Features Research Archives

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BOOK: The Mystery of the Amphibious Jeep

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

Author Paul Moxham, an Australian writer, has published The Mystery of the Amphibious Jeep on Kindle. At 4.61 stars on Goodreads, it seems to be a popular kids story. Where the referenced ‘jeep’ is a Ford GPA SEEP or a DUKW (or something else), isn’t clear. Given the author’s Australian background and Australian Ben Carlin’s fame, I’m leaning towards it being a GPA.

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According to the synopsis on Goodreads:

“After meeting an American adventurer who is travelling around the world in an amphibious jeep, the Mystery Kids invite him to spend the evening at Rose Cottage. However, the night has barely began when the jeep is stolen by two men.

What do the men plan to do with the jeep? Who are the stowaways? Why does the jeep go round in circles?

Set in 1950’s Britain, this adventure story will suit anyone who enjoys Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys or the Famous Five”

 
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Pat Brady, Dale Evans & NellyBelle Slide on eBay

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

UPDATE: Thanks to Colin for the corrections

Great photo of Roy Rogers Pat Brady at the helm of NellyBelle with Dale Evans beside him.

View all the information on eBay

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“For sale is this original and vintage slide, Roy Rogers in Nelly Belle Willys Jeep in early 1950’s

The first number in the listing title is the year the slide is from.

Slide Brand: red border Kodachrome from the early 1950’s”

 
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Monarch Airlines Rental Willys Jeep Wagons

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

There’s a neat postcard from what I believe is the late 1940s that shows a line of Willys Wagons ready to be rented by passengers of Monarch Airlines. a regional carrier based in Colorado. This postcard is available on eBay:

View all the information on eBay

“Post card shows a great SHOT OF ABOUT A DOZEN NEW WILLY’S JEEP STATION WAGONS AT STAPLETON AIRPORT IN DENVER, COLORADO.”

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My guess is that the idea for the wagon rentals coincided with the introduction in early 1949 of Monarch Airlines’ “family-fare” program, as reported in the February 11, 1949, issue of the Daily Sentinel out of Grand Junction, Colorado. The head of the family paid full price for a ticket, while the remaining family members could fly at half-price. Unfortunately, I have been unable to find a news report that confirms when the wagons were purchased for rental.

Below are two subsequent newspaper ads highlight the program:

May 20, 1949, ad in the Daily Sentinel, Grand Junction, Colorado

May 20, 1949, ad in the Daily Sentinel, Grand Junction, Colorado

April 08,, 1949, ad in the Daily Sentinel, Grand Junction, Colorado

April 08,, 1949, ad in the Daily Sentinel, Grand Junction, Colorado

 
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April 1948 “Put Jeep Power to Work on Your Farm” Ad

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

This April 1948 “Put Jeep Power to Work on Your Farm” advertisement appeared in the Country Gentleman magazine. It also appeared in the May 1948 issue of the Farm Journal.

There’s one of these ads for sale on eBay

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1960s Lockeed Mavericks 4WD Club Sticker **SOLD**

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

This is an original 8″ diameter sticker from the Lockeed Employees Recreation Club (LERC), located in Burbank, California. I don’t know how many jeep clubs were formed out of Lockeed, but there were several Seattle area jeep clubs with members from Boeing (the Wandering Willys Jeep Club was one).

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“ONE 8” VINTAGE “MAVERICKS” 4WD CLUB VEHICLE
STICKER – LOCKHEED, BURBANK, CA – Circa 1968

★ 52 Year Old Never-Used Ephemera ~ Outdoor Sticker for Vehicle Front Quarter Panel ★

• Very, very rare collectible Lockheed, Burbank, CA ephemera! In fact, this is probably the only one left in the world!

• One (1) VINTAGE ORIGINAL “MAVERICKS” FOUR WHEEL DRIVE CLUB 8″ VEHICLE EMBLEM STICKER from the Lockheed Employees’ Recreational Club (L.E.R.C.) in Burbank, CA circa 1968. Never used. Still has it’s original kraft paper backing (for peel-&-stick) in very nice condition.

