Parkette Research Archives

To Top

Fiberglass Parkette Drag Body(?) Loganville, GA $1000

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

This body appears to be a Parkette style body (with the site swooshes) with a Bobcat type hood, but assembled together as a single drag-like body.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/731669115572780

“X dirt dragster. Has no suspension. Has no transmission….Ford I beam front end. Ford 9 rear end. Ford steering wheel and collom and Gear box ford….Chevy small block 305 ci engine and headers and solid motor mounts……rusted locked up drum brakes on all 4 corners. This is an unfinished project….read this. the carburetor and distributor is not included …..I can part out…..located in Loganville GA”

fiberglass-parkette-jeep-body-loganville-ga6 fiberglass-parkette-jeep-body-loganville-ga7 fiberglass-parkette-jeep-body-loganville-ga8 fiberglass-parkette-jeep-body-loganville-ga9

 
To Top

Year? CJ-3B? w/ Unusual Parkette Body Blue Ridge, GA $2500

• CATEGORIES: CJ-2A, CJ-3B • TAGS: , This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: Still Available.

(06/22/2021) Given the front clip, this might be a 3B chassis, though the Parkette body is a low-hood version.

The seller is correct about Paul Parker and the body. But, I believe this is the first version of this particular style that I’ve seen. It lacks the side stripe, has fender extensions, has a little different PARKETTE design on the back, has an extra wide lip around the rear, and looks like it has a side step. Very interesting.

https://nwga.craigslist.org/pts/d/cherry-log-willys-jeep-with-parkette/7574690350.html

year-cj2a-parkette-body-ga1year-cj2a-parkette-body-ga2year-cj2a-parkette-body-ga3year-cj2a-parkette-body-ga4
“Rare, rare, rare. 48/49 Willys Jeep with Parkette fiberglass body. Believed only a handful made while Paul Parker was back in Georgia. This one is a bit odd as it doesn’t have the “line” above the fender but it does have flared fenders; the Willys nose panel is original equipment. Not sure it’s on the right size frame at the moment but we do have an original Willys bare chassis on the property we can work into the deal.

Engine/trans present. Very cool project. Needs finishing. No title. Bill of sale only. If the ad is up, the Willys is available.”

 
To Top

1949 CJ-3A Council, ID $12,000

• CATEGORIES: CJ-3A • TAGS: , This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Lots of updates to this jeep, including a Parkette fiberglass body and Bobcat fiberglass hood.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/5648060188565361

“Fresh 4.3 Vortec V6 Plus more”

1949-cj3a-parkette-council-id6 1949-cj3a-parkette-council-id7 1949-cj3a-parkette-council-id8 1949-cj3a-parkette-council-id9

 
To Top

Closer Look at “Little Miss Sunshine”

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

Ann has dubbed the yellow racer “Little Miss Sunshine”, due to the yellow color. I don’t know if that’s the end-all name, but it’s a fine name for now.

Yesterday, I decided to remove the body so I could get a better look at the condition of the cage and the suspension.

Let’s take a look first at the rear suspension. The suspension in the rear consists of 2.5″ ranch springs that have been outboarded, to which a sway bar and arms have been added. In the pic below you can see the sway bar behind the axle and the arms in front, connected under the frame. The springs are outboarded six inches. For example, the spring holder in the back consists of a 2×4 rectangular tube, positioned horizontally (under which the spring holder is welded), was welded to a 2×3 tube positioned vertically, which was welded to a 1/4″ plate that was then welded to the frame.

The front of this rear setup is similar, only for additional strength, a 2.5″ tube was welded to the spring holder and frame, which is then welded to the side bar that sits outside and under the body.

2022-05-31-parkette-body-disassembled-suspension2

2022-05-31-parkette-body-disassembled-suspension5 2022-05-31-parkette-body-disassembled-suspension4 2022-05-31-parkette-body-disassembled-suspension3

Continue reading

 
To Top

The Minnesota Trip

• CATEGORIES: Features • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.
2022-05-17-race-jeep-mn3-lores

Dave and I with the racer loaded on the trailer.

What a couple of weeks!

