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Interesting Sign w/ Photo of Wrecked Jeep on eBay

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

This cautionary sign about speed was placed atop this wrecked jeep.

View all the information on eBay

“Original WW2 photo (3.3 x 2.25 inches), slightly curled from age. No writing on the back. The sign reads “Here lies the body of G.I. Joe – He broke his neck while on the go – His nickname was ‘Speedy’ his last name Burney – He’s had it, brothers – His Sentimental Journey”.”

wwii-jeep-wrecked-sign

 
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July 19, 1945, Press Release A

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

This press release was part of a package of press releases and photos from eBay. It’s appears to be a press kit of some kind. There are four press releases total, each varying in size. This 14-page version A is the largest.

What is “pulling stone boat”? Apparently, the post-war jeep could do that better than the war-jeep (page A-6).

1945-07-willys-overland-press-release-A-01-lores 1945-07-willys-overland-press-release-A-02-lores 1945-07-willys-overland-press-release-A-03-lores 1945-07-willys-overland-press-release-A-04-lores

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1953 CJ-3B Ads

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

This first CJ-3B focused ad was published in the April 09, 1953, issue of the Barre Daily Times out of Barre, Vermont. It demonstrated how the Universal ‘Jeep’ “Pays its way Fast!”. It was paid for by Vermont-Willys, INC.

Clipping from The Barre Daily Times - Newspapers.com

April 09, 1953, in the Barre Daily Times out of Barre, Vermont.

This next ad appeared two weeks later in the April 21, 1953, issue of the Sentinel out of Carlisle, Pennsylvania. It was sponsored by the William Peiper Garage.

Clipping from The Sentinel - Newspapers.com

 
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Motor Trend’s Short History of the Jeep

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

Maury shared this recent article from Motor Trend o the history of the jeep. The author does a pretty good job with it.

https://www.motortrend.com/news/1944-willys-mb-jeep-review-americas-real-sports-car/amp/

Willys-MB-WWII-Jeep-Wrangler-Predecessor-14

 
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Model? Hardtop Dearborn, MI $350

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

I don’t recognize this hardtop, but there’s quite a few rivets for a non-production top.

https://detroit.craigslist.org/wyn/pts/d/dearborn-heights-willys-jeep-steel-top/7192597944.html

“Original steel top & doors. MB, M38, CJ2 & 3, maybe others. From a CJ3.”

hardtop-dearborn2 hardtop-dearborn3 hardtop-dearborn4

 
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1942 Photo of Soldiers in Jeep

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

This June 03,1942, photo shows some men taking a ‘peep’ at the Will Rogers theatre to see if it suited their needs for a show. Whether the writer of the cutesy headline was aware that some folks were calling jeeps ‘peeps’ isn’t clear.

Clipping from Fort Worth Star-Telegram - Newspapers.com

June 03, 1942, in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

 
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Former Kamikaze Yukimasa Nishiyama Goes to College

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

While doing research on Maynard Roberts I happened upon the story of the first Japanese citizen who attended college after WWII. There’s no jeeps involved in this story, but I thought it was an interesting story and an unusual, gutsy move by the family of Robert Johnstone.

Yukimasa Nishiyama was a former Kamikaze pilot who won a scholarship from a family in Pennsylvania, a scholarship funded by the death of their son, Robert Johnstone, during WWII in the Pacific. It was the family’s way to honor their son by using the insurance money paid to them to fund the scholarship for a Japanese citizen to attend Lafayette College. They wanted to bridge the divide between the two countries.

His story made the news when he first arrived. In 1948 his story made the October 4th issue of Life Magazine, complete with photos. This story about Yukimasa was published in 1950:

Clipping from The Pomona Progress Bulletin - Newspapers.com

January 23, 1950, article in the Pomona Progress Bulletin.

After college, Nishiyama went on to work for AMP, a Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, company for three decades before retiring. You can read more about his life and experiences in this 1989 article.

1989-09-14-the-morning-call-penns-yukimasa-nishiyama-lores

September 14, 1989, in The Morning Call out of Pennsylvania

1989-09-14-the-morning-call-penns-yukimasa-nishiyama2-lores

September 14, 1989, in The Morning Call out of Pennsylvania

I could not find any more information about his life following 1989.

 

 
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NOS(?) Willys Stencil Kit Part NO 953049 **SOLD**

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

UPDATE: **SOLD** Was on eBay.

Chris spotted this cool but pricey Willys stencil kit. Given a couple of these have been used, it doesn’t quite seem like it is an “NOS” kit, but still a rare find.

“NOS WILLYS JEEP STENCIL SET PART # 953049 9 STENCILS FOR TRUCK, WAGON,JEEPSTER AND FORWARD CONTROL TWO STENCILS USED ONCE BUT ALL SERVICABLE AS NEW VERY RARE ITEM!”

willys-stencil-kit

 
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Ice Racer “Dirty George” (not for sale)

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

This image was included as part of the sale of a CJ-6 axle (pumpkin removed). It’s an ice-racer with an extended body and a mustang convertible top (reminiscent of the DJ-3A convertible top). It’s sort of an art-car ice-racer. Nice to see folks just having fun with their rigs.

According to the seller of the axle, “I used the [CJ-6] tub and frame to extend a CJ3B to add a Mustang convertible top.”

ice-racer-denver

 
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Vac-U-Cast Plastic Bantam BRC Model

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

Here is a rare model of the Bantam BRC I bought a couple months ago on eBay; It is quarter-sized (1/76th scale) produced by Vac-U-Cast Plastics, Inc. On the one hand, I’d really like to assemble it; on the other, I like it’s original condition the way it is. The model number is VS-106 Bantam Jeep Prototype I.
bantam-brc-model-vacucast-plastic3-lores

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