Popular-Science Research Archives

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The Free-Lock Corporation and Their Hubs

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

UPDATE VII: A set of NOS Free-Lock hubs included documentation stating that by December of 1973 Free-Lock had become a “Quality Division” of Dualmatic Products Company. So, I believe this suggests that Free-Lock was acquired by Dualmatic, so now the questions are 1) when did this happen and 2) why didn’t Dualmatic use the branding sooner than circa 1970 (there was a gap between the end of Free-Lock in 1959 and the re-emergence of the brand circa late 1960s or early 1970s).

UPDATE VI: I located a set of Free-Lock hub instructions that are a pre-view for a later set of near identical Dualmatic instructions. This is clear documentary evidence that Dualmatic was linked to Free-Lock.

UPDATE V: I recently packed many of my father’s tools to bring them back to Prosser. I was a regular user of them when working on my bicycles, then my jeeps. So, I thought I knew them pretty well. That is why I was so surprised and did a double take when I removed this tool from a drawer and read the name stamped on it: FREE-LOCK WRENCH …

What??? Where’d that come from? I once asked Dad about Free-Lock hubs, but he didn’t know anything about them. So, I don’t know how he obtained it.

Anyway, given the primitive nature of it, I’d have to guess it was a first generation version of the wrench. As seen below, a second, more elegant curved-design with a better branding stamp was likely introduced after this version.

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Here’s a reminder of the other version of the Free Lock Wrench:
denver-free-lock-hubs3

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UPDATE IV (From February 12, 2017): This page contains two later model Free-Lock hubs that resemble Selectro hubs. My theory is that Free-Lock might have evolved into the Selectro Company: http://www.ewillys.com/2019/07/08/selectro-husky-dualmatic-overview/

UPDATE III: Thanks to Steve, we’ve discovered an additional version. It is now number 5, which seems to be an evolutionary step between 4 & 6.

UPDATE II: Thanks to Frank Day and his grandfather Merton, who saved this rare piece, here is a scan of an eight page brochure related to the Free-Lock corporation. 

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December 1941 Pop Sci Article on Bantam BRC-40 T2E1s

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

UPDATE: Originally published on February 02, 2014, the pop sci links no longer work, so I’ve now added the complete scan of the article.

This Bantam BRC-40 T2 article was published in December of 1941 in Popular Science (and possibly Mechanix Magazine) under “Tanks CAN Be Destroyed”. In it the author explores different machinery that can stop a tank. You can see variations from what could be the same photo shoot in this Bantam T2 & T2-E1 post.

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December 1945 Popular Science Jeep for Young GIs

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

There are two different project jeep designs described in the December 1945 issue of Popular Science, pages 162-166.  The simpler one was designed by Herbert Pfister of New York City, while the second was designed by H. A. Machlan of El Campo, Texas.

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August 1960 Jeep News

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

Like the April issue, this issue includes a variety FC and Surrey images.

Photos Photos Photos 1960-08-jeep-news4-lores PhotosThe March 1956 Issue of Popular Science included a small story of a CJ-2A with a Gutter-Vac installed. It was used in Washington, D.C.

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February 1955 Article Willys Chops Prices

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

This February 1955 article highlights how quickly Willys Motors shifted from a jeep and car company to more of a jeep company, chopping the number of automobiles it was selling from 10 in 1954 to only 3 in 1955. According to the article, Wills Motors also appeared most focused on the new CJ-5.

You can view this issue on Google Books or make an offer on this issue at eBay.

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1953 Photo of an Early Experimental Mail Jeep

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

This photo and caption appeared in the October 1953 issue of Popular Science (page 124). There are several interesting things in this photo. First, this jeep is setup with right-hand-drive; second, the body has been cut similar to the way some of the DJ-3As would be trimmed on the sides; third, this vehicle is only two-wheel-drive. This is the earliest photo that I know showing an experimental mail jeep that, arguably, led to the DJ-3A Dispatcher/Delivery/Convertible production models. The picture, without the caption, can also be found on the CJ-3B page about mail jeeps.

1953-10-popular-science-mail-jeep-pg124

 
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The Pee Wee Jeeplet

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

This 600lb jeep-like vehicle was built by O.L. Munding of Glendale, California. It was included in the October 1953 issue of Popular Science (page 124). On the same page, the magazine also featured a rat rod vehicle built by Munding that was powered by two air-rolled Ranger engines, war surplus items originally used to start big bomber engines.

1953-10-popular-science-pee-wee-jeeplet-pg124

 
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1952 Article Introducing the M-38A1 in Popular Science

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

This article appeared in the July 1952 issue of Popular Science (pgs 79-82). This is article is interesting in that is covers some of the complaints GIs had about earlier jeeps and how the M-38A1 attempts to address those issues.

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1952 Navy Foam Fire Fighting Jeep Prototype

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

UPDATE: Thanks to Ted, below I’ve added an article and more images from a March 1953 Popular Science article about the little fire fighting jeep, also known as the “Little Squirt”.

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This video from the National Archives Catalog shows a special-purpose fire fighting jeep the Navy was testing. The video is divided into two parts. The first part shows the jeep fighting a fire. The second part shows the jeep from various angles. I’ve also included some images from the video below. (If the video is slow or doesn’t work, go here to download the video).


