THE CLUB FOR ENTHUSIASTS OF ALL AMERICAN VEHICLES UK £3.50 USA $5.50 Multicylinder www.pre50aac.com November / December 2020 - Vol 54-6 STOP PRESS http://www.pre50aac.com/ The password for access to the Members TORQUETORQUE BACK BACK section of the web site is now I hope this issue of Multicylinder the designation the U.S. Army gave 1962Chevrolet finds you in good health, with this to the quarter-ton front-wheel drive The user id stays the same at second wave of COVID-19 it’s even reconnaissance car. [email protected] more poignant than ever to stay in The first prototype “Jeep” was touch with family and friends during developed by Bantam and designed these continued unprecedented in just 18-hours by Karl Probst. times. Hopefully a vaccine will be During WW II soldiers in some units developed and approved to finally called it “Bantams” after the original Front Cover: lead us back to normality very soon. manufacturer/designer. 1963 Mercurys During the months of August and An U.S. WW II veteran “Jack Keenan” Back Cover: September I’ve been actively seeking wrote that they were originally 1963 Mercurys my next daily mode of transport, called “Peeps” not “Jeeps” and the with my ever creaking knees and Dodge command car was nicknamed vulnerable back I’ve succumbed “Beep”, whilst the amphibious Jeep to the ever increasing masses and version was called “Seep”. decided to opt for an SUV. I can hear According to Colonel A.W. Herrington Later on a U.S Army soldier you say “you’re spoilt for choice; the the name was used in Oklahoma as converted the word “Jeep” into an UK market is saturated with them”. early as 1934 to designate a truck acronym “Just Enough Essential Well once I dismissed the Japanese, fitted with special equipment for Parts” Chinese and Korean it narrowed it drilling wells. Other vehicles had the In 1936 the popular comic strip down significantly and on the 16th same name including Minneapolis- Popeye by E.C. Segar unveiled September I took the plunge and Moline Power Implement Co., which “Eugene the Jeep” who was a small, purchased a new Jeep Compass produced an agricultural tractor in impish-looking animal that had the Limited 4x4 automatic. 1943 called “Jeep”. ability to go just about anywhere. The Jeep has had a chequered history Another source, Steven J. Zaloga’s The reference to “Eugene the Jeep” This photo was in taken in Boston during the 1950's with a variety of owners, initially book “Jeeps 1941-45”claims that promoted a 23rd April 1944 editorial with Willys-Overland, then Kaiser, the term “Jeeps” had been around in the Washington Post. As to the AMC, Chrysler and currently Fiat for years, which was a slang word origin of the monosyllable “Jeep” Chrysler. However, I’m now even used by the U.S. Army that meant there appears to be neither mystery more intrigued to learn the origin OFFICERS and REPRESENTATIVES insignificant, awkward or silly. It was nor controversy. of the name “Jeep”. Many people also used by U.S. Army mechanic’s to Rumours about Jeep’s plan to COMMITTEE Editor: Whilst every care is taken in compiling believe it comes from the slurring of Multicylinder, the publisher can take refer to any new vehicle. President: JOHN MILLER celebrate its 80th anniversary next no responsibility for any effects arising the acronym G.P. (General Purpose), ALAN MURPHY Richmond House, 14 Robins Lane, year with a few special editions have 41 Eastham Rake, Eastham, Wirral, Brockhill, Redditch B97 6GX therefrom. Editorial contributions been swirling around the internet for Cheshire, CH62 9AN. Tel: 07773 849717 are welcome and will be handled with [email protected] reasonable care, but must be accompianed a while and Fiat Chrysler has now Tel: 0151 327 2470 made it official. Not one, not two, but [email protected] by return postage, however the publishers Web Designer: assume no responsibility for return six anniversary models have been Secretary: MEL LLOYD or safety of artwork, photographs, prepared, so every single Jeep model LUKE ARNOTT 33 Squires Leaze, Thornbury, manuscripts or any digital information Holcotmoors Lodge, Hulcote, Milton gets the “special edition” treatment Bristol, BS35 1TB supplied. The publisher accepts no Keynes, Bucks, MK17 8BT. during 2021. Tel: 01454 416933 responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, Tel: 01234 750280 [email protected] I’m pleased to say yet another [email protected] photographs or digital material. If you send material to us for publication you fantastic and positive response NON COMMITTEE Chairman & Membership are strongly advised to make copies and from our members who have sent Secretary: Social Media Secretary: to enclose a SAE. Original material must JOHN SEWELL LUKE PASSMORE in articles about their pride and be submitted and will be accepted solely joy in this edition of Multicylinder. 