One of our goals before leaving was to put in Ann’s garden. So, prior to leaving for MN, we expanded the fencing (primarily to keep the dogs in and so they can chase out any critters), laid the dirt for corn and squash, laid gravel over the rest of the dirt, and put in elevated planters so that Ann does’t have to bend down. We’d hoped to move the propane tank, but that will have to wait now until Fall. It’s all temporary so we can see how we like the location.

2022-05-20-garden-before-after

Last Friday mom’s place went up for sale. On Wednesday, (as Ann and I were racing back from Minnesota) the home went under contract. It came down to a developer who wanted to develop the land (all cash deal) or a couple with a daughter who wanted to live in the house and offered to take mom’s cats. It was an easy call, as mom would have wanted the cats cared for, so we agreed to the deal with the couple. So, a huge step forward in finalizing the estate.

And now for the road trip to MN, here’s what happened.

Our drive to Minnesota was uneventful. We drove 1000 miles the first day under perfect skies, with no storms. Because I was a little paranoid about blowing a trailer tire, we kept the speed art around 70mph for most of the trip. The next day we drove an additional 500 miles in similar beautiful weather, landing in Little Falls, Minnesota, for the evening.

The next morning we stopped by Thielen Meats in Pierz, as recommenced by Dave F. It was a great recommendation (voted the #1 meat market in Minnesota and celebrating its 100th anniversary this year). We bought some beef sausages, smoked mozzarella, a whole smoked white fish (yum), and some smoked pork ribs. Everything was great (we should have bought more).

theilen-meats

Photo Credit: Thielen Meats

A short time later, we arrived at Dave’s place. Dave and I have been communicating about this racer for several years, but for all the reasons you already know, it wasn’t until this spring that it was practical for us to go fetch the jeep.

1954-flattie-parkette-crash0

Some of the worst damage:

2022-05-17-race-jeep-parkette-mn1

Continue reading

 
To Top

Made it Home

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

UPDATE: We began Wednesday in Dickinson, ND. We stopped in Montana to visit Dan and April’s new bison ranch, then planned to stop in Missoula for the night. However, our concern over degrading weather on Thursday between Spokane and Missoula convinced us to push through to home. We arrived at 3am, Thurs morning, pretty bushed! I will give a full trip update once I recover from our drive.

We had a good time talking with Dave in Minnesota when we picked up the race jeep. He showed us around his collection of jeeps, which was a surprise! We leave from Dickinson, ND, this morning and have about a day and half left of driving, so more to come, including our story of the TICK invasion!

2022-05-17-race-jeep-mn1 2022-05-17-race-jeep-mn2

 
To Top

Trip to MN Begins Sunday Morning

• CATEGORIES: Features • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.
2022-05-15-20-trip-to-mn-parkette-body

Map of our drive west this week. We plan to return that same route, unless a weather change directs us differently.

Early Sunday morning we head for Minnesota on our quest to retrieve the Parkette bodied racer from Dave. If all goes as planned, we’ll be in Mora on Tuesday late morning.

1954-flattie-parkette-crash0

Unfortunately, it is pouring rain this morning here in Prosser, so trip-prep on the trailer will have to wait until the expected sunnier weather this afternoon.

Given we’ll be pulling our trailer there and back, we won’t be doing much sight-seeing. We do plan on meeting with a reader in Montana on our return trip. It turns out that one conversation between him and I radically changed his family’s life and I couldn’t be more happy for them. More on that later.

 

 

 
To Top

A Quick Road Trip to MN

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

In about a week and a half I will be making a quick trip to Minnesota (about an hour north of Minneapolis) to finally pick up a wrecked former racing jeep with a fiberglass Parkette body. David Franz has been great about storing this while I found a time to snag it.

The timing of this hasn’t been finalized, because mom’s title issues have been solved to the satisfaction of a title insurance company, so we’ll be listed her place this coming Wednesday, which means renting a U-haul to complete one last cleanup, but that will only take one day.

So, if you need something moved between Washington and Minnesota, I may be able to trailer it on my way to or from Minnesota.

Steve Carter mentioned that, coincidently, this race rig is a sister rig of sorts to my racing jeep. Mine sounds great and feels read to race, but it is just too tight of squeeze in the driver and passenger seat. Rather than rework the space, body, and cage with my race jeep, my plan is to drop the cage and body below onto my racer, which will give me more room (the body and cage are both wider). This also has a better clutch/brake setup than mine.

