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1942 Photo of Jeep, Dawson Creek, BC on eBay

October 31, 2017 • CATEGORIES: Features, Old Images This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

I can say the place looks a little nicer than it did back in ’42.

“1942 Press Photo Army Jeep passes the Dawson Creek muddy street.
This is an original press photo. Dawson Creek, BC. There are fewer spots these days than Dawson Creek BC. U.S. Army Troops and engineers are gathered there to lay out preliminary plans for building the highway to Alaska. Rain and mud are a set back but Army engineers say they will push her through”. An Army jeep is shown on the muddy main street of Dawson Creek. Photo measures 9 x 7.25 inches. Photo is dated 3-15-1942.”

View all the information on eBay

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Watson Hub Information

October 30, 2017 • CATEGORIES: Features, Magazine • TAGS: Hubs. This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE II: There’s a newer, updated Dualmatic hub post with comments about the Watson hub here.

These hubs were created about the same time as the dual lever Dualmatic hubs. Moreover, we can state for sure now that there was a specific relationship between the Watson hub and the Dualmatic company.

How do we know this? Because both hubs share the same patent number 2854111:

You’ll note that the patent number 2854111 is the same in both the above items, with both connected to this single lever design: https://patents.google.com/patent/US2854111.

UPDATE: A 1967 Sears Jeep Parts Catalog had a set of hubs for sale that look suspiciously like the Watson hubs. One thing we’ve noticed is that some Watson hubs have “WATSON” imprinted on the hub, while other identical hubs don’t.

So, were these WATSON hubs that were private labeled, or had Dualmatic been making WATSON hubs all along, but now offered them for private labeling? It’s easy to think that Dualmatic might want to separate their Dualmatic branded hubs from private labeled ones. Changing the private-labeled version to this look would help that.

1967-sears-catalog-sears-watson-hubs

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Original Post: October 30, 2017:

Alaska Paul discovered this Watson Hub article in the 1958 issue of Science and Mechanics magazine. This suggests that the Watson hub was developed in 1956 or 1957, making the company a very early hub manufacturer.

The mechanism looks similar to the early Dualmatic hubs. In fact, the first Dualmatic hub patent filing was in 1956, for a single lever model. Whether that inspired the dual lever model by the California-based H. S. Watson company remains unclear. I have no evidence to suggest Watson ever patented its hub nor how long they sold their hub.

2 Examples of Watson hubs:

Another example from a truck listed for sale on Craigslist out of Redding, California:

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January 1955 Jeep Sales Optimism

October 29, 2017 • CATEGORIES: Advertising & Brochures, Features, Old Images • TAGS: Jeep-Willys-News. This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

This article highlights how optimistic Willys was going into 1955.

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“Gold Plated” Executive Gift SOLD

October 27, 2017 • CATEGORIES: Features, Models This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: **SOLD** Was on eBay.

Having the box makes this one unique. But, it appears the bumper has been broken.

“Made by Comet for retirement gift for WILLYS OVERLAND EXECUTIVES. This toy is in excellent condition, tires show very little play wear. Hard to find with steering wheel intact. JEEP embossed in tailgate is crisp and clear. “Gold plating” is in great shape with some tarnish that I will leave to the buyer to clean. Only blemish is right front bumper is typically broken. Box is in equally excellent condition. Both have been kept under glass as long as I’ve owned it.”

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1953 Woody Station Wagon Prototype Osprey, FL $39,000

October 27, 2017 • CATEGORIES: Features, Unusual, Wood bodies This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

This is a unique vehicle.

“1953 Willys Overland. Factory prototype. F head six cylinder. Right hand drive. This is the only one.”

https://sarasota.craigslist.org/cto/d/willys-one-of-kind-prototype/6361551832.html

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Trencher’s First Appearance?

October 26, 2017 • CATEGORIES: Features, Old Images • TAGS: Jeep-Willys-News, Trencher. This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

This photo from the October 1954 issue of Kaiser Willys News got me thinking. Anyone know when the first jeep trenchers were manufactured?

