The 2021 Holy Toledo! calendar is now in stock and ready for your holiday purchase. I don’t know about you, but the sooner 2020 is over the better! So, for me, this calendar is a welcome sign that 2021 is right around the corner.
Features Research Archives
Turner Mower Match Company Cover
Chris added this unique and undoubtable rare Turner Mower matchbook cover to his already extensive collection of jeep-related matchbook covers.
A Turner mower brochure can be seen under #3 on this post. http://www.ewillys.com/2017/03/03/mowers-for-the-early-jeeps/
And, more info on additional Turner jeep-related products: http://www.ewillys.com/2020/06/10/1948-turner-stationary-hay-baler/
1952 or 1953 Photo of Billy Graham Korean War on eBay
Though this photo of Billy Graham smiling in a jeep is undated, Billy Graham’s website indicates he arrived for his visit in 1952, then stayed over Christmas into 1953, as another photo of him in Korea is dated 1953. More Billy Graham Korean War pics can be viewed here.
View all the information on eBay
“This is an original press photo. Graham, Billy. Billy Graham in jeep in Korea.Photo measures 10 x 8.25inches. Photo is dated –none.”
August 31, 1946, Jeep Wagon Lady-Like Ad
UPDATE: Steve shared this link about a ‘Lady Jeep’ article written for the Heinz Center, which led me to Amazon. That listing included a date and magazine for this ad … the August 31, 1946, issue of the New Yorker. And, there’s a better pic on Amazon.
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Originally published May 19, 2019: This ad was on google image search, though it was gone from the actual destination page to which Google directed me. So, I have no date or magazine name to identify when this ad was published. It treats the Army jeep as a tomboy and the wagon as a Lady.
Dualmatic Twin-Lever Hub Variations
This post is all Scott Gilbert’s fault. We got talking about the different color of Dualmatic hub labels on Sunday and, suddenly, my Sunday afternoon vanished into research!
This post leverages the great work from the CJ-2A.com’s dualmatic twin-lever page and the ih8mud hub forum about Dualmatic twin-lever hub variations. For the record, I’ve never owned any of these hubs, so I’m leveraging pics and the internet as best I can. It is a working post. If you have corrections or comments, please let me know!
If only I had each set of hub in front of me I might have a better shot at highlighting the differences (height and faces), but I do not have them. So, I’ll just do my best with the faces and some documentation for dating purposes.
I was going to use the CJ-2A page’s nomenclature, but after studying the different faces, I think it’s better, as I hope you will see, to expand the styles types:
Design A: Recessed center, full ribs, sharp-ended ribs
Design B: Raised center, full-ribs, sharp-ended ribs
Design C: Raised center, full-ribs, round-ended ribs
Design D: Raised center, one-end of both ribs recessed from the edge, all round-ended ribs
Design E: Raised center, both-ends of ribs recessed from the edge, all round-ended ribs
Design W: These were marketed by and stamped as Watson hubs (hence why I call them Watson hubs), but also stamped and sold by third-parties like Sears unstamped and unbranded.
Before we begin with the twin-lever design, let’s look at the single lever design. Dualmatic’s founder Charles Simonsen’s original patent was for a single lever design.
This photo may highlight why that design didn’t hold up well and why support was needed for the cam levers:
CONJECTURE: If the bending of the single lever was even a somewhat common occurrence, then it would explain the shift to a dual lever, rib-supported design. One of those early designs may have been the Design W or the Watson hub seen at the bottom of the post, but it seems to me that when full of mud and small debris, that loosening the levers would have been difficult. So, my theory is that the next idea was Design A, which is the earliest one documented with a specific date.
DESIGN A: The earliest example of a Dualmatic hub with a date comes in the form of this April 1958 advertisement in Popular Mechanics. For our purposes, this would be Design A. It has full, un-rounded ribs and a recessed interior
Design A can also be seen in this undated brochure, most likely pre-1963 given the lack of full-size jeeps:
Curiously, Design A was still around in 1964, as evidenced by this 1964 Montgomery Wards catalog ad below, but a new type of style appeared, which I call Design C, with a raised center (for branding I assume) and full, but rounded-ribs (and around as late as August 1965 in a Four Wheeler Ad):
DESIGN C: Here is a better pic of Design C. You’ll note that the sticker branding is colored black. So far, the consensus is that there were three different colors of stickers, black, blue and red. Again, when each was used and why they changed is uncertain:
DESIGN B: At some juncture, Design B was introduced. Design B had a raised center and full, sharp ribs like Design A. You’ll also note that this has the red center branding sticker: Continue reading
Jeeps in the Classroom
Mark and Carl both shared this article about jeeps in the classroom. Sure, the jeeps are a few tines short of a full grille, but I think we can cut the teachers some slack; they have enough headaches to overcome.
Holy Joe Movie
Mike pointed out that the 1999 movie Holy Joe, starring John Ritter and Meredith Baxter, included a Willys wagon. I believe the moral of the story is that if you do good in the world that someone will restore your wagon for you? At least, that’s what I got out of it!
