UPDATE II: See the latest — The Van is headed West.
From August, 2011: Glenn recognized the Willys Van for sale. Even more impressive, he found a brochure for one! Well done! He bought the Sales Folder off eBay about a year and a half ago. Mfg. by Plaza Motors, Inc. Englewood, NJ and was Willys-Overland Factory Approved.
Based on the emails between Colin and Glenn, there were at least three groups of Willys-Overland Delivery Trucks produced:
1) One group was produced during or just prior to WWII (as seen below)
Here is a 1942 Panel Delivery Truck:
2) One group was produced during post WWII and pre 1950, which appears to include the Willys Van owned by Mike. The brochure provided by Glenn also appears to be related to this second group.
3) One group was produced between 1951 and 1953, based on these serial numbers.
The numbers below are for post 1950 FJs. This one appears to be a pre-1950 FJ. We are still awaiting a serial number.
1951 FJ 451 GC1 10001— none
1953 FJ 452 GC2 10001—10065 65 built
1954 FJ454 GC2 10001—10012 12 built
Learn something new every day! The one in the drawings looks very similar to the one for sale.
Growing up in Clifton, NJ in the 1950’s & 60’s, I think there were a few of these running around my area. Clifton is only about 15 miles from Englewood, so this would make sense. I think UPS may have had a few of these panel vans; around Christmas time, UPS pulled some of it’s older trucks out of mothballs to Handle the Christmas overflow. can anybody verify this? Also,I think the the Wonder Bread Bakery in Paterson, NJ had a few.
I’m picking it up on Sunday and it will begin it’s trip to sunny Phoenix. It will be under the care of Jesse Ybarra. Watch out for future updates on the FC Connect6ion.
Can’t wait to see what he does with it!
I had been talking with Mike for a while, and it seemed impossible, but with friends like Craig anything is possible. I have kept quiet about this new project until I knew it was on it’s way.
After the decision by my best friend Ken and I was made to rescue it, on the day before he died, I knew it had to be done. I talked to Craig about it, he and I discussed it some more, he suggested that I contact Roger Martin of Ohio, it was he who went up to Lake Geneva, to get it. Now Craig has it on a trailer, it will be at my house in a few weeks.
I am excited about it.
I will never be able to thank Mike, Craig and Roger enough.
Jesse Ybarra