Local supply of Jeep spares

[Mike K]

https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-680601814...ge/n2/mode/1up

[Mike K]

I'm cleaning up the rear springs that were fitted on my Jeep when I acquired it.

It looks like my springs are the 1950s Australian made replacements. Ian F. in Sydney mentioned the Army fitted these locally made springs as replacements for worn out or broken original springs.

The replacement leaves have plain edges, not bevelled, and the clips are different to the wartime originals.

I found a govt. Gazette listing for Jeep spares to a spring business in Melbourne ( Leyson ) I'm wondering if this business is where the govt. purchased the Jeep springs.The Dept. Of Supply issued various contracts to Leyson for other items.

Another 1953 gazette listing was for: Canvas jeep hood covers. The covers were supplied by a Queensland business. Were these "hood covers", seat covers, Jeep tops or trailer covers ?

[Mike K]

In 1955, the govt. were looking for replacement Jeep fuel tanks. The tanks may have been needed for any type of Jeep - wartime ,CJ or truck, it's not specified.

Iit appears that Dominion Motors, supplied the tanks, but Dominion had, earlier, purchased a number of jeeps from the Disposals Commission .

I've come across a number of cases, where, it seems that, the govt, were buying back Jeep parts from businesses that the govt. had earlier, sold Jeep parts to. Some govt. Departments were using post war built Willys vehicles, so without more information, it's all involving some guesswork.

[Philliphastings]

Hi Mike,

I have a very good locally supplied Jeep fuel tank which was probably One of those referred to in your post.

Nicely made and still useable I plan to fit it in my Ford GPW project.


Cheers

Phill

[Mike K]

Hi Phil

That's interesting, if you can manage it , no hurry, take a pic or two of your jeep fuel tank.

In the 1950s , there were many gazetted contracts for the govt, buying " jeep spares" . So many, that the spares must have been acquired in order to keep the aging wartime era jeep fleet going.

Some of the purchases of Jeep spares were from such odd organisations, such as the :

State Electricity Commission of Victoria

AG Healing ( surplus dealers )

Stokoe Motors ( the Willys agents in Victoria )

Loscam ( surplus dealers in Port Melbourne)

PM Steadman & company: NSW

EA Machin & Co: Victoria

Dominion Motors

Northern Spare parts Co: NSW

[Mike K]

1952 purchase of jeep "canvas hood covers" (whatever that was) , costing was over 1000 pounds , from a QLD business, Geo. Pickers.

The 1950s era Aust. Army Jeep side curtain/door sets were still around when I first joined the VMVC , I had a set. The Jeep mechanic Alby Hammersley , who ran a business in Box Hill, he was making and selling copies of these 1950s pattern curtain/door sets into the 1970s. And, he was also making and selling Jeep tops.