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Juan’s Jeep Collection and Story

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

Juan wrote to me the other day. He wanted to share his life long passion with jeeps that started when he was a young boy in Coatepec, Veracruz, Mexico. Juan doesn’t speak English and my Spanish isn’t much better, so I have done my best to translate his email (and any mistakes are my fault).  Thanks for sharing Juan!

DAVE good afternoon.

I am a 60 year old retired Veterinarian. My Father was born and lived in Coatepec, Veracruz, Mexico, land of the best coffee. My father always used Willys jeeps or trucks to access our ranch because they were the only vehicles that could make it. When I was eighteen months of age he gave me Kings Pedal Jeep as a gift and I treasured it.

In 1969 I left my country and moved to the port of Veracruz to study veterinary and animal science. I went to work at the state of Oaxaca. Each week or two back I returned home to help my father in his old age. When I retired, I return to Coatepec to launch a small veterinary pharmacy. My parents had both passed away by that time. After returning home, I found that many friends asked about my father and whether he had any jeep parts for sale. After enough requests, I got the idea to buy some jeeps and rebuild them or part them out.

In 2007 one of my children taught me to use the computer and showed me lots of different willys sites. After seeing the Willys clubs in Colombia, I got the idea to form a Coatepec Willys clubs with some friends. We changed the name to Jeeperos Coatepec, because we have many friends that had 4×4 vehicles other than Willys. We hung out every month, attended cultural events, sports exhibitions, and were invited to participate in events on the beaches of Veracruz chachalacas, where every year all the republic clubs totaling more than 200 jeeps gathered. We have participated in movies of Che Guevara Arnold, in a French movie, in some commercials, and more.

Unfortunately, one of my children died eight months ago. This depressed me to the point where I stopped wheeling and being active in the group. However, I have slowly been overcoming this tragedy with help from my friends. And, thanks to websites like yours, I feel more motivated to keep up with my jeeps. We hope some day you can make it down here [editor’s note . . . so do I!]. If you do, you can enjoy a jeep ride through the plantation, canals and farms of these places .

In the first three photos below show the small collection I have. A 1947 CJ-2A, 1953 CJ-3B, a CJ-5, a CJ-7 and more.

Many Thanks. 

Juan Lopez Badillo

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From these first three pictures you can see that Juan has a nice variety of complete and incomplete jeeps.

This has the potential for a Colorado Tour Rig!

There are some other photos that Juan included:

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The Package Van Arrives at Jesse’s

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

UPDATE: Jesse forwarded a few more pics showing the floor removed.

This is an update on the 1948 Package Delivery Van, the only one we know of in existence.  When we last saw it, the van was on it’s way to Jesse’s place in Phoenix for a complete overhaul.

You can read the full story of the package van in an article I wrote and published for JeepTruck.com.

Below is the latest picture I have. The body has been stripped and cleaned a bit.

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1948 CJ-2A “Tugger” Movie Promotional Mascot Cleveland, TN **SOLD**

• CATEGORIES: Advertising & Brochures, CJ-2A, Features, Unusual • TAGS: , This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: **SOLD** Was on eBay

(08/18/2012) The movie Tugger, the Jeep 4×4 Who Wanted to Fly is based on the book by the same name.

“This is a CJ2A that was used as a Movie Promotional Mascott. The Movie “TUGGER, THE JEEP 4X4 WHO WANTED TO FLY” was released in 2005. I bought this CJ2A from the man that owned the Rights to Movie and the Promotional Items. It is titled and runs great. It has been entered in Car Shows and has won Trophies and “Best of Show”. The paint Scheme is of the Air Force Thunderbirds. It has the Insignia of the Thunderbirds and was rebuilt along with the engine by the Sponsers; The Air Force, Jeep, Shell Oil, Orlando Genesis and Arnald Palmer Hospital for Children and Women. KIDS LOVE IT! Many comments at traffic lights. Beautiful eye catcher! It can be used for Memorial Day, 4th of July, Parades and Funerals (or just plain enjoyable driving). Not many miles since rebuild according to the tires. I fly the American Flag and Air Force Flag on special occasions.”

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Carved Pumpkin Jeeps

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

For those who haven’t carved your pumpkins yet, I found a few ideas below.  We (and by we I mean Ann did all the work) grew our own pumpkins this year, so if we make time for carving them we will try something with a jeep flair.

Kaiser Willys is having a Jeep Pumpkin Carving contest with a $25 gift certificate as the prize.  Go to their facebook page to learn more.  The pic below is from the Kaiser Willys Facebook page.

Here’s another carved pumpkin for those that can’t identify what the shapes represent:

 

Here is a different take on a jeep pumpkin that I found here.

Here is a stencil you can use to carve your own pumpkin.  Well, it’s a small size version of the stencil. The original stencil seems to be gone.  If you click here, you can use a version of this pic that I have blown up (maybe it will work?).

 

And then there is this painting of a jeep amongst pumpkins by Daphne Wynne Nixon.

Here are a few other links to carvings:

– http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1013337

Google images “Jeep Pumpkin Carvings”

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The Incredible Jeep by Clarence Budington Kelland

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

Clarence Budington Kelland published an one of four parts of a novel called “The Incredible Jeep” in the American Magazine in November of 1941. It appears he followed that by publishing the entire novel in 1942. Is anyone familiar with the story?

Here’s a reference to the Magazine on eBay

Incredible Jeep, The (Gold Seal Novel, presented by the Philadelphia Inquirer, Sunday, November 22nd, 1942)

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Custom Mini Jeep Bridgeport, NJ on eBay

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

I’m not sure what this is good for, but it’s a neat little mini jeep.

“Built from the ground up.  All steel components to include the drive train and axles.  Durable 3/4″ plywood body finished with automotive paint.  Honda GZ series gas engine (200cc) for great performance and efficiency.  Rechargeable AGM battery for the headlights.  Padded leather bench seat with automotive carpeting on interior surfaces and the under carriage finished with undercoating.  Cashiers check or cash.  Buyer responsible for pick up and/or shipping.”

View all the information on eBay

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Electric Jeep out of Colombia $3700 (Plus Shipping)

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

Sebastian forwarded this to me today.  This is great!

“While driving in Antioquia Colombia my dad found this electric Jeep. It is smaller than normal size and the owner (see picture) is asking for about $3700 US dollars. It is a pure home-made Willys. Only in Colombia!!”

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