1954-flattie-parkette-crash0 1954-flattie-parkette-crash3 1954-flattie-parkette-crash1

1954-flattie-parkette-crash2

 
To Top

1947 CJ-2A Sylva, NC **SOLD**

• CATEGORIES: CJ-2A • TAGS: , , This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: **SOLD** Was $7000.

Rare Parkette Bodied east coast jeep with, possibly, a rare bobcat tear drop hood. It’s a bit expensive for a project.

“Needs steering linkage and carb clean has small block 350 munchie 4 speed front and rear lockers built for mud racing been sitting awhile the body is fiberglass very light needs a good bath other than that it would make a great toy or weekend cruiser clean title pm if have any other questions 7000 obo ”

1947-cj2a-sylva-nc1 1947-cj2a-sylva-nc2 1947-cj2a-sylva-nc3 1947-cj2a-sylva-nc4 1947-cj2a-sylva-nc5

 
To Top

1973 Bobcat Introduces New Products

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

UPDATE: Richard Darr from Washougal Classic Jeeps owns a Bobcat body that still had a pair of the fiberglass gas tanks. Here are two pics of each tank. He told me they fit really well inside the bobcat body. He’s working on reproducing the tanks in aluminum for himself.

Here are the pics of the passenger side tank. Above you can see a Bobcat body.

fiberglass-bobcat-tank-darr-1

This is the top of the passenger tank.

fiberglass-bobcat-tank-darr-2

This is the bottom of the passenger tank.

Here is the driver’s side tank:

fiberglass-bobcat-tank-darr-3

This is the top of the driver’s tank.

fiberglass-bobcat-tank-darr-4

This is the bottom of the driver’s tank.

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

Published March 17, 2021: For a great price, I bought some 1973 issues of Four Wheeler off of eBay. In turns out that the July 1973 issue of Four Wheeler Magazine had a special section devoted to new fiberglass products. Even better, Fred Weis’ Bobcat business introduced three new products in that issue, answering a couple questions that I had.

Before I begin, there are several posts about Bobcat bodies and the related Parkette bodies. At some point I will combine them into a longer narrative, but, for now, here’s a quick timeline:

1969 – The First Bobcat body: Fred Weis built his first body, an approximately 150lb body using plywood for strength, per this February 1970 article in Four Wheeler Magazine.
1970 – Lighter Race Body: Fred builds a lighter body design more for racing, dropping the body weight to around 100lbs. One these first bodies was used successfully by Roy Williams during the 1970s for racing. (This weight info comes from a September 1973 ad shown below):

Scannable Document
1971- Announces the CJ-3B Body:  An Advertisement in the PNW4WDA’s Region 1 contact booklet included an ad from Fred indicating he was making CJ-3A AND CJ-3B bodies.

It might seem strange to see the “Not a copy!” phrase at the top of the ad, followed by “The Original Fiberglass Replacement Body” within the ad. I believe this reflects Fred’s frustration at Paul Parker rebranding the Bobcat body with side stripes and calling it a Parkette body. Assuming that explains the inclusion of the phrases, this puts the introduction of the Parkette body around 1970. The 1970 timeline also fits the purchase of a Parkette by Jim Carter, which must have happened around 1971 or 1972.

Now for our current post. In 1973, Fred introduced perhaps the most iconic item he ever produced, the Bobcat hood. I don’t know how or why he designed it the way he did, but it became a signature piece. Below is the July 1973 listing in Four Wheeler Magazine.

First, you can see that Fred was experimenting with a new type of body style. It appears he increased the size of the lip around the edge of the body’s rear, perhaps to strengthen it so he could lay thinner glass. It’s likely that this was the style of Bobcat body I bought back in 2008:
Scannable Document

The fiberglass gas tanks were a surprise to see. I’ve never run across these. They likely failed to hold gasoline safely. It would take a special resin compound to be effective over the long term, at least that’s according to this motorcycle thread.

Finally, we have the brand new fiberglass Bobcat hood. Whether this came before or after the Bobcat teardrop hood isn’t clear, but it would seem to me that the teardrop is so much less sophisticated of a design that I could imagine he made some of those first before creating the classic Bobcat hood. Here’s a great example of the hood: (see more examples of the low hood and high hood versions of this iconic hood)

Bobcat-hood-fiberglass-maplevalley-wa

Also included in the July 1973 fiberglass section was this ad. It seems Willamette Wheel was offering the Bobcat body for sale, without labeling it as such in the ad. However, a close look at the tailgate clearly shows it is a Bobcat tailgate.

