Here’s a rare framed vintage jeep photo.
Features Research Archives
VEEP, VEEPSTERS and the SCAMP
UPDATE: A builder’s manual for the VEEPSTER has now been posted.
I’ve known about the VEEP Jeep Kit, from Hadley Engineering out of Costa Mesa, California, but I recently learned about two additional VW kit jeeps: The Veepster and the SCAMP. However, I’m still not clear what differentiates a VEEP from a SCAMP or a VEEPSTER.
The SCAMP VW KIT was built and sold out of Redding, California, in the early 70s. I found this ad at the TheSamba.com website
Here’s a beautiful 1973 SCAMP (lots of pictures), but I couldn’t say if this is entire stock or not:
The VEEPSTER VW kit car was sold by VEEPSTER, LLC, out of Mesa, Arizona, according to Kit Car Guide. Curiously, a Czech Republic site and thesamba.com site show that a VEEPSTER VW Kit was sold by Sun Valley Autotech out of Scottsdale, Arizona. Here’s a builder’s and assembly manual for the VEEPSTER by the Sun Valley Autotech company.
The following two pics from this site reportedly show a VEEPSTER.
E-VEEPSTER: Meanwhile, there is a kit car seller out of Sedona that claimed in 2011 or 2012 to make an E-VEEPSTER. The company appears to have gone out of business. The body of the E-VEEPSTER looks more like a South African Gobex or Badger (especially the windshield) than a VEEP, SCAMP or VEEPSTER.
Here’s an ad from July 10, 2012 that was part of a sustainable business article from the Portland Business Journal:
You can see a very quick clip of a Veepster on Youtube:
According to Youtube, Venus Motors, Electric Car Options and Go Electric came together to build the e-Veepster. A CJ3A Jeep fiberglass replica with a chassis designed with aftermarket VW suspension and the Venus EV Drive System. Kits are available, assembly is available, who says EV’s aren’t available. Many styles to choose from but in Sedona, AZ this is Red Rock 1
OTHER KNOWN VW JEEP KITS:
The British Jago Geep
The South African Gobex
The South African Badger
DUKW Discovered in Italy’s Lake Garda
Paul discovered this article from 2012 about the discovery of a DUKW near Mussolini’s lakeside home on Lake Garda, Italy. The article calls the vehicle an amphibious jeep, but it better resembles a DUKW.
Short Excerpt from article:
A 67-year-search for the final resting place of 24 U.S. Servicemen lost in a tragic accident storming Italian dictator Benito Mussolini’s refuge during the last days of the Second World War may have finally been discovered.
New video footage released yesterday by the Voluntary Association of Lake Garda shows what appears to be the wreck of an amphibious U.S truck which sunk 600-feet to the bottom of the picturesque lake on April 30th 1945 during the operation.
Jeep’s New ‘Launch’ Button
John forwarded this article that highlights a new Jeep button titled ‘LAUNCH’
http://autos.yahoo.com/news/what-does-this-insanely-awesome-button-do–204659286.html
Here’s part of the article:
The 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 is home to perhaps one of the most appropriate buttons we’ve encountered in the What Does This Button Do? series. Mysterious buttons are rarely spelled out as clearly as the Jeep SRT8’s, or as fun to use.
By spelled out, we mean the whole word, “Launch,” appears on the button to designate the 470-horsepower, all-wheel-drive Jeep SRT8’s Launch Mode. There are no acronyms or guessing with this button. What the button does is also made clearer by the awesome depiction of a drag strip’s starting-line lights, aka a “Christmas tree.”
1954 Mexico City Willys Motors Demo Photo on eBay
Here’s an unusual 1954 press photo found by Marc. The driver is Walter Lorch of Willys Motors. The jeep was one of twelve caravan touring through Latin America.
“You are bidding on an original press photo of Willys Jeep Vertical Driving Demonstration Mexico City. Photo has light waving left edge. Photo measures 7 x 9 inches and is dated 3/30/1954.”
1946 Factory Photo of VEC Jeeps on eBay
1942 Photo of Crated Jeeps on eBay
Note the square tanks on these early MBs.
“This is an original press photo. Photo measures 9 x 7.25inches. Photo is dated 06-20-1942”
1943 Photo of Bizerte, Tunisia on eBay
Gotta keep the jeeps clean!
“1943- U.S. jeeps and their crews by beached boats and wreckage of waterfront buildings in the harbor at Bizerte, Tunisia.”
1943 Photo of GIs in India on eBay
I count eleven people in the jeep.
“1943- American soldiers piled high in a jeep take in the sights “somewhere” in India.”
1942 MB @ Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum
Bob spotted this MB at the Crawford Auto-Aviation Museum in Cleveland, Ohio. As he noted, the dents make this look a bit beat up.
Travelphotobase.com not only had a couple of additional photos of the jeep, but it had a ton of other nice photos from the museum: http://travelphotobase.com/u/OH/OHVHA.HTM






















