Features Research Archives

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Chris’ Jeep Parts on eBay

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

Chris has posted some jeep parts and items on eBay. Here’s a link to his items:

https://www.ebay.com/sch/elijah12012/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=

One of the more interesting items is this jeep logo placement poster:

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1942 Alaska Highway Report (and more) by Sigrid Arne

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

As I mentioned yesterday, Sigrid Arne (1894-1973) enjoyed a second big jeep adventure. This time it was a trip to Alaska, then a trip down part of the Alaska Highway while it was still under construction. As you’ll see below, there were a variety of photos that were included in newspapers related to her story about the highway.

Below the Alaska Highway articles are more information about Sigrid and other articles by her. Unfortunately, I can still not locate an obituary nor a biography related to her. So, I’m attaching these articles to this thread so that later I can draft a good wikipedia biography about her.

THE ALASKA HIGHWAY ARTICLE AND PHOTOS:

This first photo was published in the June 15, 1942, issue of the Decatur Journal. It shows Sigrid interviewing Pvt. Levi Schrock and and Prv. Albert Tomaino.

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A day earlier, in June 14, 1942, the Knoxville Journal published Sigrid’s experience watching the military build a road through thickly wooded and boggy areas.

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The June 15, 1942, issue of the Spokesman Review featured this series of photos on its back page. It’s hard to believe that Melba Bergeron Mince was working with the military in that outfit (how did the mosquitos not attack all the exposed skin?

1942-06-15-spokesman-review-sigrid-arne-alaskay-highway-loresOTHER SIGRID ARNE STORIES:

A month prior to the above articles, Sigrid wrote about a woman who lived by herself in Alaska and remained unafraid of the Japanese Military:

Continue reading

 
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Roplas Bodies and Hardtops for Mahindra Jeeps

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

The brochures below show brochures from Roplas, a manufacturer out of India that produced Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic  (FRP) aftermarket bodies for 91″, 101″, and 104.5″ Mahindra jeeps. These brochures were assembled by Mr. Rahul Ram Amin and shared via the Flat Fender Jeepers Association — FFJA group on Facebook. I’m surprise that none of these bodies made it to the US, at least I’ve never seen them, especially in the Pacific Northwest where fiberglass bodies were readily used.

This fascinating brochure shows a range of special-purpose jeep bodies produced by Roplas, including service vans, police bodies, and ambulance models:

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This shows a Roplas body on an MM 540/440 Jeep:

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This brochure shows a “Ranger” body on a Mahindra NC 640 DP:

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This brochure shows a variety of Jeep body styles built by Roplas for Mahindra models CJ-500D (2Dr & 4Dr) and the NC 665 DP 4Dr Van and Truck. The body products include the Roplas Universal, the Chieftan, the Highlander, the HiRider, and the Cabin. hardtop-mahindra-facebook-8 hardtop-mahindra-facebook-9

This brochure shows a Mahindra NC 665:

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1954 Press Photo of Caged Jeep on eBay

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

UPDATE: Here’s a second example of these press photos that includes a different caption. I could not locate an example published in a newspaper.

View all the information on ebay

“1954 Press Photo Sgt Curt Anderson of Sweden Army Does Stunts in Special Jeep. This is an original press photo. Sgt Curt Anderson shows students at a mechanics school how a specially-equipped jeep can be made to turn somersaults and still come out alright. Photo measures 7.25 x 9.25 inches. Photo is dated 07-07-1954.”

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Originally Published Aug. 5, 2015: “You are bidding on an original press photo of Swedish Army Sergeant Demonstrates Rolling Caged Jeep. Newspaper markings on photo. If listing shows thin red and/or green lines, they are the result of a bad scan & they are NOT on the actual photo. Photo measures 7 x 9 inches and is dated 7/9/1954.”

