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Metamet: British Jeep Rebuilders

• CATEGORIES: Advertising & Brochures, Features, GPW (Ford MB), International, MB, Sedan-jeep, Wood bodies • TAGS: , This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE II: There’s another 1954 Metamet 12-page brochure for sale on eBay (see bottom of post for pics)

View all the information on eBay

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UPDATE Posted July 04, 2019: This post has been updated to reflect some more information and images. It was originally posted in March of 2013.

metamet-logo

Metamet was a British company that refurbished WWII jeeps and civilian jeeps, creating a slew of different models. According to the G503 Forum, “Metamet was run by an expat Pole, and latterly his son. It was a wonderful Aladdin’s caves of wartime Jeeps and Jeep bits and pieces located in a series of old mews stables in Daleham Mews. These places were commonly garage workshops in post-horse London, but nowdays are worth untold fortunes as residences.”

At one point in the early 1950s there were twelve different models of jeeps offered by Metamet, only one of which was the standard production model jeep. The rest were all customizations of one type or another. Seven models were 80″ wheel base, while the other five had 100″ wheel bases.  The models include, the Standard, De-luxe, Farmer, Five-in-one, Saloon, Shooting Brake, 10 CWT Truck, Metaplan, Station Wagon, 15 CWT Van, 20 CWT Lorry, and a 2 Ton Loadmaster.

metamet-jeep-models

Metamet’s early 1950s models. There were seven 80″ wheel base jeeps and five 100″ wheel base jeeps.

metamet-priced-catalogue-willys-jeep_

Here’s an example of Metamet’s advertising.

A 1952 Ad posted to Flicker by Johnathan confirms there were twelve models also:

1952-metamet-advertisement

Finally, here’s a 1954 12 page brochure that provides examples of different models that used to be linked to on the jeep farm website:

1954-metamet-brochure1

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1963? LBJ Tux Park IV Everett, PA **SOLD**

• CATEGORIES: CJ5, Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: Joe spotted this Flickr photo from 1965 that may just show this jeep when brand new.

“January 1965 Kaiser Jeep Corporation press photo of new CJ5s being delivered to Washington, D.C. for the U.S. Presidential Inauguration of Lyndon Johnson on January 20, 1965. Each float in the parade would be towed by a new 1965 CJ5.”

I hoped to find the above photo in a newspaper, but didn’t have any luck. I did find this short article from the January 30th, 1965, issue of the San Angelo Standard-Times:

1965-01-30-san-angelo-standardtimes-johnson-inaugural-parage

Based on this article, I would guess that the white showing through from underneath the green suggests this was one of the white jeeps for the parade.

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Originally posted May 04, 2022: Listed as a 1963, this was more likely a 1965 as that’s when the Tux Park IV first arrived. This jeep has a plaque indicating it was used in Lyndon B. Johnson’s inauguration parade. This was listed for $800 on FB and sold within a day. Thanks to Jordan for forwarding it to me.

“HistoricalJeep- metal tag on glove box says it was in the 1965 inaugural parade,no title,runs good, good working four wheel drive, no breaks”

1963-cj5-tuxparkiv-lbj-jeep1 1963-cj5-tuxparkiv-lbj-jeep2 1963-cj5-tuxparkiv-lbj-jeep3 1963-cj5-tuxparkiv-lbj-jeep4

 

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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.

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May 1952 Miller Tools Willys Overland Catalog

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

I received my second booster shop on Thursday, the result of which kept me hunkered down yesterday with a few chills and aches, so I took the time to scan the following document.

This unusual catalog from Miller Tools highlights tools specifically for Willys vehicles, both jeeps and automobiles. It is catalog F-618 printed in May of 1952. There are 92 pages in the book, including three order forms. I’ve broken it up into multiple sections for easy of downloading and zipped the PDFs together in one file (63mb), should you want to check it out. Unfortunately, my PDF management/editing apps don’t work under the newest Mac OS, which is another reason I didn’t combine them (have to locate a new PDF capable app). If you have a problem dealing with the zip file, then I can send you independent links for the various sections.

http://www.deilers.com/miller/1952-05-miller-tools-willys-overland-catalog.zip

Here are a few pages:

miller-tools-willys-booklet1 miller-tools-willys-booklet2 miller-tools-willys-booklet3 miller-tools-willys-booklet4

 

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1953 US Navy Smalley Port-O-Spot on ProxiBid

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

Andy shared this rarely seen US Navy Smalley Port-O-Spot. It’s another odd utility vehicle partly built with Willys-Overland parts. Only a couple hours left in the bidding; the high bid is currently $3100.

https://www.proxibid.com/Very-rare-very-early-rail-car-mover-track-mobile-1953-U-S-NAVY-Smalley-Port-O-Spot/lotInformation/68513627

“Made by Oxnard Heavy Maintenance & Mfg Co. Oxnard California. It has a Willys drivetrain, and it does run and drive.”

1953-navy-port-o-spot-track-mover-kent-oh0 1953-navy-port-o-spot-track-mover-kent-oh1 1953-navy-port-o-spot-track-mover-kent-oh2 Continue reading

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1976 DJ-5 Smoker/Grill Waxhaw, NC $4500

• CATEGORIES: DJ-5 & DJ-6, Features • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Mike shared this DJ-5-transformed-into-a-smoker (in the back) and grille (under the hood).

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/734804307543868

“Pull up with this at your next party. Built from the shell of an old postal jeep. 18 ga steel welded in the cargo area(back) and sealed and all shelves (2) are on rollers so they pull out. Side back windows have shelf to keep things warm. Under the hood you have a 36″ flat top griddle for cooking. I built a fire box that only uses wood or charcoal. I used only hickory wood. Smoker is mounted on a trailer for easy towing. All lights on jeep except headlights work as they should .”
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Jeep Article from the National WWII Museum in NOLA

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

Bill shared this article by Tom Czekanski from the National WWII Museum in New Orleans, a place I have yet to visit (“yet” being the key word).

https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/shop-talk-three-jeeps

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PHOTO CREDIT: 1941 Ford GP awaits assembly. Courtesy of The National WWII Museum.

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