Features Research Archives

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1959 Review of the Willys Wagon and Land Rover

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

This three-part article appeared in the August 1959 issue of Car Life magazine. The first two-page article is a general look at both vehicles. Then, there’s a long review of the Willys Wagon followed by a long review of the Land Rover. I got the sense that the reviewer Mr. Jim Whipple was more impressed with the Land Rover than the wagon. You be the judge….

General review:
1959-08-carlife-mag-wagon-vs-landrover-reviews03-lores

1959-08-carlife-mag-wagon-vs-landrover-reviews2-lores

Willyls Wagon review:

1959-08-carlife-mag-wagon-vs-landrover-reviews04-lores 1959-08-carlife-mag-wagon-vs-landrover-reviews05-lores 1959-08-carlife-mag-wagon-vs-landrover-reviews06-lores

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July 25th Auction Des Moines, IA **SOLD**

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

UPDATE **SOLD**

This might be of interest to those in the area.

2020-07-25-auction-ia

 
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FJ-3s Make Their Arrival

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

The arrival of the FJ-3s made the newspapers in a variety of states. This first article appeared in the February 02, 1961, issue of the Bridgeport Post out of Connecticut:

1961-02-25-The-Bridgeport-Post-CT-postoffice-fjs2-lores

February 02, 1961, The Bridgeport Post, Bridgeport, CT.

Clipping from The Bridgeport Post - Newspapers.com

February 02, 1961, The Bridgeport Post, Bridgeport, CT.

This next article appeared in the October 04, 1961, issue of the Owensboro, Kentucky, Messenger and Inquirer.

1961-10-04-messenger-inquirer-owensboro-ky-fjs-arrive-lores

October 04, 1961, The Messenger and Inquirer, Owensboro, Kentucky,

The Mitchell, South Dakota, Post Office may have only purchased one FJ, but it still made the paper:

FJ-3 Fleet Van

November 11, 1961, The Daily Republic, Mitchell, SD.

Here’s an add for the followup model, the FJ-3A .It appeared in The Lawton Constitution out of Oklahoma on January 07, 1962.

1952-01-07-The-Lawton-Constitution-OK-FJ3-arrives-lores

This is the more common version of the FJ-3A ad published across the country:

FJ-3A

December 20, 1961, Arizona Daily Star, Tucson, AZ.

 

 
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Oregon Dealers in the News

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

These two Oregon Dealers landed in the news, eleven years apart.

In the first photo from July 01, 1951, Medford Mail Tribune, The Medford Corporation purchases a fleet of eight jeeps for its logging operations from William Leever of the Leever Motor company.

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July 01, 1951, Medford Mail Tribune

The second photo and caption are from nine years later and 15 miles north of Roseburg in Umpqua, Oregon. The February 26, 1962, issue of The News-Review published this Umpqua Tractor ad for tractors and jeeps. You’ll note the rare site of an FJ-3A on display along side an FC.

1962-02-26-the-news-review-roseburg-or-umpqua-tractor-fj-fc-sales-lores

February 26, 1962, issue of The News-Review, Roseburg, Oregon.

 
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Drifters Jeep Club Signs

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

These club signs were on a 1967 CJ-6. The Drifters is an active California Jeep Club out of Southern California.

View all the information on eBay

drifters-jeep-club-signs1 drifters-jeep-club-signs2

 
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June 1946 Photo of Merced’s Abatement Jeeps

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

This June 20, 1946, photo and caption on the Gustine Standard shows six jeeps purchased by the city of Merced for Mosquito Abatement. I didn’t realize jeeps were used so early for anti-mosquito work in California.

1946-06-20-gustine-standard-gustine-ca-mosquito-abatement-merced-lores

 
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Berg Truck & Parts Company Ads in Popular Mechanics

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

The first three ads appeared in Popular Mechanics during 1946, first in February, then March, then June. Note that the February ad does not include the King of Jeeps moniker, but the later two ads have it.

1946-02-popular-mechanics-berg-truck-parts-ad-lores

February 1946 Ad in Popular Mechanics, the earliest one I could find.

1946-06-popular-mechanics-berg-truck-parts-ad-lores

By June 1946 Berg was advertising Amphibious vehicles.

