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July 1945 Article Introducing the Post-War Jeep to Florida

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

This July 22, 1945, article in the St. Petersburg Times employs both the pics and much of the text used published the press release covered by these posts.

1945-07-22-tampabay-times-post-war-jeep-lores

 
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1945 Article on Jeep Driver Lt. Paul Vermylen

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

This May 11, 1945, article in New York’s Brooklyn Eagle shares some stories from Lt. Paul Vermylen’s adventures as a jeep driver in Europe.

Paul Vermylen would go on to live a full life (obit here). He married right after the war, then ran his family’s pasta business, A. Zerega’s Sons (was family owned through May of 2020, now owned by Philadelphia Macaroni). He passed away in 2015 at the age of 96.

1945-05-11-brooklyn-daily-eagle-paul-vermylen-article-lores

 
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Year? Photo From the Netherlands on eBay

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

This undated photo from the Netherlands asks citizens in Dutch to “please be gentlemen in traffic”.

View all the information on eBay

“A jeep parked in the city with a sign on his car. ‘Be a gentleman in traffic’.
The Netherlands. Photo size: 6.8″ x 7.1″ inches”

year-netherlands-be-a-gentleman-in-traffic

year-netherlands-be-a-gentleman-in-traffic2

 
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1940s Prototype Model Goodyear, AZ $40

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

A sale is pending on this model jeep, but it looks to be a model based on the prototypes.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/373333757197973/

“Vintage 1940’s US Army Jeep Toy. This was a wood model assembled and painted very well. The windshield isn’t attached but kind of just sits on the frame. Awesome display piece.”

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1952 CJ-3A Hialeah, FL $12,995

• CATEGORIES: CJ-3A This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Looks in very good shape. The hood is likely aftermarket as it lacks the Willys stamps.

https://miami.craigslist.org/mdc/ctd/d/hialeah-jeep-willy/7220000823.html

“1952 willy nice”

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1948 Jeepster Lugoff, SC $16,000

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

Looks in great shape.

https://columbia.craigslist.org/cto/d/lugoff-1948-willys-jeepster/7214447945.html

“Convertible! 4 cylinder engine with 3 speed manual. Push button starter in floor. Runs and drives. Very cool classic that is a head turner! Price is firm.”

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1953 CJ-3B Umatilla, FL $9000

• CATEGORIES: CJ-3B • TAGS: , This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Hunting vehicle with raised rear seat.

https://ocala.craigslist.org/cto/d/umatilla-1953-willys-jeep/7219631897.html

“Runs and drives good. Has top and hunter seat that are optional and some extra new parts. Price negotiable”

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1947 CJ-2A Brussels, WI $9500

• CATEGORIES: CJ-2A This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: Still Available.

(10/04/2020) Appears worth a look.

https://greenbay.craigslist.org/cto/d/brussels-1947-willys-jeep/7207112883.html

“1947 Willys Jeep with plow. Mostly original (except for tires). Not restored. Good condition. Unknown mileage. Stored indoors year around. Will negotiate. You pick up.”

1947-cj2a-brussels-wi1 1947-cj2a-brussels-wi2 1947-cj2a-brussels-wi3 1947-cj2a-brussels-wi4

 
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Year? Truck Marquette, MI **SOLD**

• CATEGORIES: Willys Trucks • TAGS: This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: **SOLD** Was $2800.

It’s a project, but appears to have potential.

“Willy’s wrecker. 6 cyl. PTO winch set up. Push bumper. Plow. Was a wrecker at a Willy’s dealer brand new. Body and frame have been patched over the years. It’s complete. Nothing missing or parts robbed. Hasn’t run in many years. In storage. In Marquette Michigan. DJ 906 360 7452. Comes with title”

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Year? Austin Champ Cotati, CA $1200

• CATEGORIES: Other 4x4s This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Not a whole lot of value here. Might be worth it for a parts vehicle for another Champ.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/708802280049136/

“50’s British jeep they were made from 1951-1956 It has been sitting for years I do not know if it will run it is a full project. Sold as is $1200”

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Year? Hobart Welder Hudson, FL **SOLD**

• CATEGORIES: Industrial-Welder-Generator This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: **SOLD** Was $500.

