Features Research Archives

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2021 Ford Bronco “Built Wild” Coming Soon

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

Ford is excited to exorcise the “juice is loose” moniker from the Ford Bronco, a vehicle lined last produced in 1996, by introducing a new Ford Bronco line.

https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/2021-ford-bronco-sport-suv-reveal-pictures-videos-teaser/

 
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1943 Photo of Ford GPA at Schenectady Depot on eBay

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

This photo was on eBay, but will be sold by Monday morning. Still, a neat early look at the Ford GPA.

View all the information on ebay

“1943 Press Photo Amphibious Jeep at Schenectady Quartermaster Depot. This is an original press photo. Schenectady Quartermaster Depot – Amphibious JeepPhoto measures 9 x 7.25inches. Photo is dated 04-05-1943.”

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1943-04-05-schenectedy-depot-ford-gpa

 
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1954 4-Wheel-Drive Wagon Brochures

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

UPDATE: This post has been expanded since it’s original published date in December of 2014. There are several, similar brochures published during 1954, all shown below.

The earliest of these family-of-jeep brochures is Form KW-1705 and titled “4-Wheel-Drive Willys Vehicles”:

1954-form-kw-1705-4wd-gets-thru1-lores 1954-form-kw-1705-4wd-gets-thru2-lores 1954-form-kw-1705-4wd-gets-thru3-lores Photos Photos

A second brochure, Form KW-1763, was released highlighting the same four vehicles, but with a new form number and some re-organization.

1954-form-kw-1763-wagon-truck-brochure-lores

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1950s Willys Aero Taxi Brochure on eBay

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

This “All Hail the … Beautiful Economy Safety of the Willys Taxi” brochure isn’t jeep-related, but I found it interesting. I wouldn’t have guess that the Willys Aero car was ever marketed as a Taxi. Maybe it was only advertised that way internationally (this brochure hails from Australia)?

View all the information on eBay

“An original 1950s Willys-Overland advertising brochure for the Willys Aero Taxi car. This interesting fold-out brochure describes the main features of this Willys Taxicab with a range of illustrations. It was published by Willys-Overland in Toledo Ohio in the USA.”

year-willys-aero-tax-brochure1 year-willys-aero-tax-brochure2

year-willys-aero-tax-brochure3

 
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1961 International Harvester Scout Vs. Jeep Booklet

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

In March of 1961 it appears that Willys Motors released a 4-page brochure that compared the jeeps vs. the International Harvester Scout. The IH Scout made it’s debut in late 1960, so Willys didn’t waste much time in producing the document in response to the Scout’s release.

In turn, IH didn’t waste time in publishing it’s own comparison with a technical booklet over 40 pages long. I’m not entirely sure for whom this document was intended, engineers? Sales force? Management? For Marketing so it could distill the information for the sales force?

1961-04-IH-sales-bulletin-IH-jeep-comparison-booklet02-lores 1961-04-IH-sales-bulletin-IH-jeep-comparison-booklet03-lores 1961-04-IH-sales-bulletin-IH-jeep-comparison-booklet04-lores 1961-04-IH-sales-bulletin-IH-jeep-comparison-booklet05-lores

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February 1948 “See How Much More You Get” Ad

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

This “See How Much More You Get” advertisement appeared in the February 1948 issue of the Farm Journal. It measures 8.5″ x 11″. Both the half and full version of the top appear to be Worman tops.

1948-02-farm-journal-see-how-much-more-you-get-lores

This same ad appeared in the February 1948 issue of Successful Farming. It also likely appeared in the February or March 1948 issue of Country Gentleman.

1948-02-successful-farming-see-how-much-more-you-get-lores2

 
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T. Cohn Superior Plastic/Metal Jeep on eBay

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

T. Cohn made a wide number of toys, but this is the only example of a jeep that I’ve run across. It’s about 5″ long.

View all the information on eBay

“This is a great hard plastic military jeep which also has a metal base, free rolling wheels and nice detail. It is marked “Made in Gr Britain” on both sides of each wheel and it would appear that this toy is missing a “driver” and an “antenna” ?

This toy has great olive drab marbled hard plastic and the brittle windshield is not damaged. It does not retract and it does not appear that this was intended to do so. There is no glue residue, stressed portions or repairs. This item is offered as found.

The entire toy measures approx. 5 inches long. This toy shows the slightest soiling and it is a very hard to find item. It is offered as found with a number of other vintage hard plastic, diecast metal, rubber and other vehicle related toys. These items all dated from the late 1940’s to the late 1960’s.”

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1951 Slide of CJ-3A from Venezuela on eBay

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

This is a great early photo of a CJ-3A out of Venezuela.