A November 1955 ad highlighted the use of private labeling by Berg. The hardtop looks like a Worman Jee-Cab that’s been rebranded “the Jeep King All Steel Cab”. I’m sure the “Jeep King Snow Plow” is another private labeled product.

 

This was the latest Ad from Berg that I found, though my searches were not extensive.

 
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November 1952 Canfield Wrecker Catalog **SOLD**

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

UPDATE: **SOLD** Was on eBay.

This is priced at $39 with free shipping. It’s a neat piece, especially the first page with the Willys Overland Motors Canfield custom book wrecker model XH-205.

“great old catalog from 1952 . canfield wreckers for willys jeeps and trucks detroit michigan , illustrated , 5 pages , cover shows age but good overall . free shipping in usa and canada”

1951-11-01-canfield-truck-towing-booklet01

1951-11-01-canfield-truck-towing-booklet0

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1951-11-01-canfield-truck-towing-booklet2

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1958 St. Valentins Dance & Frolic with Jeep Ads on eBay

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

This odd item includes two ads with FCs.

View all the information on eBay

“THIS IS A 8 BY 11 INCH BOOKLET FROM LOCAL 12 UNION SUMMER CAMP WOMANS GUILD.
MANY, MANY AREA ADVERTISERS ARE LISTED IN THIS BOOKLET.
THIS IS FOR THE ST. VALENTINES DAY DANCE AND FROLIC.
LISTED ALSO ARE THE DONORS NAMES AND PHOTOS OF THE STAFF.
BOOKLET IS IN LIKE NEW CONDITION.
GREAT COLLECTIBLE.
THANKS FOR LOOKING”

1958-st-valentines-dance-fc-ads1 1958-st-valentines-dance-fc-ads2 1958-st-valentines-dance-fc-ads3

 
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M-151 Pencil Sharpener on eBay

• CATEGORIES: Features, M-151 This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Old School pencil sharpener in the form of an M-151.

View all the information on ebay

“Item is a vintage Pencil Sharpener made in Hong Kong.
Item is a WILLY’S JEEP (JEEP does have the removable Top, NO picture)
Item is approx. 1-1/2″ by 3″ by 1-1/2″.
Item shows LITE wear as pictured.
LOOK at the photos they are part of the description.”

m151-pencil-sharpener0 m151-pencil-sharpener1 m151-pencil-sharpener2 m151-pencil-sharpener3 m151-pencil-sharpener4

 
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CJ-5 Jeep Sign on eBay

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

Cool sign!

View all the information on eBay

“For your consideration a sign. The sign is made of metal. It is hand made and has a painted finish. There is some damage to the finish. I am selling it as shown. It measures 48″ in width by 24″ in height. An excellent addition to any advertising collection or if you just want to own a really neat sign. I am selling this item with no reserve.”

 
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1948 W-O Builds 5 Great Lines of Trucks Brochure

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

This August 1, 1948, brochure extolls the five lines of trucks produced by Willys-Overland. This is one of the earliest Truck brochures, if not the earliest?

The problem I have with this brochure is that it doesn’t seem very clear on what constitutes the “five” truck lines. Are the wagons and jeeps considered trucks for the purposes of this brochure? Page 3 of the brochure suggests that could be the case. On the other hand, there’s no Universal ‘Jeep’ shown within the tri-fold main portion of the brochure (though a Universal jeep lands on the back of the brochure).

Based on the brochure, I would say the 5 TRUCK lines are 1) The 2WD ‘Jeep’ Pick-Up Truck; 2) The 4WD ‘Jeep’ Pick-Up Truck; 3) The ‘Jeep’ Platform Stake Truck; 4) The ‘Jeep’ Canopy Truck; and 5) The ‘Jeep’ Van Truck. I am likely incorrect about this …

1948-07-01-willys-overland-builds-5-great-lines-of-jeeps-trucks1-lores 1948-07-01-willys-overland-builds-5-great-lines-of-jeeps-trucks2-lores 1948-07-01-willys-overland-builds-5-great-lines-of-jeeps-trucks3-lores

Print date:

1948-07-01-willys-overland-builds-5-great-lines-of-jeeps-trucks3-date

1948-07-01-willys-overland-builds-5-great-lines-of-jeeps-trucks4-lores

 
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1960 Photo of Jeep w/Odd Top

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

This August 21, 1960, article in the Ogden Standard Examiner out of Utah includes a photo of a CJ-2A with a home made, odd hardtop.

