The June-July 1961 issue of Jeep News is only six pages.
Page one shares news about the FJ-3A, which the company planned to introduce in the fall of 1961. Interestingly, the paper refers to it as The Commercial ‘Jeep’ Fleetvan. Page two includes another example of an FC-170 with a custom camper on the back.
An articles on page three highlight the use of jeeps at Lake Placid, New York, and the continued use of DJ-3A Dispatcher surreys as part of the Pepe movie promotion. Page four shows how an FC-170 was converted into a horse carrier. Page five is all dealer news.
Page six shows some images from a jeep club meet at Kaiser Steel, while a pic at the bottom shows a militarized FC-170 with it’s top removed.
Few know that Jack Parr actuly owned a Jeep CJ5, mentioned in his book Three on a toothbrush. In reference to the introduction of the Tuxedo Park model CJ5, note that the color combination of the introductory model, quite a few in my area of North Jersey back in that era. Lee’s Tavern in my Neighborhood of Clifton, NJ bought one From Scheuer Motors, with the red & white color scheme, but had a special pink surrey enclosed fabric top with upholstery & tire cover to match. Special note*, The introductory TUX Model did not have special badging as did following year models.
Interesting to see the military was still buying M38A1s and M170s. Might have been the last group of M38A1s.
By dividing the contract price by the number of vehicles*, I got a unit cost of $2800.
How does that compare to the retail prices of CJ-5 & 6s at the time?
*An imprecise measurement since the military contract might include spare parts or some other item which would skew the unit cost.
Brings back memories: under retail sales meeting Indianapolis: Art/Ben Sacks was owner of Sacks Jeep Sales. Herb Morris was parts/service manager and Randy Randolph was sales. I got into jeeps in early 70’s and spent a lot of time in that dealership. All good people. I remember first CJ5 to break a 5K sticker price and I thought nobody would pay that. Wish I had all the parts in inventory today.
Art was a neighbor and would leave parts in our mailbox as I had a $200 credit limit (that was often exceeded).
Lindsay: I think we all would like to have those parts inventory 🙂
JohnB: A seller with a 1961 classified ad out of Wash DC put the price of a brand new 1958 CJ-5 with power lock hubs, de luxe Kelly cab, 8000lb Ramsey winch, PTO take off on the back at $3595 (not sure if that includes tax or other additions). The seller was trying to sell it in 1961 with 19k miles for $1895:
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1961-03-19/ed-1/seq-107/#date1=1960&index=5&rows=20&words=5+CJS+JEEP+WILLYS&searchType=basic&sequence=0&state=&date2=1963&proxtext=cj-5+jeep+willys&y=0&x=0&dateFilterType=yearRange&page=1
My guess is that by 1961 the price of a base model would probably be about $3000? The $2800 per jeep price paid by the gov doesn’t seem all that much out of line with the civilian models based on those stats. But, more research is warranted.
– Dave
Comparing a CJ5 with an M38A1 borders on Apples and Grapefruits. An M38A1 is much more built in almost every way than the CJ; with reinforced frames, a heavy 24 Volt system and waterproof fording capability among other things. ff: Compare a 3-lever light switch on an M-series Jeep with a civilian one, etc. ie: compare the individual components. It actually speaks to to good deal the government got in the contract.
Also: My brand new ’73 CJ5, loaded beyond the 258 and 3-speed with F & R posi, 427 gears, HD springs and shocks, side steps, Whitco top, rear seat, carpet kit, Whitco swing tire rack, GY upgraded Suburbanites H78/15s, and more…….$3300.00 out the door before taxes.
………forgot to add the full roll cage which I hated.
I have found the answer to my own question…
According to an 2016 copy of
“Kelly Blue Book…1946-95 Car & Truck Values, Collector’s Edition”….
in other words, their (since discontinued) collector car price guide…
1961 List Base Prices:
CJ-3B….$1960
CJ-5……$2054
CJ-6……$2253
DJ3 Dispatcher……..$1437
DJ3 Gala Surrey…….$1503
Wagon, 4wd, 6-cyl….$2344
Pickup, 4wd, 6-cyl…..$2490
FC-150 pu, 4wd, 4-cyl…..$2533
FC-170 pu, 4wd, 6-cyl…..$2858
Barney..I appreciate the differences between a ‘5 and an ‘A1…the Army unit is heavy duty, and I’m sure the prices of many parts reflected thst…but at the same time, some parts may have been less expensive by being available as surplus or even government furnished. But it’s an interesting question to ask.
