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1991 ‘The First 50 Years’ Jeep Press Packet

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

Thanks to Maury, I was able to get this 1991 press packet off ebay and shipped for under $10. That’s a good day. It wasn’t clear to me all that was inside, but it turned out to be a heck of a deal. The three-page tri-fold stores photos, old press releases, histories, and a few miscellaneous items.

Here’s the front of the packet:

jeep-pr-packet-04

These are the materials that are stored inside. There are four press releases, fourteen reproduction 8×10 photos, a 40-page AMC/Chrysler history, a jeep history that’s attached to the binder (see upper right corner), one March 1963 Jeep News front-page reproduction and a late 1940s wagon ad reproduction. Just the reproduction of the Willys Quad photo was worth the cost of this package (I’d never gotten around to getting one).jeep-pr-packet-05

I haven’t read this history just yet, but wasn’t in a hurry as I’ve already read this book on AMC’s history:

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Here’s how the binder looks when opened. The jeep history starts at the page in the middle.

jeep-pr-packet-07 jeep-pr-packet-08 jeep-pr-packet-09 jeep-pr-packet-10 jeep-pr-packet-11 jeep-pr-packet-12 jeep-pr-packet-13 jeep-pr-packet-14 jeep-pr-packet-15

Under the last page of the jeep history is a holder for all the photos and other documents:

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Here are two 1990s press releases (I only took photos of the front pages):

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These are two 1980s press releases:

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The press release on the left is from early 1942 and covers the changing situation with America’s entry into WWII, while the one on the right is from 1965:

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The Jeep News reproduction page from March 1963 is shown on the left. It includes a report on the name change from Willys Motors to Kaiser Jeep and the Willys-Overland Export Corp. to Kaiser Jeep International Corp. The reproduction wagon ad on the right is from 1948 and includes details on which magazine and dates it appeared (I wish I had that database of information!).

jeep-pr-packet-20-lores

 
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1956 DJ-3A Press Photo on eBay

• CATEGORIES: DJ-3A, Features, Old Images This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Great DJ-3A press photo.

View all the information on eBay

“This is an original press photo. Autos-Willy’s. Willys Jeep Dispatcher, above, designed for light delivery work particularly in congested traffic areas, is now being introduced by Willy’s Motors, Incorporated. Highly maneuverable and economical to operate, the Dispatcher is offered in a hardtop model (illustrated) a convertible canvas soft-top, and a basic open model. All models are powered by the Jeep four-cylinder 60 horsepower engine.Photo measures 10 x 8.25inches. Photo is dated 6-3-1956.”

1956-06-03-dj3a-press-photo1

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1953 Photo and Article from a Jeep Playday

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

This photo and article appeared in the July 09, 1973, issue of the Longview Daily News. I don’t remember the Road Rebels Jeep Club nor can I remember its insignia. The tow bar on the front suggests this jeep was likely a trail and race jeep, if not also a road jeep. It was common to see the family jeep show up at races into the early 1980s. It doesn’t take too many breakdowns of the family jeep while racing to convince owners to build race-only jeeps.
Clipping from Longview Daily News - Newspapers.com

“A hearty crowd turned out for the Jeep Play Day put on by the Road Rebels Jeep Club this weekend in conjunction with Kelso’s Hilander Summer Festival. The unidentified driver has all four wheels slinging mud, sand and water during his run over the course. Photographer Dave Fox captured the action with a camera setting of f16 at 500th of a second, which is considerably slower than the speed he used to get out of the way.”

Clipping from Longview Daily News - Newspapers.com

 
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Four CJ-5-oriented Questions

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

Four CJ-5 Questions for you all:

  1. Anyone know when (month/year or vin) that the CJ-5 switched from the side tank to the rear? I’ve seen dates between mid 1970 through early 1972.
  2. Similarly, when was the PTO draw bar dropped (month/year or vin)?
  3. When did the CJ-5 spare tire mount move from the side to the back (month/year or vin)?
  4. When was JEEP changed to Jeep on the side of the CJ-5 cowl (month/year or vin)? (somewhere on eWillys I’ve answered this question, as I remember doing the research, but now I can’t find it!)
 