Still welds.

“This is an old but still functional Hobart wilder. It comes with the leads and an extra engine block. It has a Willies motor in it now and still turns over. It’s been in storage since my brother pasted. It was his.”

hobart-welder-tb-fl1 hobart-welder-tb-fl2 hobart-welder-tb-fl3

 
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WWII Generator Mariposa, CA **SOLD**

• CATEGORIES: Industrial-Welder-Generator This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: **SOLD** Was $500.

Includes an MB engine #253438

“Willys MB engine in a WWII generator set. Engine serial number MB 253438. Engine oil clean and antifreeze in
the radiator. Generator was used up to a few decades ago until wood rats inflicted damage on the generator wiring
and controls. Engine turns freely. This is sold as an engine only as I do not think the generator is worth repairing.
I am not sure how correct the carburetor is.
$500 or offer”

willys-mb-generator

 
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1957 CJ-6 Auburn, CA $1350

• CATEGORIES: CJ-6 This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: Still Available.

(10/08/2020) Not sure how much value is here.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/813163672777788/

“1956-1964 Very Rare Willy’s CJ-6 Jeep most all the pieces are there torn apart to be a project vehicle never put back together, It needs some love. Moving to Idaho out of California needs to be sold first come first serve with cash!! ”

1957-cj6-auburn-ca

 
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1948 CJ-2A Tub/Frame Banning, CA $1500

• CATEGORIES: CJ-2A This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Not sure there’s much value here. Axles NOT included.

https://inlandempire.craigslist.org/cto/d/banning-1948-willys-cj-2a-crawler/7216843104.html

“Up for sale is my 1948 Willys CJ-2A project, selling the Tub and Frame. *Axles NOT included* The tub is in better shape than most, has some rust and some Bondo. However I didn’t care, as it was going to be a rock crawler. I also have a spare wind shield that is included. The frame is made from 2″x4″x1/4″ steel and excepts YJ Leafs, as shown in the photos, I bought it from a couple guys in Nevada. Other than that make me an offer, i’m not looking to sell separately.”

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1948 CJ-2A Youngstown, FL $1500

• CATEGORIES: CJ-2A This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: Price dropped to $1500.

(06/20/2020) It’s rough. Has a front facing PTO.

https://panamacity.craigslist.org/cto/d/youngstown-1948-cj-2a-willys-jeep/7208079379.html

“1948 Willy’s CJ-2A Jeep. Ready to be restored. The engine turns over. It has already been switched over to a twelve volt system. Needs to be rewired, and a new fuel tank. I have the original title. Included is a second frame with spare parts. Also includes a wench, and a pto Transmission”

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1944 Honeymoon Jeep

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

This “honeymoon” jeep was bedecked with whitewall (painted) tires and plenty of wedding finery. Inside the jeep was the price, WAC Cpl. Forence L. Bauer of Lyndhurst, Ohio, and Capt. Wilson W. Hopkins, Jr., of Durham, North Carolina. They spent their honeymoon in the Italian mountains during the late August of 1944.

Clipping from The Sunday News - Newspapers.com

This photo appeared in the August 20, 1944, in the Sunday News out of Ridgewood New Jersey.

 
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Two Articles on Fire Fighting Jeeps for the USFS

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

This first article from January 22, 1950, in the Independent Press-Telegram (Long Beach, California) provides purchase numbers and eventual destinations for some Forest Service Jeeps.

Clipping from Independent Press-Telegram - Newspapers.com

This second article, from May 05, 1954, in the Sacramento Bee, notes the sale of 10 USFS jeeps that had been part of the Forest Service since 1947 and 1948.

1954-05-05-sacramento-bee-USFS-jeeps-auction

 
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Willys Makes Sense Campaign

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

UPDATE II: Here are two more Willys Make Sense ad that were featured in Sunday newspapers (seller indicates both were from 1951):

This one is currently on eBay for $20:

1951-willys-makes-sense-sunday-paper

This one is currently on eBay for $20:

1951-willys-makes-sense-sunday-paper2

===========================

Originally posted May 29, 2019:  Here’s another Willys Makes Sense ad from the February 13, 1951, issue of the Evening Star newspaper that differed from the others.

