These old photos I bought off of eBay show aren’t the best. They capture a weekend of jeeping somewhere in California, possibly the Rubicon.
Features Research Archives
Buddy Cowger: CJ-3B Uranium Hunter
According to this story, Buddy Cowger lost the use of his legs due to cyanide poisoning. That didn’t stop him from driving the backroads of Utah in search of Uranium. He was a friend of Charlie Steen, a famous Uranium hunter out of Moab.
1955 Testimonial to the Jeep From a Tobacco Farmer
Hand Built Mini-Jeeps out of Bolivia
Richard Michalsky builds “mini-jeeps” out of his shop in Bolivia. These jeeps are all metal. The first vehicle, an MB look-a-like was completed in 3 years. It is 25% Smaller than the original vehicle and is 2WD, but has made of the same details. It is powered with a 3 Cyl engine from a Kia 1000cc. It weighs around 1250lbs.
This second jeep is a civilian model. It’s styled different, but appears to be built in a way similar to the MB-like jeep. It too is only 2WD. They look like a kick to drive around.
1943 Photo of British Solider Using Umbrella as Shade on eBay
I spent far too much time in the sun today. I could have used an umbrella like this!
“1943- British Signaller W. Bale working on his jeep using an umbrella for shade on Sicilian beach.”
Don Visits the New Mexico Museum of Military History in Albuquerque
Don shared these photos of jeeps from his visit to the the New Mexico Museum of Military History Albuquerque, New Mexico (That is the Facebook page … it’s website doesn’t appear to be working). This place is only about a mile away from the jeep dealership that has the CJ-2A in it. Note the Ford GP! Don sent a selfie this time 🙂
Merlin Visits the Top Kicks Museum
Anyone familiar with West Virginia’s Top Kicks Military Museum? If not, it’s worth a look. Merlin stopped by the other day and filed a detailed report on his blog. The museum has an extensive Jeep collection that even includes a copy of the CJ4 Jeep and a 6 wheeler.
https://hansonmechanical.wordpress.com/2015/07/18/a-million-jeeps/
Joseph’s High School Project and His LED Taillight Kit
Pete from the Old Willys Forum shared this news with me. Click on the links to learn more.
Joseph is working on his high school senior project this summer. He is planning to build a CNC Mill machine that will mill wood, plastic, and aluminum. He just launched a Kickstarter Campaign to sell his Willys Station Wagon LED tail lights as a kit, to fund the purchase of the CNC parts.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1192462920/willys-station-wagon-led-tail-light-kit
Once he has the CNC machine together, he will use it to produce the circuit boards for the LED tail lights, and other small parts that he can sell to help fund his ’51 Willys Wagon build.
http://www.oldwillysforum.com/forum/showthread.php?2989-Joseph-s-51-Wagon-Build
He is hoping to sell 25-30 sets of the lights to fund the CNC project. It is an ambitious senior project for a 16 year old kid, but he has already raised 2/3 of the 30 day campaign goal in the first 10 days… There has been lots of interest in these lights on www.oldwillysforum.com and hopefully from others who might not visit the forum to find the info on them.
Even folks don’t need a set of the lights, they can support Joseph’s Kickstarter campaign by pledging $25 or more and get a cool shirt he designed for the project. If they are feeling philanthropic, they can donate any amout to the campaign…
Here is what comes in the “kit”, for each tail light, which bolts in to the stock Willys tail light bezel.
Glenn’s Accident in Miss Willy
A couple days ago Glenn Byron was driving to a local Parking Lot Hot Dog Stand Display in his DJ-3A “Miss Willy” when a 90 year old driver pulled a left turn right in front of his bright yellow Jeep. The driver claimed the sun was in his eyes and he didn’t see glenn. Glenn hit the brakes, leaving about 5 foot skid marks from all four wheels before impact.
A nearly new Subaru was the victim, hit on passenger side, side air bags deployed, and probably totaled. The impact caused Miss Willy to flip onto her drivers side and slide a very short distance.
Miss Willy has bent frame, broken windshield, whole nose screwed up, and who knows how much more.
Fortunately, Glenn seems to be okay, though he did get hit on the head pretty good, causing him to be a little foggy. He’s not sure, but he believes he was ejected. No one seems to know of for sure.
Miss Willys before the accident:
1948 Photos of Frances Freeman at the Rare Bird Farm
These two photos were taken at Kendall’s Rare Bird Farm in 1948 showing Frances Freeman. It has since closed, though I have no additional information. Note the odd rear rim.
Melbourne’s Thomas Blamey Monument
Field Marshall Sir Thomas Albert Blamey was memorialized in a monument in the Royal Botanical Gardens in Melbourne, Australia. It shows him standing while gripping part of a jeep windshield. The way a July 1955 Willys News described it, I thought there’d be a whole jeep!
1942 Photo of Cecil McAdams Towing Glider with Jeep on eBay
This was part of the training exercise at the Air Force’s Advanced Glider Detachment in Mobile, Alabama.
1971 Meyer/Husky Snow Plow Postcard on eBay
Steve spotted this postcard that shows both the snowplows and the options for equipment behind the jeeps.
View all the information on ebay
Photos from the 2015 Willys America Open House
Paul reports that this year’s Willys America Open House was a big success. He’s posted photos on his Facebook page. Below are just a few of them.
1944 MB Stolen at Cambridge UK Show
Keep an eye out for this stolen 1944 MB(?) taken from the Imperial War Museum Duxford in Cambridgeshire, UK. Its registration is AMB644 and the hood number is 20497753-S. It was formerly stationed at Pearl Harbor.
