Package-Van Research Archives

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1957 Park ‘Jeep’ Dealership St. Louis Park, MN

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

UPDATE: As JoeB points out (and I missed), the van is an Economy 2WD Deliver Chassis with a Montpelier body conversion (vs. the Boyer version).

http://www.ewillys.com/2013/12/02/economy-delivery-van-image-comparison/#more-150114

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Several folks shared this photo with me. It was published by Paul Swanson on Facebook. HIs family used to own the dealership. The fourth vehicle in the row looks to be an unusual model of the economy/package/delivery van. You’ll note it lacks front hubs, suggesting it was 2WD. Some were 2WD and some 4WD vans: http://www.ewillys.com/2020/07/06/photo-of-an-unusual-boyerstown-built-2wd-delivery-van/

Paul dates the photo to 1957, but to me the FC-150 on the left and the first FC-150 in the row of jeeps look like they are not narrow tracks, which would put the photo later than 1957. Moreover, I cannot find any ads for Park Jeep earlier than the summer of 1958.

Paul indicated that he will post better images of the van.

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From the February 02, 1960, issue of the Minneapolis Star. Strangely, I could not locate any ads earlier than the summer of 1958. So, it’s unclear to me when the dealership opened. You’ll note this ad mentions an Economy van; maybe the one in the pic above never sold.

Clipping from The Minneapolis Star - Newspapers.com

 
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Another Delivery Package Van Found

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

Sid-kris posted pics of this Willys Overland Package Van on Facebook (he was wondering what it was). This marks the third package van we’ve identified. The first is the one Jesse is rebuilding. The second was sold in 2014 in California (a slightly different model – see brochures here). This third one was spotted in West Virginia as I understand it. What’s unique about this one is that it is 4WD (the other two were 2WD).

wv-panel-van-1 wv-panel-van-4 wv-panel-van-3 wv-panel-van-2

 
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Economy Delivery Truck Article

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

The January 1958 issue of Willys News included this article about the Economy Delivery Truck.

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Package Delivery Van + 2 Other Jeeps Red Bluff, CA **SOLD**

• CATEGORIES: CJ-2A, Willys Trucks, Willys Wagons • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: Was $10,000. **SOLD**

Another 1948 Package Delivery Van, except this is the California Body version. Compare it to Jesse’s version.

Will sell all of my Jeeps for the low price of $10,000 (Firm) which takes into consideration that there are issues, minor to major with all 3. Do Not let this scare you off. This is a screaming Deal for what I have and definitely warrants the expenditure of some time to come and look if you are a serious Jeep buyer! 1. 1947 CJ2 2. 1951 Jeep pickup 3. 1948 Willys Overland Parcel Delivery (PD) Quite Rare! First two run and the PD was driven from San Francisco to Paynes Creek 18 years ago and has not been started since. It has the 4 cylinder flathead engine and the other two are F Heads. The 1947 has an F head that is a transplant out of a 1953 jeep station wagon. I will entertain the idea of parceling them out. I do not answer TEXT messages, If you wish to communicate with me you must respond to the Craig’s List email platform with your phone number and your first name and I will get back to you shortly. I can provide more pictures by request.”

cj2a-truck-package-delivery-van1 cj2a-truck-package-delivery-van2 cj2a-truck-package-delivery-van3

 
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1948 Willys Overland “Stordor” Bodied Van

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

Here’s a rare look at a Willys Overland Chassis with a StorDor body (see late 1940s brochure at bottom). What’s unusual with this van is that at some point it was turned into a motor home. While this former laundry van’s current fate is unknown, Larry, the former owner, has shared some information about it. He writes:

I had an old van registered as a Willys Housecar from 1948. Body was on a 2T frame and was modified with a Chevy inline six. Boy do I miss her…I had to leave her in shambles ten years ago

I was told that an old man in Moorpark, Ca. had custom built the interior and as seen on the exterior, the most probable “Bakery” in blue and with imagination, “To your door” showed up on the driver’s side through the house paint that is flaking off, suggesting that she was once a bakery delivery van. The previous owner had received it as a joke some time before I got it in 1980. I don’t know if it even exists anymore. She was dependable but scary with the feeling of tipping ever present like the willies you’d get in a CB or MB of, say, 1940’s circa. 

On another note, I had a friend who had a 1947 Ford van similar to this Willys I owned and it had a grill in the bell shape as mine was.

You can view all the photos of Larry’s old Van here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/lrgvanman/sets/72157604163626267/

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You can just make out the “Willys Overland” signature on the speedometer.

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Economy Delivery Truck Brochure

• CATEGORIES: Features, Fire/Police/Industry Vehicles, Willys Wagons • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

This brochure is from 1959, which includes some specs.  This website has drawings of it and an ambulance version, too.

 
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Delivery Package Van Brochures

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

I just purchased the following package van brochures from eBay.

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1940s-boyertown-bodies

Below is the Urban Package Delivery Van which Jesse is rebuilding.

1940s-urban-package-delivery-van-adWhile not exactly a package van, the principle was the same with this modification:

1940s-rockford-panel-cover-brochure

 
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1948 Willys Package Delivery Van Update

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

UPDATE: Jesse asked me to post a few more pics that show additional progress . . .

These four pics show the body on the wider, heavy duty chassis.

Here are images of the body being removed from the narrower chassis.  You can see past images here: http://www.ewillys.com/tag/Package-Van/

Continue reading

 
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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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The Package Delivery Van Starts its Journey

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

You might remember that we spotted this rare 1948 Willys Overland Package Delivery van a while back.  The buyer decided he had to let it go, so Jesse volunteered to take on the project of restoring it.   To get to Phoenix, the van has made its first stop in Missouri at Craig’s place.

Craig writes, “The 1948 Willys Overland Urban Package Delivery is 430 miles closer to it’s new home in Phoenix, Arizona.  It’s resting at my place in Defiance, Missouri right now before I make the pilgrimage out there to Phoenix and back in a few weeks.  Since the ’48 got its start on eWillys I thought it could use an update there as well.  The pictures were taken just a stones throw south of Roxanna, Ohio where Roger Martin (pictured with me) brought it from its home in Lake Geneva, Ohio.  It looks a little better with some rubber on the wheels! Craig @ thefcconnection