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A Creative Hardtop Made During WWII

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

David M. Barlow posted this photo of a jeep top his father made while serving in the Pacific on the island of Peleliu during WWII. Now we know where George Barris got the idea for the Model “T” Buggy top, lol.

George Barris’ Model “T” Buggy:

barris-model-t-buggy

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1948 Truck Zimmerman, MN $3300

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

This could be a good find.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/146699050787096

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“1948 Willys pickup with an f-head 4 cylinder engine. Not a Jeep, but Willys is not an option. I have too many vehicles and need to clear some things out. I bought the truck last winter and have only driven it around the yard. It’s cooling truck in pretty good shape for its year. It was originally a flatbed model. I have the factory flatbed but it needs new wood and some metal work. The current bed is pretty good though. The truck is not mint/concourse condition. I bought some new mud tires, wiring harness, and all new glass for it but they are not installed. I also have an alternator, 12v coil, and 6v converter so it can be run on 12v if you want.”

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Creeper’s Jeep by Hardie Gramatky on eBay

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

UPDATE: I found this article that highlights the inspiration behind the book Creeper’s Jeep. It was published in the Bridgeport Post on August 22, 1948:

1948-08-22-bridgeport-post-creepers-jeep-lores

The book is still available on eBay, but they aren’t cheap: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1313&_nkw=%22creeper%27s+jeep%22&_sacat=0

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Originally published May 18, 2016: This book was listed on eBay.

“This listing is for a vintage book entitled “Creeper’s Jeep” by Hardie Gramatky. It is a cute story about a guy who owns this jeep that wants to share it with his family. They do not take to the idea at first but after a few incidents decide to give it a try. Great illustrations: see pictures. Former library copy with some of the usual markings.”

creepers-jeep-book-hardi-gramatky1 creepers-jeep-book-hardi-gramatky2 creepers-jeep-book-hardi-gramatky3

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Newest Toy: Sahara Recherches Petroliferes

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

UPDATE: After Joe’s comment I examined what I believe was the dash. It was then I noticed that inside the “engine bay” was printed “Hotul”. Here’s the best pic I could get of that. My assumption is that at least part of this jeep was made from recycled material.

sahara-jeep-7

This well-loved toy jeep popped up on eBay. The lettering refers to a French/African oil refining company? I thought it was unique enough that I put a low bid in and one it. Anyone know more about this toy? It’s about 4″ long, so it’s not a large toy.

sahara-jeep-1 sahara-jeep-2 sahara-jeep-3 sahara-jeep-4

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Dave’s Unknown Seats … FJ-40 Seats

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

UPDATE: Thanks to folks smarter than me, I believe these are FJ-40 seats, though the hand rails may have been added.

The guy who sold them to Dave claimed they came from off the wheel house of an M-38A1 (also known as the wheel well), but when Dave tried them on his M-38A1, they didn’t fit.

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Here’s how well the fit (or didn’t fit) on the M-38A1:

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The Meyer’s 1949 Jeep Trip From Panama

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

In 1949, Mr. and Mrs. William H. Meyer drove in a CJ-2A from the Panama Canal to Decatur, Illinois. The article below provide the only records I could find related to their trip. This first article summarizes the adventure and shows a great photo of “DOPEY”. It was published in the Decatur Review, June 16, 1949:

1949-06-16-decatur-daily-review-william-jeep-trip-from-panama-lores

This second article is a pictorial of the trip that was published June 18, 1949, in Bloomington, Illinois’ “The Pantagraph”:

1949-06-18-the-pantagraph-bloomington-il-william-jeep-trip-panama-lores

This is a different summary of the trip, but contains no photos. It was published in the Daily Advertiser (Lafayette, Louisiana) on May 13, 1949:

1949-05-13-daily-advertiser-lafayette-la-williams-jeep-trip-panama2-lores
1949-05-13-daily-advertiser-lafayette-la-williams-jeep-trip-panama

This last article was published June 17, 1949, in the Herald and Review out of Decatur, Illinois:

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Article on the British “X Troop”

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

Mark spotted this interesting article on a secret group of fighters, all with Jewish backgrounds, that undertook some bold missions. The article included a photo of a jeep that has a roll-bar-like contraption, though maybe it was used to carry stretchers or supplies?

https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/30/opinions/memorial-day-x-troop-wwii-fighting-anti-semitism-garrett/index.html

2021-05-31-cnn-jeep-garrett-opinion-1-exlarge-169

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Jeep in the 1963 Episode “I’ll Be Judge — I’ll Be Jury”

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

Blaine share this brief look at the February 13th, 1963, episode of the Alfred Hitchcock Hour, where in the first 30 seconds of the show, a jeep almost runs over one of the main characters. The jeep has an odd windshield; it looks a little wider than normal.

Here’s the full episode: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7anysc

This clip was taken at the 1:58 mark.

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The jeep briefly, and only partially, appears again at the 31:46 mark.

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