Clipping from The Ogden Standard-Examiner - Newspapers.com

 
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1940 News Article — Fort Oglethorpe Receives Midget Autos

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

This December 22, 1940, article in the Birmingham News highlights the latest arrival of “midget automobiles” at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia. I would imagine these are Bantam BRC-60s.

Clipping from The Birmingham News - Newspapers.com

 
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1973 Eagle Indanola, NE **SOLD**

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

UPDATE: **SOLD** Was $5000.

Never heard of the Eagle amphibious ATV. There might be a review of this in the August 1970 issue of Mechanix Illustrated.

“This is a very rare amphibious ATV. They competed for the military contract against Coot. Coot eventually won the contract so eagle went by the wayside. I have restored about 90% of this and have put in a well running Vanguard. It needs some work still to be completely finished but I have lost Interest in being the one to finish it. It would be cool to finish it and use it as a river rig or take it to the sand pits and you should be able to just drive out on the water with it, that was always my goal. One sold on eBay a few years ago it was completely restored for 7500. I have not seen one for sale since then, I see coots on there all the time but they’re much more common. Make me an offer or I’m open to trades. Motorcycles, four-door with a long box or anything that I can take to the lake. Let me know what you got.”

eagle-atv3 eagle-atv2 eagle-atv1 eagle-brochure-atv2 eagle-brochure-atv

 
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1954 Article w/ the Longview Trailbreakers Jeep Club

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

This October 09, 1954, article form the Longview Daily News puts the launch of the Trailerbreakers Jeep Club in April of 1954. That’s one view of Mount St. Helens that no longer exists!

1954-10-09-longview-dailly-news-trailerbreakers-article-lores

 
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Sotheby’s Willys Jeep Auctions

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

There are some jeeps coming up for auction through Sotheby’s, along with a Mule. Note Lot 322 1951 M-38 that sold for $61,600!

soethbys

 
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March & April 1961 Jeep News

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

This issue of Jeep News is packed full of items. One curious article is about the Longview Trailbreakers on the last page. The article claims the Trailbreakers were launched in April 1960, but the Tacoma Webfooters page claims the club had originated prior to mid-1958. The only thing I can think of is that the Trailerbreakers incorporated the club in April of 1960?

Also, on page 6 the Del-Monte Contest for a Jeep Surrey was something I hadn’t seen elsewhere (learn about the winning store here). Meanwhile, on page 2 the paper announced the Gotham City contest winner, one Mrs. Edwin C. Sly of Buffalo, New York.

On page one is a great photo and article about the Hong Kong exhibit at the Chicago Auto Show. And, on page one, are eight of nine mailers used in 1961 (the ninth is shown on page 2). I’ve shared eight of them on eWillys, but have yet to locate the “operation Zebra, or” brochure. Anyone have a copy of that? (Busy Bee; willing worker; To get the Lion’s Share …; You Can’t Hide…; don’t get taken for a ride!; best for all short hops; Big Family!; and need a friend?)
Photos Photos

This three-page spread was unusual for Jeep News.

Photos
Photos

Photos

 
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1961 Readers Digest Del-Monte Pink Jeep Contest

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

Buddies’ Market in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, announced in the April 27, 1961, issue of the The Mercury newspaper that it was the winner in a Readers Digest / Del-Monte contest for a “Pink Jeep and a polka dot sailboat”.

Below is a contest poster that was distributed to stores nation-wide (and printed in the March-April 1961 issue of Jeep News):

1961-03-04-delmonte-readers-digest-surrey-dj3a-contest

This is the announcement by Buddies’ Market:

1961-04-27-the-mercury-surrey-pink-jeep-contest-winner

 
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Photo of DJ-3A Dispatcher in Indonesia(?) on eBay

• CATEGORIES: DJ-3A, Features, Old Images This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: This is back up for sale. Note that this is a column shift. As Carl noted, this is the correct orientation for the image, because if reversed the “WILLYS” would be backwards.