Based on various angles, I believe this was a 1961ish 2WD Maverick, but I am open to other thoughts.You’ll note the ‘restoration’ of the wagon does not reflect an original paint scheme. The wagon makes several appearances. Here are the three longest ones.
The 11:09 minute mark before ‘restoration’:
The 51.25 minute mark before ‘restoration’:
The 1:31:37 minute mark (near end of movie) after ‘restoration’:
1950 Photo of Chinese Pilots in Jeep on eBay
This is a cool photo of Chinese Nationalist pilots piled on a jeep in front of P51s. Following WWII, the Chinese Nationalist Government renewed it’s civil war against Mao Zedong’s communists. The Nationalists lost enough territory over the succeeding years that in 1949 they were forced to abandon the mainland for the island formerly known as the Formosa Republic (until 1895, when the Japanese took control, not seceding control until 1945). This 1950 photo displays the Nationalists continued effort to thwart control by the Chinese communists.
“1950 Press Photo Chinese pilots ride jeep by P-51 planes at a tarmac in Formosa. This is an original press photo. Formosa (Nationalist air pilots). Kaohsiung, Formosa. The scene might be on a typical United States Army Airfield instead of on the nationalist bastion. A jeep load of P-51 pilots is on the tarmac as the Chinese version of the bright blue yonder boys head for their P-51’s to take off on a mission over the Chinese mainland. Photo measures 9 x 7inches. Photo is dated 6-5-1950.”
NOS Dualmatic Hubs on eBay
Scott spotted these NOS Dualmatic hubs on eBay. I am not as familiar with the red stickers, but this looks to be a later version of these lever-activate hubs, solely based on the style of ribs.
View all the information on eBay
“NOS Dualmatic Locking Hubs Willys Jeep 10 Spline, Willys Mb, GPW, CJ2A Cj3a M38. New in the original box, I’m guessing from the 1950’s, or 1960’s. Some storage wear. All mounting bolts are there. Shipping $16”
1956 FC-150 Introduction
This late 1956 ad introduced the FC-150 its Longview, Washington, audience.
1966 Scenic Tours Photo w/ Flattie on eBay
Cool photo and a nice shot showing Scenic Tours on the back. I imagine this the Ouray area?
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“This is an original press photo. Colorado’s high mountain country is custom made for the rugged individualist who likes to get off the beaten path into areas where man is seldom seen. Many communities rent jeeps, and some schedule jeep cavalcades that take you into areas of breathtaking beauty that have been hidden from the eyes of man since the beginning of time.Photo measures 8 x 10.25inches. Photo is dated 12-30-1966.”
1955 News Article on a Lake Tahoe Jeep Trip
The July 14th, 1955, issue of the Auburn Journal, Auburn California, highlighted events from a recent jeep trip in the Sierra Mountains from Wentworth Springs to Lake Tahoe.
Anyone Recognize This Tin Toy Jeep?
Andy mentioned he didn’t recognize this tin toy jeep. Neither do I. It looks similar to a Marx. The toy is about 4″ long. The grille’s uneven-ness suggests it is home made, but the rest seems manufactured to me. Any guesses? It sold for $29.99.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Small-Red-Tin-Toy-Jeep-with-Wooden-Wheels-/233685380233
1953 No Roads Needed Ads
These two “No Roads Needed For a ‘Jeep'” ads appeared during the late spring of 1953 in two different California newspapers. I don’t know if this was just a regional or a national campaign.
This first ad appeared in the April 29, 1953, issue of the Sacramento Bee, sponsored by the Winter Willys Company:
This second ad appeared in the May 12, 1953, issue of the Santa Cruz Sentinel, sponsored by Mosso & Puccinelli:
1986 Frankston, TX $26,000
This custom build is a little different.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/301274604531502/
“86 Stainless steel Willis jeep 9 inc Ford Rear end 4 speed transmission 350 motor bord 30 over with a 280 comp cam”
William F. Baggerman’s Trips to Central & South America in a Jeep
Wiliam F. Baggerman was born and raised in the St. Louis, Missouri, area around 1914. He attended Washington University and Edinburgh University. He started Modern Management Co., a real estate management firm, in 1936, and later was employed with Sycamore Investors, Inc., a shopping center development company.
He entered what would become the Air Force right after Pearl Harbor and spent 20 months in the Pacific theatre, stationed for at least part of the time in Guam. While in Guam, for some unknown reason, he decided to travel to Central America after the war.
A year after the war ended, he purchased a jeep and, along with a trailer, headed south to Laredo, Texas, where he began his adventure.
After his trip, he wrote an 60 page book: Driving to Managua, Nicaragua (A Guide to the PanAmerican Highway Through Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua).
The book is part guide book and part travelogue, as most of the text describes dryly how to travel through the various countries. Yet, the pics feel far more personal; there are at least 10 photos, almost all of which include the jeep. You can view the entire book online at Hathitrust.org.
