Does anyone have information on the crate-to-jeep building races held at Royal Tournament shows during the 1950s (probably earlier as well)? The Olyslager’s The JEEP book references such shows (pg 50 & 51 — see below). I have an old jeep club friend who is trying to find out more information about these to share with a veteran’s group.

A slightly different event also occurred during this time using what were called MALT jeeps, specially built jeeps that could be driven into an arena, taken apart, the parts passed through a hole, and reassembled. I discuss the MALT jeeps a little more here.

The MALT events probably evolved into modern counterparts that have been featured in videos like one below, because the modern contests also feature specially built jeeps. 

This book was printed in 1951 in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Though the jeep itself isn’t illustrated all that accurately, a Willys pickup appears in the book that is much more accurately drawn. The wheels on the front and back of the book are riveted on so they can spin.

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Josh has this rare manual for sale on eBay.

“The book is a FORD factory training program to train U.S. Army instructors on the 1941 military vehicles particularly the Ford GP. It basically has the all the NOS GP manuals including the Maintenance Manual, Parts Price list, and Service Manual; as well as a rare tool list. It also features other ford military vehicle manuals and quite a few of unique documents that not only give insight into the day to day scheduled and objectives of the training program but also goes into some detail into standard and specialized service equipment and suppliers.”

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UPDATE:  Jay has got this book for sale. Comment below for more info.

It is Jeeper’s Jeep by Francis Baker.  Here’s the description:

“Tokyo: Toppan Co, Ltd, 1949 FIRST EDITION, FIRST PRINTING, of a charming collection of satirical genre prints à la japonaise: These are meant to represent some of “the humorous experiences of the occupation which the Jeep–certainly a symbol of the period, has enabled it [ie, the Occupation] to see.”

The author has recorded her impressions of American occupied Japan and various scenes of the occupation as she travelled the country by Jeep.

In all there are twenty-four prints accompanied by doggerel couplets on facing pages, together with two additional prints on the covers. The artist is best known as Frances Blakemore. She grew up in eastern Washington and worked mainly in Tokyo (both before and after the war), where she founded the Franell Gallery and published the standard Who’s who in modern Japanese prints (1975).

Binding: Publisher’s quarter red boards, color-pictorial sides, pictorial endpapers, all edges trimmed & plain

Condition: Spine barely chipped, inside clean, joints cracked but holding, outisde has shelf wear. AN UNUSUALLY VERY GOOD COPY of a scarce and fragile book.

Pictures include front and back of book, inside cover page, one of the full page drawings, and prologue.

Very rare I know only of one other in existence

51 pages 24 full-page color illustrations 179 x 262 mm, 10 1/4″ x 7 1/4″

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