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Photo of VP Hickman Price Descending Hill in a CJ-5

October 25, 2017 • CATEGORIES: Features, Old Images • TAGS: Jeep-Willys-News. This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Ann says they tilted the camera for this shot. I can’t tell for sure. This photo was featured in the March 1955 issue of the Willys News and shows Vice President Hickman Price descending a steep gradel in a CJ-5.

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Japanese Envelope on eBay

October 25, 2017 • CATEGORIES: Artists/Drawings, Features, Postcards This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Here’s an unusual piece.

“Vintage Colorful Japanese Jeep Envelope or Sleeve — New Old Stock… Newspaper like paper has colorful illustration on one side and line drawing on the other… Colorful illustration of a woman officer driving a jeep, a small doll dangling in the wind shield and a rose… Back side has line drawing of a little girl riding a donkey… There is also Japanese character writing… Good condition, new old stock, both top and bottom open… Piece measures about 5 1/8″ x 7 3/8″… ”

View all the information on eBay

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1949 Color Video of Exploring Southern Utah

October 24, 2017 • CATEGORIES: Features, videos This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

This CJ-2A has the spare tire on the side and sports a Beck “ECONO” Model F3B-100 hardtop.

The CJ-2A has the same hardtop, but for some reason it no longer has a side mount tire.

Frazier spotted a wonderful color video from 1949. Credit for the one-hour length film goes to Ray and Virginia Garner. As I watched it the first time I was struck by the quality of the cuts, the closeups and faraway shots, and the overall sense of a narrative, despite the lack of sound. A little research proved that this wasn’t Ray’s first video. He’s got a long resume that stretched back to pre-WWII. He and his wife Virginia continued filming for years, traveling around the world, and made films for NBC and ABC News.

LINK FOR VIDEO==> Check out the one hour video that starts near Moab and ends within Canyonlands National Park. The jeep section begins at the 15:30 mark and lasts the rest of the film. You’ll eventually realize that there are two green CJ-2As, though I didn’t see a scene that ever showed both together. If you know southern Utah at all you will really appreciate this gem.

Here’s the archived description:
Movie (color, no sound, 57 minutes, 33 seconds): a home movie by Ray Garner shows various scenes in the deserts of the American Southwest. Ray and Virginia Garner take a road trip in a wood-frame station wagon, camping in the desert of Utah and Arizona. Scenes include Arches National Monument, sand dunes, the La Sal Mountains from Arches, cactus and other vegetation, Monument Valley, wildlife (caterpillar, lizard, insects, scorpion, “Hassayampa legend” sign; car travel in the desert; camping; a windmill pumping water; men climb El Capitan (Agathla Peak) in northern Arizona; the couple in a motorboat on the Colorado River. jeep ride at Dugout Ranch and Canyonlands, San Juan County; petroglyphs at Newspaper Rock; dynamiting a boulder to clear a path for the Jeep; Chesler Park and the Needles area; Indian ruins (Beef Basin?); small planes land and take off at Chesler Park; installing climbing ropes on rocks in Canyonlands to access Indian ruins; Wedding Ring Arch in Salt Creek Canyon; Indian ruins and petroglyph (“All-American Man”) in Salt Creek area. Final sequence shows more natural arches.

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Photos From the 2017 Mason-Dixon Willys Jeep Gathering

October 23, 2017 • CATEGORIES: Event, Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

I feel like I have seen these two jeeps somewhere recently ….

Thanks to Gray and Dave for sharing photos form the 2017 Mason-Dixon Willys Jeep Gathering on Sunday. The weather was perfect and both reported they had a good time.

Dave noted, “Great show on a beautiful day, though a bit warm for the end of October in these parts. I didn’t do any counting but, I’m estimating around 10-12 used parts vendors with everything imaginable related to cjs, trucks, and wagons, and around 40-50 jeep vehicles including civilian cjs, the trucks, wagons, FC, Jeepster guys and, the military vehicle group that included a military wrecker, a WWII deuce and several jeeps. All in all, this is a great show that gets better each year. Thanks to the Union Mills Homestead site for having us and to Mike for organizing it.”