The jeep he used appears to have been a VEC with indents and a column shift, but without the rear hubs. So, I’d guess a 15xxx to 30xxx serial number. The trailer is a box on wheels … anyone know what model?
Let’s look at some pics!
This is a map of the Pan American Highway. It’s not clear to me how much he veered off the highway:
This pic shows him just entering Mexico:
Those are some beautiful mountains. But who is looking at the mountains when you can peek inside the cab and see the column shifter:
Apparently, even the jeep couldn’t take William everywhere:
Some eBay Photos
1. This first image shows a Cowboy in front of a CJ-3B with the jeep’s hood serving as a temporary desk. There is no description or date provided.
View all the information on eBay
2. These next three pics are included within one auction. View all the information on eBay. given the signs in the first photo, it would seem possible to locate where it was originally taken.
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“Original WW2 photos (2.5 x 3.75 inches), curled from age, with some handling wear. These belonged to Corporal Alton Gilbert, a soldier in Company A of the 506th Military Police Battalion.”
3. These three photos were taken near a mine in 1961. Based on the terrain, my off-the-cuff guess is that the scenes remind me of the area around Cripple Creek, Colorado. Anyone who knows the area better have different thoughts?
View all the information on eBay
“3 1960s 35mm Slides Family Enjoys Off Road Jeep Willys Mining Town Tour 1961”
1943 Hotpoint Ad ‘Join the Bond Wagon’ on ebay
UPDATE: Here’s another “Bond Wagon” ad for sale on eBay.
View all the information on ebay
“Grade per Six Grade System: Near Mint
Page size in English units (approximate): 10 1/4″ X 13 3/4”
1955 D.L. Beck Mfg Hardtop Brochure
This 4-page brochure from D.L. Beck Manufacturing included a separate price list that dates the brochure around August 1, 1955. Curiously, the “Econo” hardtop was no longer featured in the brochure (see a 1954 example brochure at the bottom of this post). Apparently that “Econo” line of hardtops wasn’t good enough after all (see letter at the bottom that explains the reference).
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Originally Posted December 14, 2014 —
3 Late-1940s Jeep Ads from Portugal on eBay
These three ads are each listed separately on eBay. Two of the ads are from 1947 and one is from 1948. All three are the same size, approximately: 13.5 x 18.5 cm (5.31 x 7.28 inches).
Don Pratt Jeep Tours
UPDATE: As best as I can tell, it looks like 1963 was when Don Pratt’s Jeep Tours began working with the Kachina Cab company. The article appeared in the August 13, 1963, issue of the Arizona Republic:
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Originally posted June 2019: According to this Pink Jeep Tour site, Pink Jeep Tours is the oldest continuously operating Jeep Tour Company in the United States. It was started in 1958 by a Sedona Realtor named Don Pratt, who would drive clients to see homes at Broken Arrow Estates. The Broken Arrow tour is the original Jeep tour and is still today the most popular tour in Sedona.Why did he make the jeeps pink? Mr. Pratt got the idea while visiting the Royal Hawaiian Hotel on Waikiki Beach, where everything was pink.
But, that’s only part of the story. In her book Echoes of Sedona Past, Mary Lou Keller explains how her and her husband cleared the first trail and how, when Glenn Keller decided not to open a jeep tour business, their friend Don Pratt asked if he could do it instead. Mrs. Keller covers the story in five pages of her book available to read on Google.The book also includes the image below of Mary Lou Keller with her do Pico in her (probably) 1946 CJ-2A:
Negative of MB/GPW w/ External Tank on eBay
The negative of this below image was spotted by Steve. I wonder if the handling felt odd when the tank was full?
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“Original one-of-a-kind amateur 2 1/4″ square negative. Excellent condition. The listing image was created using PhotoShop to make a positive digital image. I did very little adjusting; you should be able to produce a much better print/image than the one shown in this listing.”
1953 Ad For Winter Willys and the Farm Jeep
Oops .. this was supposed to appear on Wed morning … Oh well!
This ad for Winter Willys was published in the February 21, 1953, issue of the Sacramento Bee. It highlights the availability of the Jeep branded implements. some of which was saw in these ‘Jeep’ brochure posts.
1946 GET A ‘JEEP’ Mailer
This 1946 brochure was produced as part of the GET A ‘JEEP’ campaign that lasted through most of 1946.
Battery Powered Toy Jeep Lexington, KY **SOLD**
UPDATE: It turns out that I didn’t have to scoop this up this toy myself after all; Tom from Kentucky obtained it, then mailed it to me. It surely was a cool surprised. In this note to me he mentioned it still runs, so I popped in some D batteries. Sure enough, this jeep still goes backwards and forwards. The only glitch on it is the broken windshield, but I’ll see what I can do to repair it. Many Thanks Tom!
This appears to be a rare Andy Gard G I remote control jeep. If it was near me, I’d scoop it up.