Scannable Document

It’s not clear how many other parties were working with Fred, but at least one, Don Prine, managed to get his business card inserted into a CJ-3B version of the classic hood:

bobcat-cjb-hood0

As I collect more 1970 Four Wheeler magazines I hope to learn more about the Bobcat and Parkette timelines, though I’ve yet to find anything printed about the Parkette body (no ads or articles yet).

 
To Top

Brazilian Rural Wagon Video

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

This Brazilian tutorial about the Willys Rural Wagon and Truck was spotted by Carl. Portuguese speakers might find it interesting.

I hadn’t noticed it before, but some of the Rural wagons and Jeepsters have a “Parkette”-looking fiberglass stripe along the sides. Maybe that’s where Paul Parker got the idea?

parkett-rural-side-stripes

 
To Top

Parkette Racing Body/Chassis Maryville, TN

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

Tim posted this chassis with a Parkette racing body on it. Price Unknown. Has anyone run across a Parkette racing shell like this in the PNW (with the solid back on top and a dash that rolls down, then curves with the sides? I bet this one came out of Georgia when Paul Parker moved back there, but that’s just a guess.

“On hwy 411 just south of Maryville Tn.. appears to be one piece fiberglass.”

parkette-bodied-race-body1 parkette-bodied-race-body2 parkette-bodied-race-body3

 
To Top

Fred Weis and the Bobcat History

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

Yesterday morning, SteveK asked to know more about the Bobcat products. Were they race products or something else? The terminology is so second hand, that I thought everyone knew it by now. I decided to send him a link to an article I thought I had published about Fred Weis and the Bobcat body from the February 1970 issue of Four Wheeler Magazine. It turns out I never published that article!

So, I’d like to publish (perhaps I am republishing it) to better explain the Bobcat body and products. At the post’s bottom I’ve included a number of additional examples and information about the Bobcat. Then, on the next post, I discuss the Bobcat & Parkette fiberglass body histories.

1970-02-fourwheeler-fred-weis-bobcat4-lores

Note the Cascade 4×4 club sticker on the hood.

1970-02-fourwheeler-fred-weis-bobcat-text

1970-02-fourwheeler-fred-weis-bobcat-lores

Continue reading

 
To Top

The Parkette and The Bobcat Body

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

Paul Parker, maker of the Parkette bodies, racing up a hill climb in Calgary in the summer of 1970. Photo courtesy of Ed Bray.

This is a companion article for the Fred Weis and Bobcat Body post. Much of this history is built from conversations, emails and comments on eWillys. I welcome corrections and additions.

In the late 1960s Fred Weis, who I understand ran a fiberglass products company, experimented with a fiberglass jeep design until he found one he liked. At the time he had been jeeping and jeep racing for a decade as part of the Cascade 4×4 Jeep Club. His first complete body was completed in 1969. By 1970, he was ready to produce them for resale. Fred’s bodies were built to be rugged, using fiberglass and wood.

The body was not intended to be an exact replica of the original body; instead, it met the needs outlined by Fred, who styled them (i would guess) to make them a little cooler. For example, the side steps reached the length of the body bend. The rim around the body edge was wider. The dash came with no holes. At some point, the body could be purchased with or without a tailgate and with or without a floor.

Fred also came up with two custom fiberglass raised hoods that provided more room in the engine compartment. One was a teardrop design (few were made) and the other was highly recognizable.

Long time jeeper Paul Parker decided to get into the fiberglass body business about the same time as Fred, so according to Ed Bray, Paul joked about buying Fred’s bodies, adding a side stripe, and calling them Parkettes. Another source told me that Paul did indeed do this, which led to a falling out to some degree between Fred and Paul.

Paul, who had been in the jeep parts business with his brother in Georgia before moving to the Tacoma area, began to build his own Parkette fiberglass tubs out of molds he built. They were very similar to Fred’s body. The biggest difference was that Paul’s jeep included a side stripe, similar to a hockey stick, that was designed to make the body side more rigid and set it apart from Fred’s body. Besides the side stripe, the body of the Parkette was better designed to fit the curve of the CJ-3A windshield. Fred’s body did not support the windshield well at all (I know this from personal experience with my Bobcat body).