So, if we accept the $2800 average from that Army contract (see my previous qualification), we can see the premium charge for the military features.
In fact, it is even more considering the dealer cost would be a couple hundred less than the list price.
John .. now feeling stupid that I didn’t think of KBB! Good idea.
– Dave
I believe the 400 M38A1s mentioned were for the Corps purchased through Army Ordinance – not an uncommon practice back then. They did not like the M151 series and tried several vehicles around this time including the M422 Mighty Mite and International Scout 80s. The Army was already 2 years into acquiring M151s . However, the M170 Field ambulance could be a different story since conversion kits were probably not available yet for the 151 series in production or in the field. It will be interesting what future articles reveal on govt contracts for the M38A1 series. I’m reasonably sure the Corps was buying them into ’63 or so. The Corps also had a flight line fire truck version of the short M38A1.
Just came across my 1970 AMC Jeep Salesman’s pocket fact booklet. A 1970 CJ5 base price (4 Cyl, no pass seat even) was $2,886.00.
Barney
What came standard on a base CJ-5 then?
I would imagine a soft top, radio, heater wound be options, but I am surprised about the passenger seat.
Also, were PS, PB options?
I can’t recall if my ’77 CJ-5 Renegade had either. I imagine on V-8 examples like mine, PB were common.
JohnB – Jeep CJ was considered an agriculture / industrial vehicle through 1975. Yes, they put lipstick on the pig with some packages such as Tux and Renegade, but they were still a heavy duty work vehicle.
As such, EVERYTHING was an option including a soft top, hard tops and AM radios which mounted under the dash like a CB. In fairness, when you went into a dealership in the 60s and early 70s the CJs there would at least have a front passenger seat and most often a Kayline or Whitco soft top installed already by the dealer. Here are the 3 entries for Seats for Factory installed options: Front, – passenger -bucket;
Front, bench 2/3-1/3; Rear, w/belts. in 70, CJ had 22 factory installed options including the V6, 4 sp, Warn hubs and etc. Dealership installed options were 27 with some repetition of the former. Remember also that from 1975 back you could order ANYTHING on your factory ordered CJ and it would be installed in the customizing building at the factory.
PS, PB options started in ’72. Not sure the correlation PB to the V8. Makes sense to me but I’ve seen both so it must have been individual options and not a package, unless the whole vehicle was a package.
The heater was standard for 70 with 71 being the last year for the “shorty” CJ. I don’t know at what point it became standard, but I do know in the 50s and early 60s it was an option. (My dad bought a brand new 65 Dodge Dart in Houston – absolutely stripped – and it had no heater. Had to install one when my brother went off to A&M).
The big changes came with the 76 CJ. I would describe the differences between the 76 and what preceded it is Apples and Watermelons.
I have always known about pre-AMC short ones (I briefly had a ’71, short but with AMC VIN plate) and the longer versions. I was not aware of the other post-AMC/stretch changes.
My ’77 was interesting…as I said, V-8 Renegade & Levis package.
I was surprised by the silly 3-speed, I know three speeds were still the base transmission on virtually everything back then (including muscle cars), but I would have expected a 4 speed with the big engine.
Also, I was surprised by the lack of a tailgate. To me, that says that SOME CJ-5s were seen as recreational and not utility of farm vehicles by that time. Again, I’m surprised that they built both simultaneously, but in retrospect, I guess the change isn’t that big structurally.
I used mine as a daily driver for work, so not having a tailgate didn’t bother me. But the rear fuel filler was junk…it took me forever to fill the tank due to angle or air issues. And getting a full fuel load was always problematic.
Sadly, I sold mine 20 years ago, long before the internet and places like this to learn about them.