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Filip Rosz and Metamet

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

UPDATE: Barry Thomas from Farm Jeep shared this story of a family who purchased a Metamet Jeep.

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Filip is seated in the passenger seat.

Anita Long was kind of enough to share some photos and stories about her father, Filip Rosz. He worked for years at the British firm of Metamet, which in the late 1940s and 1950s specialized in refurbishing jeeps into a wide range of specialty models.

Filip came to the UK the hard way. According to Anita, he was originally from Lwow and in the Polish Home Army at the outbreak of World War II. During the autumn campaign of 1939, he was taken prisoner by the Soviets. Deported to a POW camp in Siberia, after two years he was released as a result of the negotiations of the Polish Government in London with the authorities in Moscow.

He travelled a long way to enlist in the 2 Polish Corps that was forming in the west, the 8th British Army. He went through a combat route to Iran and Egypt to Monte Cassino in Italy. He served in 3PU in the West as a mechanic and driver in the 2nd Warsaw Panzer Division.

After the war he was a displaced person, since his home town was now in Russia. He ended up in London and started working at Metamet, as it was owned and run by Poles in similar circumstances.  Though listed as a Panel Beater, Anita says her father was the best welder at Metamet.

One Metamet employee Anita wanted to also mention was General Julian Zdzislaw Starosteck who, for a brief time, was the production engineer at Metamet before going to America and working on the Patriot Missile.

Anita tells me that Metamet was well known to a lot of Poles who came to settle in London. In fact, her Polish Step-father worked there briefly before he joined the Merchant Navy. He was too young for the war but did join the Polish Navy as a Submariner with the express purpose to ‘jump ship’, which did happen when his first pert of call outside of Poland was Edinburgh. He made his way down to London and hooked up with the Metamet guys.

Metamet not only rebuilt and sold jeeps, but also provided transportation for Film Garden Parties,  events where British and American film and stage actors mingled with everyday folks. Filip was one of the employees that would chauffeur the stars in Metamet jeeps. At some point, he met his future wife Joan at one of the events.

Joan loved the Garden Parties and was an avid collector of autographs. She also would bring along her box Brownie camera to snap photos. For Joan, it was love at first site when she met Filip. They married in 1952. Only eight years later, in 1960, Anita’s father Filip passed away.

Anita labeled her father in each of these rarely-seen photos. A big thanks to Anita for sharing them.
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Metamet and Garden Parties

• CATEGORIES: Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.
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Metamet employees driving jeeps for a Garden Party

Thanks to Anita Long for these images and for introducing me to Garden Parties. I had no idea such events had taken place. It was at one of these events that her parents met.

She wrote, “As a teenager my Mum was an avid film goer and her main interest was writing to movie stars and studios for autographs. In the summer time she would attend the Sunday Pictorial Garden Parties at Morden Hall Park in Surrey to see more film stars and hopefully ‘get’ their autographs.

The staff at Metamet would drive to the Movie Stars hotels and take them to the Garden Parties. I don’t think they drove them around at the park as my photo shows them at the temporary fencing where they parked them. The jeeps were the best way to chauffeur the stars to all their scheduled meet and greets for the fans on the day. Everyone got to see them as there were definitely no open top limos in those days! The boys at Metamet must have really enjoyed those days and I thank fate for the opportunity given to my Dad. If he hadn’t met my Mum there then I wouldn’t be here now!”

Anita shared this video from Youtube. At the 40sec mark you’ll see a couple jeeps behind Bette Davis:

Here are some photos:

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You can learn more about Garden Parties and see some more jeeps here:

https://alondoninheritance.com/eventsandceremonies/the-sunday-pictorial-film-garden-party/

The site includes this photo, which gives a good look at the side of the 5-in-1 Jeep. It has a little bit of a Holden Ambulance look.