Age:
About 52 Years Old (although it has never been used, the adhesive is not guaranteed due to item’s age).
Original Use:
Typically these were placed on the 4WD vehicle’s front quarter panel to identify club membership.
L.E.R.C. = “Lockheed Employees’ Recreational Club” originally on Empire Road, Burbank, CA in the 1970’s.
Size:
About 8″ in diameter (see photo with measuring tape).
Note:
The ink on this decal is very heavy, almost with a brush texture (see photo #11), to be robust for outdoor use back in the day.
Details:
Has been stored in a file cabinet for about 40 years.

This is the ONLY one on eBay.

Very rare collectible Lockheed, Burbank, CA ephemera!

• Quote from the January 1968 Mavericks BULLHORN newsletter, the description of a four wheel drive club —”A bunch of damn fools driving out across the desert in a wide variety of corrupted vehicles looking for a place they can’t go so they can.” From back in the days when Joe Mokracek & Doug Carter were club presidents.

 
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Christmas Card Photo w/Jeep on eBay

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

Steve spotted this family Christmas Card that included a jeep. Interesting enough, the body already has mods to it, the step area in particular.

View all the information on eBay

“1
VINTAGE
PHOTOGRAPH TYPE CARD
1950’S-60’S ERA?
MIGHT BE BY BROAD RIPPLE, INDIANA?”

christmas-card-family-jeep

 
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1951 “4-Wheel Drive Takes You There” Brochures

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

In 1951 Willys-Overland launched a “4-Wheel Drive Takes You There brochure” for the Willys Wagon. Subsequently, there appear to have been two additional versions of the brochure, numbered differently, but with seemingly no additional substantive text changes. Each form folds out to a 17″x11″ large format brochure.

The first example of this brochure is burdened with an unusually long form identifier: Form 4X4735W-M1-100M, a number which leverages the wagon-model-type (4x473SW) as part of the numbering system.

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1951-4X4735W-M1-100M-wagon-4-wheel-drive-takes-you-there-brochure3-lores

1951-4X4735W-M1-100M-wagon-4-wheel-drive-takes-you-there-brochure4-lores

This second version of the brochure is available on eBay. Given the grille style doesn’t change for this iteration, I can only assume that this version of the brochure was also printed in 1951. It has the updated form name of 4X4735W-M2-100M-251. It is possible the “251” at the end of the form number means it was printed in February of 1951.

1951-4X473SW-M2-100M-251-4-wheel-drive-takes-you-there-wagon-brochure1

Continue reading

 
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Photos of the Boyerstown-built 2wd Delivery Van

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

UPDATE III: A new reprint of the late 1950s Boyerstown-built Delivery Van is on eBay:

View all the information on eBay

“NICE  QUALITY LARGE  11 X 17  REPRINTED PICTURE”

boyerstown-package-van-photo

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UPDATE II: Mike shared a pic of a Boyerstown van from an ebay auction circa 2004.

boyertown-van

UPDATE: In 2012 there was a press photo of the front of the van for sale.

1958-boyerstown-jeep-van

2012 Post: “Jeep Utility 1959 4 x 2 Truck Photo Reprint w. Boyertown Body”

 
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1963? CJ-3B Aiea, Oahu, HI No Price

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

Given the Willys stamps, this 1963 is more likely a 1962 or earlier.

https://honolulu.craigslist.org/oah/cto/d/pearl-city-1963-cj3b-willys-jeep/7162108148.html

“1963 CJ3B WILLYS JEEP ORIGINAL 4 CYL,ORIGINAL PAINT,99.9 RUST FREE RUNS GREAT
HARD TO FIND A JEEP IN THIS COND ON THE ISLAND CALL”

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WWII Windshield Defroster Shelby, NC $70

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

Mark spotted this one for $70.

https://charlotte.craigslist.org/pts/d/shelby-original-willys-mb-ford-gpw/7147478940.html
“Original Willys MB Ford GPW Dodge Truck Defroster in Unused Condition. Complete 6volt defroster kit. Great display item for a vintage Jeep or Truck. Would probably work but recommend for display due to its age. Pick up in Western NC. Unable to ship.”

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