You can see the Parkette stripe “hockey stick” on the side of the body. This was likely just a racing shell, given the lack of a tailgate. 

A family friend ran into the windshield issue as well.  Jim Carter bought a Bobcat body in the early 70s. The body arrived rough. The Carter’s sanded and primered the body, but when it came time to mount the windshield, Jim discovered it didn’t fit. He was angry. Many phone calls ensued. Next, Jim turned to Paul Parker, eventually buying a Parkette body. Jim, Pattie, and their two boys raced, trailed and streeted the jeep for years.

otis_3

Early 70s photo of the Carter family’s “Otis” not long after the new Parkette body was installed.

At some point, Fred passed the business and molds on to someone else. The Bobcat molds were divided into at least two groups. I have some of the molds. I hope some day to make my own Parkette body.

fiberglass-molds2

A Parkette racing shell mold sits in the middle. A CJ-3B shell is at the far side. A floor is shown in the foreground (I believe that’s a 3B floor).

Continue reading

 
To Top

Saturday @ The Races

• CATEGORIES: Event, Features, Racing • TAGS: , This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.
2016-09-03-overbored-jeff-miller-racer1

Jeff Miller’s newly built race jeep.

Saturday morning in Ethel started with a driver’s meeting at 8:30am. This has been standard practice for decades, the intent being to let driver’s know of any changes to the schedule, heats, classes, and courses. Some folks always have a skip in their step, others, like me, not born as morning folks, view it as the crack of dawn. Eventually my caffeine kicked in and things began to make sense.

After the driver’s meeting is a parade of jeeps, something that I never remember doing. Most of the racers line up and slowly drive the obstacle course. Not only do you get to see the course first hand, but it seems like a great group activity.

2016-09-03-overbored-race-1

The line was pretty long. If you look near the top of the photo you can see the beginning of the parade of jeeps.

2016-09-03-overbored-race-2

The jeeps returning from their loop on the track.

Here’s a short video:

Once the parade was finished it was time to race. About that time, the drizzle began to fall, adding some extra water to the already muddy track. The kids lined up to race first. During that time Jeff Miller introduced himself to me. We’d exchanged emails not long after I started eWillys. At that time he shared his Jewel’s Stainless Jeep with readers. Jeff has been a regular reader of eWillys since.

For much of the 1990s Jeff raced a jeep, but then he put racing on hold. It wasn’t until this year that he finally assembled another racing so he could reenter the sport. Like me, he’s fond of the Bobcat and Parkette bodies, so it’s no surprise that his race uses a Parkette shell. The jeep is a little more old school, powered by a 331 Stroker connected to a Ford Toploader and Dana 20. Not much is jeep other than that Dana 20. The hood is a piece of aluminum that a shop rolled for him so the angles from the grille to the body would look correct. It’s a nifty, clean piece. Holding the hood to the fenders are some original, stamped, Jewels stainless latches. As you can imagine, my shirt was wet from my drool. It’s a beautiful rig and it’s obvious he’s proud of it.

2016-09-03-overbored-jeff-miller-racer5
Continue reading

 
To Top

Parkette Body, Rollcage, More Maple Valley, WA **Status Unknown**

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

UPDATE: **Status Unknown** Was $1900

(09/11/2013) The body/cage/windshield was previously listed for sale here.

“New fiberglass tubb, cj2a boxed frame with title. Custom roll age with seat mounts and rear tire mount. Custom exo rear bumper, rock sliders, and hand fabricated front fender frames. Original windshield frame and grill.”

parkette-fiberglass-body-rollcage-issaquah1 parkette-fiberglass-body-rollcage-issaquah2 parkette-fiberglass-body-rollcage-issaquah3

 
To Top

1948 CJ-2A Pingree, ID $5000

• CATEGORIES: CJ-2A • TAGS: , This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: Price dropped to $5000.

(05/22/2015) This jeep has a Parkette Body and Bobcat hood.

