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3D Jeep Puzzle on eBay

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

This tiny 3D Jeep puzzle reminds me of a wooden one I have. This plastic version is currently priced at $39.

View all the information on eBay

“This JEEP keychain puzzle was made by J&L Randall company in UK in the early 50s. It comes with its original card which has the solution on the back. The card has a punch through or tear top middle and some bending’folds.

The 2 holes punched in the center of the card were used to attach the puzzle onto the card with a rubber band.

The puzzles are all complete, unbroken and in very good to excellent condition with any exceptions clearly specified.”

jeep-3d-puzzle01

jeep-3d-puzzle4 jeep-3d-puzzle3 jeep-3d-puzzle2 jeep-3d-puzzle1

 
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BOOK: The Mystery in The Jeep by Ernie Rydberg

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

Free-lance writer Ernie Rydberg wrote the Mystery in The Jeep, one of at least eleven books, hundreds of short stories, screen plays, and more over his lifetime (1901-1990). I’ve ordered an inexpensive copy of the book and will report on it when I get a chance.There’s a first edition of the book on eBay for $63.74 and another edition on Amazon for only $19.

According to the synopsis from Goodreads.com, “A pretty librarian helps two high school students, Lefty and Gloria, track down a gang of diabolical confidence men. Their clue is a book, which starts them on the track of illicit real estate deals and other unsavory enterprises.”

Here are two examples of the book cover:

1959-the-mystery-in-the-jeep2 1959-the-mystery-in-the-jeep1

 
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BOOK: The Mystery of the Amphibious Jeep

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

Author Paul Moxham, an Australian writer, has published The Mystery of the Amphibious Jeep on Kindle. At 4.61 stars on Goodreads, it seems to be a popular kids story. Where the referenced ‘jeep’ is a Ford GPA SEEP or a DUKW (or something else), isn’t clear. Given the author’s Australian background and Australian Ben Carlin’s fame, I’m leaning towards it being a GPA.

the-mystery-of-the-amphibious-jeep

According to the synopsis on Goodreads:

“After meeting an American adventurer who is travelling around the world in an amphibious jeep, the Mystery Kids invite him to spend the evening at Rose Cottage. However, the night has barely began when the jeep is stolen by two men.

What do the men plan to do with the jeep? Who are the stowaways? Why does the jeep go round in circles?

Set in 1950’s Britain, this adventure story will suit anyone who enjoys Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys or the Famous Five”

 
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Pat Brady, Dale Evans & NellyBelle Slide on eBay

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

UPDATE: Thanks to Colin for the corrections

Great photo of Roy Rogers Pat Brady at the helm of NellyBelle with Dale Evans beside him.

View all the information on eBay

roy-rogers-nellybelle-negative

“For sale is this original and vintage slide, Roy Rogers in Nelly Belle Willys Jeep in early 1950’s

The first number in the listing title is the year the slide is from.

Slide Brand: red border Kodachrome from the early 1950’s”

 
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Monarch Airlines Rental Willys Jeep Wagons

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

There’s a neat postcard from what I believe is the late 1940s that shows a line of Willys Wagons ready to be rented by passengers of Monarch Airlines. a regional carrier based in Colorado. This postcard is available on eBay:

View all the information on eBay

“Post card shows a great SHOT OF ABOUT A DOZEN NEW WILLY’S JEEP STATION WAGONS AT STAPLETON AIRPORT IN DENVER, COLORADO.”

1940s-monarch-lines-willys-wagon-postcard1 1940s-monarch-lines-willys-wagon-postcard2

My guess is that the idea for the wagon rentals coincided with the introduction in early 1949 of Monarch Airlines’ “family-fare” program, as reported in the February 11, 1949, issue of the Daily Sentinel out of Grand Junction, Colorado. The head of the family paid full price for a ticket, while the remaining family members could fly at half-price. Unfortunately, I have been unable to find a news report that confirms when the wagons were purchased for rental.

Below are two subsequent newspaper ads highlight the program:

May 20, 1949, ad in the Daily Sentinel, Grand Junction, Colorado

May 20, 1949, ad in the Daily Sentinel, Grand Junction, Colorado

April 08,, 1949, ad in the Daily Sentinel, Grand Junction, Colorado

April 08,, 1949, ad in the Daily Sentinel, Grand Junction, Colorado

 
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April 1948 “Put Jeep Power to Work on Your Farm” Ad

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

This April 1948 “Put Jeep Power to Work on Your Farm” advertisement appeared in the Country Gentleman magazine. It also appeared in the May 1948 issue of the Farm Journal.