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October 1948 Willys Truck Brochure

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

This 1948 Willys Truck brochure is dated October 01, 1948, and highlighted the five different models of trucks available for purchase.  These scans were posted to the oldcarmanualprobject.com website by Eddy Jeijer.

1948-10-01-jeep-truck-brochure-autominded1 1948-10-01-jeep-truck-brochure-autominded2 1948-10-01-jeep-truck-brochure-autominded3 1948-10-01-jeep-truck-brochure-autominded4

 
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March 1948 “4-Wheel-Drive Power” Ad

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

This “4-Wheel-Drive Power” advertisement appeared in the March 1948 issue of the Farm Journal.

1948-03-farm-journal-4-wheel-drive-power-ad-lores

 
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3D Jeep Puzzle on eBay

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

This tiny 3D Jeep puzzle reminds me of a wooden one I have. This plastic version is currently priced at $39.

View all the information on eBay

“This JEEP keychain puzzle was made by J&L Randall company in UK in the early 50s. It comes with its original card which has the solution on the back. The card has a punch through or tear top middle and some bending’folds.

The 2 holes punched in the center of the card were used to attach the puzzle onto the card with a rubber band.

The puzzles are all complete, unbroken and in very good to excellent condition with any exceptions clearly specified.”

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jeep-3d-puzzle4 jeep-3d-puzzle3 jeep-3d-puzzle2 jeep-3d-puzzle1

 
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BOOK: The Mystery in The Jeep by Ernie Rydberg

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

Free-lance writer Ernie Rydberg wrote the Mystery in The Jeep, one of at least eleven books, hundreds of short stories, screen plays, and more over his lifetime (1901-1990). I’ve ordered an inexpensive copy of the book and will report on it when I get a chance.There’s a first edition of the book on eBay for $63.74 and another edition on Amazon for only $19.

According to the synopsis from Goodreads.com, “A pretty librarian helps two high school students, Lefty and Gloria, track down a gang of diabolical confidence men. Their clue is a book, which starts them on the track of illicit real estate deals and other unsavory enterprises.”

Here are two examples of the book cover:

1959-the-mystery-in-the-jeep2 1959-the-mystery-in-the-jeep1

 
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BOOK: The Mystery of the Amphibious Jeep

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

Author Paul Moxham, an Australian writer, has published The Mystery of the Amphibious Jeep on Kindle. At 4.61 stars on Goodreads, it seems to be a popular kids story. Where the referenced ‘jeep’ is a Ford GPA SEEP or a DUKW (or something else), isn’t clear. Given the author’s Australian background and Australian Ben Carlin’s fame, I’m leaning towards it being a GPA.

the-mystery-of-the-amphibious-jeep

According to the synopsis on Goodreads:

“After meeting an American adventurer who is travelling around the world in an amphibious jeep, the Mystery Kids invite him to spend the evening at Rose Cottage. However, the night has barely began when the jeep is stolen by two men.

What do the men plan to do with the jeep? Who are the stowaways? Why does the jeep go round in circles?

Set in 1950’s Britain, this adventure story will suit anyone who enjoys Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys or the Famous Five”

 
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Pat Brady, Dale Evans & NellyBelle Slide on eBay

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

UPDATE: Thanks to Colin for the corrections

Great photo of Roy Rogers Pat Brady at the helm of NellyBelle with Dale Evans beside him.

View all the information on eBay

roy-rogers-nellybelle-negative

“For sale is this original and vintage slide, Roy Rogers in Nelly Belle Willys Jeep in early 1950’s

The first number in the listing title is the year the slide is from.

Slide Brand: red border Kodachrome from the early 1950’s”