“This is a running gear from a 1948 CJ2A. The body is completely fiberglass; with a Chevy stock 350cid. Brand new tires, rims, and paint job. Been in storage for 5 years. It’s a awesome old jeep and very light for the sand! It come this the tires next to it.”

http://boise.craigslist.org/cto/5118997531.html

1948-cj2a-pinagree-id1 1948-cj2a-pinagree-id2 1948-cj2a-pinagree-id3 1948-cj2a-pinagree-id4

 

 
To Top

Molds, Jeeps, Jeepers, and More Jeeps!

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

Sunday was a fun, but long day!

rob-racejeep0

Al and Rob checking out the Stafford family race jeep.

For me it started with a four hour drive from Pasco to Spanaway, where I met up with Rob Stafford and Al Schaper. Al and I planned to look over some fiberglass body molds that Rob had been storing for years. The molds were used to create fiberglass flat fender and CJ-5 body and front clip parts.

Of particular interest to me were the body molds. One of the body molds was used to create a Parkette racing body shell. The second body mold was used to create a Bobcat racing shell or in conjunction with a floor mold to create a complete body. While I have owned an Acme (I think) light racing fiberglass body and a Bobcat body (Biscuit’s body), I’ve always wanted a Parkette body. So, I was checking out that mold particularly closely.

fiberglass-molds2

CJ-3B floor mold on the left, Parkette racing shell body in the middle, CJ-3B body mold on the right.

fiberglass-molds4

Grille and fender molds. There are also some CJ-5 fender molds. Missing is a Bobcat and/or Parkette tailgate mold.

fiberglass-molds5

From front to back, CJ-3B mold, low hood Bobcat mold, low hood standard mold, CJ-5 mold.

Continue reading

 
To Top

Just a Few Updates For Monday

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

I had a long, but tun and productive Sunday! I’ll file a report on Tuesday morning. In the meantime, some of you might be interested in these fiberglass jeep body molds I’ve co-acquired (3B / 3A bodies, fenders, hoods grilles).  More on all that tomorrow.

fiberglass-molds

 
To Top

Jewels Roll Cage Kenmore, WA **SOLD**

• CATEGORIES: Parts, stainless/jewels • TAGS: , This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: **SOLD**

Steve’s selling his Parkette racing body and jewels roll bar. The Parkette body is rare, but the jewels stainless steel roll bar might be rarer.

1) **SOLD** Was $750 Vintage 1950 Jeep CJ 3A Best Jewels Stainless Steel roll cage. One of a kind, you’ll not find another one like this.

jewels-stainless-rollbar1 jewels-stainless-rollbar2

2) Was $600. **SOLD** Parkette Racing Body – In good shape. Bobcat Hood, Fenders & Uncut Grille. Great for racer, rat rad, crawler.

parkette-fiberglass-racing-shell1 parkette-fiberglass-racing-shell2

 
To Top

Parkette Flattie Wrecked Hugo, MN **SOLD**

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

UPDATE: **SOLD** 

This former PNW jeep was still in good shape last March. Unfortunately, someone crashed this into a tree.  Looks like there’s value in tires, rims and the Parkette body.

“Parting or Repair 1954 Willys jeep that had a 450hp small block Chev till it hit a tree. I bought it this way to make into a 2wd street rod but have 2 many projects now and want to sell it whole or part it out. what you see is what you get. have small block headers that go with it if it sells whole.”

1954-flattie-parkette-crash0 1954-flattie-parkette-crash1 1954-flattie-parkette-crash2 1954-flattie-parkette-crash3 1954-flattie-parkette-crash4

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

What it looked like prior to being wrecked.

Continue reading

 
To Top

1949 CJ-3A Parkette Lewiston, ID **Status Unknown**

• CATEGORIES: CJ-3A • TAGS: , , This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: **Status Unknown** Was $8500.

This CJ-3A has a stretched Parkette fiberglass body and a bobcat fiberglass hood.

“1949 Fiberglass flat fender Willy’s Jeep
Stretched 8″ for leg room
Bikini Top & Half Doors
4.3 Vortec with a 4L60E computerized
Automatic transmission
Spicer 20 with twin stick, Novak adapter
Dana 44’s with detroit lockers front and rear
5 new toyo 37×14.5×15 Siped Tires
Aluminum Radiator
Onboard Air
Power steering, power disc brakes
Full cage
High Life jack, CB, and Seat Heaters included”

1949-parkette-cj3a-lewiston-id1 1949-parkette-cj3a-lewiston-id2 1949-parkette-cj3a-lewiston-id3 1949-parkette-cj3a-lewiston-id4

 
To Top

1948 CJ-3B Body Ashland, OR **SOLD**

• CATEGORIES: CJ-2A, CJ-3B • TAGS: , , This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: Was $400. Status Unknown. Pics now available of the very rare Parkette 3B shell and a Bobcat 3B hood. 

