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1945? VEC CJ-2A Fire Jeep Berkey, OH **SOLD**

• CATEGORIES: CJ-2A, Features, Fire/Police/Industry Vehicles • TAGS: , This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: **SOLD** Auctioned through sealed bids.

Jerry Huber confirmed that this is a 1945 VEC CJ-2A, serial number #11822. Jerry added, “That would place the body at the end of the 1945 production run. The Fire Dept. documents that they got it in the spring or summer of 1946, which is still possible with the time for the Darley Fire Conversion. There is also a story that the vehicle had a frame failure shortly after they got it from Darley and it was returned to the Willys Plant in Toledo where the frame was replaced with a heavier duty and reinforced unit. I have heard that story before but can’t verify although some one with more history on the unit may be able to confirm.”

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Originally posted Mar 2, 2021: Listed as a 1947, this is likely a 1945 VEC CJ-2A. It’s got rear hubs, indents, early windshield, a column shift and (I think) the earliest “WILLYS” data plate. Bidding is allowed from March 1, 2021, though April 02, 2021.

“Public Notice – Richfield Township is placing the 1947 Willy’s Jeep Fire Apparatus for sale via SEALED BID. Richfield Township is accepting SEALED BIDS for purchase of the 1947 Willy’s Jeep Fire Apparatus from Monday 3/1/2021 through Friday 4/2/2021 at 4:00 PM. The vehicle is sold as is with no warranties or guarantees made of any kind. This vehicle has been garage stored and maintained throughout its lifetime with Berkey / Richfield Township Fire Department as the original and only owner. The vehicle is open to inspection Monday – Friday 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM. The vehicle sale is subject to a minimum bid of $10,000. The bids will be opened on Monday 4/5/2021 and highest bid above the minimum sale amount will be awarded. Sealed Bids must be addressed to Fire Chief Keith Clonch at 11450 W. Sylvania Avenue, Berkey, Ohio 43504.”

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No Updates Monday

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

I spent all of Sunday packing up the office, so no Monday updates. I’m behind on comment responses, so bear with me.

Before packing up the jeep ‘toys’ yesterday, I took this photo. It’s not all the toys, but it is most of them. I never set out to collect toys, as I didn’t have the room. Still, somehow, I ended up with these. It’s probably good that I restrained myself; less toys to pack!

toys-lores

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Judy the Jeep Girl

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

In an effort to promote Bond drives during World War II, around 1944 Sgt. Jack Kreismer created “Judy the Jeep Girl”. The character, sometimes described as a paper doll, while other times described as a cartoon, has proved a difficult image to track down. To help raise bonds, July ‘traveled’ from California to Salt Lake City, then on to the Washington, D.C.

A photo of Jack and Judy appeared in the June 1, 1945, issue of Minute Man. It’s the best example of Judy the Jeep Girl that I could find:

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You can see that Jack (on the left) and Allen Overby (on the right) are holding a booklet. Apparently it is a souvenir booklet that features Judy.

The only newspaper representation I could find for Judy is a less-than-perfect sketch that appeared in the Salt Lake Telegram on June 19, 1944. Judy is left to the man in the box (sauna?).

1944-06-19-salt-lake-telegram-judy-the-jeep

Later, on January 15, 1945, Elenor Roosevelt commented on Judy’s activities:

1945-01-15-evening-news-harrisburg-pa-judy-the-jeep-girl

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1946 Photo of Louisiana’s Forestry Jeep

• CATEGORIES: Features, Fire/Police/Industry Vehicles, Old Images, Old News Articles This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

This June 29, 1946, photo in the Daily Advertiser shows off an early MB conversion into a Louisiana Forestry Jeep. Developed by the Louisiana Foresty Commission, the state purchased five of these rigs.

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The Weekly Town Talk out of Alexandria, Louisiana, also ran the photo on the same day, but with a different caption:

1946-06-29-town-talk-louisiana-forestry-jeep-lores

 

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Kaiser’s Flintstone Mobile (aka the “KLI”)

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

Cruising through some online photos yesterday, I stumbled upon a Kaiser Jeep prototype called the Sport Low Investment” (XLI) vehicle. Apparently, employees dubbed it the Flintstonemobile. Figuring Derek likely did a write up on this vehicle, I went over to the 3B page and sure enough, he’s got an informative write up on it: https://cj3b.info/Factory/FactoryXport.html

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PHOTO CREDIT: Toledo Lucas County Public Library https://ohiomemory.org/digital/collection/p16007coll33/id/134419

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PHOTO CREDIT: Toledo Lucas County Public Library https://ohiomemory.org/digital/collection/p16007coll33/id/134408

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CJ-5 Lighter Middleton, CT eBay

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

The starting bid is $75 for this unique lighter. It’s one I hadn’t seen.

View all the information on eBay

“THIS AUCTION IS FOR A 5 INCH LONG WILLYS JEEP MODEL CJ5 CIGARETTE LIGHTER.
THE JEEP LIGHTER IS IN GREAT CONDITION
THE JEEP IS WELL DETAILED AND THE CONSTRUCTION IS VERY WELL DONE. ITS HEAVY.
THE LIGHTER SPARKS WELL.
THERE IS NO LIGHTER FLUID IN IT AT PRESENT.
A NICE, RARE, JEEP LIGHTER”

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1951 Photo of ‘Jeep’ Crate Destined to Thailand on eBay

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

I’m a big confused by the ‘Jeep’ image stamped onto the side of the crate. In 1951, Willys-Overland was downplaying the use of jeep as a brand. This photo looks to be more like a post 1953-Kaiser-purchase photo. I tried to find a 1951 time-frame photo of a boxed jeep, but couldn’t find any I could compare to this one. Any thoughts on this?

It’s possible, given the photo was published as part of a 1987 article, that someone just guessed on the time-frame of this photo. Also, the fact that Thailand remained active in South Korea until March of 1955 might also provide an explanation for why these boxed jeeps were heading to Thailand.

View all the information on eBay

1951-jeep-crates-going-to-thailand1 1951-jeep-crates-going-to-thailand2

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