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1949 Voice of America Jeep

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

UPDATE: Terry pointed out that this same vehicle, a SPEN self-sustaining motion picture unit, appears in a Willys Industrial Equipment book brochure. Here it is below:

spen-motion-picture-unit-brochure-image

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Talk about a rare jeep. Anyone ever seen one of these (if there are any left). It’s a specially outfitted jeep for the State Department for carrying the story of America to the world. The first pics below were from a September 1949 issue of Popular Science, while the newspaper article was carried in the Sunday Star on Sunday, April 17, 1949.

From the September 1949 issue of Popular Science:
1949-09-popular-science-voice-of-america1 1949-09-popular-science-voice-of-america2

From the Sunday Star, April 17, 1949:

1949-04-17-sunday-star-voice-of-america-jeep

 
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1946 Popular Science Steering Article

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

This April of 1946 article in Popular science highlighted the steering mechanism used on the four wheel steel “Circus” jeeps.

1946-04-circus-jeep-dual-steering

 
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Custom Built Woody on Jeep Chassis

• CATEGORIES: Features, Magazine, Sedan-jeep, Wood bodies • TAGS: , This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

The February 1948 issue of Popular Science included a small blurb about this custom wood jeep out of Seattle built on a WW2 chassis.

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1944 Article on Tandem Towing in Popular Science

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

A December 1944 article in Popular Science highlights tandem towing:

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1942 Popular Mechanics “Miracle on Wheels”

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

This November 1942 article from Popular Mechanics titled “Miracle on Wheels” featured the jeep and shared some of the success stories from its use internationally. You can read the entire issue on Google or purchase a cheap copy off of eBay

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Love Tractor and Hydraulic Lift System

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

Speaking of Hydraulic Lifts, the Love Tractor Company (or perhaps more accurately Love Industries — I’m not clear on the difference) made a lift and also sold a willys-engine powered tractor.

According to the Standard Catalog of Farm Tractors 1890-1980, by C.H. Wendel, Love Tractor offered model J51 that was built around a Willys CJ-2A engine. This may have been a repurposed Empire Tractor, because at least one source suggests Love purchased eighteen Empire Tractors when Empire dissolved. Anyone know more about the ‘Willys’ Love Tractor?

love-tractor-model-j51

Standard Catalog of Farm Tractors 1890-1980, by C.H. Wendel

Love Tractor also created a hydraulic three-point lift system. At CJ3a.info is a page devoted to the lift. At the Farm Jeep site is a scan of the brochure.

love-hydraulic-lift

The February 1947 issue of Popular Science has an article on the Love Hydraulic Lift System distributed by Newgren.

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There is also an article about the Love system and Newgren in a 1949 issue of Farm implement news – Volume 70 – Page 56.

 
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Leaping Lena Article from Popular Science

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

David Silberman pointed out the ‘Leaping Lena’ article from the October 1941 issue of Popular Science (I thought I’d purchased this issue to scan, but apparently I didn’t do that). It’s an interesting review of the prototype jeeps. You also can view the entire issue on Google.

1941-10-popular-science-leaping-lena1

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The Odograph: A Robot Mapper

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

An article about the Odograph was published in the December, 1944, issue of Popular Science. At 200 pounds, the Odograph auto-created maps as soldiers navigated towards some objective. I couldn’t locate any records that indicate how many were made (anyone know), but there it appears there are nine jeeps that still have them (based on the latest info I could find). I found a few different references about it over at G503.
1. G503.com Message Forums • View topic – JEEP MOUNTED ODOGRAPH
2. G503.com Message Forums • View topic – Odograph survey
3. 1944 Willys MB Unrestored Odograph Jeep – g503 …

Here’s a photograph of a diagram from an Australia site:
http://www.aussiejeepimages.com/index.php?option=com_gallery2&Itemid=28&g2_itemId=75011

Here’s a copy of the Popular Science Magazine on eBay:
View all the information on ebay

Here’s a link to magazine on Google

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Jeep Sweep in Popular Science

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

The December 1949 issue of Popular Science highlighted this unique attachment for the jeep. You can view this article on Google books.

You can also buy the issue on eBay

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Jeep with 2000-Watt Searchlight for Border Patrol

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

The July 1956 Popular Science article doesn’t indicate which country ordered this special search light, but this mobile, self-contained spotlight put out some serious light.

You can find this issue for sale on eBay

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June 1943 Popular Science “This Jeep Can Swim” Article

• CATEGORIES: Features, GPA (SEEP), Magazine • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Popular Science published a January 1943 article with a variety of GPA / SEEP pictures, including a nice breakdown of the dashboard (handy for my description of a seep dashboard in my upcoming book).

You can also find this issue for sale on eBay

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Welders on the Battlefield from Popular Science

• CATEGORIES: Features, Industrial-Welder-Generator, Magazine • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Here’s an interesting article in the May 1945 issue of Popular Science about welding on the battlefield that includes several references to using jeeps as portable welding units. There is a copy on eBay for only $5.99. Here are a couple images from the article:

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The Last Chancer: A Jeep Train in Helena, MT

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

The Last Chancer, a wooden train built on a jeep platform, is documented at the Helena History Museum.  You can view additional pictures at the Museum page.  A Last Chance Train still exists, but has been upgraded.

In this early picture taken in 1954 you can see what appears to be a CJ-3B peering out from it’s enclosure.

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Here is the Train as of 1957.

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The Last Chancer made an appearance in the 1956 issue of Popular Science on page 104:

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Photo of Truck Powering a PTO Saw

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

The September 1947 issue of Popular Science has this cool picture of a truck powering a saw.

Popular Science – Sep 1947 – Page 111