Old Images Jeeping Research Archives

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Stebbins Service Testimonial

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

This 1947 Willys testimonial did not have a signature.

Scan10059-1947-01-20-stebbins-logging Scan10058-1947-01-20-stebbins-logging

 
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Hemet Jeep Club Cavalcade Photos

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

These photos appeared in the 2008 book HEMET, part of which was scanned into Google Books. In this case, the captions suggest that these were photos of the first cavalcade (listed in the caption as ’48, but ’49 according to a long-time club member),

To me it looks as if there’s at least two M-38A1s, but I can’t confirm that with this lo-res image. The year credited is 1954.
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The caption on the photo below suggests this was taken in 1948, but the CJ-3A shown at the front places the next two photos later than that. In fact, the CJ-3A pictured appears also appears in the 1949 photos from Life Magazine. So, these were most likely taken in April of 1949.2008-hemet-book-cavalcade-photo22008-hemet-book-cavalcade-photo3

An M-38A1 (or CJ-5) can be seen in the background, suggesting this is at least 1952 or later.2008-hemet-book-cavalcade-photo4

 

 
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UPDATE: Operation Pineapple — the 1955 44,000 Mile Trip

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

UPDATE: The world can be such an amazing place sometimes. Last night we got to spend time with Hugo Vidal and his son Fernando. Hugo’s memories of his 1955 trip are very clear, enough so that he’s writing a book about the adventure. His book begins with Operation Pineapple and will end with Alaska Or Rust. 

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Hugo was enjoying looking through the Willys News periodicals from the mid 1950s. He recognized some of people in them.

Originally posted June 23, 2015: The CJ-3B page does a good job covering the history of Operation Pineapple, a 1955 trip by three Sao Paulo Boy Scouts: Hugo Vidal, Charles Downey, and Jan Stekly. You can read everything about it here: http://cj3b.info/Finds/FindsPineapple.html. The Allpar site has additional information and a later photo of Hugo: http://www.allpar.com/racing/road-rally/operation-pineapple.html

Adding to those links, I have found a couple additional photos and more information about the trip. The first photo was published in the September 1955 issue of Willys News:

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Note the missing tire on the spare rim. Hugo says they went through eleven tires. During their trip they had no mechanical issues.

California’s Lodi News-Sentinel published a story about the last leg of their trip on January 18, 1956.

1956-01-18-lodi-news-operation-pineapple2

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Vintage Rubicon Trail Video

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

This vintage Rubicon video was linked to on Facebook.

 
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CJ-3B Drag Racer and Plow Jeep

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

The September 1961 issue of Hot Rod Magazine included this reader-submitted photo. The owner explained that the jeep did well as a drag racer (in the stock 4cyl class I’m sure) when they weren’t using it as a plow jeep.

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V-8 Jeeps & The Sidewinder Cruise

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

In September of 1961, Hot Rod Magazine published this article about the Saleea Al Jemel jeep club’s Sidewinder Cruise (first documented jeep club, formed in 1946) in Southern California. The article covers various V8 upgrades installed in flat fender jeeps, with a focus on Brian Chuchua’s Plymouth V8 install.

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Old Faithful, Honorable Purple Heart Winner

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

Thanks to Keith for the tip about Old Faithful.

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According to this page, the Associated Press captured this photo of “Old Faithful” on the island of Bougainville in 1944.

Recently, Jeep shot a commercial highlighting a little known fact that a jeep named “Old Faithful” was awarded an honorable Purple Heart for its service in Guadalcanal and Bougainville during WWII (not to be confused with a jeep that was named “Purple Heart“). The jeep was later put on display at the Marine Corps Museum, but, according to an article in Adweek, it disappeared and its whereabouts remain unknown.

The September/October 1944 Army Ordinance reported on Old Faithful:

Old Faithful was a Willys built jeep that served four Marine generals through the Guadalcanal campaign and the Bougainville invasion. Old Faithful was officially awarded the Purple Heart for “wounds”–two shrapnel holes in its windshield received during the Jap battleship shelling of Guadalcanal on October 13, 1942.

Old Faithful, the first American vehicle ever to be so decorated, was retired from active service by official Marine Corps order on December 22, 1943. Faithful to the last, this jeep’s motor, which has never been overhauled, purrs as smoothly today as it did on the historic day of August 7, 1942, when it first rolled onto Guadalcanal’s famous Lunga Beach. During its duty in the Pacific area,

Old Faithful served as official car for many distinguished leaders, including the late Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox, Adms. Chester Nimitz and William F. Halsey, Vice Adms. A.W. Fitch, and J.S. McCain, Marine Corps Commandant Lieut. Gen. Thomas Holcomb, his successor Lieut, Gen A.A. Vandegrift, and many others. In 1944, Old Faithful, after a long journey, arrived in heaven and now reposes in the Marine Corps Museum at the Marine Corps Air Station Quantico, Va.

Also in 1944, the Marine Corps Chevron included this photo and article on “Old Faithful”:

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WAR RELIC’ “Old Faithful,” retired after 18 monthsservice in the South Pacific as a command oar, was displayed in San Diego’s War Bond drive. It is being inspected by Majs. Granville Mitchell (left) and Douglas J. Preacher.

Battle-Worn Jeep Back In U. S. On Bond Tour

Old Faithful,” first Marine jeep to be landed on Guadalcanal and among the first on Bougainville, was exhibited at the Plaza War Bond center in downtown San Diego this week in connection with the Filipino Day program.

The jeep was retired on Bougainville recently after having traveled more than 11,000 miles of jungle terrain as a command car. During its 18 months’ service “Old Faithful” served four Marine generals as well as carrying every ranking Marine officer and visiting official on the two battle-torn islands.

Previously, the jeep had been awarded a “Purple Heart” for holes in its windshield, received when a Jap battleship shelled Guadalcanal. It is on its way toward becoming a museum piece at the Marine Corps Museum, Quantico.

 

 

 
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Kent Frost and his CJ-5 at Needles

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

Here’s another photo of Kent Frost and his CJ-5 at the Needles in Canyonlands National Park, probably before it was a park.

http://content.lib.utah.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/USHS_Morton/id/595/rec/4

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1949 Photo from Colorado River Crossing

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

This Utah State Historical Society photo by Jack Breed from 1949 is just beautiful! Three unidentified men are standing around a National Geographic Society Jeep, part of a Society exploration party into southern Utah. They are observing the site called “Crossing of the Fathers” at the Colorado River. I shared a color version of this photo back in 2013, but the black and white photo is equally beautiful.

http://content.lib.utah.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/USHS_Class/id/30852/rec/11

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1961 Video on San Juan County, Utah

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

As a former Utahn, I found this video interesting. I never knew that Mexican Hat was named for a rock formation (but I’ve only been through there once). The video is a half hour. To view it, click the photo below. Then, click the “Play” button.

Travelogue produced and narrated by Al Morton for San Juan County, Utah, in 1961. It covers the scenic sights of San Juan County, including Rainbow Bridge, Looking Glass Rock, Monticello, Blanding, Bluff, Recapture Canyon, the Valley of the Gods, Mexican Hat, the Goosenecks of the San Juan, Monument Valley; Hovenweep National Monument; Newspaper Rock; Natural Bridges National Monument; the Canyonlands Needles area, Angel Arch, and Dead Horse Point. A significant portion of the film involves a Jeep tour run by Kent and Fern Frost. Includes references to local industries, the Navajo Indians, and the settlement by the San Juan Mission in 1878-1879. Run time: 30 minutes, 3 seconds;