1951-02-13-evening-star-willys-wagon-gets-through-pga15

==================

Original Post: May 21, 2019:

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In 1950, Willys-Overland launched a Willys Makes Sense advertising campaign. Unlike past campaigns, such as the 1948 City and City ads, which were about encouraging the sales of wagons and positioning the wagon as a luxury vehicle, the Willys Makes Sense appears to have been organized to re-imagine how the public should view the brand.

Before I get too deeply into this, I’d like to note that the way I’d prefer to write this article is to document specific reasons behind Willys-Overland’s decision to make such a big change. Unfortunately, I don’t have access to enough financial material as I’d like (especially annual reports). So, conjecture and theory will have to do for now.

BACKGROUND: After WWII, pent up demand meant lots of sales for automakers. That could explain, in part, why post-war sales were pretty good for Willys-Overland. For example, sales increased from almost 79,000 jeeps in 1946 to 159,000 jeeps in 1948. But, in 1949, sales plunged to almost half, coming in at 86,000. I don’t have details into why sales dropped so much, but likely parts or material shortages or labor disputes could have had an impact. Certainly, the recession of late 1948 – late 1949 didn’t help sales at all!

Future sales might not have looked too good for 1950 and beyond either. As of 1950 the US produced 76% of automobiles, but given the post-war rebuilding/resurging of industry world-wide, I expect automakers must have realized that international competition would return soon (by 1955 US market share would drop to 67%). This may have stimulated management to clean up their branding as soon as possible to protect against increasing competition (remember that Willys-Overland had expected to sell 25% of their autos internationally, based on the 1946 Fortunate Magazine article).

Another issue Willys-Overland was facing was that going into 1950 the company still didn’t have a registered trademark for the term JEEP (wouldn’t get it until June of 1950). Added to that, the company was not only producing 4WD 1/4 ton jeeps, trucks, and wagons, but also 2WD trucks, wagons, Jeepsters, and an upcoming automobile. Such a portfolio of non-4WD vehicles must have concerned management that it wasn’t just a “jeep” company; so the challenge of how the company should represent itself to dealers and consumers had to have become an issue.

Finally, in a similar vein, up until 1950, the company had been positioning itself as the ‘Jeep’ company, with ads that emphasized the Universal ‘Jeep’, the ‘Jeep’ Truck and the ‘Jeep’ Wagon. Perhaps with the introduction of the Jeepster (note that the company did not call it the ‘Jeep’ Jeepster nor was there any ‘Jeep’ branding on the introductory brochure), the branding issue must have really came to a head. Because of the entrenched nature of Willys-Overland’s efforts to become ‘Jeep’, management may have felt that a company-wide retooling of the  company’s branding was in order.

Perhaps one, two, or all of these issues resulted in the 1950 rebrand of the company as a WILLYS manufacturer with a wide range of 2WD and 4WD vehicles for sale. (For a look back at 1952, see Derek’s post “When the CJ-3B Was New“).

NON-JEEP BRANDED ADS: 

Willys-Overland began 1950 with an ad that felt similar to past ads, but excluded the ‘Jeep’ brand. For example, in January of 1950 Willys published this ad in the Saturday Evening Post. Note the reference to ‘Jeep’ has been replaced with a small ‘Jeep’ badge.

1950-01-07-sat-evening-post-station-wagon-pg86

January 07, 1950, ad in the Saturday Evening Post

As did Colliers Magazine on January 21, 1950:

1950-01-21-colliers-4-wheel-drive-pg14-color

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1949 Wagon Fish Creek, WI **SOLD**

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

UPDATE: SOLD. Was $30,000.

This is a nice looking station wagon.