 
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1943 GPW Metamet Saloon Body £14,995

• CATEGORIES: Features, GPW (Ford MB) • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Here’s a rare Metamet Saloon body jeep for sale in the UK.

http://www.milweb.net/webvert/78018

“Just one owner since military release, genuine 28,400 miles.
Metamet Saloon body fitted early 1950`s.
A very unique vehicle, chassis no gpp82293, supplied to a Mr HJ Odell the on 30/04/1952 and the only owner since.
Trade advert.”

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Vintage Jeeping on the Barrett Lake Trail

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

This video circa 1969 shows a Contra Costa Jeepers trip on the Barrett Lake Trail in California.

 
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“The Oregon Trail” by Rinker Buck

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

My son bought me The Oregon Trailer: A New American Journey by Rinker Buck for my birthday. I just finished reading it and really enjoyed it.

The book’s author, Rinker Buck, is a New England columnist who decided he wanted to do a crazyass (his description) thing: drive the Oregon trail in a covered wagon. To my surprise, it turns out that, despite all the Oregon Trail re-enactments, there had been no documented drive of a wagon from Missouri to Oregon since 1910 when Ezra Meeker did it at the age of 80 (Ezra’s credited with igniting interest in saving the trail back in the early 1900s). So, in 2011, Rinker and his brother Nick (along with Nick’s Jack Russel Terrier Olive Oyl) set out for Oregon with a 3-mule team, a wagon, and a trailer.

As Rinker shares the success and failures of his adventure, he also delves into the history of wagons, pioneer emigrants, famous landmarks, and important events that have shaped the trail.

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Twenty-Nine 1960s Four Wheeler Magazines **SOLD**

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

UPDATE: **SOLD** Was $28.

Here’s a good price on some 1960s Four Wheeler magazines (currently $28.49 w/ free shipping). I’d buy the lot myself, but it appears I have all of them.

“All of these magazines have been 3-hole punched, previously stored in a binder. The magazines show to be used with edge and corner wear. Some of the covers exhibit crinkling and all of them show some degree of age wear. Several of the magazines have address labels. Some of the magazines are curled at the binding edge from being in a notebook binder for years. The insides look to be clean without markings.”

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Jamie Farr & Jeeps

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

I didn’t know much about Jamie Farr (Klinger on the show M*A*S*H) and his connection with jeeps. Here’s an interesting story about him in Motor Authority.

https://www.motorauthority.com/news/1123867_a-life-during-wartime-jamie-farr-the-most-famous-jeep-driver-in-history

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A Different “Super” Jeep

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

This vehicle, dubbed a “Super” Jeep, was featured on the cover of Mechanic Illustrated magazine in April of 1968. Unfortunately, the article provides very little information. Hopefully, this is still sitting in someones garage, somewhere.

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1946 Testimonial for the CJ-2A

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

Charles Bachman wrote a testimonial for Willys-Overland for his Parkhurst Motors company out of Syracuse, New York. The accompanying photo is interesting as it has a mid-mounted spare tire.

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Instructions for Koenig Bed Extender 3J90

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

Another installment of my series on how to assemble Koenig stuff. These instructions help guide the installation of a Koenig 3J90 bed extender.

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Circa 1950 Wagon Foldout Ad

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

I spotted this circa-1950 foldout-wagon ad for a good price on eBay. The wagon folds out horizontally to reveal the interior of a wagon.

It starts like this:

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The wagon then flips horizontally to reveal the wagon interior and more text.

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The backside of the image shows the exterior of the wagon:

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Koenig Super Cab Instructions for Flatfenders

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

This 1959 instruction document ought to be helpful for the owners of Koenig Super Cabs Models 350 Full and 355 Half Cabs.

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Press Photo of Three DJ-3A Surreys on eBay

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

The seller dates the photo to 1950, but it’s more likely 1959.

View all the information on eBay

“Details: W 10 x H 8 x D 0.1”

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Meyer Half and Full Top Postcards

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

These postcards accompanied some other documents I received.

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Customized MB on Facebook

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

This photo was posted by George Manousakis on the FB G503 group page. It’s got some style of its own. I wish there were more pics of it.

