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1943 Photo of Attu Island Signs & Jeep on eBay

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

I imagine the dancing and the beer would have been popular, but I’m less sure about the hardtack?

View all the information on eBay

“1943 Press Photo Attu Island, World War II. This is an original press photo. Attu Island. This sign on Attu Island points out the Japanese capital is closer to the strategic island than is San Francisco. Jeep riders also are warned that this is their last chance for “Dancing beer and hardtack”. This is one of the first pictures of the rugged island since the days when American forces wiped out the Japanese there. Photo measures 8.5 x 6.75 inches. Photo is dated 9-30-1943.”

1943-09-24-attu-signs-jeep1

1943-09-24-attu-signs-jeep2

 
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Lawnmower + Firetruck (?) Concord, CA $2400

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

Here’s an odd, non-jeep item….

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/339764920551103

“Been in the family for years since I was a child. Lawnmower runs great no problems. Can seat up to 10 small children at a time or 6 bigger children plus driver. Has bell and horn sound effect. Located in Concord $2,40.00 obo”

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Portuguese Jeep Ads

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

I bought the following 5″x7″ Portuguese ads off of eBay for $2/ad plus shipping from Europe. The seller noted he had more ads, so sent me a link to 96 more (including lots of good early ads). He wanted to sell these outside of eBay, so I figured I’d get a better price, especially buying in bulk. Instead, he doubled the ads to $4/per ad. When I balked at the price, he claimed he was selling his ads for €6 on eBay ($7.09). Given I’d just bought them for $2, I was a bit confused by his claim. Maybe something was lost in translation, but, needless to say, I won’t be buying any ads from this seller outside of eBay.

These ads have some neat illustrative work.

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June 1947

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1948

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1947

Here are pics showing 1/4 of his collection of ads:

other-portuguese-jeep-ads02

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Newgren Hydro-Grader & Terracer Brochure

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

This Newgren brochure form N-164 highlights its hydro-grader and terrace.

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1943 Photo of Crated Jeeps on eBay

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

Nice historical photo of crated jeeps.

View all the information on eBay

1943-11-03-crated-jeeps-england1

1943-11-03-crated-jeeps-england2

“1943 Press Photo crates of Jeep parts are lifted onto an assembly line, England. This is an original press photo. Somewhere in England — A heavy maintenance company of U.S. Army Ordnance obviously had America’s ability for automotive production in mind when it decided to set up a Jeep assembly line at a depot in England. On a trial order from Army Ordnance Chiefs for the assembling of 2,000 Jeeps they established something of a record within a fortnight — with Jeeps rolling off the assembly line at the rate of one every 3 minutes. Following pictures show how it’s done. Crates of partly assembled Jeeps, just received from the US are being lifted onto the start of the assembly line.Photo measures 9 x 7.25inches. Photo is dated 10-28-1943.

 
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UPDATE: Clifford F-head Headers

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

UPDATE: Thanks Scott for the heads up on this one. These Clifford headers have proven popular enough that Larry from Clifford Performance is doing another run of headers. Contact him via the website if you are interested. :https://cliffordperformance.net/store?olsPage=products%2F134-fl-head-jeep-headers&page=3

fhead-header

 
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Newgren Bottom Moldboard Plow Brochures

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

The following three Newgren brochures have form numbers of N-161, N-162, and N-163. All three focus on different types of moldboard plows. This first brochure shows a plow that utilizes a General Purpose base.

newgren-from-N-161-gp-bottom-12-inch-moldboard-plow-1-lores newgren-from-N-161-gp-bottom-12-inch-moldboard-plow-2-lores

This version of the plow uses a slat base.

newgren-from-N-162-slat-bottom-12-inch-moldboard-plow-1-lores newgren-from-N-162-slat-bottom-12-inch-moldboard-plow-2-lores

This version of the plow uses a Forgy base.

newgren-from-N-163-forgy-bottom-14-inch-moldboard-plow-1-lores newgren-from-N-163-forgy-bottom-14-inch-moldboard-plow-2-lores

 
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October 1976 Article on Jeeps made by Volkswagen

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

Scott directed me to an article in the October 1976 issue of South Africa’s CAR Magazine. It highlighted the jeeps that Volkswagen, having secured a license from AMC, was building in South Africa. Below is a copy from the article.  CAR Magazine still exists; you can find it on Facebook and on the Web.

