Ed’s got this rare Salesbuilder for sale on eBay. He’s also got other Willys-Overland related items.
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March 1950 Willys Overland Sales Builder on eBay
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Jeep-Willys-News Research Archives
Salesbuilder Magazines
Willys-Overland began publishing the Salesbuilder magazines in July of 1948 with the announcement of the Jeepster. The Salesbuilder supplanted the W-O Sales News magazine. According to a small blurb on Google (I can’t read the whole reference), the Salesbuilder was part fo the effort to push the Jeepster.
I own a couple of Salesbuilder magazines, but those are the only ones I’ve seen. Below is a series of covers that I’ve been able to document so far. I’d like to find more.
As far as I know, Salesbuilder issues were published between July of 1948 and as late as August of 1951. By early 1954 (possibly January), Kaiser Willys had shuttered the magazine format for a newspaper format (see the March 1954, volume 1, issue 2 at the bottom of this post).
July 1948:
November 1950:
August 1945 Photo of First(?) CJ-2A on eBay
UPDATE III: Another version of this press photo is on eBay.
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“1945 Press Photo First Civilian Jeep Tourer Sarah Elizabeth Rodger, New York
This is an original press photo. Sarah Elizabeth Rodger makes local history as she starts tour of the city in first civilian jeep on the streets of New York. A writer, who in private life is the wife of Dr. L. Patrick Moore, has always wanted “to do a new thing first” and, this she did, by jeepers! Photo measures 9 x 7 inches. Photo is dated 09-03-1945.”
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(05/20/2016) UPDATE II: Another version of this press photo is available on eBay.
“1945 Press Photo New York Sara Roger drives civilian jeep NYC -”
Fall/Winter 1975 Jeep News Photos
UPDATE: I believe Frank is correct. This is Fall/Winter 1975.
These photos were published in an issue of Jeep News. Click on the image to make it much bigger.
1954ish Photo of the Willys Overland Factory
This photo shows CJ-3Bs and M-38A1s on the same assembly line. I would guess this was taken around the summer of 1954.
Eye-Catching Ice Cream and Diaper Service Jeeps
January 19, 2018 • CATEGORIES: Advertising & Brochures, Features • TAGS: Ice-cream, Jeep-Willys-News.
UPDATE: This was previously published in July of 2014.
This great article from the July 1947 issue of W-O Sales News highlights the use of jeeps as ice-cream distributors and as a diaper service. Companies highlighted include Better Brands Ice Cream Novelties, Swell Time Ice Cream Corporation, and Wee Folk Laundry.
1954 Snow Plow Article From Kaiser Willys News
If you look at the photo of the first jeep, it reads “JEEP” on the windshield, suggesting this might have been a CJ-2 or earlier vehicle.
1955 Jeeps ‘Stealing’ Auto Show
According to the February 1955 Kaiser Willys News, Willys Motors was ‘stealing’ auto shows across the country. Shouldn’t someone have been arrested for theft? And, where does someone hide an autoshow??
Photos From Spec Equip Training in San Antonio
These photos from a Special Equipment training event in San Antonio, Texas, were published in the February 1955 issue of Kaiser Willys News. While the Commando Fire Truck was included in the photo spread, I’m betting that the photo was not taken in San Antonio.
The World’s Most Useful Vehicles
Just a few updates today. Regular updates resume Sunday morning.
This page was published in the January 1955 issue of Kaiser Willys Dealer News.
Turkey Day is Coming …
This seemed appropriate in anticipation of Thanksgiving. It was published in the October 1954 issue of Willys News.
Forty Acre Jeep Snow Plow Test
November 4, 2017 • CATEGORIES: Advertising & Brochures, Features, Old Images, Old News Articles • TAGS: Jeep-Willys-News.
This article appeared in the February 1955 issue of Kaiser Willys News.
January 1955 Jeep Sales Optimism
October 29, 2017 • CATEGORIES: Advertising & Brochures, Features, Old Images • TAGS: Jeep-Willys-News.
This article highlights how optimistic Willys was going into 1955.
Trencher’s First Appearance?
This photo from the October 1954 issue of Kaiser Willys News got me thinking. Anyone know when the first jeep trenchers were manufactured?
