The newest issue of the Dispatcher Magazine arrived at my mailbox. It’s another great issue full of vintage jeep info, including a listing for the “world’s oldest jeep touring company” out of Ouray, Colorado, that is for sale (yes, the owner is considering retirement).
However, the article that really snagged me was Bill Norris’ Maverick article (Thank You Bill!). I now finally understand the Maverick Wagon history (1958-1964) and how some Maverick TV show drama resulted in the 1960-1964 ‘Maverick’ wagons not really being Maverick’s anymore, despite having the Maverick pre-fix. It’s also why some folks are pro ‘1958-1959 were the years that the only true Maverick wagons were produced’, while other folks point to the pre-fix in the years 1959-1964 and argue that any wagons that used the pre-fix are actual Maverick wagons.
WAAAA !!! — I SOLD MY KAISER-WILLYS MAVERICK ROCKET EMBLEM , SIMILAR TO THE ONE IN THE PICTURE — 1 OF 100 MADE , ACTUALLY 200 EMBLEMS MADE , PORT AND STARBOARD — WAAAAAAA !! ( did get good money for it ) — I like that gladiator 2wd truck , if that’s what it is ? — I have a 48 willys model 2wd — WAAAAAAAA !!
In this same issue is a great Jeep story by Dan Montgomery called “Robert Miller’s Jeeps”. Of special interest to me is the use of CJ5s in the late 1960s in Miller’s custom baling operations. Here is some documented history at the very end of the two decades of the Jeep as the all purpose farm and ranch tool.
Thanks to Bill and Kevin for another great issue.
Barry
Our long time friend Jim Sullivan owns a 1958 Maverick that we believe to be an early unit with less than 40,000 miles on the F-134 engine and body. It has the split front windshield, non ribbed top and two pane rear tailgate windows. It does have the Maverick trim, plus the smaller trim around the base of the side glass and original hubcaps. It doesn’t look like it ever had the Kaiser emblem on it. It is an original Arizona vehicle, so rust is very minimal. Drives great, overdrive works fine.
Jim and I have seen several Willys wagons that still had the two piece windshield and rear tailgate glass and non ribbed roof that were built in 1960 and early 61. Several of those were 4WD models. We suspect Kaiser was using all the available bodies and body pieces as they were using their inventory up before the Wagoneer came out in late 1962.