UPDATE: Still Available.
(07/12/2018) Interesting in that it has Hawaiian plates. Has some early Cutlas hubs.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/4193762177327357
“I’ll let the Pictures speak for themselves. Good story behind this Jeep
Stainless Body and Components. No Rust
Original 4 cylinder “Go Devil Engine”, and transmission. I was told it was original and research to me says it is.
3 speed transmission. Just so you know, top speed is about 45-50 mph.
Solid frame with some surface rust. Was Restored in the late 70’s early 80’s.
Some New parts on Jeep and in boxes. I bought it for the potential and don’t have time or a place to store it. But I will if I have to.”
Was ACME the only company making stainless Jeep bodies?
As I understand it, there have been several companies in the Philippines that built stainless jeep bodies. The best of the bunch were the jewels-made-and-stamped bodies/parts.
(From a conversation I had with Don Prine in 2008) At one point in the early 1970s, Don Prine said that he met with the owner of the Jewels company. Apparently the owner wanted Don to come work for him. But that meant Don would have to travel and live in the Phillipines, as that is where Jewels was located. The owner offered Don a significant amount of money to help him. His plan was to build 200 Jewels flatfenders, but Don didn’t want to leave his young kids for that long of time, so he declined.
Jewels eventually went out of business. After Jewels, another supplier filled the void making and providing parts out of the Phillipines, though they were of lesser quality. According to Don, he successfully brought in some of those parts. However, when he tried to bring in a bigger shipment, it was blocked by customs. He couldn’t remember why that was. Since then he’s had no luck importing stainless body parts. Don passed away in 2015. (more on Don: http://www.ewillys.com/2012/06/29/don-prine-in-the-august-2012-issue-of-jp-magazine/)
Around 2010, a guy out of Oregon began selling stainless bodies, some with galvanized interiors. Whether that was through a new manufacture in the Philippines or not, I couldn’t say. A few years ago the man passed away. I haven’t had an update on what happened with his inventory since then.
The guy in Oregon passing explains why I havn’t seen the the bodies/Jeeps there. I’m thinking he also had bodies to put on Suzuki Samurai frames too.
Blaine,
I didn’t know about the bodies for the Samurais. The’s guy’s name was Del Blanchard. I took some pics of his place back in 2014. http://www.ewillys.com/2014/04/30/april-29th-ann-flies-the-goose/
– Dave