1976-10-carmagazine-southafrica-vw-jeep1 1976-10-carmagazine-southafrica-vw-jeep2 1976-10-carmagazine-southafrica-vw-jeep3 1976-10-carmagazine-southafrica-vw-jeep4

 
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1949 Photo of Girl and Penguin on Jeep Ride

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

This image graced the pages of the July 07, 1949, issue of the Los Angles Times. A young Janice Snow rides on a jeep carnival ride while Poki the Penguin accompanied her.

Clipping from The Los Angeles Times - Newspapers.com

 
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Yellow CJ-5 Glass Ashtray on eBay

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

Price is $149.99 (or make offer), but I’ve never seen another one.

View all the information on eBay

“Here is a really cool vintage, Willys Jeep glass ashtray. The ashtray is in good to very good condition. There are no chips or cracks in the glass. There is a little bit of wear to the decal, it is not perfect. The ashtray measures about 5 3/4 inches long, by about 3 3/4 inches wide.”

jeep-ashtray-cj5

 
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JeepRod from Grand Junction

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

This hotrodded jeep appeared as part of a Craigslist ad for Sunday morning hotrod meets at the city’s new Uhaul store. You can read the ad here: https://westslope.craigslist.org/pts/d/grand-junction-hotrod-sundays-morning/7191206125.html

hotrod-jeep-grandjunction-co

 
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Newgren Stabalizer Brochure

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

As I mentioned a couple days ago, I received some Newgren brochures as part of the Jeep Equipment book I received. The brochures are numbered between Form N-160 (below) through Form N-168, with only Form N-167 missing. I cannot see a reason for them to start at N-160, but they do. I also think that there were other brochures from this line of brochures that I do not have. I will published these brochures over the coming days.

This brochure indicate that the Newgren equipment is tailored for the Monroe Hydraulic Lift.

newgren-form-N-160-stabilizer-1-lores newgren-form-N-160-stabilizer-2-lores

 
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Nickel-A-Jeep-Ride Fundraiser

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

These ladies were helping raise money for European reconstruction by giving nickel jeep rides.

Clipping from Fort Worth Star-Telegram - Newspapers.com

 
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Risqué Matchbook Cover on eBay

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

Maury spotted this unusually risqué Matchbook cover from a dealer that sold jeeps and other vehicles.

View all the information on eBay

“Vintage Unstruck Matchbook cover :
KAISER WILLYS Station Wagons & Jeep Automobiles
KOUPAL’S MOTOR SALES 8640 S. Commercial Ave Chicago IL
” Open from 9 to 9 “
koupals-matchbook-cover2

koupals-matchbook-cover1

 
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1944 Photo From the Invasion of Wakde Island on eBay

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

Wakde Island is in Indonesia (At first I thought it was Wake Island misspelled).

View all the information on eBay

“Size is 7.25″ x 8.5” We always combine shipping. Please wait for our invoice before paying. The photographs are Originals taken from file archives used by different news/media agencies. They are not perfect or reprints, if they are printed at a later time we labeled them “2nd Generation Restrike” or “Vtg 2nd Gen Restrike” The photographs are in various conditions, some cut to different sizes. Some may have dates and/or descriptions written/typed/stamped on the back or the front. They could have bent corners, tears or light stains.”

1944-05-31-invasion-wake-island1

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Sun Carnival Jeep Derby in El Paso, Texas

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

In the autumn of 1962, the Sun Carnival organization in El Paso, Texas, decided to add the Sun Carnival Jeep Derby, one of only four derby’s held in the US, to it’s late December events calendar (the other ‘derbies’ were held in Las Cruces, Truth or Consequences, and Denver). The grand prize was a brand new 1963 CJ-5 donated by the Willys Manufacturing Company (I think they meant Willys Motors).

Clipping from El Paso Times - Newspapers.com

September 12, 1962, El Paso Times

Before being presented to the race winner, Carnival manage Bruce Brooks planned to use it by carnival staff to carry tickets between the four branch offices.

Clipping from El Paso Herald-Post - Newspapers.com

December 25, 1962, El Paso Herald-Post

Ted C. Brewer of Roswell, New Mexico, went on to win the Inaugural Sun Carnival Jeep Derby.

1963-01-01-elpaso-times-derby-jeep-winner-lores

January 01, 1963, El Paso Times

The next year, the Sun Carnival volunteers put together another course.
Continue reading

 
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Spanish Matchbook w/ Jeep on it on eBay

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

There are two vintage matchbooks in this auction, one from Peru and one possibly from Peru that has a jeep on it. The jeep matchbook is cool, but the asking price is $89.99 (at least they include with matches).