View all the information on eBay

“1 Original slide as shown. K5 013 Amazing old car JEEP WILLYS Caripito Monagas Venezuela 1951 Red Border Kodachrome”

1950s-cj3a-slide

 
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King Top Manufacturing Company

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

UPDATE: This post has been merged and reworked after I figured out that the two tops were actually related. 

In July of 1963, Fresno-based Automotive Fiberglass Company placed an advertisement in Four Wheeler magazine for its new fiberglass hardtop. I wonder if the builder of this top was also a member of the Fresno Jeep Club?

This is the 1963 ad:

1963-07-fourwheeler-fiberglass-top-ad

July 1963 Ad from Automotive Fiberglass

This Automotive Fiberglass top appeared on a CJ-5 for sale in Fresno in 2010. It is the only jeep I’ve seen with an Automotive Fiberglass Top:

CJ-5 with 1963 fiberglass hardtop from Automotive Fiberglass. 

TIMELINE —
July 1963:
Automotive Fiberglass places ad in Four Wheeler Magazine;

November 1963: Top King Manufacturing files design patent for an altered version of the Automotive Fiberglass top;
February 1964: Top King top is advertised in the Four Wheeler Magazine;
September 1964: A more detailed ad is placed in Four Wheeler Magazine.

A few months after the Automotive Fiberglass advertisement, two design patents were filed and assigned to Top King Manufacturing. You’ll note that the rear side-angle has been reversed. The mid-section insert piece for the side was also changed, altered from a triangle shape to a rhombus shape.  Here’s the design patent information from the Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office:

 

1963-design-patents-jeep-top-king

November 1963 Design Patent filing for Top King. Note that I haven’t had the time to investigate the designers mentioned in the patent. 

By February 1964, King Top was advertising the newly redesigned top in Four Wheeler Magazine. Curiously, the company listed its name as the Top King Fiberglass Company rather than Top King Manufacturing (could be a relic from the Automotive Fiberglass company days):

1964-02-fourwheeler-pg42-king-top-fiberglass-ad-lores

February 1964 Ad from Top King.

Seven months later, this second ad was placed in the September 1964 issue of Four Wheeler Magazine. The company had corrected its name for the ad back to Top King Manufacturing. Additionally, Top King announced it would soon have flatfender versions of the top available, along with a half cab version. Have any of these survived?

1964-09-four-wheeler-top-king-fresno-ad-lores

September 1964 Ad from Top King Manufacturing.

 
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2 Similar, But Different 1946 Willys Wagon Ads on eBay

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

These two slightly different luggage-plus-people-wagon ads were published in different magazines.

This first was appeared in a 1946 issue of the New Yorker. This family is planning their first post-war vacation. You can view all the information on eBay:

1946-new-yorker-magazoine-ad-willys-wagon

This second one is from 1946, but the publisher is unknown. This ad includes less luggage for the group’s trip to the ‘big game’.  You can view all the information on eBay:

1946-magazine-ad-willys-wagon

 
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Boulder Bouncers Patrol 12 Jeep Club Badge on eBay

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

The buy-it-now price is a weighty $749.99.

View all the information on eBay

boulder-bouncers-jeep-club-boulder-colorado

“VINTAGE Jeep Off-road Car Club Boulder Bouncers Colorado Grille Badge RARE 50s. Condition is Used. Shipped with USPS First Class Package. It is 8” wide.

When we moved into our house the original owner had this in the garage on the wall.

He was a founding member of a very early off road club here in boulder Colorado but not sure of the year? There were early 50s Jeep parts in the garage too that have already been sold”

 
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Hemet Cavalcaders Jeep Club Sign on eBay

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

This is an even crazier price at $1,149.99 (priced to sell??). Was this the original name of the Hemet Jeep Club, with the Cavalcaders portion of the name dropped at some point?

View all the information on ebay

hemet-cavalcaders-club-sign

“Old School, Hemet/San Jacinto Valley – Jeep Cub sign. “Hemet California Cavalcaders.’ – 1940s – The Cavalcaders, were one of the FIRST 4×4 Clubs in the USA! …An ultra-rare item.

9” in diameter, was generally mounted to the Willys’ Jeep door. Cool & Beautiful.

Priced to sell. 2-minor scratches. TAC numbered and officially authenticated! The real dealio – not a fake knock-off!

Antique – 1940s, Hemet CA., “Cavalcaders” – 9″ Round Door – JEEP Club Sign – ultra-rare!

The Hemet Cavalcaders Jeep Club was one of the first four-wheel drive clubs – in the United States, dating back to the late 1940s. Many Club-members affixed these signs to their doors to highlight their club.”

 
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1991 ‘The First 50 Years’ Jeep Press Packet

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

Thanks to Maury, I was able to get this 1991 press packet off ebay and shipped for under $10. That’s a good day. It wasn’t clear to me all that was inside, but it turned out to be a heck of a deal. The three-page tri-fold stores photos, old press releases, histories, and a few miscellaneous items.

