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Photos From the UTA Digital Collections

• CATEGORIES: Bantam-FordGP-WillysMA-EarlyJPs, Features, Library Collections, Old Images This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

These photos come from the University of Texas at Arlington Digital Archives. You can see a some additional photos with jeeps here: https://library.uta.edu/digitalgallery-beta/subject/jeep-automobiles

Let’s start with this photo of a Willys MA dash:

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Fort Worth Star-Telegram Collection, University of Texas at Arlington Libraries. 56th Cavalry Brigade war maneuvers. (1941). Retrieved from https://library.uta.edu/digitalgallery-beta/img/20048164 … Brigadier General Walter B. Pyron, of Houston, Texas, commander of the 56th Brigade, shown behind the wheel of a jeep. He is wearing a military uniform and a small brimmed hat. He has his hands on the steering wheel and is looking behind him. Willys MA.

A lineup of Ford GPs:

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Fort Worth Star-Telegram Collection, University of Texas at Arlington Libraries. Camp Bowie Army Maneuvers . (1941). Retrieved from https://library.uta.edu/digitalgallery-beta/img/20048968 … The 18th Field Artillery Brigade’s 77th Field Artillery joins in retreating from an attack during a military training exercise at Camp Bowie. The first battalion is lined up for an evacuation, riding on “blitz buggies.” This battalion is from Fort Sill, Oklahoma. The rest of the 77th is stationed at Fort D. A. Russell, Marfa, Texas. The 77th and 142nd infantry are howitzer units of the brigade. Ford GPs.

Good side shot of a Ford GP:

Fort Worth Star-Telegram Collection, University of Texas at Arlington Libraries. Camp Bowie Army maneuvers: Lietenant General Walter Krueger with Major General Claude V. Birkhead and others. (1941). Retrieved from https://library.uta.edu/digitalgallery-beta/img/20053219 ... Camp Bowie Army maneuvers. Four military officers and one military personnel are pictured here. Lieutenant General (LIEUT. GEN.) Walter Krueger, seated in the front passenger seat, Third Army Commander, was in the field almost as much as the participating troops. Here he's leaving 36th Division command post after a conference with Major General (Maj. Gen.) Claude V. Birkhead, division commander, standing by the baby jeep. In the rear seat are, foreground, Lieutenant Colonel (Lieut Col.) George R. Barker, Third Army G-3, and Captain (Capt.) R. H. Chard, Krueger's aid. Driver is Private (Pvt.) Harvey Belote. All are dressed in military uniforms. Published in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram morning edition, June 15, 1941.

Fort Worth Star-Telegram Collection, University of Texas at Arlington Libraries. Camp Bowie Army maneuvers: Lietenant General Walter Krueger with Major General Claude V. Birkhead and others. (1941). Retrieved from https://library.uta.edu/digitalgallery-beta/img/20053219 … Camp Bowie Army maneuvers. Four military officers and one military personnel are pictured here. Lieutenant General (LIEUT. GEN.) Walter Krueger, seated in the front passenger seat, Third Army Commander, was in the field almost as much as the participating troops. Here he’s leaving 36th Division command post after a conference with Major General (Maj. Gen.) Claude V. Birkhead, division commander, standing by the baby jeep. In the rear seat are, foreground, Lieutenant Colonel (Lieut Col.) George R. Barker, Third Army G-3, and Captain (Capt.) R. H. Chard, Krueger’s aid. Driver is Private (Pvt.) Harvey Belote. All are dressed in military uniforms. Published in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram morning edition, June 15, 1941. Ford GPs.

Here’s an early Slat Grille MB:

Fort Worth Star-Telegram Collection, University of Texas at Arlington Libraries. Army Day Maneuvers: Rides in Dixie Jeeps. (1942). Retrieved from https://library.uta.edu/digitalgallery-beta/img/20053248

Fort Worth Star-Telegram Collection, University of Texas at Arlington Libraries. Army Day Maneuvers: Rides in Dixie Jeeps. (1942). Retrieved from https://library.uta.edu/digitalgallery-beta/img/20053248 …. Army Day Celebration. Jeep rides were given citizens when the 31st (Dixie) Division held open house here Sunday as part of the observance of Army Day. On this ride at Farrington Field were Alice McDonald (left) and Jaymie Dobbs, both of Fort Worth, Texas. Members of the Service Company, 155th Infantry, in the jeep are, left to right, Corporal (Corp.) J. H. Reeves, Private (Pvt.) Sam Burroughs, Private (Pvt.) Clyde Russell and Private (Pvt.) Hanson Dunegan. The group are riding in a jeep through Farrington Field. Background showing a goal post and stadium bleachers. Published in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram evening edition, April 6, 1942. Willys MB Slatgrille.

Post WWII pic:

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Fort Worth Star-Telegram Collection, University of Texas at Arlington Libraries. Circle Park School Parent-Teacher Association carnival . (1946). Retrieved from https://library.uta.edu/digitalgallery-beta/img/20058866 … Mr. R. M Baxter is giving a carnival preview ride to 2 pupils of Circle Park Elementary School, Donald Eagle, son of Mr. and Mrs. Don Eagle and Beverly Jean Burns, daughter of Mrs. and Mrs. C. A. Burns. Mr. Baxter will run a jeepney-ride concession at the Circle Park Elementary School Parent-Teacher Association annual carnival. His jeep has a banner of the PTA. Published in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram evening edition, October 16, 1946.