There’s one of these ads for sale on eBay

1948-12-country-gentleman-put-jeep-power-to-work-ad-lores

 
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1960s Lockeed Mavericks 4WD Club Sticker on eBay

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

This is an original 8″ diameter sticker from the Lockeed Employees Recreation Club (LERC), located in Burbank, California. I don’t know how many jeep clubs were formed out of Lockeed, but there were several Seattle area jeep clubs with members from Boeing (the Wandering Willys Jeep Club was one).

View all the information on eBay

1960s-lockheed-brubank-LERC-club-sticker

“ONE 8” VINTAGE “MAVERICKS” 4WD CLUB VEHICLE
STICKER – LOCKHEED, BURBANK, CA – Circa 1968

★ 52 Year Old Never-Used Ephemera ~ Outdoor Sticker for Vehicle Front Quarter Panel ★

• Very, very rare collectible Lockheed, Burbank, CA ephemera! In fact, this is probably the only one left in the world!

• One (1) VINTAGE ORIGINAL “MAVERICKS” FOUR WHEEL DRIVE CLUB 8″ VEHICLE EMBLEM STICKER from the Lockheed Employees’ Recreational Club (L.E.R.C.) in Burbank, CA circa 1968. Never used. Still has it’s original kraft paper backing (for peel-&-stick) in very nice condition.

Age:
About 52 Years Old (although it has never been used, the adhesive is not guaranteed due to item’s age).
Original Use:
Typically these were placed on the 4WD vehicle’s front quarter panel to identify club membership.
L.E.R.C. = “Lockheed Employees’ Recreational Club” originally on Empire Road, Burbank, CA in the 1970’s.
Size:
About 8″ in diameter (see photo with measuring tape).
Note:
The ink on this decal is very heavy, almost with a brush texture (see photo #11), to be robust for outdoor use back in the day.
Details:
Has been stored in a file cabinet for about 40 years.

This is the ONLY one on eBay.

Very rare collectible Lockheed, Burbank, CA ephemera!

• Quote from the January 1968 Mavericks BULLHORN newsletter, the description of a four wheel drive club —”A bunch of damn fools driving out across the desert in a wide variety of corrupted vehicles looking for a place they can’t go so they can.” From back in the days when Joe Mokracek & Doug Carter were club presidents.

 
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Christmas Card Photo w/Jeep on eBay

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

Steve spotted this family Christmas Card that included a jeep. Interesting enough, the body already has mods to it, the step area in particular.

View all the information on eBay

“1
VINTAGE
PHOTOGRAPH TYPE CARD
1950’S-60’S ERA?
MIGHT BE BY BROAD RIPPLE, INDIANA?”

christmas-card-family-jeep

 
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1951 “4-Wheel Drive Takes You There” Brochures

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

In 1951 Willys-Overland launched a “4-Wheel Drive Takes You There brochure” for the Willys Wagon. Subsequently, there appear to have been two additional versions of the brochure, numbered differently, but with seemingly no additional substantive text changes. Each form folds out to a 17″x11″ large format brochure.

The first example of this brochure is burdened with an unusually long form identifier: Form 4X4735W-M1-100M, a number which leverages the wagon-model-type (4x473SW) as part of the numbering system.

1951-4X4735W-M1-100M-wagon-4-wheel-drive-takes-you-there-brochure1-lores

1951-4X4735W-M1-100M-wagon-4-wheel-drive-takes-you-there-brochure2-lores

1951-4X4735W-M1-100M-wagon-4-wheel-drive-takes-you-there-brochure3-lores

1951-4X4735W-M1-100M-wagon-4-wheel-drive-takes-you-there-brochure4-lores

This second version of the brochure is available on eBay. Given the grille style doesn’t change for this iteration, I can only assume that this version of the brochure was also printed in 1951. It has the updated form name of 4X4735W-M2-100M-251. It is possible the “251” at the end of the form number means it was printed in February of 1951.

