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Unusual Hardtop from Uruguay

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

Hugo, our eWillys correspondent from Uruguay, filed this report. He spotted this strange jeep, possibly a CJ-3A, with an unusual hardtop. He would have taken more pics, but its proximity behind the US embassy made snapping photos a little uncomfortable. So, he was in and out quickly!

I shared the photos with Fernando Vidal. He wrote back, “Actually, you can see ANY of weird adapting on vehicles in Uruguay… Uruguayans are customization specialists! Everyday on the roads and streets of Montevideo we use to spot many strange things on wheels of every kind. Uruguay never produced cars or trucks, which have always been imported as an expensive commodity, and its replacement parts were usually hard to find. The long term result is that they were used to the maximum (it’s common to find vehicles from the 40`s and 50`s being used as daily drivers). Creativity led to some horrendous (sometimes really funny) “frankensteins”, of vehicles from different decades stitched together on the most bizarre ways… “

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MAK-A-CAR Aluminum Jeep on eBay

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

Not sure about the price, but an interesting item. I thought there was also a  listing for this that included the box, but now I can’t find it.

“Ultra rare assembled vintage MAK-A-CAR aluminum Jeep model kit in great condition for its age. Info is scarce on these, but found a site which indicated these kits were produced in the 40s. The first image below is of the box, found on google images. NOTE: The Jeep in this listing does not include the box.”

View all the information on eBay

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1943 Photo of Jeep Next to Plane on eBay

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

The caption of this one is interesting. It reads “Two kinds of jeeps”, a reminder that both planes and jeeps were called jeeps. Of course, the command car was called a jeep by some in the Army, further complicating the history of the name.

“News Agency 1st Generation AKA Original Press Photo Size: 6.75×8.67 inches (paper size) with some minor variation”

View all the information on eBay

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Ad for an Autodyne Hardtop

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

UPDATE: A search revealed a second ad, this time in the December 1968 issue of Desert Magazine (pg 34). That same issue also included ad for VW fenders by the same company (pg 42). 
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This fiberglass hardtop for CJ-5s was advertised in the November 1968 issue of Four Wheeler. I’ve never run crossed one.

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1968 Desert Magazine Ad of the VW fenders:

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Crime Ring “Selling” Vehicles on Craigslist

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

craigslist-scam-alertA reader who shall remain anonymous shared the story of how pictures of his jeep mysteriously appeared on Craigslist without his knowledge. It turned out someone had taken the pics off a different craigslist ad and was using them to trick buyers into sending the thief money for a vehicle he didn’t own.

Our faithful reader only discovered the issue thanks to eWillys. He was quite surprised to see an ad for his vehicle! So, he contacted the police, which led to the takedown of twenty people working together to “fake sell” vehicles across the US. He’ll be testifying in court later this year.

Here are a couple links discussing Craigslist scams:

  1. https://jalopnik.com/how-a-craigslist-scammer-tried-to-steal-my-moms-car-1789696074
  2. https://www.csoonline.com/article/2875832/security/how-to-stick-it-to-craigslist-scammers.html
  3. https://www.tred.com/test-drive-blog/how-to-spot-a-craigslist-car-scam-and-what-happens-when-you-dont/
  4. https://www.komando.com/tips/349850/craigslist-shopping-and-selling-scams/all

So be careful out there!

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Super Jeep Belt Buckle

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

My wonderful wife found this Super Jeep belt buckle for $5 at a local swap meet. They are being peddled on eBay for $30 or more.

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1962 Kelly Hardtop Brochure

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

I snatched this awesome Kelly hardtop brochure off of eBay for a good price. It includes information on the Kelly Safari hardtop. What I like is that the brochure also documents the models numbers.

Also included was the price list (one that includes two different types of dispatchers) and an original order envelope. I also didn’t know that Kelly interacted with Kayline tops at one point. Based on a Kayline brochure, it appears that Kayline handled the territory west of the Mississippi, while Kelly sold Kayline tops east of the Mississippi.

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