The Willys-Overland Paintings, Part One

During the war years and the early post-war, Willys-Overland was as busy campaigning the future and influence of the jeep as the jeep was busy on the battlefield. Four talented illustrators were contracted to create paintings for a series of ads that Willys was to use. They were Benton Clark, Charles Horndorff, John Howard and most famously, James M. Sessions. They began with showing battle scenes and the heroics of the jeep and the GI and ended by 1945 with pushing the role of the jeep on the farm and in hometown industry. I’ve always been fond of these ads and the illustrations. For myself and many other fans of the early jeep these are the quintessential example of not only the golden age of ad design, but of the jeep in the world of art. I’ve been meaning to get these ads up for a long time as the site really isn’t complete without them and over the next couple of weeks I’ll add my collection artist by artist starting this week with Benton Clark and Charles Horndorf. Next week will bring us John Howard with the James Sessions ads next. Finally the week after that will bring us a special piece of history that I’ve found. For now, enjoy the warmer weather and check out the entirely new section of the site! Click here to see the new page and the ads. Hope that you enjoy them!

Three More Early Civilian Ads

Today we have three early ads for the civilian CJ2-A that probably date from about 1946 judging from the graphic design work involved. I love these ads and ones like them as they show the overwhelming possibilities and the eager optimism that pervaded not only Willys-Overland’s post-war dreams but the American public’s as well. With the war over, the world economy blossomed and the dreams of many an American turned to not only the work before them but their newfound leisure time. And the jeep could help out with both of these pursuits. Click here to view them and many other ads for the timeless CJ. Come back next week when I plan on beginning the series of paintings created by James Sessions, Charles Horndorf, John Howard and Benton Clark for Willys that were published in the famous late war and early post-war ads to spread the legend of the jeep’s wartime exploits. Its been a long time in the making but its coming to This-Old-Jeep.com next week! Today is also the final day to pick up t-shirts in the This-Old-Jeep.com Zazzle marketplace at 40% off when you enter the code YOURPOTOGOLD at checkout. Check them out and get ready for spring today!

October 1967 For Men Only Magazine

It’s nearly spring and with spring and warmer temperatures a man’s fancy turns to romance... and adventures! This cover and the illustration that covers a two page spread for the story features a CJ3-B, the beloved ugly swan of the jeep world. It’s pretty typical of the men’s magazines that ranged in their heyday from the 1950’s to the 60’s. They usually featured the things that would attract a guy’s interest- cars, women, adventures and true-life stories. This cover has a 3B and the two swarthy adventurers narrowly escaping from gun smuggling arms dealers chasing them in what appears to be something with a German halftrack front and oh, I don’t know, but that’s not what matters. Its the jeep and the adventures of a lifetime that counts! Hope that your day is exciting with your jeep and come back next week for more of the timeless and adventurous jeep!

It’s March and finally we can start to think about the promise of spring, regrowth, warmth, the promise of being able to drive topless again and yep, parades! This photo that is dated as coming from March of 1953 also hails from St. Petersburg, Florida where the weather is probably just about right to think about a parade of beauty pageant contestants! I hadn’t noticed until just now as I tried to zoom in on the windshield frame to determine whether the CJ was a 2A or 3A that it appears to be a split windshield 2A. I believe those are the shadows of tool indents making this a very early civilian (VEC) as well?

The year is still early and you can still order and enjoy the This-Old-Jeep.com 2012 calendar that features 17 new and never before seen photos of the jeep from throughout the years! New this week, This-Old-Jeep.com is also available on Pinterest which is sort of a visual Twitter where I’ll be posting update photos as well as other neat links to jeep history that I’ve found online. And we’ll also be available on Flickr where you can view our Photostream as well as other great photos available from other jeep lovers’ streams. Check back next week for more of the timeless jeep!