Model Jeep on Display at the Met in 1946
Pfc. Harold B. Whiting of Plainfield, New Jersey, built an award-winning model jeep that in 1946 that landed temporarily on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This article was featured in the February 2, 1946, issue of the Afro-American. I wonder where that model is now??
Jeeps Uncouth? Say It Isn’t So Texas!!
An October 26, 1951, article from the Times-News of Henderson, North Carolina, reported that the State Supreme Court of Texas ruled jeeps were “uncouth . . . without beauty of line or body”! Obviously, this didn’t sit well with Willys Overland.
Progress on Biscuit
Last week I dropped by my parents house to visit. Naturally, I also had some sonny-do chores to finish, including my annual ‘sweeping of the roof’. Their tall fir trees might look beautiful, but eventually fall from the limbs and have to land somewhere. How they all seem to reach the roof remains a mystery to me.
The good news is I did manage to get a little work done on Biscuit. After swapping rear leaf spring combinations more times than i care to count, I finally got a grouping that puts the jeep level and the pumpkin at the right angle. That completes the changes necessary for the rear. Now I just have to finish off the engine compartment, brake, and clutch changes. I’m in no rush as the next book is the priority project, but hopefully by years end the jeep will be running again.
Legacy Classic Trucks
Looking for a modern truck in a vintage package? Thanks to Guy, we now know of at least one option: Legacy Classic Trucks. Based out of Jackson Hole, Wyoming, the company specializes in rebuilding classic trucks of all kinds, including Jeep Scramblers and Dodge Power Wagons. The Four Door Power Wagon below is one example. According to their website, most of their trucks are built to order with a variety of power train options and are priced accordingly.
Anyone Know about Pumps?
Charles in Belgium has these two pumps and plans to sell one. The problem is he’s not sure which one he should keep and is having trouble learning more about them. I did a little research and found other, more common WWII pumps, but couldn’t find any examples of these. So, anyone know if one is more interesting or more valuable than the other?
1943 Photo of Aircraft Carrier Jeep Pulling Plane on eBay
1942 Photo of the Camel Caravan Arriving in Spokane
This photo celebrated the arrival of Pinky Tomlin‘s west coast “Camel Caravan” show. It included an escort of five jeeps and two command cars. The article appeared the June 12, 1942, issue of the Spokesman-Review. The jeep shown has a hood number of 2064482.
FC-150 & GPW at the College of the Ozarks
On the CJ2Apage Facebook site Neil shared a couple jeep photos from the College of the Ozarks in Branson, Missouri. The first is a 1957 FC-150 inside the Tractor Museum.
There’s also a GPW in the Ralph Foster Museum. In the photos below, the same jeep is shown in two different locations. So, I’m not exactly sure where it is currently located.
Fifth Annual Willys At Whitewater Ranch July 18th, 2015
This year the Annual “Willys at Whitewater Ranch” near Eugene, Oregon, has been moved up a month to July 18th (in the past it has been held in August). You can learn more about the ranch at http://www.whitewaterranch.com. Host Jim Russell is hoping to get some RSVPs ASAP. You can call him at 415-516-4778.
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5th Annual Willys At Whitewater Ranch July 18th, 2015
I can’t believe this is the 5th year of the event but here we go!
Once a year we open Whitewater Ranch for a weekend of Willys fun. The main event starts about 10:30am on Saturday July 18th. We meet at the Whitewater Ranch barn for some Willys talk and catching up. About 12:00 I will fire up the BBQ and serve lunch. After lunch we will go for a drive through the forest and use the Willys as they were intended to be used. We can then go over to the house, have a frosty one, and relax before we have dinner along the beautiful McKenzie River.
For those of you who arrive early, we have a casual BBQ Friday night and you are welcome to stay through Sunday morning.
In the past many guests have enjoyed camping at Whitewater Ranch. If you would like something a little more comfortable I can recommend the Wayfarer Resort which is both spouse and dog friendly. Here is the link but book early as they are a popular resort, http://www.wayfarerresort.com/. As you can see, if you arrive Friday and leave Sunday you can create a great Willys weekend.
I hope you guys can make it! Please RSVP to me by email or call, 415-516-4778
See you at the ranch!
Sincerely,
Jim Russell
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Whitewater Ranch is a working timber, Christmas tree and organic blueberry ranch located 25 miles east of Eugene, Oregon.
Directions to Whitewater Ranch
90255 Fish Hatchery Road, Leaburg Oregon:
(Do not use mapquest, google maps, yahoo maps or your GPS, etc. or you will get lost.)
Whitewater Ranch is located about 25 miles east of Eugene, Oregon off Interstate 5 on Highway 126 in Leaburg Oregon.
From I-5:
Take exit 194A (Hwy 126 East) toward Springfield. 6.6 miles
Turn left onto Main St/McKenzie HWY 126 East. 17.7 miles
Just past mile marker 23 (actually mile 23.5) turn right onto Leaburg Dam Road. .2miles
Turn right onto Fish Hatchery Road.
Drive through the trout hatchery, fo
Don’s Colorado-New Mexico Trip Continues
Don was in Denver, Colorado, and stopped by the Forney Museum of Transportation. Inside he found this nice looking M-38A1.
He also stopped by the El Pinto Restaurant in Albuquerque (which he recommends). There he spotted this 1945 GPW.