1951-4X473SW-M2-100M-251-4-wheel-drive-takes-you-there-wagon-brochure1

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Photos of the Boyerstown-built 2wd Delivery Van

• CATEGORIES: Features, Fire/Police/Industry Vehicles, Willys Trucks, Willys Wagons This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE III: A new reprint of the late 1950s Boyerstown-built Delivery Van is on eBay:

View all the information on eBay

“NICE  QUALITY LARGE  11 X 17  REPRINTED PICTURE”

boyerstown-package-van-photo

====================

UPDATE II: Mike shared a pic of a Boyerstown van from an ebay auction circa 2004.

boyertown-van

UPDATE: In 2012 there was a press photo of the front of the van for sale.

1958-boyerstown-jeep-van

2012 Post: “Jeep Utility 1959 4 x 2 Truck Photo Reprint w. Boyertown Body”

 
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1963? CJ-3B Aiea, Oahu, HI No Price

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

Given the Willys stamps, this 1963 is more likely a 1962 or earlier.

https://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/cto/d/pearl-city-1963-cj3b-willys-jeep/7162108148.html

“1963 CJ3B WILLYS JEEP ORIGINAL 4 CYL,ORIGINAL PAINT,99.9 RUST FREE RUNS GREAT
HARD TO FIND A JEEP IN THIS COND ON THE ISLAND CALL”

1963-cj3b-oahu-hi0

1963-cj3b-oahu-hi1

1963-cj3b-oahu-hi2

1963-cj3b-oahu-hi3

1963-cj3b-oahu-hi4

 
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WWII Windshield Defroster Shelby, NC $70

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

Mark spotted this one for $70.

https://charlotte.craigslist.org/pts/d/shelby-original-willys-mb-ford-gpw/7147478940.html
“Original Willys MB Ford GPW Dodge Truck Defroster in Unused Condition. Complete 6volt defroster kit. Great display item for a vintage Jeep or Truck. Would probably work but recommend for display due to its age. Pick up in Western NC. Unable to ship.”

defroster-nc-2

defroster-nc-1

 
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Spokane’s Sandifur Motors Willys Distributor

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

UPDATE: Additional content has been added about Sandifur Motors.

Originally established in 1937, the Sandifur Motor Company out of Spokane, Washington, was operated by Charles and C. Paul Sandifur. Brothers and business partners, by 1938 the two men were involved in taxi cabs, used cars, life Insurance, and other business pursuits in the Spokane region.

The Sandifurs became a Willys distributor in the autumn of 1945 soon after the launch of the CJ-2A. An ad in the October 21, 1945, issue of the Spokesman Review confirms this.

1945-10-21-spokesmanreview-sandifur-ad

October 21, 1945, ad published in the Spokesman Review

As best as I understand it, being a distributor meant Sandifur Motors could both sell jeeps and signup other dealers.

The company seems to have followed the standard line of advertising, as this 1947 farming ad shows:

Clipping from The Spokesman-Review - Newspapers.com

As we’ll see in a moment, Sandifur was successful at selling jeeps, but I can’t imagine CJ-2A was very practical for farming in the Spokane region, in part due to the size of the farms. For example, my maternal grandparents obtained a 160 acre farm 35 miles southeast of Spokane on the small banks of Fighting Creek, Idaho, a place they won in a lottery around 1910, then secured by homesteading. In the 1920s they founded the local Fighting Creek store and operated one of the first phones in the area (we still have some of the books that documented the calls). They also made money logging the local forest and, after WWII, electrifying the area. Had they thought a jeep was practical, I believe they could have afforded to purchase one. Instead, they preferred to use tractors.

My family’s decision to abstain from buying a jeep did little to slow the success of Sandifur Motors. It’s possible the company was doing better selling wagons and trucks versus CJ-2As. I could imagine four wheel drive versions of the trucks and wagons being very handy navigating the endless forests and deserts of the Inland Empire area. This may also explain why both long-wheel base CJ-2As (likely the CJ-2Ls) and CJ-2As with 6ft extended beds were available for sale from both Spokane and Montana dealers (more on this in an upcoming post).

Here’s a 1949 ad promoting the wagon:

Clipping from The Spokesman-Review - Newspapers.com

October 17, 1949, Spokesman Review

Whatever the company was selling, it was selling enough of them to justify new digs. In early 1951, the Willys dealer moved from its original location at W419 3rd Avenue, to W228 2nd Avenue in downtown Spokane:

1951-02-27-the-spokesman-review-sandifur-motors-new-location-lores

February 27, 1951, in The Spokesman Review

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1942 Photo Soldiers Preparing For Mustard Gas

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

I can only imagine how awful those suits were to wear in the California desert, even in March. My wife tells me that even the modern-day chemical warfare suits are terrible.