4 Fiddlers Green, Hampton-in-Arden, 3 Old Rectory Rd, Kingswood, on the basis that the author accepts the Solihull, West Midlands B92 0EZ. Wotton-Under-Edge, Gloucestershire, assessment of the publisher as to its Unfortunately I now have only one Tel: 01675 442427 GL12 8RE. Tel: 07886027783 commercial value. All advertisements in member’s article for next year’s [email protected] [email protected] Multicylinder are published in good faith. magazines, so please, please send in Treasurer: The publishers reserve the right to refuse your articles, or just photos with a JULIA RADCLIFFE-WATTS Club Historian: COLIN ROGERS or alter advertisements at their discretion. brief description and I’ll do the rest. Meadow Farm House, Bleasby Moor, The views expressed in this magazine are Market Rasen LN8 3QL 43 Hartley Close, Chipping Sodbury, Remember this year’s survey, nearly South Gloucestershire, BS37 6NW. not necessarily those of the Editor or the Tel: 07798 818 533 Pre 50 American Auto Club. 90% of our members look forward to [email protected] Tel: 01454 318665 seeing other member’s vehicles in Multicylinder is published by the Pre 50 Events Organiser: ONE MAKE SECRETARY American Auto Club. Multicylinder! DAVID RADCLIFFE-WATTS Ford: CHRIS SANDERS Take care & stay safe Meadow Farm House, Bleasby Moor, For our Privacy Policy Tel: 01708 22272 Market Rasen LN8 3QL see http://www. Tel: 07798 818 533 pre50aac.com/privacy_ policy.php John [email protected] 2 3 Once again, what to do? “This is maybe one of the best-driving vehicles I’ve ever owned,” says Bill. It An outside mount would certainly be cruises easily at highway speeds (and The biggest hot-rod project necessary, but it also had to look right. once got up as fast as 88 mph on a Something close to a proper appearance, freeway test), handles well, gets around else the whole idea of the project would 17 mpg, is quiet enough for tour use and be compromised. They looked at the is, in every reasonable way, a completely in Idaho various outside air cleaners on current modern vehicle built on a now 70-year- commercial diesel trucks, but all were far old school-bus design. too large and wouldn’t look right anyway. They just wouldn’t do at all. Sean wasn’t quite ready to have it in Portland for the first year after it was The thinking went outside the (air) finished, so Bill took it to shows around Pre-restoration. Well, that’s… spartan. box at that point. What was needed the Pacific Northwest. It always has was something of a reasonable size, received much attention, has garnered round, with a removable top that well over a dozen trophies in various would accommodate a current air filter. categories. It took a Best Interior award Something like a….stainless-steel at a show in Boise, over several other stockpot. vehicles with ten-thousand-dollar leather A trip to a local restaurant supply interiors. company — Bill recalls they got some Sean’s business, The Vintage Tour Bus funny looks while there — provided a Company, is up and running. The biggest proper stock pot, and a frying pan that hot-rod project in Idaho may now be the would fit over the top. Both had handles, biggest hot rod in Oregon, and regularly but on the stock pot, the holes on one side shuttles guests on winery tours, were used to fit to a mounting bracket sightseeing packages, and special-event Sean’s office, today. to the bus body, and on the other for a rentals tailored to his customers’ needs. custom-made identification plate. The There are seasonal specials, too, with handle was removed from the frying Valentine’s Day tours, wildflower trips, pickup frame was double welded into the pan, and a hole drilled in the bottom for and even Christmas-lights excursions. bus rails. There was enough space for the the long threaded rod to attach to the All but abandoned just a few years back, otherwise stock duct leading from the diesel engine and turbocharger within Sean’s bus doesn’t spend too much time original air cleaner to the engine. (The the original bus engine bay, but a larger parked these days. radiator was required to handle the heat frying pan handle holes are turned to the inside and aren’t noticeable.) Sufficient For more information, or to book a tour output from the newer, more powerful of your own, visit VintageTourBus.com. engine. space was left between the frying pan Sean Kennedy’s 1945 Chevrolet school when Sean saw the ad he contacted Bill. unknown territory. For Bill, it was a huge lid and the stock-pot body to provide The wheels and tires fit within the bus hot rod — note the custom air Yes, the bus was available.