View all the information on eBay

“Rare WWII Era WILLYS ARMY JEEP Matchbooks Peru Indian Spanish
Incredibly rare
Great graphics and color
A few matches have been used
Books are in great shape
This auction is for both matchbooks, you get two!=
Feel free to ask questions”

peru-matchbook-jeep1

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Photo of WWII Overloaded Jeep on eBay

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

That is one loaded jeep!

View all the information eBay

“Offered for bid is a portrait sized original US wartime photograph (see scan), printed on large wartime photopaper that measures to be approximately 5″ x 4″ inches in size. Guaranteed original wartime lot; No reproductions or postwar copies!”

year-rheinbach-soldiers-photo1 year-rheinbach-soldiers-photo2

 
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June 1948 Monroe Lift Brochure

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

This brochure from Monroe is dated June 1948 and has a form number of 890.

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Photos from the 2020 FC Jamboree

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

Congrats to Dan for successfully staging the 2020 FC Jamboree. He had a good showing despite 2020’s challenges. Here are some pics from the event (and more can be seen on Facebook).

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WANTED: Mate for This Mud Flap

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

Chris has this rare mud flap, which Barney believes is for the Gladiator Stake bed truck with dual wheels (Or used on an FC dually as well?). Chris is hoping to find a mate for it. Anyone have one?

gladiator-stake-bed-mudflap

 
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Willys-Overland Equipment Book

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

special-equipment-book-willys-overland1

On Friday I received a Willys-Overland Equipment Book binder that I won on eBay. The book contained a few surprises, such as a 4-page Monroe brochure and a number of early Newgren brochures that rarely hit eBay. The main part of the binder, a collection of 1947 equipment brochures, appears to be as complete as I’ve seen. In addition, at the back of the book, are second-supplement 10-1-1949 brochures that are either updated versions or new brochures. It is so packed with brochures that I will need to remove some to make sure none get damaged. I ended up pay $128.50 and that proved to be a good value.

The biggest surprise was the inclusion of a note from the seller, Nancy, mentioning how this booklet came from her father. The note was thoughtful enough that I reached out to learn more about him.

special-equipment-book-willys-overland-note

I learned that Richard H. Malone was from Westport Island, Maine. He received his bachelors at the University of Pennsylvania, then served in Vietnam. After the war, he raced cars and motorcycles. He and his wife were so passionate about motorcycles that they owned Honda dealerships in Brunswick and in Portland, Maine. They were also both passionate about jeeps, owning jeeps from Willys to modern jeeps and all models in-between. Before her death, Nancy’s mother sold a “panel-sided” jeep, which I’d guess was a Willys Delivery Sedan, under the condition that the new owner had to have a garage for it! Nancy still has her mother’s 2001 Grand Cherokee.

So, as the temporary custodian for this binder, I’ll add a note to it about it belonging to Richard H. Malone, as he deserves credit for preserving this history for us.

A few pics from the book:

special-equipment-book-willys-overland0 special-equipment-book-willys-overland2

Continue reading

 
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Body Extensions For Early 1/4 Ton Jeeps

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

UPDATE II (01/22/2024):  A puzzle has been solved. It was the Transport Motor Company that offered a full-width body extension that we’ve seen on several jeeps over the years.

tmc-document-body-extension-clipped

This excerpt is from this document on Farmjeep.com: https://www.farmjeep.com/lifts/other-hydraulic-lifts/transport-motor-company-tmc-hydraulic-lift/

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UPDATE (09/13/2020): This DENCO body extension brochure appeared as part of the 10/01/1949 Second Supplement of the Willys-Overland Equipment Book brochures. 

Interestingly, the 1948 First Supplement of brochures showed a Newgren collapsible body extension (see a few brochures down or click here) very similar (identical?) to this 1949 DENCO Body Extension brochure. Both extensions offer 7 cubic feet of space and note that a spare tire can be mounted to the side. They also both seem to have the same style of stabilizer bar that connects to the PTO bar. I wonder if Newgren sold this design to Denco in late 1948 or early 1949?

1949-10-01-denco-body-extension-2-lores

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UPDATE 04/28/2020: Someone in Georgia is selling newly built beds.