Gray added, “Such a great show . Lots of parts for sale and everybody was so nice!”

Below are a mix of Dave and Gray’s photos. The first one shows this year’s award winners:

Continue reading →

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CJ-5 Serial Numbers with AA at the End

October 23, 2017 • CATEGORIES: Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

A reader from South Africa sent the serial number of his jeep to me, asking when it was built. I concluded that the serial number indicated he has a 1966 CJ-5. The curious part is that he has AA’s stamped on the end of the serial number.Here’s an approximate example of his serial number: 8305 211XXX AA …. It turns out, he’s not alone.

Here’s an example (again from South Africa) of a CJ-6 with the AA’s stamped into the serial number: http://www.4-the-love-of-jeeps.com/cj6-big-red-comes-to-papa.html

The internet also has a few references to others with the double AAs. What I think is going on is that as a part of converting left handed jeeps to right handed ones, the company that did it was also adding a set of AA’s to the serial number. Does anyone know of this to be the case?

CJ-6 serial number with AA’s stamped in it.

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Jeep Utility Wagon Brochure

October 23, 2017 • CATEGORIES: Advertising & Brochures, Features, Willys Wagons This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

I snagged this early 1950s Jeep Utility Wagon brochure off eBay. It took some time to find an inexpensive one. It came with a small bundle of other brochures.

1950s-wagon-utility-brochure1-lores

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Clark County, Nevada, Sheriff’s Office Jeep Posse

October 22, 2017 • CATEGORIES: Features, Fire/Police/Industry Vehicles, Magazine, Old Images • TAGS: Jeep-Posse. This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

A little something to read from five years ago …

Originally published October 31, 2012: I stumbled across some Flickr Images of the Clark County, Nevada, Sheriff’s Office Jeep Posse. I searched for a website for the group, but could only find a Sheriff site.

Here are a few images from Flickr.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kh7cz/4011171143/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kh7cz/4011171121/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kh7cz/4011171165/in/photostream/

In February, 1952, Popular Science published a short article about this Jeep Posse. Note the Slat Grille MB.

Continue reading →

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Chuck Yeager Buys a Wagon

October 21, 2017 • CATEGORIES: Features, Old Images, Old News Articles • TAGS: Jeep-Willys-News. This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

This October 1954 photo and caption from Kaiser Willys News highlights Chuck Yeager’s recent purchase of a Willys Wagon (or maybe he was given it).

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1953 Photo of Fire Jeep SOLD

October 21, 2017 • CATEGORIES: Features, Old Images This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: **SOLD** Was on eBay.

Interesting photo. It appears this has a bed extender on it. I don’t think I’ve seen that on a fire jeep previously?

“1953 Press Photo McCloskey & Burke inspect donated jeep with fireman Pizzatola. This is an original press photo. This Jeep, equipped with two-way radio, was donated by the New Orleans Fire Department to the Fort Pike Volunteer Fire Department for communication between the two departments for fires along Cef Menteur. Highway Safety Commissioner McCloskey and Deputy Fire Chief Patrick Burke inspect the jeep. The fireman is Sam Pizzatola. Photo measures 10 x 8.25 inches. Photo is dated 09-22-1953.”

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Photo of Jeeps & Trucks in Field on eBay

October 21, 2017 • CATEGORIES: Features, Old Images This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: Barry noticed that this may very well be a photo with FDR in the passenger side of the jeep. 1) He spent extended periods of time in Georgia, 2) the side would have been cut to make it easier for him to get in the jeep, and 3) it looks quite a bit like FDR.

No date on the photo. The jeep to the left has had some modifications done to the entry area.

“Press Photo The Army jeeps shown in a field –
This is an original press photo. The Army jeeps shown in a field Photo measures 11 x 7 inches. Photo is dated –none.”