View all the information on ebay

“SOMEWHERE IN CALIFORNIA —  Even deadly mustard gas holds no qualms for these soldiers in the chemical warfare service who are ready to fight poisonous, skin-burning gas by wearing clothes–treated in a secret solution–which resist and neutralize any dangerous vapor. They’re shown here decontamination a jeep which was sprayed with mustard gas. 03-19-42”

1942-03-19-chemical-warfare1 1942-03-19-chemical-warfare2

 
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July 1948 “Jeep — Engine Power” Ad

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

The July 1948 issue of the Country Gentleman included this “Get more jobs done at lower cost with Jeep–Engine Power” advertisement.

1948-07-country-gentleman-jeep-engine-power-ad-lores

 
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1949 Article on the Jeep’s Forest Fire Fighting Potential

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

(Given fireworks have arrived, this article seemed appropriate …) This August 07, 1949, article was published in the Spokesman Review out of Spokane, Washington, but it likely originated from a Wisconsin news report. The article mentions Nicolet National Forest, which is located in Northern Wisconsin, and the event was sponsored by E. W. Schwartz Motors out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. One interesting statistic noted was that conservative estimates put the number of jeeps in service in state and national forests at over 1,000 jeeps by the summer of 1949.

1949-08-07-spokesman-review-fire-fighters-light-artillery-article-lores

 
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1956 Forms W-25X-XX Brochures

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

UPDATE II: This poster was based on the 1956 W-25X-6 brochures. This also seems to confirm that there was never any Form W-251-6 brochure (which had been a lingering question of mine).

1956-form-w-250-6-brochure-jeep-poster

Original Post From Feb 17, 2020 (but with all new text): Below are the front pages from a series of 1956 brochures. I think I’ve got everything sorted out … 

  1. Form W-250-6 V1 (CJ-5/CJ-6/CJ-3B):
    1956-form-w-250-6-v1-brochure-2nd-3-lores
  2. Form W-250-6 V2 (CJ-5/CJ-6/CJ-3B) … this form replaced the one above:
    1957-truck-form-W-250
  3. Form W-250-6X (CJ-5/CJ-6/CJ-3B) Export:
    1956-form-w-230-6x-export-cj5-1-lores
  4. Form W-252-6 V1 (Trucks):
    1956-form-w-252-6-green-truck-brochure1-lores
  5. Form W-252-6 V2 (Trucks) This form replacement the green truck form above:
    1957-truck-form-W-252
  6. Form W-252-6X (Trucks) Export:
    Photos
  7. Form W-253-6 (Wagons) (was there an earlier version of this form?):
    1957-truck-form-W-253
  8. Form W-253-6X (Wagons) Export: Anyone have this form?
 
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1956 CJ-5/CJ-6/CJ-3B Domestic Brochure Forms W-250-6

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

UPDATE: There were two different Form W-250-6’s produced during 1956. The first one shown below is version one I believe. Making the one at the bottom version two. Both differ significantly from the export version of the form, which is Form W-250-6X

What’s the difference between them? Both forms open up to 11″x17″, so the sizes are the same. However, the front page is completely different. In version #2 of the brochure (at the bottom) you can see that the front page is more harmonious with the Wagon (Form W-253-6) and the Truck (Form W-252-6) brochures. The second page, reached by opening the brochure horizontally, shows part of the vehicle line in version #1, while the vehicle line is absent from version #2 at bottom. Maybe version #1 of this brochure was pulled because Willys Motors’ management wasn’t ready to introduce the FC-170? I can’t say for sure.  Finally, you’ll also notice that “WILLYS” is absent from the front of version #1, while “BY WILLYS” is prominent on the front of the bottom brochure.

Because that reasoning, I believe this is Version #1 of Form W-250-6 …

1956-form-w-250-6-v1-brochure-2nd-3-lores 1956-form-w-250-6-v1-brochure-2nd-5-lores 1956-form-w-250-6-v1-brochure-2nd-6-lores

1956-form-w-250-6-v1-brochure-2nd-4-lores

This shows the back of the brochure when opened fully:

1956-form-w-250-6-v1-brochure-2nd-7-lores

==================

This 1956 CJ-5/CJ-6 brochure Form W-250-6 is the domestic version of Form W-250-6X.