Here’s the front of the packet:

jeep-pr-packet-04

These are the materials that are stored inside. There are four press releases, fourteen reproduction 8×10 photos, a 40-page AMC/Chrysler history, a jeep history that’s attached to the binder (see upper right corner), one March 1963 Jeep News front-page reproduction and a late 1940s wagon ad reproduction. Just the reproduction of the Willys Quad photo was worth the cost of this package (I’d never gotten around to getting one).jeep-pr-packet-05

I haven’t read this history just yet, but wasn’t in a hurry as I’ve already read this book on AMC’s history:

jeep-pr-packet-06

Here’s how the binder looks when opened. The jeep history starts at the page in the middle.

jeep-pr-packet-07 jeep-pr-packet-08 jeep-pr-packet-09 jeep-pr-packet-10 jeep-pr-packet-11 jeep-pr-packet-12 jeep-pr-packet-13 jeep-pr-packet-14 jeep-pr-packet-15

Under the last page of the jeep history is a holder for all the photos and other documents:

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Here are two 1990s press releases (I only took photos of the front pages):

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These are two 1980s press releases:

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The press release on the left is from early 1942 and covers the changing situation with America’s entry into WWII, while the one on the right is from 1965:

jeep-pr-packet-19

The Jeep News reproduction page from March 1963 is shown on the left. It includes a report on the name change from Willys Motors to Kaiser Jeep and the Willys-Overland Export Corp. to Kaiser Jeep International Corp. The reproduction wagon ad on the right is from 1948 and includes details on which magazine and dates it appeared (I wish I had that database of information!).

jeep-pr-packet-20-lores

 
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1956 DJ-3A Press Photo on eBay

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

Great DJ-3A press photo.

View all the information on eBay

“This is an original press photo. Autos-Willy’s. Willys Jeep Dispatcher, above, designed for light delivery work particularly in congested traffic areas, is now being introduced by Willy’s Motors, Incorporated. Highly maneuverable and economical to operate, the Dispatcher is offered in a hardtop model (illustrated) a convertible canvas soft-top, and a basic open model. All models are powered by the Jeep four-cylinder 60 horsepower engine.Photo measures 10 x 8.25inches. Photo is dated 6-3-1956.”

1956-06-03-dj3a-press-photo1

1956-06-03-dj3a-press-photo2

 
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1953 Photo and Article from a Jeep Playday

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

This photo and article appeared in the July 09, 1973, issue of the Longview Daily News. I don’t remember the Road Rebels Jeep Club nor can I remember its insignia. The tow bar on the front suggests this jeep was likely a trail and race jeep, if not also a road jeep. It was common to see the family jeep show up at races into the early 1980s. It doesn’t take too many breakdowns of the family jeep while racing to convince owners to build race-only jeeps.
Clipping from Longview Daily News - Newspapers.com

“A hearty crowd turned out for the Jeep Play Day put on by the Road Rebels Jeep Club this weekend in conjunction with Kelso’s Hilander Summer Festival. The unidentified driver has all four wheels slinging mud, sand and water during his run over the course. Photographer Dave Fox captured the action with a camera setting of f16 at 500th of a second, which is considerably slower than the speed he used to get out of the way.”

Clipping from Longview Daily News - Newspapers.com

 
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Four CJ-5-oriented Questions

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

Four CJ-5 Questions for you all:

  1. Anyone know when (month/year or vin) that the CJ-5 switched from the side tank to the rear? I’ve seen dates between mid 1970 through early 1972.
  2. Similarly, when was the PTO draw bar dropped (month/year or vin)?
  3. When did the CJ-5 spare tire mount move from the side to the back (month/year or vin)?
  4. When was JEEP changed to Jeep on the side of the CJ-5 cowl (month/year or vin)? (somewhere on eWillys I’ve answered this question, as I remember doing the research, but now I can’t find it!)
 
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October 1948 Willys Truck Brochure

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

This 1948 Willys Truck brochure is dated October 01, 1948, and highlighted the five different models of trucks available for purchase.  These scans were posted to the oldcarmanualprobject.com website by Eddy Jeijer.

1948-10-01-jeep-truck-brochure-autominded1 1948-10-01-jeep-truck-brochure-autominded2 1948-10-01-jeep-truck-brochure-autominded3 1948-10-01-jeep-truck-brochure-autominded4

 
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March 1948 “4-Wheel-Drive Power” Ad

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

This “4-Wheel-Drive Power” advertisement appeared in the March 1948 issue of the Farm Journal.

1948-03-farm-journal-4-wheel-drive-power-ad-lores

 
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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.