Autographed pic of my jeep in 1945

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   I see it's the 60th year since the civilian jeep made it's debut. Well I got lucky a few days ago. I bought 10043 a few years back. It came w/ the original dealers invoice and tranfer of ownership from WO to Gus Haenschen, who happened to be a famous radio show producer in that time period. Being an unusual last name and w/ a Manhatten address and an article listing a farm in Ct I did a simple phone number search. 4 names came up and the article about him said he had a son named Richard. Just so happened one was a Richard. Bingo. I call and he says his dad did three shows in NYC and did two in Detroit for Strohs Beer. His son said that when he emigrated here he was trained to be an engineer but was successful as a producer in the USA. The reason he did the Strohs show was because it was near the assembly lines which he would visit, time permitting. A car guy to the soul his son said. It was this time period that he met some of the bigwigs. One was Knudson and another was Sorensen. He bought the 43rd CJ2A made and he and his son drove it home from OH, over a 2 day period of time, to the farm in Ct. He said a picture was taken that day. I originally had two 45 2A's, one of which was going to get a capstan winch, which I had finally collected all the parts to. I sold the other one and kept this knowing that I really couldn't put winch on as it wasn't on the invoice. After a year or so I called the son again to see if they located the picture. The wife said they had lost my info but would send it right out. I get the picture and it's signed by Gus and Charlie Sorensen and it shows a capstan winch. I'm in Willys heaven!

Edited by Oakes

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Oakes Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Member Joined: 20 July 2005 Location: Falls Church VA Status: Offline Points: 730	Post Options Post Reply Quote Oakes Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Autographed pic of my jeep in 1945 Posted: 20 July 2005 at 7:07pm
	I see it's the 60th year since the civilian jeep made it's debut. Well I got lucky a few days ago. I bought 10043 a few years back. It came w/ the original dealers invoice and tranfer of ownership from WO to Gus Haenschen, who happened to be a famous radio show producer in that time period. Being an unusual last name and w/ a Manhatten address and an article listing a farm in Ct I did a simple phone number search. 4 names came up and the article about him said he had a son named Richard. Just so happened one was a Richard. Bingo. I call and he says his dad did three shows in NYC and did two in Detroit for Strohs Beer. His son said that when he emigrated here he was trained to be an engineer but was successful as a producer in the USA. The reason he did the Strohs show was because it was near the assembly lines which he would visit, time permitting. A car guy to the soul his son said. It was this time period that he met some of the bigwigs. One was Knudson and another was Sorensen. He bought the 43rd CJ2A made and he and his son drove it home from OH, over a 2 day period of time, to the farm in Ct. He said a picture was taken that day. I originally had two 45 2A's, one of which was going to get a capstan winch, which I had finally collected all the parts to. I sold the other one and kept this knowing that I really couldn't put winch on as it wasn't on the invoice. After a year or so I called the son again to see if they located the picture. The wife said they had lost my info but would send it right out. I get the picture and it's signed by Gus and Charlie Sorensen and it shows a capstan winch. I'm in Willys heaven! Edited by Oakes
	SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE SLINKIES, THEY ARE NOT REALLY GOOD FOR ANYTHING BUT THEY STILL BRING A SMILE TO YOUR FACE WHEN YOU PUSH THEM DOWN A FLIGHT OF STAIRS

Doug Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Member Sponsor Member Joined: 19 July 2005 Location: Central Iowa Status: Offline Points: 1373	Post Options Post Reply Quote Doug Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 21 July 2005 at 12:00am
	Cool!, thanks for the read!

Mark Jennings Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Member Joined: 19 July 2005 Status: Offline Points: 114	Post Options Post Reply Quote Mark Jennings Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 22 July 2005 at 11:12am
	Bill, that is so cool. I wish I could trace the roots of my 47 Willys as well as my 48 Indian Chief. It would be interesting. Mark.

Oakes Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Member Joined: 20 July 2005 Location: Falls Church VA Status: Offline Points: 730	Post Options Post Reply Quote Oakes Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 24 July 2005 at 8:34am
	The site that hosts the picture will be down for a few days
	SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE SLINKIES, THEY ARE NOT REALLY GOOD FOR ANYTHING BUT THEY STILL BRING A SMILE TO YOUR FACE WHEN YOU PUSH THEM DOWN A FLIGHT OF STAIRS

Oakes Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Member Joined: 20 July 2005 Location: Falls Church VA Status: Offline Points: 730	Post Options Post Reply Quote Oakes Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 25 Aug. 2005 at 8:40am
	I may have located the original title too.
	SOME PEOPLE ARE LIKE SLINKIES, THEY ARE NOT REALLY GOOD FOR ANYTHING BUT THEY STILL BRING A SMILE TO YOUR FACE WHEN YOU PUSH THEM DOWN A FLIGHT OF STAIRS

russnj Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Webmaster Joined: 20 July 2005 Location: W. Windsor, NJ Status: Offline Points: 3943	Post Options Post Reply Quote russnj Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 25 Aug. 2005 at 2:44pm
	Bill, You are one lucky dude! Do you happen to have a current picture of it? Russ
	43 MB, 48 CJ2A, 50 CJ3A, 55 M38A1, 56 CJ5, 79 M151A2, M100 ,65 M416

Oakes Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest	Post Options Post Reply Quote Oakes Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 25 Aug. 2005 at 2:51pm
	It's at another location right now and sadly looks nothing like the picture but I almost have all the parts needed to restore it back to original plus I found an early Spen trailer as a great accessory. The Spen trailer was the Willys approved trailer and not the Bantam trailer. Willys and Bantam were still fighting it out over who had the rights to the jeep design and name right up into the early 50's. So you can imagine that Willys wouldn't want to help Bantam in any way. I'm doing some research and Spen may have actually supplied Bantam w/ the body tubs. They look almost the same, Bill