“For Sale: Recently completed restoration of a very rare and unique 1949 Willys Overland Jeep Station Sedan. The Jeep Station Sedan was Willys’ entry into the upscale station wagon market in 1948, 1949 and 1950. This vehicle has been restored over a period of seven years to a very exacting standard. Besides beautiful green metallic paint the interior replicates the exact seat and headliner material. Mechanically the engine has been rebuild by Terry’s Engine Service and runs like a sewing machine. There are four new B F Goodrich 6.70X15 wide whitewall tires and new caps and trim rings. New wire harness, new deluxe steering wheel, new gas tank. Clear title. Price: $29,950.00.”

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1953 Truck Liberty Center, OH **SOLD**

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

UPDATE: **SOLD** Was $11,500.

Looks like a solid truck.

“1953 Willys Truck
4 x 4, some newer parts installed.
Runs and drives good.”

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1952 M-38 Flagler Beach, FL **Status Unknown**

• CATEGORIES: M-38 • TAGS: , This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: Status Unknown. Was $14,500.

Looks nicely restored.

1951-m38-flaglerbeach-fl46 1951-m38-flaglerbeach-fl47 1951-m38-flaglerbeach-fl48 1951-m38-flaglerbeach-fl49

“This is an Exclnt condtn Korean Era Army Jeep Fully restored. I have had it insured since day one. Ive owned this jeep for about 3 years, and I have lots of paper work on it. In have a Tag on it, a License Plate, its a Antique tag, very low cost. It been restored from the ground up, has military tires, in like new condtn. Mostly original Parts, original windshield , I took it out for a spin a few days ago, put air in the tires, first time in over a year. I have and continue to start this jeep every 6 day. A month ago I took it out for a 40 miles country drive, such fun, lots of honks, heads turning.

Continue reading

 
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1953 M-38A1C Sharon, TN **SOLD**

• CATEGORIES: M-38A1 This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: **SOLD** Was $4500.

This “C” version of the M-38A1 seems worth a look.

“My fathers Jeep . He was working on it before he died. As is not running. Cash and carry.”

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Year? M-274A5 Ardmore, AL $6800

• CATEGORIES: Other 4x4s This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Has potential. Only the one pic posted.

https://huntsville.craigslist.org/grd/d/prospect-m274a5-army-mule/7216526194.html

“M274A5 ARMY MULE, climb 60% slope, traverse 40% hill, approach angle 40 deg, departure angle 34 deg, carry a 1,000 lb. load on 4’x8’ bed, will operate on and off road in all weather conditions, transported in full size pickup bed, seat and foot basket detachable and stored underneath as well as a tow bar, full time four wheel drive as well as four wheel steer, six forward and two reverse gears with two speed transfer case, shaft drive, steering wheel adjusts to be driven riding, walking, kneeling, or crawling, a true military combat vehicle, everything works, same as new, recent complete service, only 67 hours. Praised by farmers, hunters, forestry, miners, many applications. Full commercial parts support. Any ATV/UTV mechanic can work on it. Garage stored on trickle charger, starts and runs as new. We’ve had our fun and ready for another toy.”

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1968 M-151 Nashville, TN **SOLD**

• CATEGORIES: M-151 This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

UPDATE: **SOLD** Was $1200.

Given the hardtop, there seems to be value here.

“1968 Ford M15
I don’t know anything about it other than it came from Kentucky around the Fort Campbell area. It has a 24 volt system and the batteries were bad when I bought it. I have herd it run and it sounded fine but hasn’t been started in a while.”

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1950 CJ-3A Dunedin, FL $4500

• CATEGORIES: CJ-3A This site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated.

Unclear how much value is here, but it looks like the body has been rebuilt.

https://lakecity.craigslist.org/cto/d/dunedin-1950-willys-jeep-project/7220624892.html

“Selling or will trade for motorcycle or jet ski. Built in my garage in Colorado. Moved to Florida and do not have a garage to reassemble and finish. 350 Chevy small block 4 bolt main. Lots of metal restoration, front fenders and grill are perfect. New frame rails, floor pans, leaf springs, shackles, Rancho 5000 shocks. Original 3 speed manual transmission, replaced input shaft to adapt to Chevy bell housing, needs steering and pedals. Have all original parts.”

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