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Originally published in 2016: This may come as a surprise (not) that early jeeps weren’t known for their vast amounts of space. We’ve all seen military photos showing jeeps packed full of stuff, like this SAS desert fighter:

sas-jeep

When the war ended and CJ-2As were introduced, a couple companies recognized the need for more room and solved the problem by creating add-on bed extensions (also known as bed extenders and body extensions). These bolted to the back and, usually, had supports that dropped to the PTO bar to help support the extra weight. Then, the tailgate was fixed to the very rear of the extension. The goal of this post is an effort to identify the different companies and their products.

As early as August and September of 1946, two different patents were filed, both by the same people.I have been unable to discover if that first patent model was ever built, but the second one has two sides that fold down similar to the Newgren (shown in #2).

Various Bed Extensions identified so far:

  1. Porter Reed Bed Extension: One of the earliest known bed extensions was produced by Porter & Reed. It was marked along with a half top, creating a truck out of a jeep.
    porter-reed-hardtop-closeup-bed-extension
    porter-reed-hardtop-extendedbed-1 porter-reed-hardtop-extendedbed-2
  2. Newgren Bed Extensions: The Newgren Company also entered the bed extension field in the later 1940s with two different versions. The first was their standard bed extension:1947-special-equipment-newgren-body-extension2
    The second model Newgren offered was a collapsable version.
    1947-special-equipment-bed-extension-newgren-collapsible
  3. S & B Corporation’s Jeep Panel Body: About the same time Newgren and Porter & Reed introduced their extensions, the S & B Corporation made their own spin on adding more room by selling a kit that converted the jeep into a panel van.
    s-b-corporation-panel-truck-from-cj2a-brochure1-lores s-b-corporation-panel-truck-from-cj2a-brochure2-lores
  4. Koenig Bed Extensions: By 1955, Koenig had entered the market. Whether the company designed their own or bought out one of their competitors isn’t know (to me), but Koenig sold the extensions for at least a decade. This first ad is from 1955, the second from 1960, and the third from the mid-1960s.
    1955-koenig-cab-brochure3-extended
    1960-koenig-hardtop-brochure4-extended
    1966-koenig-hardtops-brochure4-extendedHere is an example of a Koenig data plate:
    koenig-bed-extender-cs-co3
  5. Wall & Borg Bed Extender: In the 1960s, a Lake Tahoe, California, company called Wahl & Borg introduced a unique bed extension. Rather than bolt on to the rear of the jeep, theirs slid out.
    wahl-borg-slide-out-bed-extender

There have been a number of bed extensions that have resold over the last ten years on Craigslist and eBay, some attached to jeeps and some by themselves. I have found it difficult to distinguish between them, never having owned or seen that many up close. You can see all the ones documents thus far on eWillys: http://www.ewillys.com/tag/bed-extension/

Derek Redmond also has some excellent information on extensions over at the CJ-3B Page. https://cj3b.info/Tech/BodyExtension.html

 
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1943 Article on Jeep Jumping

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

I was surprised to see that this June 24, 1943, article from the Colfax County Call out of Schulter, Nebraska, preceded Dick Ryan’s traveling jeep rodeo where jeeping jumping was also performed. This article appeared in multiple Nebraska newspapers in June of 1943.

Shown in this photo is Robert H. Storz, who is in the jeep, while watching is Lt. Col. Scruby. I can’t tell if Storz is a passenger or the photo is reversed. It looks to me that Storz may be a passenger, based solely on the placement of the tie-rods. But then, who is the driver?

Clipping from Colfax County Call - Newspapers.com

Who was the driver if not Storz? I’m not quite sure, other than according to the article the driver was a former member of Jimmy Lynch’s Death Dodge drivers. Jimmy Lynch’s Death Dodge drivers performed car stunts at fairs and other events prior to WWII.

According to Youtube, “Lynch’s shows for Dodge served to advertise the many advanced design features that made the 1939 Plymouth his choice to survive the severe abuse inflicted on the cars in those performances, including the famous “Roll of Death” in which the car did a full roll over the roof. Lynch would remain loyal to the Chrysler Corporation throughout his career as a daredevil as can be seen in this very entertaining film.”

You can see Jimmy himself in this short video (to see the car stunts go straight to the 7:15 mark).

There are more video examples of Jimmy and hit Dodge exploits on youtube.

 
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eWillys Sticker Spotted in the Wild

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

Eagle-eyed reader Chuck spotted an eWillys sticker on the cowl of an M-38. The still image below was captured from the video at bottom of the August 23, 2020, Jeep Invasion.

M38-w-ewillys-sticker-jeep-invasion-2020

See the full video here:M38-w-ewillys-sticker-jeep-invasion-2020-lores