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Jeepster Invitation Mailer

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

This Jeepster invitation mailer(?) was included in some other items I got a few months ago. I would imagine it was part of the introductory campaign in 1948?

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Koenig Standard Cab Hardtop Instructions 530/630 Full 535/Half

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

The models covered in the pages below are the Koenig Standard Hardtops 530 Full and 53 Half for the CJ-5 and Models 630 Full and 535 Half with adapters No. 3863 for CJ-6 Jeeps.

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1943 Photo of Carl Buehler Getting His Jeep Ride on eBay

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

Carl must have penned a powerful letter! Carl J. Buehler, JR, passed away in 2001.

View all the information on eBay

“1943 Press Photo 10-year-old Carl Buehler’s first jeep-ride, Verona, NJ. This is an original press photo. World War II – United States. Verona, New Jersey. Carl Buehler of Verona, New Jersey, wrote to the president saying that he had been promised a jeep ride for selling war bonds and that such promise had not been kept. The jeep showed up by presidential order, driven by Major Arthur J. Lonegren and here we see the 10-year-old boy getting his much desired jeep-ride. Photo measures 7.75 x 6.25 inches. Photo is dated 11-10-1943.

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In 1943, Carl was honored for his 1942 efforts when he joined a New York City parade in 1943. Later, in 1944, Carl was back in the papers as a twelve-year-old hoping to break his previous war bond drive effort.

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Koenig Super Cab Hardtop Instructions 550/650 and 555

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

The models covered in the pages below are the Koenig Super Cabs 550 Full and 555 Half for the CJ-5 and Models 650 Full and 555 Half with adapters No. 3863 for CJ-6 Jeeps.

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1943 GPW Cody, WY **SOLD**

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

UPDATE: **SOLD** Was  $17,000.

Lots of updates.

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“New almost everything, motor has 100 hours. New seats, wheels, tires, brakes, hubs. Newly repainted. Sharp looking jeep! Original: body, windshield, differentials, transfer case and more.
350 Chevy motor
400 turbo transmission
Dana 30’s front and back
Dana transfer case
Custom drivelines
Warn locking hubs
Overdrive system on original transfer case
Ruff Stuff front steering
PSE steering box
Rock Hard front bumper, custom built steel rear bumper
LED light bars
Rancho shocks
Pro Comp steel wheels, Goodyear ATS tires
7” disc brakes in front, drum in rear
4 point racing harness for driver and passenger seats
High lift jack”

 

 
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Converto Trailer Photos

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

UPDATE II: Below are some new photos showing his restored Converto HA hydraulic trailer bed after it’s been sand blasted and re-assembled. 

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Sheriff’s Jeepfest Aug 29th-Sept 1 Jasper, GA

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

This popped up on an unrelated Google search. There’s a Sheriff’s Jeepfest in Jasper, Georgia, August 29th – September 1. I don’t know anything about it.

https://www.sheriffsjeepfest.com/

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Every Day is Sundae — Ice Cream in Salem, OR

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

A reader named Chuck mentioned on Facebook that an ice cream shop called On any Sundae in Salem, Oregon, uses an FJ for its outdoor marketing and sales. There’s no website for the business, only some Facebook pages. Here are some pics:

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2019 Toledo Jeep Fest: Aug 9 – Aug 11

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

The 2019 Toledo Jeep Fest will be a three-day event this year, August 9th – August 11th. You can see a schedule of events here: https://toledojeepfest.com/plan-your-weekend/schedule-of-events/. We can’t make it this year, but maybe we can get to the next one.

https://toledojeepfest.com

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Stratton Lift Phoenicia, NY eBay

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

UPDATE: **SOLD** Was on eBay.

Andy’s auctioning this rare Stratton Lift. It’s missing the arms. More info on the lift. Also, Andy’s selling the rusty CJ-5 that was carrying the lift (see bottom pic). stratton-lift1

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