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January 1956 DJ-3A Jeep Dispatcher Introduction

• CATEGORIES: DJ-3A, Features, Old Images, Old News Articles This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

The article suggests that the Jeep Dispatcher only came in three models, with one listed as a “basic model with or without a top”. The marketing department must have decided that the single model with or without a top was better off as two models distinct models.

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January 20, 1956, Pittsburgh Sun Telegraph

On the same page as the Dispatcher article was an ad for multiple jeep dealers in the Pittsburgh area. The new ad included the DJ-3A with the fiberglass-reinforced hardtop.

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January 20, 1956, Pittsburgh Sun Telegraph

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June 1952 Willys Service News

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

This June 1952 issue of Willys Service News is part service news updates and part ‘how to sell services’. This is one of three that was on eBay recently. The other two will get posted over the next few days.

Included with this Willys News are several supplements places, including 1) Suggestions on maintenance updates for vehicles (there were problems with the Aero car demonstration models not running perfectly, but these tips could apply to jeeps); 2) How to improve steering (again, directed at cars); 3) Passenger car door lock issues.

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Article Highlights Success of Mahindra Roxors

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

UPDATE: In case you missed it, FCA has won the first round of the FCA vs. Mahindra legal case over the jeep-looking Roxor. The court ruled that Mahindra violated FCAs “Trade Dress”, which isn’t a specific trademark or patent, because the Roxor looks so much like a jeep. Mahindra is currently deciding whether to appeal.

https://www.automobilemag.com/news/jeep-mahindra-roxor-infringement-case-update/

This was the second win against Mahindra. The first win came in January when the International Trade Commission agreed with Jeep’s charge that the company was not contractually barred from suing Mahindra for a Trade Dress violation. This freed Jeep up to pursue the recently won lawsuit.

https://www.autonews.com/blogs/jeep-scores-legal-spat-mahindra-roxor-rolls-detroit

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Originally posted September 29, 2019: This article from the Detroit Free Press highlights the successful introduction of Roxors, to the point that the company can’t keep up with demand. Unfortunately for Jeep, there’s some real branding problems, as I’ve seen countless people on Craigslist advertising these as “jeeps”. Moreover, do a Google search for “Jeep ATV” and Roxors pop up on the results page.

https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/mark-phelan/2019/08/31/mahindra-roxor-atv-tractor-jeep-review/2132430001/

Mahindra-ROXOR-Beauty

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1943 Photos of a ‘Jeep’ Named Squeekie

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

A one-of-a-kind ‘jeep’ named Squeekie was built from photos by William Mason in 1942. In 1943, this press photo was taken, then circulated around the country, two of which can be seen below.

Mason worked at Oakland’s Independent Iron Works, Inc. I wasn’t able to uncover too much about Mason, other than he filed a patent for an arc welding machine, on behalf of his employer in October of 1956.

This photo was shared on a vintage photograph Facebook Group by Bob Cunningham. He included the following text, though I’m unaware of where the text originated (maybe based on an original press photo caption?):

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Per the Facebook post: “In 1942, William Mason, an iron works superintendent in Oakland, California, used newspaper photographs to create “Squeekie,” his version of the Army’s new wonder car, the “jeep.” Although Mason built the 2-horsepower car for his son, Billy, his wife often used it for ’round-the-town grocery shopping during the days of gas rationing, since it got a thrifty 35 miles per gallon and rolled on unrationed, small sized implement tires. The little “jeep” was once stolen and abandoned in a farmer’s field, and the U.S. Army was notified that one of their prototypes had been found. At the time, most civilians had never seen an actual “jeep,” so the mistake was understandable.”

Here are two newspaper photos and captions:

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Published March 13, 1943, in the Oakland Tribune.

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Published March 18, 1943, in the La Crosse Tribune, out of La Crosse, Wisconsin.

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1946 Photo of Kids in Jeep

• CATEGORIES: Features, Old Images This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.
AR406-6-423

Cropped version of the bottom photo.

This photograph was published in the April 29, 1946, issue of The Fort Worth Star-Telegram. It’s located in the University of Texas at Arlington’s digital archive library.

https://library.uta.edu/digitalgallery-beta/img/20033476

AR406-6-423

Fort Worth Star-Telegram Collection, University of Texas at Arlington Libraries. Brooklyn Heights School jeep “test run”. (1946). Retrieved from https://library.uta.edu/digitalgallery-beta/img/20033476

“Twenty neighborhood children took a “test run” in a jeep to be used for a carnival at Brooklyn Heights School. Driving the jeep is Jack Scott, and sitting beside him is Howard Victry, president of the school Dad’s Club. The children and Mr. Victry are facing the camera and Mr. Victry’s hand is raised. Published in The Fort Worth Star-Telegram Morning Edition April 29, 1946.”

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June 1948 Jeep-Propelled Power-House Ad

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

No information provided on where this June 1948 “Jeep-Propelled Power-House Ad” was published. This seller has other jeep ads and willys ads as well.

https://www.goantiques.com/jeep-propelled-power-house-397135

“Jeep Propelled Power-House Ad 1948 This is a June 1948 advertisement. It is a nice black and white ad for Willys-Overland Motors of Toledo makers of the Jeep. Pictures the Jeep on the job and it reads, The 4 wheel drive universal Jeep gets to the job and furnishes power to operate industrial equipment. In mint condition. Photo is taken through plastic and may show wrinkles or crookedness that is not in the ad. This magazine tear sheet measures 10 1/2″” wide by 13″” tall”

1948-06-jeep-propelled-power-house-ad

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