View all the information on eBay

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1942 Photo of Ford GPA Test

October 20, 2017 • CATEGORIES: Features, Old Images This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

I don’t think I’ve seen this photo. That looks to be an early GPA to me.

“1942 Press Photo U.S Army Amphibious Jeep Proceeds into swollen Ohio River. This is an original press photo. Turning off the highway it proceeds into the swollen Ohio River between Fort Knox and Louisville. The Propeller is put in motion and its Ship Ahoy. Photo measures 10 x 8.25 inches. Photo is dated 04-10-1942.”

View all the information on eBay

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Jeep Willys Bar Little Rock, AR $1000

October 20, 2017 • CATEGORIES: Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

It’s different.

“I built this bar about 8 months ago out of an unrestorable 50s Jeep Willys Wagon. Thought that it would be a great center piece for the man cave I was going to build. It has working Edison Light Bulbs. My wife informed me after building it that my young children would not be allowed near it because it has rust on it. Oh well. It is up for sell. $1000 boo.”

https://littlerock.craigslist.org/fuo/d/jeep-willys-bar/6351976638.html

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October 1954 Optimism at Willys Motors

October 19, 2017 • CATEGORIES: Advertising & Brochures, Features, Old Images, Old News Articles • TAGS: Jeep-Willys-News. This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

This October 1954 photo and caption from Kaiser Willys News underscores how confident Willys Motors was about the coming year and their new CJ-5 model. About this time there was an explosion of new brochures and mailers, so Willys Motors did what it could to generate excitement about the commercial and utility market.

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1960’s Jeep Sign (Paper) on eBay

October 19, 2017 • CATEGORIES: Advertising & Brochures, Features This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

This is a neat piece.

“1960s Jeep original dealership showroom two sided paper sign, size 15 by 17 inches, condition is good, any questions please send an e-mail, USA shipping will be $8.00, overseas at extra cost.”

View all the information on eBay

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1946 Photo of Jeeps in Stalingrad

October 19, 2017 • CATEGORIES: Features, Old Images This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

That’s a stark photo, but also a very thoughtful one if the photographer is correct.

“1946 Press Photo Jeeps and Studebaker Trucks That Helped Russia Win the War. This is an original press photo. This is typical of the destruction of Stalingrad, where workers and farmers pitched in to help the Red Army hold. These two Russian Chauffeurs say jeeps and studebaker trucks helped Russia win the war. They suggested Strohm take this picture so he could tell the American people they appreciated the things we sent them in lend-lease. Photo measures 9 x 7.25 inches. Photo is dated 10-04-1946.”

View all the information on eBay

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Links to Fire Jeeps in Portugal

October 18, 2017 • CATEGORIES: Features, Fire/Police/Industry Vehicles This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Roberto Flores’ search for fires in Portugal tangentially led to a finding a few links to blogs with fire jeeps on them.

This first set of photos is from a 2008 post on a Portuguese website. According to a translation, “On the day of [the jeep’s] baptism, the Father said in his address: “The first-aid jeep is intended to fill a very important gap in this Corporation, which is to be able to turn to places of difficult access or even of the city, where it is not justified to move a heavier car.”

This second fire jeep resides at the Fire Museum at Dafundo in Portugal. This 1947 CJ-2A was acquired in 2010, then restored.

This last website from Catalonia only shows one photo and it’s not the best angle. Still, the parking lights suggest it is a 1946 or early 1947 CJ-2A. It’s not clear where this one is located, other than in Portugal.

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Ford GP Camp Croft Postcard SOLD

October 18, 2017 • CATEGORIES: Bantam-FordGP-WillysMA-EarlyJPs, Features, Postcards This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: **SOLD** Was on eBay.

Good look at a Ford GP.

“VINTAGE POSTCARD – CONDITION: VG/some corner wear *SEE SCANS BELOW OF BOTH SIDES. DATE/ERA: c1940s. Standard Size 3.5×5.5 Inches.”