Scannable Document

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1956 Domestic Truck Brochure Forms W-252-6

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

xUPDATE: There were actually two different Form W-252-6’s produced during 1956. This green one shown below and the one at the bottom. Both differ significantly from the export version of the form, which is Form W-252-6X

What’s the difference between them? Well, the text, the fonts, and the font sizes are nearly identical. Both forms open up to 11″x17″. Obviously the front of the bottom version is more colorful and the front color image is certainly different. But, what might be the biggest change and the reason for the alternative version is that the green-themed brochure is printed with the word ‘Jeep’ in a san-serif font in numerous places, while the brochure at the bottom uses the much more standard jeep font. Finally, you’ll also notice that “WILLYS” is absent from the front of the green brochure, while “BY WILLYS” is prominent on the front of the colorful brochure.

Because that reasoning, I believe this is Version #1 of Form W-252-6 …

1956-form-w-252-6-green-truck-brochure1-lores

1956-form-w-252-6-green-truck-brochure2-lores

1956-form-w-252-6-green-truck-brochure4-lores 1956-form-w-252-6-green-truck-brochure3-lores

This is how the back of the brochure looks fully opened…

Photos

=========================

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October 1960 New Redlands Geckos Jeep Club Article

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

This October 16, 1960, article introduced the Redlands Geckos Jeep Club out of Redlands, Calfiornia.

1960-10-16-san-bernardino-county-sun-redlands-geckos-jeep-club1-lores 1960-10-16-san-bernardino-county-sun-redlands-geckos-jeep-club2-lores

 
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Wausau Iron Works Brochure

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

UPDATE: This post now includes the full brochure, along with updated information about the company.

Wausau Iron Works, unsurprisingly, incorporated in Wausau, Wisconsin, as an offshoot of the Northern Boiler & Structural Iron Works out of Appleton. The founders launched Wausau in 1908 to build bridges (some of them here), but expanded into snow plows in 1923. During WWII, some of the company’s plows were turning to the military.

Oddly enough, there was an earlier “Wausau Iron Works” was founded by Ely Wright in 1874. It was the oldest industrial establishment in the city and supplied machinery for the early railroads and for sawmills in north and central Wisconsin. However, I could find no evidence it made snow plows.

wausau-iron-works-plows-form-36TJ-2-lores wausau-iron-works-plows-form-36TJ-3-lores wausau-iron-works-plows-form-36TJ-4-lores

 
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December 1948 “4-Wheel-Drive Farm Vehicles” Ad

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

This December 1948 Willys-Overland “4-Wheel-Drive Farm Vehicles” advertisement appeared in the Farm Journal.

It’s currently for sale on eBay

1948-12-farm-journal-4-wheel-drive-farm-vehicles-ad-lores

 
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1976 Struck Mini-Beep Jeep Fairborn, OH **SOLD**

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

UPDATE: This rare Struck Mini-Beep hit the market, but only briefly as it quickly sold. It was $400.

Roger Martin spotted this Struck Mini-Beep project.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/576790182895969/

“Bought for project but want the garage space back. It’s a Struck Mini Beep painted John Deere Green. Includes a new torque converter, clutch, belt, chain, brake, tie rods, and a Roper mini jeep steering wheel. Needs steering sorted, brakes attached, and drivetrain finished. No hood or engine. Want this to go to a good home. Willing to pass on at cost: $400 firm”

1976-mini-struck-beep-jeep-fairborn-oh3 1976-mini-struck-beep-jeep-fairborn-oh2 1976-mini-struck-beep-jeep-fairborn-oh

 
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1950 Truck w/ New Hurricane Engine Brochure

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

This is one of the introductory brochures for the new 1/2 ton truck powered by the new Hurricane engine. It’s Form HTTMI-3CM-350, a form number I’ve yet to decode for any meaning. This folds out to roughly 11″x17″. Here’s another one of these on eBay at a good starting price.

Scannable Document Scannable Document Scannable Document

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1944 Ad For United States Steel on eBay

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

This ad from United States Steel promotes the toughness of steel. Unclear where this ad was published.

View all the information on eBay

“Magazine ad size is approximately 8″X11″
Original advertisement, not a copy”

1944-united-states-steel-ad