View all the information on eBay

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1941 Reporter Article on the Blitz Buggy

• CATEGORIES: Bantam-FordGP-WillysMA-EarlyJPs, Features, Old Images, Old News Articles This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Associated Press Reporter Sigrid Arne was 47 years old when she rode in a Bantam BRC-60. By that time she was an experienced journalist, a fearless investigative reporter with the smarts to decode and explain New Deal programs to the point that the authors of the programs asked her to join their efforts. She traveled all over the United States, even buying a baby for $50 in Oklahoma at one point to expose how babies were being sold like groceries.

Her report on her first jeep ride sounds like she was thrilled/awed by her experience, but I’m unsure how she concluded that the Bantam had 9 speeds. Sigrid’s article landed in the Montana Standard on May 05, 1941, as well as other newspapers.

This ride wasn’t her last in a jeep, as we will see tomorrow morning.

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1962-1973 NOS Parts Catalog on eBay

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

This contains a variety of parts information, including “models 67/71 Jeepster, 62/71 Universal, 72 & 73 Commando CJ DJ 5 6 (various open body, fire engine, gas, diesel, convertible, roadster, station wagon, full cab, pickup, half cab, etc.” So, it might have some interesting info.

View all the information on eBay

“Item Description: Original Jeep Dealer Parts Catalog, 1962 – 1973, with original reddish heavy 3 metal post binder “American Motors / Jeep Parts Catalog”. Covers: models 67/71 Jeepster, 62/71 Universal, 72 & 73 Commando CJ DJ 5 6 (various open body, fire engine, gas, diesel, convertible, roadster, station wagon, full cab, pickup, half cab, etc.). Illustration and Text, parts only, no price list. About 4″ thick. September 1974 print date. Good for looking up NOS part numbers. Good condition, light wear, metal and edge darkening, scuff, small plastic tab on binding edge 1″ top gone. Item has reddish covers, pages are whitish color (camera error kept trying to correct color to reddish background). Inside printing all good condition.”

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British Airborne WWII Jeep Conversion Blueprints **SOLD**

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

UPDATE: **SOLD (fast)** These were on eBay.

These are copies, but are priced as such. I’m sure they would be interesting to someone. They ship from GB.

“Over the years my interest in British ww2 airborne troops has been high, and amongst my collection I converted my jeep to full glider-borne specifications
The drawings I used were from originals which I copied and give full details on the placing of parts and how to make them, with measurements and good details
They’re on A3 paper and come as 10x sheets. They cover:
Pannier carrier
Spare wheel carrier
Bonnet ammo carrier
Steering wheel quick release
Front bumper
Positioning of parts in the jeep
Jerry can carrier reposition
Radio aerial/battery carrier base
A frame for towing”

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1941 Photos Related to the Ford GP

• CATEGORIES: Bantam-FordGP-WillysMA-EarlyJPs, Features, Old Images, Old News Articles This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

1. Ford GPs on assembly line: This March 28, 1941, image shows Ford GPs on the assembly line. It is posted on a Henry Ford’s history page.
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2. Ford gets Priority over Bantam for axles: This January 22, 1941, article in the Indiana Gazette notes a claim by the President of the United Automobile Workers–CIO that Ford was given priority over Bantam on orders for axles, forcing Bantam to miss its deadline for filling their order for the BRC-60s.

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3. Duke of Kent: This photo shows the Duke of Kent riding in a Ford GP at Holabird, Maryland. The photo appeared in the Salem News (Ohio) on August 29, 1941:

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1941 Photo of “Blitz Buggy” During Testing

• CATEGORIES: Airborne Lightweight Jeeps, Features, Old Images, Old News Articles This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

A March 25, 1941, set of photos in the Kansas City Star shows a Bantam BRC-60 flying high at one point, but then being dragged across a river by a horse at another point.

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Jeepster Pulls “Train” of Kids

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

Sam shared this photo which he spotted on a Facebook Porsche page. It looks like this early Jeepster is pulling about 12(?) carts full of kids.

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