Author Archives: deilers

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Jeepsters and the Sunkist Lady

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

UPDATE: This Jeepster photo is making the rounds on Facebook; this post provides a little more info.

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Posted December 24, 2020: This article provides more information about this stunt Jeepster and plane. It was published in the March 20, 1949, issue of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram:

1949-03-20-fort-worth-star-telegram-jeep-jockey-endurance-jeepster-plane1-lores 1949-03-20-fort-worth-star-telegram-jeep-jockey-endurance-jeepster-plane2-lores

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Originally Published Dec 8, 2012:


The Sunkist Lady was an Aeronca 15AC Sedan airplane flown by Dick Riedel and Bill Barris used to set a world-record for endurance flight.  They spent a total of 1008 hours and 2 minutes aboard the airplane, ending their flight in April of 1949. Unfortunately for them, their record was broken six months later.

What makes this relevant for jeep fans was that to keep the plan in the air, the crew used Jeepsters borrowed from local dealers to race down the airport runway so the crew could hand fuel and food to the two pilots.

Thanks to Colin for forwarding the story!

Here is a link to a story and a video about the flight (124 MB): http://www.cityoffullerton.com/depts/airport/the_sunkist_lady.asp

Here is a second article:  http://vintageairphotos.blogspot.com/2012/03/saga-of-sunkist-lady.html. The picture below is from that article.


 
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1947 CJ-2A Allegany, NY $2250

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

UPDATE: Still Available.

(05/23/2014) It’s a rough body. Looks to have a Boston Top.

https://twintiers.craigslist.org/grd/d/saint-bonaventure-1940s-willys-jeep-j2a/7704011869.html

“No Title, No Brakes, Rough shape, being sold for off road or parts use only. Has newer ‘F’ Head engine. Will plow snow, for drive way or camp, very heavy duty plow… Has unique aluminum cab with ‘suicide doors’… Asking 1800 or make offer…”

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Kam the Motoring Elephant Poster on eBay

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

UPDATE: An original post for Bertram Mills Circus featuring Kim the jeep-riding elephant is currently on eBay for $510.08.

View all the information on eBay

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“Origional Bertram Mills Circus poster illustrated with KAM the elephant driving his Jeep, a great Jeep man cave item.
51cm x 74 cm. (20″ x 30″)”

In addition, a new search brought up this old photo from 1957:

1957-Kam-elephant-riding-bertram-mills-circus-photo

And, finally, after the jeep Kam drove e a Landcruiser. Here’s a short video of Kim at work:

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Originally posted December 18, 2012: 

1957-kam-motoring-elephant-poster

Kam the elephant starred for the Bertram Mills Circus during the 1950s and into the 1960s.  Initially, Kam drove a modified MB/GPW.  It looks like it had an updated motor.  Unfortunately, the only images I have found of Kam on the jeep are from the above poster and from page 240 of “The Jeep” book (a black and white photo which I don’t show). In the photo, as in the poster, there is a hump in the hood, which I assume is the result of the engine swap.  The jeep has the usual WWII attributes: tool indents, rear floating hubs and other details. Unlike the poster, the photo shows the fenders were left stock and flat, rather than rounded as shown in the poster.

Eventually, according to the site Silodrome, the circus bought a 1959 Series 1 Land Rover and modified it with a “central steering wheel and a huge, padded seat over the rear axle”.  The picture below is also from Silodrome. Here is a very short video of him driving it.  Kam’s customized Land Rover has been found and is being rebuilt.

kam-an-elephant-from-Bertram-Mills-circus-“drives”-a-Land-Rover-November-1959

 
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Israel-Kaiser Compact Tender Literature

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

UPDATE: I found what I believe is another Israel Kaiser brochure which highlights the Compact Tender design. This truck looks more like a modified wagon than a truck. The bed does not appear independent of the cab.

1950s-israel-brochure-compact-pickup1 1950s-israel-brochure-compact-pickup2 1950s-israel-brochure-compact-pickup3

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Original Published Dec 05, 2010: Congrats to Or who spotted some information from a “Kaizer-Ilin Industrys Ltd” marketing document at the Israel Cars forum.   He and I have both searched for any official piece of evidence that the vehicles we were seeing were really produced and this represents the first step in that process.  We still don’t know how many were produced, nor how many years they were produced, nor in how many countries they were produced (though they have appeared in both Israel and the US).

The document below is from 1963.  Or translates it the following way:

1. Tender Willys
2. “Station Car”
3. Compact Tender
4. c’hamp 1963

Moreover, Or spoke with some of the folks at the Israel Cars forum and discovered that the Compact Tender is built on the Panel/Wagon frame (104.5″ wheelbase) rather than the long pickup frame (118″ wheelbase).

Thanks to the guys at the Israel Cars forum for posting this Ad:

 
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1956 Truck Newspaper Metal Print Block Stamp on eBay

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

UPDATE: At bottom is a printed version of the plate listed on eBay. A few of the pics show the truck with the high middle cross piece on the grille, which helps date it.

View all the information on eBay

1956-truck-newspaper-metal-block-print

“8 x 6 x 1 inch
“Let us demonstrate America’s lowest priced 4-wheel drive truck”
“4-Wheel Drive Jeep Truck”
“Willys…world’s largest makers of 4-wheel drive vehicles”

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Originally published April 14, 2013: The ad is from 1956.

“Original newspaper ad , 8 x 8 .”

1956-truck-maine-newspaper-ad

 
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What 1946 Willys Overland ‘Jeep’ Owners Say ….

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

UPDATE: This was first published September 13, 2014.

These testimonials are from a Willys Overland Sales book dated 1946.

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1946 Testimonial from Maine

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

UPDATE: This was originally posted May 17, 2014.

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Testimonials: Williams Brothers Engineers

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

UPDATE: This was first posted February 13, 2014.

The testimonial is good, but the picture less so.
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Testimonial: Willys of Providence

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

UPDATE: This was originally published November 03, 2013.

Here’s another testimonial, this time from Willys of Providence, Inc.

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Barrington Radio Service Testimony

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

UPDATE :This was published October 03, 2013:

This photo is neat, but I wish the paper had been a little thicker so the words didn’t show through.

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