(10/16/2013) I tried to get some pics of the 3B body, but didn’t have any luck. That sounds like the most interesting part.

“Rolling frame, running gear and roll cage included. No motor or transmission. Comes with Willies high hood full fiber glass wraparound body. $400”

1948-cj2a-chassis-cj3b-body-ashland-or

parkette-3b-shell-ashland2 parkette-3b-shell-ashland3 parkette-3b-shell-ashland4

 
To Top

1957 Flattie Akron, OH $1000

• CATEGORIES: CJ-3A • TAGS: , , This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: Price dropped to $1000.

(04/09/2013) There can’t be too many Parkette bodied jeeps with a Bobcat hood in Ohio. The cage appears to go down to the frame. It looks identical to the roll cage in the first picture in this post.

“FOUND THIS IN A BARN IN THE HILLS OF SOUTHERN OHIO .IT’S FRESH OFF THE FARM. RUNS, SMALL BLOCK 8 CYLINDER FORD 266 ENGINE, EXHAUST HAS BEEN
REMOVED AND A NEW SET OF SUMMIT RACING HEADERS INSTALLED
BODY IS NOT RUSTY BECAUSE IT IS FIBERGLASS. MISSING DRIVERS SIDE FENDER
(SEE PICS)HAS ONLY BEEN STARTED AND RUN ON EXTERNAL GAS TANK SO
AS TO NOT FOUL UP THE ENGINE. HAS AN ASSORTMENT OF WHEELS FOUR ON IT
AND THREE ADDITIONAL WHEEL AND TIRES ARE ORIGINAL.
GOOD GLASS WINDSHIELD HAS BEEN REMOVED BUT IT GOES WITH IT. VALID OHIO TITLE IN HAND. SERIAL BEGINS WITH 453 ENDS IN 019…best guess is CJ3b . no instruments on dash, title does read 161,032.. not bad for 56 years old.needs steering gear fixed to drive has power steering.
email or text Roger three three zero 9 zero three 44-seventy four…
BRING YOUR FLAT BED AND OWN IT TODAY…. First $1000 takes it .I have had it listed for $1950 but found one to restore to military spec so this one has to go… call, text or email only if your ready to buy.. I’ve heard from enough tire kickers with no cash. You can be mudding next weekend”

http://akroncanton.craigslist.org/cto/3730593442.html

1957-flattie-parkette-akron-oh2 1957-flattie-parkette-akron-oh3 1957-flattie-parkette-akron-oh4

1957-flattie-parkette-akron-oh1

1957-flattie-parkette-akron-oh5

 
To Top

Vintage Racing Photos

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

Ed Bray and his parents raced jeeps for years throughout the West. They built two Fiberglass Bobcat bodied race jeeps. In fact the family was friends with both Paul Parker (Parkette Fiberglass Body manufacturer) and Fred Weis (Bobcat Fiberglass body Manufacturer).

Their first jeep with a bobcat body was built on a military frame and powered by a 327 with 365 HP.  Below is Ed’s mother at the start of a race in Calgary where she won an obstacle race. A year ago Ed spotted this jeep, still powered by the same motor (he recognized the sound), driving in Spanaway, Washington.

My beautiful pictureThe next jeep the family built in 1976 started with a factory ordered CJ-7 frame. They stretched a Bobcat body 13″ and installed a Chevy 350/350 LT1 motor set back 8″ with a B&M Turbo 400 w/reverse manual shifter. They added a Wagoner 44 in the rear and a Scout 44 in the front. They raced the jeep in SCORE events, ran the Mint 400 four times, and tried the BAJA 500 in 1980, but DNF’d.  The first picture below is from Riverside and the second from the Mint 400.

riversite-flattie-ed-bray mint-400-flattie-ed-brayEd’s father Don died in 2001. Ed has been refurbishing the family CJ-3A that started it all.

gray-blue-cj3a-ed