Exhibit showcases Jeeps from '50s
When the Bantam Jeep Heritage Festival was created in 2011, one of the event’s goals was to showcase Jeep heritage.
That effort continues each year in the Jeep History Exhibit, where about a dozen different Jeeps are displayed. This year Jeeps from the 1950s will be featured.
“The ’50s were an important decade for the Jeep because Jeeps were made more attractive for civilian use,” said Bill Ringeisen, who manages the Jeep History Exhibit. “Convertibles, wagons and pickup trucks were all introduced during this decade. The bodies also changed due to the addition of heavier 4-cylinder overhead valve engines and heavier transmissions.”
The Jeep History Exhibit is sponsored by Omix-ADA, which has an impressive Jeep collection and is bringing five vehicles from its private collection to the festival for the exhibit.
Some of the Jeeps that will be displayed include a Willys M38-A1 that was durable in war, the Jeepster, which was built to appeal to the youth market, and an original purchase 1955 Jeep fire truck.
Other Jeep models in the 2016 Jeeps through the Decades display include:
- 1946 Willys CJ-2A, which is on display to showcase its rare agricultural tools
- 1950 Jeepster (VJ)
- 1951 Willys CJ3A
- 1953 CJ-3B
- 1953 M38A1-C
- 1955 Willys pickup
- 1956 Willys station wagon
- 1959 FC-150
Most owners will be available at the display to answer questions and to talk about how they obtained and restored their Jeeps.
The History Exhibit opens at 9 a.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