Photo of VP Hickman Price Descending Hill in a CJ-5
Ann says they tilted the camera for this shot. I can’t tell for sure. This photo was featured in the March 1955 issue of the Willys News and shows Vice President Hickman Price descending a steep gradel in a CJ-5.
Chuck Yeager Buys a Wagon
This October 1954 photo and caption from Kaiser Willys News highlights Chuck Yeager’s recent purchase of a Willys Wagon (or maybe he was given it).
October 1954 Optimism at Willys Motors
October 19, 2017 • CATEGORIES: Advertising & Brochures, Features, Old Images, Old News Articles • TAGS: Jeep-Willys-News.
This October 1954 photo and caption from Kaiser Willys News underscores how confident Willys Motors was about the coming year and their new CJ-5 model. About this time there was an explosion of new brochures and mailers, so Willys Motors did what it could to generate excitement about the commercial and utility market.
Mail Carrier Put 138,000 Miles on Wagon
The February 1955 issue of Kaiser Willys News showcased a mail carrier who put 138,000 miles on a wagon in the Idaho/Yellowstone area.
Kaiser Willys News Vs. Willys News
Not too long after Kaiser acquired Willys-Overland the company introduced a dealer news periodical. What I learned recently is that initially the periodical was called Kaiser Willys News. It wasn’t until March of 1955 that the Kaiser name was dropped and it was renamed Willys News. Apparently, it was felt that the jeep dealers needed different information and support from that of the auto dealers? I don’t know for sure, but it makes sense.
Here are examples of each periodical.
1955 Trip from Fairbanks to Argentina
(Today’s only post)
Last night I scanned an article from the February 1955 issue of Kaiser Willys News and prepared it for this morning. But then I made the mistake of doing a google search on Pedro Rocasalvo, the twenty-six-year-old from Argentina mentioned in the article. Down the rabbit hole I went ….
It turns out that the article below barely skimmed the surface of the adventure. First of all, Pedro Rocasalvo was not traveling solo. He was traveling with his brother, Carlos. They started around 1946 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on bikes. It took them 27 months to reach Los Angeles (and here). From there, they continued to Fairbanks on their bikes, making it in July of 1948.
As best as I understand, they were given a hero’s welcome and a jeep by the mayor of Fairbanks. Once they began their trip south, they picked up a dancer, Celita Dextre, who spoke Spanish and English. By September 1948, they’d reached Bismarck, North Dakota.
Along their journey, the three took color film and several hundred slides. Pedro was supposed to be working on a book, too, but I can’t find any evidence it was published (most likely was published in Argentina).
Maybe Hugo Vidal can help out with this research …. there will be updates to this story!
April 1955 Issue of Willys News on eBay
UPDATE: The starting price on this is $8.95. That’s a good price! This issue includes an article on the jeepcade with 284 entries.
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1947 CJ-2A Fredonia, PA $1800
UPDATE: Barry worked the phone on this. See his comments below.
Is this the gravity dump bed highlighted in a 1955 Willys News article? It’s not an exact copy, but it’s similar. Both tilt to about 45 degrees. Here’s the article.
Read the rest of the article here.
“Dumpbed Willys , snow plow lift , hydraulic pump and valve , pretty much all there , just rusty, does not run . Also has a clear PA title .”
https://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/cto/d/1947-willys-cj2a/6315198226.html
August 1961 Issue of the Jeep Merchandiser on eBay
This looks to be a four-page news piece directed at salespeople.
“original non color folder , 8.5 x 11 folded , 17 x 11 unfolded , this is volume 1 #3 of “Jeep Merchandiser” . Published by the merchandising and advertising department for Jeep salesman”
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May 1961 Jeep Merchandiser Package on eBay
This package introduces the Merchandiser to the Jeep sales staff. I can’t tell how many pages it is.
“Original dealer’s part color folder , 8.5 x 11 folded , 17 x 11 unfolded , this is volume 1 #1 of “Jeep Merchandiser”. Published by the merchandising and advertising department for Jeep salesman , also included are two advertising bulletins introducing the Jeep Merchandiser , all items are in the original cardboard binder , 9 x 11.5.”
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Jeeps From Venezuela
These photos were published in the February 1956 issue of Globetrotter Magazine.
