reading

 
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1961 FC-170 “New Giant” Ad on eBay

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

I’d guess this ad was published in a Canadian magazine?

View all the information on ebay

“1961 CANADIAN CANADA AD WILLYS OVERLAND GIANT JEEP PICKUP TRUCK.
MEASURES ABOUT 8 X 10 INCHES.”

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Early Warn Locking Hub Dash Sticker

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

Maury spotted this image of an early Warn dash sticker on a Gladiator that was posted to the EarlyCJ5.com website. Anyone have a better example of it?

http://www.earlycj5.com/xf_cj5/index.php?threads/warn-locking-hub-dash-sticker.144960/#post-1613141

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1941 Article on Ford “Blitz Buggy” Production Strike

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

An April 12, 1941, article from the Escabana Daily Press out of California shows that it wasn’t always easy producing the Ford GPs. In this case striking works (and some reported sabotage of machinery) delayed manufacturing.

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Long article from the same paper: Continue reading

 
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1941 Photo of Edsel Ford in Ford GP Press Day

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

These series of photos show Edsel Ford riding in a “Blitz Buggy”, which we now know as a Ford GP. Note that there’s no reference to the “Ford GP” in any text.

This photo appeared in several newspaper, including the April 11, 1941, issue of the Sikeston Standard out of Missouri.

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Originally published Nov 11, 2014: This photo includes Edsel Ford and was shot at the same event this video was taken.

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Originally published July 12, 2017: The original press photo that appeared in the newspaper at the bottom of this post.

“1941- Edsel Ford, in rear seat, and Brig. Gen. Charles Bonesteel go for a ride in the first Ford GP prototype jeep delivered to the U.S. Army after it rolled off the assembly line at the Ford River Rouge factory in Dearborn, Michigan. Photo measures approx. 7″ x 9″”

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Original posted 06/30/2016:
This photo and caption were published in the March 7, 1941, issue of the Owosso Argus Press. No article accompanied it.

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Tropical Motors St. Thomas, VI, ‘Jeep’ Gala Keychain on eBay

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

Were the original Gala key chains encased in Acrylic like this? Maybe the dealer ones were? Price of this is $99, but seller will consider offers.

View all the information on ebay

“Rare Vintage Jeep Gala Tropical Motors St. Thomas V.I. Acrylic Keychain in Excellent Used Condition. My Father obtained this keychain while working in fleet sales for Willys in the Carribean and Central & South America in the 50’s and early 60’s. Measures approximately 1″ in diameter x 1/4″ thick. A must have for the Jeep Gala Surrey owner!!!”

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1943 Canadian Newspaper Ad on eBay

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

This as is insteresting as the advertiser is the International Nickel Company of Canada, yet visually it feels like an ad for the upcoming civilian jeep.

View all the information on eBay

“1943 CANADIAN CANADA NEWSPAPER AD WWII WILLYS JEEP AD INTERNATIONAL NICKEL”

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Columnist John S. Van Gilder’s First Jeep Experience.

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

John S. Van Gilder, in his ManHATtan column, tells the story of his first experience with a jeep in the September 13, 1942, issue of The Knoxville News:
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Willys-Overland Equipment Book Cherokee, IA on eBay

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

Bidding starts at $99. It appears to include some of the supplemental brochures.

View all the information on ebay

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Continue reading

 
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2 Early Wagon Ads out of Mexico on eBay

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

UPDATE: Still Available.

(11/02/2020) The Willys Export Ads showing wagons were placed by the Willys Export Company in the El Automovil Americano Magazine. The seller does a good job of explaining that he may not be able to ship these ads to certain states due to the pandemic.

View all the information on eBay

wagon-advertisement-el-automotive-americano-mag-willys-export-co-mexico-lores wagon-advertisement-el-automotive-americano-mag-mexico-lores

“VERY IMPORTANT! Due to the pandemic the deliveries are taking longer than normal, so please be patient in case this happens.

To the residents of United States: due to the contingency caused by the pandemic, shipments to the following states the regular mail are not being made by Correos de Mexico, Louisiana, California, Wisconsin, Texas, Iowa, Illinois, Columbia, Missouri,Georgia, North Carolina, New Jersey, Maryland, Minnesota, Montana, Dakota, Indiana, Arizona, Alabama, Michigan. If your state is on the list, please contact the seller. This inconvenience is temporary and there is no date set to restore the service.

The paper may have tears, stains, or missing parts.
Shipping world wide with tracking number:

EE.UU. US $ 8 Delivery time 15-40 days
Europe US $ 10 Delivery time 15-40 days
Asia US $ 13 Delivery time 15-40 days

I combine purchases for a better shipping cost.

VERY IMPORTANTLY: all items in this shop are located in Mexico, therefore, will be shipped from that location. The shipping cost published by the ebay automatic sistem is not correct because don´t works in my mexico account to calculate the rates, so please, before the payment, wait for a correct shipping amount to your place, because it could have variations.”

 
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1944 Forbes Article on the Peacetime Jeep

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

This Forbes November 15, 1944, article titled “Will the Jeep Invade Peacetime Markets” is a pretty sober look at the reality of the WWII jeep. That’s probably because the author, Francis “Frank” Fenn, was the former President of American Bantam at the time the Bantam BRC was developed (one person argued that Frank was the actual father of the jeep).

With tweaks to the basic WWII jeep, Fenn predicted the CJ could do quite a bit, but would never make a good around-town or travel car due to it’s rough ride and basic functions. He predicted, rightly, that it would take a quite a bit of engineering for the vehicle to meet the average family’s on-road needs.

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