View all the information on eBay

 

dispatcher-jeep-indonesia-1-lores dispatcher-jeep-indonesia-2

 
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August 1960 Article Noting the Formation of the PNWJA

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

This August 1960 article in the Longview Daily News out of Longview, Washington, notes that the Armstrongs, members of the Trailbreakers Jeep Club, chaired the two-day convention that resulted in the formation of the Pacific Northwest Jeep Association (Iater changed in 1965 to the present-day PNW4WDA — Pacific Northwest 4-Wheel Drive Association).  Note that the article refers to the association as the “Pacific Northwest Jeep Club Association”, but a decision must have been made to drop the word “Club” from the name. (some historical PNW4WDA info on the Webfooters page).

1960-08-02-longview-daily-news-formation-of-PNW4WDA

August 02, 1960, Longview Daily News

The Trailbreakers still exist and were one of six charter clubs in the Association. In order of formation (or incorporation), I believe the six charter clubs were the (1) Yakima Ridge Runners, (2) Vancouver Four Wheelers, (3) Longview Trailerbreakers, (4) Brush Busters (?), (5) Tacoma Webfooters, (6) Seattle Jeep Club. (The Brush Busters out of Portland were formed in early 1958, but I haven’t confirmed they were at the convention, so please correct if I’m wrong).

The Tacoma Webfooters have a particularly unusual name. The story goes as follows: “It was time to name the 4th jeep club [ed. note I guess they didn’t know about the Brush Busters]. Who’s got any ideas? Burt Severeid said, “How about the Tacoma Webfooters Jeep Club? Oh, the complaints poured in about how silly that name was, but no one else came up with anything else, so it stuck!! The 4th jeep club in the northwest was to be called, “The Tacoma Webfooters” , with Bruce Cole as the first president.”

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

Original Post from 2016: This is a great photo from the very first Pacific Northwest Jeep Association Summer Convention, prior to being renamed the PNW4WDA.

1960-1st-annual-pnw-jeep-association-photo

Arlene Brooks found this photo.

 
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March 1950 Station Wagon Brochure

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

This brochure titled “Designed to Meet More Needs of More People” has a form number of SW73MI-SCM-350. It’s *possible* that the “350” marks a publish date of March 1950.

1950-03-form-sw73mi-scm-350-0-lores 1950-03-form-sw73mi-scm-350-1-lores 1950-03-form-sw73mi-scm-350-2-lores Photos

This is the full open brochure (16.5″ x 22″):

Photos

Continue reading

 
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May 1952 Willys Dealers

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

This May 9, 1952, ad for Aero Willys highlights dealers across the US, but especially in the Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho area. To hit 35mpg these cars had to have been traveling down hill!

1952-05-09-spokesman-review-aero-willys-dealers-ad-lores

 
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Late 1960s Kaiser Jeep V-6 Marine Engine Brochure on eBay

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

I’m not sure how the “cube” branding plays into the marine engine?

View all the information on ebay

“Here I have a very RARE brochure for the
Jeep 155 V6 155 HP Marine Engine

Jeep/155 the Power Cube comes in a V

INBOARD OR OUTDRIVE
MARINE ENGINE
Stern Drives manufactured by Outboard marine
Corporation (OMC), and Universal Motor Company
Inboard available from both Revley Corporation
and Universal Motor Company

Flier is printed on heavy stock (Light cardboard)
Front has a very cool “Cube Cutout”
In its folded position it measures about 8 ¾ x 6 ¼ inches. Unfolds to about 26 ¾ x 6 ¼ inches.”

1960s-kaiser-jeep-cube-marine-engine-brochure0 1960s-kaiser-jeep-cube-marine-engine-brochure1 1960s-kaiser-jeep-cube-marine-engine-brochure2 1960s-kaiser-jeep-cube-marine-engine-brochure3 1960s-kaiser-jeep-cube-marine-engine-brochure4

 
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Hamilton Pedal Jeep Cincinatti, OH **SOLD**

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

UPDATE: **SOLD** Was $295.

Looks like this Hamilton pedal jeep spotted by Roger Martin has never been restored. The seller’s p# is in one of the images in the ad.

hamilton-pedal-car-cincinnati-oh4

hamilton-pedal-car-cincinnati-oh1 hamilton-pedal-car-cincinnati-oh2 hamilton-pedal-car-cincinnati-oh3